Well, here's the next chapter you guys, obviously you were looking forward
to what's going to happen! Sorry about the cliffie in this chapter too!
@Deana - Don't worry, I always post the chapters day-after-day! The books however need some time to be written!
@Estelisminegoaway - First of all, luv your nick! Secondly, it's great that I have another reviewer!
Chapter 11
Not half a mile away was a small grove of trembling aspen trees. A thick oak stood in the center, the bare branches stretching high to the clouds. Not too far away was a farmhouse burnt to the ground, still smoldering and crackling. Animals were slaughtered in the makeshift corrals save for some horses that had escaped.
Tied to the base of the tree were eight people: two elderly men, two middle-aged men, a little boy, two maidens and an adult woman. Surrounding them were tall, skinny men dressed in black hold torches and sticks. On their backs they each had two spears and a sword at their hilt. Some held bows and arrows with thin dark fletchings. The two maidens appeared to be weeping and the rest silent. An evil laugh could be heard from the middle of the band that surrounded them. A single man emerged, muscular and tall. He wore a cape and a black mask over his mouth.
They were a gang. One that Fallon and Redd had warned him about. Legolas first felt tempted to turn and leave them, but then heard the yell of pain coming from one of the maidens. His head snapped back in that direction.
'Take this like a real woman!' hissed a man in the crowd.
'Leave them alone!' said the younger-looking of the adult men. A stick came down on the side of his head. The apparent leader laughed loudly. The others followed his lead.
'Are you sure there is nothing else you wish to offer us?' he asked. 'Gold, perhaps? One of your daughters?'
'Never!' said the younger-looking man. Another stick came down on his head as well. Blood began to stain his brown hair.
'Keep silent, whelp!' ordered one of the men. A sword suddenly appeared in the leader's hand.
'One more word out of any of you will result in another cut on this young boy here.' he said as the steel touched the white skin of the boy's neck. The boy glared up at the man, keeping silent. 'Unless there is an offer of some sort. Anyone?' silence fell upon them. The only sound was a slight breeze from the mountains that whistled through the branches of the trees. 'No?' he waited a while longer. 'Very well then...' he lifted the sword over his head, aimed directly at the boy who shut his tightly.
An arrow flew through the air and buried itself deep in the leader's chest. He stood there frozen for a moment. The sword fell from his hands and he collapsed onto his knees. All the eyes turned to the direction where the arrow had come from.
Suddenly, another arrow landed in the forehead of another, who fell back with a yelp. Soon, another fell. The younger adult with the blood in his hair took his chance and slipped out of the ropes. He took a sword from one of the thieves and swiftly beheaded it. It landed face-down in a puddle of brown and blood red.
Legolas fired arrow after arrow in a constant stream. He was camouflaged behind a cluster of willow trees where he could overlook but not be seen. He had felled most of them but then ran out of arrows. He quickly took off his burdens and masked the lower part of his face with a white cloth. Then he emerged, and started down the hill.
Eight men were left, and had their spears and arrows ready. Legolas dodged them by somersaulting and leaping down the slope. When he reached the bottom he was dirty and wet. The younger man killed two more with the sword as Legolas drew his blade.
The elven blade his father had given him suddenly began to glow with silver light. Streams of it shot out into the eyes of his enemies. The all cried out in pain from the blinding brightness. Legolas took the chance and swiped at the nearest. They countered blindly and Legolas could easily block and dodge their attacks. Finally all the enemies were down. The light from his blade went out and he sheathed it.
The hair on the back of his neck suddenly stood on end. He turned around to see the leader reach out and grab him around the neck. His odor reeked of fish and horse mingled together. Legolas was lifted from the ground. He kicked and struggled to loosen his grip, but it was no use. The man's eyes glowered with anger and satisfaction.
'I won't be seeing you again, you little pest.' he growled as he ripped the mask from Legolas's face. He cackled and whispered to him: 'I know who you are!'
@Deana - Don't worry, I always post the chapters day-after-day! The books however need some time to be written!
@Estelisminegoaway - First of all, luv your nick! Secondly, it's great that I have another reviewer!
Chapter 11
Not half a mile away was a small grove of trembling aspen trees. A thick oak stood in the center, the bare branches stretching high to the clouds. Not too far away was a farmhouse burnt to the ground, still smoldering and crackling. Animals were slaughtered in the makeshift corrals save for some horses that had escaped.
Tied to the base of the tree were eight people: two elderly men, two middle-aged men, a little boy, two maidens and an adult woman. Surrounding them were tall, skinny men dressed in black hold torches and sticks. On their backs they each had two spears and a sword at their hilt. Some held bows and arrows with thin dark fletchings. The two maidens appeared to be weeping and the rest silent. An evil laugh could be heard from the middle of the band that surrounded them. A single man emerged, muscular and tall. He wore a cape and a black mask over his mouth.
They were a gang. One that Fallon and Redd had warned him about. Legolas first felt tempted to turn and leave them, but then heard the yell of pain coming from one of the maidens. His head snapped back in that direction.
'Take this like a real woman!' hissed a man in the crowd.
'Leave them alone!' said the younger-looking of the adult men. A stick came down on the side of his head. The apparent leader laughed loudly. The others followed his lead.
'Are you sure there is nothing else you wish to offer us?' he asked. 'Gold, perhaps? One of your daughters?'
'Never!' said the younger-looking man. Another stick came down on his head as well. Blood began to stain his brown hair.
'Keep silent, whelp!' ordered one of the men. A sword suddenly appeared in the leader's hand.
'One more word out of any of you will result in another cut on this young boy here.' he said as the steel touched the white skin of the boy's neck. The boy glared up at the man, keeping silent. 'Unless there is an offer of some sort. Anyone?' silence fell upon them. The only sound was a slight breeze from the mountains that whistled through the branches of the trees. 'No?' he waited a while longer. 'Very well then...' he lifted the sword over his head, aimed directly at the boy who shut his tightly.
An arrow flew through the air and buried itself deep in the leader's chest. He stood there frozen for a moment. The sword fell from his hands and he collapsed onto his knees. All the eyes turned to the direction where the arrow had come from.
Suddenly, another arrow landed in the forehead of another, who fell back with a yelp. Soon, another fell. The younger adult with the blood in his hair took his chance and slipped out of the ropes. He took a sword from one of the thieves and swiftly beheaded it. It landed face-down in a puddle of brown and blood red.
Legolas fired arrow after arrow in a constant stream. He was camouflaged behind a cluster of willow trees where he could overlook but not be seen. He had felled most of them but then ran out of arrows. He quickly took off his burdens and masked the lower part of his face with a white cloth. Then he emerged, and started down the hill.
Eight men were left, and had their spears and arrows ready. Legolas dodged them by somersaulting and leaping down the slope. When he reached the bottom he was dirty and wet. The younger man killed two more with the sword as Legolas drew his blade.
The elven blade his father had given him suddenly began to glow with silver light. Streams of it shot out into the eyes of his enemies. The all cried out in pain from the blinding brightness. Legolas took the chance and swiped at the nearest. They countered blindly and Legolas could easily block and dodge their attacks. Finally all the enemies were down. The light from his blade went out and he sheathed it.
The hair on the back of his neck suddenly stood on end. He turned around to see the leader reach out and grab him around the neck. His odor reeked of fish and horse mingled together. Legolas was lifted from the ground. He kicked and struggled to loosen his grip, but it was no use. The man's eyes glowered with anger and satisfaction.
'I won't be seeing you again, you little pest.' he growled as he ripped the mask from Legolas's face. He cackled and whispered to him: 'I know who you are!'