Disclaimer: Full disclaimer on first page.
Thanks to Alida Fruit for her editing!
Chapter Nine
Elladan and Elrohir were not sure about Teysrol, but he seemed sincere in his answers, so they allowed him to lead them out. Legolas was beside himself with worry for Aragorn, and tried to think of where the elusive ranger could be.
Teysrol threw the hood of his cloak up, and gestured for the other elves to do the same.
~*~*~*
Sirithiliel moved deeper into the shadows that she hid in, trying to blend in and stay out of sight. She was crouched on the roof of the house next to the one Tivadar took over, hidden in the shadows that were cast by both houses. One dirty window that led to the second floor of the house was near her, and she planned on using that to get in. Tivadar left the house, probably heading to the inn, and securely locked the door. He would most likely retrieve his other captive, and keep them here. As soon as he was out of sight, she moved up and under the musty window, slipping through and entering the house. She was in some kind of room, and she crouched for a moment, waiting for her eyes to adjust to the deeper darkness. Turning, she closed the window, and spotted the door on the far side of the room.
Creeping to the door, she eased it open and went through, carefully shutting it. She found herself in a dark hallway, and there was a musty smell about. She sneered in disgust, and for a moment considered going back and leaving the ranger to Tivadar. But then she remembered what her brother did to Legolas, and her feelings of guilt once more urged her to help the Mirkwood elf, even if it meant helping his human friend. She had never been fond of humans, and this one in particular she found herself not liking. With a shrug, she moved down the hall, looking for stairs.
Finding some that were creaky and looked very unstable, she placed a foot down carefully, and then she moved her other foot. The boards groaned, but did not break, to her relief. She carefully felt every step before putting her full weight on it, and when she reached the bottom she shuddered at the thought of how she would have ended up if the stairs had fallen, but she shook the thought off quickly. Now was not the time to think of that.
She was now in some sort of sitting room. The rich furnishings were covered with dust.and all in all, the man who supposedly owned the house did not look rich enough to own it. He probably had taken it over while its real owners were gone on a trip somewhere.
Passing through what seemed to be a pantry, she heard a scuffle from the next room. Stealthily she moved in, to see the ranger cursing under his breath through a gag and trying to release the tight bonds. A dark bruise marred the left side of his face, and she felt a flash of sympathy. Tivadar had always been brutal, and she had felt his hand once or twice, even though she had paid him back in full afterwards.
Coming to stand near him, she quickly unsheathed one of her daggers and hesitated at the suspicious glare the ranger sent her. She leveled a penetrating look at him and slit the gag and his bonds.
She eyed the front door of the house. She would have to unlock it. then Legolas and his two other friends could get the ranger and leave, while she and Teysrol dealt with Tivadar.
"Now we wait for the elf prince." She said softly.
"Why should I trust you?" Aragorn said, not understanding yet what she was speaking about. She shook her head, amused by the ranger's wariness.
"Because I could have killed you, and your elf friends, before this, and I did not. The reason my brothers and I did not is because we felt it was wrong to do what was asked of us. The elf prince was wounded and his life threatened because of my brother, and Teysrol, Savarre and I realized that that was wrong and we sought to correct it. Hence the fact that we are helping him. There is no reason you should trust me personally.you'll just have to." She leveled an icy glare at him with her obsidian eyes, and moved to the door.
She traced the outline of the key hole, and slid her dagger into it. With a swift twist of her wrist she broke the lock and eased the door open. The street was clear except for a couple of people, and she softly closed the door again. Her brother would lead Legolas and his two friends here...and they would rescue the ranger while Teysrol and Sirithiliel distracted Tivadar.
~*~*~*
Tivadar moved through the street, cloaked and hooded, keeping his features out of sight. He was heading to the inn where he was keeping the Rivendell elf. There were three men there, members of a gang, who said they would help him guard his prisoners. He knew he was being followed by the others, and he had his trap set and ready to spring.
Upon entering the "Cutlass", Tivadar noticed the three men who volunteered to help him sitting in one corner, huddled together. Tivadar moved up the stairs, and reached his room. He paused, for the door was ajar and the lock undone.
With a cautious shove, the elf sent the door crashing open. No one was inside, his prisoner and the rescuers gone. With a snarl of rage, Tivadar slammed the door shut and stormed down the stairs. Bursting into the common room, he gestured to the trio of men and left the inn, and the men stood and followed.
~*~*~*
Skif was a successful thief, living on the streets since a tender age, and he knew his trade well. He saw many different people on the streets. Murderers, rich folk, poor folk, beggars, wretches, other thieves, and so many others. And he had stolen something from every type of person. But these four were new. Their strides were graceful, and they went about cloaked and hooded despite the heat of the summer afternoon. One turned and glanced his way, not looking directly at him, but in the basic direction, as if he sensed the eyes on him. Skif was glad the man was not looking at him. Those stormy gray eyes were intense and the spirit in them strong. The four carried themselves with a confident air, as if they could handle anything. At the same time, though, there was a wary caution about them. They hunched slightly, sticking to the sides of the street and not the center.
They turned down an alley, and Skif saw his chance to find a good steal. They probably had many good items and valuables, and Skif will find them.
Other people moved into the alley as well, since a popular inn was located in it. The officials did not know about it, which is why it was hidden in the first place.
Sidling up the foremost person, and while the man was looking away he reached into one of the pockets. As he did so, he noticed a wicked dagger sheathed at the man's hip, and Skif made sure he did not allow the man to see him.
The bustling crowd was enough to cover his sound, and he pulled out a full belt pouch with coins. His eyes lit up with greed as he surveyed his prize, and he slipped into the crowd. Pausing for a moment, he transferred his findings into the large pouch that held all of his prizes. That done, he turned to go.
But not before a hand grabbed him viciously by the collar. He felt himself pulled into a secluded corner of the alley, out of sight of the crowd. The three others did not notice, and Skif nearly gaped in shock when the 'man' threw back his hood to reveal dark, flashing black eyes and raven colored hair. Delicately pointed ears were shown as well, and Skif paled to realize he robbed an elf. The city had tales of elves, of the evil creatures who would kill you for the sheer pleasure of it. And looking into the furious eyes of the one in front of him, the tales seemed true. Stuttering apologies, Skif shoved the pouch that held all of the items he stole that day into the elves hands, fear giving him the strength to break the elf's grasp and flee.
Teysrol let the thief go, and Skif immediately vanished into the crowd. Teysrol pocketed the pouch, and turned back to Legolas and the two Rivendell elves, and saw that they had not noticed the exchange, and gestured for them to continue.
~*~*~*
Savarre moved carefully among the crowd. He had finally received news from Teysrol that Tivadar had been located. Savarre had not been successful in finding out any place where the elf and his captive could be, and was relieved to know they had been found. He moved carefully towards the two story house that was where Tivadar was hiding. Sidling into a sheltered alcove, he watched as a cloaked figure left the house, locking the door behind.
He waited for a moment, knowing Sirithiliel was to be inside, and finally he saw the small movement at the door which showed it was unlocked. If no one had been looking for it, they would not have seen it.
With a smirk, the elf slipped back into the bustle of the crowd and knocked slightly on the door.
~*~*~*
Aragorn had been frightfully shocked when the dark haired elf maiden had appeared beside him.
His wrists and ankles were numbed slightly from the tight cords, and his head pounded from the beating he was given when Tivadar first caught him.
He jumped in fright as a soft knock sounded on the door, and Sirithiliel tensed, drawing her twin swords. The door pushed open and a hooded figure walked in cautiously. Throwing his hood back, Sirithiliel relaxed when she recognized Savarre. The two conversed softly, and then Sirithiliel turned to Aragorn.
"Your friends are coming." She said, and eager gleam igniting in the depths of her black eyes.
~*~*~*
Teysrol gestured towards the run down house, and knocked on the door. Three knocks, followed by five and another three. He had told Sirithiliel that he would use it to tell her it was him, and the door opened.
Elladan pushed past Teysrol to embrace Aragorn and make sure he was unharmed. Elrohir was just one step behind. Teysrol followed them in, and spoke to his brother and sister.
"We have little time. Tivadar is on his way with three humans. You must leave. Now. We will deal with the humans, but Tivadar would likely go after you." Teysrol said, interrupting the meeting. Elrohir looked at him, puzzled and suspicious at how he knew this, but did not press the issue.
"My sword is with Tivadar." Aragorn said, realizing he was weaponless. Without a word, Legolas drew one of his elven knives and tossed it to the ranger, who nodded his thanks. But they were still uncomfortable about running when they should fight.
"You need to go, and get to the mountains quickly. Tivadar is after your blood, for a reason I know not! We know his fighting skills, and you do not. Your best hope is to get to the mountains and prepare a place where you can encounter him where it would prove good for you." Savarre snarled, seeing their hesitation. At that moment, a large thud was heard upon the door, and without a word Aragorn turned and ran, followed by his brothers and Legolas. The three rogue elves followed soon after, just as the door burst open from the pounding.
~*~*~*
Tivadar followed the three men into the house through the wrecked door, glancing about the empty room.
"Follow them." The elf said, a wicked light playing in his eyes. The trap was sprung, and the bait taken.
~*~*~*
Through the window on the second floor that Sirithiliel had entered through, they carefully cloaked themselves and walked into the streets as casual as possible.
They passed through the city gates with ease, and retreated to the mountains.
"You certainly are clever." A melodious, and yet malicious, voice said ahead of them. Tivadar stepped out of a hidden door in the side of a rock, one he had found in the house when he was there. The three men moved out behind him, followed by four others. These men were not afraid of elves, as most were, and had agreed to help if they were paid.
With a slight gesture, Tivadar sent three of the men at Teysrol and his brother and sister, and the other four to distract Aragorn and the twin sons of Elrond. Tivadar himself leaped towards Legolas. The death of the band led to Legolas as the originator, in Tivadar's mind. Legolas caused the tensions to rise in the band, and the orcs followed him to the band. It never occurred to him that it was not the Mirkwood elf's doing. As long as he had someone to blame, Tivadar did not care.
Before he could reach the elf, Aragorn leaped in his way, bringing his borrowed knife to bear.
With a clang of metal on metal, the two met, and strained against each other.
The three men that went at Teysrol and his brother and sister faced off with the three elves.
They were well trained, and well armed, and approached the three rogue elves cautiously, backing them into the cliff side.
The elves fanned out and came at them in unison, their swords -two for each- worked circular attack routines so quickly that the paired weapons seemed to blur the line between where one sword started and the other ended.
The men, to their credit, held strong their position, even if the tables were turned and they had their backs suddenly against the cliff wall. Gradually, talking between themselves, they began to analyze the brilliant and deceptive sword dance, and block and even force an attack.
The elves exchanged words the men did not understand, and suddenly the three attacked in unison again, all six swords up high in a blurring dance. Human swords went up to meet the challenge, and the resulting clang was like a single note.
The note soon changed, diminished, and it took the confused men a moment to realize that each elf dropped one sword. They suddenly realized their vulnerability below, while their blades were occupied with the remaining blades of the elves. They did not know why the elves had dropped their other blades, but they couldn't stop fighting or the remaining swords would cut them down.
A sudden pain in their lower abdomens caused them to slow and look down. Each elf had used their free hand to draw one of their daggers and throw, piercing each of the men. With gasps of shock and pain, the men dropped their swords and clutched their stomachs. One immediately fell, while the other two staggered back. Savarre and Teysrol advanced with both of their swords raised, and finished them off.
Elladan and Elrohir were working an attack that both had perfected over the many years of fighting together. They complemented each others attacks, making it so that the men could not do anything but defend themselves. Elrohir charged from the right, and one of the men turned to meet him. Elladan came at his back, but the other man stepped in the way, blocking the Rivendell elf from reaching his brother. With an angry snarl, Elladan confronted him.
The man attacking Legolas threw his sword, and Legolas brought the knife in his left hand around to hook it under the sword's hilt. What followed was a dance that mesmerized the man, a swift movement of his single knife had the sword spinning in the air, over, under, and about, with the elf playing a song, it seemed, on the weapon's sides.
Legolas finished with an over and about movement that perfectly presented the sword to the man. With a cry of fright, the man ran, ignoring the outstretched blade, and took off into the mountains towards the distant city.
The two fighting Elladan and Elrohir stared after him, then looked to their three dead companions and the watching rogue elves, and decided to flee. Turning, throwing down their swords, they ran after their escaping friend.
Seeing his hired help running, Teysrol knew he would be out numbered if the six other elves turned on him. With a slashing attack, he drove the ranger back, and as Aragorn brought up his blade again for a return strike, Teysrol ran into the hidden door behind him and closed it.
Aragorn ran after the fleeing elf, trying to open the door, but it refused to move.
"Estel, I think it only opens out, which is why he kept it open. We will have to forget about him, and try to get to Rivendell before he is after us again." Legolas said to Aragorn, placing a hand on the ranger's shoulder.
"Aye, and it is getting dark, wargs and orcs will be on the prowl." Elladan added in, glancing around the mountain side. Elrohir nodded agreement, and Aragorn sighed.
"We will find some shelter, and quickly." He looked up at the darkening sky, watching as storm clouds rolled in. He hoped the storm would not break until they had their shelter.
~*~*~*
Finding an alcove in the side of a cliff was not easy, but they managed it as the sun finally set.
Lighting a small fire, they sat around it and kept careful watch. Aragorn stood, and motioned for Legolas to follow. He stood and left the alcove, with Legolas following.
"What do you think, Legolas? About the other elves, I mean. I don't know if we can trust them." The ranger said, halting a couple of yards away from the shelter. He turned and looked at Legolas. The elf was deep in thought.
"They are honest in their wish to help us, but why is what I don't understand. I really don't." The elf said; tossing his long, blonde hair over his shoulder as the wind picked up. The wind howled menacingly, and Legolas suddenly stiffened as he picked something up in the wind.
Aragorn was about to ask what, when something hit him square in the back. As the breath was driven from him, he lost his balance and rolled down the sharp incline, taking his attacker with him. He heard Legolas's shout, and soon that was lost as rock tumbled around him.
He heard now what Legolas had heard, the long mournful howl of a warg. The large, evil wolves would kill him if he did not stop his fall and get up.
Faster than the attacking warg could react, Aragorn whipped Legolas's knife out of his belt and slashed the beast's throat. More came bounding down the incline that he had fallen over, and he turned to face them.
He could hear battle up above him, and knew the rest of the pack was busy with the elves.
He slashed with a broad flat stroke, laying the warg's stomach open. He cut down all that leapt at him, and he began to feel confident.
But soon he was facing off with a particularly large warg, and it was holding its own against him and was even gaining the advantage.
Aragorn slipped on the blood soaked ground, and the beast lunged with snapping jaws, and caught the ranger's leg in its teeth. Aragorn screamed and beat at its head with the flat of his blade, unable to get it turned around. Other wargs charged up, and let out howls of triumph.
The grip of the warg holding him tightened, and Aragorn nearly passed out from the pain. Suddenly, the iron grip loosened, and the warg threw its head up in agony, before collapsing.
Elladan ran up and pulled his blade from the warg's back, looking at his foster brother with concern. The rest of the wargs fled the area, with half their number slain.
Savarre came up beside Elladan and together they helped Aragorn up to the shelter once more. Something cold hit Aragorn, and he realized it had started raining during the battle. Getting into the dry alcove, Aragorn was relieved to see Legolas and Elrohir were unharmed, and the three renegade elves were unscathed.
Elladan and Elrohir fussed over Aragorn, binding his wound as best as they could, while Legolas got the fire going again. The Mirkwood elf cast worried glances over his shoulder towards the ranger, and wished he could do something to help.
Teysrol removed his weapons and laid them aside. He was reaching for his dagger when he felt the belt pouch he had taken from the thief in Quindiniar, and decided to see what was in it. Opening it up, the shelter was suddenly filled with a soft, silver light.
The others stopped what they were doing, as the soft light drowned even the golden glow of the fire. Teysrol reached into the pouch, and pulled out something that fit perfectly in his hand.
"It seems our father had hidden his heirloom near Rivendell, and it had been taken somewhere else." He looked up at his brother and sister, and held the object up.
In his hand was a jewel the size and shape of an oak leaf. The Mornelithe had been found by a stroke of luck on Teysrol's behalf.
~*~*~*
Alida Fruit: Thanks a lot for your review! Without you help it would not be as good as it is.
LEggylover03: You like the Aragorn pain? Here is some more for you! Elrond will have some mental anguish, don't worry. *G*
LadyofMirkwood: I don't know how that works out. I have had a couple of reviewers who like R. A. Salvatore as well, and I found that interesting. Thanks for your review!
Firesong: Oh...lol! You don't have to worry! I won't kill him!
Drizztluver: More misery? It's either more misery or more pain...I'll have to do something to appease my loyal reviewers! Thanks for your review!
Lackeyluver: I would be angry to! Thanks a lot, but I don't think my chapter qualifies as "brilliant", *blushes*
Thanks to Alida Fruit for her editing!
Chapter Nine
Elladan and Elrohir were not sure about Teysrol, but he seemed sincere in his answers, so they allowed him to lead them out. Legolas was beside himself with worry for Aragorn, and tried to think of where the elusive ranger could be.
Teysrol threw the hood of his cloak up, and gestured for the other elves to do the same.
~*~*~*
Sirithiliel moved deeper into the shadows that she hid in, trying to blend in and stay out of sight. She was crouched on the roof of the house next to the one Tivadar took over, hidden in the shadows that were cast by both houses. One dirty window that led to the second floor of the house was near her, and she planned on using that to get in. Tivadar left the house, probably heading to the inn, and securely locked the door. He would most likely retrieve his other captive, and keep them here. As soon as he was out of sight, she moved up and under the musty window, slipping through and entering the house. She was in some kind of room, and she crouched for a moment, waiting for her eyes to adjust to the deeper darkness. Turning, she closed the window, and spotted the door on the far side of the room.
Creeping to the door, she eased it open and went through, carefully shutting it. She found herself in a dark hallway, and there was a musty smell about. She sneered in disgust, and for a moment considered going back and leaving the ranger to Tivadar. But then she remembered what her brother did to Legolas, and her feelings of guilt once more urged her to help the Mirkwood elf, even if it meant helping his human friend. She had never been fond of humans, and this one in particular she found herself not liking. With a shrug, she moved down the hall, looking for stairs.
Finding some that were creaky and looked very unstable, she placed a foot down carefully, and then she moved her other foot. The boards groaned, but did not break, to her relief. She carefully felt every step before putting her full weight on it, and when she reached the bottom she shuddered at the thought of how she would have ended up if the stairs had fallen, but she shook the thought off quickly. Now was not the time to think of that.
She was now in some sort of sitting room. The rich furnishings were covered with dust.and all in all, the man who supposedly owned the house did not look rich enough to own it. He probably had taken it over while its real owners were gone on a trip somewhere.
Passing through what seemed to be a pantry, she heard a scuffle from the next room. Stealthily she moved in, to see the ranger cursing under his breath through a gag and trying to release the tight bonds. A dark bruise marred the left side of his face, and she felt a flash of sympathy. Tivadar had always been brutal, and she had felt his hand once or twice, even though she had paid him back in full afterwards.
Coming to stand near him, she quickly unsheathed one of her daggers and hesitated at the suspicious glare the ranger sent her. She leveled a penetrating look at him and slit the gag and his bonds.
She eyed the front door of the house. She would have to unlock it. then Legolas and his two other friends could get the ranger and leave, while she and Teysrol dealt with Tivadar.
"Now we wait for the elf prince." She said softly.
"Why should I trust you?" Aragorn said, not understanding yet what she was speaking about. She shook her head, amused by the ranger's wariness.
"Because I could have killed you, and your elf friends, before this, and I did not. The reason my brothers and I did not is because we felt it was wrong to do what was asked of us. The elf prince was wounded and his life threatened because of my brother, and Teysrol, Savarre and I realized that that was wrong and we sought to correct it. Hence the fact that we are helping him. There is no reason you should trust me personally.you'll just have to." She leveled an icy glare at him with her obsidian eyes, and moved to the door.
She traced the outline of the key hole, and slid her dagger into it. With a swift twist of her wrist she broke the lock and eased the door open. The street was clear except for a couple of people, and she softly closed the door again. Her brother would lead Legolas and his two friends here...and they would rescue the ranger while Teysrol and Sirithiliel distracted Tivadar.
~*~*~*
Tivadar moved through the street, cloaked and hooded, keeping his features out of sight. He was heading to the inn where he was keeping the Rivendell elf. There were three men there, members of a gang, who said they would help him guard his prisoners. He knew he was being followed by the others, and he had his trap set and ready to spring.
Upon entering the "Cutlass", Tivadar noticed the three men who volunteered to help him sitting in one corner, huddled together. Tivadar moved up the stairs, and reached his room. He paused, for the door was ajar and the lock undone.
With a cautious shove, the elf sent the door crashing open. No one was inside, his prisoner and the rescuers gone. With a snarl of rage, Tivadar slammed the door shut and stormed down the stairs. Bursting into the common room, he gestured to the trio of men and left the inn, and the men stood and followed.
~*~*~*
Skif was a successful thief, living on the streets since a tender age, and he knew his trade well. He saw many different people on the streets. Murderers, rich folk, poor folk, beggars, wretches, other thieves, and so many others. And he had stolen something from every type of person. But these four were new. Their strides were graceful, and they went about cloaked and hooded despite the heat of the summer afternoon. One turned and glanced his way, not looking directly at him, but in the basic direction, as if he sensed the eyes on him. Skif was glad the man was not looking at him. Those stormy gray eyes were intense and the spirit in them strong. The four carried themselves with a confident air, as if they could handle anything. At the same time, though, there was a wary caution about them. They hunched slightly, sticking to the sides of the street and not the center.
They turned down an alley, and Skif saw his chance to find a good steal. They probably had many good items and valuables, and Skif will find them.
Other people moved into the alley as well, since a popular inn was located in it. The officials did not know about it, which is why it was hidden in the first place.
Sidling up the foremost person, and while the man was looking away he reached into one of the pockets. As he did so, he noticed a wicked dagger sheathed at the man's hip, and Skif made sure he did not allow the man to see him.
The bustling crowd was enough to cover his sound, and he pulled out a full belt pouch with coins. His eyes lit up with greed as he surveyed his prize, and he slipped into the crowd. Pausing for a moment, he transferred his findings into the large pouch that held all of his prizes. That done, he turned to go.
But not before a hand grabbed him viciously by the collar. He felt himself pulled into a secluded corner of the alley, out of sight of the crowd. The three others did not notice, and Skif nearly gaped in shock when the 'man' threw back his hood to reveal dark, flashing black eyes and raven colored hair. Delicately pointed ears were shown as well, and Skif paled to realize he robbed an elf. The city had tales of elves, of the evil creatures who would kill you for the sheer pleasure of it. And looking into the furious eyes of the one in front of him, the tales seemed true. Stuttering apologies, Skif shoved the pouch that held all of the items he stole that day into the elves hands, fear giving him the strength to break the elf's grasp and flee.
Teysrol let the thief go, and Skif immediately vanished into the crowd. Teysrol pocketed the pouch, and turned back to Legolas and the two Rivendell elves, and saw that they had not noticed the exchange, and gestured for them to continue.
~*~*~*
Savarre moved carefully among the crowd. He had finally received news from Teysrol that Tivadar had been located. Savarre had not been successful in finding out any place where the elf and his captive could be, and was relieved to know they had been found. He moved carefully towards the two story house that was where Tivadar was hiding. Sidling into a sheltered alcove, he watched as a cloaked figure left the house, locking the door behind.
He waited for a moment, knowing Sirithiliel was to be inside, and finally he saw the small movement at the door which showed it was unlocked. If no one had been looking for it, they would not have seen it.
With a smirk, the elf slipped back into the bustle of the crowd and knocked slightly on the door.
~*~*~*
Aragorn had been frightfully shocked when the dark haired elf maiden had appeared beside him.
His wrists and ankles were numbed slightly from the tight cords, and his head pounded from the beating he was given when Tivadar first caught him.
He jumped in fright as a soft knock sounded on the door, and Sirithiliel tensed, drawing her twin swords. The door pushed open and a hooded figure walked in cautiously. Throwing his hood back, Sirithiliel relaxed when she recognized Savarre. The two conversed softly, and then Sirithiliel turned to Aragorn.
"Your friends are coming." She said, and eager gleam igniting in the depths of her black eyes.
~*~*~*
Teysrol gestured towards the run down house, and knocked on the door. Three knocks, followed by five and another three. He had told Sirithiliel that he would use it to tell her it was him, and the door opened.
Elladan pushed past Teysrol to embrace Aragorn and make sure he was unharmed. Elrohir was just one step behind. Teysrol followed them in, and spoke to his brother and sister.
"We have little time. Tivadar is on his way with three humans. You must leave. Now. We will deal with the humans, but Tivadar would likely go after you." Teysrol said, interrupting the meeting. Elrohir looked at him, puzzled and suspicious at how he knew this, but did not press the issue.
"My sword is with Tivadar." Aragorn said, realizing he was weaponless. Without a word, Legolas drew one of his elven knives and tossed it to the ranger, who nodded his thanks. But they were still uncomfortable about running when they should fight.
"You need to go, and get to the mountains quickly. Tivadar is after your blood, for a reason I know not! We know his fighting skills, and you do not. Your best hope is to get to the mountains and prepare a place where you can encounter him where it would prove good for you." Savarre snarled, seeing their hesitation. At that moment, a large thud was heard upon the door, and without a word Aragorn turned and ran, followed by his brothers and Legolas. The three rogue elves followed soon after, just as the door burst open from the pounding.
~*~*~*
Tivadar followed the three men into the house through the wrecked door, glancing about the empty room.
"Follow them." The elf said, a wicked light playing in his eyes. The trap was sprung, and the bait taken.
~*~*~*
Through the window on the second floor that Sirithiliel had entered through, they carefully cloaked themselves and walked into the streets as casual as possible.
They passed through the city gates with ease, and retreated to the mountains.
"You certainly are clever." A melodious, and yet malicious, voice said ahead of them. Tivadar stepped out of a hidden door in the side of a rock, one he had found in the house when he was there. The three men moved out behind him, followed by four others. These men were not afraid of elves, as most were, and had agreed to help if they were paid.
With a slight gesture, Tivadar sent three of the men at Teysrol and his brother and sister, and the other four to distract Aragorn and the twin sons of Elrond. Tivadar himself leaped towards Legolas. The death of the band led to Legolas as the originator, in Tivadar's mind. Legolas caused the tensions to rise in the band, and the orcs followed him to the band. It never occurred to him that it was not the Mirkwood elf's doing. As long as he had someone to blame, Tivadar did not care.
Before he could reach the elf, Aragorn leaped in his way, bringing his borrowed knife to bear.
With a clang of metal on metal, the two met, and strained against each other.
The three men that went at Teysrol and his brother and sister faced off with the three elves.
They were well trained, and well armed, and approached the three rogue elves cautiously, backing them into the cliff side.
The elves fanned out and came at them in unison, their swords -two for each- worked circular attack routines so quickly that the paired weapons seemed to blur the line between where one sword started and the other ended.
The men, to their credit, held strong their position, even if the tables were turned and they had their backs suddenly against the cliff wall. Gradually, talking between themselves, they began to analyze the brilliant and deceptive sword dance, and block and even force an attack.
The elves exchanged words the men did not understand, and suddenly the three attacked in unison again, all six swords up high in a blurring dance. Human swords went up to meet the challenge, and the resulting clang was like a single note.
The note soon changed, diminished, and it took the confused men a moment to realize that each elf dropped one sword. They suddenly realized their vulnerability below, while their blades were occupied with the remaining blades of the elves. They did not know why the elves had dropped their other blades, but they couldn't stop fighting or the remaining swords would cut them down.
A sudden pain in their lower abdomens caused them to slow and look down. Each elf had used their free hand to draw one of their daggers and throw, piercing each of the men. With gasps of shock and pain, the men dropped their swords and clutched their stomachs. One immediately fell, while the other two staggered back. Savarre and Teysrol advanced with both of their swords raised, and finished them off.
Elladan and Elrohir were working an attack that both had perfected over the many years of fighting together. They complemented each others attacks, making it so that the men could not do anything but defend themselves. Elrohir charged from the right, and one of the men turned to meet him. Elladan came at his back, but the other man stepped in the way, blocking the Rivendell elf from reaching his brother. With an angry snarl, Elladan confronted him.
The man attacking Legolas threw his sword, and Legolas brought the knife in his left hand around to hook it under the sword's hilt. What followed was a dance that mesmerized the man, a swift movement of his single knife had the sword spinning in the air, over, under, and about, with the elf playing a song, it seemed, on the weapon's sides.
Legolas finished with an over and about movement that perfectly presented the sword to the man. With a cry of fright, the man ran, ignoring the outstretched blade, and took off into the mountains towards the distant city.
The two fighting Elladan and Elrohir stared after him, then looked to their three dead companions and the watching rogue elves, and decided to flee. Turning, throwing down their swords, they ran after their escaping friend.
Seeing his hired help running, Teysrol knew he would be out numbered if the six other elves turned on him. With a slashing attack, he drove the ranger back, and as Aragorn brought up his blade again for a return strike, Teysrol ran into the hidden door behind him and closed it.
Aragorn ran after the fleeing elf, trying to open the door, but it refused to move.
"Estel, I think it only opens out, which is why he kept it open. We will have to forget about him, and try to get to Rivendell before he is after us again." Legolas said to Aragorn, placing a hand on the ranger's shoulder.
"Aye, and it is getting dark, wargs and orcs will be on the prowl." Elladan added in, glancing around the mountain side. Elrohir nodded agreement, and Aragorn sighed.
"We will find some shelter, and quickly." He looked up at the darkening sky, watching as storm clouds rolled in. He hoped the storm would not break until they had their shelter.
~*~*~*
Finding an alcove in the side of a cliff was not easy, but they managed it as the sun finally set.
Lighting a small fire, they sat around it and kept careful watch. Aragorn stood, and motioned for Legolas to follow. He stood and left the alcove, with Legolas following.
"What do you think, Legolas? About the other elves, I mean. I don't know if we can trust them." The ranger said, halting a couple of yards away from the shelter. He turned and looked at Legolas. The elf was deep in thought.
"They are honest in their wish to help us, but why is what I don't understand. I really don't." The elf said; tossing his long, blonde hair over his shoulder as the wind picked up. The wind howled menacingly, and Legolas suddenly stiffened as he picked something up in the wind.
Aragorn was about to ask what, when something hit him square in the back. As the breath was driven from him, he lost his balance and rolled down the sharp incline, taking his attacker with him. He heard Legolas's shout, and soon that was lost as rock tumbled around him.
He heard now what Legolas had heard, the long mournful howl of a warg. The large, evil wolves would kill him if he did not stop his fall and get up.
Faster than the attacking warg could react, Aragorn whipped Legolas's knife out of his belt and slashed the beast's throat. More came bounding down the incline that he had fallen over, and he turned to face them.
He could hear battle up above him, and knew the rest of the pack was busy with the elves.
He slashed with a broad flat stroke, laying the warg's stomach open. He cut down all that leapt at him, and he began to feel confident.
But soon he was facing off with a particularly large warg, and it was holding its own against him and was even gaining the advantage.
Aragorn slipped on the blood soaked ground, and the beast lunged with snapping jaws, and caught the ranger's leg in its teeth. Aragorn screamed and beat at its head with the flat of his blade, unable to get it turned around. Other wargs charged up, and let out howls of triumph.
The grip of the warg holding him tightened, and Aragorn nearly passed out from the pain. Suddenly, the iron grip loosened, and the warg threw its head up in agony, before collapsing.
Elladan ran up and pulled his blade from the warg's back, looking at his foster brother with concern. The rest of the wargs fled the area, with half their number slain.
Savarre came up beside Elladan and together they helped Aragorn up to the shelter once more. Something cold hit Aragorn, and he realized it had started raining during the battle. Getting into the dry alcove, Aragorn was relieved to see Legolas and Elrohir were unharmed, and the three renegade elves were unscathed.
Elladan and Elrohir fussed over Aragorn, binding his wound as best as they could, while Legolas got the fire going again. The Mirkwood elf cast worried glances over his shoulder towards the ranger, and wished he could do something to help.
Teysrol removed his weapons and laid them aside. He was reaching for his dagger when he felt the belt pouch he had taken from the thief in Quindiniar, and decided to see what was in it. Opening it up, the shelter was suddenly filled with a soft, silver light.
The others stopped what they were doing, as the soft light drowned even the golden glow of the fire. Teysrol reached into the pouch, and pulled out something that fit perfectly in his hand.
"It seems our father had hidden his heirloom near Rivendell, and it had been taken somewhere else." He looked up at his brother and sister, and held the object up.
In his hand was a jewel the size and shape of an oak leaf. The Mornelithe had been found by a stroke of luck on Teysrol's behalf.
~*~*~*
Alida Fruit: Thanks a lot for your review! Without you help it would not be as good as it is.
LEggylover03: You like the Aragorn pain? Here is some more for you! Elrond will have some mental anguish, don't worry. *G*
LadyofMirkwood: I don't know how that works out. I have had a couple of reviewers who like R. A. Salvatore as well, and I found that interesting. Thanks for your review!
Firesong: Oh...lol! You don't have to worry! I won't kill him!
Drizztluver: More misery? It's either more misery or more pain...I'll have to do something to appease my loyal reviewers! Thanks for your review!
Lackeyluver: I would be angry to! Thanks a lot, but I don't think my chapter qualifies as "brilliant", *blushes*