Chapter 26 - Never Push a Princess
"I tried to tell you that, Tavor," Brethil murmured as they stared at the six orcs, who were staring at them with puzzled looks on their faces.
"Is that them?" one of the orcs whispered to Garluk, scratching his dark head. "They don't look like orcs."
"Are they those elves, like we've heard about?" another hissed in fear.
Garluk frowned. Neither he nor any of his companions had made forays into Mirkwood before and had never seen an elf in person. They had heard many tales with varied descriptions of them, none of which agreed except on the ferocity of those elusive beings.
"They are rather strange looking," one said, taking in the long pale hair, fair faces, the slight glow that surrounded them in an ethereal haze.
Garluk studied them closely. He wasn't certain what to do. Then he noticed the sparkling gems that adorned them and the iridescent clothing that one wore. Perhaps this is what female Singing Orcs looked like. They looked nothing like the few females he had encountered in his life, but none of them were of the Singing variety. It was a rare orc that would sing. He had heard rumors of a male Singing Orc, but he wasn't certain if he believed that tale. Singing male orcs would be a problem. Garluk frowned, studying the three beings in front of him.
"Are you the Singing Orc Princess?" He asked Legolas in Common Speech, ready to bow at her feet or hack off its head, depending on the answer.
"*What* did he say?" Tavor asked incredulously.
"He asked if Legolas is a Singing Orc Princess," Brethil whispered, wishing that his bow wasn't propped against a fallen tree several feet away, several feet away behind the orcs. As was his quiver of arrows. "Are your ears bothering you today, Tavor? You don't seem to hear anything that is being said."
"Shut up, Brethil! Singing Orc Princess?" Tavor stared at the Orc. "Singing Orc Princess??!!"
Garluk didn't understand any of their words, but the voices were pleasant, though not quite what he had expected. He frowned. Perhaps he was mistaken. But then the one in the middle, with many jewels sparkling in the moonlight, looked him in the eyes. Who but a princess would be so adorned? The orc leader felt his face flush with excitement as the other's blue eyes flashed fiercely.
"What did you say to me?" Legolas asked in a deadly quiet voice, his face reddening, hands clenching into fists.
Tavor and Brethil glanced at one another. They recognized the tone, only it was usually issuing from the mouth of the King. They took a step back, distancing themselves from Legolas and from the orcs they suddenly felt sorry for.
"Poor things," Brethil whispered, shaking his head. "Why did they have to mention the word "princess"?"
"Just be ready, Brethil. Or he'll take them on all by himself!" Tavor hissed.
"Are you the Singing Orc Princess that we heard earlier?" Garluk repeated, wishing he knew what an Orc Princess was supposed to look like. For surely this was not what he had expected.
"I am NOT an ORC!! I am NOT a PRINCESS!! Why does everyone keep saying that??!!" Legolas snarled. "I am starting to get very annoyed by it!!"
The Orcs edged closer, amazed and bewitched by the narrowed blue eyes, red face framed by moonlit hair, crowned with dazzling jewels, white teeth bared in a feral snarl.
"It is," one of them moaned in ecstasy. "It *is* the Princess!"
"I - AM - NOT - A - PRINCESS!!!"
"Oh! Listen to her shriek! It is her voice! I recognize it! I - OOF!"
The orc hit the ground as Legolas sprang nimbly onto it.
"I - AM - NOT - A - PRINCESS!!" he shrieked again, banging the beast's head onto the ground to punctuate each word.
The other orcs stared down in shock.
"She is attacking him! She is very strong. She -!"
That Orc found himself sprawled on the ground on his face, one arm twisted behind it, Legolas' knee jammed into its back.
"I am not a girl!!" He spat, ruthlessly yanking on its arm until it yelped in pain. "Say it! "You are not a girl!!"!"
"You are not a girl! You are not a girl!" the orc cried out. "You are not a girl!" He felt as he never had before. He was in ecstasy! He would die at the hands of the Singing Orc Princess!
"Come on, Brethil. Choose one, or there won't be any left." Tavor muttered, springing onto one of the remaining orcs with a loud cry. Brethil grinned and leapt at another one, bearing it to the ground beneath him.
Garluk watched as the elves managed to take out his burly companions one by one until he and one other were the only ones standing. The other orc was jumping up and down with excitement and clapping its clawed hands together. But then the "princess" growled and jumped at him. Soon he was lying on the ground moaning quite happily.
Legolas stood panting slightly, the snarl still on his lips as he turned to Garluk. Brethil and Tavor moved to stand beside him.
"Don't EVER call me "princess" again!" He told Garluk.
The orc smiled, eyeing the 'princess' with great admiration and appreciation. 'She' was very strong, but he didn't doubt he could take 'her'. He grinned, throwing aside his weapon and flexing his large muscles. He was preparing to launch himself at Legolas when a voice shrieked:
"WHAT IS GOING ON NOW??!!"
Garluk was not a stupid orc, nor a foolish one. He knew the others were. He did not fear the strong "princess", but his admiration had gone up considerably when she had taken out his companions so easily. When the tall one on a horse came riding in, eyes flashing like blue fire, accompanied by a silver haired attendant with a bow, Garluk had no doubt that he could take them on as well. But when he saw the "princess" look up, her glorious eyes resting on the new comer and giving a choking cry and stagger backwards in horror, Garluk began to wonder. He thought he heard her whisper something that sounded like 'kelb bawd,' but he didn't know what that meant. It might be the name of the golden haired rider, but perhaps not.
The other two 'maidens' had started as well and moved to stand behind their 'princess,' eyes filled with fear. It was then that Garluk truly began to wonder just what he had gotten himself into. His fellows were climbing to their feet, moaning and complaining, though their faces wore rather silly grins.
"What is this?!" Thranduil repeated, taking in the Orcs and the Tricksy Trio. "Legolas, what have I told you about playing with my jewels?!"
Legolas started and stared down at himself, suddenly recalling that he *had* been playing with his father's jewels. He raised a stricken face to this father then began to remove all the baubles, throwing them hastily onto those still piled on his tunic.
"I . . . I . . . I . . . !" he spluttered, his eyes returning again and again to Celeb Baudh . "Ai, Valar! I am going to die!"
Brethil and Tavor began to thrust their own ornaments away as though the jewels were poisonous snakes twining about their wrists and necks. Tavor's mind was in a whirl as he tried to contemplate how they would manage to survive this encounter with their King. His lips moved, but no sound emerged.
Brethil bit at his lips to still them, hoping that if he stood behind Legolas *and* Tavor perhaps he would remain unseen and therefore he wouldn't be questioned about what had happened.
~I won't tell him anything, this time,~ he told himself. ~Not about spiders, or orcs, or his jewels. Or about the water from Morn Nen that we were taking back with us because then he will want to know why and I can't tell him THAT! ~ His grey eyes moved to the dark rush of water that was not very far from where they stood. ~ I will say nothing. Nothing at all. I can do that! Just keep your mouth shut, Brethil!~
Thranduil's eyes moved from his son to the orcs. A look of anger and disgust crossed his face.
"You are to leave Mirkwood now! If ever I see you - or smell - you here again under my trees I will have you killed before you can draw a breath to ask my pardon! Leave now or Tanglinna will chase you down and you will fall this day. I am being merciful to you now, as I don't want my wood polluted by your foul blood! LEAVE!"
Garluk would have challenged the rider on any other day, but the look on the 'princess's' face told him of the futility of the action. If 'she' had shown no fear when he and the other orcs had arrived to confront them, and leapt forward to attack them without a second's hesitation, was cowering in fear before the rider in dark green then perhaps it would be best to heed the words spoken. He glanced once more at the 'princess', regret and admiration filling him.
"Get moving!" he barked at the others. "Now!"
The battered orcs from the Misty Mountains moved away, throwing sorrowful glances at their 'princess'. They would return home defeated, but with many wondrous tales to tell. After all they had seen the Singing Orc Princess and her maidens. Not to mention the Queen of the Singing Orcs.
Thranduil watched them go, and motioned for Tanglinna to follow them to make certain they did leave Mirkwood. The Master Archer spared a glance for the three younger Elves and shook his head in pity. Then he turned his mount after the orcs.
Thranduil dismounted and advanced slowly on his youngest son. Legolas gulped and backed slowly away, Tavor and Brethil hastily moving away from them both. They needn't have worried, as Thranduil only had eyes for his son at the present moment.
"Little Greenleaf," he began in a low voice, the moonlight reflecting off Celeb Baudh. "You are in a lot of trouble."
Legolas felt laughter bubble up in his throat. A lot of trouble? That was such an understatement.
"I am not in a lot of trouble," he murmured, glancing at Tavor and Brethil. "I am dead. I just don't realize it yet. This is my punishment," he told them in a conversational tone. "To live this over and over and always be in trouble, with my father advancing toward me to slay me with his lips; the Silver Judgment on his brow.""
Tavor and Brethil looked at one another, concern filling their eyes.
"He sounded almost like you there for a moment, Tavor." Brethil murmured. "Only he didn't mention the Halls of Mandos."
Tavor turned to stare at him in disbelief.
"He should throw himself in, as we had told him to," Brethil continued in a whisper. "He can't get in trouble for what he can't remember doing. Right? But then we would have to jump in as well, or we will be in trouble because we could remember. What would be best is if the King fell in and didn't remember, then . . . !"
"Shut up, Brethil!" Tavor hissed through clenched teeth.
Thranduil narrowed his eyes and glared at the two, effectively silencing them. Then he continued to walk toward his son who could hear the rushing water behind him.
"Don't even think about it, Little Greenleaf. You have had entirely too much fun and mischief of late and it must stop. Now."
Legolas could feel the edge of the bank at his heels and he had to halt his steps or he would fall in. Did he really want to forget everything? It sounded like such a simple solution. But when would he get his memory back? He gazed over his shoulder. Would his father not punish him because he threw himself into Morn Nen? Or would he merely wait for his memory to return? Or would he not wait at all and punish him anyway? He looked back at his father and the Silver Judgment.
He moaned and turned deciding to throw himself in. Thranduil shot toward him, followed closely by Tavor and Brethil.
"You will not escape me that easily, Little Greenleaf!" The King exclaimed grabbing for his son and -
OOPS! Looks like that is the end of the chapter! I am so sorry! No, I am not!
Response to Reviewers
The Sadistic Cow - Now it is my turn to say "BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!! How's that! Legolas is going through a lot here at the end, but hey! It is almost the end and I have to throw all I can at him! Well, they didn't get a chance to fight over him, though they would have. But Legolas was itching for a fight after all the things he has been through, so the Orcs didn't get their fun! Oh, well. Such is life!
None - Thanks so much for reading this one and "Once Upon a Time in Hollin"! I will continue them both. Don't worry. Though I think they may both end pretty soon. We shall see. Don't worry. Thranduil and Legolas together are just too much fun to pass up! More of that to come!
angaloth - Myself, I would say the King! How old are they? Well, actually they are too old to act this way. But I myself am to old to act the way I do sometimes. Just ask my husband who thinks he is married to a teenager!
EdnaTod - I am glad you have been enjoying this story. It has been a lot of fun to write! I see you comfort yourself with doses of the movie as I do. I was watching it while I was writing this chapter this afternoon! Well, I guess you will be screaming again at the end of this chapter. Pretty good cliffhanger if you ask me! I don't think I used the word "rather" at all in this chapter! See I do listen to advice from my readers. I have the tendency to use words too often and sometimes they slip by without my catching the many repetitions! So thank you for pointing that out to me! Rather nice of you really! Rather!
JastaElf - Slash possibilities?? Well, maybe, but not in this one! So sorry! And, well, seeing as how you mentioned that AFTER you mentioned the Orcs...okay. Definitely not going there!!!! (shudders and screams "Chapter 3!!!!) Sorry lost it for a moment there! I have set things up nicely, and you may guess what is coming next, since I believe I told you what I might do. Or maybe I won't! I'm not telling yet!
Galena - You are so right! Be afraid, be very afraid! We do love it when the Elf boys are in trouble. What is wrong with us? Powerpuff Boys of Mirkwood! I love it! ROFL! Too fun an image! Don't worry, Brethilitis strikes us all! You will recover. Breathe in, breathe out. Breathe in, breathe out!
Lk - Your mom used to have an outfit that she wore when you were in trouble?? Too cool! Then you can certainly sympathize with poor Legolas (copyright TreeHugger). The Orcs were definitely easier to handle. No one can handle Thranduil! Not even Legolas the Sparkly Green Wizard and his Magic Bubble Pipe!
Puterpatty - First let me say! I don't want any angst in this either. I even let the Orcs go without being slashed to pieces! So please do not come after me with a skewer and a tone-deaf Orc! No torture in this one! I swear! Not physical torture anyway. Been there, done that! This is pure fun! I will leave the torture to the Masters you mentioned! You can read mine to calm you down after you have read theirs! That is why I am here. That is my mission in life: to help you survive the torture fics! You can count on me!
Skye - Bizarre and funny? Cool! That just about sums up my own feelings on this story! The Tricksy Trio managed to hold their own against the Orcs. Don't rouse the wrath of the Tricksy Trio! They can be pushed only so far before someone is going to get it! But it looks like there moment of victory was just a tad short lived. Too bad!
Aria - They didn't heed your advice to run! 'Tis too late now! I warned you, Vicky dear! I know I warned everyone to stay away from "Hearts of Darkness", but you didn't heed my advice either! See what happens when you don't listen to me? Uh, who is N-Saturn??
annakas - I am a very, very, very evil woman, aren't I? Being evil has its strong points as you can see. Silly Orcs are as dumb as Dwarves can be, aren't they? And the King is still angry! Or is he??
Nancing Elf - Loved the modified "Pulp Fiction" quote! Poor Legolas! (copyright TreeHugger) The Tricksy Trio didn't need the bow, they are that good! It helps that the Orcs were rather stupid, but still! Six Orcs don't stand a chance against three Elves! I am afraid it is madness in Mirkwood! But "Though this be madness, yet there is method in it."
Irena - It is a very good thing that it isn't modern times in Middle Earth. There would be no fun at all! Legolas on Ritalin?? How horrible! Can you imagine it?! All three of the Tricksy Trio would be so calm and good. Yikes. That would be nightmarish! Very good thing it is not modern times there!
Jessica - Well, there was yet another cliffhanger to scream over. As you saw they had no need for weapons, they are THAT good! I am not sure if I am done with Gwibess yet. She may yet have a part to play! I think that it is merely Legolas' fate that all this should happen to him. Poor Legolas! (copyright TreeHugger) You may ramble any time!
Mitheithel - The citizens of Mirkwood do know how to sum things up! They have to live with it everyday!
Rings of the cosmos - Everyone loves Legolas! That is only too true! Why else are we all here? Only cave crickets still freak me out! Just can't seem to lose that fear!
Anonymous - The arrival of the King, who is wise and good, and his Master Archer, is definitely not a rescue! More of continued torture! Tavor is definitely not exempt from Brethilitis! To quote you "NO ONE is exempt from it." Okay, so maybe No one is exempt, but not anyone else! You are right. It will never stop. Not for long periods of time anyway! They have too much fun getting into trouble! I didn't feel sorry for the Orcs either, not until Legolas "broke bad" on them! They didn't know what hit them! I have heard of LOTR, Elvish, LOTR poems/songs, LOTR DVD, but I have never heard of anyone called TreeHugger.
Sake - Chocolate chip cookies are always a help! Gloin would have been heartbroken and would never have been the same if something happened to his "maiden". I couldn't do that to him! You would have to feed him cookies, too!
Karina - It is the fun that Legolas and his friends have that gets them into all the trouble that they have. Or nearly so. But to quote Thranduil, "This madness has to stop." Anyone would fare better against the Orcs than against the King, who is wise and good! But very, very annoyed! Sounds like your muse is enjoying himself mightily! So you are going to try something with his stick bunny, or are you going for the pipeweed? I recommend the stick bunny. Pipeweed is tricky!
aurora - I am glad that you and your buddy are enjoying this story! I had a lot of fun getting Gwibess stuck in the window and having them shove her out, too! I will post as quickly as I can. But the faster I post the sooner this will be over!
Laura - Thank you! Cool is a great word! One of my favorites! Thanks so much for reviewing!
Leail - Thank you for the nice email! I am thrilled that you are laughing along with me over this story! It has been great fun and I hope to have more amusing tales to tell in future!
"I tried to tell you that, Tavor," Brethil murmured as they stared at the six orcs, who were staring at them with puzzled looks on their faces.
"Is that them?" one of the orcs whispered to Garluk, scratching his dark head. "They don't look like orcs."
"Are they those elves, like we've heard about?" another hissed in fear.
Garluk frowned. Neither he nor any of his companions had made forays into Mirkwood before and had never seen an elf in person. They had heard many tales with varied descriptions of them, none of which agreed except on the ferocity of those elusive beings.
"They are rather strange looking," one said, taking in the long pale hair, fair faces, the slight glow that surrounded them in an ethereal haze.
Garluk studied them closely. He wasn't certain what to do. Then he noticed the sparkling gems that adorned them and the iridescent clothing that one wore. Perhaps this is what female Singing Orcs looked like. They looked nothing like the few females he had encountered in his life, but none of them were of the Singing variety. It was a rare orc that would sing. He had heard rumors of a male Singing Orc, but he wasn't certain if he believed that tale. Singing male orcs would be a problem. Garluk frowned, studying the three beings in front of him.
"Are you the Singing Orc Princess?" He asked Legolas in Common Speech, ready to bow at her feet or hack off its head, depending on the answer.
"*What* did he say?" Tavor asked incredulously.
"He asked if Legolas is a Singing Orc Princess," Brethil whispered, wishing that his bow wasn't propped against a fallen tree several feet away, several feet away behind the orcs. As was his quiver of arrows. "Are your ears bothering you today, Tavor? You don't seem to hear anything that is being said."
"Shut up, Brethil! Singing Orc Princess?" Tavor stared at the Orc. "Singing Orc Princess??!!"
Garluk didn't understand any of their words, but the voices were pleasant, though not quite what he had expected. He frowned. Perhaps he was mistaken. But then the one in the middle, with many jewels sparkling in the moonlight, looked him in the eyes. Who but a princess would be so adorned? The orc leader felt his face flush with excitement as the other's blue eyes flashed fiercely.
"What did you say to me?" Legolas asked in a deadly quiet voice, his face reddening, hands clenching into fists.
Tavor and Brethil glanced at one another. They recognized the tone, only it was usually issuing from the mouth of the King. They took a step back, distancing themselves from Legolas and from the orcs they suddenly felt sorry for.
"Poor things," Brethil whispered, shaking his head. "Why did they have to mention the word "princess"?"
"Just be ready, Brethil. Or he'll take them on all by himself!" Tavor hissed.
"Are you the Singing Orc Princess that we heard earlier?" Garluk repeated, wishing he knew what an Orc Princess was supposed to look like. For surely this was not what he had expected.
"I am NOT an ORC!! I am NOT a PRINCESS!! Why does everyone keep saying that??!!" Legolas snarled. "I am starting to get very annoyed by it!!"
The Orcs edged closer, amazed and bewitched by the narrowed blue eyes, red face framed by moonlit hair, crowned with dazzling jewels, white teeth bared in a feral snarl.
"It is," one of them moaned in ecstasy. "It *is* the Princess!"
"I - AM - NOT - A - PRINCESS!!!"
"Oh! Listen to her shriek! It is her voice! I recognize it! I - OOF!"
The orc hit the ground as Legolas sprang nimbly onto it.
"I - AM - NOT - A - PRINCESS!!" he shrieked again, banging the beast's head onto the ground to punctuate each word.
The other orcs stared down in shock.
"She is attacking him! She is very strong. She -!"
That Orc found himself sprawled on the ground on his face, one arm twisted behind it, Legolas' knee jammed into its back.
"I am not a girl!!" He spat, ruthlessly yanking on its arm until it yelped in pain. "Say it! "You are not a girl!!"!"
"You are not a girl! You are not a girl!" the orc cried out. "You are not a girl!" He felt as he never had before. He was in ecstasy! He would die at the hands of the Singing Orc Princess!
"Come on, Brethil. Choose one, or there won't be any left." Tavor muttered, springing onto one of the remaining orcs with a loud cry. Brethil grinned and leapt at another one, bearing it to the ground beneath him.
Garluk watched as the elves managed to take out his burly companions one by one until he and one other were the only ones standing. The other orc was jumping up and down with excitement and clapping its clawed hands together. But then the "princess" growled and jumped at him. Soon he was lying on the ground moaning quite happily.
Legolas stood panting slightly, the snarl still on his lips as he turned to Garluk. Brethil and Tavor moved to stand beside him.
"Don't EVER call me "princess" again!" He told Garluk.
The orc smiled, eyeing the 'princess' with great admiration and appreciation. 'She' was very strong, but he didn't doubt he could take 'her'. He grinned, throwing aside his weapon and flexing his large muscles. He was preparing to launch himself at Legolas when a voice shrieked:
"WHAT IS GOING ON NOW??!!"
Garluk was not a stupid orc, nor a foolish one. He knew the others were. He did not fear the strong "princess", but his admiration had gone up considerably when she had taken out his companions so easily. When the tall one on a horse came riding in, eyes flashing like blue fire, accompanied by a silver haired attendant with a bow, Garluk had no doubt that he could take them on as well. But when he saw the "princess" look up, her glorious eyes resting on the new comer and giving a choking cry and stagger backwards in horror, Garluk began to wonder. He thought he heard her whisper something that sounded like 'kelb bawd,' but he didn't know what that meant. It might be the name of the golden haired rider, but perhaps not.
The other two 'maidens' had started as well and moved to stand behind their 'princess,' eyes filled with fear. It was then that Garluk truly began to wonder just what he had gotten himself into. His fellows were climbing to their feet, moaning and complaining, though their faces wore rather silly grins.
"What is this?!" Thranduil repeated, taking in the Orcs and the Tricksy Trio. "Legolas, what have I told you about playing with my jewels?!"
Legolas started and stared down at himself, suddenly recalling that he *had* been playing with his father's jewels. He raised a stricken face to this father then began to remove all the baubles, throwing them hastily onto those still piled on his tunic.
"I . . . I . . . I . . . !" he spluttered, his eyes returning again and again to Celeb Baudh . "Ai, Valar! I am going to die!"
Brethil and Tavor began to thrust their own ornaments away as though the jewels were poisonous snakes twining about their wrists and necks. Tavor's mind was in a whirl as he tried to contemplate how they would manage to survive this encounter with their King. His lips moved, but no sound emerged.
Brethil bit at his lips to still them, hoping that if he stood behind Legolas *and* Tavor perhaps he would remain unseen and therefore he wouldn't be questioned about what had happened.
~I won't tell him anything, this time,~ he told himself. ~Not about spiders, or orcs, or his jewels. Or about the water from Morn Nen that we were taking back with us because then he will want to know why and I can't tell him THAT! ~ His grey eyes moved to the dark rush of water that was not very far from where they stood. ~ I will say nothing. Nothing at all. I can do that! Just keep your mouth shut, Brethil!~
Thranduil's eyes moved from his son to the orcs. A look of anger and disgust crossed his face.
"You are to leave Mirkwood now! If ever I see you - or smell - you here again under my trees I will have you killed before you can draw a breath to ask my pardon! Leave now or Tanglinna will chase you down and you will fall this day. I am being merciful to you now, as I don't want my wood polluted by your foul blood! LEAVE!"
Garluk would have challenged the rider on any other day, but the look on the 'princess's' face told him of the futility of the action. If 'she' had shown no fear when he and the other orcs had arrived to confront them, and leapt forward to attack them without a second's hesitation, was cowering in fear before the rider in dark green then perhaps it would be best to heed the words spoken. He glanced once more at the 'princess', regret and admiration filling him.
"Get moving!" he barked at the others. "Now!"
The battered orcs from the Misty Mountains moved away, throwing sorrowful glances at their 'princess'. They would return home defeated, but with many wondrous tales to tell. After all they had seen the Singing Orc Princess and her maidens. Not to mention the Queen of the Singing Orcs.
Thranduil watched them go, and motioned for Tanglinna to follow them to make certain they did leave Mirkwood. The Master Archer spared a glance for the three younger Elves and shook his head in pity. Then he turned his mount after the orcs.
Thranduil dismounted and advanced slowly on his youngest son. Legolas gulped and backed slowly away, Tavor and Brethil hastily moving away from them both. They needn't have worried, as Thranduil only had eyes for his son at the present moment.
"Little Greenleaf," he began in a low voice, the moonlight reflecting off Celeb Baudh. "You are in a lot of trouble."
Legolas felt laughter bubble up in his throat. A lot of trouble? That was such an understatement.
"I am not in a lot of trouble," he murmured, glancing at Tavor and Brethil. "I am dead. I just don't realize it yet. This is my punishment," he told them in a conversational tone. "To live this over and over and always be in trouble, with my father advancing toward me to slay me with his lips; the Silver Judgment on his brow.""
Tavor and Brethil looked at one another, concern filling their eyes.
"He sounded almost like you there for a moment, Tavor." Brethil murmured. "Only he didn't mention the Halls of Mandos."
Tavor turned to stare at him in disbelief.
"He should throw himself in, as we had told him to," Brethil continued in a whisper. "He can't get in trouble for what he can't remember doing. Right? But then we would have to jump in as well, or we will be in trouble because we could remember. What would be best is if the King fell in and didn't remember, then . . . !"
"Shut up, Brethil!" Tavor hissed through clenched teeth.
Thranduil narrowed his eyes and glared at the two, effectively silencing them. Then he continued to walk toward his son who could hear the rushing water behind him.
"Don't even think about it, Little Greenleaf. You have had entirely too much fun and mischief of late and it must stop. Now."
Legolas could feel the edge of the bank at his heels and he had to halt his steps or he would fall in. Did he really want to forget everything? It sounded like such a simple solution. But when would he get his memory back? He gazed over his shoulder. Would his father not punish him because he threw himself into Morn Nen? Or would he merely wait for his memory to return? Or would he not wait at all and punish him anyway? He looked back at his father and the Silver Judgment.
He moaned and turned deciding to throw himself in. Thranduil shot toward him, followed closely by Tavor and Brethil.
"You will not escape me that easily, Little Greenleaf!" The King exclaimed grabbing for his son and -
OOPS! Looks like that is the end of the chapter! I am so sorry! No, I am not!
Response to Reviewers
The Sadistic Cow - Now it is my turn to say "BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!! How's that! Legolas is going through a lot here at the end, but hey! It is almost the end and I have to throw all I can at him! Well, they didn't get a chance to fight over him, though they would have. But Legolas was itching for a fight after all the things he has been through, so the Orcs didn't get their fun! Oh, well. Such is life!
None - Thanks so much for reading this one and "Once Upon a Time in Hollin"! I will continue them both. Don't worry. Though I think they may both end pretty soon. We shall see. Don't worry. Thranduil and Legolas together are just too much fun to pass up! More of that to come!
angaloth - Myself, I would say the King! How old are they? Well, actually they are too old to act this way. But I myself am to old to act the way I do sometimes. Just ask my husband who thinks he is married to a teenager!
EdnaTod - I am glad you have been enjoying this story. It has been a lot of fun to write! I see you comfort yourself with doses of the movie as I do. I was watching it while I was writing this chapter this afternoon! Well, I guess you will be screaming again at the end of this chapter. Pretty good cliffhanger if you ask me! I don't think I used the word "rather" at all in this chapter! See I do listen to advice from my readers. I have the tendency to use words too often and sometimes they slip by without my catching the many repetitions! So thank you for pointing that out to me! Rather nice of you really! Rather!
JastaElf - Slash possibilities?? Well, maybe, but not in this one! So sorry! And, well, seeing as how you mentioned that AFTER you mentioned the Orcs...okay. Definitely not going there!!!! (shudders and screams "Chapter 3!!!!) Sorry lost it for a moment there! I have set things up nicely, and you may guess what is coming next, since I believe I told you what I might do. Or maybe I won't! I'm not telling yet!
Galena - You are so right! Be afraid, be very afraid! We do love it when the Elf boys are in trouble. What is wrong with us? Powerpuff Boys of Mirkwood! I love it! ROFL! Too fun an image! Don't worry, Brethilitis strikes us all! You will recover. Breathe in, breathe out. Breathe in, breathe out!
Lk - Your mom used to have an outfit that she wore when you were in trouble?? Too cool! Then you can certainly sympathize with poor Legolas (copyright TreeHugger). The Orcs were definitely easier to handle. No one can handle Thranduil! Not even Legolas the Sparkly Green Wizard and his Magic Bubble Pipe!
Puterpatty - First let me say! I don't want any angst in this either. I even let the Orcs go without being slashed to pieces! So please do not come after me with a skewer and a tone-deaf Orc! No torture in this one! I swear! Not physical torture anyway. Been there, done that! This is pure fun! I will leave the torture to the Masters you mentioned! You can read mine to calm you down after you have read theirs! That is why I am here. That is my mission in life: to help you survive the torture fics! You can count on me!
Skye - Bizarre and funny? Cool! That just about sums up my own feelings on this story! The Tricksy Trio managed to hold their own against the Orcs. Don't rouse the wrath of the Tricksy Trio! They can be pushed only so far before someone is going to get it! But it looks like there moment of victory was just a tad short lived. Too bad!
Aria - They didn't heed your advice to run! 'Tis too late now! I warned you, Vicky dear! I know I warned everyone to stay away from "Hearts of Darkness", but you didn't heed my advice either! See what happens when you don't listen to me? Uh, who is N-Saturn??
annakas - I am a very, very, very evil woman, aren't I? Being evil has its strong points as you can see. Silly Orcs are as dumb as Dwarves can be, aren't they? And the King is still angry! Or is he??
Nancing Elf - Loved the modified "Pulp Fiction" quote! Poor Legolas! (copyright TreeHugger) The Tricksy Trio didn't need the bow, they are that good! It helps that the Orcs were rather stupid, but still! Six Orcs don't stand a chance against three Elves! I am afraid it is madness in Mirkwood! But "Though this be madness, yet there is method in it."
Irena - It is a very good thing that it isn't modern times in Middle Earth. There would be no fun at all! Legolas on Ritalin?? How horrible! Can you imagine it?! All three of the Tricksy Trio would be so calm and good. Yikes. That would be nightmarish! Very good thing it is not modern times there!
Jessica - Well, there was yet another cliffhanger to scream over. As you saw they had no need for weapons, they are THAT good! I am not sure if I am done with Gwibess yet. She may yet have a part to play! I think that it is merely Legolas' fate that all this should happen to him. Poor Legolas! (copyright TreeHugger) You may ramble any time!
Mitheithel - The citizens of Mirkwood do know how to sum things up! They have to live with it everyday!
Rings of the cosmos - Everyone loves Legolas! That is only too true! Why else are we all here? Only cave crickets still freak me out! Just can't seem to lose that fear!
Anonymous - The arrival of the King, who is wise and good, and his Master Archer, is definitely not a rescue! More of continued torture! Tavor is definitely not exempt from Brethilitis! To quote you "NO ONE is exempt from it." Okay, so maybe No one is exempt, but not anyone else! You are right. It will never stop. Not for long periods of time anyway! They have too much fun getting into trouble! I didn't feel sorry for the Orcs either, not until Legolas "broke bad" on them! They didn't know what hit them! I have heard of LOTR, Elvish, LOTR poems/songs, LOTR DVD, but I have never heard of anyone called TreeHugger.
Sake - Chocolate chip cookies are always a help! Gloin would have been heartbroken and would never have been the same if something happened to his "maiden". I couldn't do that to him! You would have to feed him cookies, too!
Karina - It is the fun that Legolas and his friends have that gets them into all the trouble that they have. Or nearly so. But to quote Thranduil, "This madness has to stop." Anyone would fare better against the Orcs than against the King, who is wise and good! But very, very annoyed! Sounds like your muse is enjoying himself mightily! So you are going to try something with his stick bunny, or are you going for the pipeweed? I recommend the stick bunny. Pipeweed is tricky!
aurora - I am glad that you and your buddy are enjoying this story! I had a lot of fun getting Gwibess stuck in the window and having them shove her out, too! I will post as quickly as I can. But the faster I post the sooner this will be over!
Laura - Thank you! Cool is a great word! One of my favorites! Thanks so much for reviewing!
Leail - Thank you for the nice email! I am thrilled that you are laughing along with me over this story! It has been great fun and I hope to have more amusing tales to tell in future!