Chapter 5 - The Dark Lord
A/N - I Dunno what's happening here, I started this off as a light MS, but it's turning into a real piece of fanfic - I'm getting a headache now! - Tell me if it's getting really bad...or just stop reading (life's too short!) Remember it's A/U.
Note to Darth Yak - Thanks for the lovely words of praise! There isn't any opportunity for Legolas worship in this chapter but have no fear...he will be back ;)
Elise had noticed a disturbing pattern in her behaviour. At the worst possible time, she would act completely inappropriately to her situation. This was one of those moments. Awakening in yet another strange place, and clearly in danger if the events of before were anything to go by, she finally noticed the beautiful countryside of this alien land. There was no sign of the awful creatures that, she assumed, had brought her here. The cinematic landscapes were breathtaking. The sun was shining brightly in the cloudless sky reminding her of her childhood summer days. In the background were glorious mountains that stood high and proud, their caps glistening with brilliant white snow. To her left a clear stream flowed busily towards its destination and in front of her stood a cloaked figure. It was tall, neither broad nor slim and its back was to her.
"Where the hell am I now?" She said, and immediately cringed. 'Bugger!' she thought. There were no ropes. She was perfectly free. Why didn't she sneak off instead of opening her big mouth?
The figure started and turned around. The hood of the cloak partly obscured its face. One eye was brown, a lock of hair that she could see was silver and the face looked wizened. The figure smiled, or tried to, it looked more like a grimace, there was no warmth there. A black crow flew down from the sky and settled on his right shoulder.
"Welcome my dear creature." A dry, rasping voice said. "I trust you are enjoying your stay in Middle Earth." The cloaked figure turned to point a shaky finger at the herd of large horses, some of which had silver coats. "It is a pity you were not awake to experience the swiftness of my horses. They are descendants from a great steed called Shadowfax. These horses can run as swift as the wind of a storm," he croaked, "we are now many miles from your deluded friends."
Elise's heart sank, an inexplicable sadness crept over her as she thought of the battling quartet and wondered if they survived the Orc onslaught.
"Come now, such sorrow. 'Tis a cause for celebration. I have you at last, my only obstacle to greatness brought to me like a gift." He scratched his head and gave a sheepish look. "Although why you are so important eludes me for the moment."
He tickled the crow's head, "Anneau you have surpassed yourself yet again." He gave a slow grating chuckle. "Some folk believe you need a whole murder of crows to seek out information," he shook his head in disbelief. "That is just amateurish."
Not understanding the man, who seemed a little senile to her, she tried the tactic that she should have done in the first place. She looked at the old man once more. He was still mid sentence, muttering something about disloyal wizards so she seized her chance. She sprung up and sprinted as fast as she could, heading towards a large cluster of trees. She was almost there. Her mind raced ahead to where she would hide in the trees, could she climb? Were the trunks wide enough to conceal her? Elise's heart was pounding so hard it hurt when without warning and to her horror, she froze mid stride. Her fingers were tantalisingly close to the bark of a slim tree and the beginnings of relative safety but try as she might, she just couldn't move. She heard the man speak again, this time, his voice was no longer feeble.
"Fool of a human, you dare to run from me?" The words thundered through the calm air like a stampede of angry bulls through a meadow. They shook the grass, the tree branches, even Elise's bones rattled.
The azure sky had disappeared, in its place turbulent storm cells brewed, thunder and lightning joined the terrifying display of wrath.
Elise's panic grew as she felt herself being lifted up and spun around. Only her eyes were free of this petrified state. She could only blink at the man whose face was now in full view. Her paralysis did not stop her feeling pain. Her whole body burned with it as if a million tiny shards of glass had been injected into her blood stream.
"I have lengthened my tale too much." He rasped and as suddenly as they had appeared, all signs of the tempest vanished. The warm sun shone brightly again. Elise fell to the ground, shaken but unharmed, except for the fact that she could no longer move her legs. The old man smiled at her and shuffled to where she lay crumpled on the ground.
"I have bored you, well perhaps I shall get to the point now, let me see." His face wasn't terrible or marred, just pleasant. Nothing betrayed the awesome power that lay hidden within him. He knelt besides the trembling girl and spoke softly, yet his voice was icy cold. Tapping her legs he chuckled. "This Dark Lord has learnt his lesson, in more ways than one. You may wish to consider reserving your spirit for your long and painful destruction. It won't do to be too tired to scream." With that, the man rose and shuffled away, leaving Elise where she lay. Tears streamed down her face, a prisoner of her own body. She closed her eyes, silently hoping that somehow, against all probability, Legolas and his friends would find her.
A/N - I Dunno what's happening here, I started this off as a light MS, but it's turning into a real piece of fanfic - I'm getting a headache now! - Tell me if it's getting really bad...or just stop reading (life's too short!) Remember it's A/U.
Note to Darth Yak - Thanks for the lovely words of praise! There isn't any opportunity for Legolas worship in this chapter but have no fear...he will be back ;)
Elise had noticed a disturbing pattern in her behaviour. At the worst possible time, she would act completely inappropriately to her situation. This was one of those moments. Awakening in yet another strange place, and clearly in danger if the events of before were anything to go by, she finally noticed the beautiful countryside of this alien land. There was no sign of the awful creatures that, she assumed, had brought her here. The cinematic landscapes were breathtaking. The sun was shining brightly in the cloudless sky reminding her of her childhood summer days. In the background were glorious mountains that stood high and proud, their caps glistening with brilliant white snow. To her left a clear stream flowed busily towards its destination and in front of her stood a cloaked figure. It was tall, neither broad nor slim and its back was to her.
"Where the hell am I now?" She said, and immediately cringed. 'Bugger!' she thought. There were no ropes. She was perfectly free. Why didn't she sneak off instead of opening her big mouth?
The figure started and turned around. The hood of the cloak partly obscured its face. One eye was brown, a lock of hair that she could see was silver and the face looked wizened. The figure smiled, or tried to, it looked more like a grimace, there was no warmth there. A black crow flew down from the sky and settled on his right shoulder.
"Welcome my dear creature." A dry, rasping voice said. "I trust you are enjoying your stay in Middle Earth." The cloaked figure turned to point a shaky finger at the herd of large horses, some of which had silver coats. "It is a pity you were not awake to experience the swiftness of my horses. They are descendants from a great steed called Shadowfax. These horses can run as swift as the wind of a storm," he croaked, "we are now many miles from your deluded friends."
Elise's heart sank, an inexplicable sadness crept over her as she thought of the battling quartet and wondered if they survived the Orc onslaught.
"Come now, such sorrow. 'Tis a cause for celebration. I have you at last, my only obstacle to greatness brought to me like a gift." He scratched his head and gave a sheepish look. "Although why you are so important eludes me for the moment."
He tickled the crow's head, "Anneau you have surpassed yourself yet again." He gave a slow grating chuckle. "Some folk believe you need a whole murder of crows to seek out information," he shook his head in disbelief. "That is just amateurish."
Not understanding the man, who seemed a little senile to her, she tried the tactic that she should have done in the first place. She looked at the old man once more. He was still mid sentence, muttering something about disloyal wizards so she seized her chance. She sprung up and sprinted as fast as she could, heading towards a large cluster of trees. She was almost there. Her mind raced ahead to where she would hide in the trees, could she climb? Were the trunks wide enough to conceal her? Elise's heart was pounding so hard it hurt when without warning and to her horror, she froze mid stride. Her fingers were tantalisingly close to the bark of a slim tree and the beginnings of relative safety but try as she might, she just couldn't move. She heard the man speak again, this time, his voice was no longer feeble.
"Fool of a human, you dare to run from me?" The words thundered through the calm air like a stampede of angry bulls through a meadow. They shook the grass, the tree branches, even Elise's bones rattled.
The azure sky had disappeared, in its place turbulent storm cells brewed, thunder and lightning joined the terrifying display of wrath.
Elise's panic grew as she felt herself being lifted up and spun around. Only her eyes were free of this petrified state. She could only blink at the man whose face was now in full view. Her paralysis did not stop her feeling pain. Her whole body burned with it as if a million tiny shards of glass had been injected into her blood stream.
"I have lengthened my tale too much." He rasped and as suddenly as they had appeared, all signs of the tempest vanished. The warm sun shone brightly again. Elise fell to the ground, shaken but unharmed, except for the fact that she could no longer move her legs. The old man smiled at her and shuffled to where she lay crumpled on the ground.
"I have bored you, well perhaps I shall get to the point now, let me see." His face wasn't terrible or marred, just pleasant. Nothing betrayed the awesome power that lay hidden within him. He knelt besides the trembling girl and spoke softly, yet his voice was icy cold. Tapping her legs he chuckled. "This Dark Lord has learnt his lesson, in more ways than one. You may wish to consider reserving your spirit for your long and painful destruction. It won't do to be too tired to scream." With that, the man rose and shuffled away, leaving Elise where she lay. Tears streamed down her face, a prisoner of her own body. She closed her eyes, silently hoping that somehow, against all probability, Legolas and his friends would find her.