Author's note: HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!! *Readers wince* A little hungover? One of
the many advantages of being a non-drinker.
***
Legolas watched the palace in the fading light. It was now the second night since Legolas had been seen in Merry's room. He had eluded the men who were hunting for him in the woods and tried to find out what had happened to Merry. He had climbed the tree again, only to find the room deserted. Merry had obviously been taken elsewhere.
He had crept into the palace other ways and searched for where his friend might be. Now he believed he had found it. There was a strong door which was guarded. As it opened, Legolas had glimpsed stairs leading downwards. It seemed to most likely place where Merry would be. Legolas couldn't afford to wait any longer. He had no idea what terrible torture Merry was being put through down there.
Legolas climbed in a window near to the guarded door and moved silently as a shadow towards it. He looked round a corner and saw the door, two guards standing in front of it, talking. They clearly didn't expect anyone would try to get passed them.
Before Legolas could make his move, the door opened and a man emerged. He appeared to be a servant, and was carrying a tray. A plate and cut rested on the tray, both empty. It seemed that the prisoners here were not starved, and Legolas took some comfort in that. He ducked back into an alcove as the servant passed him, but the servant seemed lost in his own thoughts. His expression was one of such sadness that for a moment Legolas pitied him.
But then the man was gone and Legolas put him out of his mind. He took out his knife, but left his bow on his back. He wouldn't kill these men if he could help it. He leapt out of the shadows. Neither guard was particularly watchful, and in a few quick moves they were both unconscious. Legoalas left them, since their absence would cause as much alarm as their bodies.
He went through the door and down the dark stairs. Torches burned at intervals along the wall, giving pools of feeble yellow light that did nothing to dispel the shadows. The dark, damp stone of which the walls were made seemed to absorb the light. Legolas shuddered: elves were not meant for dark places.
The stairs ended in a dark tunnel, each wall lined with heavy doors. Other tunnels split away from this one, each with doors of their own. Legolas wondered how he would possibly find Merry before someone found the guards, when he saw that only one of the doors was guarded. This attempt for security only served to give Legolas the answers he needed.
He saw that the guards each held a bow, and knew he wouldn't be able to get close enough to incapacitate them before being shot down. His only option was to use his bow. Then he had a better idea. . .
He strode confidently down the corridor, careful to make noise as humans did. He hoped the dim light would shield his features long enough. The guards noticed him, and one asked him something in the language of this country. Legolas didn't understand, and so couldn't answer.
The guard said something again, and by now both guards were preparing their bows. Legolas ran. He charged into one man's stomach, knocking him against the wall. Then he brought his foot up to kick the other man in the groin. He gave the first man a blow to the head that sent him sprawling, then kicked the second aside.
He tried to open to door, and then began searching the two men for keys. He found the key quickly enough, and opened the door. Merry was sitting on the floor of the cell, a pitiful sight. He looked up at Legolas, blinking in the sudden light. Legolas ran to him, and removed the gag that was in his mouth.
"Legolas, go!" Merry said, the instant he could speak. Legolas didn't, instead he cut the ropes around Merry's wrists.
"Legolas, you have to go."
"I came for you."
"I'm not leaving." Legolas hadn't expected that. He looked into his friend's face in shock.
"I gave my word," Merry continued, "Pippin and I both swore an oath that we wouldn't leave this kingdom unless King Elmas released us."
"Why?"
"Because otherwise we would have spent the rest of our lives in a cell like this one. I won't break my word." Legolas paused, thinking on what Merry had said. He wondered what good it would do Merry taking him from this place if he had to live with the dishonour of breaking an oath.
"Go, Legolas." He nodded, tears on his cheeks that he would be leaving his friend like this. But he knew nothing would pursuade Merry. An oath must be kept.
He ran out of the cell door, and stopped instantly. In front of him were several men. All armed with bows. All aimed at him. Legolas still had his knife in his hand, but he couldn't do anything. A man whom Legolas guessed to be the king came forwards.
"Lay down your weapons," he ordered in common. Legolas saw he had no choice and set the knife down on the floor, followed by his bow. The men were upon him instantly, binding his arms. He struggled, but there were too many of them for him to resist.
The king gave an order in his own language.
"No!" cried Merry from behind him in a frightened voice. He then said something in the Ethrin tongue. It sounded a lot like pleading.
The king snapped an order at Merry in the same language and Merry fell silent. As the men hauled Legolas off down the tunnel he could only wonder what the order was, and why Merry was so frightened by it.
***
Author's note: Yes! Evil cliffhangers are back!
***
Legolas watched the palace in the fading light. It was now the second night since Legolas had been seen in Merry's room. He had eluded the men who were hunting for him in the woods and tried to find out what had happened to Merry. He had climbed the tree again, only to find the room deserted. Merry had obviously been taken elsewhere.
He had crept into the palace other ways and searched for where his friend might be. Now he believed he had found it. There was a strong door which was guarded. As it opened, Legolas had glimpsed stairs leading downwards. It seemed to most likely place where Merry would be. Legolas couldn't afford to wait any longer. He had no idea what terrible torture Merry was being put through down there.
Legolas climbed in a window near to the guarded door and moved silently as a shadow towards it. He looked round a corner and saw the door, two guards standing in front of it, talking. They clearly didn't expect anyone would try to get passed them.
Before Legolas could make his move, the door opened and a man emerged. He appeared to be a servant, and was carrying a tray. A plate and cut rested on the tray, both empty. It seemed that the prisoners here were not starved, and Legolas took some comfort in that. He ducked back into an alcove as the servant passed him, but the servant seemed lost in his own thoughts. His expression was one of such sadness that for a moment Legolas pitied him.
But then the man was gone and Legolas put him out of his mind. He took out his knife, but left his bow on his back. He wouldn't kill these men if he could help it. He leapt out of the shadows. Neither guard was particularly watchful, and in a few quick moves they were both unconscious. Legoalas left them, since their absence would cause as much alarm as their bodies.
He went through the door and down the dark stairs. Torches burned at intervals along the wall, giving pools of feeble yellow light that did nothing to dispel the shadows. The dark, damp stone of which the walls were made seemed to absorb the light. Legolas shuddered: elves were not meant for dark places.
The stairs ended in a dark tunnel, each wall lined with heavy doors. Other tunnels split away from this one, each with doors of their own. Legolas wondered how he would possibly find Merry before someone found the guards, when he saw that only one of the doors was guarded. This attempt for security only served to give Legolas the answers he needed.
He saw that the guards each held a bow, and knew he wouldn't be able to get close enough to incapacitate them before being shot down. His only option was to use his bow. Then he had a better idea. . .
He strode confidently down the corridor, careful to make noise as humans did. He hoped the dim light would shield his features long enough. The guards noticed him, and one asked him something in the language of this country. Legolas didn't understand, and so couldn't answer.
The guard said something again, and by now both guards were preparing their bows. Legolas ran. He charged into one man's stomach, knocking him against the wall. Then he brought his foot up to kick the other man in the groin. He gave the first man a blow to the head that sent him sprawling, then kicked the second aside.
He tried to open to door, and then began searching the two men for keys. He found the key quickly enough, and opened the door. Merry was sitting on the floor of the cell, a pitiful sight. He looked up at Legolas, blinking in the sudden light. Legolas ran to him, and removed the gag that was in his mouth.
"Legolas, go!" Merry said, the instant he could speak. Legolas didn't, instead he cut the ropes around Merry's wrists.
"Legolas, you have to go."
"I came for you."
"I'm not leaving." Legolas hadn't expected that. He looked into his friend's face in shock.
"I gave my word," Merry continued, "Pippin and I both swore an oath that we wouldn't leave this kingdom unless King Elmas released us."
"Why?"
"Because otherwise we would have spent the rest of our lives in a cell like this one. I won't break my word." Legolas paused, thinking on what Merry had said. He wondered what good it would do Merry taking him from this place if he had to live with the dishonour of breaking an oath.
"Go, Legolas." He nodded, tears on his cheeks that he would be leaving his friend like this. But he knew nothing would pursuade Merry. An oath must be kept.
He ran out of the cell door, and stopped instantly. In front of him were several men. All armed with bows. All aimed at him. Legolas still had his knife in his hand, but he couldn't do anything. A man whom Legolas guessed to be the king came forwards.
"Lay down your weapons," he ordered in common. Legolas saw he had no choice and set the knife down on the floor, followed by his bow. The men were upon him instantly, binding his arms. He struggled, but there were too many of them for him to resist.
The king gave an order in his own language.
"No!" cried Merry from behind him in a frightened voice. He then said something in the Ethrin tongue. It sounded a lot like pleading.
The king snapped an order at Merry in the same language and Merry fell silent. As the men hauled Legolas off down the tunnel he could only wonder what the order was, and why Merry was so frightened by it.
***
Author's note: Yes! Evil cliffhangers are back!