Disclaimer: Don't own anything.
Please, please review.
A/N: Second to last chapter. I was debating whether I should make this the last chapter instead and stop the Aragorn torture. But I am so very sore from skiing. I cannot believe I am actually writing, considering that every single muscle in my body hurts like hell when I move. Anyway, point is that I am not typing as fast and is extremely tired, so I will defer writing the finale until I am not in pain. This isn't funny at all, but it is difficult to write humor when I am hurting all over =( Hope you like it.
Response to reviews: Yes, there is a huge two towers influence in the last chapter. Saw the movie 7 times =) Must watch it twice more so I can beat my own record for the number of times I saw Titanic =)
Yeah, I am a sort of a Faramir fan. Don't like him as much in the movie; but book Faramir is super awesome =) Put book Faramir character in movie Faramir body, Aragorn will be having competition as my second favorite =) Okay, that's just me being random there.
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Chapter 24:
Pacing the chamber that held the unconscious Man, the Lady of Rivendell deliberated her options. She wanted to teach her former lover a lesson, that no one who ever crossed her could escape her wrath. Yet, despite her anger, Arwen knew the importance of Aragorn to the world of Men. He was Isildur's heir, the last of the descendents from the Great Kings of Old. As much as the Evenstar wished to, she could not kill the Man or caused him any injuries that would prevent the begetting of heirs. Originally, she only planned on inflicting massive amounts of pain on her former lover, to defeat him thoroughly in combat and crush his ego of being a powerful warrior. All these, she could not do with Aragorn lying unconscious in bed; she wanted to make the Man scream and beg for mercy.
It had been three hours since the Elven warriors left to meet the Orc army. Arwen had complete confidence in Rivendell's strength. Soon, her family would return victorious over the beasts of Sauron. After the drugging incidence at the feast, she knew that both her father and Glorfindel would forbid her to take action against her cheating ex-lover. She must act quickly before her chance for revenge was lost. But what could she do to an unconscious Aragorn that would soothe her injured pride?
The thought of making certain that the Man would never enjoy the pleasures of the flesh again with anyone else was most appealing; but that would get in the way of his siring children for Gondor. The Evenstar was at a lost of what to do until she thought of something - a potion she learnt how to create from her grandmother, used to punish promiscuous boyfriends.
Lord Celeborn had the misfortune of being the first guinea pig of the drug when Galadriel found him eyeing another maiden long ago. Instead of rendering its victim impotent, it merely caused an extremely strong urge to use the bathroom whenever he became aroused, thus making the act of bedding another a tremendously uncomfortable process. The Evenstar could not think of a more appropriate punishment for her amorous ex-boyfriend.
There was an antidote to the potion, but only she and Lady Galadriel knew of it. Arwen was certain she could persuade her grandmother to not help the Man. Besides, Aragorn was a very discreet lover; he would probably live with his 'problem' instead of seeking help on something so personal. With a devilish gleam in her eyes and a cruel smile, the Lady left her ex- lover's rooms and headed for the healing room.
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The first of Sauron's main forces had joined the advance troops at the opposite bank. The forest was filled with Orcs for as far as Legolas' eyes could see. The Prince knew the army would be at least twenty thousand strong, given that it was comprised of almost all the Orcs outside of Mordor. If Rivendell and the Joint Army could win this battle, the threats to the Elven Kingdom would be practically eliminated; the Dark Lord would lose all his strongholds in the North. Even with the help of Saruman and his other allies, Sauron would only be able to make war against the World of Men.
Legolas knew the troops from Rivendell were on their way. Lord Elrond must have heard the explosion and figured out the location of Sauron's army. The Prince was certain the Elf-lord, being a brilliant tactician, would make best use of the opportunity to plan a surprise counterstrike, attacking the beasts from all sides. But the Elven army would need time to reach their positions on foot; riding horses would give away their presence. They must delay Sauron's hordes for at least another hour before drawing them into Elrond's traps. The river had mostly subsided; in less than half an hour, it will no longer be able to aid them. It was up to the tactical advisor of Mirkwood to find a way to stall them for another half hour.
The others in his group glanced anxiously at the golden Elf, awaiting his decision. The Men were brave warriors; but they were not stupid. They knew they could not hold back the onslaught of the entire army with only thirty fighters. They would not even last a minute against their enemies. Sensing their allies' unease, Haldir broke the tense silence and suggested the obvious. "We need to retreat now, Legolas. We have given Rivendell a lot of extra time. It should be enough."
Turning to look at his allies, the Prince shook his head sadly and answered, "They need another hour."
"My men are brave; but they are not suicidal. We cannot help you in this fight," sighed the leader of the human hunters. As Legolas shifted his gaze onto the Man, intending to beg him to staying, he noticed a gold ring on the hunter's finger.
"Wait, hold on a minute. I have a plan," pleaded the Prince as he dug through his pack. Retrieving a small pouch, Legolas straightened and looked at his allies.
Being an extremely cautious person, the young Elf had taken a tiny portion of the explosive and stored it separately as backup before he left Mirkwood. The amount left was minute; using it in a simple trap would not diminish the numbers of their enemies significantly. He would need to target the officers in the army; without leadership, panic would spread, the progress of their march slowed. The Prince knew what he must do.
"Please go deeper into the forest and wait in ambush. When you hear an explosion, attack. When the Orcs realize your presence, ride south-west for ten minutes before turning northwest towards Rivendell," explained Legolas, watching his allies intently to gauge their reactions.
"What about you, laddie? What will you do?" asked Gimli, clearly worried. Legolas must be planning to do something dangerous by himself.
"Surrender," replied the Prince calmly.
"No," disagreed Haldir quietly. The Lòrien Elf knew Legolas planned to get close to their enemies and used the explosive to create panic. But he could not see how the young Elf could accomplish his suicide mission. The Orcs marched by moonlight; there was no fire among them with which the Prince could light the explosive, even if Legolas surrendered and forfeited his life. This meaningless sacrifice was something the Guardian of Lòrien would not allow.
Ignoring his Elven friend, the Prince turned to the leader of the hunters and asked, 'May I have your ring?"
Not fully understanding Legolas' intentions, the human frowned but handed the simple gold band to Elf. "I hope you know what you are doing."
As a Prince of Mirkwood, Legolas wore a medallion with their family emblem at all times under his clothes. Carefully, the young Elf replaced the medallion on the chain with the simple gold band, wearing the ring inconspicuously around his neck. At this moment, Haldir understood his friend's plans. "It is too risky. There are too many things that can go wrong," argued the older Elf.
"There is no other way, Haldir. And you know it," replied the Prince calmly, prepared to face his own demise.
"Then let me do this. I am older," pleaded the archer with resignation. Haldir understood the importance of this battle. A decisive victory for the Elves would be worth the sacrifice.
"No offense, my friend, but this is my arena. Besides, you may be older; but people say that one who has not loved had not truly lived. I have found Aragorn; you have yet to find your other half," reasoned Legolas as he watched the river abate.
This would be the most important game of intrigue Legolas ever played in his life. His people were depending on him; Rivendell was depending on him; and most important of all, Aragorn was depending on him. Perhaps if he succeeded, the Man would forgive him; but since he did not expect to survive the night, he supposed he would never know. But then, perhaps it was better this way. "Haldir, please lead our allies into position."
Gimli was about to protest; he did not understand the argument between the two Elves since they spoke in Elvish, but he knew the plan was very risky for his former roommate. The Dwarf vowed he would protect his innocent new friend before training began; he had no intention of breaking his promise. He would not allow Legolas to face their opponents alone. "Laddie.."
His statement was stopped by Haldir's restraining hand. "Let us go, my friend. Legolas will do his duty and we will do ours." Forcefully leading the Dwarf away, the Guardian of Lòrien helped Gimli onto the horse. Before he too mounted, he turned to the younger Elf and saluted. "My Prince, may the grace of the Valar protect you."
Smiling slightly, Legolas nodded in acknowledgement and said, "And you too, my friends." As he watched his allies disappear into the forest, he added softly, "Farewell. Live well and prosper."
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Elrond led his soldiers into the forest to the Northwest of the river where the main Orc army was located. This would be where they would stage their ambush; the creatures must pass here to reach the Elven citadel. Giving clear orders, the Lord of Rivendell positioned his Elves among the trees. The ancient Elf knew their enemies had a significant advantage in numbers; but he hoped the element of surprise would be enough to tip the balance in their favor.
Elrond knew his was the first group to reach their designated position, which was the closest to Rivendell. His twin sons, leading the Joint Army recruits, would attack the flank of the Orcs in the trees along the banks of the river where the beasts cross. Their goal was to drive the Orcs back towards the Misty Mountains, where Glorfindel and the best of Rivendell's warriors awaited.
The success of their plans hinged on Legolas' ability to lead their enemies into their trap as well as to preoccupy the Orcs to give the Joint Army and Glorfindel time to maneuver. According to the dark-haired Elf's estimation, the other groups would need another hour to get into position. Though Elrond trusted the Prince explicitly, he could not help but worry that the young Elf would be unable to stall Sauron's forces once the surging river subsided. Wise as the ancient Elf-lord was, he could not think of a way to hold back the opposing army with Legolas' limited resources. As much as the idea of a Mirkwood Elf being more intelligent than himself irked the Lord of Rivendell, Elrond sincerely hoped the young one would be able to find a solution where he could not. The fate of Imladris rested on the Prince's hands; all Elrond could do was pray and wait.
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Legolas stood alone on the bank, watching as the first of the Orcs began to tentatively step into the stream. Tying two spare quivers to his horse, the golden Elf mounted. Raising his sword above his head and making a loud battle cry for show, the Prince charged into the river, firing arrows as he rode into the swarm of beasts. His time had come.
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Arwen returned to the Man's room with a bubbling concoction in hand. Since her former lover was unconscious, the Lady made several modifications to the potion for easier application. Instead of requiring Aragorn to swallow the drug, all she needed to do was to pour the concoction over a certain part of his anatomy and revenge would be hers. Unbeknownst to the Evenstar, but luckily for the Man, Arwen's visit to her ex-boyfriend's chambers had not gone unnoticed. As she stood over Aragorn's prone form, watchful eyes in the tree outside the window narrowed. Finally, after all these years, its chance to shine had now come.
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Arrows spent, the Prince plowed through the advance troops on horseback with his sword, moving swiftly to avoid the beasts' swords and crawling hands. But there were so many Orcs that Legolas soon found himself immobilized among a sea of the foul creatures. The Elf knew it was time to begin his plan in earnest. With calculated precision, the Prince leaned to the left, pretending to strike at a particularly far-away enemy. As expected, the overextension gave the Orcs the opportunity to pull him down from his horse. As soon as the Elf hit the ground, he curled his arms around his head for protection. When the beasts kicked and clawed at him instead of dealing out mortal wounds with their swords, Legolas smiled secretively through the pain. His previous performance had earned him a chance to be brought to the high-ranking officers; his scheme had a chance of succeeding.
"Enough!" commanded one of the officers.
Grunting in disgust, the circle of Legolas' tormentors parted to allow a large Orc, dressed in black armor, to pass. Towering over the fallen Elf, the beast yanked the Prince to his feet by his hair and pulled his head back for a closer inspection. Legolas had to try very hard to suppress his nausea, as he smelt the creature's foul breath on his face. "Pretty little Elf."
"Stop playing, Bagdud. Bring him here," interrupted another voice impatiently.
At the sound of the command, the large armored Orc released Legolas' hair and moved behind him, shoving him forward through the parting sea of beasts to what appeared to be a 'council' of the officers. When he reached the center of the circle, the Elf was pushed onto the ground roughly. Though his entire body hurt from the previous abuse, the Prince refused to make any sound to indicate his discomfort. He knew he must appear completely confident for his ploy to work. With the power of sheer will, Legolas rose to his feet and stared defiantly at the one he identified as the 'highest ranking' leader of the army.
His tactics worked. The Orc frowned and commented, "You do not seem overly concern of your situation, little Elf."
Instead of replying, the Prince merely offered him an 'I-know-something-you- don't' smile. Perplexed, the semi-intelligent beast demanded, "How did you command the river to attack us?"
These were Sauron's Orcs; they were not familiar with Saruman's devices. All the creature knew was that this single Elf was responsible for the loss of most of their advance troops; and he had done so by calling on nature to strike at them. Elves were in tune with nature, but normal ones did not have power over it. This Elf must be special, with powerful magic. Yet, here he was, captured, but unafraid. The semi-intelligent commander suspected this was another one of the Elf's schemes.
Legolas could see the suspicion in the Orc's eyes. The beast knew he was up to something. It was all well and good since he needed his opponent to believe he had a secret weapon; that he was still in control of the situation, despite his captivity. The trick would now be to make the beast believe he carried the One Ring, whose secret only fire could tell. Once again, instead of answering, the Prince gave his interrogator a smile, this time even more condescending than the last.
The Orc leader was not going to stand by and allow his prisoner insult him. Stalking to the Elf, the beast delivered a blow to the side of Legolas' head that sent him flying to the floor. Despite the stars before his eyes, the Prince knew it was time. He moved his hand to clutch at the ring, as he muttered softly in Elvish, "Ring of Power, grant me this..."
Legolas' words were not lost on the creature. Hastily, the Orc knocked his hand away and tore open the front of his tunic to clearly reveal the single gold band the Elf wore on a chain around his neck. With force, the beast yanked the chain off the Elf and thundered, "What is this?"
As soon as the ring left his possession, the Prince immediately looked terrified. His performance was enough to convince the semi-intelligent Orc that the gold band was the source of his power. As the beast roughly pulled him onto his feet with a menacing smile, Legolas allowed himself to shudder at the creature's next words. "So, you are a Ringbearer."
This time, the Prince gulped visibly as the Orc leader's studied his face, trying to give the impression of a scared Elf trying to not show his fears. This was the moment when he found out whether his plan would succeed or fail. If the creatures wished to ascertain the identity of the ring, they would have to light a fire. Legolas would use his explosive, taking all the high-ranking officers of the Orc army with him in death. If they did not, the Elf would die a slow and painful death. The situation was out of his hands now.
Three weeks ago, the tactical advisor would never have taken a chance with such a dangerous plan; but now he understood that some things were worth risking everything for, like helping to give his people this victory, like falling in love with Aragorn. Whatever happens, he would have no regrets of the choices he made tonight. Legolas remembered his talk with Ramiren about the qualities he lacked that prevented him from being a fighter. If his brother could see him now, the older Prince would have no choice but to admit that Legolas was an Elven warrior, with daring that matched his intelligence. Before his end, the young Elf was able to fulfill his dreams - the Joint Army had given him that; Aragorn had given him that.
The Prince's musing was cut short when a different Orc officer asked to their leader softly, "Do you think it is the one our Lord is looking for?"
The leader snapped out of the appraisal of his now 'helpless' captive and commanded, "We will see. Get a fire going!" Suppressing a smile of relief, Legolas allowed his captors to shove him onto the ground once more. His gamble had paid off.
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From a distance, Yulion could hear the loud clattering created by the restless Orc army. Most of the foot soldiers were unhappy with the delay; but they knew better than to disobey their leader. The recruit wondered why the creatures still lingered here after the river had subsided. Soon, a small fire illuminated a circle of Orcs clad in thicker armor than the rest of the beasts. The dark-haired Elf imagined those must be the officers of the army, holding some sort of council meeting. But why would they do that during a march to war?
A glitter at the edge of circle caught Yulion's keen eyes; turning his attention to its source, the recruit's blood froze in terror. By the flickering light of the flame, he could see the figure of the golden Elf huddled on the floor, looking forlorn and apprehensive. At that moment, Yulion knew that he could not allow the Prince to remain in the Orcs' hands. Even if there were too many for him to fight, he would at least die trying to rescue his heart's desire. Bracing himself, the Rivendell Elf urged his horse forward and rode into the beasts that held his beloved Legolas captive.
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As the leader of the Orcs tossed the ring into the fire, the creatures in the council moved closer to the flame, wanting to see for themselves whether they had recovered the One Ring for Sauron. In their excitement, they had neglected the Prince, who now edged towards the group, with the small pouch of explosive in hand. All those around the fire were so involved with their own activities that no one noticed the thundering hooves heading straight for them.
Firing deadly arrows at the beasts closest to the Prince, Yulion rode onto the scene, leaned down and scooped the golden Elf on his horse in one swift motion. This was not what Legolas expected. The Prince had not included the dark-haired Elf in his plans, thinking the recruit would have enough sense of self-preservation to stay AWAY from the Orcs when he returned from the dam. Apparently, he was wrong.
Now, as they sped away from the fire, Legolas whispered to his rescuer, "I need to throw this into the fire. As soon as it leaves my hand, ride like the wind."
Seeing the tiny pouch in the Prince's hand, Yulion knew what the golden Elf was about to do. Nodding his acknowledgement, the dark-haired recruit shifted his weight to guide their horse on an escape path that brought them closer to the fire. Unluckily, that also brought them closer to the high- ranking Orcs, who were enraged at the interruption. As Legolas threw the pouch at the fire, a sword nicked his outstretched arm, causing the Elf to yelp in pain and miss. "No!"
Yulion could feel the golden Elf's desperation, his need to accomplish his task. But if they lingered any longer, both of them would be taken for sure. There were no guarantees that their captivity would help Legolas' plan succeed. Whispering a low "Sorry" to the Prince, the Rivendell Elf steered his horse away from the group of high-ranking Orcs towards freedom.
The incensed beasts were bent on capturing the two trouble-making Elves. Giving an order to the army to not allow the intruders to get away, the leader of the Orcs rushed towards the escapees. But in his haste, he did not watch his steps, barely noticing as he knocked over the embers of the small fire in his sprint. Sparks flew, drifting in the air before settling back onto the ground. One, however, did not make it to the forest floor; instead, the glowing cinder fell upon the tiny pouch of explosive dropped earlier by the Prince. As expected, the result was, well, explosive..
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As soon as they heard the explosion, Haldir led his allies in a surprise attack on the frontlines of the Orcs. With most of the ranking officers killed in the blast, the foot soldiers were enraged, but leaderless. When the mindless beasts realized they were under attack, they followed their instincts and blood lust, rushing after the human hunters and their Elven leader together. So it was that the small band of Men led Sauron's entire army into Elrond's trap.
Arrows rained from the trees immediately after Haldir and Men passed the Elven ambush. Before the surprised beasts could discern the location of their mysterious attackers, the flank of the army was assaulted. Again, volleys of deadly arrows came from the surrounding trees into the middle section of the Sauron's troops. The Elves remained in their positions among the branches until their quivers were spent. When the warriors finally leapt down from their hiding places to charge the Orcs, over half of the beasts had already been killed.
Now, the Orcs no longer had such a significant advantage in numbers. What the Elves lacked in numbers, they made up for with their agility and skill. They were far better fighters than Sauron's minions. Within half an hour, even the dumbest of the Orcs realized this was a fight they could not win. Without their leaders, the beasts scattered and attempted to make their way back through the forest to the Misty Mountains. When the Orcs reached the Mountains, instead of refuge, they found yet another Elven trap. After another hour of fighting, almost the entire Orc army had been slaughtered.
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What was to be Sauron's greatest victory had been turned into his greatest defeat. Northern Middle Earth was now safe from the Dark Lord's crutches. The Elven troops had sustained only very minor casualties. As the ruling house of Rivendell gathered to lead their triumphant march back to the Elven citadel, they knew they owed this victory to the bravery and intelligence of one single Elf.
"Where is Legolas? I do not see him with you," asked Glorfindel excitedly as Haldir and Gimli rode up to join them. He wanted to ascertain the object of his crush was safe.
Before the Dwarf could break into tears or Haldir could hang his head in grief, the Elf in question rode out of the gloom of the forest with Yulion. Legolas knew he was very lucky to be alive. Because of his miss, the explosion was delayed. Because of his dark-haired companion's refusal to turn back, they managed to leave its blast range in time. Because of the sudden explosion, the surrounding Orcs panicked and allowed the two Elves to escape from the chaos unscathed.
"I am here, my Lord, thanks to my friend Yulion. He saved my life," smiled the Prince as he turned to look fondly at the dark-haired Elf. The recruit rode into an entire army of Orcs for him; even one with a heart of stone would be grateful and touched. And one could imagine how the sweet, sensitive, romantic, Legolas felt about Yulion at the moment.
The Rivendell recruit promptly turned crimson and began to stutter, trying to say, "You are too kind."
Seeing the exchange, the fair-haired Lord of Rivendell frowned. He had been infatuated with the Golden Prince of Mirkwood since he first laid eyes on the beauty. But because of his 'condition', he was unable to pursue the younger Elf. After all, if he could only stutter nonsensical phrases in front of Legolas, it would be better not to speak at all. And one could not court without speaking.
Apparently, Glorfindel was not the only one afflicted with this strange 'ailment' when around the golden beauty. Yulion too was exhibiting the same symptoms. But that did not seem to be stopping the younger dark- haired Elf from trying to vie for Legolas' attentions. This inspired the Elf-lord to start his own pursuit, which meant that Yulion was competition.
Focusing only on his competitor, Glorfindel gave the young dark-haired recruit a critical glance-over, and said haughtily, "You have my thanks as well, young one, for saving my fair Golden Prince."
Sensing the tension in his ancient friend, Elrond cleared his throat loudly. It would seem that Glorfindel had finally chosen to make a move on the Golden Prince. Elrond chuckled mentally as he realized the other Eldar was inspired by Yulion's attempts and gloated into action by the young one's efforts. Things would get very interesting in Rivendell, if the Prince were to stay for a while. "We should return to the city, my friends. Our feast tonight was interrupted; tomorrow, we will continue our harvest festival celebration."
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An anguished scream reverberated in the empty halls of Rivendell palace. Rushing out of the Man's rooms, Arwen made way to the closest drawn bath, the front of her dress wet with the bubbly concoction she created for Aragorn. Milo stood guard at the foot of the Man's bed, in case the scary Lady returned to try to harm its beloved again. The little dog had never been as proud of itself as it was today. It would bet that even the beautiful blond Elf had not done what it had for Aragorn. It was his bravery that saved the Man from the Evenstar's revenge.
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FLASHBACK:
Milo was in the trees, en route to breaking into Aragorn's rooms, when it first spotted Arwen pacing there. Being a dog, it was extremely sensitive to evil vibes; and the Evenstar reeked of them. Immediately, the little critter knew the Lady was about to hurt its beloved. It was of a mind to jump at Arwen and bite her ear when she suddenly left the room with an evil smile. Milo knew the scary Lady was planning something very bad. Instead of acting impulsively, the intelligent dog waited quietly in the branch closest to Aragorn's window. It decided it would decide on what to do after Arwen returns.
After about an hour, the Lady returned with a potion in hand. As she prepared to pour the disgusting liquid over Milo's beloved, the dog leapt from his hiding place onto the Elf maiden. The force of the impact sent the shocked Arwen staggering backwards, pouring the bubbling concoction in her hand onto the front of her dress. Screaming in fury and fear, the Evenstar left. Milo, one of the most misunderstood and unloved pet in Rivendell, had saved the day.
In its elation, the little dog lapped repeatedly at the Man's face before jumping onto the floor for guard duty. Unaware of all that transpired, Aragorn slept on, dreaming of his beloved golden Elf. In his drugged state, the Man was not even troubled by the strangeness of his dreams when Legolas started to lick his face vigorously.
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Please, please review.
A/N: Second to last chapter. I was debating whether I should make this the last chapter instead and stop the Aragorn torture. But I am so very sore from skiing. I cannot believe I am actually writing, considering that every single muscle in my body hurts like hell when I move. Anyway, point is that I am not typing as fast and is extremely tired, so I will defer writing the finale until I am not in pain. This isn't funny at all, but it is difficult to write humor when I am hurting all over =( Hope you like it.
Response to reviews: Yes, there is a huge two towers influence in the last chapter. Saw the movie 7 times =) Must watch it twice more so I can beat my own record for the number of times I saw Titanic =)
Yeah, I am a sort of a Faramir fan. Don't like him as much in the movie; but book Faramir is super awesome =) Put book Faramir character in movie Faramir body, Aragorn will be having competition as my second favorite =) Okay, that's just me being random there.
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Chapter 24:
Pacing the chamber that held the unconscious Man, the Lady of Rivendell deliberated her options. She wanted to teach her former lover a lesson, that no one who ever crossed her could escape her wrath. Yet, despite her anger, Arwen knew the importance of Aragorn to the world of Men. He was Isildur's heir, the last of the descendents from the Great Kings of Old. As much as the Evenstar wished to, she could not kill the Man or caused him any injuries that would prevent the begetting of heirs. Originally, she only planned on inflicting massive amounts of pain on her former lover, to defeat him thoroughly in combat and crush his ego of being a powerful warrior. All these, she could not do with Aragorn lying unconscious in bed; she wanted to make the Man scream and beg for mercy.
It had been three hours since the Elven warriors left to meet the Orc army. Arwen had complete confidence in Rivendell's strength. Soon, her family would return victorious over the beasts of Sauron. After the drugging incidence at the feast, she knew that both her father and Glorfindel would forbid her to take action against her cheating ex-lover. She must act quickly before her chance for revenge was lost. But what could she do to an unconscious Aragorn that would soothe her injured pride?
The thought of making certain that the Man would never enjoy the pleasures of the flesh again with anyone else was most appealing; but that would get in the way of his siring children for Gondor. The Evenstar was at a lost of what to do until she thought of something - a potion she learnt how to create from her grandmother, used to punish promiscuous boyfriends.
Lord Celeborn had the misfortune of being the first guinea pig of the drug when Galadriel found him eyeing another maiden long ago. Instead of rendering its victim impotent, it merely caused an extremely strong urge to use the bathroom whenever he became aroused, thus making the act of bedding another a tremendously uncomfortable process. The Evenstar could not think of a more appropriate punishment for her amorous ex-boyfriend.
There was an antidote to the potion, but only she and Lady Galadriel knew of it. Arwen was certain she could persuade her grandmother to not help the Man. Besides, Aragorn was a very discreet lover; he would probably live with his 'problem' instead of seeking help on something so personal. With a devilish gleam in her eyes and a cruel smile, the Lady left her ex- lover's rooms and headed for the healing room.
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The first of Sauron's main forces had joined the advance troops at the opposite bank. The forest was filled with Orcs for as far as Legolas' eyes could see. The Prince knew the army would be at least twenty thousand strong, given that it was comprised of almost all the Orcs outside of Mordor. If Rivendell and the Joint Army could win this battle, the threats to the Elven Kingdom would be practically eliminated; the Dark Lord would lose all his strongholds in the North. Even with the help of Saruman and his other allies, Sauron would only be able to make war against the World of Men.
Legolas knew the troops from Rivendell were on their way. Lord Elrond must have heard the explosion and figured out the location of Sauron's army. The Prince was certain the Elf-lord, being a brilliant tactician, would make best use of the opportunity to plan a surprise counterstrike, attacking the beasts from all sides. But the Elven army would need time to reach their positions on foot; riding horses would give away their presence. They must delay Sauron's hordes for at least another hour before drawing them into Elrond's traps. The river had mostly subsided; in less than half an hour, it will no longer be able to aid them. It was up to the tactical advisor of Mirkwood to find a way to stall them for another half hour.
The others in his group glanced anxiously at the golden Elf, awaiting his decision. The Men were brave warriors; but they were not stupid. They knew they could not hold back the onslaught of the entire army with only thirty fighters. They would not even last a minute against their enemies. Sensing their allies' unease, Haldir broke the tense silence and suggested the obvious. "We need to retreat now, Legolas. We have given Rivendell a lot of extra time. It should be enough."
Turning to look at his allies, the Prince shook his head sadly and answered, "They need another hour."
"My men are brave; but they are not suicidal. We cannot help you in this fight," sighed the leader of the human hunters. As Legolas shifted his gaze onto the Man, intending to beg him to staying, he noticed a gold ring on the hunter's finger.
"Wait, hold on a minute. I have a plan," pleaded the Prince as he dug through his pack. Retrieving a small pouch, Legolas straightened and looked at his allies.
Being an extremely cautious person, the young Elf had taken a tiny portion of the explosive and stored it separately as backup before he left Mirkwood. The amount left was minute; using it in a simple trap would not diminish the numbers of their enemies significantly. He would need to target the officers in the army; without leadership, panic would spread, the progress of their march slowed. The Prince knew what he must do.
"Please go deeper into the forest and wait in ambush. When you hear an explosion, attack. When the Orcs realize your presence, ride south-west for ten minutes before turning northwest towards Rivendell," explained Legolas, watching his allies intently to gauge their reactions.
"What about you, laddie? What will you do?" asked Gimli, clearly worried. Legolas must be planning to do something dangerous by himself.
"Surrender," replied the Prince calmly.
"No," disagreed Haldir quietly. The Lòrien Elf knew Legolas planned to get close to their enemies and used the explosive to create panic. But he could not see how the young Elf could accomplish his suicide mission. The Orcs marched by moonlight; there was no fire among them with which the Prince could light the explosive, even if Legolas surrendered and forfeited his life. This meaningless sacrifice was something the Guardian of Lòrien would not allow.
Ignoring his Elven friend, the Prince turned to the leader of the hunters and asked, 'May I have your ring?"
Not fully understanding Legolas' intentions, the human frowned but handed the simple gold band to Elf. "I hope you know what you are doing."
As a Prince of Mirkwood, Legolas wore a medallion with their family emblem at all times under his clothes. Carefully, the young Elf replaced the medallion on the chain with the simple gold band, wearing the ring inconspicuously around his neck. At this moment, Haldir understood his friend's plans. "It is too risky. There are too many things that can go wrong," argued the older Elf.
"There is no other way, Haldir. And you know it," replied the Prince calmly, prepared to face his own demise.
"Then let me do this. I am older," pleaded the archer with resignation. Haldir understood the importance of this battle. A decisive victory for the Elves would be worth the sacrifice.
"No offense, my friend, but this is my arena. Besides, you may be older; but people say that one who has not loved had not truly lived. I have found Aragorn; you have yet to find your other half," reasoned Legolas as he watched the river abate.
This would be the most important game of intrigue Legolas ever played in his life. His people were depending on him; Rivendell was depending on him; and most important of all, Aragorn was depending on him. Perhaps if he succeeded, the Man would forgive him; but since he did not expect to survive the night, he supposed he would never know. But then, perhaps it was better this way. "Haldir, please lead our allies into position."
Gimli was about to protest; he did not understand the argument between the two Elves since they spoke in Elvish, but he knew the plan was very risky for his former roommate. The Dwarf vowed he would protect his innocent new friend before training began; he had no intention of breaking his promise. He would not allow Legolas to face their opponents alone. "Laddie.."
His statement was stopped by Haldir's restraining hand. "Let us go, my friend. Legolas will do his duty and we will do ours." Forcefully leading the Dwarf away, the Guardian of Lòrien helped Gimli onto the horse. Before he too mounted, he turned to the younger Elf and saluted. "My Prince, may the grace of the Valar protect you."
Smiling slightly, Legolas nodded in acknowledgement and said, "And you too, my friends." As he watched his allies disappear into the forest, he added softly, "Farewell. Live well and prosper."
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Elrond led his soldiers into the forest to the Northwest of the river where the main Orc army was located. This would be where they would stage their ambush; the creatures must pass here to reach the Elven citadel. Giving clear orders, the Lord of Rivendell positioned his Elves among the trees. The ancient Elf knew their enemies had a significant advantage in numbers; but he hoped the element of surprise would be enough to tip the balance in their favor.
Elrond knew his was the first group to reach their designated position, which was the closest to Rivendell. His twin sons, leading the Joint Army recruits, would attack the flank of the Orcs in the trees along the banks of the river where the beasts cross. Their goal was to drive the Orcs back towards the Misty Mountains, where Glorfindel and the best of Rivendell's warriors awaited.
The success of their plans hinged on Legolas' ability to lead their enemies into their trap as well as to preoccupy the Orcs to give the Joint Army and Glorfindel time to maneuver. According to the dark-haired Elf's estimation, the other groups would need another hour to get into position. Though Elrond trusted the Prince explicitly, he could not help but worry that the young Elf would be unable to stall Sauron's forces once the surging river subsided. Wise as the ancient Elf-lord was, he could not think of a way to hold back the opposing army with Legolas' limited resources. As much as the idea of a Mirkwood Elf being more intelligent than himself irked the Lord of Rivendell, Elrond sincerely hoped the young one would be able to find a solution where he could not. The fate of Imladris rested on the Prince's hands; all Elrond could do was pray and wait.
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Legolas stood alone on the bank, watching as the first of the Orcs began to tentatively step into the stream. Tying two spare quivers to his horse, the golden Elf mounted. Raising his sword above his head and making a loud battle cry for show, the Prince charged into the river, firing arrows as he rode into the swarm of beasts. His time had come.
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Arwen returned to the Man's room with a bubbling concoction in hand. Since her former lover was unconscious, the Lady made several modifications to the potion for easier application. Instead of requiring Aragorn to swallow the drug, all she needed to do was to pour the concoction over a certain part of his anatomy and revenge would be hers. Unbeknownst to the Evenstar, but luckily for the Man, Arwen's visit to her ex-boyfriend's chambers had not gone unnoticed. As she stood over Aragorn's prone form, watchful eyes in the tree outside the window narrowed. Finally, after all these years, its chance to shine had now come.
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Arrows spent, the Prince plowed through the advance troops on horseback with his sword, moving swiftly to avoid the beasts' swords and crawling hands. But there were so many Orcs that Legolas soon found himself immobilized among a sea of the foul creatures. The Elf knew it was time to begin his plan in earnest. With calculated precision, the Prince leaned to the left, pretending to strike at a particularly far-away enemy. As expected, the overextension gave the Orcs the opportunity to pull him down from his horse. As soon as the Elf hit the ground, he curled his arms around his head for protection. When the beasts kicked and clawed at him instead of dealing out mortal wounds with their swords, Legolas smiled secretively through the pain. His previous performance had earned him a chance to be brought to the high-ranking officers; his scheme had a chance of succeeding.
"Enough!" commanded one of the officers.
Grunting in disgust, the circle of Legolas' tormentors parted to allow a large Orc, dressed in black armor, to pass. Towering over the fallen Elf, the beast yanked the Prince to his feet by his hair and pulled his head back for a closer inspection. Legolas had to try very hard to suppress his nausea, as he smelt the creature's foul breath on his face. "Pretty little Elf."
"Stop playing, Bagdud. Bring him here," interrupted another voice impatiently.
At the sound of the command, the large armored Orc released Legolas' hair and moved behind him, shoving him forward through the parting sea of beasts to what appeared to be a 'council' of the officers. When he reached the center of the circle, the Elf was pushed onto the ground roughly. Though his entire body hurt from the previous abuse, the Prince refused to make any sound to indicate his discomfort. He knew he must appear completely confident for his ploy to work. With the power of sheer will, Legolas rose to his feet and stared defiantly at the one he identified as the 'highest ranking' leader of the army.
His tactics worked. The Orc frowned and commented, "You do not seem overly concern of your situation, little Elf."
Instead of replying, the Prince merely offered him an 'I-know-something-you- don't' smile. Perplexed, the semi-intelligent beast demanded, "How did you command the river to attack us?"
These were Sauron's Orcs; they were not familiar with Saruman's devices. All the creature knew was that this single Elf was responsible for the loss of most of their advance troops; and he had done so by calling on nature to strike at them. Elves were in tune with nature, but normal ones did not have power over it. This Elf must be special, with powerful magic. Yet, here he was, captured, but unafraid. The semi-intelligent commander suspected this was another one of the Elf's schemes.
Legolas could see the suspicion in the Orc's eyes. The beast knew he was up to something. It was all well and good since he needed his opponent to believe he had a secret weapon; that he was still in control of the situation, despite his captivity. The trick would now be to make the beast believe he carried the One Ring, whose secret only fire could tell. Once again, instead of answering, the Prince gave his interrogator a smile, this time even more condescending than the last.
The Orc leader was not going to stand by and allow his prisoner insult him. Stalking to the Elf, the beast delivered a blow to the side of Legolas' head that sent him flying to the floor. Despite the stars before his eyes, the Prince knew it was time. He moved his hand to clutch at the ring, as he muttered softly in Elvish, "Ring of Power, grant me this..."
Legolas' words were not lost on the creature. Hastily, the Orc knocked his hand away and tore open the front of his tunic to clearly reveal the single gold band the Elf wore on a chain around his neck. With force, the beast yanked the chain off the Elf and thundered, "What is this?"
As soon as the ring left his possession, the Prince immediately looked terrified. His performance was enough to convince the semi-intelligent Orc that the gold band was the source of his power. As the beast roughly pulled him onto his feet with a menacing smile, Legolas allowed himself to shudder at the creature's next words. "So, you are a Ringbearer."
This time, the Prince gulped visibly as the Orc leader's studied his face, trying to give the impression of a scared Elf trying to not show his fears. This was the moment when he found out whether his plan would succeed or fail. If the creatures wished to ascertain the identity of the ring, they would have to light a fire. Legolas would use his explosive, taking all the high-ranking officers of the Orc army with him in death. If they did not, the Elf would die a slow and painful death. The situation was out of his hands now.
Three weeks ago, the tactical advisor would never have taken a chance with such a dangerous plan; but now he understood that some things were worth risking everything for, like helping to give his people this victory, like falling in love with Aragorn. Whatever happens, he would have no regrets of the choices he made tonight. Legolas remembered his talk with Ramiren about the qualities he lacked that prevented him from being a fighter. If his brother could see him now, the older Prince would have no choice but to admit that Legolas was an Elven warrior, with daring that matched his intelligence. Before his end, the young Elf was able to fulfill his dreams - the Joint Army had given him that; Aragorn had given him that.
The Prince's musing was cut short when a different Orc officer asked to their leader softly, "Do you think it is the one our Lord is looking for?"
The leader snapped out of the appraisal of his now 'helpless' captive and commanded, "We will see. Get a fire going!" Suppressing a smile of relief, Legolas allowed his captors to shove him onto the ground once more. His gamble had paid off.
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From a distance, Yulion could hear the loud clattering created by the restless Orc army. Most of the foot soldiers were unhappy with the delay; but they knew better than to disobey their leader. The recruit wondered why the creatures still lingered here after the river had subsided. Soon, a small fire illuminated a circle of Orcs clad in thicker armor than the rest of the beasts. The dark-haired Elf imagined those must be the officers of the army, holding some sort of council meeting. But why would they do that during a march to war?
A glitter at the edge of circle caught Yulion's keen eyes; turning his attention to its source, the recruit's blood froze in terror. By the flickering light of the flame, he could see the figure of the golden Elf huddled on the floor, looking forlorn and apprehensive. At that moment, Yulion knew that he could not allow the Prince to remain in the Orcs' hands. Even if there were too many for him to fight, he would at least die trying to rescue his heart's desire. Bracing himself, the Rivendell Elf urged his horse forward and rode into the beasts that held his beloved Legolas captive.
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As the leader of the Orcs tossed the ring into the fire, the creatures in the council moved closer to the flame, wanting to see for themselves whether they had recovered the One Ring for Sauron. In their excitement, they had neglected the Prince, who now edged towards the group, with the small pouch of explosive in hand. All those around the fire were so involved with their own activities that no one noticed the thundering hooves heading straight for them.
Firing deadly arrows at the beasts closest to the Prince, Yulion rode onto the scene, leaned down and scooped the golden Elf on his horse in one swift motion. This was not what Legolas expected. The Prince had not included the dark-haired Elf in his plans, thinking the recruit would have enough sense of self-preservation to stay AWAY from the Orcs when he returned from the dam. Apparently, he was wrong.
Now, as they sped away from the fire, Legolas whispered to his rescuer, "I need to throw this into the fire. As soon as it leaves my hand, ride like the wind."
Seeing the tiny pouch in the Prince's hand, Yulion knew what the golden Elf was about to do. Nodding his acknowledgement, the dark-haired recruit shifted his weight to guide their horse on an escape path that brought them closer to the fire. Unluckily, that also brought them closer to the high- ranking Orcs, who were enraged at the interruption. As Legolas threw the pouch at the fire, a sword nicked his outstretched arm, causing the Elf to yelp in pain and miss. "No!"
Yulion could feel the golden Elf's desperation, his need to accomplish his task. But if they lingered any longer, both of them would be taken for sure. There were no guarantees that their captivity would help Legolas' plan succeed. Whispering a low "Sorry" to the Prince, the Rivendell Elf steered his horse away from the group of high-ranking Orcs towards freedom.
The incensed beasts were bent on capturing the two trouble-making Elves. Giving an order to the army to not allow the intruders to get away, the leader of the Orcs rushed towards the escapees. But in his haste, he did not watch his steps, barely noticing as he knocked over the embers of the small fire in his sprint. Sparks flew, drifting in the air before settling back onto the ground. One, however, did not make it to the forest floor; instead, the glowing cinder fell upon the tiny pouch of explosive dropped earlier by the Prince. As expected, the result was, well, explosive..
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As soon as they heard the explosion, Haldir led his allies in a surprise attack on the frontlines of the Orcs. With most of the ranking officers killed in the blast, the foot soldiers were enraged, but leaderless. When the mindless beasts realized they were under attack, they followed their instincts and blood lust, rushing after the human hunters and their Elven leader together. So it was that the small band of Men led Sauron's entire army into Elrond's trap.
Arrows rained from the trees immediately after Haldir and Men passed the Elven ambush. Before the surprised beasts could discern the location of their mysterious attackers, the flank of the army was assaulted. Again, volleys of deadly arrows came from the surrounding trees into the middle section of the Sauron's troops. The Elves remained in their positions among the branches until their quivers were spent. When the warriors finally leapt down from their hiding places to charge the Orcs, over half of the beasts had already been killed.
Now, the Orcs no longer had such a significant advantage in numbers. What the Elves lacked in numbers, they made up for with their agility and skill. They were far better fighters than Sauron's minions. Within half an hour, even the dumbest of the Orcs realized this was a fight they could not win. Without their leaders, the beasts scattered and attempted to make their way back through the forest to the Misty Mountains. When the Orcs reached the Mountains, instead of refuge, they found yet another Elven trap. After another hour of fighting, almost the entire Orc army had been slaughtered.
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What was to be Sauron's greatest victory had been turned into his greatest defeat. Northern Middle Earth was now safe from the Dark Lord's crutches. The Elven troops had sustained only very minor casualties. As the ruling house of Rivendell gathered to lead their triumphant march back to the Elven citadel, they knew they owed this victory to the bravery and intelligence of one single Elf.
"Where is Legolas? I do not see him with you," asked Glorfindel excitedly as Haldir and Gimli rode up to join them. He wanted to ascertain the object of his crush was safe.
Before the Dwarf could break into tears or Haldir could hang his head in grief, the Elf in question rode out of the gloom of the forest with Yulion. Legolas knew he was very lucky to be alive. Because of his miss, the explosion was delayed. Because of his dark-haired companion's refusal to turn back, they managed to leave its blast range in time. Because of the sudden explosion, the surrounding Orcs panicked and allowed the two Elves to escape from the chaos unscathed.
"I am here, my Lord, thanks to my friend Yulion. He saved my life," smiled the Prince as he turned to look fondly at the dark-haired Elf. The recruit rode into an entire army of Orcs for him; even one with a heart of stone would be grateful and touched. And one could imagine how the sweet, sensitive, romantic, Legolas felt about Yulion at the moment.
The Rivendell recruit promptly turned crimson and began to stutter, trying to say, "You are too kind."
Seeing the exchange, the fair-haired Lord of Rivendell frowned. He had been infatuated with the Golden Prince of Mirkwood since he first laid eyes on the beauty. But because of his 'condition', he was unable to pursue the younger Elf. After all, if he could only stutter nonsensical phrases in front of Legolas, it would be better not to speak at all. And one could not court without speaking.
Apparently, Glorfindel was not the only one afflicted with this strange 'ailment' when around the golden beauty. Yulion too was exhibiting the same symptoms. But that did not seem to be stopping the younger dark- haired Elf from trying to vie for Legolas' attentions. This inspired the Elf-lord to start his own pursuit, which meant that Yulion was competition.
Focusing only on his competitor, Glorfindel gave the young dark-haired recruit a critical glance-over, and said haughtily, "You have my thanks as well, young one, for saving my fair Golden Prince."
Sensing the tension in his ancient friend, Elrond cleared his throat loudly. It would seem that Glorfindel had finally chosen to make a move on the Golden Prince. Elrond chuckled mentally as he realized the other Eldar was inspired by Yulion's attempts and gloated into action by the young one's efforts. Things would get very interesting in Rivendell, if the Prince were to stay for a while. "We should return to the city, my friends. Our feast tonight was interrupted; tomorrow, we will continue our harvest festival celebration."
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An anguished scream reverberated in the empty halls of Rivendell palace. Rushing out of the Man's rooms, Arwen made way to the closest drawn bath, the front of her dress wet with the bubbly concoction she created for Aragorn. Milo stood guard at the foot of the Man's bed, in case the scary Lady returned to try to harm its beloved again. The little dog had never been as proud of itself as it was today. It would bet that even the beautiful blond Elf had not done what it had for Aragorn. It was his bravery that saved the Man from the Evenstar's revenge.
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FLASHBACK:
Milo was in the trees, en route to breaking into Aragorn's rooms, when it first spotted Arwen pacing there. Being a dog, it was extremely sensitive to evil vibes; and the Evenstar reeked of them. Immediately, the little critter knew the Lady was about to hurt its beloved. It was of a mind to jump at Arwen and bite her ear when she suddenly left the room with an evil smile. Milo knew the scary Lady was planning something very bad. Instead of acting impulsively, the intelligent dog waited quietly in the branch closest to Aragorn's window. It decided it would decide on what to do after Arwen returns.
After about an hour, the Lady returned with a potion in hand. As she prepared to pour the disgusting liquid over Milo's beloved, the dog leapt from his hiding place onto the Elf maiden. The force of the impact sent the shocked Arwen staggering backwards, pouring the bubbling concoction in her hand onto the front of her dress. Screaming in fury and fear, the Evenstar left. Milo, one of the most misunderstood and unloved pet in Rivendell, had saved the day.
In its elation, the little dog lapped repeatedly at the Man's face before jumping onto the floor for guard duty. Unaware of all that transpired, Aragorn slept on, dreaming of his beloved golden Elf. In his drugged state, the Man was not even troubled by the strangeness of his dreams when Legolas started to lick his face vigorously.
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