Thank you so much for the great reviews and comments: - gwyn, LegolasisHOT,
ZeroCool and Angel of the Elves. I love your reviews it inspires me to
write more! I hope you enjoy this new chapter and everyone else. Please
please review. There are about 5 more chapters left and then I will start
on the prequel! I am going to attempt to set up my own web page to put my
stories on but I don't really know how to do it but I will try. I hope you
all like this!!! Enjoy! Ok just a quick note. I have reposted this chapter
due to a couple of errors, thanks to gwyn and ZeroCool for pointing them
out!! Oops!
* The sun was high in the sky when Legolas and Azian walked to the waterfall. Legolas had been told of the meeting and the plan to face the army of orcs. Hushed whispers of the gathered elves reached their ears as they caught sight of Legolas. Legolas halted painfully aware of the attention. He hated being the centre of attention, bad things happened when attention was focused on him. Eyes bored into him and his heart sped up, sweat broke out on his forehead and his breathing quickened. The whisperings increased as he stepped backwards, looking around he saw all eyes fixed on him.
[They despise you my pet. They know of your time with me and they cannot trust you. They will never trust you again. They wish you died. They feel betrayed by you. You failed them.] He felt Sauron's presence again in his mind.
"No" he whispered. [You failed them. The dead's blood is on your hands.]
"No" he said louder as he backed away. He saw Azian step towards him and his face morphed into Sauron's dark elf lord that had so mercilessly tortured him.
"No!" Legolas yelled as he turned and ran.
"Legolas!" Azian cried as he moved to follow him but an arm restrained him. It was Silen.
"I will see to him you are needed here." Azian reluctantly agreed and watched as Silen ran after Legolas.
"You see he is not himself. Sauron still has influence on him. He has betrayed us." Jamaryn snapped angrily.
"Silence!" Azian snapped. "He is your prince and you owe him your allegiance. It is not your place to question him and I grow tired of it."
Jamaryn bowed his head. Azian turned to face the others, so few, ten representatives of war parties. Only about 100 elves had survived from the warrior elves defending Mirkwood. There had been near 300 elves before the attack, many of whom where planning to sail west to rejoin loved ones, ones who would now not be reunited. The 100 had desperately attempted to regroup and had disappeared only recently launching isolated raids on orcs in attempts to protect those who had made it to the havens such as those who were injured or were not warriors. The orcs had not known they had blocked off the havens but if the elves had tried to get through the orcs would have become suspicious, so the elves remained cut off.
"It is true spies have been sighted near the borders and an army is now mustering with the intent to destroy us all." Silence met Azian's words. There was no surprise or shock on the gathered elves faces only resignation and a great weariness. Azian continued.
"We have known all along that the army will come and now the time has arrived. We have to protect the haven at all costs. You know that as well as I do and you know what that means." The elves nodded. It would mean their deaths, they could not possibly defeat any army sent against them. Most elves were injured and all extremely exhausted. They had not the strength or the power.
*
Legolas ran blindly through the trees until the pain in his shoulder made him stop. Breathing hard he collapsed next to a tree hoping that its voice would calm him.
"Legolas." A soft voice said and he saw Silen appear next to him.
"They were all staring at me, I was the centre of attention and it was like being." Legolas faded off. "They would ignore me for days and then I would suddenly become the centre of attention. Eyes would watch me, it was like a public event." Legolas spat ashamed of himself but he had known Silen most of his life and he knew the older elf would not judge him.
"There is more is there not Legolas."
"I can here him, Sauron in my mind. He taunts me, calls me his pet. He says I failed my people. They lied to me, they said I was going to get well."
"Who?"
"Mithrandir, Aragorn, Elrond, Gimli.everyone. I felt better but now I am getting ill again."
Silen smiled gently at him.
"You are getting better my prince. You are strong and have survived what most elves wouldn't and that is why Sauron has taken great pleasure in you." Silen purred. Legolas flinched and looked up shocked.
"Silen?" he questioned fearfully. He watched as Silen leaned into him and kissed him on the lips.
"Shocked little one?" he whispered in Legolas's delicately pointed ear.
Legolas's eyes widened as he backed further into the tree.
"What? Why?" Legolas stuttered
Silen laughed. "So naïve my prince." Legolas shoved him away and got to his feet but Silen quickly responded and shoved the weakened prince back to the ground.
"I have reported to Sauron for years on goings on in Mirkwood and he knows all about the planned uprising. Who do you think suggested to Sauron that you be captured? Who sent you on that patrol?"
Legolas face was one of total confusion.
"You.Why?"
"Have you never heard of Hiran?" Silen questioned.
"He was a friend of my fathers. He died in battle." Legolas still looked more confused at the change in conversation.
"I am Hiran albeit I look different but I am the elf your father betrayed and left behind to die on the battlefield. Sauron rescued me, gave me life and then allowed me the chance to return and exact my revenge on your disgusting family."
Legolas's face became one of disgust and betrayal.
"Ahh that's right you are finally getting it but I am afraid it is too late. Orcs are waiting right now to destroy the final remnants of the wood elves. And you will lead me to the haven to allow me to kill your father."
"Never! How could you?"
"Do not speak of what you don't understand little prince, just think of what lies in front of you. I love to hear your screams vanimaer [beautiful one]" Silen taunted.
"Amin feuya ten' lle" [you disgust me] Legolas snarled and launched himself at Silen.
"I wouldn't waste your time on me because right now orcs are ready to attack your precious brother." Silen said laughing.
Legolas growled and satisfied himself with punching Silen hard on the face. "I will find you and kill you" he promised.
Legolas ran back the way he came and burst into the clearing next to the waterfall.
"Orcs. Silen has betrayed us." He cried. The elves turned towards him in shock and disbelief but before they could answer two arrows struck two of the elves killing them instantly. Orcs burst out of the trees. The elves quickly took up arms. Azian looked across at Legolas shocked at the events, only to find the elf stood frozen in terror. Not wanting to cry out and alert anyone to Legolas's predicament just in case the orcs took advantage. He rushed to his side.
"Legolas.Legolas" he whispered shaking the elf. "Legolas!" he said louder but to no avail. Cursing the Valor he slapped Legolas across the face flinching as his little brother's head snapped backwards. Legolas turned to face Azian and his eyes widened. He grabbed one of Azian's knives and Azian for a brief moment feared he had pushed Legolas too far but was shocked when Legolas shoved him out of the way and buried the knife in the chest of an orc. Recovering from the shock Azian jumped up and grabbed his other knife and tacked another orc. Dancing in a deadly almost beautiful whirl of knives and elves Azian and Legolas fought as if they were one taking down orc after orc until the orcs stopped coming. Azian turned to face Legolas and smiled.
"That was fun." He whispered sarcastically
"Can we do it again?" Legolas grinned impishly and tucked the knife in his belt. And despite the gravity of the situation Azian felt a weight lift off his heart as Legolas looked like he was beginning to recover. He knew he was far from back to normal but it was a stepping-stone in the right direction and he would take every small stone presented to him and grasp it with both hands.
* The sun was high in the sky when Legolas and Azian walked to the waterfall. Legolas had been told of the meeting and the plan to face the army of orcs. Hushed whispers of the gathered elves reached their ears as they caught sight of Legolas. Legolas halted painfully aware of the attention. He hated being the centre of attention, bad things happened when attention was focused on him. Eyes bored into him and his heart sped up, sweat broke out on his forehead and his breathing quickened. The whisperings increased as he stepped backwards, looking around he saw all eyes fixed on him.
[They despise you my pet. They know of your time with me and they cannot trust you. They will never trust you again. They wish you died. They feel betrayed by you. You failed them.] He felt Sauron's presence again in his mind.
"No" he whispered. [You failed them. The dead's blood is on your hands.]
"No" he said louder as he backed away. He saw Azian step towards him and his face morphed into Sauron's dark elf lord that had so mercilessly tortured him.
"No!" Legolas yelled as he turned and ran.
"Legolas!" Azian cried as he moved to follow him but an arm restrained him. It was Silen.
"I will see to him you are needed here." Azian reluctantly agreed and watched as Silen ran after Legolas.
"You see he is not himself. Sauron still has influence on him. He has betrayed us." Jamaryn snapped angrily.
"Silence!" Azian snapped. "He is your prince and you owe him your allegiance. It is not your place to question him and I grow tired of it."
Jamaryn bowed his head. Azian turned to face the others, so few, ten representatives of war parties. Only about 100 elves had survived from the warrior elves defending Mirkwood. There had been near 300 elves before the attack, many of whom where planning to sail west to rejoin loved ones, ones who would now not be reunited. The 100 had desperately attempted to regroup and had disappeared only recently launching isolated raids on orcs in attempts to protect those who had made it to the havens such as those who were injured or were not warriors. The orcs had not known they had blocked off the havens but if the elves had tried to get through the orcs would have become suspicious, so the elves remained cut off.
"It is true spies have been sighted near the borders and an army is now mustering with the intent to destroy us all." Silence met Azian's words. There was no surprise or shock on the gathered elves faces only resignation and a great weariness. Azian continued.
"We have known all along that the army will come and now the time has arrived. We have to protect the haven at all costs. You know that as well as I do and you know what that means." The elves nodded. It would mean their deaths, they could not possibly defeat any army sent against them. Most elves were injured and all extremely exhausted. They had not the strength or the power.
*
Legolas ran blindly through the trees until the pain in his shoulder made him stop. Breathing hard he collapsed next to a tree hoping that its voice would calm him.
"Legolas." A soft voice said and he saw Silen appear next to him.
"They were all staring at me, I was the centre of attention and it was like being." Legolas faded off. "They would ignore me for days and then I would suddenly become the centre of attention. Eyes would watch me, it was like a public event." Legolas spat ashamed of himself but he had known Silen most of his life and he knew the older elf would not judge him.
"There is more is there not Legolas."
"I can here him, Sauron in my mind. He taunts me, calls me his pet. He says I failed my people. They lied to me, they said I was going to get well."
"Who?"
"Mithrandir, Aragorn, Elrond, Gimli.everyone. I felt better but now I am getting ill again."
Silen smiled gently at him.
"You are getting better my prince. You are strong and have survived what most elves wouldn't and that is why Sauron has taken great pleasure in you." Silen purred. Legolas flinched and looked up shocked.
"Silen?" he questioned fearfully. He watched as Silen leaned into him and kissed him on the lips.
"Shocked little one?" he whispered in Legolas's delicately pointed ear.
Legolas's eyes widened as he backed further into the tree.
"What? Why?" Legolas stuttered
Silen laughed. "So naïve my prince." Legolas shoved him away and got to his feet but Silen quickly responded and shoved the weakened prince back to the ground.
"I have reported to Sauron for years on goings on in Mirkwood and he knows all about the planned uprising. Who do you think suggested to Sauron that you be captured? Who sent you on that patrol?"
Legolas face was one of total confusion.
"You.Why?"
"Have you never heard of Hiran?" Silen questioned.
"He was a friend of my fathers. He died in battle." Legolas still looked more confused at the change in conversation.
"I am Hiran albeit I look different but I am the elf your father betrayed and left behind to die on the battlefield. Sauron rescued me, gave me life and then allowed me the chance to return and exact my revenge on your disgusting family."
Legolas's face became one of disgust and betrayal.
"Ahh that's right you are finally getting it but I am afraid it is too late. Orcs are waiting right now to destroy the final remnants of the wood elves. And you will lead me to the haven to allow me to kill your father."
"Never! How could you?"
"Do not speak of what you don't understand little prince, just think of what lies in front of you. I love to hear your screams vanimaer [beautiful one]" Silen taunted.
"Amin feuya ten' lle" [you disgust me] Legolas snarled and launched himself at Silen.
"I wouldn't waste your time on me because right now orcs are ready to attack your precious brother." Silen said laughing.
Legolas growled and satisfied himself with punching Silen hard on the face. "I will find you and kill you" he promised.
Legolas ran back the way he came and burst into the clearing next to the waterfall.
"Orcs. Silen has betrayed us." He cried. The elves turned towards him in shock and disbelief but before they could answer two arrows struck two of the elves killing them instantly. Orcs burst out of the trees. The elves quickly took up arms. Azian looked across at Legolas shocked at the events, only to find the elf stood frozen in terror. Not wanting to cry out and alert anyone to Legolas's predicament just in case the orcs took advantage. He rushed to his side.
"Legolas.Legolas" he whispered shaking the elf. "Legolas!" he said louder but to no avail. Cursing the Valor he slapped Legolas across the face flinching as his little brother's head snapped backwards. Legolas turned to face Azian and his eyes widened. He grabbed one of Azian's knives and Azian for a brief moment feared he had pushed Legolas too far but was shocked when Legolas shoved him out of the way and buried the knife in the chest of an orc. Recovering from the shock Azian jumped up and grabbed his other knife and tacked another orc. Dancing in a deadly almost beautiful whirl of knives and elves Azian and Legolas fought as if they were one taking down orc after orc until the orcs stopped coming. Azian turned to face Legolas and smiled.
"That was fun." He whispered sarcastically
"Can we do it again?" Legolas grinned impishly and tucked the knife in his belt. And despite the gravity of the situation Azian felt a weight lift off his heart as Legolas looked like he was beginning to recover. He knew he was far from back to normal but it was a stepping-stone in the right direction and he would take every small stone presented to him and grasp it with both hands.