Eruan did not expect to be alive. In the millisecond before he had blacked
out and fell through the window, there was one shred left of intelligence
in the back of his mind that told him he'd been hit in his heart. That was
why, when he awoke, (for the second time that night) he did so with great
surprise and astonishment. His first thought was that he had perished and
joined the great Valinor. Then his mind registered the dark, damp stone
walls of Thranduil's castle, and he knew he was a prisoner. He realized
also that he was bound, his arms tied firmly behind his back, and those
were chained to the wall. Eyes adjusting to the gloom, he noticed something
peculiar in the dark shadows of the corner of the room.
"Come." Eruan croaked. He cleared his voice. "Come out whoever you are, I know you are there, hiding in that corner." A figure appeared from the shadows, seeming almost to materialize out of air.
"Oh, but I am not hiding." Came a young voice. "Merely waiting." Stepping out into a shaft of light, Eruan saw his captor was none other than prince Legolas.
"You caused a lot of trouble for father's hunters," he began. "You put up quite a hopeless fight, but surprisingly you managed to wound quite a few elves." Eruan fumed.
"Why do you speak to me like that to a child? I am older than you. Or can you not see beyond a woodland tunic?" Legolas raised an eyebrow in surprise.
"I would advise that you watch your mouth." He replied. He moved in closer, until they were face to face, with Eruan staring into the cold, gray eyes of the Mirkwood prince. But as soon as they were face to face, Legolas' eyes lost their menace, indeed his face turned pale, and gray eyes grew wide with shock and. wonder.
"Eruan, son of Moreldar, you are full of surprises." Legolas said slowly. Fuming with anger and rage at the insult to his father, Eruan tried to lash out at Legolas. Drawing a dagger from his pouch, Legolas swiftly turned it against Eruan and pinned him down against the stone, his blade millimeters from cutting his throat.
"Be still etteseldo, or I'll slit your throat." Legolas whispered. Laying still, Eruan quivered with rage beneath the weapon. The Mirkwood Prince slowly withdrew the weapon, as there a came a knock on the door. Distracted, Legolas looked behind him and Eruan seized his chance. Lashing out with his legs, he managed to conne ct with the middle of Legolas' stomach. He rolled over on the floor, gasping for breath while Eruan mercilessly kicked out. Seeing the scuffle, the guards rushed to the aid of their prince, two hauling Legolas out of harm's way, another three restraining Eruan. Standing up and being brushed off, Legolas unsheathed his sword in anger. The guards held Eruan tight, who took that moment to spit in Legolas' face.
"You worthless etteseldo!" The Prince roared. "How DARE you!"
Eruan looked up, the mad glint of battle in his eyes.
"If I am such an etteseldo, such an outcast, then kill me now." He hissed fiercly, his thoughts drifting back to his father. Angered past the point of logic, Legolas clutched the sword with white knuckles.
"It would be my pleasure to." He grated.
"Hold him."
The guards held Eruan down, though he fought with all his strength against them. One elf then grabbed his head and forced it downwards, exposing the back of his neck to the Prince's wrath. Legolas calmly strode over to Eruan, and raised the sword.
"What a shame, the prisoner refused to cooperate, and attempted to murder the Prince of Mirkwood. I had no choice, father."
Legolas raised the sword higher into the air and brought it down with a mighty stroke.
"Come." Eruan croaked. He cleared his voice. "Come out whoever you are, I know you are there, hiding in that corner." A figure appeared from the shadows, seeming almost to materialize out of air.
"Oh, but I am not hiding." Came a young voice. "Merely waiting." Stepping out into a shaft of light, Eruan saw his captor was none other than prince Legolas.
"You caused a lot of trouble for father's hunters," he began. "You put up quite a hopeless fight, but surprisingly you managed to wound quite a few elves." Eruan fumed.
"Why do you speak to me like that to a child? I am older than you. Or can you not see beyond a woodland tunic?" Legolas raised an eyebrow in surprise.
"I would advise that you watch your mouth." He replied. He moved in closer, until they were face to face, with Eruan staring into the cold, gray eyes of the Mirkwood prince. But as soon as they were face to face, Legolas' eyes lost their menace, indeed his face turned pale, and gray eyes grew wide with shock and. wonder.
"Eruan, son of Moreldar, you are full of surprises." Legolas said slowly. Fuming with anger and rage at the insult to his father, Eruan tried to lash out at Legolas. Drawing a dagger from his pouch, Legolas swiftly turned it against Eruan and pinned him down against the stone, his blade millimeters from cutting his throat.
"Be still etteseldo, or I'll slit your throat." Legolas whispered. Laying still, Eruan quivered with rage beneath the weapon. The Mirkwood Prince slowly withdrew the weapon, as there a came a knock on the door. Distracted, Legolas looked behind him and Eruan seized his chance. Lashing out with his legs, he managed to conne ct with the middle of Legolas' stomach. He rolled over on the floor, gasping for breath while Eruan mercilessly kicked out. Seeing the scuffle, the guards rushed to the aid of their prince, two hauling Legolas out of harm's way, another three restraining Eruan. Standing up and being brushed off, Legolas unsheathed his sword in anger. The guards held Eruan tight, who took that moment to spit in Legolas' face.
"You worthless etteseldo!" The Prince roared. "How DARE you!"
Eruan looked up, the mad glint of battle in his eyes.
"If I am such an etteseldo, such an outcast, then kill me now." He hissed fiercly, his thoughts drifting back to his father. Angered past the point of logic, Legolas clutched the sword with white knuckles.
"It would be my pleasure to." He grated.
"Hold him."
The guards held Eruan down, though he fought with all his strength against them. One elf then grabbed his head and forced it downwards, exposing the back of his neck to the Prince's wrath. Legolas calmly strode over to Eruan, and raised the sword.
"What a shame, the prisoner refused to cooperate, and attempted to murder the Prince of Mirkwood. I had no choice, father."
Legolas raised the sword higher into the air and brought it down with a mighty stroke.
