Author's Note: Okay people, here I am yet again with another timely
update. I noticed that a few of my wonderful readers did not particularly
care for the last chapter, please just trust that I had my reasons and I
did not intend to make Legolas appear weak, rather I wanted to portray him
as honorable and above the notion of fighting his kin. Again, just trust
me until the end, Legolas is my absolute favorite character and I would
never butcher what Tolkien set up. And why do we love elf torture? I have
pondered that myself as well and merely decided that it's one of those
mysteries of nature, we're still normal, right? Oh, and I have also
decided that we need to create our own line that makes Legolas plushies.
They seem to be in popular demand and I sure as hell want one, so lets get
a petition going! Come on, we can be entrepreneurs! Anyways, I think
that's enough rambling and I only have the highest respect for Tolkien and
earn nothing from this story except for my own twisted satisfaction, on
with the story!
Chapter 21
Eirien stumbled through the maze of hallways, intent on making her way back to her own living quarters so that she may tend to her wounds. She did not mind the many bruises she knew she would have, but her ankle was another matter. She would have to bind it tightly and put on a mixture of herbs to keep the swelling at bay.
As she limped, she heard somebody coming up behind her. She ignored it until she heard a voice say, "What happened to you, Eirien?"
It was her lord and she stopped full in her tracks. She turned to him and bowed low. Maeglin waved away the formalities. "I asked what happened to you," he repeated.
Eirien lowered her head. "A guard foolishly let the young prince out of his room," she started.
She paused and looked up, the dark elf lord's eyes hardened. "Yet another problem I must see to," he muttered.
He pivoted and started to move off down the hall. Eirien watched him take a few steps before her arm reached out as if on its own and she caught his elbow to stop him. "No, all is well. I took care of it. I punished the guard and our guest."
Maeglin looked at her sharply and Eirien dropped her gaze respectfully. A small moment of silence passed and then the elf lord let out a breath. "As long as you took care of it," he said quietly. "Remember that there is to be a meeting tonight in the hall after the evening meal," he commented as he started to pass her by, "we will be discussing the final preparations. Do not be late." And then he was gone, turning down a separate corridor, opposite from the direction in which Legolas' room lie.
Eirien's head swam. She had no idea why she had just done that. I just wanted to save him the trouble, she thought to herself, he has enough to think about and I did take care of it. She justified her actions in her mind, but something else tried to whisper past into her consciousness. Eirien crushed it down and would not let it through. Yet one small thought presented itself to her as she continued to make her painful way to her chambers. 'He saw that you were injured and did nothing to help,' a small voice in her mind told her. Eirien shook her head hard to clear the rebellious voice.
He knows I can take care of myself, she thought back fiercely. I have never allowed anyone to see to me in the entirety of my life, I am not about to start now. But she could not shake the seed of doubt that had been plaguing her ever since her encounter with the elf prince. Damn him, was her last thought before she finally reached her room and went in.
Legolas had been waiting anxiously all day. He had been unable to sit down and rest and he paced at a rate that made his earlier attempts at pacing seem languid. He held his breath every time he heard footsteps outside of his door, expecting Maeglin to come through the door. Yet each time the footsteps passed and the door remained firmly closed.
It was not until the sun finally started to sink ruefully down under the horizon that a novel idea came to him. Perhaps Maeglin was not coming to see him after all. Maybe he had not taken any notice of the she-elf and she had decided not to bother him with it. As much as Legolas thought of the possibilities, he knew that the incident would not be so easily forgotten. Even if Maeglin were to not find out Legolas knew that Eirien would not be so forgiving. She would do the most that she could to punish him personally if no other action was taken against him.
Gingerly, Legolas halted his pacing and lowered himself onto the bed. He sat completely still for a few moments before getting back up to his feet. He could not merely sit still and wait. The anxiety of not knowing what was to happen to him or even to Glorfindel and Mirkwood was tearing through him. He felt more vulnerable than he ever had in his life, and he was not pleased whenever he felt vulnerable.
A small glint of light caught his eye from across the room. Legolas glanced over and then turned. He had forgotten about the knife, and he now dove eagerly for it. Having some type of weapon, no matter how small, was extremely comforting to him. He would be able to defend himself at least somewhat. As long as it is not when fighting the she-elf, Legolas thought irritably. His repeated failures against fighting her were beginning to grate on his nerves, and he had no one but himself and foolish male instincts to blame.
Legolas struggled briefly when trying to free the knife from the wall. Even though it had not gone in far, the metal of the wall was incredibly strong and did not give. However Legolas eventually had the knife out and he held it in his open palm. Just the mere sight of the metal was soothing to him and his frayed nerves calmed down.
Legolas closed his fingers over the hilt, feeling the edges that were engraved in it. He lashed out with his arm, taking a few practice swings. He struck with incredible speed and Legolas knew that his skills surpassed those of even other elves older than he. His stay here was disconcerting to say the least to his pride as a warrior and Legolas wanted nothing more than a chance to restore his faith in his fighting skills.
Without a thought, Legolas moved the knife to his bandaged arm and buried the knife underneath the makeshift bandages. It was hidden from sight and secure though Legolas knew he no longer had the element of surprise. Eirien knew of the knife and would know that he still had it. She would be watching him carefully to see when he pulled it, Legolas knew. As for now, the small amount of protection provided by the steel blade allowed Legolas to finally be able to sit down and remain seated for a prolonged period of time.
When it was clear that Legolas would not be getting any type of evening meal for the day, Legolas settled back in the bed and prepared to sleep. The fights with Eirien had taken some out of him like they always did and he wanted to build his strength back up. Since food was not an option as an aid in his restoration, he was only left with sleep.
As he relaxed, his injuries caught up with him. His arm was throbbing uncomfortably and his chin and neck were tender to the touch and difficult to move easily. Hoping that his injuries would heal by the beginning of the next day, Legolas drifted off into the dreaming realm of the elves.
His sleep was harshly interrupted a mere few hours later. Legolas was awake as soon as the door was thrown open, but his attackers were not trying to be stealthy and creep up on him. Three or so elves rushed his bed and had a hold on some part of his body before Legolas could even react.
Even though he had been taken by surprise, Legolas was not content to simply lie still. As soon as the first hand touched him he jerked to the side and struck out with a fist. His fist hit its mark, though he did not know what it was, but he was not given the luxury of concentrating on only one foe. Two others were upon him and Legolas kicked out and arched his back, tearing free of the grips that held him. Legolas started to raise himself off of the bed, but two more joined the elves already at his side and he was grabbed and pushed roughly back down. Not allowing him to fight off anymore of his attackers, multiple hands latched onto him and held him still. Legolas could not move.
Once it was made clear that Legolas' efforts to free himself were futile, the hands started to pull on him. He was dragged off of the bed and then forced to his feet. Legolas fought every inch of the way, but his only rewards were sharp blows to his torso and throat. After one such blow caused him to double over, his arms were yanked behind his back and his wrists bound with a thick rope that immediately chaffed at his skin. The coarse rope bit into his flesh further as it was pulled mercilessly tight.
When he was bound tightly and held firmly still three of the elves backed off. Two remained at his sides, each holding onto one end of the rope. Legolas looked up and realized that his door was still standing open and there were more elves lined outside in the hallway. It reminded him vaguely of a line of guards watching over the proceedings of a dangerous criminal. The thought was hardly encouraging, but Legolas had the satisfaction of at least knowing that they still thought him dangerous.
Legolas was not given any more time to wonder at the caravan outside of his door and he was shoved forward to start moving. Legolas complied, but he would only walk at his own pace. It was clear that the elves surrounding him wanted to move at a faster rate, but Legolas kept his paces slow and dignified. He would not be rushed.
So Maeglin does know, Legolas thought grimly. He knew that he was being led to the dark elf-lord, most likely to be questioned and then disciplined. Legolas held his head high. He would not cow before the elf- lord and he would keep his wits about him. Legolas would try his best to not expose Glorfindel before the elf-lord.
The slow pace was starting to annoy the elves around him, but no amount of prodding or threats could make Legolas move faster. He had the feeling that time was pressing to the elves, but Legolas could care less what happened to them. Even if it was only seconds, the more time he could buy Glorfindel the better.
The assembly of elves reached their destination sooner than Legolas would have liked. The rope pulled Legolas to a momentary stand-still as other elves moved forward to take a hold on the handles of a very large and heavy-looking pair of doors. It took two elves on each door to pull them open and Legolas strained his eyesight as soon as the doors were open. This was an exit to the stone structure and fresh air greeted Legolas as he looked far beyond to see what awaited him. What he saw almost took his breath away.
In the coolness of the night, more elves than he had ever anticipated were massed and battle-ready. Half of them were on strong horses while the rest stood on foot. Multitudes of weapons were drawn and ready and the very air was laced with excitement and bloodlust.
Legolas thought that this was hardly all just for him before being pushed forward. The small contingent that was surrounding him walked him forward, straight down a path made by the separation of the army of elves. Legolas looked about himself as he walked. This was no hasty collection of elves. They stood in a rigid formation without a break in any of the lines. It was clear that they were trained and disciplined, an army that awed even Legolas.
Legolas was marched up to the front of the horde. Maeglin sat high on a horse, watching him approach. Glorfindel and Eirien sat on horses flanking him. Legolas caught Glorfindel's eye. Glorfindel appeared unworried and at ease and gave no outward signs of comfort to Legolas. Disquiet uncoiled in the pit of his stomach and Legolas had to take a deep breath to keep his outward appearance calm.
Against his will, Legolas caught Maeglin's eye. Desperately, Legolas tried to think of anything but Glorfindel, not wanting to give anything away. Out of the corner of his eye, Legolas saw Glorfindel sit up taller on his horse and lean to the side. This caused the animal to move about restlessly, scuffing at the hard ground before standing at rest again. The movement distracted Legolas, but Maeglin's dark eyes remained riveted to Legolas' blue ones.
When Legolas grudgingly gave Maeglin his full attention again a knowing smile spread across the dark elf lord's face.
"We are going to save your precious homelands now," Maeglin told Legolas. "I trust you shall want to come along?"
Legolas did not bother to answer. He knew it was his choice either way. He definitely wanted to go with them to see what they would do to Mirkwood, but the thought of returning to his home as a prisoner was not to his liking. Yet just as Legolas suspected, the elf lord did not even expect an answer and he held up a hand as a signal. An elf stepped forward holding onto the reins of a horse. He stopped before Legolas and his two guards, a look of disgust clearly written on his face. Legolas caught his eye and kept his head held high, there was no way he would let a minion show such blatant disrespect. Eventually, the other elf gave in under the cold gaze of the elf prince and dropped his eyes.
Maeglin spoke again. "I am afraid you shall have to ride with your hands bound as they are, we cannot risk any misbehaviour on our noble quest. You understand of course."
Legolas did not even flick an eye in his direction and instead concentrated on the two guards who had suddenly surged forward, each latching onto one of Legolas' arms. They pulled him towards the horse and then started to lift Legolas on top of the horse. Legolas immediately dropped all of his weight and jerked out of the elves' grasp. He turned to face them, drawing himself straight, making his intention clear. Even though he was bound, he would never let another elf lift him onto a horse.
Turning his back on them before they could grab a hold of him again, Legolas placed a foot in the stirrup of the saddle and then effortlessly pulled himself up on top of the horse. He sat down lightly, not wanting to risk harming or agitating the horse. Legolas did not like the saddle underneath his legs, he always rode bareback, but a quick look around told him that the other elves would not oblige him if he asked for it to be removed. For the first time Legolas noticed that all of the elves that were on horseback used a saddle and reins save Glorfindel. Glorfindel was seated comfortably on top of a large white horse, unlike the darker colored horses that carried the rest of the elves, and Legolas knew that it was his own.
Legolas still had his arms bound behind his back so he was unable to free the reins from the hand of the elf that still held them. Legolas did not need the reins, though he had never ridden with his hands tied behind his back, Legolas was certain he would be able to ride the horse well without too much effort anyway. He merely wanted the other elf to let go.
As soon as Legolas was settled on top of the horse, the elf leading the horse started to move towards Maeglin. Legolas assumed that perhaps the elf was going to lead his horse the whole way to make sure that Legolas did not break away from the group. With that in mind, Legolas was already working on a plan to break away from the elf and ride on as fast as he could to Mirkwood to alert his father before this army reached it. The only problems with this was that even though Legolas knew it would be fairly easy to free the horse from the elf leading it and he would be able to ride fast even with his hands tied, he could not guarantee that he would be able to ride so far as to not be caught. An elf with the use of both of his hands would be able to catch up to Legolas.
Legolas' plotting was interrupted when the horse was stopped again and the reins handed over to Eirien. Legolas' mouth almost dropped open in surprise but he maintained his composure. Eirien glanced over at Legolas coolly, the purpose of her holding the reins made clear to Legolas. If he broke away from her, she would pursue him mercilessly with probably half of the contingent following. Legolas' prisoner stature was further enforced when the two guards who had originally been flanking Legolas suddenly appeared at his side on horses of their own. One of them pulled ahead of Legolas while Eirien and the other guard crowded him on the sides. He was boxed in.
Maeglin watched as the elves positioned themselves around the elf prince and then he nodded. Without a spoken signal, he wheeled his horse around with Glorfindel following suit and staying close to his side and started forward. Maeglin and Glorfindel took the front positions with Legolas and his captors following closely behind them. Without turning, Legolas' ears picked up on the sound of the rest of the elves starting forward, they were all following.
As soon as they passed a small hollow formed by heavy overhanging trees, Maeglin and Glorfindel started their horses into a canter and quickly adopted a swift pace. Legolas' horse was prodded to quicken its pace as well and Legolas had to hold on tightly to the horse with only his legs. The entire elf army surged forward, a tireless force moving straight towards Mirkwood. Legolas only looked back once and the vision of the large number of elves all moving together and with incredible speed made Legolas' spirits dim.
.
Chapter 21
Eirien stumbled through the maze of hallways, intent on making her way back to her own living quarters so that she may tend to her wounds. She did not mind the many bruises she knew she would have, but her ankle was another matter. She would have to bind it tightly and put on a mixture of herbs to keep the swelling at bay.
As she limped, she heard somebody coming up behind her. She ignored it until she heard a voice say, "What happened to you, Eirien?"
It was her lord and she stopped full in her tracks. She turned to him and bowed low. Maeglin waved away the formalities. "I asked what happened to you," he repeated.
Eirien lowered her head. "A guard foolishly let the young prince out of his room," she started.
She paused and looked up, the dark elf lord's eyes hardened. "Yet another problem I must see to," he muttered.
He pivoted and started to move off down the hall. Eirien watched him take a few steps before her arm reached out as if on its own and she caught his elbow to stop him. "No, all is well. I took care of it. I punished the guard and our guest."
Maeglin looked at her sharply and Eirien dropped her gaze respectfully. A small moment of silence passed and then the elf lord let out a breath. "As long as you took care of it," he said quietly. "Remember that there is to be a meeting tonight in the hall after the evening meal," he commented as he started to pass her by, "we will be discussing the final preparations. Do not be late." And then he was gone, turning down a separate corridor, opposite from the direction in which Legolas' room lie.
Eirien's head swam. She had no idea why she had just done that. I just wanted to save him the trouble, she thought to herself, he has enough to think about and I did take care of it. She justified her actions in her mind, but something else tried to whisper past into her consciousness. Eirien crushed it down and would not let it through. Yet one small thought presented itself to her as she continued to make her painful way to her chambers. 'He saw that you were injured and did nothing to help,' a small voice in her mind told her. Eirien shook her head hard to clear the rebellious voice.
He knows I can take care of myself, she thought back fiercely. I have never allowed anyone to see to me in the entirety of my life, I am not about to start now. But she could not shake the seed of doubt that had been plaguing her ever since her encounter with the elf prince. Damn him, was her last thought before she finally reached her room and went in.
Legolas had been waiting anxiously all day. He had been unable to sit down and rest and he paced at a rate that made his earlier attempts at pacing seem languid. He held his breath every time he heard footsteps outside of his door, expecting Maeglin to come through the door. Yet each time the footsteps passed and the door remained firmly closed.
It was not until the sun finally started to sink ruefully down under the horizon that a novel idea came to him. Perhaps Maeglin was not coming to see him after all. Maybe he had not taken any notice of the she-elf and she had decided not to bother him with it. As much as Legolas thought of the possibilities, he knew that the incident would not be so easily forgotten. Even if Maeglin were to not find out Legolas knew that Eirien would not be so forgiving. She would do the most that she could to punish him personally if no other action was taken against him.
Gingerly, Legolas halted his pacing and lowered himself onto the bed. He sat completely still for a few moments before getting back up to his feet. He could not merely sit still and wait. The anxiety of not knowing what was to happen to him or even to Glorfindel and Mirkwood was tearing through him. He felt more vulnerable than he ever had in his life, and he was not pleased whenever he felt vulnerable.
A small glint of light caught his eye from across the room. Legolas glanced over and then turned. He had forgotten about the knife, and he now dove eagerly for it. Having some type of weapon, no matter how small, was extremely comforting to him. He would be able to defend himself at least somewhat. As long as it is not when fighting the she-elf, Legolas thought irritably. His repeated failures against fighting her were beginning to grate on his nerves, and he had no one but himself and foolish male instincts to blame.
Legolas struggled briefly when trying to free the knife from the wall. Even though it had not gone in far, the metal of the wall was incredibly strong and did not give. However Legolas eventually had the knife out and he held it in his open palm. Just the mere sight of the metal was soothing to him and his frayed nerves calmed down.
Legolas closed his fingers over the hilt, feeling the edges that were engraved in it. He lashed out with his arm, taking a few practice swings. He struck with incredible speed and Legolas knew that his skills surpassed those of even other elves older than he. His stay here was disconcerting to say the least to his pride as a warrior and Legolas wanted nothing more than a chance to restore his faith in his fighting skills.
Without a thought, Legolas moved the knife to his bandaged arm and buried the knife underneath the makeshift bandages. It was hidden from sight and secure though Legolas knew he no longer had the element of surprise. Eirien knew of the knife and would know that he still had it. She would be watching him carefully to see when he pulled it, Legolas knew. As for now, the small amount of protection provided by the steel blade allowed Legolas to finally be able to sit down and remain seated for a prolonged period of time.
When it was clear that Legolas would not be getting any type of evening meal for the day, Legolas settled back in the bed and prepared to sleep. The fights with Eirien had taken some out of him like they always did and he wanted to build his strength back up. Since food was not an option as an aid in his restoration, he was only left with sleep.
As he relaxed, his injuries caught up with him. His arm was throbbing uncomfortably and his chin and neck were tender to the touch and difficult to move easily. Hoping that his injuries would heal by the beginning of the next day, Legolas drifted off into the dreaming realm of the elves.
His sleep was harshly interrupted a mere few hours later. Legolas was awake as soon as the door was thrown open, but his attackers were not trying to be stealthy and creep up on him. Three or so elves rushed his bed and had a hold on some part of his body before Legolas could even react.
Even though he had been taken by surprise, Legolas was not content to simply lie still. As soon as the first hand touched him he jerked to the side and struck out with a fist. His fist hit its mark, though he did not know what it was, but he was not given the luxury of concentrating on only one foe. Two others were upon him and Legolas kicked out and arched his back, tearing free of the grips that held him. Legolas started to raise himself off of the bed, but two more joined the elves already at his side and he was grabbed and pushed roughly back down. Not allowing him to fight off anymore of his attackers, multiple hands latched onto him and held him still. Legolas could not move.
Once it was made clear that Legolas' efforts to free himself were futile, the hands started to pull on him. He was dragged off of the bed and then forced to his feet. Legolas fought every inch of the way, but his only rewards were sharp blows to his torso and throat. After one such blow caused him to double over, his arms were yanked behind his back and his wrists bound with a thick rope that immediately chaffed at his skin. The coarse rope bit into his flesh further as it was pulled mercilessly tight.
When he was bound tightly and held firmly still three of the elves backed off. Two remained at his sides, each holding onto one end of the rope. Legolas looked up and realized that his door was still standing open and there were more elves lined outside in the hallway. It reminded him vaguely of a line of guards watching over the proceedings of a dangerous criminal. The thought was hardly encouraging, but Legolas had the satisfaction of at least knowing that they still thought him dangerous.
Legolas was not given any more time to wonder at the caravan outside of his door and he was shoved forward to start moving. Legolas complied, but he would only walk at his own pace. It was clear that the elves surrounding him wanted to move at a faster rate, but Legolas kept his paces slow and dignified. He would not be rushed.
So Maeglin does know, Legolas thought grimly. He knew that he was being led to the dark elf-lord, most likely to be questioned and then disciplined. Legolas held his head high. He would not cow before the elf- lord and he would keep his wits about him. Legolas would try his best to not expose Glorfindel before the elf-lord.
The slow pace was starting to annoy the elves around him, but no amount of prodding or threats could make Legolas move faster. He had the feeling that time was pressing to the elves, but Legolas could care less what happened to them. Even if it was only seconds, the more time he could buy Glorfindel the better.
The assembly of elves reached their destination sooner than Legolas would have liked. The rope pulled Legolas to a momentary stand-still as other elves moved forward to take a hold on the handles of a very large and heavy-looking pair of doors. It took two elves on each door to pull them open and Legolas strained his eyesight as soon as the doors were open. This was an exit to the stone structure and fresh air greeted Legolas as he looked far beyond to see what awaited him. What he saw almost took his breath away.
In the coolness of the night, more elves than he had ever anticipated were massed and battle-ready. Half of them were on strong horses while the rest stood on foot. Multitudes of weapons were drawn and ready and the very air was laced with excitement and bloodlust.
Legolas thought that this was hardly all just for him before being pushed forward. The small contingent that was surrounding him walked him forward, straight down a path made by the separation of the army of elves. Legolas looked about himself as he walked. This was no hasty collection of elves. They stood in a rigid formation without a break in any of the lines. It was clear that they were trained and disciplined, an army that awed even Legolas.
Legolas was marched up to the front of the horde. Maeglin sat high on a horse, watching him approach. Glorfindel and Eirien sat on horses flanking him. Legolas caught Glorfindel's eye. Glorfindel appeared unworried and at ease and gave no outward signs of comfort to Legolas. Disquiet uncoiled in the pit of his stomach and Legolas had to take a deep breath to keep his outward appearance calm.
Against his will, Legolas caught Maeglin's eye. Desperately, Legolas tried to think of anything but Glorfindel, not wanting to give anything away. Out of the corner of his eye, Legolas saw Glorfindel sit up taller on his horse and lean to the side. This caused the animal to move about restlessly, scuffing at the hard ground before standing at rest again. The movement distracted Legolas, but Maeglin's dark eyes remained riveted to Legolas' blue ones.
When Legolas grudgingly gave Maeglin his full attention again a knowing smile spread across the dark elf lord's face.
"We are going to save your precious homelands now," Maeglin told Legolas. "I trust you shall want to come along?"
Legolas did not bother to answer. He knew it was his choice either way. He definitely wanted to go with them to see what they would do to Mirkwood, but the thought of returning to his home as a prisoner was not to his liking. Yet just as Legolas suspected, the elf lord did not even expect an answer and he held up a hand as a signal. An elf stepped forward holding onto the reins of a horse. He stopped before Legolas and his two guards, a look of disgust clearly written on his face. Legolas caught his eye and kept his head held high, there was no way he would let a minion show such blatant disrespect. Eventually, the other elf gave in under the cold gaze of the elf prince and dropped his eyes.
Maeglin spoke again. "I am afraid you shall have to ride with your hands bound as they are, we cannot risk any misbehaviour on our noble quest. You understand of course."
Legolas did not even flick an eye in his direction and instead concentrated on the two guards who had suddenly surged forward, each latching onto one of Legolas' arms. They pulled him towards the horse and then started to lift Legolas on top of the horse. Legolas immediately dropped all of his weight and jerked out of the elves' grasp. He turned to face them, drawing himself straight, making his intention clear. Even though he was bound, he would never let another elf lift him onto a horse.
Turning his back on them before they could grab a hold of him again, Legolas placed a foot in the stirrup of the saddle and then effortlessly pulled himself up on top of the horse. He sat down lightly, not wanting to risk harming or agitating the horse. Legolas did not like the saddle underneath his legs, he always rode bareback, but a quick look around told him that the other elves would not oblige him if he asked for it to be removed. For the first time Legolas noticed that all of the elves that were on horseback used a saddle and reins save Glorfindel. Glorfindel was seated comfortably on top of a large white horse, unlike the darker colored horses that carried the rest of the elves, and Legolas knew that it was his own.
Legolas still had his arms bound behind his back so he was unable to free the reins from the hand of the elf that still held them. Legolas did not need the reins, though he had never ridden with his hands tied behind his back, Legolas was certain he would be able to ride the horse well without too much effort anyway. He merely wanted the other elf to let go.
As soon as Legolas was settled on top of the horse, the elf leading the horse started to move towards Maeglin. Legolas assumed that perhaps the elf was going to lead his horse the whole way to make sure that Legolas did not break away from the group. With that in mind, Legolas was already working on a plan to break away from the elf and ride on as fast as he could to Mirkwood to alert his father before this army reached it. The only problems with this was that even though Legolas knew it would be fairly easy to free the horse from the elf leading it and he would be able to ride fast even with his hands tied, he could not guarantee that he would be able to ride so far as to not be caught. An elf with the use of both of his hands would be able to catch up to Legolas.
Legolas' plotting was interrupted when the horse was stopped again and the reins handed over to Eirien. Legolas' mouth almost dropped open in surprise but he maintained his composure. Eirien glanced over at Legolas coolly, the purpose of her holding the reins made clear to Legolas. If he broke away from her, she would pursue him mercilessly with probably half of the contingent following. Legolas' prisoner stature was further enforced when the two guards who had originally been flanking Legolas suddenly appeared at his side on horses of their own. One of them pulled ahead of Legolas while Eirien and the other guard crowded him on the sides. He was boxed in.
Maeglin watched as the elves positioned themselves around the elf prince and then he nodded. Without a spoken signal, he wheeled his horse around with Glorfindel following suit and staying close to his side and started forward. Maeglin and Glorfindel took the front positions with Legolas and his captors following closely behind them. Without turning, Legolas' ears picked up on the sound of the rest of the elves starting forward, they were all following.
As soon as they passed a small hollow formed by heavy overhanging trees, Maeglin and Glorfindel started their horses into a canter and quickly adopted a swift pace. Legolas' horse was prodded to quicken its pace as well and Legolas had to hold on tightly to the horse with only his legs. The entire elf army surged forward, a tireless force moving straight towards Mirkwood. Legolas only looked back once and the vision of the large number of elves all moving together and with incredible speed made Legolas' spirits dim.
.