Sorry for the delay in posting. We had a major power cut so nothing worked
and then I went point - to - pointing, saw some nice looking horses. I so
want a horse. Sorry blabbering! Anyways this story is drawing to a close,
only a few chapters left. I hope you enjoy this chapter and any comments on
how to improve would be greatly appreciated, but if you like it how it is
please tell me!! Thanks for all the reviews!
* The courtyard outside the main citadel of Gondor was bustling with activity. Horses were tacked up and brought forward, armour was adjusted and weapons hastily passed out. There were no usual lengthy preparations for heading out to battle speed was essential.
The hobbits were to remain behind for Gandalf refused to allow them to come. The situation he knew would be terrible and he didn't want to inflict that on anyone, especially them.
Aragorn was sat waiting on his horse, his whole body aching to go. He watched the horizon as if staring at it for so long would make him appear there, closer to his goal. He was too late he knew it. By the time he got there it would be too late to do anything.
'Mirkwood has fallen' Balian's words echoed in his head. If Mirkwood had fallen, Legolas would have been at the front lines; he would have fought to the death before letting his home fall. Aragorn shuddered and blinked furiously as his eyes began to tear.
'I am so sorry, no, beyond sorry, by the Valor please protect them, I will do anything if Legolas is well and brought to me'
"We are ready to depart." Eomer said riding up to him.
Aragorn took a deep breath and turned to see Arwen looking upon him with sad eyes, she knew, she knew that it was over and they would be able to do little.
"Move out." He said and men, elves and dwarfs united galloped away to face the unknown.
* Azian gasped for breath as he paused high in the trees. His much depleted warrior group paused behind him. They were trying to reach the Haven but there were many orc patrols in the area.
"They must know it is here." An elf to his left said.
"No one knows where it is." Another elf whispered.
"Well they are obviously guarding something. They are too organised." The first elf whispered back.
"Quiet!" Azian hissed.
He considered their options. They could still reach the Haven but there was a chance they could lead the orcs to it. He would not consider that as an option then. They would retreat to the trees, try to find others and wait. Eventually the orcs would leave and they could get to the Haven. He had heard from others that some elves had retreated there already.
"We will have to retreat to the deep forests. Regroup, treat our wounded and plan our revenge." He spat bitterly.
"My lord?" an elf questioned.
"They are too numerous, we all can see that. There is no aid coming. We are spread too thinly and if we attempt to reach the Haven we could lead them there." Azian reasoned.
The elves bowed their heads and nodded.
"We are not defeated. We will rise again and we will destroy this darkness."
The elves got up and silently disappeared. They retreated deep into the depths of Mirkwood, where even the darkness did not reach.
* Legolas choked and gasped as freezing cold water splashed all over the upper half of his body. Pain screamed throughout his body and he moaned an agonised cry.
"Elf." A voice growled near his ear and Legolas opened his eyes to see an orc stood over him with a look of glee on its disfigured face. "Master wants to see you." A smile appeared on its face as he watched a look of fear flash across the elf's face before an expressionless mask covered it.
Legolas was pulled to his feet and dragged, his legs too weak to keep moving. Biting his lip until it bled to stop his moans and cries of pain he tried to remember the passages as he passed.
'What is the point?' his inner voice asked 'even if you remember the way back you have no way of knowing how to actually get out as you were unconscious when you were brought in.'
The orcs dragging him stopped in front of a large metal door, they became nervous as they pushed it open.
"Leave" a voice hissed. It was pure evil and made every fibre of Legolas's being tremble in fear. He was dropped to the floor carelessly as the orcs hurried out.
"So Prince of Mirkwood we finally meet." The voice said again. Legolas turned his head so that his cheek rested on the ground. He was afraid. Never before had he felt so afraid and it made him feel weak. Something moved in the shadows that the light from the torches did not reach.
"Do you know how I punish those who rise against me?"
Legolas wanted to speak, to spit out a sharp retort but his voice failed him. *I am an elf warrior not some weak elfling. I will not be defeated by evil* His inner voice screamed at him as he began to tremble.
"It is rude not to answer a person's question." The voice came again. Legolas closed his eyes and tried to listen to where the voice originated. Pain screamed through him as a bolt of energy engulfed his body. When it disappeared he panted trying to draw breath into his tortured lungs.
"Answer me when I speak to you firstborn." The voice snarled. "I can make the pain beyond the limits of anything you could imagine, you will beg me to stop as you writhe in agony."
"I ask you again do you know how I punish those who rise against me?"
Legolas pushed himself up to his knees and held his head high. He kept silent.
"Very well, I love to hear screams of the elves."
*
Thranduil woke as the sun warmed his face and blinked sleepily. He was lying in a bed in a bright sun drenched room. Birds sang softly outside. He recognised the place. The Haven. Frowning he began to push himself up and pain flared across his chest that left him gasping. He had been wounded, but he did not remember receiving the wound. The door opened and Aeolian stepped in. The elf did not look up as he entered and closed the door silently.
"Aeolian?" Thranduil questioned and the elf jumped.
"Father!" he exclaimed. "You are awake! How do you feel?"
Aeolian walked quickly over to the bed.
"What happened?" Thranduil asked and watched as a shadow of grief passed across his eldest son's face. Thranduil reached up to grip his son's shoulder in support.
Aeolian closed his eyes and a tear slipped down his face.
"Kahari has fallen." He whispered.
Thranduil's heart clenched in grief and a ragged sob passed through his dry lips.
"We could not hold the palace. They divided us. Kahari." Aeolian choked on his brother's name. "Kahari fell, you were injured. More and more fell, we could not stop them."
"You did the right thing Aeolian. How long have I been unconscious?"
"Almost two days." Aeolian whispered. Thranduil's eyes widened in surprise as Aeolian looked away, towards the window.
Thranduil regarded his son closely. "What else troubles you?"
"No one else made it. Azian has not been seen since the initial attack. Legolas, oh ada some of the warriors made it back from his party before we came here."
Thranduil's heart sank. "What?" he questioned.
"The orcs captured him and carried him off to Sauron. They said the orcs were looking for him, he is imprisoned with Dol Guldur."
"No" Thranduil whispered, "Please, no" he begged. Aeolian sobbed and collapsed on the bed. Thranduil sat up and rubbed his son's back comfortingly as his mind turned to think of the horrors that his son must be facing. *Be strong Legolas we will rescue you*
*
* The courtyard outside the main citadel of Gondor was bustling with activity. Horses were tacked up and brought forward, armour was adjusted and weapons hastily passed out. There were no usual lengthy preparations for heading out to battle speed was essential.
The hobbits were to remain behind for Gandalf refused to allow them to come. The situation he knew would be terrible and he didn't want to inflict that on anyone, especially them.
Aragorn was sat waiting on his horse, his whole body aching to go. He watched the horizon as if staring at it for so long would make him appear there, closer to his goal. He was too late he knew it. By the time he got there it would be too late to do anything.
'Mirkwood has fallen' Balian's words echoed in his head. If Mirkwood had fallen, Legolas would have been at the front lines; he would have fought to the death before letting his home fall. Aragorn shuddered and blinked furiously as his eyes began to tear.
'I am so sorry, no, beyond sorry, by the Valor please protect them, I will do anything if Legolas is well and brought to me'
"We are ready to depart." Eomer said riding up to him.
Aragorn took a deep breath and turned to see Arwen looking upon him with sad eyes, she knew, she knew that it was over and they would be able to do little.
"Move out." He said and men, elves and dwarfs united galloped away to face the unknown.
* Azian gasped for breath as he paused high in the trees. His much depleted warrior group paused behind him. They were trying to reach the Haven but there were many orc patrols in the area.
"They must know it is here." An elf to his left said.
"No one knows where it is." Another elf whispered.
"Well they are obviously guarding something. They are too organised." The first elf whispered back.
"Quiet!" Azian hissed.
He considered their options. They could still reach the Haven but there was a chance they could lead the orcs to it. He would not consider that as an option then. They would retreat to the trees, try to find others and wait. Eventually the orcs would leave and they could get to the Haven. He had heard from others that some elves had retreated there already.
"We will have to retreat to the deep forests. Regroup, treat our wounded and plan our revenge." He spat bitterly.
"My lord?" an elf questioned.
"They are too numerous, we all can see that. There is no aid coming. We are spread too thinly and if we attempt to reach the Haven we could lead them there." Azian reasoned.
The elves bowed their heads and nodded.
"We are not defeated. We will rise again and we will destroy this darkness."
The elves got up and silently disappeared. They retreated deep into the depths of Mirkwood, where even the darkness did not reach.
* Legolas choked and gasped as freezing cold water splashed all over the upper half of his body. Pain screamed throughout his body and he moaned an agonised cry.
"Elf." A voice growled near his ear and Legolas opened his eyes to see an orc stood over him with a look of glee on its disfigured face. "Master wants to see you." A smile appeared on its face as he watched a look of fear flash across the elf's face before an expressionless mask covered it.
Legolas was pulled to his feet and dragged, his legs too weak to keep moving. Biting his lip until it bled to stop his moans and cries of pain he tried to remember the passages as he passed.
'What is the point?' his inner voice asked 'even if you remember the way back you have no way of knowing how to actually get out as you were unconscious when you were brought in.'
The orcs dragging him stopped in front of a large metal door, they became nervous as they pushed it open.
"Leave" a voice hissed. It was pure evil and made every fibre of Legolas's being tremble in fear. He was dropped to the floor carelessly as the orcs hurried out.
"So Prince of Mirkwood we finally meet." The voice said again. Legolas turned his head so that his cheek rested on the ground. He was afraid. Never before had he felt so afraid and it made him feel weak. Something moved in the shadows that the light from the torches did not reach.
"Do you know how I punish those who rise against me?"
Legolas wanted to speak, to spit out a sharp retort but his voice failed him. *I am an elf warrior not some weak elfling. I will not be defeated by evil* His inner voice screamed at him as he began to tremble.
"It is rude not to answer a person's question." The voice came again. Legolas closed his eyes and tried to listen to where the voice originated. Pain screamed through him as a bolt of energy engulfed his body. When it disappeared he panted trying to draw breath into his tortured lungs.
"Answer me when I speak to you firstborn." The voice snarled. "I can make the pain beyond the limits of anything you could imagine, you will beg me to stop as you writhe in agony."
"I ask you again do you know how I punish those who rise against me?"
Legolas pushed himself up to his knees and held his head high. He kept silent.
"Very well, I love to hear screams of the elves."
*
Thranduil woke as the sun warmed his face and blinked sleepily. He was lying in a bed in a bright sun drenched room. Birds sang softly outside. He recognised the place. The Haven. Frowning he began to push himself up and pain flared across his chest that left him gasping. He had been wounded, but he did not remember receiving the wound. The door opened and Aeolian stepped in. The elf did not look up as he entered and closed the door silently.
"Aeolian?" Thranduil questioned and the elf jumped.
"Father!" he exclaimed. "You are awake! How do you feel?"
Aeolian walked quickly over to the bed.
"What happened?" Thranduil asked and watched as a shadow of grief passed across his eldest son's face. Thranduil reached up to grip his son's shoulder in support.
Aeolian closed his eyes and a tear slipped down his face.
"Kahari has fallen." He whispered.
Thranduil's heart clenched in grief and a ragged sob passed through his dry lips.
"We could not hold the palace. They divided us. Kahari." Aeolian choked on his brother's name. "Kahari fell, you were injured. More and more fell, we could not stop them."
"You did the right thing Aeolian. How long have I been unconscious?"
"Almost two days." Aeolian whispered. Thranduil's eyes widened in surprise as Aeolian looked away, towards the window.
Thranduil regarded his son closely. "What else troubles you?"
"No one else made it. Azian has not been seen since the initial attack. Legolas, oh ada some of the warriors made it back from his party before we came here."
Thranduil's heart sank. "What?" he questioned.
"The orcs captured him and carried him off to Sauron. They said the orcs were looking for him, he is imprisoned with Dol Guldur."
"No" Thranduil whispered, "Please, no" he begged. Aeolian sobbed and collapsed on the bed. Thranduil sat up and rubbed his son's back comfortingly as his mind turned to think of the horrors that his son must be facing. *Be strong Legolas we will rescue you*
*