Crippled Prize
by Mizalaye
Author's Notes: Yes, it's another apology for how long this took me. I'm afraid school and finals and Christmas caught up with me… This chapter is long, so I hope that at least partially makes up for how long it took to arrive! Thank you for your patience!
Chapter Nine: Flight from Darkness
It is time. Aragorn took a deep breath and pulled his hood a bit lower over his face, further obscuring his features. Keeping his face turned carefully toward the ground, he headed toward the dungeons.
Not a word had been spoken in the presence of the Stranger, as Aragorn was still called, regarding his daughter. However, Aragorn had always been good at gathering information unnoticed. It was a skill that had served him well during his years as a Ranger and continued to aid him as King of Gondor. It certainly aided him here. Whispers in the shadows – mere snatches of conversation, usually – had told him all he needed to know about his daughter.
Now the time had come to make good on his word and set her free.
The guards who patrolled the dim, oppressive dungeon corridors deep in the mountains paid no special attention to Aragorn as he strode past. In their eyes, he was one of them, and seemed to have a purpose. Whatever business had brought him down so deep was not their concern, after all. And that was exactly the way Aragorn wanted it.
Never wavering, never slowing, Aragorn made his way to a far corner of the dungeons. A guard stood there, clearly bored with his assignment. The slightest of smiles touched Aragorn's mouth within the shadows of his hood. He knew this man – this was going to be simpler than he had hoped.
"Negter," he greeted the man. "Gribshaw sent me to find you. He has an assignment for you. I am to finish your shift here."
Negter gave him a humorless smile. "Enjoy." Gladly, he thrust his spear into Aragorn's hands and hurried back down the corridor.
Aragorn remained motionless until Negter rounded the corner. Then, he allowed himself a slight smile. If my luck holds, it will take Negter at least an hour to discover that Gribshaw was sent on an assignment himself last night. And if my luck doesn't hold… He pushed that thought from his mind.
Glancing up at the narrow ventilation shaft above him, Aragorn whistled softly. Moments later, a pair of booted feet appeared in the opening. After a bit of wriggling, Legolas dropped easily to the ground.
"It is good to see you again, mellon," Aragorn said. "We must be silent."
Legolas nodded in response to the greeting and handed Aragorn a sheathed sword. "I think you will feel better with this in your hand once more."
Aragorn tossed the enemy's sword and spear away with relief, and took up Andúril once more. "Indeed, I do feel better."
Without another word, Legolas turned and led the way down the dank corridor on silent elven feet.
The two warriors encountered two guards in the passages before they reached Dómiel's cell. In his garb as one of their own, Aragorn was able to distract both of the guards long enough for Legolas to bring his knife-hilt down onto their heads. They left both guards tied and gagged in the corridor, but were sure to remove the keys from the chief guard's belt after trussing him.
When he reached the correct passage, Legolas began to jog. He knew that time was now their enemy – even if their luck held, they had only minutes before someone discovered them. The final obstacle was the guard directly in front of Dómiel's cell.
And it was the final obstacle that was to be their undoing. The guard turned and spotted what appeared to be one of his own charging at him with a drawn sword, led by a being who was decidedly not human. And, in that moment, the guard saw through the disguise and realized the truth that a desperate bluff and a rough disguise had hidden from every other man in these caves. He saw the King of Gondor.
Aragorn and Legolas moved with inhuman speed, but they were not quick enough.
"Intruders! Sound the alert!" The guards cries bounced off rock and iron, sending echoes of despair though the caves and into two warriors' hearts.
~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~
Dómiel's head snapped up as fear slipped into her heart. The guard had screamed "intruders"! "Father?" she whispered. But if the guard was sounding the alert…then they would be captured as well. "No!" she cried, her voice raspy and choked with unshed tears.
Her sharp ears picked out the sounds of a brutal struggle in the corridor beyond. Hope fluttered in her heart, refusing to die. Perhaps…perhaps…
Suddenly, the sounds stopped, and the dungeons went silent for one long moment.
Then, the sounds of approaching men drifted to her sharp ears. The other black-robed men were coming.
A key ground in the lock on her cell door, but the lock did not give. Dómiel heard clanking metal, and then another key was tried.
The princess swallowed hard, driving down her fear. Whoever was coming, she would face them as she had been taught – as a Princess of Gondor. She tried to straighten up, but her sore and cramped muscles would not allow her to rise further than a half-sitting, half-reclining position. So, she lifted her chin and waited.
Another key creaked into the keyhole, and the lock slid open. The massive iron door swung aside, revealing a cloaked figure. It was one of the soldiers.
A cry of dashed hope and fear passed Dómiel's lips before she could stop its escape. Her exhausted muscles gave way at last, and she collapsed limply to the ground.
"Dómiel? Dómiel!"
The voice of the soldier was hauntingly familiar, as was the gentle touch on her forehead. Trembling, Dómiel turned her eyes up to the soldier's face – and met the soft, fearful eyes of her father.
"Daddy?"
"Dómiel, my child! You're safe!" Aragorn grabbed his daughter up into his arms and, for a moment, simply held her tightly against his chest. "I'm so glad you're safe."
"I knew you would come," Dómiel whispered as she flung her arms around her father's neck. "I knew you would not leave me here."
"Aragorn!" Legolas' slightly strained voice broke into the reunion between father and daughter.
"Come, my child," Aragorn said softly. "We must hurry now." His daughter cradled in his arms, he hurried out of the cell.
"Quickly!" Legolas turned and sprinted down the corridor, Aragorn right behind him. All three of the escapees could hear the oncoming roar of the double-crossed criminals, crying out for the blood of those who had betrayed them.
Ducking through back tunnels, weaving a crooked path through the dungeons, the three managed to reach the main caves before they were seen.
The black-cloaked men before them seemed unaware of the impending escape until they caught sight of Aragorn with Dómiel in his arms. Then realization hit, and they charged the escaping trio, blades eager for blood.
With his daughter in his arms, Aragorn could do little to defend himself. Dómiel clung to her father, doing all she could to remain in his arms as he twisted and ducked, avoiding the vicious blades. Legolas leapt between the two and their attackers, elven knives weaving a net of silver around him. Within minutes, the guards had been dispatched.
However, the mob behind them had used the time to narrow the distance between them and their prey. Aragorn and Legolas began to sprint once more for the main door and the free air. Dómiel buried her face in her father's shoulder and wished desperately that she could somehow aid their flight, that she could be anything except the burden she was.
They met nine more black-cloaked men before the main door came into view. Legolas dispatched each in turn, but each encounter cost them precious time. By the time the sunlight was in sight, the mob was nearly upon them.
Without breaking stride, Aragorn practically threw Dómiel into Legolas' arms. "You are swifter!" he cried. "Take her!" The two ran side by side until they reached the hole that served as front gate. Aragorn removed the guards with two swings of Andúril. Legolas somehow managed to keep his pace while bending double and bolted into the outside air. Aragorn followed behind, but the delay involved in going through one by one drained what time remained to them.
The furious mob of assassins, thieves, and cutthroats reached them.
Aragorn halted his flight and turned to meet them, Andúril seeming to sing through the air. "Run, Legolas!" he cried. "Take her and run!"
With a slight cry of despair, Legolas obeyed. Clutching Dómiel tighter in his arms, the elf sprinted toward the horses.
"NO!" Dómiel screamed, but Legolas did not falter.
"Go back, please!" the princess cried. "You can't just leave him!"
"I swore to your father that I would do whatever it took to keep you safe," Legolas replied, an edge of pain in his voice. "Even if it meant leaving him behind."
"I won't leave him!" Dómiel retorted through the tears that had suddenly sprung to her eyes. "Please go back," she begged.
Legolas had reached the horses now. "Come, Dómiel." He leapt easily atop his mount and steadied the crippled princess in front of him.
"I'm safe now," Dómiel said stubbornly. "Go back and help him, Legolas. Please! I won't leave without him."
Legolas hesitated for a long moment. The promise he had made to Aragorn just before the man went into the caves rang in his ears, but the vision of his dear friend facing that mob alone filled his vision. And Dómiel's desperate pleas were quickly filling his ears, driving out the thoughts of his promise. I will accept whatever penalty I must for breaking my word if it means Aragorn's life.
With a battle-cry, Legolas ripped the tether of the other horse free and, leading it, urged his own mount back toward the caves.
Dómiel wrapped both hands in the horse's mane, steadying herself and allowing Legolas to keep his hand free. She found that, with a good deal of concentration, she could use her arm and torso muscles to keep her balance on the running horse unaided by the elf. Ignoring the pain that balancing herself sent coursing through her legs, she twisted away from Legolas' grip.
Realizing the girl could keep aboard unaided, Legolas released his hold on her and drew one of his knives in his now-free hand.
Both elf and girl held their breath unwittingly, fearful of what they would find when their horse crested the hill.
To the immense relief of both, Aragorn remained on his feet, Andúril still swinging. Bodies littered the ground around him, but the mob did not seem to be much diminished, and the King's strength was clearly beginning to fade. Numerous small wounds already decorated his face and torso.
"Aragorn!" Legolas cried.
The righteous wrath in Aragorn's eyes was partially replaced by fear when he saw his daughter riding back into danger. However, fear was replaced in turn by relief when he caught sight of his horse, his escape.
Legolas urged his mount toward the battle, whispering to it in Sindarin. Using the horse's weight coupled with his swift knife, he forced a path through to where Aragorn fought.
Aragorn pulled Andúril free from the body of an assassin who had just attempted to put a knife through his chest, grabbed the saddle of the riderless horse and swung easily aboard. Side by side now, Legolas and Aragorn carved a path back through the mob with their blades. The instant they were free from the group, both man and elf kicked their horses into a run, and the obedient mounts tore away from the caves.
For nearly a quarter hour, man, elf, and girl rode in silence, their only thought to escape those who pursued them. However, when no hoofbeats followed, they halted long enough to transfer Dómiel to her father's mount.
Aragorn held his daughter close to him, as if fearful she would be ripped away again. "You're safe," he whispered hoarsely.
The truth of those words washed over Dómiel's weary mind. "I'm…safe…" she whispered in reply.
"Yes, my daughter. You are truly safe now. I will not allow you to be harmed again. I swear it."
In that moment, all Dómiel's hopes became reality. The fear that had held her heart prisoner for as long as her body remained behind bars finally drained away from her, and she collapsed limply against her father in pure relief.
Aragorn tightened the arm that held her close and rode on.
~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~
The sound of approaching horses woke Dómiel. She had somehow managed to doze off while in the saddle. "Father?" she whispered.
Aragorn's jaw was tight, but whether it was from fury or fear, Dómiel could not tell. "We have been found."
Without warning, men on horseback burst from the trees on both sides, strung bows in hand. Legolas' own bow was in his own hands and one of the black-cloaked riders was downed before any of their attackers could fire. But it was not enough.
Three riders converged upon Aragorn's mount. One he dispatched quickly, but one of the others slipped past his guard, grabbed Dómiel, and began dragging her from the saddle.
Aragorn hauled back on the reins, stopping his mount to prevent his daughter from being dragged under the hooves. However, this gave the attacker enough time to haul Dómiel away from her father and onto his own horse.
Dómiel cried out in pain as her legs swung and twisted beneath her. Then, she was pressed awkwardly across the other man's saddle and a sharp and deadly blade was laid beneath her jaw.
"Surrender or I slice her pretty little throat!" Dómiel's attacker cried.
Dómiel's world faded into blackness.
*Miz ducks* I know it's a bit of a cliffhanger…but please don't hurt me too badly! If you like what you're reading, please make the author happy and review! Reviews make me want to post faster…(I know it's blackmail)! Thank you to those who faithfully review this story!
sabercrazy – Thank you for reviewing! I'm afraid I can't answer that question…you'll just have to wait and find out! *ducks*
SapphireRose – And you thought LAST chapter was a "loose ends" chapter? *grins* I hope you enjoyed this "loose ends" chapter, as well! Thanks for reviewing!
Noel – YES, I've written more! It just took me a while…=o) Thank you for reviewing!
Littlefish – Thank you very much for your long and detailed review. It's nice to hear some specifics about what people like! I think you found out what Legolas' role in all this was…I tried to answer the question about Aragorn in the story. He was disguised a little bit, but, basically, they weren't expecting the King of Gondor, so they didn't see him. It's hiding in plain sight, if you will! Hope you enjoyed this chapter!