~*~
Tears streamed down Legolas's face from his anger, fear, and sadness. Surely he was a failure, letting a woman be taken when he was trying to protect her. And what would they do to her, these foul creatures? He was fortunate in that he had been in few fights with Orcs in his lifetime, but this made him unsure of how they treated their captives. Certainly not well.
He dressed quickly and raced after them at a pace which he had never before needed to use, unaware that they were making sure that they stayed within eyeshot but out of reach of his bow. Cadewyn kept up her act, unsure if he would be able to see whether her eyes were opened or closed. She was annoyed, because even if the Orcs were in her father's service, they were rough with her. But being carried back home would certainly be better than walking.
Legolas ran on, never realizing that Orcs do not travel in daylight. He could not know that they were a new breed, being tested out by Sauron. The returning Dark Lord was creating all the time, constantly working to build a superb warrior. With this batch he was closer than ever to that goal.
The day was beginning to show, and the sun was burning the plains. Sweat was beginning to break out on Cadewyn's body. She sopped it up with her sleeve and kicked the Orc who was carrying her. "Just in case the Elf can see," she said when the Orc growled.
This carried on throughout the day; the pack ran, Legolas followed, Cadewyn sat bored. When night fell the group of Orcs took a rest by a cave. They set up a fire, and Cade bustled around it, cooking for the troop. She thought, "This was not a good day, I was carried all day by these heathens, now I have to cook for them...And Legolas still has to be finished with..."
He was outside of the camp, perched in a tree. He could see her cooking, and surmised that they must be forcing her. This made him all the more angry, and this only served to increase his weariness. He decided to take a short rest.
While he rested, open-eyed, three Orcs crept up behind him. They are not silent, but he was so tired that he did not even notice. He was grabbed from behind, bound, and gagged with a coarse fabric that tasted of...he did not know what, but it was certainly horrid. Then his head was hit from behind and he knew no more.