Sigh, boy am I glad Easter is over--the plot bunnies spent the whole day singing Easter songs!! Ugh, here's the next part of the tale…

Chapter 26--Discoveries

Jaisia approached the chained woman cautiously. She wasn't certain what to do.

Just then the woman moaned and slowly opened her eyes. She stared at Jaisia. "Who are you?!" she asked.

"I am Jaisia, a emissary from Minas Tirith," Jaisia replied. "Who are you?"

"Kendra, the true Queen of Tir Gyleth. My second eldest sister Jacinth staged my death and imprisoned me down here," she said.

"She is dead. Deirdre has taken the throne and she has taken my brother as her consort against his will," Jaisia growled.

"Deirdre, Queen?" Kendra said. "She is bedding a Centaur?!" She sounded horrified.

"He is my brother by adoption." Sighing a bit at the delay, Jaisia told her everything Legolas had told her through their mind link. "She is hurting him more then she knows. He will die if he is trapped here too long. Wood Elves are close to nature and need to be around it to survive. I have to get him," she concluded.

"Free me and I will help. The guards are loyal to the Queen and by our laws I am Queen as long as I live," Kendra said.

Jaisia went to work on the shackles. "Speaking of which why are you still alive?" she asked.

"Jacinth wanted me alive to witness her triumph," Kendra said.

"Well, she sure messed up. Does Deirdre know you are alive?" Jaisia said. She got one shackle open and went to the next one.

"I am not sure. I have only seen one guard who brings food and water once a day," Kendra said. She scowled. "He will not let me die because," Kendra's voice trailed off.

"I can guess why he keeps you alive," Jaisia said. She felt rather sorry for her.

*Meanwhile*

Legolas tensed when he heard the outer door open and shut then lock. He stayed where he was and heard the person enter the bedchamber.

"Are you planning to jump, golden one? You would not survive," Deirdre said.

"So have you come to take me back to the box to imprison me again?" Legolas asked.

"I should, but I will not," Deirdre said. She came up directly behind him so her breath was against his neck then wrapped her arms around his waist. "This is your home now. Can you not accept that and me? I think it would be easy for me to love you," she said. "Can you not find it within yourself to love me?"

"You order my sister's death. Take me against my will and torture me and you ask such a thing?" Legolas said. "You should know the answer to that question."

"Insolent Elf, you make me so angry. I will have you, no matter what your feelings are," Deirdre said. She stormed back into the sitting room.

Legolas could hear wine being poured and his heart filled with hope as an idea came to mind. All he needed was for Deirdre to drink herself into a stupor then perhaps he could escape. Hiding his feelings, he went into the sitting room.

Deirdre was refilling her goblet. She glared at him and drained the goblet in one motion. "What do you want? I am busy; consort. Go back to our bed and wait," she ordered. She pointed at the robe he still wore. "I want that discarded on the floor between the bedroom door and our bed. If it is not you will have earned a beating."

Legolas went back to the bedroom, but he did not remove the robe. He made himself as comfortable as he could in a chair and waited. After two and a half hours Legolas heard a thump of a wine bottle hitting the floor and a thud as something heavier hit the floor. He looked out the bedroom to see Deirdre out cold on the floor. This was his chance to escape!! He quickly got dressed in his older leathers he found in an unlocked trunk and grabbed the circlet Gimli had made him. He headed for the door. Suddenly a hand seized his ankle and he fell on his face.

"There is a harsh punishment for attempting to escape, my golden treasure. I intend to inflict all of it," Deirdre said.

Legolas knew then that he had been tricked. Deirdre was quite sober and he sensed he was in serious trouble for his botched escape attempt….

So what will happen next? What will she do to Legolas?? We will see in the next chapter…Dun, Dun, Dun…R/R please!!!!!