Greatest Risk
Part 8
~*~*~*~
It's never over
Seems I'll never wake from this nightmare
I let out a silent prayer
Let it be over
~Christina Aguilera
~*~*~*~
Isilmeriel laid in the corner in a fetal position shaking and sobbing. Most of her clothing had been cut away leaving her legs, arms, and feet bare. Her face was bloody and bruised almost beyond recognition and her back was bare save for the few strips of shredded clothing that hung into the wounds. The flesh on her back was stained red from the several deep lash and burn marks.
Isilmeriel heard the two figures enter the dark cart. The elf shrunk back even more into the corner and held her hands up protectively. "No, please, not again! Not again!"
"This cannot be," Legolas ran over to his wife and dropped to his knees, running his fingers over her back and drawing them back bloody. Isilmeriel let out a slight cry of fear. The prince pulled Isilmeriel close to his chest so she could hear his soft heart beat. "Shh, Isilme, shh. You're safe now."
Fresh tears ran from Isilmeriel's pale, pain glazed eyes. Realizing she was in familiar arms, she moaned, "I tried so hard not let them hear my pain. I tried but it was too much. I tried, Legolas, but it hurts. It hurts so much, Legolas."
Legolas kissed Isilmeriel on the forehead, "I know, my love, I know. It is all right, I am here."
It was as Legolas had feared. He slid one of his elven blades from its sheath and carefully cut the bonds that held her hands and feet tightly.
"Aragorn we have to get her out of here." Legolas called his friend over as he rubbed Isilmeriel's hands and ankles trying to restore proper blood flow.
The ranger then shed his own weathered overcoat ignoring the cold from the fast approaching winter. He carefully draped it around Isilmeriel's shoulders. Aragorn and Legolas then positioned themselves under one of Isilmeriel's arms. Any of them could have easily carried the elf by themselves but her injures were too extensive to try that.
"Be strong, Isilme," Legolas whispered.
Isilmeriel bit her cracked and bleeding lip as they hoisted her from the floor of the cart. The fire of pain raced throughout her entire body and screamed at her. She stifled a cry and let Aragorn and Legolas carry her out of the camp.
~*~*~*~*~*~
They did not get far until Isilmeriel's absence had been discovered. Verlen and Manren had return after having a few drinks with the fellow slave traders and found the elf gone. Rage filled the men as they grabbed all the weapons they could carry.
"I want that she elf. I do not care if she is alive or dead." Verlen shouted at Manren. "Wake the men!"
"I can't," Manren replied, "They had a little to much to drink and are out cold."
"Oh, I don't care! Just find her!"
"Yes, Verlen," Manren said as they ran out of the camp.
They quickly spotted the light radiating from the elves and some other being running towards the south. The men had to act fast before they got too far. Manren and Verlen each notched an arrow to their bows and let them fly.
One hit the ground just in front of the fugitives as they ran for any cover they could find. The other embedded itself deeply into Legolas' shoulder. The elf could not hold in the cry as the pain from the hit took him by surprise. Without realizing it, he lost his grip on Isilmeriel. The sudden burden caused Aragorn to fall under the dead weight of his elven cousin. They both fell hard to the ground.
"Legolas, are you all right," Aragorn asked.
Legolas looked at the arrow protruding from his arm, "I will be fine. But Isilmeriel."
"I'm alright," Isilmeriel groaned as she lied. Even though her elven healing abilities were starting to go into effect, the sudden drop had not helped the pain she still felt.
Legolas started to bend down to lift Isilmeriel back up when someone snuck up from behind. Manren pulled Legolas' injured arm sharply around his back and held his knife at Legolas' throat.
"I have you now, elf," Manren hissed in Legolas' ear as the elf winced in pain, "Verlen will be so pleased with a new elf that he will not care if I kill that little wench."
Legolas' eyes grew huge, "Aragorn, vanne si! Hira Isilmeriel et sina men! (Aragorn, go now! Get Isilmeriel out of this place!)"
Aragorn's emotions tore at him. He could not leave Legolas with those men and he could not let any more harm befall Isilmeriel.
"Go!" Legolas shouted.
Aragorn hoisted Isilmeriel up from the ground and began to carry her away. Isilmeriel pushed away from Aragorn's hold, letting herself drop to the ground once more.
"No!" Isilmeriel cried pulling the sword from Aragorn's hilt, her adrenaline taking over. "Let him go!"
"Get out of here!" Legolas called out.
"Take one more step she elf," Manren pulled the knife closer to Legolas' throat causing blood to trickle down his neck. "And I will end his pretty little existence."
Isilmeriel stopped dead in her tracks, "You have no quarrel with him, Manren. Let him go! It's me you want."
"Yes, it is," Verlen agreed stepping up behind Aragorn and taking him into the same position that Legolas was in. "But it would be nice to have two elves. However, I do not see why we would need this human."
"You leave them both be, Verlen!" Isilmeriel's voice was strong; she would die before he would hurt either of them. She had to get the attention off of the people she loved. "Are your men such cowards that you cannot face your quarry without using others as a shield?"
Verlen brought the pommel of his blade hard upon Aragorn's temple. The ranger fell heavily to the ground unconscious. Isilmeriel's eyes flared with the fire of rage as Verlen kicked the limp man away, laughing wickedly.
"Fine, elf," Verlen readied himself in a fighting stance, "now there is no shield for me to hide behind. We'll just let Manren hold on to your friend while the other one takes a little nap."
~*~*~*~*~*~
Verlen had used Isilmeriel's injuries to his every advantage as they fought. Legolas struggled against Manren's hold, ignoring his own pain, as he watched his wife fight bravely and fiercely and heard her every cry as Unuth created new injuries on her body.
Verlen managed to tackle Isilmeriel and he pinned her to the ground holding the tip of his blade to her heart. He laughed cruelly as the weight of both their bodies fell onto Isilmeriel back. "Give it up! You are a good sport but I am getting tired of this game."
"So am I!" Isilmeriel slid her feet under the man's chest and, with more strength than any of them thought possible, pushed him off of her.
Verlen flew through the air and landed hard next to Aragorn and laid stunned for a moment, the hit had knocked the wind out of his lungs. Isilmeriel rose and approached the sprawled out man. She placed the tip of the sword under his chin.
"I have under estimated you, elf," Verlen glared up at Isilmeriel, "Go ahead and kill me."
"I am not going to kill you, Verlen! You will live a long and miserable life having everyone hate every fiber of your being, just like you are now. But as of this moment you know that you no longer have any power over any being." Isilmeriel growled and pulled the sword away from Verlen's throat.
Aragorn had slowly gained consciousness and heard what Isilmeriel had said. The ranger also heard the quiet, malicious laughter that Verlen expelled as Isilmeriel turned her back to the man.
"Now let him go, Manren," Isilmeriel reasoned, "and no harm will befall you either."
Manren laughed, "Yes, but I cannot say the same for you."
"Isilmeriel, eten (look out!)" Legolas shouted.
Isilmeriel spun around just in time to feel the sharp pain of the long blade of Verlen's dagger going through her side.
"No!" Legolas cried.
The prince flipped Manren over his head. Manren landed hard and did not move. No one could take that much force and survive.
Isilmeriel dropped to her knees as Verlen pulled the long dagger out of her body laughing. His laughter drowned out the sound of footsteps behind him. Aragorn had gotten himself up and grabbed his sword. He ran full charge at the slave trader, burying the cold steel into Verlen's back.
Verlen's laughter was stopped as the blade of the sword ran through his heart. The evil man looked down at the point of the sword that protruded from his chest. With that, he fell to the ground dead.
Aragorn withdrew his sword from Verlen's limp body and wiped the blade on the dead man's shirt. Returning the sword to his sheath, his heart suddenly stopped at what he saw.
Isilmeriel was on her knees staring blankly up at the sky as dawn began to touch the eastern horizon. Her hands were soaked with blood as a river flowed from the wound she concealed to form dark pools on the ground.
Legolas skidded to stop under Isilmeriel and caught her before she feel back. As she hit his warm arms, she let out a choked cry of pain and gasped for air.
"Legolas," tears flowed from Isilmeriel's eyes as she stared up into Legolas' grey-blue ones. "I.I.."
"Shh," Legolas whispered, "Don't speak, Isilme. Save your strength, my love."
"Legolas?" Aragorn's eyes flashed Legolas the question he dared not ask.
"We have to get her out of here and to help fast," Legolas' voice stated calmly although his heart shouted.
"How, we are still a few days at least from the forest," Aragorn motioned southeast.
"I know," Legolas said gravely, "But we must try. I can't lose her."
Isilmeriel let out another gasp as her lungs screamed for the oxygen for her slowing heart. Her eyes narrowed more and more with each passing second. "Legolas, I'm so tired."
"No, Isilmeriel, no. You must keep your eyes open," Legolas pleaded. "Please, my love, please. Don't leave me."
Isilmeriel's half lidded eyes glazed over as consciousness began to flee. Isilmeriel's voice was a mere whisper now and Legolas had to strain to hear her words. "I can see the stars, Legolas. They call to me. I can hear their song."
Isilmeriel's voice trailed off as she slowly closed her eyes. Her body fell limp in Legolas' arms.
Tears spilled over Legolas' eyes, "No! Isilmeriel don't leave me! Please melamin (my love)"
The elf prince held his wife tightly, ignoring his wounded arm, and buried his face near her heart. Legolas could feel something with some kind of power leave his body and enter Isilmeriel's. He then felt a slight jump that occurred every so often in her chest. Pressing his ear to her heart he could hear the faint, slow sound of her heartbeat.
"Aragorn, she's alive!" Legolas carefully took off his outer vest and tied it around Isilmeriel's waist, stopping the river of blood that flowed from the wound and lifted Isilmeriel from the ground, "We must hurry! We have very little time."
Part 8
~*~*~*~
It's never over
Seems I'll never wake from this nightmare
I let out a silent prayer
Let it be over
~Christina Aguilera
~*~*~*~
Isilmeriel laid in the corner in a fetal position shaking and sobbing. Most of her clothing had been cut away leaving her legs, arms, and feet bare. Her face was bloody and bruised almost beyond recognition and her back was bare save for the few strips of shredded clothing that hung into the wounds. The flesh on her back was stained red from the several deep lash and burn marks.
Isilmeriel heard the two figures enter the dark cart. The elf shrunk back even more into the corner and held her hands up protectively. "No, please, not again! Not again!"
"This cannot be," Legolas ran over to his wife and dropped to his knees, running his fingers over her back and drawing them back bloody. Isilmeriel let out a slight cry of fear. The prince pulled Isilmeriel close to his chest so she could hear his soft heart beat. "Shh, Isilme, shh. You're safe now."
Fresh tears ran from Isilmeriel's pale, pain glazed eyes. Realizing she was in familiar arms, she moaned, "I tried so hard not let them hear my pain. I tried but it was too much. I tried, Legolas, but it hurts. It hurts so much, Legolas."
Legolas kissed Isilmeriel on the forehead, "I know, my love, I know. It is all right, I am here."
It was as Legolas had feared. He slid one of his elven blades from its sheath and carefully cut the bonds that held her hands and feet tightly.
"Aragorn we have to get her out of here." Legolas called his friend over as he rubbed Isilmeriel's hands and ankles trying to restore proper blood flow.
The ranger then shed his own weathered overcoat ignoring the cold from the fast approaching winter. He carefully draped it around Isilmeriel's shoulders. Aragorn and Legolas then positioned themselves under one of Isilmeriel's arms. Any of them could have easily carried the elf by themselves but her injures were too extensive to try that.
"Be strong, Isilme," Legolas whispered.
Isilmeriel bit her cracked and bleeding lip as they hoisted her from the floor of the cart. The fire of pain raced throughout her entire body and screamed at her. She stifled a cry and let Aragorn and Legolas carry her out of the camp.
~*~*~*~*~*~
They did not get far until Isilmeriel's absence had been discovered. Verlen and Manren had return after having a few drinks with the fellow slave traders and found the elf gone. Rage filled the men as they grabbed all the weapons they could carry.
"I want that she elf. I do not care if she is alive or dead." Verlen shouted at Manren. "Wake the men!"
"I can't," Manren replied, "They had a little to much to drink and are out cold."
"Oh, I don't care! Just find her!"
"Yes, Verlen," Manren said as they ran out of the camp.
They quickly spotted the light radiating from the elves and some other being running towards the south. The men had to act fast before they got too far. Manren and Verlen each notched an arrow to their bows and let them fly.
One hit the ground just in front of the fugitives as they ran for any cover they could find. The other embedded itself deeply into Legolas' shoulder. The elf could not hold in the cry as the pain from the hit took him by surprise. Without realizing it, he lost his grip on Isilmeriel. The sudden burden caused Aragorn to fall under the dead weight of his elven cousin. They both fell hard to the ground.
"Legolas, are you all right," Aragorn asked.
Legolas looked at the arrow protruding from his arm, "I will be fine. But Isilmeriel."
"I'm alright," Isilmeriel groaned as she lied. Even though her elven healing abilities were starting to go into effect, the sudden drop had not helped the pain she still felt.
Legolas started to bend down to lift Isilmeriel back up when someone snuck up from behind. Manren pulled Legolas' injured arm sharply around his back and held his knife at Legolas' throat.
"I have you now, elf," Manren hissed in Legolas' ear as the elf winced in pain, "Verlen will be so pleased with a new elf that he will not care if I kill that little wench."
Legolas' eyes grew huge, "Aragorn, vanne si! Hira Isilmeriel et sina men! (Aragorn, go now! Get Isilmeriel out of this place!)"
Aragorn's emotions tore at him. He could not leave Legolas with those men and he could not let any more harm befall Isilmeriel.
"Go!" Legolas shouted.
Aragorn hoisted Isilmeriel up from the ground and began to carry her away. Isilmeriel pushed away from Aragorn's hold, letting herself drop to the ground once more.
"No!" Isilmeriel cried pulling the sword from Aragorn's hilt, her adrenaline taking over. "Let him go!"
"Get out of here!" Legolas called out.
"Take one more step she elf," Manren pulled the knife closer to Legolas' throat causing blood to trickle down his neck. "And I will end his pretty little existence."
Isilmeriel stopped dead in her tracks, "You have no quarrel with him, Manren. Let him go! It's me you want."
"Yes, it is," Verlen agreed stepping up behind Aragorn and taking him into the same position that Legolas was in. "But it would be nice to have two elves. However, I do not see why we would need this human."
"You leave them both be, Verlen!" Isilmeriel's voice was strong; she would die before he would hurt either of them. She had to get the attention off of the people she loved. "Are your men such cowards that you cannot face your quarry without using others as a shield?"
Verlen brought the pommel of his blade hard upon Aragorn's temple. The ranger fell heavily to the ground unconscious. Isilmeriel's eyes flared with the fire of rage as Verlen kicked the limp man away, laughing wickedly.
"Fine, elf," Verlen readied himself in a fighting stance, "now there is no shield for me to hide behind. We'll just let Manren hold on to your friend while the other one takes a little nap."
~*~*~*~*~*~
Verlen had used Isilmeriel's injuries to his every advantage as they fought. Legolas struggled against Manren's hold, ignoring his own pain, as he watched his wife fight bravely and fiercely and heard her every cry as Unuth created new injuries on her body.
Verlen managed to tackle Isilmeriel and he pinned her to the ground holding the tip of his blade to her heart. He laughed cruelly as the weight of both their bodies fell onto Isilmeriel back. "Give it up! You are a good sport but I am getting tired of this game."
"So am I!" Isilmeriel slid her feet under the man's chest and, with more strength than any of them thought possible, pushed him off of her.
Verlen flew through the air and landed hard next to Aragorn and laid stunned for a moment, the hit had knocked the wind out of his lungs. Isilmeriel rose and approached the sprawled out man. She placed the tip of the sword under his chin.
"I have under estimated you, elf," Verlen glared up at Isilmeriel, "Go ahead and kill me."
"I am not going to kill you, Verlen! You will live a long and miserable life having everyone hate every fiber of your being, just like you are now. But as of this moment you know that you no longer have any power over any being." Isilmeriel growled and pulled the sword away from Verlen's throat.
Aragorn had slowly gained consciousness and heard what Isilmeriel had said. The ranger also heard the quiet, malicious laughter that Verlen expelled as Isilmeriel turned her back to the man.
"Now let him go, Manren," Isilmeriel reasoned, "and no harm will befall you either."
Manren laughed, "Yes, but I cannot say the same for you."
"Isilmeriel, eten (look out!)" Legolas shouted.
Isilmeriel spun around just in time to feel the sharp pain of the long blade of Verlen's dagger going through her side.
"No!" Legolas cried.
The prince flipped Manren over his head. Manren landed hard and did not move. No one could take that much force and survive.
Isilmeriel dropped to her knees as Verlen pulled the long dagger out of her body laughing. His laughter drowned out the sound of footsteps behind him. Aragorn had gotten himself up and grabbed his sword. He ran full charge at the slave trader, burying the cold steel into Verlen's back.
Verlen's laughter was stopped as the blade of the sword ran through his heart. The evil man looked down at the point of the sword that protruded from his chest. With that, he fell to the ground dead.
Aragorn withdrew his sword from Verlen's limp body and wiped the blade on the dead man's shirt. Returning the sword to his sheath, his heart suddenly stopped at what he saw.
Isilmeriel was on her knees staring blankly up at the sky as dawn began to touch the eastern horizon. Her hands were soaked with blood as a river flowed from the wound she concealed to form dark pools on the ground.
Legolas skidded to stop under Isilmeriel and caught her before she feel back. As she hit his warm arms, she let out a choked cry of pain and gasped for air.
"Legolas," tears flowed from Isilmeriel's eyes as she stared up into Legolas' grey-blue ones. "I.I.."
"Shh," Legolas whispered, "Don't speak, Isilme. Save your strength, my love."
"Legolas?" Aragorn's eyes flashed Legolas the question he dared not ask.
"We have to get her out of here and to help fast," Legolas' voice stated calmly although his heart shouted.
"How, we are still a few days at least from the forest," Aragorn motioned southeast.
"I know," Legolas said gravely, "But we must try. I can't lose her."
Isilmeriel let out another gasp as her lungs screamed for the oxygen for her slowing heart. Her eyes narrowed more and more with each passing second. "Legolas, I'm so tired."
"No, Isilmeriel, no. You must keep your eyes open," Legolas pleaded. "Please, my love, please. Don't leave me."
Isilmeriel's half lidded eyes glazed over as consciousness began to flee. Isilmeriel's voice was a mere whisper now and Legolas had to strain to hear her words. "I can see the stars, Legolas. They call to me. I can hear their song."
Isilmeriel's voice trailed off as she slowly closed her eyes. Her body fell limp in Legolas' arms.
Tears spilled over Legolas' eyes, "No! Isilmeriel don't leave me! Please melamin (my love)"
The elf prince held his wife tightly, ignoring his wounded arm, and buried his face near her heart. Legolas could feel something with some kind of power leave his body and enter Isilmeriel's. He then felt a slight jump that occurred every so often in her chest. Pressing his ear to her heart he could hear the faint, slow sound of her heartbeat.
"Aragorn, she's alive!" Legolas carefully took off his outer vest and tied it around Isilmeriel's waist, stopping the river of blood that flowed from the wound and lifted Isilmeriel from the ground, "We must hurry! We have very little time."
