Thankx to everyone who reviewed!
Lady Lenna- Dude, I am sooo with you on the movie thing! What I want to know is why he isn't recognized as a freakin' prince…that gets me sooo mad! Grr! Thankx for being so gosh darn kewl!! And no…it is you who rocks!! Go Legolas!! Oh…I read ur story…really good…
Pupulupk- thanx for the nice review…its nice to known im appreciated ::sob::…im okay!! Glad you are enjoying it!
MoroTheWolfGod-OKAY!
The Balrog of Altena- Thanx for the info…I had heard something like that but I wasn't sure if it was true…just curious, how do you knkow? Does it say somewhere? He he he…just keep reading…MWAHAHA!!!
Uhhh, basically, this story starts off exactly when the last chp left off. If itz kinda dull, itz just cause I'm building up to the next few chappies…but I hope itz not too boring…kina short…
Aww, here it goes…
Chapter 8
"Perhaps they mean us no harm?" asked Aragorn half-heartedly, fully aware that he and Legolas were directly in danger's path.
"I sincerely doubt that, my friend," replied Legolas in a grim voice. These men were clothed in the same attire as those the Fellowship had left on the forest floor near the base of the Tree. But where those men had been weak, inept, seemingly dazed, Legolas could actually feel dark intelligence emanating from the quickly advancing group; he could sense their awful strength and skill.
Beside him, Legolas heard Aragorn unsheathing his sword.
"I don't know about you, but I will be ready to fight when the need arises."
Silently agreeing, Legolas raised his bow and stood ready to loosen an arrow in a second's notice.
Naturally, given their expectations for an immediate battle, the pair was surprised when the seven men stopped directly before them. One of the seven took the position of leadership at the head of the group and though his face as cloaked by a large, thick black hood, the two warriors could feel his eyes intensely probing at them. Finally quitting his inspection, the man turned to Aragorn and inquired "Who are you and what business do you have in our land? Speak quickly or perish."
Thinking quickly, Aragorn humbly told the man "I am known as Ergot, and hail from a small village over the mountains. I have no business in your town, but am simply a lost traveler seeking shelter and food. If we trespassed on private grounds, it was completely accidental."
Nodding in acceptance of Aragorn's farce, the man cast an unhappy sneer at Legolas. "Yet what kind of man travels with an elf? Those despicable creatures are not welcome in our land."
While Legolas at this point appeared to be perfectly calm despite an insult to his race, he was inwardly fuming. Yet he restrained himself with the hope that he and Aragorn would escape from this predicament unscathed if only he "played nice."
The man suddenly stiffened as a small voice whispered harshly in his ear, "Do not swallow this stories like an idiot. Remember the report of disturbances in the forest. An elf was among that group as well. Suspicious…"
Jumping off his horse, the man walked to Aragorn and stopped directly before him. "I am not a man to be lied to, Ergot."
Before Aragorn could react, the man had kicked out his feet and stood with one foot pushing painfully into his ribs and his rusted sword pressing dangerously close to the jugular in his neck.
"This is where you die, traitor."
Surely, Aragorn would have met his end that dawn if the man had not, at that moment, felt the pressure of Legolas' arrow in his back.
"I can kill an orc from hundred of feet away with this arrow. Do not be foolish enough to think it will spare your life."
"It is you who is foolish, filthy elf. You have forgotten that I have many more men who would love an opportunity to wring your neck."
Never lessening the pressure on the arrow, Legolas looked around him and saw that this foul creature spoke truthfully. Six powerful and obviously hateful men created a circle around the trio.
"You may have the ability to slay my men, but consider this: The second you turn from me, your friend is dead. Give up…you have lost."
While Legolas despised the idea of surrendering to such as these, he was fully aware that Aragorn must survive this ordeal at all costs. The future of Arda itself depended upon it.
"Do you surrender, beast?"
"Ai."
"Cast down your weapons."
Legolas resignedly laid down his century-old bow and quiver, presented to him by his mother and father the day hie officially became a warrior of Mirkwood, his beautifully crafted sword and swift elven knives. The second the prince was completely unarmed, one of the faceless six men threw him to the ground and tied his arms behind him.
Meanwhile, the leader looked down at the helpless Aragorn and said, "Your friend may have saved you this time, but do not think you will leave this realm yet breathing." With that, the man knocked Aragorn on the side of the head and smiled evilly as he watched the brae warrior succumb to darkness. Remounting his horse, he ordered of the others to take his weapons and tie him to the back of a horse.
"You, on the other hand," he said to Legolas, "You will walk beside my horse. Elves are sneaky, devious creatures and only I am fit to watch you. Besides, you do not deserve the comfort of a horse."
As the minutes melted into hours and the town was but a matter of a few short miles away, Legolas began to worry about his comatose friend. He could never forgive himself if something truly dangerous were to befall the savior of Middle Earth.
The sum was now high in the air and Legolas noticed a soft gleam on his captor's saddle. Curious as always, Legolas looked closer and was appalled by what he saw.
"Scalps," he said aloud. "You collect scalps."
The leader, who had removed his cloack in the rising heat, cracked a disquieting grin.
"Yes, scalps. Would you like to hear how I won these three?" Not waiting for an answer, he continued, holding up three pieces of shriveled scalp with flowing, glimmering blonde hair. "These were once attacked to elves, like yourself." Taking notice of the angry flash in Legolas' bright eyes, the man's unpleasant smile grew wider. "That disturbs you, doesn't it? I'll never forget these three, females they were: two little ones and one was full-grown. We had launched a surprise attack on those helpless fools in Mirkwood. Pitiful. They never knew what hit them. I do believe that the three I had the intense pleasure of destroying were royalty. Yes…the older one was absolutely delicious…"
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Like where I ended it…eh eh? See the connection? You should! If you don't, go backa nd read chp 3, alrighty. How is Legolas going to react, and how will he and Aragorn get outta this one?
Ooo, yeah, I almost forgot…I need a name for the town and the "evil tree"…wooo spooky. It's a contest! Whoever give me the best name will get…uh…a mental hug/ Yeah, sounds good! Plz plz plz plz review!!! They are my life source!