Chapter Two: Dirt

Night seemed to loom overhead before it finally settled upon the three companions. It didn't, however, bring much relief from the heat. Aragorn took to being silent, as talking made him much to hot. Glorfindel looked quite pleased with this event.

"This seems a good spot to make camp, if you are ready to stop that is, Aragorn?" Glorfindel said, stopping and turning twinkling eyes to Aragorn. The Ranger rolled his and dropped his pack easily to the ground.

"Nay, Lord Glorfindel. This shall be quite fine, I do not wish to overwork you."

Glorfindel laughed and took his own pack off the back of his horse. He stroked the soft mane gently and the horse wandered off to graze. Legolas smiled to himself as he relieved his own horse of its burden and settled his pack beside Aragorn's.

Aragorn stifled a yawn behind a dirty palm and volunteered to make supper, Glorfindel looked suspicious at this. "Nay, I shall make it," he said when Aragorn insisted. Aragorn shrugged; then smiled once Glorfindel had his back turned.

Legolas laughed and settled into the dirt and grass. Aragorn sat beside him and looked almost smug. That was until Glorfindel handed him a particularly small piece of lembas. "What is this?" he inquired as Glorfindel handed Legolas a bigger piece.

"Supper," Glorfindel answered not at all perturbed, as he distributed his own piece of bread.

"This is supper?"

"Unless you are planning on hunting something, yes."

Legolas turned his head softly and traded pieces of lembas with Aragorn. "You're sure?"

The elf nodded and bit contentedly into his own piece of bread, Glorfindel pretended not to see. It ruined his good mood.

~*~*~

"They sleep," said the youngest left alive. There were only four left but they had multiple advantages on their side.  Wazurk was not at all agitated as he believed he might be.

"We will wait until we are certain," he said, surprising calm in his voice. The others had no room to argue.

Minutes passed in silence except for deep breathing of the four. They were all who remained of their group. The rest had been buried in they same place where they had fallen so long ago.

"Now are we certain?"

Wazurk glanced to the youngest again and wished he had been one of those to die. "No. Shut up, I will tell you when we are certain."

The young one sighed, Wazurk had the urge to break his jaw but resisted. They'd need the annoyance's help; like it or not.

A long while passed and finally Wazurk crept to his feet; assurance was in the very way that he moved. "Now I am certain. Come."

The rest scurried after him, just louder than shadows.

~*~*~

Glorfindel was startled awake at a cracking twig. He sat straight up and glanced around: nothing. With a small sigh, he glanced at Legolas and Aragorn who seemed asleep though Legolas's breathing wasn't even. Aragorn mumbled something and rolled onto his stomach.

Glorfindel lay back down but sleep did not take him right away. He contemplated doing many things, but none seemed to need doing. Finally, after one last glance to the others and around their camp, Glorfindel let rest claim him.

That was when they struck. "Leave my elf to me!"

Glorfindel was moving in an instant, scrambling for his sword, which he cursed for leaving so far away. The attacking Men did not, however, wait for Glorfindel to get it.

They grabbed at his arms and held a knife at his throat. Glorfindel finally yelped loudly and both Aragorn and Legolas woke at the same moment. Legolas was on his feet first. "Glorfindel!"

The two that held Glorfindel at bay were so startled by the sudden call, they turned toward the noise. It gave Glorfindel just enough time to kick out and get away from their knife. Aragorn had his sword drawn; he advanced quickly on the two while Glorfindel ran for his own weapon.

Legolas grasped at his bow and notched an arrow. He looked wildly for an accessible target. His heart hammered so loudly in his ears that he was not aware of the presence behind him. Something large and heavy clanked against this skull; he saw no more of the battle.

~*~*~

Legolas came around confused and disoriented; his head spun and something heavy was on his stomach. He blinked his eyes until they cleared; once they had he rather wished that they had not.

An overwhelming nausea came at his stomach and he just barely resisted the vomit that burned at his throat. Wazurk lay beside him snoring loudly with his column sized arm pushing down on Legolas's aching stomach.

Panic clung to Legolas's mind and he found he could barely breath. No was his only thought until it turned into a mantra in his fuzzy brain to the tune of Wazurk's rumbling snores. No, no, no, no.

His clothes had been taken and a ridiculous cloth that didn't even reach mid-thigh was all that covered him. Humiliation, shame and an overwhelming sense of fear made him tremble. This time he couldn't bite back the vomit. No, he thought his eyes stinging and throat burning.

Wazurk rolled and his palm pressed hard into Legolas, the face of the Man squashed into his shoulder and Legolas could feel his hot breath. A dry heave caused Legolas to jerk suddenly, but there was nothing left to empty.

His movement caused Wazurk to move again, and for a moment Legolas was sure he was awake. He waited for the inevitable.

It never came. Nothing of Wazurk touched him but his foul smell and hot breath. Legolas sobbed for a long moment, he did his best to keep silent but he could not help the quaking of his shoulders.

The only thing that stopped his sobs was the thought of Glorfindel and Aragorn. He let his mind wander to them, but found it only made him nauseous again as possibilities flew through his mind. If they had done the same to Glorfindel as they did to him, or killed Aragorn, or…or worse, it would be all his fault.

He rolled to his side and for the first time felt the mud he lay in. It was terribly cold against his burning skin, but he rolled in it so it would coat his exposed flesh. Reason started to come back to him as the mud cooled him.

Legolas glanced about, they near a lake and alone. None of Wazurk's others were near. Mud was all over, but Wazurk was lying on a small mat. It hadn't kept all the mud off him though, his hair was caked with it and there was blood all over his clothing.

He did not think of who that blood might belong to as he glanced around the rest of the lake. It was still; no animals dare disturb the water. The moon was low in the sky, but high enough still for dawn to considered far off. His clothes did not seem to be anywhere near.

Of course his knives had been taken, and his bow too was not here. Then he remembered. He glanced carefully at Wazurk who still snored, a light drizzle of drool trailing down his sculpted chin. Wazurk always carried a knife at his ankle.

Legolas pushed himself to his knees and sat for a long time just staring at Wazurk and waiting for him to wake. His breathing was shallow, his throat and eyes burned and the mud started to dry and make his skin feel tight and dry. The moon had changed position. When Wazurk did not wake, Legolas went noiselessly to the Man's side on his hands and knees. New mud layered over the dried.

With nimble but trembling mud covered fingers, Legolas lifted Wazurk's trouser leg. The cloth was stiff with dirt and soft with too much wear. Legolas stopped when he had the knife exposed, he sat back barely breathing. Finally he reached for the knife and knew that Wazurk would be awake the second he grabbed it.

The blade shone brightly in the moonlight and reflected the lake. It was the only thing that Wazurk owned that shined. Legolas looked at the knife in his muddy hands for a long while.

Then gently, almost intimately, he leaned over Wazurk so one palm rested on the far side of the Man on the dry mat. With his other hand he held the knife against Wazurk's thick throat. The Man's eyes flew open. Legolas stayed riveted for a moment, his eyes locked with Wazurk's.

For a second, Legolas was certain he wouldn't be able to kill him. Then the thought of Glorfindel enslaved and Aragorn dead danced before his eyes. With one swift, clumsy, stroke he slit Wazurk's throat.

The Man gurgled, his eyes bulging as warm red blood trickled into the mud and his hair. He grabbed at Legolas's wrist. Legolas stood and flung his arms away from Wazurk's flailing hand, his eyes all the while locked with Wazurk's who was gasping, fingers from his other hand reaching for his throat and becoming red in the process.

Legolas turned with trembling fingers he dropped the knife, which had smooth blood all over its handle and blade, it would never shine again. It seemed to fall with a booming thud. Then he ran toward the surrounding trees, leaving Wazurk behind him: gurgling and dying.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  

I'm so sorry that took so long! Somehow, my entire outline was deleted. All that work lost! I'm working on rebuilding it. The next chapter should be out much sooner then this one was. Maybe by Saturday (American), Sunday (Aussie, Kiwi and others who are in different time zones). Thanks so much for the great reviews!

Personal Thanks:

Ron: lol, I know. I'm sorry it wasn't out by Thursday; I had intended it to be! lol, at least you're somewhat patient! Thank you!

YuZira: I think this one is longer, not by much but at least by a few hundred words. lol. Thank you so much!

GoldenRose: Oh, we'll see ;). Nothing's certain now that my outline is gone! lol. Thanks a lot!

Conn JS: So glad you're still reading! Hee, I'm also glad you liked the hint. Thanks so very much for reviewing!

Luthien Tinuviel: Glad to have your review! I appreciate it very much and I'm glad you decided to read the sequel. Thanks so much!

Natalie: Oh, I'm glad you're hooked! At least for the time being, anyway. lol. Thanks a million!

LittleSpacedemon: Hee! Lol. I'm also very sure Aragorn wasn't sleeping; he's too manly, you see. Thanks a lot!

evil spapple pie: Well I had intended last Friday but it ended up coming a week late (almost anyway). Hey, I'll kiss Aragorn (Legolas and Glorfindel too for that matter) no matter how hot and sweaty! Now this time let's make me the monkey and they can all kiss me! lol. Thank you ever so much!

Goddess of Death: Thank you! lol, sorry it came nearly a week late! I'm a bad wittle girl. ;o) Thanks again!

Mawgy: How 'bout we're far from each other? Anywho, Wazurk (evil leader dude) lived and went to see if any of the others had too. Three did. Lol. I hate that chapter in the At Long Last and need to rewrite it. I can barely understand what's going on it and I wrote it. lol. Is there really a place in Gondor called 'Lamedom'? That's so neat! I had no idea; I stole it from a Haldir quote. He says, "Here lies the Heart of Elvendom on earth." I replaced "Elven" with "Lame" and thus we have my title! Lol. Thanks so much!

SD: Hee! I'm so glad you think so! Thanks a bunch!

Forest Elfin: *grin* So glad you liked it! That's one of the few light chapters. The next several are going to be pretty dark, but it'll get light near the end. Lol. Thanks so very much!

Lomelinde: lol! Sorry for the lateness! As for Glorfindel, I have definite plans for him. He is a sweetie isn't he? Lol. He shall not be neglected, worry not! Hmm, everyone does like to hurt Legolas. I can't help it! I get these plot bunnies and well, this is what happens! Thanks a lot!

Lady of Legolas: LOL! Lots of people want a threesome. Or for Legolas to go with Glorfindel. Perhaps all this input will influence something. ;o) But don't worry too much for Glorfindel, he'll get him some lovin! Lol. Thanks so much!

Ciria: Oh very good of you! I don't want to say too much, and ruin the plot twists but keep thinking along those lines and you might get where I'm headed. Sorry for my tardiness! Thanks a lot!

Insane Pineapple from Naboo: I'm glad that you're still here! Lol! That is an excellent theory on why Aragorn is so often paired with Legolas! I rather like it myself. Girl falls into Middle-earth are just about the most annoying thing ever. There are so many of them for one thing. LOL! I write Attack of Mary Sue only to amuse myself, it's not supposed to be good by any means, I'm surprised it got any reviews at all! Glad you thought it okay though! Oo! Sounds difficult, angelfire no good huh? I'll keep that in mind. I will also have to go check out your page later! LOL! I know what you mean. Especially with Harry Potter I'll need to go and reread the books. Sometimes I think, who wrote that JK or was it fanfiction? That's another thing, how _is_ HP conflicting with Christian beliefs? I never got that. People get so fanatical about some things, it's crazy! I can't understand it! Thanks ever so much for the great review! Sorry my reply was so short! The next one will be longer, I promise.

Cheysuli: LOL! Sorry for the delay. We'll see about Glorfindel. He has some good things coming to him! Thanks so very much!