Well. no one reviewed (which is okay,) so I have nothing to add here. For a
full "I own nothing" disclaimer, see chapter 1. Critism (constructive, not
destructive,) is very welcome.
Legolas cringed as a swift kick woke him and painfully reminded him where he was.
"Get up, boy. I haven't got all day."
As Legolas stood, his body screamed at him, and he nearly collapsed back to the ground. The guard continued to watch with an amused expression as the elf reached out to steady himself.
"Get a move on, boy." He would have forced the elf to move, but it would not have done him any good. He would have most like just fallen over and wasted even more time.
Legolas fought the nausea that was growing steadily worse. He was dizzy, and, for the moment, couldn't see straight. He hated this feeling of helplessness. He gained as much of his balance as his body would allow, and slowly walked out of his cage, as he called it.
The guard almost took pity on the prisoner. Almost. "We'll walk slowly so you can compose yourself. You'll need your composure."
Legolas didn't like the sound of that. He took a deep breath. "We needn't move slowly." Legolas kicked himself. 'Damn your pride, you need to walk slowly,' he chided himself. His pride would not help him here, and he knew it.
The guard raised an eyebrow, but did not say anything. His pace quickened, but he still went slower than he normally would have.
"What took so long?" The king demanded upon their arrival.
The guard looked at Legolas. He didn't need any more torture added to what he was about to get. "I couldn't find the right key. They are thousands down there."
Legolas did not know the guard had lied to help him.
"See that it doesn't happen again. You may leave now."
The guard turned his heels, marching out the door. Legolas watched him go, almost wishing he would stay. He didn't want to be here, alone with the king. He was more scared that he would admit to himself.
The man walked up to Legolas, placing a hand under the elf's chin, redirecting his attention. "So."
Legolas had the urge to say, "So what," in response, but he kept his mouth shut.
"So, here we are." The king was searching Legolas' face for something, but the elf held his head high, and stared straight ahead. "What to do with you."
Somehow, Legolas didn't think being sent home was an option.
"You see, I don't yet trust you enough to have you around other slaves. You might cause a revolt. But I must start breaking you. This is difficult indeed."
Still, Legolas said nothing.
"You will serve dinner tonight, to my family and me. You will not misbehave, or I will have you beaten to within an inch of your life. Am I understood?"
Legolas still remained quiet, and was rewarded with a hard punch in the stomach. He doubled over, trying to catch the breath that had been knocked out of him.
"I said, am I understood?"
Legolas nodded.
"Yes, what?"
Legolas looked up at the man before him. He assessed the king; he could take him. He dared not move, however, because he knew there were men in the shadows, waiting for him to do just that. "What do you mean, 'yes what'?"
"You're a slave. There's a certain amount of respect you would show your master. calling him what he is. Let's try again. Am I understood?"
"Calling you what you are to me?" Legolas asked, thinking carefully.
The king nodded slowly. It seemed as though the elf was coming around. He hadn't expected it so soon, but he wasn't about to object. "Am I understood?" He repeated.
Legolas knew he would pay dearly for his response, but it was well worth it. The king set himself up for it. "Yes, rat."
If he weren't in such a serious circumstance, Legolas would have laughed at the look on the king's face.
"What did you say to me?"
Legolas couldn't help the smile that tugged at his lips. "You heard me well enough."
Rage contorted the man's features. He wanted to lunge at Legolas, and the elf certainly seemed to be ready for him to do so, but he knew better. He had already seen the agility the elf had, and he remembered how long it took 40 of his men to catch him in the woods. No, he would wait until he had the upper hand.
Legolas waited patiently for the king's next move. He knew he was going to have to fight hard to get out of this- but the king never went for him. Legolas knitted his brows in confusion when the king simply clapped twice.
The doors to the hall were thrown open, and the man that had led Legolas there appeared again.
"Yes, my lord?"
"Take him back to his cell."
"Yes, my lord."
"Chain him."
The guard stopped dead. "Excuse me?"
The king looked very impatient at this point. "Chain him."
Legolas let the conversation go on, looking to see if he had a chance of escape. There were guards lining the wall outside the hall. he had no hope of it now. He would wait for the perfect moment. He could do that; he could wait.
"In his cell?"
"No!" The king spat. "In the kitchen! Yes, in his cell. Where else? Where else would I have you chain him? Honestly, Mithnien."
"I'm sorry my lord."
Mithnien. Legolas sighed. He had been there in the woods when he was caught.
"Come on," the guard said to Legolas, catching his arm. Legolas didn't fight. He didn't need another excuse for the king to harm him when the time came.
Once they were a safe distance from the great hall, the guard spoke softly to the prisoner. "So what did you do to deserve the chains?"
Legolas narrowed his eyes at the man.
The guard just chuckled at the look he received from the elf. "I'm just asking. You're in for a rough day, that's for sure."
Legolas said nothing, but continued to walk with his head held high.
The king entered the dungeons sometime later with a lazy walk. He unlocked the cell door, a slight smiled played upon his features.
"Miss me?"
Legolas didn't bother to look up. 'It's official,' he thought. 'The man's insane.'
The king looked Legolas over quickly. He arms were stretched apart, each hand chained to a pole that had been driven into the ground. They effectively made the prince defenseless. He was forced feet, and had been for a few hours. If he let his legs relax, his arms would pay. Either way, Legolas was not coming off the chains uninjured.
The king could see bruises on the elf's features even in the dim light.
He shook his head. "You had to fight them, didn't you? How many did it finally take?"
Nine. It had taken nine of the king's guards to secure him there, but Legolas kept the number to himself. Of course he had fought. Anyone with dignity would.
The king wasn't looking for an answer, but it angered him just the same when he didn't receive one. 'Calm yourself,' he chided mentally. 'The boy's only been here a day.'
He moved closer to his captive, so that the prince could feel his hot breath on his skin. The king placed a hand under the elf's chin. Legolas pulled his head away from the touch, but it was a move the king expected. He tightened his grip around the elf's jaw. Legolas could do nothing now but stare coldly at the man.
"How old are you? Eighteen, by our standards. but you things age differently, don't you?"
Legolas resisted the urge to roll his eyes.
The king sighed impatiently. "How old are you?"
1,892. But he didn't say it. There was nothing this man could do that would make Legolas speak.
"Answer me." His voice was dangerously soft.
'Damn your pride.' It was not the first time Legolas said those words to himself. They were accompanied by a blow to his already injured ribs. He had to bit his lip to keep from crying out.
"It will not do you any good to disobey me. That is a lesson you would do well to learn."
Defiance flashed in the elf's eyes, and the king narrowed his.
"Captain?" A guard appeared at the king's side. Legolas scowled- it was the same man who had initiated his capture in the woods.
"Yes, my lord?"
"He's all yours. Don't be easy on him." The king flashed a wicked smile at his prisoner, then turned to exit the dungeon.
"Coward," Legolas said quietly, but the king heard.
The man spun around. "You're not very good at keeping your mouth shut, are you, boy? Take care of him Captain."
Legolas had pushed his luck this far; it was time to see just how far he could go. "Afraid you can't handle me on your own?"
"I would advise you to hold your tongue."
"Going to make somebody else do your dirty work? Going to let any blood be on their head rather than your own?"
The king stalked back towards the elf. He roughly grabbed his jaw, holding the prince's attention. "Believe me, elf, you don't want me doing my own dirty work."
"You will never break me. You know it as well as I do."
"We will see." The king dealt Legolas a blow to his left cheek, snapping his head to the side. He smiled. "You're breaking already."
Legolas cringed as a swift kick woke him and painfully reminded him where he was.
"Get up, boy. I haven't got all day."
As Legolas stood, his body screamed at him, and he nearly collapsed back to the ground. The guard continued to watch with an amused expression as the elf reached out to steady himself.
"Get a move on, boy." He would have forced the elf to move, but it would not have done him any good. He would have most like just fallen over and wasted even more time.
Legolas fought the nausea that was growing steadily worse. He was dizzy, and, for the moment, couldn't see straight. He hated this feeling of helplessness. He gained as much of his balance as his body would allow, and slowly walked out of his cage, as he called it.
The guard almost took pity on the prisoner. Almost. "We'll walk slowly so you can compose yourself. You'll need your composure."
Legolas didn't like the sound of that. He took a deep breath. "We needn't move slowly." Legolas kicked himself. 'Damn your pride, you need to walk slowly,' he chided himself. His pride would not help him here, and he knew it.
The guard raised an eyebrow, but did not say anything. His pace quickened, but he still went slower than he normally would have.
"What took so long?" The king demanded upon their arrival.
The guard looked at Legolas. He didn't need any more torture added to what he was about to get. "I couldn't find the right key. They are thousands down there."
Legolas did not know the guard had lied to help him.
"See that it doesn't happen again. You may leave now."
The guard turned his heels, marching out the door. Legolas watched him go, almost wishing he would stay. He didn't want to be here, alone with the king. He was more scared that he would admit to himself.
The man walked up to Legolas, placing a hand under the elf's chin, redirecting his attention. "So."
Legolas had the urge to say, "So what," in response, but he kept his mouth shut.
"So, here we are." The king was searching Legolas' face for something, but the elf held his head high, and stared straight ahead. "What to do with you."
Somehow, Legolas didn't think being sent home was an option.
"You see, I don't yet trust you enough to have you around other slaves. You might cause a revolt. But I must start breaking you. This is difficult indeed."
Still, Legolas said nothing.
"You will serve dinner tonight, to my family and me. You will not misbehave, or I will have you beaten to within an inch of your life. Am I understood?"
Legolas still remained quiet, and was rewarded with a hard punch in the stomach. He doubled over, trying to catch the breath that had been knocked out of him.
"I said, am I understood?"
Legolas nodded.
"Yes, what?"
Legolas looked up at the man before him. He assessed the king; he could take him. He dared not move, however, because he knew there were men in the shadows, waiting for him to do just that. "What do you mean, 'yes what'?"
"You're a slave. There's a certain amount of respect you would show your master. calling him what he is. Let's try again. Am I understood?"
"Calling you what you are to me?" Legolas asked, thinking carefully.
The king nodded slowly. It seemed as though the elf was coming around. He hadn't expected it so soon, but he wasn't about to object. "Am I understood?" He repeated.
Legolas knew he would pay dearly for his response, but it was well worth it. The king set himself up for it. "Yes, rat."
If he weren't in such a serious circumstance, Legolas would have laughed at the look on the king's face.
"What did you say to me?"
Legolas couldn't help the smile that tugged at his lips. "You heard me well enough."
Rage contorted the man's features. He wanted to lunge at Legolas, and the elf certainly seemed to be ready for him to do so, but he knew better. He had already seen the agility the elf had, and he remembered how long it took 40 of his men to catch him in the woods. No, he would wait until he had the upper hand.
Legolas waited patiently for the king's next move. He knew he was going to have to fight hard to get out of this- but the king never went for him. Legolas knitted his brows in confusion when the king simply clapped twice.
The doors to the hall were thrown open, and the man that had led Legolas there appeared again.
"Yes, my lord?"
"Take him back to his cell."
"Yes, my lord."
"Chain him."
The guard stopped dead. "Excuse me?"
The king looked very impatient at this point. "Chain him."
Legolas let the conversation go on, looking to see if he had a chance of escape. There were guards lining the wall outside the hall. he had no hope of it now. He would wait for the perfect moment. He could do that; he could wait.
"In his cell?"
"No!" The king spat. "In the kitchen! Yes, in his cell. Where else? Where else would I have you chain him? Honestly, Mithnien."
"I'm sorry my lord."
Mithnien. Legolas sighed. He had been there in the woods when he was caught.
"Come on," the guard said to Legolas, catching his arm. Legolas didn't fight. He didn't need another excuse for the king to harm him when the time came.
Once they were a safe distance from the great hall, the guard spoke softly to the prisoner. "So what did you do to deserve the chains?"
Legolas narrowed his eyes at the man.
The guard just chuckled at the look he received from the elf. "I'm just asking. You're in for a rough day, that's for sure."
Legolas said nothing, but continued to walk with his head held high.
The king entered the dungeons sometime later with a lazy walk. He unlocked the cell door, a slight smiled played upon his features.
"Miss me?"
Legolas didn't bother to look up. 'It's official,' he thought. 'The man's insane.'
The king looked Legolas over quickly. He arms were stretched apart, each hand chained to a pole that had been driven into the ground. They effectively made the prince defenseless. He was forced feet, and had been for a few hours. If he let his legs relax, his arms would pay. Either way, Legolas was not coming off the chains uninjured.
The king could see bruises on the elf's features even in the dim light.
He shook his head. "You had to fight them, didn't you? How many did it finally take?"
Nine. It had taken nine of the king's guards to secure him there, but Legolas kept the number to himself. Of course he had fought. Anyone with dignity would.
The king wasn't looking for an answer, but it angered him just the same when he didn't receive one. 'Calm yourself,' he chided mentally. 'The boy's only been here a day.'
He moved closer to his captive, so that the prince could feel his hot breath on his skin. The king placed a hand under the elf's chin. Legolas pulled his head away from the touch, but it was a move the king expected. He tightened his grip around the elf's jaw. Legolas could do nothing now but stare coldly at the man.
"How old are you? Eighteen, by our standards. but you things age differently, don't you?"
Legolas resisted the urge to roll his eyes.
The king sighed impatiently. "How old are you?"
1,892. But he didn't say it. There was nothing this man could do that would make Legolas speak.
"Answer me." His voice was dangerously soft.
'Damn your pride.' It was not the first time Legolas said those words to himself. They were accompanied by a blow to his already injured ribs. He had to bit his lip to keep from crying out.
"It will not do you any good to disobey me. That is a lesson you would do well to learn."
Defiance flashed in the elf's eyes, and the king narrowed his.
"Captain?" A guard appeared at the king's side. Legolas scowled- it was the same man who had initiated his capture in the woods.
"Yes, my lord?"
"He's all yours. Don't be easy on him." The king flashed a wicked smile at his prisoner, then turned to exit the dungeon.
"Coward," Legolas said quietly, but the king heard.
The man spun around. "You're not very good at keeping your mouth shut, are you, boy? Take care of him Captain."
Legolas had pushed his luck this far; it was time to see just how far he could go. "Afraid you can't handle me on your own?"
"I would advise you to hold your tongue."
"Going to make somebody else do your dirty work? Going to let any blood be on their head rather than your own?"
The king stalked back towards the elf. He roughly grabbed his jaw, holding the prince's attention. "Believe me, elf, you don't want me doing my own dirty work."
"You will never break me. You know it as well as I do."
"We will see." The king dealt Legolas a blow to his left cheek, snapping his head to the side. He smiled. "You're breaking already."