Imply whatever you like in this chapter. I'm not saying yay or nay to
anything, but just as a point of reference, elves die when taken forcibly,
except Celebrian, but no one knows why she hung on. They also die of
incest.
"Among all these evils there is no record of any among the Elves that took
another's spouse by force; for this was wholly against their nature, and
one so forced would have rejected bodily life and passed to Mandos. Guile
or trickery in this matter was scarcely possible.for the Eldar can read at
once in the eyes and voice of another whether they be wed or unwed."
But then, that's why we are fanfiction writers, right? We change little bits of history like that to suit our need.
It has also been brought to my attention that Legolas and Arwen are related. Two responses to that: I knew age couldn't be the only thing wrong with it, lol. That's why there's an AU warning, for things like that. Secondly, this pairing is critical for later events. It will all come together, I promise. Oh, I lied, I have a third. Arwen and Aragorn were related too. which doesn't quite match with them dying of incest. for the sake of this story, Arwen and Legolas are not related ( I finally got enough reviews so that all my responses are at the bottom of the chapter. If you reviewed, be sur eto look down there!! Anyway, here you are:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~
Shivers ran down the girl's spine as she dreadfully awaited the arrival of the king. He had left her twenty minutes ago, with the promise of his return later that evening. She had been stripped of all her own clothing, and given new garments of silk and sheer that were of no use in the chilly night air. She was trapped in this empty room; there was no furniture, no lights, only an empty feeling of hopelessness. The only light she got was that from the moon outside her window. She took comfort in its steady glow, thinking that maybe her beloved was looking at the same moon.
How had she gotten into this mess? Just yesterday she had managed to escape their hands. She had been so close to making it home; she had Rivendell in her sight when they finally caught her. She looked back at the moon. What was going to happen now?
Legolas had given up trying to find outside light. He had been taken so far under the castle that fresh air seemed impossibly far away. He let his head hang, trying desperately to ignore the pain in his body. He wanted to lay down. or stand up, but his restraints allowed neither. He was concentrating deeply on trying to contact Arwen, taking his mind off the pain. It was an art he had developed ages ago from Gandalf, speaking with another through his mind. Few elves possessed the power, Lady Galadriel of Lothlorien and Lord Elrond among them. Little known was the fact that the skill required the other person as well. Those such as the Lady of the Golden Wood had long since learned to make those who's minds she read obey her without their realizing it. Legolas, however, was not in complete possession of the power. He could not speak to others, but if he concentrated very hard, he could see colors. He learned to interpret them as the feelings of others. All he wanted now was to see bright colors, colors that would remind him of Rivendell.
Time passed, and he managed to get into her mind, but he could barely touch her thoughts. She was cold- he could feel that. He saw black, with blinding flashes of white.
Arwen was so trapped in her fear that she didn't notice another pressing thought, one that seemed to be forcing its way into her mind. It was just out of her reach so that she could not grasp it, as if she was trying to recall some distant memory.
Legolas kept fighting his way into her mind. The closer he got to her consciousness, the more fear and cold he could feel. His own body began to tremble, unbeknownst to him. Suddenly, her fear peaked, forcing Legolas out of her mind completely, and not even knowing it.
Legolas felt his skin crawl. Arwen was here. He needed to see her, he needed to protect her. He grew angry, but not at his captors as one might expect. He was angry and frustrated with himself for not being able to protect her. He had not lied in the presence of the king, he had sworn to protect her. Now, he was letting her down; he was failing her.
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"What is that elf making such a ruckus about?" A guard muttered, plainly irritated. He had been rattling his chains for nearly two hours.
As if the mumbling of the guard had caused it, the king entered the room where the guards were stationed.
"I hear that dratted elf."
"Ay, sir." Another guard bowed to his king.
"Let him out, then. The girl wishes to see him, and I would like to see them interact."
"Yes, sir," the first guard quickly grabbed his keys, hurrying to where Legolas was still causing commotion.
The elven prince stopped when he saw the guard with keys in hand. It surprised him that he was being let out, but he did not yet ask for what the sudden change had been brought about. Legolas was led to where the king patiently awaited him.
"What have you done to her?" Legolas nearly spat the words out, resisting the urge to rub his sore wrists.
"I would advise you to hold your tongue. I am relenting, letting you see her. Do not ruin your last reunion."
"Why the change of heart?" Legolas asked as he followed the king up a long flight of stairs.
"Only for her sake. She cries for someone by the name of Legolas. Her betrothed?" Legolas nodded.
"I figure that you're the closest I can come to that, and maybe you can provide her with some comfort."
Legolas knew there was some hidden motive the king did not tell him. Why would he care about her comfort? He carefully voiced this thought.
The king made no response.
Finally, a door was thrown open, and Legolas was shoved inside. The king closed it behind him as he too entered.
A wave of relief washed over the prince as Arwen rushed into his arms. She was crying.
"Oh, Arwen."
The princess pulled away from him, giving him a warning glance. "Do not address me so, good sir."
Only a second of confusion stayed on Legolas' face, until he remembered where he was. He bowed low. "Forgive me, milady, I was just glad to see you safe."
Legolas could feel the cold eyes of the king on them. "Are you all right, milady?"
"Ay, I am." She lied to him. He could see it plainly in her eyes. It almost seemed as though she were frightened of him, and trying desperately to hide it.
"Have no fear, milady. I am sure my prince wonders even now where you are. He will not leave you alone." Legolas looked deep into his beloved's eyes. 'I will not leave you alone,' he tried to speak through his mind. He knew not if she understood him.
"That's enough," the king interrupted Legolas' thoughts. He began pulling Legolas toward the door.
"Wait! Good sir, I feel badly, but I could not think of it earlier. Please remind me of your name."
Legolas almost smiled at her slyness. "Cemendur, milady."
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Weeks passed, weeks of endless torture for the prince. He was too proud to let one man and his army break him; he refused to let them see him weak. They kept him as far away from Arwen as they could, making sure they could not plot anything together. They noticed, too, for some reason, being away from her was torture for the prince as well.
Legolas was currently in the large courtyard. It was one of the few nights they let him out for fresh air. He sat facing a fountain, letting his bruised arms fall into the cool water. His tunic was lying on the ground near to him, spots of blood evident even in the darkness. He just let his head hang, breathing in deeply before he was forced back to the dungeons. It had taken him many weeks to convince the king that he was trustworthy enough to be let out of the chains, much less let out in the garden. He needed the fresh air whenever the chance arose. Down in the dungeons, he would slowly, emotionally suffocate.
He started as light fingers traced the wounds on his back from frequent beatings. His lifted his gaze and met Arwen's. Her eyes were soft, yet filled with a great sadness. Being with the prince was an internal battle for her. She felt as though she could not trust him, but that was only from her experiences with this human king. But that was what the king wanted. In her heart, she knew she could trust her life to Legolas.
"This is no condition for a member of the Royal house of Mirkwood," she said softly, referring to the wounds on his body.
Legolas smiled weakly at her. "I could say the same. How did you get out here?"
"It matters not. Why are you so torn?"
"They take anything as an excuse to hurt me. It's a game to them. Are you hurt?"
"Not as you are. Let go of your pride, my love, for it will get you no where here."
"I refuse to let them see my weakness, Arwen. I will not let them break me."
She shook her head with great distress. "Letting go of your pride is not letting them break you."
"They've broken you. I can see it in your eyes."
Arwen dropped her gaze. "None of the guards are allowed to touch me."
"And what of the king? Does he too stay away from you?" The prince was careful to keep his anger in check; he did not want to alarm Arwen. No matter how careful he was, though, the girl could still hear the anger and sarcasm in his voice.
"I should go," she said slowly. "Before they catch us together."
"I care not if they do."
"Legolas, please,"
"Shh, milady, do not speak my name here."
"Please, good sir, if we were caught, it would mean great pain for you."
Legolas stood now, peering down at the girl before him. "All the pain in the world is worth being with you." He placed a hand on her cheek, but drew it back when he saw the shudder of her body. "Oh, Arwen, my love. what have they done to you?"
Arwen was fighting tears. She was ashamed of how she had recoiled from a hand she knew loved her well. "Do not worry, Legolas. I am fine."
Suddenly, the reason for her fear became all too obvious. Legolas' anger rose as quickly as Arwen retreated from him. Legolas stormed into the castle, but he avoided the familiar route to the dungeons. Guards watched him warily as he passed them. He was going to find the king. He didn't know what he would do then, but just finding the king meant enough.
He realized that this man didn't have to touch Arwen. He could hurt her in a much worse way. He had made in obvious that he had connections in Mirkwood, based on messengers he talked about. He was using that against the lady. He was turning her against Legolas; physically and emotionally. He was planting a deep distrust of the prince into her mind, though Legolas did not know if he was turning her against the prince or Cemendur. It mattered not. Either way it was him. He threw open a large oak door and found himself in a library. He glanced about in the darkness, noticing a small flicker of light from the far end. He began to walk towards it, but was stopped in his tracks.
"Good evening, your majesty." A voice sneered at him.
Legolas spun around to face the king. He suddenly realized how foolish he was to search out the king. What was he expecting to do? Kill him, only to face the wrath of his guards? And what good would it do Arwen? The king's words suddenly registered in Legolas' mind. He gave Tarduain a questioning gaze.
"A search party from Mirkwood came today. They said their prince was traveling alone with Arwen when they both disappeared."
Legolas cringed. He hated how informal the king was when speaking about the princess, like she was a long time acquaintance. He then kicked himself mentally for not having any knowledge of the arrival of Mirkwood messengers. A chance for escape. lost.
"You were looking for me, were you not?"
Now the time had come. He found the king. He needed to do something. Nothing came to mind.
"Release her." He wasn't completely aware of the words leaving his mouth.
"Excuse me?"
"Release her. Let her go back to her home. Leave her be."
"For what? So she can send her kind her to retrieve you?"
"Then kill me if you will. But do not hurt her anymore."
The king smiled. "I have not laid a finger on her."
"You needn't have to."
The king now had it; he knew the prince's one weakness, the one thing he could use to break this proud creature.
"A business deal then. She stays, there is no negotiating that. You do as I say, exactly as I say, and I do no harm to her. Disobey a command, and it's free game."
It wasn't even close to what the prince had wanted, but it was better than nothing. "Deal."
The king smiled. "Good. You're first order is to stay away from her. She has free roam of the castle. If she should come up to you, you will speak not a word to her. You shall not make eye contact. Believe me, I have ways of knowing if you break this rule. Do you understand me?"
Legolas nodded. It was almost worse now; he couldn't even look at his love. Somehow, he figured that was the intention of the king.
"Now go back to the dungeons. I am tired of the conversation."
The prince began to say something, but the king interrupted. "Ah, I believe I just gave you an order."
Legolas set his jaw as he felt the urge to resist, to stay and put up a fight, but he kept thinking of Arwen. It was killing him, but he was letting go of his pride. He solemnly made his way back to the dungeons.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~
Days passed slowly for the prince. In some ways he was partially grateful that he had not seen Arwen about. He didn't want to have to deny her a glance. Legolas looked up as a guard opened the cell door, pulling the prince out of his thoughts yet again.
"The king requests your services in the Great Hall."
"Wonderful," Legolas mumbled. It went unheard.
The king met him outside the Great Hall, releasing the guard that had led the elven prince.
"I am having guests tonight. You will serve us. If you embarrass or disgrace me in any way, I will have you both beaten to within an inch of your lives. Understood?"
Legolas nodded. He knew full well whom else the king was talking about. He would not let her be hurt, much less be the cause of her pain. Legolas was now standing in a far corner of the dining hall, letting his keen ears eavesdrop on the king and his guests. The point of being in the corner was so that he was available when needed, and yet far enough away so as not to hear the dinner conversation. The human had overlooked the elves' heightened senses, and Legolas was not about to remind him of the fact.
"Of course our business deal is still in effect," The king stated, looking at a small man with dirty hair and black, beady eyes.
"Boy, more wine," Legolas heeded the request.
"Where'd you get him?" A larger man with brown eyes and a stocky body asked in an amused tone.
The king smiled. "Found him wandering around the forest. There was a girl with him." Legolas held his tongue. He had not been wandering the forest.
"Was she elven too?" Yet another joined the conversation. Legolas cared not to look at this one, tired of the many different faces gawking at him.
"She was."
"I should like to see her."
"Now now, we don't want to frighten her, do we?"
Most of the men at the table laughed at this small insult. Legolas found himself biting his lip as he filled more glasses with wine.
"How much would you sell this one for?"
Legolas fought not to say something as a man's hand touched his arm in awe. His hand was shaking, and he had to fight not to spill the wine.
"I wouldn't sell this one. Do none of you recognize him?"
Legolas closed his eyes for a brief moment, checking his anger. So what if all these men were about to learn of his lineage? It would not make a difference at this point.
"No? I'm surprised. He is none other than the Prince of Mirkwood, Legless Greenleaf."
"My name is Laegolas." The prince spoke quietly and with great care. His anger caused him to pronounce his name, as even his own family did not, for it was proper. Tension rose at the table, each man wondering how the king would respond. It was improper for a slave to correct his master.
"Same difference, boy." The table laughed off the situation, and Legolas was left to stew in his anger. He faltered slightly, the wine bottle shaking violently in his hand.
The anger in itself irritated Legolas, for he was not easily aggravated.
"You have a prince as your servant? I must admit, I am impressed." Legolas looked at the newest speaker. He was watching Legolas, as everyone else was, but he had a different, less malevolent look in his eyes.
Legolas left for his corner again. He looked at each man, now being able to put a name with the face. There was, of course, the king. On his left sat the beady-eyed man, Darderwin. Then came the brown eyed Gustain, a tall man named Miftun, Palpanine, Hadnon, and finally, on the king's right, another tall man, Enimodel. The names blurred into one, then the faces. All except Enimodel. There was something distinguishing him from the rest and his eyes alone remained on Legolas. The door opened at the other end of the hall, and Legolas' attention was drawn to it. Arwen entered, dawning a crimson dress made for a princess. Her beauty awed Legolas, as it had when they first met. She looked in his direction, but the prince quickly dropped his eyes. Arwen had not the time to wonder at this act.
She walked swiftly to the king's side, dropping to her knees.
"Rise, child." The king said softly. "Please, take a seat."
It was then that Legolas noticed Enimodel was not on the king's right, as that seat had been left empty. Arwen now sat in it. Legolas tried to keep his face blank, expressionless. He was doing poorly, and the king was taking great pleasure in it.
"Gentlemen, may I introduce Arwen, Princess of Rivendell."
No one at the table said anything in response. Arwen smiled humbly at the their stares, meeting none of their eyes.
"Legolas," the king said with a hint of taunting cruelty in his voice. "Some wine for the lady?"
The girl's eyes darted towards Legolas, then to the king. "No, it's all right, I." but she let her voice trail off as Legolas began pouring wine into her glass. She watched him carefully, taking note of the anger in his eyes. He did not look at her. As he began to pull away, she softly laid her hand on his.
Legolas paused. It took everything he had not to look at her, but he kept his eyes down.
"Legolas," she whispered, quietly enough so that none but Legolas heard it. She was terrified that his anger was directed at her, though none of this was her doing.
This time, the prince did look up, but only to shoot daggers at the king with his eyes. The man smiled in response.
Legolas kept careful watch over the girl, his protective nature fighting to stay at bay. He noticed how she barely sipped her wine, and did not eat a thing. He also noticed how conversation at the table grew quieter since the girl's arrival, so that he himself could only pick out select words.
Finally, every man at the table stood, followed by Arwen. Legolas narrowed his eyes a bit. She was smiling politely as the men left for their quarters. At last, it was only the king, Arwen, and Legolas left in the vast room.
"Ah, my sweet," the king said, making sure the elf in the corner could hear him, "you're quite the actress, aren't you? For that, I am glad."
A great sadness filled Arwen's eyes, showing how she had been feeling throughout the dinner.
"Though," he added, placing a hand to her cheek, "I do wonder why you were late."
Legolas gripped at the wall behind to keep from lunging towards the king. How dare he touch her. The prince was livid and trying very hard not to show it.
"I am sorry, my lord. It was unavoidable."
No! Why did she use such formality when addressing him? Why did refer to him as having superiority over her? It wasn't supposed to be like this!
"I should hope so. Go back to your chamber, I will meet you later."
Arwen nodded, not bothering to steal another glance at Legolas. She couldn't bear the pain that his downcast eyes brought to her. The king turned to Legolas when Arwen was gone.
"That was fun, wasn't it?"
"Can't you see the amused look on my face?"
"Do not get smart with me, boy. Go, leave my presence."
"Yes, sir," Legolas replied with heavy sarcasm as he walked away.
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To my reviewers:
Tamara: Yay, you're my first reviewer! Thank you! I hope this was soon enough ( Enjoy.
Nina: I hope this chapter seems interesting too. Let me know, and thanks for the review.
Lily: Ah, I knew someone was going to point that out. Unless I missed
something in my editing, the only time two people talked in the same
paragraph was the very last two sentences of chapter 1, right? (If
there's more, please point them out!) Yeah, well, in Microsoft Word,
they *are* separate paragraphs. FF.net for some reason mashed them
together, much to my dislike. I tried uploading the chapter three
times, three different ways to get rid of it, but nothing worked.
Which is why, in chapter two, every paragraph has a line between it
and the next. Oh, and I did not know that Legolas and Arwen were
related, but I know there is some major canon errors and timeline
errors and whatnot with that match. (The reason for my AU warning.) I
promise, I did do research for this. (See the above quote.) However, I
promise, later, that this particular relationship will be important
later on, rather than an OC. Thank you so much for your review, I
really appreciate it! I hope this chapter isn't too AU for you, I
tried to stay away from that. Any more pointers? I'll gladly accept
them! PS. They don't stay together. ;-)
Nariel: :::Blushing::: Thank you. That means a lot (
Bec: You just made my day. thank you for your review. I'm a little
worried about this next chapter, because I really start getting into
elf torture, and I'm not so sure it came out how I wanted it. Let me
know what you think, please? :::puppy dog eyes::: Enjoy this chapter!
Wilwaren: Thank you!! Jeez, I'm kind of scared to get my first
negative review after everyone has been so nice.
But then, that's why we are fanfiction writers, right? We change little bits of history like that to suit our need.
It has also been brought to my attention that Legolas and Arwen are related. Two responses to that: I knew age couldn't be the only thing wrong with it, lol. That's why there's an AU warning, for things like that. Secondly, this pairing is critical for later events. It will all come together, I promise. Oh, I lied, I have a third. Arwen and Aragorn were related too. which doesn't quite match with them dying of incest. for the sake of this story, Arwen and Legolas are not related ( I finally got enough reviews so that all my responses are at the bottom of the chapter. If you reviewed, be sur eto look down there!! Anyway, here you are:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~
Shivers ran down the girl's spine as she dreadfully awaited the arrival of the king. He had left her twenty minutes ago, with the promise of his return later that evening. She had been stripped of all her own clothing, and given new garments of silk and sheer that were of no use in the chilly night air. She was trapped in this empty room; there was no furniture, no lights, only an empty feeling of hopelessness. The only light she got was that from the moon outside her window. She took comfort in its steady glow, thinking that maybe her beloved was looking at the same moon.
How had she gotten into this mess? Just yesterday she had managed to escape their hands. She had been so close to making it home; she had Rivendell in her sight when they finally caught her. She looked back at the moon. What was going to happen now?
Legolas had given up trying to find outside light. He had been taken so far under the castle that fresh air seemed impossibly far away. He let his head hang, trying desperately to ignore the pain in his body. He wanted to lay down. or stand up, but his restraints allowed neither. He was concentrating deeply on trying to contact Arwen, taking his mind off the pain. It was an art he had developed ages ago from Gandalf, speaking with another through his mind. Few elves possessed the power, Lady Galadriel of Lothlorien and Lord Elrond among them. Little known was the fact that the skill required the other person as well. Those such as the Lady of the Golden Wood had long since learned to make those who's minds she read obey her without their realizing it. Legolas, however, was not in complete possession of the power. He could not speak to others, but if he concentrated very hard, he could see colors. He learned to interpret them as the feelings of others. All he wanted now was to see bright colors, colors that would remind him of Rivendell.
Time passed, and he managed to get into her mind, but he could barely touch her thoughts. She was cold- he could feel that. He saw black, with blinding flashes of white.
Arwen was so trapped in her fear that she didn't notice another pressing thought, one that seemed to be forcing its way into her mind. It was just out of her reach so that she could not grasp it, as if she was trying to recall some distant memory.
Legolas kept fighting his way into her mind. The closer he got to her consciousness, the more fear and cold he could feel. His own body began to tremble, unbeknownst to him. Suddenly, her fear peaked, forcing Legolas out of her mind completely, and not even knowing it.
Legolas felt his skin crawl. Arwen was here. He needed to see her, he needed to protect her. He grew angry, but not at his captors as one might expect. He was angry and frustrated with himself for not being able to protect her. He had not lied in the presence of the king, he had sworn to protect her. Now, he was letting her down; he was failing her.
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"What is that elf making such a ruckus about?" A guard muttered, plainly irritated. He had been rattling his chains for nearly two hours.
As if the mumbling of the guard had caused it, the king entered the room where the guards were stationed.
"I hear that dratted elf."
"Ay, sir." Another guard bowed to his king.
"Let him out, then. The girl wishes to see him, and I would like to see them interact."
"Yes, sir," the first guard quickly grabbed his keys, hurrying to where Legolas was still causing commotion.
The elven prince stopped when he saw the guard with keys in hand. It surprised him that he was being let out, but he did not yet ask for what the sudden change had been brought about. Legolas was led to where the king patiently awaited him.
"What have you done to her?" Legolas nearly spat the words out, resisting the urge to rub his sore wrists.
"I would advise you to hold your tongue. I am relenting, letting you see her. Do not ruin your last reunion."
"Why the change of heart?" Legolas asked as he followed the king up a long flight of stairs.
"Only for her sake. She cries for someone by the name of Legolas. Her betrothed?" Legolas nodded.
"I figure that you're the closest I can come to that, and maybe you can provide her with some comfort."
Legolas knew there was some hidden motive the king did not tell him. Why would he care about her comfort? He carefully voiced this thought.
The king made no response.
Finally, a door was thrown open, and Legolas was shoved inside. The king closed it behind him as he too entered.
A wave of relief washed over the prince as Arwen rushed into his arms. She was crying.
"Oh, Arwen."
The princess pulled away from him, giving him a warning glance. "Do not address me so, good sir."
Only a second of confusion stayed on Legolas' face, until he remembered where he was. He bowed low. "Forgive me, milady, I was just glad to see you safe."
Legolas could feel the cold eyes of the king on them. "Are you all right, milady?"
"Ay, I am." She lied to him. He could see it plainly in her eyes. It almost seemed as though she were frightened of him, and trying desperately to hide it.
"Have no fear, milady. I am sure my prince wonders even now where you are. He will not leave you alone." Legolas looked deep into his beloved's eyes. 'I will not leave you alone,' he tried to speak through his mind. He knew not if she understood him.
"That's enough," the king interrupted Legolas' thoughts. He began pulling Legolas toward the door.
"Wait! Good sir, I feel badly, but I could not think of it earlier. Please remind me of your name."
Legolas almost smiled at her slyness. "Cemendur, milady."
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Weeks passed, weeks of endless torture for the prince. He was too proud to let one man and his army break him; he refused to let them see him weak. They kept him as far away from Arwen as they could, making sure they could not plot anything together. They noticed, too, for some reason, being away from her was torture for the prince as well.
Legolas was currently in the large courtyard. It was one of the few nights they let him out for fresh air. He sat facing a fountain, letting his bruised arms fall into the cool water. His tunic was lying on the ground near to him, spots of blood evident even in the darkness. He just let his head hang, breathing in deeply before he was forced back to the dungeons. It had taken him many weeks to convince the king that he was trustworthy enough to be let out of the chains, much less let out in the garden. He needed the fresh air whenever the chance arose. Down in the dungeons, he would slowly, emotionally suffocate.
He started as light fingers traced the wounds on his back from frequent beatings. His lifted his gaze and met Arwen's. Her eyes were soft, yet filled with a great sadness. Being with the prince was an internal battle for her. She felt as though she could not trust him, but that was only from her experiences with this human king. But that was what the king wanted. In her heart, she knew she could trust her life to Legolas.
"This is no condition for a member of the Royal house of Mirkwood," she said softly, referring to the wounds on his body.
Legolas smiled weakly at her. "I could say the same. How did you get out here?"
"It matters not. Why are you so torn?"
"They take anything as an excuse to hurt me. It's a game to them. Are you hurt?"
"Not as you are. Let go of your pride, my love, for it will get you no where here."
"I refuse to let them see my weakness, Arwen. I will not let them break me."
She shook her head with great distress. "Letting go of your pride is not letting them break you."
"They've broken you. I can see it in your eyes."
Arwen dropped her gaze. "None of the guards are allowed to touch me."
"And what of the king? Does he too stay away from you?" The prince was careful to keep his anger in check; he did not want to alarm Arwen. No matter how careful he was, though, the girl could still hear the anger and sarcasm in his voice.
"I should go," she said slowly. "Before they catch us together."
"I care not if they do."
"Legolas, please,"
"Shh, milady, do not speak my name here."
"Please, good sir, if we were caught, it would mean great pain for you."
Legolas stood now, peering down at the girl before him. "All the pain in the world is worth being with you." He placed a hand on her cheek, but drew it back when he saw the shudder of her body. "Oh, Arwen, my love. what have they done to you?"
Arwen was fighting tears. She was ashamed of how she had recoiled from a hand she knew loved her well. "Do not worry, Legolas. I am fine."
Suddenly, the reason for her fear became all too obvious. Legolas' anger rose as quickly as Arwen retreated from him. Legolas stormed into the castle, but he avoided the familiar route to the dungeons. Guards watched him warily as he passed them. He was going to find the king. He didn't know what he would do then, but just finding the king meant enough.
He realized that this man didn't have to touch Arwen. He could hurt her in a much worse way. He had made in obvious that he had connections in Mirkwood, based on messengers he talked about. He was using that against the lady. He was turning her against Legolas; physically and emotionally. He was planting a deep distrust of the prince into her mind, though Legolas did not know if he was turning her against the prince or Cemendur. It mattered not. Either way it was him. He threw open a large oak door and found himself in a library. He glanced about in the darkness, noticing a small flicker of light from the far end. He began to walk towards it, but was stopped in his tracks.
"Good evening, your majesty." A voice sneered at him.
Legolas spun around to face the king. He suddenly realized how foolish he was to search out the king. What was he expecting to do? Kill him, only to face the wrath of his guards? And what good would it do Arwen? The king's words suddenly registered in Legolas' mind. He gave Tarduain a questioning gaze.
"A search party from Mirkwood came today. They said their prince was traveling alone with Arwen when they both disappeared."
Legolas cringed. He hated how informal the king was when speaking about the princess, like she was a long time acquaintance. He then kicked himself mentally for not having any knowledge of the arrival of Mirkwood messengers. A chance for escape. lost.
"You were looking for me, were you not?"
Now the time had come. He found the king. He needed to do something. Nothing came to mind.
"Release her." He wasn't completely aware of the words leaving his mouth.
"Excuse me?"
"Release her. Let her go back to her home. Leave her be."
"For what? So she can send her kind her to retrieve you?"
"Then kill me if you will. But do not hurt her anymore."
The king smiled. "I have not laid a finger on her."
"You needn't have to."
The king now had it; he knew the prince's one weakness, the one thing he could use to break this proud creature.
"A business deal then. She stays, there is no negotiating that. You do as I say, exactly as I say, and I do no harm to her. Disobey a command, and it's free game."
It wasn't even close to what the prince had wanted, but it was better than nothing. "Deal."
The king smiled. "Good. You're first order is to stay away from her. She has free roam of the castle. If she should come up to you, you will speak not a word to her. You shall not make eye contact. Believe me, I have ways of knowing if you break this rule. Do you understand me?"
Legolas nodded. It was almost worse now; he couldn't even look at his love. Somehow, he figured that was the intention of the king.
"Now go back to the dungeons. I am tired of the conversation."
The prince began to say something, but the king interrupted. "Ah, I believe I just gave you an order."
Legolas set his jaw as he felt the urge to resist, to stay and put up a fight, but he kept thinking of Arwen. It was killing him, but he was letting go of his pride. He solemnly made his way back to the dungeons.
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Days passed slowly for the prince. In some ways he was partially grateful that he had not seen Arwen about. He didn't want to have to deny her a glance. Legolas looked up as a guard opened the cell door, pulling the prince out of his thoughts yet again.
"The king requests your services in the Great Hall."
"Wonderful," Legolas mumbled. It went unheard.
The king met him outside the Great Hall, releasing the guard that had led the elven prince.
"I am having guests tonight. You will serve us. If you embarrass or disgrace me in any way, I will have you both beaten to within an inch of your lives. Understood?"
Legolas nodded. He knew full well whom else the king was talking about. He would not let her be hurt, much less be the cause of her pain. Legolas was now standing in a far corner of the dining hall, letting his keen ears eavesdrop on the king and his guests. The point of being in the corner was so that he was available when needed, and yet far enough away so as not to hear the dinner conversation. The human had overlooked the elves' heightened senses, and Legolas was not about to remind him of the fact.
"Of course our business deal is still in effect," The king stated, looking at a small man with dirty hair and black, beady eyes.
"Boy, more wine," Legolas heeded the request.
"Where'd you get him?" A larger man with brown eyes and a stocky body asked in an amused tone.
The king smiled. "Found him wandering around the forest. There was a girl with him." Legolas held his tongue. He had not been wandering the forest.
"Was she elven too?" Yet another joined the conversation. Legolas cared not to look at this one, tired of the many different faces gawking at him.
"She was."
"I should like to see her."
"Now now, we don't want to frighten her, do we?"
Most of the men at the table laughed at this small insult. Legolas found himself biting his lip as he filled more glasses with wine.
"How much would you sell this one for?"
Legolas fought not to say something as a man's hand touched his arm in awe. His hand was shaking, and he had to fight not to spill the wine.
"I wouldn't sell this one. Do none of you recognize him?"
Legolas closed his eyes for a brief moment, checking his anger. So what if all these men were about to learn of his lineage? It would not make a difference at this point.
"No? I'm surprised. He is none other than the Prince of Mirkwood, Legless Greenleaf."
"My name is Laegolas." The prince spoke quietly and with great care. His anger caused him to pronounce his name, as even his own family did not, for it was proper. Tension rose at the table, each man wondering how the king would respond. It was improper for a slave to correct his master.
"Same difference, boy." The table laughed off the situation, and Legolas was left to stew in his anger. He faltered slightly, the wine bottle shaking violently in his hand.
The anger in itself irritated Legolas, for he was not easily aggravated.
"You have a prince as your servant? I must admit, I am impressed." Legolas looked at the newest speaker. He was watching Legolas, as everyone else was, but he had a different, less malevolent look in his eyes.
Legolas left for his corner again. He looked at each man, now being able to put a name with the face. There was, of course, the king. On his left sat the beady-eyed man, Darderwin. Then came the brown eyed Gustain, a tall man named Miftun, Palpanine, Hadnon, and finally, on the king's right, another tall man, Enimodel. The names blurred into one, then the faces. All except Enimodel. There was something distinguishing him from the rest and his eyes alone remained on Legolas. The door opened at the other end of the hall, and Legolas' attention was drawn to it. Arwen entered, dawning a crimson dress made for a princess. Her beauty awed Legolas, as it had when they first met. She looked in his direction, but the prince quickly dropped his eyes. Arwen had not the time to wonder at this act.
She walked swiftly to the king's side, dropping to her knees.
"Rise, child." The king said softly. "Please, take a seat."
It was then that Legolas noticed Enimodel was not on the king's right, as that seat had been left empty. Arwen now sat in it. Legolas tried to keep his face blank, expressionless. He was doing poorly, and the king was taking great pleasure in it.
"Gentlemen, may I introduce Arwen, Princess of Rivendell."
No one at the table said anything in response. Arwen smiled humbly at the their stares, meeting none of their eyes.
"Legolas," the king said with a hint of taunting cruelty in his voice. "Some wine for the lady?"
The girl's eyes darted towards Legolas, then to the king. "No, it's all right, I." but she let her voice trail off as Legolas began pouring wine into her glass. She watched him carefully, taking note of the anger in his eyes. He did not look at her. As he began to pull away, she softly laid her hand on his.
Legolas paused. It took everything he had not to look at her, but he kept his eyes down.
"Legolas," she whispered, quietly enough so that none but Legolas heard it. She was terrified that his anger was directed at her, though none of this was her doing.
This time, the prince did look up, but only to shoot daggers at the king with his eyes. The man smiled in response.
Legolas kept careful watch over the girl, his protective nature fighting to stay at bay. He noticed how she barely sipped her wine, and did not eat a thing. He also noticed how conversation at the table grew quieter since the girl's arrival, so that he himself could only pick out select words.
Finally, every man at the table stood, followed by Arwen. Legolas narrowed his eyes a bit. She was smiling politely as the men left for their quarters. At last, it was only the king, Arwen, and Legolas left in the vast room.
"Ah, my sweet," the king said, making sure the elf in the corner could hear him, "you're quite the actress, aren't you? For that, I am glad."
A great sadness filled Arwen's eyes, showing how she had been feeling throughout the dinner.
"Though," he added, placing a hand to her cheek, "I do wonder why you were late."
Legolas gripped at the wall behind to keep from lunging towards the king. How dare he touch her. The prince was livid and trying very hard not to show it.
"I am sorry, my lord. It was unavoidable."
No! Why did she use such formality when addressing him? Why did refer to him as having superiority over her? It wasn't supposed to be like this!
"I should hope so. Go back to your chamber, I will meet you later."
Arwen nodded, not bothering to steal another glance at Legolas. She couldn't bear the pain that his downcast eyes brought to her. The king turned to Legolas when Arwen was gone.
"That was fun, wasn't it?"
"Can't you see the amused look on my face?"
"Do not get smart with me, boy. Go, leave my presence."
"Yes, sir," Legolas replied with heavy sarcasm as he walked away.
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To my reviewers:
Tamara: Yay, you're my first reviewer! Thank you! I hope this was soon enough ( Enjoy.
Nina: I hope this chapter seems interesting too. Let me know, and thanks for the review.
Lily: Ah, I knew someone was going to point that out. Unless I missed
something in my editing, the only time two people talked in the same
paragraph was the very last two sentences of chapter 1, right? (If
there's more, please point them out!) Yeah, well, in Microsoft Word,
they *are* separate paragraphs. FF.net for some reason mashed them
together, much to my dislike. I tried uploading the chapter three
times, three different ways to get rid of it, but nothing worked.
Which is why, in chapter two, every paragraph has a line between it
and the next. Oh, and I did not know that Legolas and Arwen were
related, but I know there is some major canon errors and timeline
errors and whatnot with that match. (The reason for my AU warning.) I
promise, I did do research for this. (See the above quote.) However, I
promise, later, that this particular relationship will be important
later on, rather than an OC. Thank you so much for your review, I
really appreciate it! I hope this chapter isn't too AU for you, I
tried to stay away from that. Any more pointers? I'll gladly accept
them! PS. They don't stay together. ;-)
Nariel: :::Blushing::: Thank you. That means a lot (
Bec: You just made my day. thank you for your review. I'm a little
worried about this next chapter, because I really start getting into
elf torture, and I'm not so sure it came out how I wanted it. Let me
know what you think, please? :::puppy dog eyes::: Enjoy this chapter!
Wilwaren: Thank you!! Jeez, I'm kind of scared to get my first
negative review after everyone has been so nice.