I know this one's a bit shorter than the rest, but it's the best way I
could break it up without giving you another evil cliff hanger. As always,
notes to my reviewers (whom I appreciate so much!) are at the bottom.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~
Enimodel silenced Arwen before she could scream. "Hide. Do not come down until I come for you. Trust me. Now go!"
Arwen nimbly sprang up into the nearest tree, quietly praying to the Valar that Legolas would come out of all this alive.
Legolas could not suppress the cry of pain that escaped his lips. He was being tortured again. He did not have he will to deal with it again. His chest burned, and he could hardly breathe. He was all too aware of someone kicking his injured side again. Only minutes passed. It took his body a while to figure out that no new pain was being inflicted, and he was confused as to why. Thinking about it hurt as much as breathing did, and neither was a sensation he cared to become too familiar with.
'I can't be dead, I still hurt.' He thought numbly, trying to roll onto his back. The pain this caused was great, causing the elf to gasp slightly.
"Stay still, prince. You will be out of here soon," a voice drifted to his ears in the grey tongue.
The elf's ears tuned into the conversation around him, his mind desperately trying to take in something other than the pain.
"I asked you to leave my castle! Now you are interfering with my doings, and I will not have that!"
"And you, sir, are killing an innocent creature! He has done nothing to you."
"He has done ill to me- wait, why should I tell you this? What business is it of yours what I do with my things?"
Enimodel paused, checking his anger. Now was not the time to lose his temper. "Just let me take him, he will be out of your hair, and you will never have to deal with him again."
King Tarduain paused this time, as if considering the idea. "No," he said finally. "I swore when I took this one in that I would break his spirit and I have not yet done that. But you may have my word that I will not kill him."
"He is an elf! An elf prince at that; you will never break him."
"And how would a king of men know this?"
Enimodel shook his head. "My kingdom is near Mirkwood. We have many dealings with elves. I know the pride they have." He said this as though it were the most obvious thing in the world.
"Leave my castle now, or I will order your death."
Lord Enimodel looked down at the elf. He was dying.
The voice filtered through to Legolas again, still speaking in the grey tongue. 'Do not lose hope, do not leave the earth this way. I will come back. Just wait for me."
Enimodel looked back to the king. "Do I still have your word that you will not kill the boy?"
The king smiled. "You have my word."
Legolas cringed. He had a feeling that, by the end of all of this, he would have welcomed death. He felt the absence of Lord Enimodel like a ton of bricks.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~
"Where is he? Why is he not with you?"
"Hush, Evenstar. I will come back for him. His life is protected; he will not die."
Arwen sighed in frustration. "As if leaving him there to be tortured is a better fate than death?"
"Arwen, please!" He was leading the girl through the woods at a hurried pace. A fear grew in his mind that scouts would be sent to find them. "I am taking you to Rivendell. There, I will get help to come with me here to bring back Prince Legolas. There is nothing more I could do."
"Let me come back to help."
"Never. I would not bring you back here ever again."
A scream pierced the air, and both stopped in their tracks.
"Legolas," Arwen whispered, her blood running cold. "We have to go back."
"Arwen, look at me." Lord Enimodel placed a hand under her chin, forcing her to look him in the eye. "We can't go back. Not yet. We need reinforcement."
Tears glistened in Arwen's eyes, but she no longer protested. As furious as her heart was for leaving, she knew it would be folly to stay.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~
Lord Elrond glanced up from his desk as he heard the great doors open. He paused, then set down his quill and pushed his chair back. There was a feeling of urgency in the air. However, he had barely stood from his seat when the doors to the library were thrown open, and his own daughter stood before him.
"Arwen? Are you all right? Where have you been? Thranduil send word that you never arrived-"
"Legolas is being held captive. He is being tortured, and we need to save him, now." Arwen sobbed into he father's shoulder.
Elrond kept his alarm hidden from his daughter. "Where is he, child?"
Another voice entered the conversation then. "He is in Tarduain's land."
Arwen looked behind her. Enimodel. the whole plan had been so clever. how had she not known it?
"He has many men, and he is adamant about keeping Legolas as his slave. He was in grave condition when we left." He paused, wondering whether or not to state the prince's true welfare with Arwen in the room.
"He was dying."
Arwen turned her head away from the firelight, not wishing for either of the two to see her tears.
"Then we must rescue him," Elrond said, matter-of-factly.
"It is a three day journey by foot. As it is, we already spent three days fleeing to here. Another three and he will surely be dead." Enimodel responded, following the king out of the library. Arwen was on his heels.
"We will take horses. naturally. We leave within the hour. Take her to the healers."
"No, Father. I wish to go back with you."
Elrond did not hesitate. "No, my child. It is much to dangerous, and I would not risk your life again."
"Come, Arwen. All will be alright." Enimodel took her by the arm and led her away from her father. He quickly explained the situation to the healers, who took Arwen quickly to an empty bed.
"Lord."
Enimodel turned around, facing Arwen again.
A drug-induced sleep was quickly taking control of the girl's body. "Bring him back to me." Her eyes closed, her body finally finding a peaceful sleep that it had not had for nearly three months.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~
Legolas shuddered in his sleep. Someone was grabbing at him again. He just wanted it all to be over.
"Be at peace, Legolas. You are in Elvish hands now." Legolas' mind suddenly grew calm, but he had no control over his body's reactions. He was too tired to harness his fears.
"Watch my back, Elrohir."
"I'm on it, Father. Just save him."
The voices were so familiar.
Lord Elrond gently checked the prince for any wounds that would make it impossible for him to be moved. He pressed lightly on each rib until a small cry escaped the prince's lips, and his body curled protectively forward. Elrond sighed and turned to his companion.
"Can you take him on your horse?"
"Yes, my lord."
"You will have to move slowly and carefully, I do not know how much more his body can withstand."
"I understand. Do I take him to Rivendell, or to Mirkwood?"
"Rivendell. We have not the time to make it to Mirkwood. I fear he is fast approaching the darkness of death."
The man nodded while Elrond continued. "I will ride ahead with the others, and send word to Thranduil. Medicine and a bedchamber will be prepared for him, and yourself, when you arrive. I will leave 10 of my men to travel with you."
"Thank you. I will see you in a few days."
"Take care of him. I fear he still has much to do on this earth."
"Leave quickly! See to Arwen. Prepare for Legolas."
Lord Elrond nodded, turning his horse swiftly, galloping into the night. Enimodel took one nervous glance about, worried that Tarduain would find them.
It had been quite a hassle rescuing the prince. Guards were stationed everywhere; that was obstacle number one. Then there was the matter of finding where they had hidden the prince, then, on top of all that, they had to find their back out of the castle without being seen.
Elrond's companion mounted his horse after making sure Legolas was secure. "Come, men. We ride slow, but we ride hard."
No one spoke to him as they began the journey to Rivendell.
"Sir," an elf rode up a long time later.
"Yes, Roquen?"
"How does he fare?"
"Not well, I'm afraid. It's been nearly three hours and he had not yet awoken."
Roquen handed Enimodel a flask of water. "For when he awakes."
He man nodded his thanks.
"Yrch!" A shout rose from the back of the party. They all sprang to action.
"Take the prince, Roquen! Ride hard, fast. get him to Rivendell as soon as possible!"
"What about his wounds?"
"Lord Elrond will mend any wounds he re-opens. Go!" Enimodel turned to ready his bow for the oncoming attack.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~
A Big Thanks to all of my reviewers!!!
Mystery Elf: I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I hate cliff hangers too. I really hate them, it was just the best way to end the chapter without making it REALLY long.
Sky: Thank. Story lines do tend to be important, so I'm glad that you find it interesting!
Ryoko: Yeah, I know. Cliffies suck. I really am sorry, this chapter wasn't as bad, was it? A little tiny cliffie, but not so bad as last chapter. Thanks for the review.
Nina: It would be even worse of me to have just ended the *story* there, wouldn't it? :::cheeky grin::: Oh, and we still don't know who Enimodel is, do we?
Wilwarin: Yay, someone who didn't hate my cliffhanger. and what's a good story without a little suspense, eh? (No, I'm not Canadian, lol.)
Blume: Hi! Welcome! I put this chapter up just for you. I try to update every other day, but I kind of enjoy waiting for people's reviews. (I really do have a life, I promise.) And I'm sorry, lol, I hate cliffhangers. So I go and write one. It really was the best place to end the chapter though. Of course, seeing everyone's responses to them kind of amuses me, so maybe I'll write more, savvy? Please do keep in touch, I appreciate it!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~
Enimodel silenced Arwen before she could scream. "Hide. Do not come down until I come for you. Trust me. Now go!"
Arwen nimbly sprang up into the nearest tree, quietly praying to the Valar that Legolas would come out of all this alive.
Legolas could not suppress the cry of pain that escaped his lips. He was being tortured again. He did not have he will to deal with it again. His chest burned, and he could hardly breathe. He was all too aware of someone kicking his injured side again. Only minutes passed. It took his body a while to figure out that no new pain was being inflicted, and he was confused as to why. Thinking about it hurt as much as breathing did, and neither was a sensation he cared to become too familiar with.
'I can't be dead, I still hurt.' He thought numbly, trying to roll onto his back. The pain this caused was great, causing the elf to gasp slightly.
"Stay still, prince. You will be out of here soon," a voice drifted to his ears in the grey tongue.
The elf's ears tuned into the conversation around him, his mind desperately trying to take in something other than the pain.
"I asked you to leave my castle! Now you are interfering with my doings, and I will not have that!"
"And you, sir, are killing an innocent creature! He has done nothing to you."
"He has done ill to me- wait, why should I tell you this? What business is it of yours what I do with my things?"
Enimodel paused, checking his anger. Now was not the time to lose his temper. "Just let me take him, he will be out of your hair, and you will never have to deal with him again."
King Tarduain paused this time, as if considering the idea. "No," he said finally. "I swore when I took this one in that I would break his spirit and I have not yet done that. But you may have my word that I will not kill him."
"He is an elf! An elf prince at that; you will never break him."
"And how would a king of men know this?"
Enimodel shook his head. "My kingdom is near Mirkwood. We have many dealings with elves. I know the pride they have." He said this as though it were the most obvious thing in the world.
"Leave my castle now, or I will order your death."
Lord Enimodel looked down at the elf. He was dying.
The voice filtered through to Legolas again, still speaking in the grey tongue. 'Do not lose hope, do not leave the earth this way. I will come back. Just wait for me."
Enimodel looked back to the king. "Do I still have your word that you will not kill the boy?"
The king smiled. "You have my word."
Legolas cringed. He had a feeling that, by the end of all of this, he would have welcomed death. He felt the absence of Lord Enimodel like a ton of bricks.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~
"Where is he? Why is he not with you?"
"Hush, Evenstar. I will come back for him. His life is protected; he will not die."
Arwen sighed in frustration. "As if leaving him there to be tortured is a better fate than death?"
"Arwen, please!" He was leading the girl through the woods at a hurried pace. A fear grew in his mind that scouts would be sent to find them. "I am taking you to Rivendell. There, I will get help to come with me here to bring back Prince Legolas. There is nothing more I could do."
"Let me come back to help."
"Never. I would not bring you back here ever again."
A scream pierced the air, and both stopped in their tracks.
"Legolas," Arwen whispered, her blood running cold. "We have to go back."
"Arwen, look at me." Lord Enimodel placed a hand under her chin, forcing her to look him in the eye. "We can't go back. Not yet. We need reinforcement."
Tears glistened in Arwen's eyes, but she no longer protested. As furious as her heart was for leaving, she knew it would be folly to stay.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~
Lord Elrond glanced up from his desk as he heard the great doors open. He paused, then set down his quill and pushed his chair back. There was a feeling of urgency in the air. However, he had barely stood from his seat when the doors to the library were thrown open, and his own daughter stood before him.
"Arwen? Are you all right? Where have you been? Thranduil send word that you never arrived-"
"Legolas is being held captive. He is being tortured, and we need to save him, now." Arwen sobbed into he father's shoulder.
Elrond kept his alarm hidden from his daughter. "Where is he, child?"
Another voice entered the conversation then. "He is in Tarduain's land."
Arwen looked behind her. Enimodel. the whole plan had been so clever. how had she not known it?
"He has many men, and he is adamant about keeping Legolas as his slave. He was in grave condition when we left." He paused, wondering whether or not to state the prince's true welfare with Arwen in the room.
"He was dying."
Arwen turned her head away from the firelight, not wishing for either of the two to see her tears.
"Then we must rescue him," Elrond said, matter-of-factly.
"It is a three day journey by foot. As it is, we already spent three days fleeing to here. Another three and he will surely be dead." Enimodel responded, following the king out of the library. Arwen was on his heels.
"We will take horses. naturally. We leave within the hour. Take her to the healers."
"No, Father. I wish to go back with you."
Elrond did not hesitate. "No, my child. It is much to dangerous, and I would not risk your life again."
"Come, Arwen. All will be alright." Enimodel took her by the arm and led her away from her father. He quickly explained the situation to the healers, who took Arwen quickly to an empty bed.
"Lord."
Enimodel turned around, facing Arwen again.
A drug-induced sleep was quickly taking control of the girl's body. "Bring him back to me." Her eyes closed, her body finally finding a peaceful sleep that it had not had for nearly three months.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~
Legolas shuddered in his sleep. Someone was grabbing at him again. He just wanted it all to be over.
"Be at peace, Legolas. You are in Elvish hands now." Legolas' mind suddenly grew calm, but he had no control over his body's reactions. He was too tired to harness his fears.
"Watch my back, Elrohir."
"I'm on it, Father. Just save him."
The voices were so familiar.
Lord Elrond gently checked the prince for any wounds that would make it impossible for him to be moved. He pressed lightly on each rib until a small cry escaped the prince's lips, and his body curled protectively forward. Elrond sighed and turned to his companion.
"Can you take him on your horse?"
"Yes, my lord."
"You will have to move slowly and carefully, I do not know how much more his body can withstand."
"I understand. Do I take him to Rivendell, or to Mirkwood?"
"Rivendell. We have not the time to make it to Mirkwood. I fear he is fast approaching the darkness of death."
The man nodded while Elrond continued. "I will ride ahead with the others, and send word to Thranduil. Medicine and a bedchamber will be prepared for him, and yourself, when you arrive. I will leave 10 of my men to travel with you."
"Thank you. I will see you in a few days."
"Take care of him. I fear he still has much to do on this earth."
"Leave quickly! See to Arwen. Prepare for Legolas."
Lord Elrond nodded, turning his horse swiftly, galloping into the night. Enimodel took one nervous glance about, worried that Tarduain would find them.
It had been quite a hassle rescuing the prince. Guards were stationed everywhere; that was obstacle number one. Then there was the matter of finding where they had hidden the prince, then, on top of all that, they had to find their back out of the castle without being seen.
Elrond's companion mounted his horse after making sure Legolas was secure. "Come, men. We ride slow, but we ride hard."
No one spoke to him as they began the journey to Rivendell.
"Sir," an elf rode up a long time later.
"Yes, Roquen?"
"How does he fare?"
"Not well, I'm afraid. It's been nearly three hours and he had not yet awoken."
Roquen handed Enimodel a flask of water. "For when he awakes."
He man nodded his thanks.
"Yrch!" A shout rose from the back of the party. They all sprang to action.
"Take the prince, Roquen! Ride hard, fast. get him to Rivendell as soon as possible!"
"What about his wounds?"
"Lord Elrond will mend any wounds he re-opens. Go!" Enimodel turned to ready his bow for the oncoming attack.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~
A Big Thanks to all of my reviewers!!!
Mystery Elf: I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I hate cliff hangers too. I really hate them, it was just the best way to end the chapter without making it REALLY long.
Sky: Thank. Story lines do tend to be important, so I'm glad that you find it interesting!
Ryoko: Yeah, I know. Cliffies suck. I really am sorry, this chapter wasn't as bad, was it? A little tiny cliffie, but not so bad as last chapter. Thanks for the review.
Nina: It would be even worse of me to have just ended the *story* there, wouldn't it? :::cheeky grin::: Oh, and we still don't know who Enimodel is, do we?
Wilwarin: Yay, someone who didn't hate my cliffhanger. and what's a good story without a little suspense, eh? (No, I'm not Canadian, lol.)
Blume: Hi! Welcome! I put this chapter up just for you. I try to update every other day, but I kind of enjoy waiting for people's reviews. (I really do have a life, I promise.) And I'm sorry, lol, I hate cliffhangers. So I go and write one. It really was the best place to end the chapter though. Of course, seeing everyone's responses to them kind of amuses me, so maybe I'll write more, savvy? Please do keep in touch, I appreciate it!