Chapter 6

Life is so cruel,

So hard to go on,

So hard to let go,

Of the pain and the hate,

Of the horrible troubles that you've faced.

-Firniswin

Slowly Legolas senses returned, but he was not happy when they did. A burst of exploding pain hit him like a tsunami. He stifled a cry and tried to drag himself up, but to no avail.

He just layed there as the pain took over his back and ankle.

As he lay in the silence, he heard cries, moans, groans. He heard muffled speaking and low dangerous voices. They were rough and edged with annoyance.

Carefully, he leaned onto his elbows and listened as the dark world came into focus.

"Why scum?!" another crack and a muffle cry came to his ears.

"P-Please!" the voice whispered, thought with the elf's sensitive hearing, it was almost easy to decipher. "W-we only wanted to find our friends. Please! Just don't do anymore." his mind was fogged and it was hard to tell who the voice was at first.

"You are worthless." it was a confirmation, as another sound of boot finding flesh tore the air. The elf gasped as realization took over him.

"Let's talk to the elf." Booted feet stomped into the hard ground and came his way. "This one's not going to spill much."

Legolas layed back down and slowed his breathing, he closed his eyes and let himself listen better to the conversation.

"But Bror! He is only a boy. How much can he take?" another harsh voice asked as Legolas heard a key clank into his cell door.

"Gret. He is not ours. Remember! We sold him to that brainless goblin." the voice, which he assumed was Bror, said as they opened the door and entered.

"He is still asleep!" a voice hissed from right in front of the prince, the rancid breath came to him, and he noted it must be a goblin.

He knew by the gruff voices, that the other two were dwarves, but this one…..it hissed and had quite light feet. It was a goblin.

"Well, he won't be for long." Gret laughed and too out a torch lighting it and bringing the green glow down to Legolas's face.

"Hmmm. He is quite a pretty little thing. To pretty. Let's show him what it means to be a man." Bror laughed and so did the goblin.

"Grogsnith! Chain his pretty little neck to that wall!" the goblin inched cautiously towards the elf. He did not want to be as unlucky as his to companions. "Grog! Come on!" Gret roared, kicking the goblin from behind. The beast snarled and nodded, walking over to the prince.

The goblin grabbed the prince's good leg, once this had occurred. Legolas, putting all his energy in that one leg brought it up swiftly, throwing Grog onto the other side of the cell. He hit the bars with a crash and twang and slid to the floor, not moving a muscle. Save his breathing.

Legolas flopped over onto his stomach and rose unsteadily to his feet. His fiery blue eyes glaring at the two dwarves.

Both had red hair and beard and were a little more than surprised at what the elf had done.

Gret brought out his club and raised it, steadily advancing on Legolas, a treacherous look in his dark eyes.

"Why you no good rotten elf! Your just as bad as your little man friend." he smiled wickedly. "But we'll fix that."

Legolas growled deep, and sucked back a moan as he stood on his wounded ankle. His head began to swim and yellow and green sparks shot out in his vision.

"You will never break my will. Nor Estel's!" he growled, then he felt a surge of energy run through him. He smiled and let out a breath, finally ready, he charged the dwarf.

Picking up the goblins abandoned dagger, he flicked the weapon in is hands and brought it out against the dwarf. Just about severing his head from his neck, but before Legolas could go on with his planned assault.

The Dwarf's short sword clashed angrily against the small dagger, the elf prince carefully spun away, always cautious of his aching ankle. He smiled as old tricks planned useful.

He twirled gracefully, bringing the weapon down upon Bror's shoulder. The dwarf gasped as the small, dull dagger dug barely into his skin. While Legolas was occupied with this, he brought his sword, razor end down upon the elf's hand.

A small whimper and cry escaped the prince's lips as the sword cut deep to the bone.

Renewed anger and pain burning deep inside his heart, Legolas pulled the dagger from Bror's shoulder, he hefted the thing.

So busy in his smiling victory was he that Bror never saw the dagger embedded straight through his leather jerkin and skin, and set deep into his wicked heart.

With the last of his failing energy, the dwarf looked up surprise sparkling deep in his dark eyes. Then his sturdy frame met the floor as the last of his fleeing life disappeared forever.

Legolas panted as he pulled the dagger from Bror's heart, he wiped the blood from the cruel weapon onto his own, disheveled and ripped leggings. The blood smeared, but came easily from the dagger.

He turned his head up to see Gret, the other dwarf closing the cell door. Key6s in hand and ready to lock.

Instinct set first in his mind and the elf brought the weapon up, he let it fly. It cut the air and flew right to it's target.

Gret let out a raspy breath before his body tumbled to the floor. The keys fell from his grip and slid across the floor. They stopped next to Aragorn's cell and Legolas growled as he sat down wearily.

Spots dance before his eyes and the pain in his ankle was unbearable now. He yelped as a piece of rock fell from the ceiling and landed oddly in his blood rimmed gash.

He gasped and brought his wounded hand to his chest, hiding it beneath his ripped old blanket.

Legolas sat unmoving against the wall, his back begging him not move further He felt perspiration drip slightly from his temple, but he ignored it. He panted and heaved as blood poured from his wounds.

"Strider?" he called weakly. Part of him hoped that the man was awake, but the other part did not want his friend to see him defeated so. He went with the only chance they had.

"Estel?"

No sounds came from the cell beyond. He sighed and rubbed his weary and failing eyes with his good hand.

Legolas tried to stand, but more flashes of unbearable pain shot through his being and he cried out softly, letting his legs fail he fell to the cold and stony floor. He let tears fall from his eyes as the sharp stones dug into his legs and wounded ankle.

"Legolas?"

At the sound of his name the elf looked up and his worsening sight caught a set of eyes on the other side of Aragorn's cell.

He smiled, and would have leapt for joy if he had the strength. But at the moment, he felt so sick to his stomach that he feared to move.

The worried eyes watched through the bars, and two pale and blood stained hands groped the bars. His dark hair did not shine as it used to, it was damp with mud water and blood, and Legolas was sure he saw a teary sparkle in the young eyes.

"Are you alright, my prince?" the slightly older elf asked.

The elf prince made his frame shift higher and he held his head up high as it would go. He let his eyes brighten and exerted himself so a dim brightness came from his body.

The normal glow seemed to lift the warrior's spirits and he smiled a little.

"I am alright Taran. Nothing a little time in the healing wing won't repair." the blonde prince smiled reassuringly. "I need your help mellon nin. Will you?"

Taran smiled and nodded, then bowed a short and seemingly painful bow. "Anything for my prince."

"Good." The smirk on Legolas's face widened and he had to suppress a chuckle. "I have an idea."

Darkness.

That was all he could feel, see, and hear. Yet through a boundary that seemed so very far away, he could hear a voice. It shook him, and he began to awaken from the comforting sleep.

"Estel?" They sounded in dire need. He shrugged it aside a moment, he was too worn out to help anyone.

He cried out softly as his achin, bleeding ribs cut a lash of unbearable pain into his side. He gasped and shook his head.

"No. Go away." he whispered. "Leave…me….a-lone!"

"No Estel? Fear not." a warmness began to envelope him and he smiled. It felt so wonderful. So warm and healing.

He sighed, and moaned as the pain in his head began to increase.

"Please mellon nin. Aquista."

The elven words soothed his heart and the pounding in his head lessened. He smiled sadly and tried to swim into the light.

A ray of graceful sun floated across his shivering frame.

"Estel? It is me, Legolas."

"And Taran!"

Those names, they were bruning his heart. But for the moment, he could not remember them.

The sun seemed to spread and he smiled as warm light enveloped his being, things seemed to float back to his mind and gradually he began to remember the predicament that they found themselves in.

Slowly, he tried to open his eyes, but to no avail. At that moment they seemed to be glued shut. He groaned as he put all he could to feat the one minimal task.

And finally his attempts were praised when he opened his eyes, too quickly he found out. Because as soon as he opened them, bright light shot through his head and he almost cried at the amounts of fiery pain.

"Shhh…try again Estel." Legolas's voice whispered. "But not so fast, let your eyes adjust."

The young man nodded wordlessly and tried once more, but this time he did not work so hastily. He gradually opened the silvery pain glazed orbs enough to see someone watching him on the other side of the cell.

Legolas smiled broadly for the man and let the pain of his own wounds drift away for a time.

"Welcome back mellon nin." he whispered.

Aragorn used the bars, and while keeping one hand over his bleeding side slid into a sitting position. Leaning heavily against the bars.

It was no that it did not hurt him. It did much to even attempt sitting. But he knew that they needed to leave this mountain range. He could sense that his own time was coming up abruptly and he knew wel, that as injured as he was, Legolas could never make it out alone.

He turned his own eyes from the floor to the elen prince who sat across from him, he noted the way that the elf cradled his hand and watched as little by little, blood dripped through Legolas's fingers.

"Well?" he inquired about the plans, for he was sure that Legolas had some sort of half baked sceme. He always did.

The elven prince nodded in the direction of the keys that lay to the side, near the cell bars. "Can you get those?" the elf asked.

Gingerly the man leaned back and reached through the tight bars. He grinned as his long fingers clasped round a ring.

As he pulled them closer, a jingling sound was produced. He frowned as the sound carried up the corridors, ringing earily in the silent barely lit halls.

He pulled the sought item up to his chest and looked at them with a smile.

The key ring was very old and had rust coming over it. There were at least ten keys on the thing, maybe more, maybe less. Aragorn could not rightly tell considering that everything was beginning to spin and his stomach was churning.

"Get 'em." he whispered through the agony in his body, he held them up weakly so Legolas could see.

The elf prince grinned and looked to the young man, a deep hope burning in his eyes.

"Hand them to me."

Estel complied easily, not wanting to be the one that had to get up and open the cell doors. Right now he did not feel as if he could defeat such and accomplishment.

He stretched his small but muscular arm through the small opening in the bars, Legolas did likewise and grabbed the item hastily.

Slowly, careful not to make to much noise or rattle his injured frame, he stood to his feet and made his way to the cell door.

Taran watched with excitement, he too had endured just enough of this rotten place and could not stand the prospect of being caught.

Sticking his uninjured hand through the bars, he tried to put the key through. The little silver item creaked with protest as Legolas forced it in. He turned it, but nothing happened.

"What?!" he whispered harshly, Aragorn looked up at his friends horror and watched.

"It is not working!" the elf prince stated worriedly as the footsteps above him began to move farther away again.

But even so, he knew well that that could mean anything. It could mean also, that the being above him, was coming down to check on them.

"Someone is coming! What do I do?!"

"Keep trying! Maybe it is the wrong key?" Taran noted softly and bounced softly in his cell.

"No! I watched, he used this key! I know it!"

Out of ideas and becoming very sore and frantic, the prince of Mirkwood began to fidgit involuntarily. He clenched his teeth as he tried again to open the tightly closed cell door.

Aragorn watched the door, a new thought taking hold of him.

"Legolas?!" his pain bright eyes took in the prince's, he spoke quietly and calmly. "Give me the keys."

"No! I can-"

"Legolas?" Taran frowned and Legolas looked up at both. "You must calm yourself. We will get out, but you must trust Estel. You taught me that much, now I remind you."

The elven prince looked down at the cell door, and let his head fall. "You are right." he whispered.

Aragorn stuck his own cut hands through the bars and recieved the keys. Smiling he gently stood, and hobbled to the door.

He smiled up at the prince before sticking his hand back through the bars and inserting the silver key into his own lock.

He turned it with expertise that seemed to fit him, back and forth he twisted the key. His tounge came out and he bit lightly on it to stifle the tears that threatened him as he upset his body more.

A click came from the lock and slowly, the door swung open. Aragorn let go, it squeaked and moaned eerily before stopping against Taran's and clanging with the bars.

"You are a wonder Estel!" Taran cried in amazement.

Truth be told, Aragorn's door was rusted just as much as Legolas's, but the right moves and turns had earned the young mortal the right to freedom.

"Taran next. He can help me with the door. You rest Legolas. Worry not. I will free you in a moment."

Legolas sighed and leaned against the bars. "But Estel-"

A pair of honest eyes turned on the prince. He looked up in to the silver orbs and smiled, nodding after a moment.

"Alright, I would be in the way anyhow."

"Hannon le mellon nin."

The young man moved as quickly as he could to Taran's door and began to twist the ke in the lock, just as he had done before.

"Almost-" he ground out before he was rewarded with another solid click. The elf's door swung slowly open, just as Estel's had done.

"Alright Taran. Here are the keys, you can go much quicker than I. Do as I have done, I will use this." Aragorn stooped and grasped the goblin dagger from the dead dwarf's no longer bleeding body.

The face had horror written all over it and was white as snow and cold to the touch. Aragorn sighed, as he looked at the forever opened eyes.

"It was not his fault. He could have been saved."

"No Estel. His heart was far from what it once was. It has been forever blackened. It was better for him this way, as for all of us."

The man nodded before retreating to the next cell.

He could hear every once in a while the soft click of the lock as Taran opened the cell doors. He listened as many catious unbooted or booted feet filled the halls. Their lithe, and emaciated frames eadging through the darkness.

"Run! You are free! Flee friends! Seek your homelands!"

Aragorn smiled at the choice words as the lock to his first door clicked. He grabbed the bars and pulled it open as quickly as his body would let him.

He watched as two very young, thin elves crept from the darkness of the cell. Their eyes watching him with caution.

"Go on! Noro lim!" He whispered pointing in the direction he hoped was the exit.

Both male elves looked curiously at the man and began to run on all fours the way he had pointed.

Sighing deeply Estel continued down the line of cells.

Each bringing new surprises, in the last cell he opened he smiled sadly. In it, two twins sat in the corner. Both were female and shivering in fear. They covered their head with their left and right arm and held onto one another with the opposite arm.

"Fear not. I will not harm you."

Neither understood, they only coward further from his sight as they could.

He would not leave them. For they had special meaning in his life. They reminded him of his dear brothers, he could not leave them.

"Aquista."

The elven word had the desired affect. Both looked up at the same moment.

They wore ragged elven dresses and their pointed ears drooped oddly. Scratches, brusies, and other assortments decorated both bodies entirely. And it seemed that the younger one had a broken arm, she held it limply against he chest and winced when it was at all jostled.

Aragorn smiled sweetly and pointed the way out.

"Aquista noro lim."

The younger sister ran forward, but the older stopped next to Aragorn.

The man had to admit, she was quite beautiful. He smiled and she did also.

"Hannon le mellon nin." The sister whispered and lightly kissed the man upon the cheek.

The man's eyes widened and he touched his cheek. She laughed and before another word could be said sprinted after her sister.

"Estel. They are all freed. Help me!"

His thought s dissipated as his elven helper's voice cut through the mirky air. As it did, a jolt erupted and small clods of dirt began to fall.

"Hurry!"

Aragorn limped forward as fast as he could. His leg was aching ferociously and his other wounds were no better. He sucked back tears, he would show no weakness.

His vision started to blur before him and he stumbled blindly along the passage, only Taran's worried voice to guide him.

Finally his sight cleared and he saw Taran was fidgeting with Legolas's cell door, rocks were crashing down with thuds and booms and all was in utter chaos.

"Estel! Legolas is trapped! And the cave is coming down! We have to get out!"

Aragorn took the keys and rushed to pull the door free, his attempts were useless.

A rock dropped within inches of the elven warrrior and he side stepped quickly to miss it.

Aragorn seeing this made a drastic descision.

"Taran! Leave! Lead the elves home."

But the dark haired elf was already shaking his head, he winced and pulled at the bars, trying to help.

The man stepped forward pushing him back.

"GO NOW!"

"But-"

A look of sympathy passed between the two, Aragorn sighed softly and motioned with one hand for the elf to go.

"They need you Taran! Legolas and I will be fine! I promise, I will not let him depart this life. I swear on my own life, as long as I am still breathing, he will return."

The elf nodded, he knew that Aragorn would do his best, and he knew it well.

"Namarie mellon nin, and may Eru bless you, and keep your path."

"I pray the same prayer for you."

With those last words, Taran departed, he looked back once more as he raced up the path towards the entry.

He watched tears filling his eyes as Estel tried desperately to free his best friend from the prison.

On a brush of air he heard elven words spoken to comfort the one in need.

The elves before him limped and raced from the cave, some crawling, some running. They all knew what had come, they knew that they were finally free.

"Noro lim eldar." Taran shouted above the roar of stones and feet.

Galanion tried to shove back, he ran back towards the cells.

"Estel!" he cried in anguish as he ran. Taran grabbed his arm forcefully and dragged him back words.

"Leave them Gal! It is what they wished!"

"NO!"

As they all ran, a ray of sharp and piercing light came from one end of the long and seemingly unending tunnel.

"Hurry!" the elven warrior shouted, still pulling the sobbing blonde elf with him.

Many of the elves's paces quickened as a large heap of rock slid from the side. The tumbling pebbles ran into the dirt ground and brought up the dust.

Coughs and sobs could be heard as most of the elves choked upon the old rock dirt.

The tunnel came to and end and light shot through all their heads, cries if joy mixed with pain filled the glen in which they came.

Only two elves did not do either, they starred in horror as the roof of the cave came down and all that might have been in the rocky prison was lost.

"Estel." Galanion choked on the ragged dust and sobbed for his friend.

Taran said nothing, he only rubbed the taller elf's strong back, wishing desperately, that this had all been just a horrible dream.

TBC~

Okay, this chapter was quite long. Um so ya, the last chapter will be an epilogue. So stay tuned. I am sooooo sorry it too so long.