Okay. I was a little faster this time, but not much. I apologize. I've been
having some issues lately and wanted nothing more then to lie down in the
fetal position and cry, so. Hopefully I won't be quite as slow next time.
In response to your reviews: FFE Rocks My Socks: Wow. That was a long review. I apologize for the dialogue mistakes. This is my first LOTR fic and it was kind of hard to get the right words. It gets better as the story goes along. I promise(. Also, they stop describing their wounds with each other. That was mainly an inexperienced writer thing. I have proof that people turn green. I've heard stories (. Somehow, Saruman makes me think of someone who bitch slaps. It just seems like something he would do. Other people might not think so, but that's how I see it. I have no idea if Isenard has dungeons, but if it didn't before, it is completely irrelevant to the story how they got there. My story is a bit of an A/U.
ElvenRanger13: Don't worry, the work that they do isn't too scary.
MoroTheWolfGod: Here you go.
Summary, disclaimers, etc. available at the beginning of Chapter 1.
Chapter 3 Back to Work Legolas and Aragorn walked quickly down a narrow set of stairs. The Orcs had told them that there would be water and fresh clothes for them down there. They pushed open a door at the bottom of the stairwell to reveal a large vat filled with water. Legolas dove in, still fully clothed, and had to bite back a scream. The water was extremely cold and burned as it entered the cut on his side. He surface quickly. "How's the water?" Aragorn asked "Really warm, considering we are underground," the Elf replied. The human raised a brow. "I've never been so cold in my life," Legolas admitted as he swam towards the edge and pulled himself out. "Wash fast," he advised Aragorn. Aragorn jumped in without another word and was out of the water in a couple of seconds. "You know, that felt better than any hot bath I have ever taken," Aragorn joked. Legolas shrugged and changed into clean leggings and a clean tunic. As soon as Aragorn was changed, the ripped a strip of one of the old tunics and wrapped it around Legolas's injured wrist. "There. That should help, at least a little," Aragorn said. Legolas nodded and they headed upstairs to find Saruman. "Oh good! The slaves are back!" Saruman said as they entered, emphasizing the word slaves. Legolas bit his tongue to keep from snapping at the wizard. "What happened to your wrist?" Saruman asked. The lack of concern for the Elf was evident in his voice. "One of your little Orc pets broke it," Legolas replied, unable to keep an angry tremor out of his words. "Well you'll just have to work with it like that," Saruman said, shrugging. "Look around the tower, there should be some cleaning to do." His words were directed at Aragorn. "As for you," he said, turning to Legolas, "you'll stay here." Aragorn paused by the door and he heard those words, but was escorted out by Orcs before he had a chance to turn back. Saruman stood from his throne and walked down the stairs to where Legolas stood. He didn't stop until they were practically nose-to-nose. "I'm thinking of returning you to your old job," Saruman said. Legolas winced. His old job had ultimately been being used as a punching bag for Saruman, the Orcs, and the Uruk-hai. Saruman smiled at the Elf's obvious fear. "Doesn't sound appealing does it?" he taunted. "Why don't we start right now?" He pushed Legolas hard, who stumbled but managed to remain on his feet. "That was impressive. Most days you would have fallen flat on your back!" Saruman jeered. Legolas sank down and lifted his hands slightly, preparing for Saruman's next attack. But the wizard seemed to be bored with physical combat, and grabbed his staff. He pointed it at Legolas, who was thrown back against the wall. He felt pain under his skin, a slight burning sensation. He also knew that this was barely a sample of Saruman's full power. Even so, any form of magical attack from Saruman was enough to leave the elf feeling weak and sick. "That's enough for the first day back," Saruman said, releasing his hold on the Elf. Legolas slid down to the floor, breathing heavily. "Go find some work to do," Saruman snapped. Legolas gingerly rose to his feet and left. Aragorn was waiting for him outside of the door. The Elf's knees gave out, but Aragorn caught him easily, steadying his friend. "What did he do to you?" Aragorn asked worriedly. "He's done worse," Legolas assured him. A lot worse, the Elf added silently. He took several more deep breaths, ignoring the pain in his ribs, and slowly pulled away form Aragorn. "Lets go find something to do." Cleaning has got to be the most boring job in the world, Legolas thought. He wiped a soft cloth across one of the tables, resisting the urge to slam his fist into it. Even so, he would rather be here than with Saruman being beaten to death. "There can't possibly be another table in this place," Aragorn said as he entered. "I'm sure we'd find one if we looked hard enough," Legolas replied. "Let's not look." Aragorn suggested "An excellent plan" Legolas replied. He wiped the last bit of dirt off the table with a flourish and followed Aragorn out the door. He turned the corner and almost walked into Saruman. "Is your work done?" The wizard inquired. Legolas nodded quickly and tried to dodge around Saruman. "Not so fast." he said, blocking the Elf's escape. Aragorn paused, waiting for his friend. "Are all the tables clean?" Saruman asked. "All the ones we could find," Legolas said through clenched teeth. "Is that so?" The wizard said, his voice angry. Saruman grabbed Legolas's wrist roughly and jerked hard. The Elf fought hard not to yelp as white pain shot up his arm. He allowed himself to be dragged down the hallway, knowing it would hurt more if he fought. Aragorn hurried behind them. Saruman led the two friends into a room containing three tables, all coated with a thin layer of dust. "You forgot these ones," the Wizard said pointedly, tightening his grip on the Elf's arm. "Sorry Milord," Aragorn said, hastily getting to work. He struggled not to let his anger and disgust show in his words. "Come and see me when you are done," Saruman said to both of them, loosening his grip on Legolas's arm, although he seemed reluctant to let go. Finally he released the Elf and left the room. Only when the wizard was truly gone did Legolas let himself show pain. He took a several deep breaths and steadied himself by putting his uninjured hand on the wall. "Are you okay?" Aragorn asked. Legolas nodded and they quickly finished their assignment. Ten minutes later, they stood in front of Saruman's throne. "I will be throwing a party in one week," He told them. Legolas and Aragorn stared at him in amazement. "I've told the people in this area that I have seen the error in my ways and have broken away from Sauron," He continued. Legolas snorted with laughter but changed it quickly into a hacking cough. Saruman glared at him. "There will be humans, wizards and maybe even some elves." He said, looking pointedly at Legolas. "You will not be allowed to talk to any of them. If I catch you having a conversation with them, you will be severely punished. Understand?" Legolas and Aragorn nodded simultaneously. Saruman glanced at the two Orcs beside him. "Will you please escort these two to their sleeping area?" Saruman asked, more of an order that a question. The Orcs caught hold of the prisoner's arms, and pulled them down below ground. They were shoved back into the cell that they had spent so much time in for the pass three years and were chained to the wall. They didn't talk until the Orcs left. "Apparently they don't trust us anymore" Aragorn said. The chains were right up against the wall so the only thing they could move was their head. Sleeping would be interesting. They had never been chained up so tightly before their attempted escape. ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ Legolas and Aragorn sat on the floor of their cell, staring at the door in front of them. They were both well aware that it led outside and ultimately their freedom. The only problem was that it was locked and they didn't have anything that could serve as a lock pick. "Maybe we should sleep and think about this tomorrow?" Aragorn suggested. "Go ahead and sleep," Legolas said. "I'm not tired." Aragorn lay down and was soon asleep. Legolas continued to stare at the door for two more hours. Suddenly, an idea struck him. He walked over to the door and pulled on the bolts that held the hinges together. They came out easily. "Aragorn!" he whispered with delight. Aragorn woke with a start and stared at the opening. "That. Is. Amazing." he managed to say, shocked. "Yes, I will go down in history, for the Elf who opened the door!" Legolas said, grinning. Aragorn laughed and the two friends walked up the stairs and into the sunshine. "Not so fast..." ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ Legolas stared at the mark on his right arm. It was the shape of a hand, a brand mark. The white hand of Saruman. He remembered the day he'd been given it all too well. ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ Legolas was nearly asleep when the orcs entered. Their capture had been several days before. One of the Orcs held a rope the other held a branding iron. Please don't let that be what I think it's for, Legolas thought. He had no such luck. The first orc grabbed him and pushed him face first onto the floor, quickly binding his hands. The other raised the iron and brought it down on his upper right arm. White, hot pain spread through the area. Legolas bit back a scream of pain as the mark was burned into his flesh. Within a mater of minutes, Aragorn bore the same mark, though his was on his left palm. They would carry these marks forever, a reminder of their slavery. ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ Legolas leaned casually against the wall, pretending to listen as he was lectured about the upcoming party.
"Do you understand?" Saruman finally asked after about half an hour.
"Yes" Legolas replied
"Yes, what?" Saruman said automatically. The elf ground his teeth.
"Yes, my lord," he spat.
"That's better." Saruman said before striding away. Titles. Legolas had learned about them long before.
"Further more," Saruman told the two prisoners, "you will never refer to me as Saruman. You will refer to me either as my Lord or Lord Saruman. Understood?" Legolas and Aragorn refused to answer. The wizard kicked Legolas in the side.
"Understood?" he repeated
"Why should we bow to you?l" Legolas shot back. The wizard kicked him again, harder this time.
"Yes, Lord Saruman." Legolas managed to gasp through the pain. When it subsided, he continued. "Happy now?" The wizard smiled slowly. "You'll find that out soon enough." *********************
The next few days passed in a blur for Legolas. There were many chores that needed to be done for Saruman's upcoming party. Three days later, Legolas and Aragorn lay in their cell, exhausted after a hard long day scrubbing walls. Legolas closed his eyes and willed sleep to come, but none came. He opened his eyes to find that Aragorn wasn't asleep either. A though suddenly struck the exhausted Elf. "I wonder how long it will be before I turn into an Orc," Legolas said sleepily. Aragorn glanced at him and smiled. "Don't worry. You're still blond. The day your hair starts to turn black, we've got a problem." "Not my hair!" Legolas said in mock horror. He then rolled over and fell asleep. Legolas and Aragorn were separated from each other the next morning, each assigned different chores. The guests had begun to arrive and rooms had to be prepared. They two friends didn't see each other until late afternoon. "If I have one more Human, Dwarf, Wizard, or ANYTHING tell me that their bed isn't made properly I am going to scream!" Aragorn announced as he fell back onto the bed Legolas was preparing. The Elf smiled. "At least you can talk to the guests," he said. "My exact orders were 'stay out of sight, you pathetic excuse for an Elf!'" It was now Aragorn's turn to smile, before Legolas continued. "Besides, who would I talk to? Elrond thinks we're both dead, the dwarves would laugh and the humans probably think I'm pathetic." Aragorn nodded in agreement, then left to go make more beds. Legolas then bit his lip and he remembered Saruman informing them that no one was coming for them. ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ "Someone will come looking for us!" Legolas said defiantly as an Orc jerked him to his feet. "Do you really believe that?" Saruman asked, "What a pity." "What do you mean?" Aragorn demanded. Saruman smiled wickedly. "Elrond sent for you. He was informed by your friends that you had gone missing. Naturally, he came here first. He found nothing. Later, one of my messengers went to Rivendell, telling Elrond that two dwarves had killed you. They, of course, were executed soon after." The wizard informed them. Legolas felt his heart sink. No one was coming for them. They were alone. ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ "Excuse me, could you tell me where Saruman is?" A female voice asked. Legolas felt a small tendril of fear run down his back. So much for not talking to anyone. He turned slowly, hoping that if he took long enough, someone would come along that would answer he question and he could escape. No such luck. When he turned around, his eyes fell on a female Elf. Her long hair was light blonde and wavy, reaching down just past her lower back. She was dressed in a dark green dress. Had Legolas not been so worried someone would see him, he would have laughed at the absurdness of this meeting. Although he was a prince, he was dressed in dirty, ratty clothes. His blonde hair was dirty and he had a cut on his cheek. He was sure he looked nothing like an Elf. "I haven't seen him lately," He muttered quietly, lowering his eyes to the floor. He began to walk quickly away. "Are you an Elf?" The female Elf asked. He didn't reply, just quickened his pace. "What's your name?" She asked, grabbing his arm "LEGOLAS!" Saruman's angry voice yelled down the hall.
In response to your reviews: FFE Rocks My Socks: Wow. That was a long review. I apologize for the dialogue mistakes. This is my first LOTR fic and it was kind of hard to get the right words. It gets better as the story goes along. I promise(. Also, they stop describing their wounds with each other. That was mainly an inexperienced writer thing. I have proof that people turn green. I've heard stories (. Somehow, Saruman makes me think of someone who bitch slaps. It just seems like something he would do. Other people might not think so, but that's how I see it. I have no idea if Isenard has dungeons, but if it didn't before, it is completely irrelevant to the story how they got there. My story is a bit of an A/U.
ElvenRanger13: Don't worry, the work that they do isn't too scary.
MoroTheWolfGod: Here you go.
Summary, disclaimers, etc. available at the beginning of Chapter 1.
Chapter 3 Back to Work Legolas and Aragorn walked quickly down a narrow set of stairs. The Orcs had told them that there would be water and fresh clothes for them down there. They pushed open a door at the bottom of the stairwell to reveal a large vat filled with water. Legolas dove in, still fully clothed, and had to bite back a scream. The water was extremely cold and burned as it entered the cut on his side. He surface quickly. "How's the water?" Aragorn asked "Really warm, considering we are underground," the Elf replied. The human raised a brow. "I've never been so cold in my life," Legolas admitted as he swam towards the edge and pulled himself out. "Wash fast," he advised Aragorn. Aragorn jumped in without another word and was out of the water in a couple of seconds. "You know, that felt better than any hot bath I have ever taken," Aragorn joked. Legolas shrugged and changed into clean leggings and a clean tunic. As soon as Aragorn was changed, the ripped a strip of one of the old tunics and wrapped it around Legolas's injured wrist. "There. That should help, at least a little," Aragorn said. Legolas nodded and they headed upstairs to find Saruman. "Oh good! The slaves are back!" Saruman said as they entered, emphasizing the word slaves. Legolas bit his tongue to keep from snapping at the wizard. "What happened to your wrist?" Saruman asked. The lack of concern for the Elf was evident in his voice. "One of your little Orc pets broke it," Legolas replied, unable to keep an angry tremor out of his words. "Well you'll just have to work with it like that," Saruman said, shrugging. "Look around the tower, there should be some cleaning to do." His words were directed at Aragorn. "As for you," he said, turning to Legolas, "you'll stay here." Aragorn paused by the door and he heard those words, but was escorted out by Orcs before he had a chance to turn back. Saruman stood from his throne and walked down the stairs to where Legolas stood. He didn't stop until they were practically nose-to-nose. "I'm thinking of returning you to your old job," Saruman said. Legolas winced. His old job had ultimately been being used as a punching bag for Saruman, the Orcs, and the Uruk-hai. Saruman smiled at the Elf's obvious fear. "Doesn't sound appealing does it?" he taunted. "Why don't we start right now?" He pushed Legolas hard, who stumbled but managed to remain on his feet. "That was impressive. Most days you would have fallen flat on your back!" Saruman jeered. Legolas sank down and lifted his hands slightly, preparing for Saruman's next attack. But the wizard seemed to be bored with physical combat, and grabbed his staff. He pointed it at Legolas, who was thrown back against the wall. He felt pain under his skin, a slight burning sensation. He also knew that this was barely a sample of Saruman's full power. Even so, any form of magical attack from Saruman was enough to leave the elf feeling weak and sick. "That's enough for the first day back," Saruman said, releasing his hold on the Elf. Legolas slid down to the floor, breathing heavily. "Go find some work to do," Saruman snapped. Legolas gingerly rose to his feet and left. Aragorn was waiting for him outside of the door. The Elf's knees gave out, but Aragorn caught him easily, steadying his friend. "What did he do to you?" Aragorn asked worriedly. "He's done worse," Legolas assured him. A lot worse, the Elf added silently. He took several more deep breaths, ignoring the pain in his ribs, and slowly pulled away form Aragorn. "Lets go find something to do." Cleaning has got to be the most boring job in the world, Legolas thought. He wiped a soft cloth across one of the tables, resisting the urge to slam his fist into it. Even so, he would rather be here than with Saruman being beaten to death. "There can't possibly be another table in this place," Aragorn said as he entered. "I'm sure we'd find one if we looked hard enough," Legolas replied. "Let's not look." Aragorn suggested "An excellent plan" Legolas replied. He wiped the last bit of dirt off the table with a flourish and followed Aragorn out the door. He turned the corner and almost walked into Saruman. "Is your work done?" The wizard inquired. Legolas nodded quickly and tried to dodge around Saruman. "Not so fast." he said, blocking the Elf's escape. Aragorn paused, waiting for his friend. "Are all the tables clean?" Saruman asked. "All the ones we could find," Legolas said through clenched teeth. "Is that so?" The wizard said, his voice angry. Saruman grabbed Legolas's wrist roughly and jerked hard. The Elf fought hard not to yelp as white pain shot up his arm. He allowed himself to be dragged down the hallway, knowing it would hurt more if he fought. Aragorn hurried behind them. Saruman led the two friends into a room containing three tables, all coated with a thin layer of dust. "You forgot these ones," the Wizard said pointedly, tightening his grip on the Elf's arm. "Sorry Milord," Aragorn said, hastily getting to work. He struggled not to let his anger and disgust show in his words. "Come and see me when you are done," Saruman said to both of them, loosening his grip on Legolas's arm, although he seemed reluctant to let go. Finally he released the Elf and left the room. Only when the wizard was truly gone did Legolas let himself show pain. He took a several deep breaths and steadied himself by putting his uninjured hand on the wall. "Are you okay?" Aragorn asked. Legolas nodded and they quickly finished their assignment. Ten minutes later, they stood in front of Saruman's throne. "I will be throwing a party in one week," He told them. Legolas and Aragorn stared at him in amazement. "I've told the people in this area that I have seen the error in my ways and have broken away from Sauron," He continued. Legolas snorted with laughter but changed it quickly into a hacking cough. Saruman glared at him. "There will be humans, wizards and maybe even some elves." He said, looking pointedly at Legolas. "You will not be allowed to talk to any of them. If I catch you having a conversation with them, you will be severely punished. Understand?" Legolas and Aragorn nodded simultaneously. Saruman glanced at the two Orcs beside him. "Will you please escort these two to their sleeping area?" Saruman asked, more of an order that a question. The Orcs caught hold of the prisoner's arms, and pulled them down below ground. They were shoved back into the cell that they had spent so much time in for the pass three years and were chained to the wall. They didn't talk until the Orcs left. "Apparently they don't trust us anymore" Aragorn said. The chains were right up against the wall so the only thing they could move was their head. Sleeping would be interesting. They had never been chained up so tightly before their attempted escape. ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ Legolas and Aragorn sat on the floor of their cell, staring at the door in front of them. They were both well aware that it led outside and ultimately their freedom. The only problem was that it was locked and they didn't have anything that could serve as a lock pick. "Maybe we should sleep and think about this tomorrow?" Aragorn suggested. "Go ahead and sleep," Legolas said. "I'm not tired." Aragorn lay down and was soon asleep. Legolas continued to stare at the door for two more hours. Suddenly, an idea struck him. He walked over to the door and pulled on the bolts that held the hinges together. They came out easily. "Aragorn!" he whispered with delight. Aragorn woke with a start and stared at the opening. "That. Is. Amazing." he managed to say, shocked. "Yes, I will go down in history, for the Elf who opened the door!" Legolas said, grinning. Aragorn laughed and the two friends walked up the stairs and into the sunshine. "Not so fast..." ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ Legolas stared at the mark on his right arm. It was the shape of a hand, a brand mark. The white hand of Saruman. He remembered the day he'd been given it all too well. ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ Legolas was nearly asleep when the orcs entered. Their capture had been several days before. One of the Orcs held a rope the other held a branding iron. Please don't let that be what I think it's for, Legolas thought. He had no such luck. The first orc grabbed him and pushed him face first onto the floor, quickly binding his hands. The other raised the iron and brought it down on his upper right arm. White, hot pain spread through the area. Legolas bit back a scream of pain as the mark was burned into his flesh. Within a mater of minutes, Aragorn bore the same mark, though his was on his left palm. They would carry these marks forever, a reminder of their slavery. ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ Legolas leaned casually against the wall, pretending to listen as he was lectured about the upcoming party.
"Do you understand?" Saruman finally asked after about half an hour.
"Yes" Legolas replied
"Yes, what?" Saruman said automatically. The elf ground his teeth.
"Yes, my lord," he spat.
"That's better." Saruman said before striding away. Titles. Legolas had learned about them long before.
"Further more," Saruman told the two prisoners, "you will never refer to me as Saruman. You will refer to me either as my Lord or Lord Saruman. Understood?" Legolas and Aragorn refused to answer. The wizard kicked Legolas in the side.
"Understood?" he repeated
"Why should we bow to you?l" Legolas shot back. The wizard kicked him again, harder this time.
"Yes, Lord Saruman." Legolas managed to gasp through the pain. When it subsided, he continued. "Happy now?" The wizard smiled slowly. "You'll find that out soon enough." *********************
The next few days passed in a blur for Legolas. There were many chores that needed to be done for Saruman's upcoming party. Three days later, Legolas and Aragorn lay in their cell, exhausted after a hard long day scrubbing walls. Legolas closed his eyes and willed sleep to come, but none came. He opened his eyes to find that Aragorn wasn't asleep either. A though suddenly struck the exhausted Elf. "I wonder how long it will be before I turn into an Orc," Legolas said sleepily. Aragorn glanced at him and smiled. "Don't worry. You're still blond. The day your hair starts to turn black, we've got a problem." "Not my hair!" Legolas said in mock horror. He then rolled over and fell asleep. Legolas and Aragorn were separated from each other the next morning, each assigned different chores. The guests had begun to arrive and rooms had to be prepared. They two friends didn't see each other until late afternoon. "If I have one more Human, Dwarf, Wizard, or ANYTHING tell me that their bed isn't made properly I am going to scream!" Aragorn announced as he fell back onto the bed Legolas was preparing. The Elf smiled. "At least you can talk to the guests," he said. "My exact orders were 'stay out of sight, you pathetic excuse for an Elf!'" It was now Aragorn's turn to smile, before Legolas continued. "Besides, who would I talk to? Elrond thinks we're both dead, the dwarves would laugh and the humans probably think I'm pathetic." Aragorn nodded in agreement, then left to go make more beds. Legolas then bit his lip and he remembered Saruman informing them that no one was coming for them. ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ "Someone will come looking for us!" Legolas said defiantly as an Orc jerked him to his feet. "Do you really believe that?" Saruman asked, "What a pity." "What do you mean?" Aragorn demanded. Saruman smiled wickedly. "Elrond sent for you. He was informed by your friends that you had gone missing. Naturally, he came here first. He found nothing. Later, one of my messengers went to Rivendell, telling Elrond that two dwarves had killed you. They, of course, were executed soon after." The wizard informed them. Legolas felt his heart sink. No one was coming for them. They were alone. ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ "Excuse me, could you tell me where Saruman is?" A female voice asked. Legolas felt a small tendril of fear run down his back. So much for not talking to anyone. He turned slowly, hoping that if he took long enough, someone would come along that would answer he question and he could escape. No such luck. When he turned around, his eyes fell on a female Elf. Her long hair was light blonde and wavy, reaching down just past her lower back. She was dressed in a dark green dress. Had Legolas not been so worried someone would see him, he would have laughed at the absurdness of this meeting. Although he was a prince, he was dressed in dirty, ratty clothes. His blonde hair was dirty and he had a cut on his cheek. He was sure he looked nothing like an Elf. "I haven't seen him lately," He muttered quietly, lowering his eyes to the floor. He began to walk quickly away. "Are you an Elf?" The female Elf asked. He didn't reply, just quickened his pace. "What's your name?" She asked, grabbing his arm "LEGOLAS!" Saruman's angry voice yelled down the hall.