Authors notes: - Thank you for your comments and welcome to my new reviewer
Gemstone who left a long and wonderful review for which I am grateful.
Sorry if I have not acknowledged all my reviewers individually because my
email is on the frizz and I haven't been receiving all my reviews and
ff.net keeps chucking me off! When the story ends I will thank you all!!
Anywho on with the story! Enjoy!
**
The pain was agonising, every nerve in his body was on fire. He could not get enough air into his lungs and his chest heaved in effort. Sweat ran down his skin and he felt like he was burning up from the inside. He had no breath to scream or to make a sound.
The Darak stepped back from the torture he was inflicting on the elf and two twisted creatures crept forward. One grabbed the elf's jaw and the other forced a liquid into his mouth.
"You have only a few minutes left to live, that was the last dose of poison. But poison is so boring so we have another surprise for you . You are going to die alone and afraid."
Legolas glared at him despite the pain that screamed throughout his body.
"Put him in." The Darak commanded. The two creatures picked up the weak elf and carried him to a hole in the ground. They dropped him and began placing dirt over him.
'I'm being buried alive' Legolas panicked as the dirt began to cover him up. It fell on his face and in his eyes, his legs disappeared, then his chest. Soon only his head was visible.
"Goodbye little elf." And the final pieces of dirt were placed over him.
Legolas desperately clawed at the dirt. He tried to breath but dirt clogged his mouth. Dark spots danced in front of his eyes.
'I'm going to die' he thought his mind becoming sluggish as it became oxygen deprived. Soon his struggles lessened and his breathing stopped. A few minutes later his heart stopped and Legolas Greenleaf died. His last thought an apology to Aragorn for his failure.
*
* 'If this is the Halls of Mandos than I was misled' Legolas thought as he appeared on a sandy plain, dark clouds overhead.
"That is because this is not the Halls of Mandos Legolas Greenleaf although granted you are dead." A voice said and a figure appeared. The figure did not look to be of any particular race or indeed gender.
"So where am I?"
"That is not your concern."
"Why did I not pass on?"
"Because we have a problem." The figure said.
"Who are we?" Legolas asked curiously.
"We are everything and everyone."
"What is your problem?" Legolas asked.
"You were the last pure royal elf left in Middle – Earth. Your death has presented us with a problem. Elvish magic will dissipate and creatures that should not become free will become so."
"I know but I cannot see how I can help with this?"
The figure touched Legolas's skin and Legolas felt energy and warmth flood through him.
"We have to send you back to maintain the magic, unfortunately it is a complicated procedure and you will not be as you once were."
"What do you mean?" Legolas asked apprehensively.
"Come we have much to talk about" and the figure began walking across the plain. Legolas had no choice but to follow.
* "Gandalf to what do we owe the pleasure of your visit?" Aragorn asked as Gandalf walked into the meeting hall unannounced interrupting the negotiations.
"You invited me Aragorn. To stay a few days and then escort the hobbits home."
"Oh yes. Your usual rooms have been made available to you."
Gandalf looked pointedly at the other two men in the room and Aragorn suddenly remembered his manners.
"Gandalf the white, Emperor Thalos of Thera and his aid Urguth."
Both men stood but only Thalos smiled and nodded at the introduction.
"I bid to you my greetings and look forward to tonight's feast where we may continue the introductions." Gandalf said.
"I will look forward to it." Thalos said.
"I assume Gimli and Legolas are here as well. I shall go and find them and then the hobbits so we may catch up. I shall see you later Aragorn."
Gandalf watched closely as he mentioned Legolas. Anger seemed to fill Aragorn's eyes, Emperor Thalos looked guilty and Urguth seemed positively delighted. Gandalf left.
* Urguth walked along the guest quarter's corridor intent on finding Gandalf. The arrival of the wizard was surprising but should not turn out to be a problem, he thought.
Arriving at the door he knocked and was bade to enter. The wizard was sat in the chair by the fire smoking his pipe.
"How can I help you?" Gandalf asked. Urguth smiled.
"I wished to have your opinions on the treaty."
"What ever for? It has nothing to do with me. But as you are here I wish to discuss something with you."
Urguth looked surprised. "What?"
"Your attack on Legolas." Gandalf said in a tone of voice that seethed in hidden anger.
"My what? He attacked me!" Urguth said shocked.
"Really? I may be an old man but I am not stupid. I know the reason you are here but it will fail. You cannot manipulate my mind as you have the others. I see you for what you truly are and so did Legolas. That is why you needed to have him removed. I hope to the Valor that Legolas is well for if he is not my wrath will be a terrible sight to behold."
Urguth's face became filled with fury.
"I will not listen to these lies." He announced heading for the door.
"HALT!" Gandalf cried and the room seemed to darken as the wizard's mood did.
"I know the Darak are here. I know of the prophecy and your intentions. You will fail!"
Urguth turned and smiled an evil smile.
"Really? Because Legolas is already dead. Tortured and buried alive fitting for an elf don't you think. If you continue to meddle then more of your friends will die and I will start with the hobbits. Do not underestimate me wizard." Urguth left leaving Gandalf unmoved in the chair. He appeared unchanged from when the conversation began but inside his heart had clenched in grief. For he knew that Legolas no longer drew breath.
"An angry wizard should not be underestimated either Urguth." He whispered, as his eyes seemed to glow with fire. * "No!" Gimli whispered brokenly as Gandalf told him and Eomer the news of Legolas.
"Its my fault, he can't be!" Gimli continued.
"There was nothing you could have done. Legolas was too problematic to keep alive. They would have targeted him first."
"But they had banished him, poisoned him. He was dying anyway. Why kill him? He no longer posed a threat." Eomer questioned shocked.
"If he was alive he did pose a threat. We all know that Legolas would never have stopped trying to defeat them. To warn Aragorn."
"What can we do now?" Eomer questioned as Gimli moaned and clutched his head as if in pain.
"My arrival was a shock to them. They will be redoubling their efforts. I would not be surprised if they moved their attack forward. We need to get to Aragorn."
"After the feast would probably be the best time." Eomer stated.
"Then that will be when we talk to him. I need you to alert your Rohan riders for anything suspicious."
Eomer nodded and left quickly. Gandalf turned to regard Gimli who was still bowed in grief.
"His death will not be in vain Gimli." He said softly. "Do not do anything to do with revenge yet. You will have your chance."
Gandalf sat back in his chair and watched the emotions that flooded across the stricken face of the dwarf. He knew that Gimli would try to gain revenge and that would result in grievous trouble for the dwarf. He would have to watch Gimli closely.
* Urguth hurried back to where he knew his master was.
"My lord!" he cried as he entered.
"The wizard knows." A soft but deadly voice echoed.
"Yes."
"The attack will move forward. I hope everything is in place because we shall make our move during the feast tonight. The attack on Ithilien has gone well. We shall not fail."
"Yes master!" Urguth said a cruel grin broke through his face.
"If the attack goes well your prize awaits."
Urguth left the room feeling much happier as he thought of his prize. The elf had died but he could be brought back and then one of the hero's from the war of the ring would be his to break and torture over and over again.
**
**
The pain was agonising, every nerve in his body was on fire. He could not get enough air into his lungs and his chest heaved in effort. Sweat ran down his skin and he felt like he was burning up from the inside. He had no breath to scream or to make a sound.
The Darak stepped back from the torture he was inflicting on the elf and two twisted creatures crept forward. One grabbed the elf's jaw and the other forced a liquid into his mouth.
"You have only a few minutes left to live, that was the last dose of poison. But poison is so boring so we have another surprise for you . You are going to die alone and afraid."
Legolas glared at him despite the pain that screamed throughout his body.
"Put him in." The Darak commanded. The two creatures picked up the weak elf and carried him to a hole in the ground. They dropped him and began placing dirt over him.
'I'm being buried alive' Legolas panicked as the dirt began to cover him up. It fell on his face and in his eyes, his legs disappeared, then his chest. Soon only his head was visible.
"Goodbye little elf." And the final pieces of dirt were placed over him.
Legolas desperately clawed at the dirt. He tried to breath but dirt clogged his mouth. Dark spots danced in front of his eyes.
'I'm going to die' he thought his mind becoming sluggish as it became oxygen deprived. Soon his struggles lessened and his breathing stopped. A few minutes later his heart stopped and Legolas Greenleaf died. His last thought an apology to Aragorn for his failure.
*
* 'If this is the Halls of Mandos than I was misled' Legolas thought as he appeared on a sandy plain, dark clouds overhead.
"That is because this is not the Halls of Mandos Legolas Greenleaf although granted you are dead." A voice said and a figure appeared. The figure did not look to be of any particular race or indeed gender.
"So where am I?"
"That is not your concern."
"Why did I not pass on?"
"Because we have a problem." The figure said.
"Who are we?" Legolas asked curiously.
"We are everything and everyone."
"What is your problem?" Legolas asked.
"You were the last pure royal elf left in Middle – Earth. Your death has presented us with a problem. Elvish magic will dissipate and creatures that should not become free will become so."
"I know but I cannot see how I can help with this?"
The figure touched Legolas's skin and Legolas felt energy and warmth flood through him.
"We have to send you back to maintain the magic, unfortunately it is a complicated procedure and you will not be as you once were."
"What do you mean?" Legolas asked apprehensively.
"Come we have much to talk about" and the figure began walking across the plain. Legolas had no choice but to follow.
* "Gandalf to what do we owe the pleasure of your visit?" Aragorn asked as Gandalf walked into the meeting hall unannounced interrupting the negotiations.
"You invited me Aragorn. To stay a few days and then escort the hobbits home."
"Oh yes. Your usual rooms have been made available to you."
Gandalf looked pointedly at the other two men in the room and Aragorn suddenly remembered his manners.
"Gandalf the white, Emperor Thalos of Thera and his aid Urguth."
Both men stood but only Thalos smiled and nodded at the introduction.
"I bid to you my greetings and look forward to tonight's feast where we may continue the introductions." Gandalf said.
"I will look forward to it." Thalos said.
"I assume Gimli and Legolas are here as well. I shall go and find them and then the hobbits so we may catch up. I shall see you later Aragorn."
Gandalf watched closely as he mentioned Legolas. Anger seemed to fill Aragorn's eyes, Emperor Thalos looked guilty and Urguth seemed positively delighted. Gandalf left.
* Urguth walked along the guest quarter's corridor intent on finding Gandalf. The arrival of the wizard was surprising but should not turn out to be a problem, he thought.
Arriving at the door he knocked and was bade to enter. The wizard was sat in the chair by the fire smoking his pipe.
"How can I help you?" Gandalf asked. Urguth smiled.
"I wished to have your opinions on the treaty."
"What ever for? It has nothing to do with me. But as you are here I wish to discuss something with you."
Urguth looked surprised. "What?"
"Your attack on Legolas." Gandalf said in a tone of voice that seethed in hidden anger.
"My what? He attacked me!" Urguth said shocked.
"Really? I may be an old man but I am not stupid. I know the reason you are here but it will fail. You cannot manipulate my mind as you have the others. I see you for what you truly are and so did Legolas. That is why you needed to have him removed. I hope to the Valor that Legolas is well for if he is not my wrath will be a terrible sight to behold."
Urguth's face became filled with fury.
"I will not listen to these lies." He announced heading for the door.
"HALT!" Gandalf cried and the room seemed to darken as the wizard's mood did.
"I know the Darak are here. I know of the prophecy and your intentions. You will fail!"
Urguth turned and smiled an evil smile.
"Really? Because Legolas is already dead. Tortured and buried alive fitting for an elf don't you think. If you continue to meddle then more of your friends will die and I will start with the hobbits. Do not underestimate me wizard." Urguth left leaving Gandalf unmoved in the chair. He appeared unchanged from when the conversation began but inside his heart had clenched in grief. For he knew that Legolas no longer drew breath.
"An angry wizard should not be underestimated either Urguth." He whispered, as his eyes seemed to glow with fire. * "No!" Gimli whispered brokenly as Gandalf told him and Eomer the news of Legolas.
"Its my fault, he can't be!" Gimli continued.
"There was nothing you could have done. Legolas was too problematic to keep alive. They would have targeted him first."
"But they had banished him, poisoned him. He was dying anyway. Why kill him? He no longer posed a threat." Eomer questioned shocked.
"If he was alive he did pose a threat. We all know that Legolas would never have stopped trying to defeat them. To warn Aragorn."
"What can we do now?" Eomer questioned as Gimli moaned and clutched his head as if in pain.
"My arrival was a shock to them. They will be redoubling their efforts. I would not be surprised if they moved their attack forward. We need to get to Aragorn."
"After the feast would probably be the best time." Eomer stated.
"Then that will be when we talk to him. I need you to alert your Rohan riders for anything suspicious."
Eomer nodded and left quickly. Gandalf turned to regard Gimli who was still bowed in grief.
"His death will not be in vain Gimli." He said softly. "Do not do anything to do with revenge yet. You will have your chance."
Gandalf sat back in his chair and watched the emotions that flooded across the stricken face of the dwarf. He knew that Gimli would try to gain revenge and that would result in grievous trouble for the dwarf. He would have to watch Gimli closely.
* Urguth hurried back to where he knew his master was.
"My lord!" he cried as he entered.
"The wizard knows." A soft but deadly voice echoed.
"Yes."
"The attack will move forward. I hope everything is in place because we shall make our move during the feast tonight. The attack on Ithilien has gone well. We shall not fail."
"Yes master!" Urguth said a cruel grin broke through his face.
"If the attack goes well your prize awaits."
Urguth left the room feeling much happier as he thought of his prize. The elf had died but he could be brought back and then one of the hero's from the war of the ring would be his to break and torture over and over again.
**