@LegolasLover2003 : So, you want to rescue Leggy, eh? What if I made Dior catch you in the act and tie you up along with our purdy little prince? 'Kel tend to say something he shouldn't, and Legolas tends not to listen when he should.' I like that one, mellon!
@LOTRFaith : So sorry to give you some chills. Want a blanket? Oops! Sorry. I just used it cover Leggy's semi-naked body. I can't have all of you drooling over his pecs and such! I'm quite possessive of what's mine.
@Fire Breathing Ferret : I think you should lay down the paracetamol for a day before you got highly overdose or something!
@Aranel of Mirkwood : Thank you, thank you. I know I'm cruel. I eat cats for breakfast too!
@Alkvingiel : You are very lucky to escape math. I'm suffering with numbers here. Please help me!
@tbiris : You got that right.
@Lucy : I'll tell Dior for you, "Don't touch the horsie!"
@Elizabeth Black : How about EVIL AUTHOR? Muahahaha!!
@Salior Elf : Down, mate. Down. You will have at Dior, but not right now. Let Leggy suffer first.
@Mystical WoodElf : Extended DVD was quite funny especially the scene where Legolas was comparing his strikes with Gimli. He! He! The 'pointy-eared elven princeling' was right! The orc was twitching!
@Karina : Your wish is granted, mellon! Goa head! I'm very, very honored! Oh, and you're going to be in the same city as Elijah, Billy and Andy?! Wow! If you see them, kiss them for me will you? (Especially Billy. He's the hottest hobbit!)
@MoroTheWolfGod : Yes, I did! And it sure is hilarious!
@feanen : It is clear that you will see more cliffies after this!
@purplesmackers : Hi! Good to hear from you again. I'm so glad you like my baby (Kel, that is.) I'm so proud of him. Jonathan Brandis died? How? What happened? To tell you the truth, he was one of my fav idol when I was a teenager! I love Seaquest very much and still disappointed that they never carry on with the series. The last I saw of Jonathan was in 'Hart's War' (with Collin Farrel and Bruce Willis). God, this is very sad news. If I know any lament, I would sing it to him. RIP Jonathan.
@Gwyn : You know how to read my mind, don't you? Yes. Kel's angst coming up!
@Kayo : So, you like X's. Does this mean you like X-Files too? I totally loved X-Files but when David Duchovny left the series, the appeal wasn't there anymore.
@Hobbit Hugger : (Bowing appreciatively from the applause.) Thank you, thank you and thank you again! Too bad to hear you are to be grounded for the weekend, though. Make sure you have enough 'rations' for your survival.
WARNING : Still R-Rated chapter ahead!
2nd WARNING : The most terrible cliffie is coming at you! I repeat, the most terrible cliffie is coming at you! So stop reading now if you don't want to fall onto your face!
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It was dawn when Keldarion and his troop finally saw the two horses in a valley several leagues away from the spot where Felegund and Daerion's bodies had been found. Much to the prince's consternation though, his brother's mount was nowhere in sight. Red Star's prints had disappeared somewhere in a stream nearby. There were no other prints for them to track now.
Their search had reached a dead end.
Seeing the great despair on Keldarion's weary face, Linden moved closer and gripped the prince's slumped shoulder. "Your highness?"
Keldarion closed his eyes briefly before turning to the commander. "What do we do now, Linden?"
The commander was saddened at Keldarion's almost defeated tone of voice. Obviously the prince was in such great distress he couldn't decide what to do next. "I suggest we return to the palace, your highness," said Linden. "You look tired. And your father might be beside himself with worry."
It was almost an eternity later when Keldarion weakly nodded. "Fine. Back to the palace then."
***********************
As the bats swarmed him in frenzy, Legolas couldn't help but scream in terror and agony, but his voice was muffled by the gag in his mouth and the bats' high cries of excitement. He struggled and trashed in panic when the little creatures lapped at his blood, nibbling at his bleeding cuts. He had tightly shut his eyes to avoid being scratched by the bats' sharp talons. He couldn't see them but he definitely could feel their greedy little mouths sucking his blood away.
Valar, help me! I can't take this any more! Legolas kept on screaming, trying to scare the bats off him, but it seemed to encourage them more. Nearly losing his mind, the prince wished that his cousin would quickly return and end his life right then.
Dior finally appeared, bearing a torch. He was favoring his left bruised side, a 'gift' from Red Star. The prince's steed had proven to be an uncontrollable fiery beast and Dior had no other choice but to let it go free before the stallion trampled all over him or crushed his own mount, a mare, to death.
Stepping into the cave, Dior grinned to see his cousin's difficult flight, satisfied that the prince was completely helpless against the bats. He kept on watching for a minute more before crying out, "All right, now! That's enough, my little friends! Thank you!" The bats scurried away as Dior brandished his torch high above his head. The creatures flew up back to the ceiling, their stomach now full and their thirst quenched.
Dior smiled down at his cousin. "That was terrifying, wasn't it?" His eyes gleamed when he saw the bloody marks all over Legolas' body. "I hope you enjoyed it because I sure did!"
Legolas only whimpered in reply, nearly passing out from the sheer agony and dread.
Dior chuckled. "I've made up my mind, cousin." He reached up to stroke Legolas sweaty forehead. "It would be even more fun if your brother could see you like this, don't you think? So, I'm calling him over."
Legolas' eyes widened. "No…don't…" he tried to say through his gag. It only made Dior laughed even harder. "Relax. I'm not going to kill him just yet. I also have a special plan for him. We have an unfinished battle between us. And this time, I want to emerge the winner."
Legolas knew Dior was talking about the sword fight that Keldarion and Dior had had that day when his brother had found him being dunked into the stream by their cousin. Keldarion had almost killed Dior then if not for Thranduil stepping in.
After placing the torch on a hook against the wall, Dior took off the pack he carried and knelt down near the slate, out of Legolas' blurry vision. He started to do something on the ground, much to Legolas' curiosity.
"I will be well prepared to confront your brother this time, Legolas," Dior was saying as he worked. "He is very good in sword play, I give him that. But I am a good planner. I will win this one." Dior briefly looked up and grinned at Legolas. "You'll see."
Completely restrained that way, Legolas could not even reply.
****************************
After much urging from his father, Keldarion went up to his chamber and tried to get some rest. He tossed and turned in his bed restlessly. Sleep would not come for him as long as his brother was still out there somewhere. He finally gave up and got to his feet, heading for the opened balcony.
The late morning breeze whisked through Keldarion's raven hair. It usually would sooth him, but not this time. His worry was too great and his wrath uncontained. He just listened in silence as the wind begged his forgiveness for being unable to tell him where his younger brother currently was, not like 1,500 years ago when he had been warned of Dior trying to drown Legolas in the stream. That meant his brother was taken far from Mirkwood, or he was being held captive in a hidden and secluded place where the wind could not touch him.
A hidden and secluded place…like a cave? Came that notion to Keldarion's head. Slowly he smiled as he began to know what to do next. We'll check all the caves in this realm! he decided, starting to move away from the balcony. The killer would not go far with Legolas on tow…
"Thwack!"
Keldarion swirled around and ducked reflexively when an arrow suddenly came flying out of nowhere to stab against the wooden frame of the door. He quickly looked up to search for the shooter but could see no one. Gritting his teeth in ire at his own laxity, the prince turned his attention towards the arrow that was still trembling from the force of the hit. His eyes narrowed when he noticed a note stuck at the tip.
The prince took the note and began to skim it; You want your brother? Then come to the tree where I hanged those two pathetic beings you called warriors! Come alone on foot. If I see anyone else with you, I will kill little Legolas!
Keldarion re-read the note again and again in disbelief. No signature was given but he was fully sure it came from Dior. Knowing that Thranduil and Linden will strongly forbid him to follow the note's demand, Keldarion decided to slip out of the palace undetected.
He silently pulled open the door to his chamber. His two appointed bodyguards were faithfully standing sentinel outside in the hall. Closing the door once more, Keldarion quickly got dressed and grabbed his sword. He was already at the balcony when he remembered to leave a message behind for his father.
There was no guarantee that he would return alive, so Keldarion decided that a backup plan was greatly needed. He put the note he received from the killer on top of his pillow. Sooner or later, Thranduil and the rest of them would find out that Keldarion was already gone to rescue his brother. Hopefully, they would send help for them both.
With all the gracefulness and agility he possessed, the crown prince of Mirkwood then jumped onto the nearest tree branch beside his balcony, slipped into the thick foliage of greens, and disappeared from sight without anyone noticing.
Keldarion knew every inch of Mirkwood like the back of his hand. This was his playground, his world since three thousand years ago. He recognized every tree and rock and stream, and he also knew where all the caves were. If it was up to him, he would go investigate all those caves that instant, but that would go against the killer's demand. To avoid jeopardizing his brother's life, Keldarion would follow the killer's every wish.
As he skillfully leaped from tree to tree, the prince could see the Mirkwood woodland patrols making their daily rounds on the ground. I better tell them to also make patrol rounds on the trees, the prince thought to himself, a little chagrin. But not right now, though.
He jumped off the branch onto earth when he reached the appointed spot. The blood of the two slain warriors was still there, fresh and red. Keldarion avoided looking at it but swept his eyes all around him, looking for any sign of his brother's abductor.
"All right, I'm here!" he called out. "Where are you, fiend? Come out and show yourself! I demand to see my brother now!"
Only silence answered him. Keldarion quickly grew frustrated with the entire situation that he shouted again, "Show yourself, you coward! What are you waiting for?"
An arrow suddenly flew out from a point somewhere among the bushes to wheeze past Keldarion's sight and landed on the tree trunk behind him. The prince whirled and stared. Another note was stuck to the tip.
"I grew tired of these flying mails!" Keldarion grumbled as he snatched the parchment from the arrow and began to read it.
If you want to see your brother, follow the sound of the cricket.
Almost instantly, the said sound hit Keldarion's eardrums. The prince growled. "This is getting ridiculous!"
Still, he followed after the sound that led him straight into the thick foliage of bushes. The prince intentionally left his prints behind, pressing hard on the ground, breaking some twigs and crushing some leaves along the way. If he also went missing, those tracks could be very helpful to his would be rescuers.
As he had suspected, the sound of the cricket led him to a cave almost a league away. The Mirkwood elves had already searched around the area but had never found any signs that indicated the cave was being used. He is good, Keldarion reluctantly admitted. That, or we have become so inept ourselves!
Keldarion unsheathed his sword as he stepped through the mouth of the cave, bending slightly under the low beam. The narrow tunnel was quite dark but his elven glow lighted his path somewhat. Holding up his sword at ready, the prince trudged forward, sensing for any hiding assailant but felt none. The killer might have turned down his presence to hide his whereabouts. That made the situation more dangerous.
Keldarion finally emerged into the larger area of the inner cave. His eyes widened when he saw his brother bound and gagged to a slate, covered with blood. "Legolas!"
Legolas frantically shook his head as Keldarion rushed forward to get to him. "No! Don't come any closer!" he tried to warn but his words only came in muffled sound which the elder prince did not understand.
In his excitement to reach his brother, Keldarion forgot to take extra caution. He frowned to see Legolas shaking his head in panic and wondered what his brother was trying to tell him.
Too late though. When he came just a yard away from the slate, Keldarion's left foot tripped over something. He didn't even have time to look down at the thin wire strung across the ground because two arrows were coming straight for his heart from both his sides!
Keldarion instinctively dodged both missiles, swiveling and parrying. But the wire had also triggered another arrow. This time, it came from behind him.
"Kel!" Legolas could only watched in horror as the third arrow slammed into his brother's back in such a force that the sharp tip went through his body and came out of his right upper chest.
TBC…
See? Terrible evil cliffie!
Didn't I warn you? Why are you guys so stubborn?