Chapter Four :: Reflection
Reluctantly, Elladan handed Legolas his weapons. He still did not completely trust the elf, but it was not like he had a choice at the moment. The prince said that he would help them, and Elrohir seemed to trust him as well as Elrond.
"You get one day before I follow. But," said Elladan, stopping Legolas before he could talk, "you are still taking a warrior with you. He can serve as your messenger. Send word back when you find Ryldor."
"I know that it is hard for you to trust me," said Legolas, "but don't think I'm keeping that messenger."
The twin scoffed and moved to the door. Elrohir chuckled softly, then looked back to Legolas.
"Just try not to get hurt," he said.
Legolas laughed and started to walk for the door. "If I get hurt, I won't be the only one."
After Legolas had left, muttering under his breath about something the twins could not decipher, Elladan sighed in relief.
"I better tell father to get the bandages ready," he said sadly.
"Do you imagine that Legolas will actually save Estel?" asked Elrohir, staring off as the elf descended the steps of Rivendell.
Elladan, who had been so against the notion of Legolas even leaving their sight, looked back to his brother and said, "To tell you the truth, I do. I believe that Legolas will defy all of our expectations and bring Estel back here safe."
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It was noon when Legolas came upon a small camp just recently abandoned. For a moment, he investigated the area, looking for anything they left behind. The only things he found were an empty quiver, the bones of an animal, and a sword. These were of little importance to the prince on his mission, therefore he decided to leave them.
It took him several minutes to pick up the trail, for they had hid most of their tracks very well. When he found it, however, it was simple to follow. About another hour of travelling took him and the warrior with him to their new camp.
There were three tents set up, two large ones and a small one off to the side. A fire had been prepared in the middle to cook dinner later. The two travelers dropped into a bush, spying through the twigs at the activity of the camp.
They could not make their move until nightfall. Correction: Legolas could not make his move until nightfall. The guard lying next to him in the bushes would only hinder him and possibly give away his position.
"Should I send word back that we've found the criminal?" asked the warrior in a whisper.
Legolas shook his head, "No, we wait until nightfall when all is calm. Then, you can leave without being seen. 'Tis the best course of action. We would not want more people to become involved in this than need be."
At the orders of Legolas, they lay in the bushes until nightfall.
"Wait at least half an hour," said Legolas. "If I don't return, send word to the twins that their help is needed."
"Do you believe you will need their help?" questioned the guard.
"No, but I seem to be having quite a bit of bad luck as of late," responded the prince. He crept through the bushes and behind a tent without being seen.
Now, that task at hand was finding out which tent Estel was being held in. It would not be difficult, the elf decided, to unearth this information.
Keeping low to the ground, he crept behind one of the larger tents.
"I'm tired of waiting, Ryldor," came an angry voice. "Decide what you're going to do with the boy!"
"Patience, Rymir," responded Ryldor's voice, "for I was waiting for something. If you really are that anxious, then you can torture him. He is, after all, human and deserves it."
"Ah, finally I get to have some fun of my own," said the cold voice of the one called Rymir.
From the way they spoke to each other, he assumed they were brothers.
Legolas moved to the side of the tent and peered around it to see an angry looking elf waking to the smaller tent. He assumed the enraged one was the Rymir he had heard talking, and that tent was where Estel was being held.
By this time, the few men left from the battle a few days before had moved from the fire to the other large tent that was not occupied my Ryldor. This made it easier for the prince to move to the entrance of the little tent and watch this Rymir fellow.
He saw the small adoptive son of Elrond curled up towards the back of the tent, bruised and bleeding, with his hands bound behind his back. It seemed like little Estel was being used as a punching bag for Rymir to vent all his frustration and anger in which he could not take out on Ryldor.
Legolas looked back to the bushes and realized just how long he had been observing things. He needed to hurry. Removing one of his daggers from his quiver, he crept into the tent. The darkness did well to hide him as he moved silently to a corner. A well-placed blow could easily take out the large brute.
Rymir nudged the boy with his foot. "Get up, brat," he said with a growl.
Estel groaned and looked up at the elf with fear in his eyes. "I can't get up. My legs hurt," he said. "I can't get them to move."
"Stop complaining, boy," he said with a frown. He picked the poor child up by the collar of his shirt and lifted him off the ground.
Suddenly, Legolas rammed into him with his shoulder, sending him falling against the side of the tent after dropping the human. The tent collapsed, throwing Legolas's plans off.
He grabbed Estel by the arm and pulled him out of the fallen tent. The prince knelt down and took off the child's bonds.
"Do not worry, child," he said soothingly. "You will be safe soon."
Rymir grabbed Legolas by the hair and jerked him back. "What do you think you are doing?" he demanded angrily, throwing Legolas to the ground and pinning him there with a foot on his chest.
"I believe it's obvious," responded the prince. He dug his knife into his assailant's leg, causing his to move away. "I'm just having a little fun."
Legolas jumped to his feet and stood protectively in front of Estel. Rymir rushed at him. As he swung a punch right at the prince's face, but Legolas caught his arm and flipped him over his shoulder. All the clatter and commotion had brought Ryldor and the five remaining men had come out of their tents to see what exactly was happening.
"You could have spared yourself the trouble, sir," said Ryldor as he spotted Legolas. "I thought of you as an ally, but I suppose I was wrong."
"Yes," retorted Legolas, "you were wrong! I am not like you and I will never be like you!"
He turned just as Rymir swung at him again. He did not, unfortunately, turn in time to block the attack. The blow hit him in his chest and he stumbled back.
"Hillith! Escape!" yelled the prince, calling out to the guard who had been sent with him.
The warrior knew almost immediately what he needed to do. He rushed through the clearing and grabbed Estel. He disappeared into the trees. Ryldor cursed.
"You two, follow them! I want that human back," he commanded, gesturing to two of the nearby henchmen.
They nodded and started to carry out his orders. One quickly fell to an arrow from Legolas's bow. The prince took the other out with his dagger.
"Why don't we make your fight with me, Ryldor? He's nothing but a child," he said. "He has done no harm to you."
"Listen to yourself, fool! You did not think that way when I first kidnapped the child. In face, I think I saw a smile on your face and I knew what you were thinking. You thought the same thing I did: he deserves everything he gets because he is a human. He is a mortal," said Ryldor, glaring coldly at the elf before him. "Have you forgotten what those men did to you?
"I have dug up your past. For practically a month, they held you in that prison. The king put you through all that torture for a crime that you did not commit. Ah, but that wasn't the only reason. You and I both know that. He didn't like you because you were an elf.
"Torturing you, however," continued Ryldor, "just wasn't enough for him. No, he killed your soon-to-be wife, taking your unborn child wit her. I do believe that is what pushed you over the edge. Isn't that what caused you to hate all men? You thought, after losing your mother, that you had finally found peace...only to have it torn from your grasp so easily. Isn't that what makes you just like me?"
Legolas did not respond. He stared into Ryldor's eyes. After a long, awkward silence, he spoke.
"When I was leaving Imladris, I saw Elrond sitting in his study. As I watched him, a single tear rolled down his cheek. The look on his face was so familiar. It was the same look my father wore on his face when he was worried about me," said the prince, staring down at the ground.
He looked back up at Ryldor, "That is the sign of a father's love. It took me until just now to realize that. You see, I never got to give my child the love that my father gives me or that Elrond gives his own son. I realized that I have a heart; and my heart won't let me do that.
"That," finished Legolas, "is why I am different than you. I have a heart."
"If you're going to defy me, Legolas," said Ryldor, looking at him as he were now his worst enemy, "I will have to kill you."
Reluctantly, Elladan handed Legolas his weapons. He still did not completely trust the elf, but it was not like he had a choice at the moment. The prince said that he would help them, and Elrohir seemed to trust him as well as Elrond.
"You get one day before I follow. But," said Elladan, stopping Legolas before he could talk, "you are still taking a warrior with you. He can serve as your messenger. Send word back when you find Ryldor."
"I know that it is hard for you to trust me," said Legolas, "but don't think I'm keeping that messenger."
The twin scoffed and moved to the door. Elrohir chuckled softly, then looked back to Legolas.
"Just try not to get hurt," he said.
Legolas laughed and started to walk for the door. "If I get hurt, I won't be the only one."
After Legolas had left, muttering under his breath about something the twins could not decipher, Elladan sighed in relief.
"I better tell father to get the bandages ready," he said sadly.
"Do you imagine that Legolas will actually save Estel?" asked Elrohir, staring off as the elf descended the steps of Rivendell.
Elladan, who had been so against the notion of Legolas even leaving their sight, looked back to his brother and said, "To tell you the truth, I do. I believe that Legolas will defy all of our expectations and bring Estel back here safe."
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It was noon when Legolas came upon a small camp just recently abandoned. For a moment, he investigated the area, looking for anything they left behind. The only things he found were an empty quiver, the bones of an animal, and a sword. These were of little importance to the prince on his mission, therefore he decided to leave them.
It took him several minutes to pick up the trail, for they had hid most of their tracks very well. When he found it, however, it was simple to follow. About another hour of travelling took him and the warrior with him to their new camp.
There were three tents set up, two large ones and a small one off to the side. A fire had been prepared in the middle to cook dinner later. The two travelers dropped into a bush, spying through the twigs at the activity of the camp.
They could not make their move until nightfall. Correction: Legolas could not make his move until nightfall. The guard lying next to him in the bushes would only hinder him and possibly give away his position.
"Should I send word back that we've found the criminal?" asked the warrior in a whisper.
Legolas shook his head, "No, we wait until nightfall when all is calm. Then, you can leave without being seen. 'Tis the best course of action. We would not want more people to become involved in this than need be."
At the orders of Legolas, they lay in the bushes until nightfall.
"Wait at least half an hour," said Legolas. "If I don't return, send word to the twins that their help is needed."
"Do you believe you will need their help?" questioned the guard.
"No, but I seem to be having quite a bit of bad luck as of late," responded the prince. He crept through the bushes and behind a tent without being seen.
Now, that task at hand was finding out which tent Estel was being held in. It would not be difficult, the elf decided, to unearth this information.
Keeping low to the ground, he crept behind one of the larger tents.
"I'm tired of waiting, Ryldor," came an angry voice. "Decide what you're going to do with the boy!"
"Patience, Rymir," responded Ryldor's voice, "for I was waiting for something. If you really are that anxious, then you can torture him. He is, after all, human and deserves it."
"Ah, finally I get to have some fun of my own," said the cold voice of the one called Rymir.
From the way they spoke to each other, he assumed they were brothers.
Legolas moved to the side of the tent and peered around it to see an angry looking elf waking to the smaller tent. He assumed the enraged one was the Rymir he had heard talking, and that tent was where Estel was being held.
By this time, the few men left from the battle a few days before had moved from the fire to the other large tent that was not occupied my Ryldor. This made it easier for the prince to move to the entrance of the little tent and watch this Rymir fellow.
He saw the small adoptive son of Elrond curled up towards the back of the tent, bruised and bleeding, with his hands bound behind his back. It seemed like little Estel was being used as a punching bag for Rymir to vent all his frustration and anger in which he could not take out on Ryldor.
Legolas looked back to the bushes and realized just how long he had been observing things. He needed to hurry. Removing one of his daggers from his quiver, he crept into the tent. The darkness did well to hide him as he moved silently to a corner. A well-placed blow could easily take out the large brute.
Rymir nudged the boy with his foot. "Get up, brat," he said with a growl.
Estel groaned and looked up at the elf with fear in his eyes. "I can't get up. My legs hurt," he said. "I can't get them to move."
"Stop complaining, boy," he said with a frown. He picked the poor child up by the collar of his shirt and lifted him off the ground.
Suddenly, Legolas rammed into him with his shoulder, sending him falling against the side of the tent after dropping the human. The tent collapsed, throwing Legolas's plans off.
He grabbed Estel by the arm and pulled him out of the fallen tent. The prince knelt down and took off the child's bonds.
"Do not worry, child," he said soothingly. "You will be safe soon."
Rymir grabbed Legolas by the hair and jerked him back. "What do you think you are doing?" he demanded angrily, throwing Legolas to the ground and pinning him there with a foot on his chest.
"I believe it's obvious," responded the prince. He dug his knife into his assailant's leg, causing his to move away. "I'm just having a little fun."
Legolas jumped to his feet and stood protectively in front of Estel. Rymir rushed at him. As he swung a punch right at the prince's face, but Legolas caught his arm and flipped him over his shoulder. All the clatter and commotion had brought Ryldor and the five remaining men had come out of their tents to see what exactly was happening.
"You could have spared yourself the trouble, sir," said Ryldor as he spotted Legolas. "I thought of you as an ally, but I suppose I was wrong."
"Yes," retorted Legolas, "you were wrong! I am not like you and I will never be like you!"
He turned just as Rymir swung at him again. He did not, unfortunately, turn in time to block the attack. The blow hit him in his chest and he stumbled back.
"Hillith! Escape!" yelled the prince, calling out to the guard who had been sent with him.
The warrior knew almost immediately what he needed to do. He rushed through the clearing and grabbed Estel. He disappeared into the trees. Ryldor cursed.
"You two, follow them! I want that human back," he commanded, gesturing to two of the nearby henchmen.
They nodded and started to carry out his orders. One quickly fell to an arrow from Legolas's bow. The prince took the other out with his dagger.
"Why don't we make your fight with me, Ryldor? He's nothing but a child," he said. "He has done no harm to you."
"Listen to yourself, fool! You did not think that way when I first kidnapped the child. In face, I think I saw a smile on your face and I knew what you were thinking. You thought the same thing I did: he deserves everything he gets because he is a human. He is a mortal," said Ryldor, glaring coldly at the elf before him. "Have you forgotten what those men did to you?
"I have dug up your past. For practically a month, they held you in that prison. The king put you through all that torture for a crime that you did not commit. Ah, but that wasn't the only reason. You and I both know that. He didn't like you because you were an elf.
"Torturing you, however," continued Ryldor, "just wasn't enough for him. No, he killed your soon-to-be wife, taking your unborn child wit her. I do believe that is what pushed you over the edge. Isn't that what caused you to hate all men? You thought, after losing your mother, that you had finally found peace...only to have it torn from your grasp so easily. Isn't that what makes you just like me?"
Legolas did not respond. He stared into Ryldor's eyes. After a long, awkward silence, he spoke.
"When I was leaving Imladris, I saw Elrond sitting in his study. As I watched him, a single tear rolled down his cheek. The look on his face was so familiar. It was the same look my father wore on his face when he was worried about me," said the prince, staring down at the ground.
He looked back up at Ryldor, "That is the sign of a father's love. It took me until just now to realize that. You see, I never got to give my child the love that my father gives me or that Elrond gives his own son. I realized that I have a heart; and my heart won't let me do that.
"That," finished Legolas, "is why I am different than you. I have a heart."
"If you're going to defy me, Legolas," said Ryldor, looking at him as he were now his worst enemy, "I will have to kill you."