Thanks for reviewing you guys! I'm currently working on responding to the
reviews in Book I because I forgot :(. Here's the responses for the reviews
for this book!
@ Fencing Babe07 - If you keep reading you'll find out EXACTLY what happened to the other elf and WHY... But not yet.
@ Deana - I tend to update each book daily until it's finished. I write the entire next book before posting it so it may take awhile. Thanks for your review!
Chapter 5
Legolas gave out one loud whistle. His horse appeared out of nowhere, tossing its dark head in agitation. Legolas had all the items on in no time and was soon galloping off. He heard the crash of branches behind him. A strange tickling sensation suddenly struck his neck and his eyes widened. His elvish sixth sense prodded at him like swamp insects.
As it in slow motion, one of the riders behind him had drawn and arrow. Legolas turned around and caught it in a split second. His face was fully exposed to the riders now, and they knew it was him for sure. He drew the arrow and fired it back. He didn't know it he had hit something or not since all other sounds were drowned out by the heavy breathing of the horse and the thumping of its hooves.
He had rounded the corner of the icy path and kicked the steed's flanks. He could feel them pursuing like dogs. He knew he wouldn't be able to outrun them or get away unless they found some gorge and chanced jumping it, which was unlikely in this part of the forest.
Another arrow suddenly flew past him and scraped the right side of his face. Another hit the horse's rump and it whinnied loudly. Legolas pulled another arrow from his quiver and fired back blindly. He heard a horse snort and one of them fell behind. There were three after him now, all clad in army garments and armor. Obviously they had found out about his escape and followed. He felt a desperate urge to know whether or not they knew what his father had done.
However, he hadn't the time now. Another arrow narrowly missed him as he rounded another corner. His cheek burned as they approached a low- hanging branch. Legolas leapt up off the saddle and over the obstruction, landing back in the saddle facing the other way. The snow had made the saddle wet and he slipped. Something suddenly struck his shin. He cried out when he saw an arrow protruding out of his calf. He looked up to see the three still pursuing. He opened one of the satchels and pulled out the blowgun. Whether the darts were drugged or not he didn't know but he assailed the closest rider anyhow. His eyes widened as he fell off his horse. The others noticed but didn't take any heed. Legolas fired again.
His horse suddenly leapt and he fell on his back in the saddle. He grunted as one of the elves laughed. He quickly flipped over and began to ride facing forward. The blowgun was still in his hand and he took a blind shot over his shoulder. He must have missed because in a second one of them was up beside him on his right. Soon he was in between both of them. They both drew their swords simultaneously, grinning at him.
'Even a prince must be treated justly!' one of them hissed before bringing his sword down. Legolas had his dagger out in a flash and blocked it. With a bright flash of light the sword shattered and rained down on him. The elf screamed and dropped the hilt. Legolas stared in shock as the rider fell behind. Something suddenly struck the back of his head.
He looked over his shoulder to see the angry eyes of the one elf left. Fighting off the dark corner in his eyes he swung at him. The elf easily dodged his drunken blow and hit him with his sword hilt again. Legolas's eyes drooped as his head throbbed. He swung once more and made contact with his shoulder. The attack was weak and didn't affect his opponent at all. He actually laughed in his face as he grabbed the reins of Legolas's ride.
The black steed suddenly reached back and bit at the elf's hand. The hand cried out and let go. In a burst of speed and tight turns he disappeared behind them.
'Damn you, Legolas!' he cried after them. 'You'll never get away that easy!' Legolas grabbed the horse's man as the hooves behind him faded away. He felt weak and dizzy as black spots and stars appeared before him. The horse suddenly came to a screeching stop and he fell off onto his back.
He landed in a shallow pond. The icy water immediately woke him up. The horse whinnied and began nudging at him. The cold bit the tips of his nose and ears. He grit his teeth and began to stand. Suddenly, his horse jumped from the water onto the bank. Legolas looked around him. It wasn't snowing here but a heavy fog had settled in. Five feet behind him was the gravel bank. In all other directions he could see dark shapes. His head ached but the cold in his soaked boots kept him conscious.
He started trudging towards his ride. His feet felt hard and heavy and splashed loudly. He looked down to see that his whole right boot was incased in solid clear ice. His eyes widened in shock when he tried to pull it up again. It was rooted to the stony bed of the pond. He glanced over his shoulder as his sixth sense tingled.
As if by magic the fog cleared a path towards one of the shadows. It was a crystallized deer with white eyes standing in the water. Legolas gaped in horror at the dead being in the water.
The pond was cursed. Any being who came across its waters would freeze right there in the pond, never to move again but stuck in a eternity of icy torture. The cold would stab and prick you until you'd try to scream. You can't satisfy your dire need for food, water and warmth. You're caught and can never escape.
Legolas looked down to see the ice crawling up his leg. It snaked up to his knee. He pulled and flexed but it had no effect. He screamed and the squeezing pin-needle pain that pulsed through his whole body. He pulled and pulled as his horse stomped the ground.
'Come here!' Legolas begged. The horse refused to obey. Legolas stretched out a hand for the reins dangling just out of reach. The horse tossed its head and the reins stretched out to him. Legolas grasped it and managed to pull his feet away. He collapsed just a foot away from shore.
The iced crawled up his thigh and grasped his hips. He pulled himself ashore with only his hands. He dragged himself completely out of the water and lie on the gravel panting. He felt all his energy draining from him as blackness danced before him again.
Soon he was unconscious.
@ Fencing Babe07 - If you keep reading you'll find out EXACTLY what happened to the other elf and WHY... But not yet.
@ Deana - I tend to update each book daily until it's finished. I write the entire next book before posting it so it may take awhile. Thanks for your review!
Chapter 5
Legolas gave out one loud whistle. His horse appeared out of nowhere, tossing its dark head in agitation. Legolas had all the items on in no time and was soon galloping off. He heard the crash of branches behind him. A strange tickling sensation suddenly struck his neck and his eyes widened. His elvish sixth sense prodded at him like swamp insects.
As it in slow motion, one of the riders behind him had drawn and arrow. Legolas turned around and caught it in a split second. His face was fully exposed to the riders now, and they knew it was him for sure. He drew the arrow and fired it back. He didn't know it he had hit something or not since all other sounds were drowned out by the heavy breathing of the horse and the thumping of its hooves.
He had rounded the corner of the icy path and kicked the steed's flanks. He could feel them pursuing like dogs. He knew he wouldn't be able to outrun them or get away unless they found some gorge and chanced jumping it, which was unlikely in this part of the forest.
Another arrow suddenly flew past him and scraped the right side of his face. Another hit the horse's rump and it whinnied loudly. Legolas pulled another arrow from his quiver and fired back blindly. He heard a horse snort and one of them fell behind. There were three after him now, all clad in army garments and armor. Obviously they had found out about his escape and followed. He felt a desperate urge to know whether or not they knew what his father had done.
However, he hadn't the time now. Another arrow narrowly missed him as he rounded another corner. His cheek burned as they approached a low- hanging branch. Legolas leapt up off the saddle and over the obstruction, landing back in the saddle facing the other way. The snow had made the saddle wet and he slipped. Something suddenly struck his shin. He cried out when he saw an arrow protruding out of his calf. He looked up to see the three still pursuing. He opened one of the satchels and pulled out the blowgun. Whether the darts were drugged or not he didn't know but he assailed the closest rider anyhow. His eyes widened as he fell off his horse. The others noticed but didn't take any heed. Legolas fired again.
His horse suddenly leapt and he fell on his back in the saddle. He grunted as one of the elves laughed. He quickly flipped over and began to ride facing forward. The blowgun was still in his hand and he took a blind shot over his shoulder. He must have missed because in a second one of them was up beside him on his right. Soon he was in between both of them. They both drew their swords simultaneously, grinning at him.
'Even a prince must be treated justly!' one of them hissed before bringing his sword down. Legolas had his dagger out in a flash and blocked it. With a bright flash of light the sword shattered and rained down on him. The elf screamed and dropped the hilt. Legolas stared in shock as the rider fell behind. Something suddenly struck the back of his head.
He looked over his shoulder to see the angry eyes of the one elf left. Fighting off the dark corner in his eyes he swung at him. The elf easily dodged his drunken blow and hit him with his sword hilt again. Legolas's eyes drooped as his head throbbed. He swung once more and made contact with his shoulder. The attack was weak and didn't affect his opponent at all. He actually laughed in his face as he grabbed the reins of Legolas's ride.
The black steed suddenly reached back and bit at the elf's hand. The hand cried out and let go. In a burst of speed and tight turns he disappeared behind them.
'Damn you, Legolas!' he cried after them. 'You'll never get away that easy!' Legolas grabbed the horse's man as the hooves behind him faded away. He felt weak and dizzy as black spots and stars appeared before him. The horse suddenly came to a screeching stop and he fell off onto his back.
He landed in a shallow pond. The icy water immediately woke him up. The horse whinnied and began nudging at him. The cold bit the tips of his nose and ears. He grit his teeth and began to stand. Suddenly, his horse jumped from the water onto the bank. Legolas looked around him. It wasn't snowing here but a heavy fog had settled in. Five feet behind him was the gravel bank. In all other directions he could see dark shapes. His head ached but the cold in his soaked boots kept him conscious.
He started trudging towards his ride. His feet felt hard and heavy and splashed loudly. He looked down to see that his whole right boot was incased in solid clear ice. His eyes widened in shock when he tried to pull it up again. It was rooted to the stony bed of the pond. He glanced over his shoulder as his sixth sense tingled.
As if by magic the fog cleared a path towards one of the shadows. It was a crystallized deer with white eyes standing in the water. Legolas gaped in horror at the dead being in the water.
The pond was cursed. Any being who came across its waters would freeze right there in the pond, never to move again but stuck in a eternity of icy torture. The cold would stab and prick you until you'd try to scream. You can't satisfy your dire need for food, water and warmth. You're caught and can never escape.
Legolas looked down to see the ice crawling up his leg. It snaked up to his knee. He pulled and flexed but it had no effect. He screamed and the squeezing pin-needle pain that pulsed through his whole body. He pulled and pulled as his horse stomped the ground.
'Come here!' Legolas begged. The horse refused to obey. Legolas stretched out a hand for the reins dangling just out of reach. The horse tossed its head and the reins stretched out to him. Legolas grasped it and managed to pull his feet away. He collapsed just a foot away from shore.
The iced crawled up his thigh and grasped his hips. He pulled himself ashore with only his hands. He dragged himself completely out of the water and lie on the gravel panting. He felt all his energy draining from him as blackness danced before him again.
Soon he was unconscious.