Chapter 4

Truths

Beside him Legolas felt Sam's jaw drop open. He too had seen the Elven ears. On Legolas' over side Frodo stared ahead, a much changed Hobbit since they left Rivendell.

"I did know you sink any lower, Kunai" Legolas hissed.

Once again there was an evil, twisted grin on the others face that made little Sam shudder slightly. Kunai stepped closer to his bound prisoners.

"I have not sunk, my friend but risen up higher then any King ever could"

"Friend?"

"A friend in murder, Legolas"

Legolas frowned. Kunai laughed gently reaching his hands out to cup Legolas' face.

"Surely you remember how you drove my sister to her death"

Legolas pulled his face free, his eyes flashing angrily. "I did not do such a thing. Sashimi became depressed after your sentence, she took her own life"

"You lie to cover your dignity, just like your father."

"At least my father made something out himself, unlike you. You are nothing Kunai. Your master has fallen, never to rise again."

Kunai's smile deepened as he slipped into his Elvish tongue, whispering something that the others could not catch.  Frodo quickly understood it was something he didn't what to know after seeing the swift change on Legolas' face as Kunai pulled dramatically back from Legolas stunned, pale face.

"We travel North East into Mordor" Kunai shouted to his men as he turned to leave the circle that had crowded.

Instantly hands fell upon the bound prisoners, pulling them to their feet, pushing them in front of their guards.

Kunai spun to face Legolas, "Bring him to me" he ordered, mounting his horse. One soldier tied a firm rope around Legolas' bound hands and attached the other end to the stirrup lever on Kunai's saddle. Behind Sam and Frodo were placed up upon saddles of other riders.

"Let us test for Elven grace, princeling" Kunai sneered trotting his horse forwards.

The band of men followed on foot and horseback behind their leader.

Legolas forcefully jogged steadily beside Kunai's black, sweating horse. Above Kunai pushed for canter and increased the pace of the ride, Legolas dragging slightly behind.

Above Kunai snickered and asked again. His horse tossed its head and sprang ahead pulling on the rope that attached to the wrist of the prisoner elf. Instantly the rope pulled taught and threw Legolas onto the ground, his front dragging across the coarse ground.

"Not faring well are we?" Kunai laughed.

Below Legolas pulled his hands up the rope in an attempt to ease the uncomfortable journey. He pulled confidently pulling himself off the ground and back onto his feet. But not even his fast Elven feet could keep up the fast pace of Kunai's horse and soon he found himself back upon the fall the ground biting into his back.

 They had put so much distance between themselves and the company that the lead horses were hidden as the descended down a slight hill. The terrain ahead stood rough and broken, but Kunai rode on strongly steering towards the debris with an evil grin on his face.

 First the smaller stones stung his skin and tore his clothing, some tearing flesh. But it was the larger ones Legolas was concerted about as he dragged on his back, his head completely exposed. Gripping higher up the rope he pulled his body off the ground once more and flipped himself over. The position was more painful, but at least he could see the on coming objects, not that he could do much to stop himself hitting them… 

Kunai turned hard to the right and asked his horse forward again, Legolas looked up. He was heading to a low stone wall – he was going to jump it! And Legolas could do nothing to prevent him.

The horse leapt. Legolas braced himself for the pain. The rope held, pulling on his writs. Opening his hands out flat to take the brunt to the blow his joints flexed pushed him slightly off the ground as they hit the stone wall with such force that he was not sure if they were broken or not. But his hands could not stop his head from hitting the stone hard, instantly blacking his out of several seconds. Then his body flew over the wall, Kunai and his horse had not slowed, but began turning for another attempt.

 Legolas's eyes had opened again, the stone wall hurtling towards him fast, he had not time to react. Weakened by the first onslaught the wall smashed as Legolas flew against it, above his the rope frayed and broke and Legolas bruised form came to a halt. Wounded and disorientated he wanted to stand and run, but his body would not respond, instead he lay bloody and immobile as the rest of the ride stopped around him. Darkness ensnared his dimming sense and overtook his sore head and mind.

Slowly his senses began to wake. The first thing he could tell was he was no longer traveling,   he was sitting, his back against something rough and hard. His hands wrists and arms ached and stung, binds pinched his tender wrist. His eyes flickered open and attempted to focus. The company had taken shelter in a cavern of some sort much like the one Faramir had used.

"Legolas, you're awake!" a voice whispered beside him. Lifting his head slightly he saw the relived face of Sam kneeling beside him.

"Sam," he whispered, "are you hurt?"

"No they did hurt me or Mr. Frodo. But oh, if only I could do something"

Legolas looked around himself attempting to switch off to the pain that throbbed continuously.

"I'm all right, Sam" he reassured but Sam's bounds hands had already began to wipe away blood and dirt from his companions face with his tunic sleeves.

"I'm sorry" he whispered repeatedly

"Stop it Sam it's not your fault."

"No its mine" Legolas shifted his gaze and saw Frodo kneeling behind Sam, pale faced and weary.

"Neither of you are to blame, if anyone is to blame it is me" Legolas jerked his head away from Sam' sleeves to see Frodo clearer.

"Look, let's not blame each other," Sam straightened Legolas' face and continued cleaning, "We need to work out how we are going to escape"

"What did he say to you, Legolas?" Frodo crawled closer.

"Kunai is a convicted murder he said many things to me"

"No, earlier"

"Whatever it was it wasn't good" the Hobbits questioned.

"Who did he kill?"
"Who was Sashimi?"

Legolas sighed and briefly closed his eyes; it was along time ago when Kunai was sentenced he was young even by elven standards.

"It was nearly two thousand years ago, I was only an elf ling so my memory of the events are a bit sketchy. But I remember he was trailed by my father for the murder of twelve elves by poison. They convicted him and he was banished from all elven realms and any elf found to be in contact with him would be imprisoned. Sashimi was his younger sister, she and I use to play together and as she was older she looked after me. Many thought that we would remain together as that is how it is with most elves. But she became depressed after her brother was sentenced and she took her own life" Legolas shuddered. "I found her, hung outside the play cottage we shared. Some, like Kunai believe I drove her to her death as it was my father who sentenced him and therefore she would hate my family."

Sam and Frodo sat in silence listening, knowing that Legolas would not kill a friend like Sashimi.

"I never saw of heard of him or Sashimi again for an age until today. I see his evil soul has not been quenched as he has turned black by Sauron's evil, though his master has been defeated he still wishes to prove his loyalty. That's where we come in." Legolas sighed and adjusted his position to be more comfortable without causing pain. He grimaced his entire upper body ached and stung. Giving up he lent heavily upon the rock on which he had been bind to.

"He believes that by casting the Ringbearer into the fires will undo the damage done and will make Sauron stronger."

Frodo half laughed, "That's ridicules it will never work."

"That's not the point, Frodo. The point is he will not stop until he has tried"

"But I didn't bare the Ring alone. Does that mean the others will become involved?"

"I hope not." Sam muttered.

"But it will little hobbits"

The three of them turned. Kunai stood nearby taking in every word of their conversation with a sinister smile on his face.

AN: I know this chapter is rather short; the next few are a lot longer. I just thought I'd leave you here….