Into the Mines
By: Max Pilote
Chapter Four - An Old Friend
Elrohir nodded.
"There is a small penknife in my boot. Maybe you can get to it," instructed the prince.
Since their hands were bound behind their backs, it was rather difficult. Legolas watched the guards while Elrohir attempted to get the knife. The two orcs guarding their elvish prisoners were watching everyone else as they prepared to leave at sunset. They looked extremely bored and their guards were down.
"I have it," whispered the younger twin triumphantly.
"Cut your binds."
The orc turned around again. Elrohir tucked the knife into his arm-guard quickly. The orc growled at the both of them.
"You two aren't exactly in the position to try anything," stated the horrible creature.
"You hit me once already. I can take it again," said the prince defiantly, meeting the orc's glare with his own.
Elrohir slipped the knife out; knowing the guard was far too distracted with Legolas to notice. He quickly cut the bonds, but kept his hands behind his back. It created the illusion that he was still restrained.
The orc swung at Legolas again, but the elf ducked under it.
"You insolent little-"
"Elrohir! Now!"
He jumped up and cut the orc's throat with a vicious swing. The next guard rushed at him, but he ducked in and stabbed the creature in the chest. By this time, most of the camp was aware that their prisoners were trying to escape. Elrohir cut the ropes off his friend who picked up the blade of a fallen orc.
It was a bit heavy at first, but it would have to do for the elf. He turned on his heal and cleaved the head off an attacking orc. Elrohir looked around quickly; looking for an option that might save them the trouble of fighting the whole camp.
Legolas noticed it first. He started fighting a path to the center of the encampment. To the son of Elrond, it seemed like he was only trapping himself.
The blade was becoming difficult to fight with. It was heavy and not a weapon the prince was accustomed to fighting with. Several times he resorted to dodging the attacks, or placing an orc between himself and another attacking one. There were so many, it was simple to cause confusion. Finally, he made it to a dying flame in the center of the camp.
It was then that Elrohir knew what he was doing. The elf fought his way through the fading path Legolas had created. The prince picked up a stick that had fallen close to the fire and lit.
"We are not scared of fire!" taunted one of the elves.
"Then burn in it!" cried Legolas, throwing the flaming stick into a nearby tent. Flames licked the sky as it began to burn with a great speed. The fire grew so big; it caught on another tent and an orc standing far too close to it. The wood-elf grabbed his friend's arm and started to run through the confused and surprised crowd of orcs.
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Elrond rushed onto the balcony.
"Estel, what is it? What is so urgent?" he asked the boy who was standing there, staring off into the forest.
"Look! There's a pillar of smoke rising from the forest," responded Estel.
"It rained two days ago. What could start a fire like that?" muttered Elrond. He turned and hurried away from the room.
"Merion," said the elf-lord as he stepped into the main hall, "a fire has started in the northeast forest. You know what to do."
The guard nodded and ran off without a word or question.
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"Do you think they have followed us?" asked Elrohir, breathless as he fell to his knees.
Legolas turned back and peered into the forest. "Yes," he answered bluntly. "We need to keep moving. Can you make it?"
"My leg won't move."
The prince knelt next to his friend and frowned. A spot of blood was slowly growing. Legolas ripped off part of his sleeve and wrapped it around the wound. "I can be your other leg," he said with a smile.
Elrohir frowned, "I will only slow you down."
"I will get you home safely."
The faint sound of a large group thrashing through the forest reached the ears of the two. The prince only had a few moments to figure out what he was going to do to save his friend. The sounds became louder. He decided the best action was no action. He helped Elrohir to his feet and moved behind two large trees. Several moments later, a small group came into view.
"I swear I saw him here," sounded a familiar voice. "Maybe they thought we were orcs."
Elrohir smiled at Legolas, "That's Elladan."
Legolas cupped his hand over the elf's mouth and frowned. A small little collection of orcs stepped in front of the elves. There was silence for a few moments, and then battle. It lasted for a few ferocious seconds, but no elf was injured.
"Now we can meet them," whispered the prince with a smile. He helped Elrohir to his feet and stepped from the cover of the trees.
"You're alive!" exclaimed Elladan happily as he let his brother lean on him.
"Thank you, Legolas," said the younger twin.
Legolas only smiled in response, looking rather exhausted. Merion chuckled and stood behind the prince.
"Quite an adventure," he muttered.
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Merion helped Legolas into the main hall.
"Has anyone ever told you that you are a great person?"
"Too tired to remember," remarked the prince with a laugh.
The warrior chuckled, garnering a bewildered look from Elladan, who had just stepped into the room.
"You have good news, I hope?" asked Legolas.
"Of course," answered the oldest son of Elrond, "Elrohir is doing fine. Ada also demands that you go to bed right away. I have permission to do whatever is necessary to make sure you do."
Legolas had started walking down the hallway after Elladan had said that his brother was all right. Both Merion and Elladan laughed before leaving the room themselves.
It was already midnight. As the prince walked into his current bedroom, he saw something he regretted later. His quiver, daggers tucked neatly inside, was sitting on the bed next to his bow. A note was sitting next to the quiver. He walked over to read it, then turned back to the door.
"A gift, I suppose?" asked Legolas with a frown. "What do you want, Ryldor?"
By: Max Pilote
Chapter Four - An Old Friend
Elrohir nodded.
"There is a small penknife in my boot. Maybe you can get to it," instructed the prince.
Since their hands were bound behind their backs, it was rather difficult. Legolas watched the guards while Elrohir attempted to get the knife. The two orcs guarding their elvish prisoners were watching everyone else as they prepared to leave at sunset. They looked extremely bored and their guards were down.
"I have it," whispered the younger twin triumphantly.
"Cut your binds."
The orc turned around again. Elrohir tucked the knife into his arm-guard quickly. The orc growled at the both of them.
"You two aren't exactly in the position to try anything," stated the horrible creature.
"You hit me once already. I can take it again," said the prince defiantly, meeting the orc's glare with his own.
Elrohir slipped the knife out; knowing the guard was far too distracted with Legolas to notice. He quickly cut the bonds, but kept his hands behind his back. It created the illusion that he was still restrained.
The orc swung at Legolas again, but the elf ducked under it.
"You insolent little-"
"Elrohir! Now!"
He jumped up and cut the orc's throat with a vicious swing. The next guard rushed at him, but he ducked in and stabbed the creature in the chest. By this time, most of the camp was aware that their prisoners were trying to escape. Elrohir cut the ropes off his friend who picked up the blade of a fallen orc.
It was a bit heavy at first, but it would have to do for the elf. He turned on his heal and cleaved the head off an attacking orc. Elrohir looked around quickly; looking for an option that might save them the trouble of fighting the whole camp.
Legolas noticed it first. He started fighting a path to the center of the encampment. To the son of Elrond, it seemed like he was only trapping himself.
The blade was becoming difficult to fight with. It was heavy and not a weapon the prince was accustomed to fighting with. Several times he resorted to dodging the attacks, or placing an orc between himself and another attacking one. There were so many, it was simple to cause confusion. Finally, he made it to a dying flame in the center of the camp.
It was then that Elrohir knew what he was doing. The elf fought his way through the fading path Legolas had created. The prince picked up a stick that had fallen close to the fire and lit.
"We are not scared of fire!" taunted one of the elves.
"Then burn in it!" cried Legolas, throwing the flaming stick into a nearby tent. Flames licked the sky as it began to burn with a great speed. The fire grew so big; it caught on another tent and an orc standing far too close to it. The wood-elf grabbed his friend's arm and started to run through the confused and surprised crowd of orcs.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Elrond rushed onto the balcony.
"Estel, what is it? What is so urgent?" he asked the boy who was standing there, staring off into the forest.
"Look! There's a pillar of smoke rising from the forest," responded Estel.
"It rained two days ago. What could start a fire like that?" muttered Elrond. He turned and hurried away from the room.
"Merion," said the elf-lord as he stepped into the main hall, "a fire has started in the northeast forest. You know what to do."
The guard nodded and ran off without a word or question.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
"Do you think they have followed us?" asked Elrohir, breathless as he fell to his knees.
Legolas turned back and peered into the forest. "Yes," he answered bluntly. "We need to keep moving. Can you make it?"
"My leg won't move."
The prince knelt next to his friend and frowned. A spot of blood was slowly growing. Legolas ripped off part of his sleeve and wrapped it around the wound. "I can be your other leg," he said with a smile.
Elrohir frowned, "I will only slow you down."
"I will get you home safely."
The faint sound of a large group thrashing through the forest reached the ears of the two. The prince only had a few moments to figure out what he was going to do to save his friend. The sounds became louder. He decided the best action was no action. He helped Elrohir to his feet and moved behind two large trees. Several moments later, a small group came into view.
"I swear I saw him here," sounded a familiar voice. "Maybe they thought we were orcs."
Elrohir smiled at Legolas, "That's Elladan."
Legolas cupped his hand over the elf's mouth and frowned. A small little collection of orcs stepped in front of the elves. There was silence for a few moments, and then battle. It lasted for a few ferocious seconds, but no elf was injured.
"Now we can meet them," whispered the prince with a smile. He helped Elrohir to his feet and stepped from the cover of the trees.
"You're alive!" exclaimed Elladan happily as he let his brother lean on him.
"Thank you, Legolas," said the younger twin.
Legolas only smiled in response, looking rather exhausted. Merion chuckled and stood behind the prince.
"Quite an adventure," he muttered.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Merion helped Legolas into the main hall.
"Has anyone ever told you that you are a great person?"
"Too tired to remember," remarked the prince with a laugh.
The warrior chuckled, garnering a bewildered look from Elladan, who had just stepped into the room.
"You have good news, I hope?" asked Legolas.
"Of course," answered the oldest son of Elrond, "Elrohir is doing fine. Ada also demands that you go to bed right away. I have permission to do whatever is necessary to make sure you do."
Legolas had started walking down the hallway after Elladan had said that his brother was all right. Both Merion and Elladan laughed before leaving the room themselves.
It was already midnight. As the prince walked into his current bedroom, he saw something he regretted later. His quiver, daggers tucked neatly inside, was sitting on the bed next to his bow. A note was sitting next to the quiver. He walked over to read it, then turned back to the door.
"A gift, I suppose?" asked Legolas with a frown. "What do you want, Ryldor?"
