Into the Mines
By: Max Pilote
Chapter Six -
"It looks like a hole," remarked Estel as he stood near the edge.
Legolas pulled him back, "Stay away from there. The ledge looks weak."
He looked up, trying to see the top of the cliff. His human companion noticed a certain tension in the elf. After ten years of knowing Legolas, Estel knew him well enough to be able to sense when he was worried about something.
"Maybe we should go back," he suggested. "Ada can bandage your shoulder."
"Right..." replied Legolas, absently and distantly. Slowly, he took out his bow and loaded it. Ignoring the pain in his shoulder, he aimed it towards the top of the cliff.
Ryldor, from his hiding spot in the tree, growled and made a strange gesture. Legolas let his arrow fly and it struck the cliff face. It had been meant as a warning shot, just barely missing Ryldor, who stood there waiting for his brother's signal.
"Now we can go back," he said to Estel, turning, and started to walk back. As the human took his place walking in front of him, Legolas shot a quick glare at Ryldor. "This isn't over yet."
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A tension was present in the room. Elrohir watched Elrond and Legolas argue, laughing at the prince's responses to the elf-lord's questions.
"How did you get injured if you did not find any orcs?" asked Elrond, frowning.
"That I cannot tell you," responded Legolas with an innocent smile.
"And why can you not tell me?"
"It's a secret between me and Estel."
"That's ridiculous!" The elf-lord sighed heavily and left the room. The prince smiled as he turned to Elrohir. Elrohir simply laughed and tossed a pillow at Legolas, who ducked it. It hit an unfortunate Estel, who had just walked into the room.
"Very funny, you two," he said with a laugh, tossing the pillow on the bed. "How are you feeling today, 'Ro?"
His brother shrugged, "Better than normal. I heard that you saved Legolas today."
"I warned you, 'Ro!" said Legolas with a playful smirk. He grabbed the pillow before his intended victim could and hit him playfully over the head with it.
Laughter erupted in the room. When the three calmed down, Estel sat on the end of the bed near Elrohir's feet.
"Did you realize," he started, "how much your attacker resembled you, Legolas?"
"Let's not talk about this Estel. I would rather not," responded the prince.
At this point, Elladan walked in the room, "Are you reminiscing on that little hunting accident you had a few years ago, Legolas?" When he received a sarcastic glare as a response, he continued talking. "What did you find?"
"A mine shaft," answered Estel, "but we didn't have the proper supplies to explore it."
"Merion and I will return to it, then. Will you be willing to guide us, Legolas?" asked Elladan.
The prince looked at Estel, who frowned and looked down at the ground in disappointment. He smiled at the child, "My shoulder would serve only to hinder me in battle, should we come to that. Estel is willing to lead you."
Elladan looked at Elrohir, then to Estel. In his eyes, his human brother was still a child. Sometimes, however, the child did surprise them with his strength. His determination fueled him. One of Estel's most deepest desires was to prove himself to his brothers-to prove that he could take care of himself.
"Very well," said Elladan hesitantly, "but you better be extremely careful, Estel! I don't want to have to give Ada any bad news." When he left the room, Estel ran over and hugged Legolas.
"Thank you, Legolas!"
Minutes later, the room was empty save for Legolas, holding his knees against his chest as he sat on a table a few feet away from the door, and Elrohir, who still lay in bed. Neither spoke for several moments. They didn't have to. Each knew the other well enough to know where their thoughts lie: worried for Estel.
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"You have met your match," stated Rymir as he watched his brother pacing in front of him. "It is far more difficult to kill this elf, as it seems, than to sneak into Imladris or push them into the mine shaft."
Ryldor growled, walking one way then turning on his heel and walking the other. He had never met a person so difficult to kill. Most people could be tricked easily. Legolas, however...he seemed to be one step ahead of him each time. How did he do it? What was it about that prissy elf that allowed him to defeat Ryldor so easily?
"Do not worry, brother," said Rymir with a smile. It was a cruel smile that gave only his brother comfort. "You have injured him."
"But that isn't enough! I do not want him injured! I want him dead!" argued the smaller elf. "I cannot simply let him think that I am so easily defeated."
"What are you going to do?"
Ryldor smirked and turned to his brother, "I am going to hit him right where it hurts. I am going to strike his greatest weakness. Deliver him the next letter. That insolent elf..."
Quickly, Ryldor wrote a small note, folded it, and handed it to his brother. "Oh, and you can have a little fun of your own," he commented, knowing how much Rymir enjoyed torturing people. "It do believe it is time you enjoyed yourself."
"Ah, and I will."
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"Do you need anything?" asked Legolas as he moved to the door.
"No, but thank you for the offer," responded Elrohir. "You should go get some rest. Elladan and Estel will probably keep you up with tales of their exploits."
The prince chuckled, "If I go to sleep, you have to go to sleep."
"No problem there!"
The two laughed as Legolas left the room. Elrohir laid back and closed his eyes. He heard the door creak open, then close quickly. Sitting up abruptly, he realized for the first time how dark it was.
"Who is there?" he asked, slightly nervous.
When no answer came, the elf became a little more frightened. Elrohir was practically defenseless. Unarmed and injured...he frowned.
"Legolas? If this is a joke...it isn't funny," called the elf into the dark.
"This isn't a joke." It seemed that the darkness itself had given that response.
That wasn't Legolas's voice.
By: Max Pilote
Chapter Six -
"It looks like a hole," remarked Estel as he stood near the edge.
Legolas pulled him back, "Stay away from there. The ledge looks weak."
He looked up, trying to see the top of the cliff. His human companion noticed a certain tension in the elf. After ten years of knowing Legolas, Estel knew him well enough to be able to sense when he was worried about something.
"Maybe we should go back," he suggested. "Ada can bandage your shoulder."
"Right..." replied Legolas, absently and distantly. Slowly, he took out his bow and loaded it. Ignoring the pain in his shoulder, he aimed it towards the top of the cliff.
Ryldor, from his hiding spot in the tree, growled and made a strange gesture. Legolas let his arrow fly and it struck the cliff face. It had been meant as a warning shot, just barely missing Ryldor, who stood there waiting for his brother's signal.
"Now we can go back," he said to Estel, turning, and started to walk back. As the human took his place walking in front of him, Legolas shot a quick glare at Ryldor. "This isn't over yet."
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A tension was present in the room. Elrohir watched Elrond and Legolas argue, laughing at the prince's responses to the elf-lord's questions.
"How did you get injured if you did not find any orcs?" asked Elrond, frowning.
"That I cannot tell you," responded Legolas with an innocent smile.
"And why can you not tell me?"
"It's a secret between me and Estel."
"That's ridiculous!" The elf-lord sighed heavily and left the room. The prince smiled as he turned to Elrohir. Elrohir simply laughed and tossed a pillow at Legolas, who ducked it. It hit an unfortunate Estel, who had just walked into the room.
"Very funny, you two," he said with a laugh, tossing the pillow on the bed. "How are you feeling today, 'Ro?"
His brother shrugged, "Better than normal. I heard that you saved Legolas today."
"I warned you, 'Ro!" said Legolas with a playful smirk. He grabbed the pillow before his intended victim could and hit him playfully over the head with it.
Laughter erupted in the room. When the three calmed down, Estel sat on the end of the bed near Elrohir's feet.
"Did you realize," he started, "how much your attacker resembled you, Legolas?"
"Let's not talk about this Estel. I would rather not," responded the prince.
At this point, Elladan walked in the room, "Are you reminiscing on that little hunting accident you had a few years ago, Legolas?" When he received a sarcastic glare as a response, he continued talking. "What did you find?"
"A mine shaft," answered Estel, "but we didn't have the proper supplies to explore it."
"Merion and I will return to it, then. Will you be willing to guide us, Legolas?" asked Elladan.
The prince looked at Estel, who frowned and looked down at the ground in disappointment. He smiled at the child, "My shoulder would serve only to hinder me in battle, should we come to that. Estel is willing to lead you."
Elladan looked at Elrohir, then to Estel. In his eyes, his human brother was still a child. Sometimes, however, the child did surprise them with his strength. His determination fueled him. One of Estel's most deepest desires was to prove himself to his brothers-to prove that he could take care of himself.
"Very well," said Elladan hesitantly, "but you better be extremely careful, Estel! I don't want to have to give Ada any bad news." When he left the room, Estel ran over and hugged Legolas.
"Thank you, Legolas!"
Minutes later, the room was empty save for Legolas, holding his knees against his chest as he sat on a table a few feet away from the door, and Elrohir, who still lay in bed. Neither spoke for several moments. They didn't have to. Each knew the other well enough to know where their thoughts lie: worried for Estel.
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"You have met your match," stated Rymir as he watched his brother pacing in front of him. "It is far more difficult to kill this elf, as it seems, than to sneak into Imladris or push them into the mine shaft."
Ryldor growled, walking one way then turning on his heel and walking the other. He had never met a person so difficult to kill. Most people could be tricked easily. Legolas, however...he seemed to be one step ahead of him each time. How did he do it? What was it about that prissy elf that allowed him to defeat Ryldor so easily?
"Do not worry, brother," said Rymir with a smile. It was a cruel smile that gave only his brother comfort. "You have injured him."
"But that isn't enough! I do not want him injured! I want him dead!" argued the smaller elf. "I cannot simply let him think that I am so easily defeated."
"What are you going to do?"
Ryldor smirked and turned to his brother, "I am going to hit him right where it hurts. I am going to strike his greatest weakness. Deliver him the next letter. That insolent elf..."
Quickly, Ryldor wrote a small note, folded it, and handed it to his brother. "Oh, and you can have a little fun of your own," he commented, knowing how much Rymir enjoyed torturing people. "It do believe it is time you enjoyed yourself."
"Ah, and I will."
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"Do you need anything?" asked Legolas as he moved to the door.
"No, but thank you for the offer," responded Elrohir. "You should go get some rest. Elladan and Estel will probably keep you up with tales of their exploits."
The prince chuckled, "If I go to sleep, you have to go to sleep."
"No problem there!"
The two laughed as Legolas left the room. Elrohir laid back and closed his eyes. He heard the door creak open, then close quickly. Sitting up abruptly, he realized for the first time how dark it was.
"Who is there?" he asked, slightly nervous.
When no answer came, the elf became a little more frightened. Elrohir was practically defenseless. Unarmed and injured...he frowned.
"Legolas? If this is a joke...it isn't funny," called the elf into the dark.
"This isn't a joke." It seemed that the darkness itself had given that response.
That wasn't Legolas's voice.
