Into the Mines

By: Max Pilote

Chapter Ten: Keep Your Enemies Close

"Run!" yelled Legolas. He was warning their enemy? "Run, Rymir, before they get you, too! It isn't safe to be down here!"

Elladan pulled Legolas closer to him, "What are you doing? You do realize Rymir has tried to kill you and me before? I think that fall may have damaged your head more than I thought."

"I trust that Rymir is not truly evil," responded the elf with a small smile.

"You think too much." The twin went to laugh, but it came out as a short wheezing breath.

Estel pulled away from the orc and dropped to his knees next to his brother. It looked like a few of his ribs had been broken. He looked to Legolas, needing a verification of this, but saw the elf's eyes fixed on something.

Rymir looked up as he moved to the hole and saw Ryldor standing there.

"Brother! Help me up," he said.

Ryldor laughed, "I've decided to cut my losses, little brother. A realization came to me shortly after you left. You're useless to me. For the past several hundred years, you have failed to impress me."

"What are you saying?"

"Good-bye, Rymir. It's time you were a burden upon someone else," replied Ryldor after pulling the rope up.

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"Naneth? Naneth...wake up, please?" asked the frightened elfling kneeling next to her. "Please!"

A second elfling, only a bit older and taller, came up behind him, "She's dead, Rymir. We're alone."

"No! She's not dead, she's just sleeping. She said she was just going to sleep!" cried the child. "You're wrong, Ryldor! She'll wake up!"

"People don't wake up after they get daggers in their chests!" argued the older one. "I went back to the house to see what the orcs hadn't burnt. Here's Naneth's pendant...and Ada's cloak."

"Ada's body?"

"Ashes."

Rymir stood up and hook his tiny arms under his mother's. "Come on," he said. "At least lets give Naneth the best burial we can. Let's drag her over to where Ada was and we'll burn her body. At least they can be together."

"At they wished."

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Legolas looked to Estel and Elladan, then smiled. "Pray for me," he whispered. With difficulty, he stood up.

"What do you think you're going to do in your condition?" demanded Estel. "You're going to get yourself killed."

"I'm going to save someone's life," responded the prince.

Rymir turned and drew his daggers. His mind was racing. Everything he thought he had forgotten was coming back to him. After his mother had died, he hadn't really been alone. Ryldor had been there. Now, Ryldor had abandoned him.

An orc swung his blade at the elf in an attempt to kill him before the battle got too out of hand. Rymir spoiled his plans by ducking under the sword and stabbing his dagger into the beast's gut. Standing upright and turning on his heal, he killed another advancing foe.

Three orcs went for their bows, standing still nearer to the group than the ones fighting with swords. Estel noticed this, and assumed that his friend had, too. Rymir didn't. Spurred by his determination and emotions, Legolas ran towards the battle.

He rammed an orc with his shoulder and grabbed its blade. They were much heavier than what he was used to. Still, he had no time to go back and search for his own weapons. Killing three more orcs more slowly than he would have under normal circumstances, the prince tried to get to Rymir. He turned back for a moment to kill an orc and saw the archers. Unfortunately, it was only after they had released their arrows.

A shout far different from the orcs cries of pain and battle caught Rymir's attention. He turned. Several things happened at once...

Three arrows flew at him. Legolas threw himself in front of the elf, taking one in his thigh and the other in his arm. The third flew past him, but missed the two all together. The prince fell back against Rymir, who caught him before they both toppled to the ground. The orcs surrounded them in order to block any chance of escape.

"I'm sorry," whispered Legolas as Rymir helped him stand.

"If anyone should be sorry, it is I," he responded sadly.

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Ryldor emerged from the cave and stood for a few seconds, taking in the fresh air. Like most elves, caves disturbed him greatly. Opening his eyes, he started to walk. Suddenly, Elrond came out of the trees.

For several seconds they stood there, staring at each other before the elf- lord spoke.

"I am not concerned with you at the moment. If you answer my question, I'll just pass you up and let you pray we do not cross paths again. Where are my sons?"

"Right in this cave, sir," responded the younger elf, stepping to the side. As Elrond began walking towards the entrance to the cave, Ryldor walked off into the forest.

He didn't know why, but the Imladris elf was intimidating...

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"You can't leave him there alone! He needs someone with him!" argued Estel, trying to pull away from the orcs holding him as he watched one drag Legolas to the far side of the group.

"Estel," whispered Elladan, "calm down."

Rymir growled and forcefully pushed the orcs away from him, crossing over to Legolas with little resistance. The prince opened his eyes slightly and frowned. The once brutal elf stopped him before he could speak. Elladan and Estel were moved to a different side of the large group, as they had expected.

"Are you feeling ill? Nauseous?" asked Rymir as he helped the prince to his feet. He knew the orcs would start moving soon.

"I can't throw up," responded the weak elf. "I have not eaten anything. Ugh, I'm dizzy..."

The orcs starting moving, pushing their prisoners along with them. With help, Legolas was able to keep up. The four prisoners were clueless as to where they were going, but they would probably be dead before they could get there.

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Elrohir looked over at his father's trusted friend. Glorfindel sat in a chair by the door, looking asleep. He really wasn't asleep, but was in deep thought.

"Your brother should have told you," he finally spoke after nearly an hour of sitting in silence. "Where is this cavern?"

"The forest by the cliff in the High Moors," responded the son of Elrond.

The elder stood, realizing something, "There may be some trouble."

"Trouble?"

Glorfindel left the room without explaining anything, leaving him alone. Frowning, Elrohir laid back down and pulled the blanket over him. He had a very bad feeling about this.

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After about an hour of walking, the group came to a gradual halt. The two brothers towards the front of the small army worried as they were stopped. A few minutes later, the chieftain walked to an area where a large group of the beasts had huddled.

"Stop it! He's too weak to walk!" said Rymir angrily as several orcs restrained him. The focus of his concern had started to falter once more. His strength left him and he tumbled to the ground. The orcs didn't like this too much.

"The elf is a prisoner and will walk like a prisoner. We will not allow this insolence!" said the chieftain, grabbing a club from one of the lesser soldiers.

"It is not insolence! Your damned poison is killing him!" argued an enraged Rymir as the orc stood near Legolas, raising the club. "Don't touch him! Get away from him!"

Legolas gritted his teeth, determined not to cry out and show weakness to these demons. After several hits to his ribs, back, chest, and a few hits to his injured side before he even whimpered slightly. After the orc was satisfied, he kicked the prince and left him lying on the ground.

"Let's keep moving, leave the injured one here," said the chieftain with a wicked grin. "We're already behind."

And so...the small army moved faster, leaving Legolas to bleed to death.

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"Legolas?"

It was a soothing, familiar voice. Was he hallucinating?

"Please show me any sign that you're alive," pleaded the voice softly.

Slowly, he opened his eyes and saw Elrond leaning over him. The wise elf- lord smiled and brushed a few loose strands of hair out of the prince's face.

"I'm not dead yet," whispered Legolas weakly with an almost undetectable smile.

"And you never will die," responded Elrond, keeping his voice soothing and calm as he spoke in the grey tongue. "I will do what I can for you now, but I may have to leave you here for a while."

Legolas understood fully, but was far too weak to respond anymore. His eyes slowly closed and darkness consumed him again...