Disclaimer: All things related to Tolkien's works are his.

A Twist of Fate

Chapter IV – An Escape Attempt

The camp was silent. Guards had been appointed to watch over the two captives as well as to petrol the surroundings for any other dangers. However, other then the guards which were about three to four meters away from the prisoners, the rest kept their distance.

Legolas rotated his aching wrists. He had been working on them for the better part of the night and now, a few hours before dawn, they had finally loosened enough for him to free his hands. He glanced at Aragorn and saw that he too had been successful.

The ranger's eyes met the elf's and Legolas nodded slightly. Now was as good a time as any. They slipped their hands out from the loosened ropes and waited for the right moment, for the guards to look away.

Aragorn started running first. He sprinted away further into the woods with Legolas just behind him. He silently prayed to the Valar that they would be able to get away.

A shout was heard behind them, their absence had been detected. Legolas sharp ears could just hear heavy foot falls as the guards gave chase. Their best chance would be to cross the river.

What the two escapees did not count on was that the rage of the men drove them on hard. One of their own had been killed, for what reasons they did not know, but it infuriated them. Soon, they had almost caught up.

~*

Legolas' gasped as a bolt embedded itself in his left shoulder; hot pain began to spread through his left side as the running jolted and nudged the arrow against his flesh and bone. He did not stop running. Aragorn was oblivious to his friend's plight.

White flashes began to appear in front of Legolas' eyes as his wound was made worst by the running. Dark red blood was already staining his tunic, as it oozed, from the injury.

Finally, Aragorn sensed that his friend was falling back and turned around to see what the matter was. He spotted the arrow shaft sticking out of Legolas' back and stopped. Legolas was so focused on keeping up that he did not notice the ranger had come to a halt.

He hit his friend hard and fell backwards, his landing breaking off the shaft of the arrow and splintering it. Some of the splinters were driven into the elf's wound and he cried out at the pain.

"Aragorn… you must go on. They are almost upon us…"

He gasped out through the pain.

"You know I can't do that my friend." He knelt down next to his friend, and together, with a sense of foreboding that they had just made matters a lot worst, they waited helplessly.

~*

The men parted, allowing Tiddyn to approach the encircled prisoners.

"They tried to escape," Addramyr reported to his captain.

Tiddyn looked closely at the two beings that lay before him. The elf seemed much the worst for wear, he had a wound in his shoulder and blood was trickling down from his lip and a cut on his forehead. His eye also seemed to be badly bruised. The man seemed better off, though his face was also rather bruised.

"You do realize this proves you are guilty."

The man's head snapped up, in disbelief.

"Yes… it does you know. Why escape if you are innocent? Why do you fear our judgment upon you if you had indeed done nothing at all? Yes, it does prove you are guilty, I'm afraid."

"We do not flee out of guilt… we run because who knows what evils you have up your sleeve? You really expect us to stupidly wait for your verdict to fall upon our heads?"

Tiddyn just smiled grimly.

It was obvious none of the others believed the prisoner. They were playing right into his hands.

"Make sure they don't escape again."

"Yes my lord," Addramyr bowed slightly before signaling to the men to take them away.

~*

Later, in the camp:

"Do you think they really did it?" Asked Geollyn a stout, rosy cheeked man, who did most of the cooking.

"Of course! What else would they be doing  so near our camp for no apparent reason?"

Rhunyc retorted angrily- he had no patience for the easy going Geollyn, who in his opinion was rather a fool.

"They could be just passer-bys" Geollyn countered, not at all offended by the tone of the other.

"Oh yes, just passing through this dark creepy forest for no reason at all?"

"Err… yes?"

"Just shut up you fool."

"It could be possible you know."

"He could be right." Another man spoke up in Geollyn's defense.

Sensing tension, Addramyr decided to put an end to the conversation.

"No, captain Tiddyn may be young, but he is not a foolish man. It's going to be a long day tomorrow, get some rest."

The place slowly fell silent, while Legolas and Aragorn lay in another part of the area, closely guarded.

TBC…

Wow! I finally hit 10 reviews for  chapter 3 !!! Yea! *Dances around like a loon* Here, I baked cupcakes for all who reviewed! *Hands out cupcake to nearest reviewer*

Anyway, I still need more feedback… please review!

Reviewer takes a bite of cupcake, turns green and falls onto the floor in a dead faint. Oops! That wasn't supposed to happen….

Sorry… I didn't have time to reply to all the reviews… but heartfelt thanks to all who reviewed! :o)

Anastasia who: Torture inflicted on Aragorn and Legolas… well… they won't exactly be tortured by characters in the story if that's what you mean. But there will be elf angst …