Author's note: Thank you to all reviewers. In answer to a question, no this isn't a sequel to More than he Seems. There will, however, be a sequel to this one. Probably.
Anyway, I should be able to update quicker in future because exams are over. HURRAY!!! I may need to retake one of the maths ones, and I can never tell about English. I won't mind if I have to retake the English editorial writing exam 'cause that was fun. What? Why is everyone staring at me like I'm a freak?
***
The men's lord soon returned, and the two who had remained with him herded a short line of chained children. There were two boys, of perhaps five and seven, and a girl of about the same age, along with one who was older, nearing the age when she would become a woman, holding another young boy in her arms. Every one of them looked afraid.
So this man they all looked to so gladly was the sort who would steal children away from their innocence. Legolas' hatred for this race only increased.
The children were taken to the centre of the camp, near to where Legolas sat bound, and the men set about removing the chains. Unlike Legolas, the children were not tied again. The lord stood before them.
"I will not treat you cruelly, but I shall expect you to obey instructions from myself or my men. Behave well and you shall be rewarded accordingly." There were no threats, just the hidden implication behind his words. The older girl hugged the young boy closer to herself. Legolas could see the similarities in their faces and guessed they were siblings.
The lord then turned to the man called Ethindal. "Give each of them food and water. Including the elf."
Legolas was parched with thirst, but he made no move to drink from the cup that was held in front of his face. He glared at Ethindal instead.
"You need fear no poison," Ethindal said.
"I do not fear any man," Legolas responded proudly.
"You should. Only a fool does not fear that which is dangerous, and my lord is deadly to his enemies. No man can match him with speed or stealth, no man can match him with blade or bow."
"I am no man," Legolas replied, smiling coldly, "and I will face him if I can, and I will best him."
"I doubt it," Ethindal said confidently, "and certainly you will not do so dying of thirst." Legolas opened his mouth to accept the water, gladly drinking, letting the cool liquid soothe his throat.
That first night in the camp of men was uncomfortable to say the least. Legolas tried and failed to find a position in which he might sleep easily, with his feet tied and his hands securely bound in the small of his back. The ground beneath him was a coarse, rocky sand that cut into his skin.
Somehow he managed to doze, with the stars above as his only comfort. His home was far away, as was his hope.
It seemed he'd been asleep only a moment when a commotion woke him. It was still dark, the position of the stars telling him that it was only just past midnight, but the men were moving about. Some seemed to be just waking, others were moving hurriedly, apparently purposelessly. Legolas struggled to sitting and looked about him, trying to discern what had happened.
"How did this come about?" the voice of the men's lord cut in. He spoke sharply, to a man Legolas didn't know the name of, the youngest of the group. A scrawny-looking thing, barely more than a boy.
"I'm. . . I'm sorry, my lord," the man stammered, looking at the ground, seeming more child-like by this action.
"Tell me, Damial," the lord demanded.
"I don't know, my lord. I was growing tired, so I decided to walk the perimeter of the camp to rouse myself. When I returned to the children, the girl and her brother were missing." Legolas began to smile to himself. If this camp was so poorly guarded that two children could escape unnoticed, it seemed impossible that Legolas wouldn't manage it.
The lord turned to his men. "They can't have gone far," he said, "search for them and bring them back here. Not you, Damial," he added, as the man started to move away, "remain here and watch over these three. Try and keep your eyes open this time." There was no anger in his voice, which surprised Legolas, simply a disappointment that seemed to sting Damial far more painfully.
The lord went to Ethindal and said something quietly to him. Ethindal then set about ordering the search, sending men off in all directions. Others remained on the edge of the camp, stoking up the watch fires to give them better vision.
Legolas thought about the two children, out somewhere in this darkness. He sent a prayer to the Valar that they would be able to hide from the search parties. No one deserved slavery.
The lord noticed Legolas looking at him, and strode quickly to the elf's side.
"Does this please you?" the man asked.
"Yes," Legolas replied, "any slave escaping would please me."
"There are many out there who would take advantage of two stray children. Many who would make far worse masters than I." The man seemed overly confident in his kindness, assuming that being a kind master was enough to allow slavery.
"That doesn't excuse what you do to them."
"I have done nothing. I will do nothing. I do not hurt children."
"Would you hurt me?" The question had escape from Legolas' mouth before he stopped to think about it.
"That depends," the lord replied, "if you did anything to threaten myself or any of my people, I would kill you without hesitation." The man said it with such certainty that Legolas didn't doubt him.
***
Author's note: Again, I'm afraid the chapter's short. Sorry about that. Maybe the next one will be longer.
Please review, I can never have enough of those. Comments and criticisms are welcome and flames will be used to keep my hands warm while waiting for the bus.
Anyway, I should be able to update quicker in future because exams are over. HURRAY!!! I may need to retake one of the maths ones, and I can never tell about English. I won't mind if I have to retake the English editorial writing exam 'cause that was fun. What? Why is everyone staring at me like I'm a freak?
***
The men's lord soon returned, and the two who had remained with him herded a short line of chained children. There were two boys, of perhaps five and seven, and a girl of about the same age, along with one who was older, nearing the age when she would become a woman, holding another young boy in her arms. Every one of them looked afraid.
So this man they all looked to so gladly was the sort who would steal children away from their innocence. Legolas' hatred for this race only increased.
The children were taken to the centre of the camp, near to where Legolas sat bound, and the men set about removing the chains. Unlike Legolas, the children were not tied again. The lord stood before them.
"I will not treat you cruelly, but I shall expect you to obey instructions from myself or my men. Behave well and you shall be rewarded accordingly." There were no threats, just the hidden implication behind his words. The older girl hugged the young boy closer to herself. Legolas could see the similarities in their faces and guessed they were siblings.
The lord then turned to the man called Ethindal. "Give each of them food and water. Including the elf."
Legolas was parched with thirst, but he made no move to drink from the cup that was held in front of his face. He glared at Ethindal instead.
"You need fear no poison," Ethindal said.
"I do not fear any man," Legolas responded proudly.
"You should. Only a fool does not fear that which is dangerous, and my lord is deadly to his enemies. No man can match him with speed or stealth, no man can match him with blade or bow."
"I am no man," Legolas replied, smiling coldly, "and I will face him if I can, and I will best him."
"I doubt it," Ethindal said confidently, "and certainly you will not do so dying of thirst." Legolas opened his mouth to accept the water, gladly drinking, letting the cool liquid soothe his throat.
That first night in the camp of men was uncomfortable to say the least. Legolas tried and failed to find a position in which he might sleep easily, with his feet tied and his hands securely bound in the small of his back. The ground beneath him was a coarse, rocky sand that cut into his skin.
Somehow he managed to doze, with the stars above as his only comfort. His home was far away, as was his hope.
It seemed he'd been asleep only a moment when a commotion woke him. It was still dark, the position of the stars telling him that it was only just past midnight, but the men were moving about. Some seemed to be just waking, others were moving hurriedly, apparently purposelessly. Legolas struggled to sitting and looked about him, trying to discern what had happened.
"How did this come about?" the voice of the men's lord cut in. He spoke sharply, to a man Legolas didn't know the name of, the youngest of the group. A scrawny-looking thing, barely more than a boy.
"I'm. . . I'm sorry, my lord," the man stammered, looking at the ground, seeming more child-like by this action.
"Tell me, Damial," the lord demanded.
"I don't know, my lord. I was growing tired, so I decided to walk the perimeter of the camp to rouse myself. When I returned to the children, the girl and her brother were missing." Legolas began to smile to himself. If this camp was so poorly guarded that two children could escape unnoticed, it seemed impossible that Legolas wouldn't manage it.
The lord turned to his men. "They can't have gone far," he said, "search for them and bring them back here. Not you, Damial," he added, as the man started to move away, "remain here and watch over these three. Try and keep your eyes open this time." There was no anger in his voice, which surprised Legolas, simply a disappointment that seemed to sting Damial far more painfully.
The lord went to Ethindal and said something quietly to him. Ethindal then set about ordering the search, sending men off in all directions. Others remained on the edge of the camp, stoking up the watch fires to give them better vision.
Legolas thought about the two children, out somewhere in this darkness. He sent a prayer to the Valar that they would be able to hide from the search parties. No one deserved slavery.
The lord noticed Legolas looking at him, and strode quickly to the elf's side.
"Does this please you?" the man asked.
"Yes," Legolas replied, "any slave escaping would please me."
"There are many out there who would take advantage of two stray children. Many who would make far worse masters than I." The man seemed overly confident in his kindness, assuming that being a kind master was enough to allow slavery.
"That doesn't excuse what you do to them."
"I have done nothing. I will do nothing. I do not hurt children."
"Would you hurt me?" The question had escape from Legolas' mouth before he stopped to think about it.
"That depends," the lord replied, "if you did anything to threaten myself or any of my people, I would kill you without hesitation." The man said it with such certainty that Legolas didn't doubt him.
***
Author's note: Again, I'm afraid the chapter's short. Sorry about that. Maybe the next one will be longer.
Please review, I can never have enough of those. Comments and criticisms are welcome and flames will be used to keep my hands warm while waiting for the bus.