Holy crap! You guys rock beyond belief! That's by far the most reviews I've ever recieved for one chapter. It almost took me long to reply than it did for me to write the new chapter! And for a filler too. You guys must REALLY like seeing the poor elfling get tortured. I'll have to keep that in mind. *grins*
And now, for a plug. My dear reviewer Marauderluver4-ever is a newcomer to the realm of fanfiction that is Lord of the Rings and would greatly appreciate some input on her new story 'Red Sun'. So go check it out. And tell her that Adrienne sent you. Though, it won't do anything for you. I've just always wanted to say that. :)
Thank you all!!!
" Leaves of Glass "
Chapter 10 - Danger
Strider held his breath as his hands slid over pale skin, probing, searching. Legolas' chest rose and fell in a soft rhythm under his touch, the elf's blue eyes watching every movement of his hands. Strider's fingers danced over the place where the prince's ribs had been broken, gently applying pressure to the area. The elf winced but made no other movement.
The Ranger pulled his hands away and sat back. His eyes met Legolas' and he nodded reassuringly. The elf sighed and returned the nod, then slowly pulled his green tunic over his head. Strider reached to assist him when he grimaced in pain but a harsh glare from the elf had him pulling his hands back to his lap. The young human's eyes rolled up in frustration. Legolas grinned.
After a moment of comfortable silence Strider stood from the large bed and walked over to the back of the tent. 'I'll be back tomorrow.' He mouthed when he caught Legolas' eyes. The prince nodded. 'Thank you.' He mouthed in return, one delicate hand resting protectively over his mending ribs. Strider smiled then left the tent.
*
"This is hopeless, Torlin." Strider sighed as he rejoined the potion maker at their tent. "I'll never be able to free him. There is no way to get to the king. He is always guarded, day and night."
"Then give up." Torlin said, his steady hands pouring a clear liquid into a glass bottle. "You can leave any time you wish. If this is truly hopeless, just go, for there is no sense in staying."
Strider sighed and sat down hard on the ground in front of the fire. "I cannot go." He said, defeated, just as he had every other night for the past 2 weeks when this same conversation had taken place.
"Then stop complaining and think of a solution. Here." The old man handed him the bottle, its top covered in blue sealing wax.
Strider took the potion and stared at it grimly. The contents swirled in the glass, the clear liquid dyed red by the dancing fire. "Why do you make me do this?" He asked, rubbing his free hand over his face in exhaustion.
"The men find it humorous."
Strider glared at his mentor as he rose and started walking towards the edge of the camp. His gait slow, his eyes blank, his made his way to the large fire on the outskirts of the encampment. Above the fire was a large caldron, filled with a sickly brown goo. He broke the seal and poured the contents of the bottle into the slop, using the large wooden spoon to stir it in. Two cloaked men watched him from several feet away, smirking as he did this.
Slowly, from all around him, slow, lifeless figures started to make their way to the pot, bowls in hand. Strider picked up one of the rough wooden bowls and scooped out some of the thick, gloppy soup every movement mechanical; an exact match to those lifeless beings surrounding him. The rest of the slaves did the same, then slowly started their way back to their sleeping places to eat the gruel, along with the potion that made them the lifeless, controllable beings they had become.
Strider tossed the empty bowl, its contents now soaking into the earth in some random corner of the camp, to the ground when he returned to his tent. "Are you sure we can't-"
"I've told you, boy. The effects don't wear off quickly enough not to be noticed." Torlin said sourly around the pipe in his mouth. He stood abruptly and walked to the entrance of the tent. "Stop thinking so much, boy. Just find the answer."
Strider jumped to his feet and glared at the old man. "I don't see why you think I can do this." He hissed, his eyes flashing in the fire light. "You have been here for years and have not found the answer. How can you expect me too?"
"Because, child." Torlin said, his hands curling around an invisible object. "It's in your blood. Now stop thinking of what is and isn't possible and find the answer!" With a swift jerk of his hand he was inside the tent, leaving the Ranger to his thoughts.
*
Legolas sat silently on his bed, staring at his hands, his sharp eyes searching for the round scars at the center of his palms. A small smile curled his lips when he saw that he could barely discern the pale circles. They would be gone for good soon.
Suddenly his guards burst through the entrance of his tent. The elf looked up slowly, his cold gaze meeting theirs. They advanced on him quickly, though he could feel the fear seeping through their hard exteriors. He laughed when they grabbed him, pulling him from the bed, their grips on his arms tight, frightened. He didn't fight them.
"Is there a reason for this, gentlemen?" Legolas asked after several moments of nothing.
One of the guards grunted and nodded at his companion. The other released one, white-knuckled grip from his forearm and pulled an odd device from his belt. The thing was crudely made, a thick leather strap that buckled at the ends, with a large round leather ball attached to the center on the inside of the slightly curving belt.
The man released Legolas' arm completely and grabbed his hair at the back of his head. He yanked backwards sharply, pulling his head back. Legolas let out an angry shout and the man jammed the leather ball into his mouth. Legolas jerked back in response to the object, but the man pulled on his hair again, bringing him to his knees.
The guard quickly pulled the leather strap around his head, buckling it tightly. Legolas began to struggle, his eyes flashing in anger but the other guard backhanded him across the temple, sending sprawling to his back on the ground. Then the man stepped on his wrist, and the other followed suit, pinning him to the ground.
The elf started kicking his legs, angry shouts coming out as garbled moans around the ball lodged in his mouth. He managed to kick his legs high enough to come into contact with one of the guards, his body curling in on itself as he bucked against their hold.
After the hard kick to his gut one of the guards shouted for help and immediately two more men came into the tent. After a few moments struggle and several more good kicks from Legolas, one which resulted in a loud crack and a lot of blood running from one man's nose, the elf was thoroughly pinned to the cushioned ground with one man holding valiantly to each limb.
Panic rose swiftly through Legolas and he thrashed against the men with all his strength, but he could never gain more than one limbs freedom before he was pinned again. Livid curses came out in a steam of muffled noises from his mouth. Another man lost his hold and there was another crack, followed by a curse.
And then Legolas went still.
The four guards watched him warily, tightening their holds, waiting for a trick. But Legolas no longer paid them any head.
He had heard voice coming from outside the tent. Walking by the entrance now they were clear as new snow to his elven hearing. He knew that voice.
He only had time to release one frantic, muffled scream before one of the guards hit him across the head with a blunt object and the world went dark.
*
'In my blood.' Strider seethed as he walked through the camp, his lifeless pace frustrating him even more. He wanted to run. He wanted to hit something. He wanted... something. 'In my blood. In my blood? The Dunedain are not so different than any other men. What makes him think I can find the answer simply because of my heritage? He's insane.'
But before he could lose himself to any more ranting, a hushed whisper reached his ears. He schooled his features to remain neutral, his body complacent but stiff. His sensitive ears perked up, straining to hear the men, but all he got was broken fragments.
"... arrived just now... an envoy from... not angry, inquisitive... about the prince... an inquiry..."
Then the men moved away and Strider could no longer hear them. An envoy for the prince? Who else could they mean but Legolas. Breathing deeply and using all his strength not to sprint, Strider slowly made his way towards the center of the camp, where many of the men were heading.
His heart skipped a beat when he saw the group of people that were talking to the king. Elves. Elves of Mirkwood, wearing the sign of the Royal house. And Avarilas stood at the head of them all. A shout nearly burst from his body at the sight of Legolas' own body guard.
A thin hand slapped over his mouth and pulled him back into the shadows. "Silence." Torlin hissed in his ear. "You cannot make yourself know."
Strider wrenched away from the old man, his eyes wide. "That is Legolas' body guard! I have to go to him. He can't get Legolas out!"
"Yes." Torlin said, dragging the young man farther into the shadows with extraordinary strength for his small frame. "Yes, he could get Legolas out. Then what? You would still be here. As would the other slaves. And if Legolas escapes you will never get them free. You cannot think of just the prince. You must end this for all of them."
Strider turned and stared at the elven delegation, his eyes wide, his breath coming in short gasps. His body quivered with the need to run to Avarilas and tell him everything. If the guard knew, he could make things right. Legolas would not be hurt again. He had to tell him.
But too many visions of lifeless bodies filled his head. Men, women, even children, spending their lives in a drugged daze, doing the bidding of the Arandant. Suffering under their hand, for their amusement. He had seen to many soulless husks wandering the camp in the past weeks. Wondered too often what they would be like once freed from the drug. Did they have families that searched for them as well? Did they have homes to return to?
Strider took one last shuddering breath, guilt and remorse flooding his being, before turning and running back to his tent.
*
"If we hear anything, Master Elf, we will send word to your people immediately." The king of the nomadic people told Avarilas as the Silvan and his guards reached the edge of the camp. "I wish we could do more for you and your missing prince."
Avarilas nodded, thanking the king before he and his people mounted their horses and rode back to the safety of the forest. Something was not right about the camp. Something told Avarilas to look deeper than what he had seen.
The thoughts of unease still plagued his mind as they set up camp deeper into the forest. And they still plagued him as he settled down for the night. It was a constant nagging sense of wrong, like a leak in a roof that you knew was there but you could not find.
Perhaps he should leave a small group behind to watch the camp.
*
'Delu.' Strider whispered into the wind, his dark eyes watching the forest's edge. 'Delu. Treneri i aran. Delu.' ('Danger.' 'Danger. Tell the king. Danger.)
*
The trees whispered in the still night, drawing Avarilas from his troubled dreams. Danger, they told him.
Danger.
To Be Continued...
I am oddly speechless tonight. *shrugs*
Until next time!
Adrienne
To my amazing (and rather abundant) reviewers -
twinlakeshgrl - Thank you for telling me about my errors. And no worries, not taken as a flame at all. Actually, I kinda want someone to flame me. I've never had one before. *shrugs* And, just to boost my own pride a little, I did in fact know that 'I know' is 'iston' not 'istos'. When I wrote those last few lines it was verging on 4 o'clock in the morning.
LegolasLover2003 - I missed them! I was out. But Dom was crying? You have no idea how much I LOVE that. That is the sweetest thing! And may I just say again, I love your reviews. They crack me up.
Deana - Sorry. Not possible. My muses refuse to cooperate with me. Grr.
Kit Cloudkicker - I see now. That makes a lot more sense. lol.
Gwyn - I agree. I mean, I'm all for an abusive Thranduil if it's done properly, but yes, it has been waaay over done.
silvertoekee - Always glad to be of service! And no worries. The king will get what's coming to him. I think.
Templa Otmena - You're so good to me. Yes, I know I am too hard on myself. I am my worst critic, but I know of no other way. But reviewers like you make it all better. Thanks!
FrodoBaggins87 - He may, he may not. I don't know. lol.
ChibiYugiYasha - Thank you very much!
Elenillor - Yes I know! Deadlines are a horrible horrible thing. But I've already promised. And I've been through 4 sets of dentures now. lol. And yes, I'm rather fond of my OC too. Glad you like him!
Destiny's Lot - Ech. Yes, much with the shortness. It is a minor *muses shout 'Major!'* Shut up you! ... problem of mine. I really try to make them longer. Honest.
temelange - Thank you very much. I'm glad you liked it.
AlmatariofMirkwood - Well thank you for reviewing. And yes, we share that sickness. I rather enjoy seeing my favorite elf get tortured. :)
Calenor - Me too. I felt so bad for him when I read the chapter the next day.
Emiri-chan - Always glad to hear of someone else jumping onto the Legolas/angst bandwagon. A wagon that could never become too crowded I must say. And yes, yes I am mean. Thank you for noticing. :)
MG87 - *grins wickedly with you* Yes. How I do love my torture. I find it rather odd however, that so many people so thoroughly enjoy seeing the most ethereal and beautiful creature ever created (even if it was just in one man's brilliant mind and sadly not in the real world) tortured and mutilated and in pain. It makes me wonder what kind of world we live in. Though, I'm not complaining. It just makes me wonder.
cherryfaerie - Sympathy pains. Glad I wrote well enough to create such a response. Though, it probably wasn't very pleasant for you. :P
Mauraderluver4-ever - Great! lol. I'm sorry I haven't reviewed your new chapters! Busy and all that, I'm sure you understand. I'll do it asap though. Oh, and did you see my plug for you? :)
tay-yy - Your favorites? Thanks! That awesome!
Elanor8 - Yes. I was a bit shocked myself. :P
Katerinarose24 - Yeah. Poor thing. I really feel sorry for him. Though, not sorry enough to fix him yet.
Jane Heartilly - I'm sorry to hear that. That's gotta suck big time. What are you in for? And thank you for reviewing. I appreciate it!
Wakingdream - Haha! I've got my own little junkie group. You're not the first person to tell me that. And as for the beta thing, that sounds cool. And if I can ever get one of these dumb chapters done in time I'd be more than willing to take you up on that offer. I'm always up for constructive criticism.
Angel of Imladris - Thank you very much!
Allyrien Chantel de Montreve - Yeah, that was my intention alright.
kimmaree - Yes. Yes I did. *grins* Thanks for the review!
