*gasp* Two early updates in the same week. And it's a long chapter too. *looks up at the sky* Nope, no flying pigs. Wow. This is amazing. Ooh, and look! I got my very first ever flame! See see! I'm so happy. Look what it said!
From: a random boo
I've never been so distracted by so many comas in my life! @ @ My Eru, did it ever start to get at me, like, I can not believe, that it would seem, that a little black swish, in it's smallness, how so bitterly it could interfere!
Isn't that cool. Out of 508 reviews between both my stories, I finally got my first flame! I'm so excited!
And also, there's a very important author's note at the bottom. And I know you'll all be very eager to review after you've read my wonderful new chapter, but please don't skip it.
" Leaves of Glass "
Chapter 17 - Satisfaction
Strider didn't fight as the two elves drug him down the hall. He made no sound, no attempt to save his own life. He simply allowed himself to be pulled away to his death.
He had failed.
Those words echoed through his mind, breaking his spirit with each step away from the prince. The prince whom he had killed, for nothing. He had failed. And now all the world would be destroyed at the hands of an unwilling army. He had failed. He stared down at his blood stained hands. He had failed.
As the two elves pulled him around a corner Estel heard a familiar shout, is head snapping up just in time to see two dark haired elves running down the hall.
"Estel!" Elladan shouted again, as he rounded the corner. The two elves that were holding his human brother made no effort to outrun them. The twins caught them quickly, pulling the flaxen elves' hands from Strider's arms, only to duck away as they turned and struck out at them.
"What are they doing, Estel?" Elrohir demanded as he spun around one of the Mirkwood elves, pinning one arm behind his back. With the other the blonde elf tried to reach for the young human.
"Don't hurt them, they can't help it." Strider demanded, dancing out of reach of the other drugged elf as Elladan struggled to hold him back. "They've been drugged, like... Just bind them and bring them with us."
The twins obeyed without question and the three moved out of the hall into an empty room, struggling to keep the bound elves away from Estel. Though it was not very difficult. The looks on the two elves' faces seemed almost glad that their task had been interrupted. Strider apologized to the struggling creatures, even as they reached out to hurt him, as they were locked into the bathroom that was adjoined to the room they had entered.
"What is going on, Estel?" Elladan demanded, while at the same time his brother said, "Where is Legolas?"
At the mention of the prince's name Strider's resolve crumbled and he fell to his knees sobbing. He held out his blood stained hands for his brothers to see.
"I'm so sorry." He cried, his body rocking slowly back and forth, his hands trembling. "I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry."
Elladan knelt beside his shaking brother and pulled him into his arms, holding him close as he cried. He knew the heartbroken words were not for them.
**
Legolas watched the king pace back and forth across the dead man's room. The bitter taste of the controlling poison still lingered on his tongue. He belonged to the king again. One delicate, bloody hand slid under his tunic to feel the place where the knife wound should have been. There was nothing there now save his blood, the fatal wound healed by magic.
"You were the voice in my head." He said softly, an accusation not a question.
"Yes." The king stated shortly.
Minutes passed in silence, the only sound the king's constant shuffle across the stone floor.
"Why did you save me?" Legolas asked after a while.
The king stopped and stared at him. "Why indeed, prince. I'll tell you." He took a few steps closer to Legolas; the elf matched each stride with a step back. His hips met the edge of the desk and he could go no farther. "What greater show of power is there, than having the prince of the people I have conquered as my personal slave? You, elfling, will be a testament to all the other nations that will fall to my control."
The king was now so close Legolas could feel his breath in his hair, feel the heat from his body. "You cannot win." He said, his mouth set in defiance.
But his eyes, the king thought in satisfaction, his eyes would always show defeat. "With your people as my army... I cannot loose."
Orin laughed and walked away from the shaking elf. "Be silent now, prince. I have things to think of."
**
"You did what you thought was best." Elrohir said softly, once Strider had calmed down.
"But I did it for nothing." The young Ranger said, his voice thick with his tears.
"You couldn't have known." Elladan tried to reassure his brother.
Strider pulled away from his loving embrace, tears filling his eyes again. "Why do you not hate me?" He demanded. He stood and walked to the other side of the room, wrapping his arms protectively around himself. "I killed your friend. I killed an elf. Why don't you hate me?"
"You are our brother. We-"
"He was your friend long before I was your brother. You should hate me!" Strider nearly shouted, cutting off Elrohir's words.
The two elves looked at each other, a deep sadness in their eyes, then back to their brother. They forgot sometimes how impossibly young he was. "No, Estel. We should not hate you. You have done nothing wrong." Elladan said softly. "Legolas begged for death. He is happy now, for his family is safe. You want us to hate you because you hate yourself."
Strider couldn't hold back a sob. "You sound like, Adar." He said softly.
The twins slowly moved forward, as if they were approaching a skittish animal. When Strider did not try to run again they pulled him into a comforting embrace. He leaned into their arms, all his energy spent.
"Come." Elladan said after a while. "We must go find Thranduil and the others." Strider's eyes went wide and his knees threatened to buckle as his brothers pulled him from the room. What would the prince's family say?
**
Strider stood outside on the balcony watching the forest. The sun was still shining brightly over the ruined kingdom of Mirkwood. The birds in the trees still sang. The rivers and streams still flowed. Strider did not think it was right that the world should go on as normal when such a tragedy had occurred.
Inside the room 5 elves mourned for the prince.
'I have failed him for the last time.' Avarilas thought. Silver tears slid from his eyes and he no longer tried to wipe them away. 'His death is my doing.'
'I should have gotten to him sooner.' Lindelen stared at his hands, imagining them wrapped around the king's throat. 'He will pay for what he has done.'
'He died to protect me.' Thranduil fought the tears that threatened to fall once again as he stared at the portrait of his youngest child that hung on the wall above his bed. Beside it was a similar one of his wife, dead nearly as long as Legolas had been alive. On the other side was a picture of his oldest son, now all he had left in the world. 'It should have been the other way around.'
"We know how to reverse the poison." Elrohir said after an eternity of silence. "But we must get to the king. We must have his blood."
"How are we going to do that?" Lindelen asked, his hands uncurling as he looked up at the Noldor. "He has our entire kingdom under his control."
Elladan shook his head. "No. He just thinks he does."
The three Mirkwood elves turned to the elder twin, confused. "The two of you." Elladan clarified, pointing at Lindelen and Avarilas. "He believes you both to have fled, remember? He has no idea that you've returned, nor what you look like. Should you enter his rooms, he'd think you only to be two more elves that he has control of."
Lindelen brightened at the thought of personally killing the Arandant king. "And because he believes himself to be perfectly safe, since all living creatures in the palace are under his control..."
"He won't protect himself until it's too late." Avarilas finished, as dark glint filling his eyes.
"Precisely." All the elves smiled and they began to plan.
**
"But I want a part in this." Strider demanded as Avarilas and Lindelen prepared to leave Thranduil's rooms.
"I am sorry, brother. You cannot." Elrohir said once again, cringing at the hurt in the young human's eyes.
Strider flinched when Thranduil stepped up beside them, placing a soft hand on his shoulder. He still could not believe that the king did not blame him for his son's death. Thranduil motioned for Elrohir to leave and the younger elf obeyed, leaving Strider alone with the king.
"My lord, I-" Strider closed his mouth abruptly when Thranduil waved him silent.
"I do not blame you for my son's death, child. Please believe that." He said softly.
"But I-" His teeth clicked together when he closed his mouth again under Thranduil's stern gaze.
"What you did took great courage, child. And it was only as a true friend that you did it." Thranduil sighed softly, his eyes closing in pain. "And considering how my son has treated you all your short life, it amazes me that you did not leave him long ago. You suffered many hardships for someone who cared nothing for you. For that I thank you."
"He was a good person." Strider said softly, truth showing plainly in his voice.
"Ai. He was." Thranduil sighed again, his hand squeezing the Ranger's shoulder gently. "And for that he will be remembered." The king turned to leave, but added a final word of comfort. "Do not feel too badly that you cannot go, child. Neither can I."
**
Orin turned back to Legolas before he left the room. "Clean yourself up. Then stay here until the dinner hour. At that time come to the banquet hall. I will establish my command in your kingdom then." Then he left, a smile of utter satisfaction on his face.
**
It had taken Lindelen and Avarilas much longer than they expected to find the Arandant king. They had to avoid the elves that roamed the palace, for they did not know they had returned and would surely alert the entire kingdom should they find out. They all seemed so normal as they went about their daily tasks. it was hard to believe that they were trapped under the control of an evil king.
But thanks to their roundabout way the two elves did not need to go to the king's rooms where they would surely see the body of their beloved brother and friend. For on their way they spotted the man Strider had described walking purposefully through the halls.
They followed him until he reached a deserted hallway. When they were sure no one could hear him they moved. They walked quickly through the hall until they were in front of him, then they turned blocking his way. Neither could hide the rage that they felt.
The king looked up at them, anger flaring in his eyes. "Move." He demanded.
When neither elf obeyed his command the color drained from his face and his mouth fell open. "Move." He repeated. But his voice held only fear. When they did not obey for the second time he turned to flee.
But before he could move far two iron grips grabbed his arm, another clamped over his mouth to stop his screams, and he was drug into a dark, empty room.
**
As Legolas was bathing, following the king's command, he suddenly felt a wave of fear crash over him like a rockslide. He gasped, gripping the edge of the bathing tub, his heart pounding. He could feel ghostlike hands wrap around his arms; another close over his mouth, stopping the scream that tried to break free. He felt like he was drowning in an empty fear.
**
After a moment a flame exploded, illuminating the silent storeroom. Lindelen set the candle down on an empty shelf and walked over to the man who was still struggling in Avarilas' grasp. Orin struck out at Lindelen with one hand; but the elf caught him by the wrist, twisting his arm until he heard bones snap. The king screamed as his arm fell limply to his side.
Lindelen silently pulled two objects from the belt around his waist. They both gleamed in the flickering candle light, the shining silver of the knife and the clear reflection of the glass bottle. At the sight of the deadly weapon Orin began to beg, pleading for his life.
Without a word Lindelen stepped in front of him, raising the knife to his throat. A quick flick of his wrist cut the main vein in the king's neck and the elf quickly caught the flowing blood in the bottle. He firmly pressed a cork into the top of the bottle and returned it to his belt.
**
As the unknown fear had grown Legolas had lurched from the bathing tub, hastily wrapping a soft towel around himself before he fell to his knees, shaking with the effort to stay calm. Where was this fear coming from?
He stifled a scream when a bolt of pain seared through his arm; his heart was beating so hard he feared it would shatter his chest. He leaned forward, his forehead coming to rest on the soft carpet on the ground, his back heaving with frightened breaths. He grit his teeth against a sudden pain that stabbed his neck.
**
The crown prince stared direly down at the knife in his hand, watching as the shining metal and slick blood caught the firelight. How he longed to gut this murdering son of a pig.
The king shook in the hands of his captors, watching the same knife, growing sick at the sight of his own blood; and his failure. Centuries of work, gone. He had lost his army. He had lost his kingdom. And now he would lose his life.
Lindelen raised the knife and slammed the hilt against the side of the king's head. He felt no satisfaction as the man fell limply to the ground. He would not be satisfied until this man, and all those that came with him, were dead.
"Le innas gwanno an man le garo." The prince promised the unconscious king as the two elves drug him from the room. ("You will die for what you have [done].")
**
One last jolt of pain, like a blow to his temple so hard it made him see stars. Then it was over. Legolas spit out the bile that rose in his throat and blinked away the dizziness. The fear was gone. His heart slowed; his breathing calmed. The pain fled as quickly as it had come.
And now he would wait to obey the king's command.
To Be Continued...
Okay, there are two reasons why I updated so quickly. One being that if I got any more reviews I was going to faint. You guys are amazing! And two *pauses for dramatic effect* because there is only one more chapter!! That's right, the next one is the last one. The end. Omega. Done. Kapoot. And with the end I have an import question to ask you all as well. The next and final chapter will be posted... either Saturday or Sunday night.
Until next time!
Adrienne
To my wonderful, and amazingly numerous, reviewers -
evil spapple pie - I thought so too, but no. All these people kept asking, what happened? Did Aragorn stab him? I don't understand. *sighs* Silly people. And see, I fixed him. That's the joy of living in a world with magic. Nothing's impossible.
silvertoekee - Of course he's not going to die. He's got a quest to partake in remember?
Vicki Turner - Yes, that would be confusing.
Amarie - One. I try, I really do. I'm just not good at long chapters. Was this one better? Two. Ha! Everyday? Are you crazy? I wish I could, but no. No no no. Three. Yes, that does mean Thranduil is under the control of the poison, but the Arandant king still thinks he's dead. And of course I'm not going to kill off Aragorn. Goodness, how you people panic! *grins* Thank you very much for the long review. I appreciate it!
Estel Elven Enchantress - Is that better? The king is dead and now everything will turn out right.
Gwyn - I love to be mean though. *grins*
Nesuli - Well, at least you didn't have to wait long. And I'd say probably about 60% of the reviewers tried to attack me. But my bodyguards were worth their money, no one got through. :)
Babymeeko - Yes, and just as he starts to trust him, he goes and tries to kill him. Ah well.
chip - Will a bit of magic work?
cherryfearie - Etwins... that's kinda cute.
EruvandeGreenleaf - Well thank you very much.
Magicgirl810 - OMG I did. *grins*
Templa Otmena - Well if one day early was so good, this must have given you a heart attack. And of course Elladan and Elrohir know. Who else was going to save Aragorn. It's not like I could let him die! Goodness!
Viresse0 - Goodnight child! Jeez!
banana Gurl - Of course I won't kill him. But I do so love to be cruel. *grins*
Elven Kitten - Yes, yes I am evil. And darn proud of it!
Ruby Foxburr of Loamsdown - Hey, he tried. He tried his little heart out. There was nothing he could do!
a randon boo - Thank you! *hands you a cookie* You were my first ever flame! Yay!
Deana - Oh, I was just joking about that. Reading it again it was a little abrupt.
candidus-lupis-full Moon - Savvy. Well, I think anyway.
Hellmarie - I fixed it, see! They're okay! Please don't cry. *hands you a box of tissues*
Senkensha - Well thank you very much. I must say it makes me happy when people say that because I do try very hard to stay as true to Tolkien's work as possible. I mean, how can you tamper with pure genius? And I'm very honored to here that this was your first LotR story (at least on ff.net). And also very happy to hear that you are joining the ranks. Good luck on your own work!
Coolio02 - Yeah. Poor thing. He feels very very bad.
tay - Yes, most people seemed to share your opinion. I just like keeping my readers on their toes. :)
NessaE - Wow. That's a great compliment. Thank you very much!
WakingDream - I was wondering what happened too you. No worries though. And thank you for mentioning the deer. You're the only one that did and I was wondering how it went over. I was just like, hmm, this would be a little different, let's try it. I'm glad at least you thought it was good. And yes. Lots and lots of people were mad at me for chapter 15.
Sareh - Pulling 'lurkers' out of hiding is one of my favorite compliments, thank you. And I hope you got to 16 so that you know Legolas is alive. Your review in whole was very... yeah. Lol. Just yeah. Such great compliments, thank you so much for everything you said. There really is just too much to thank you for, it was all so wonderful. It really made my day, thank you. And also, I do realize that about my elvish. I didn't make the connection at first, but I have recently. I've just never changed it. Perhaps I should?
tmelange - Well thank you very much. I do love to keep people on their toes. :)
LalaithoftheBruinen - I love that phrase! I use it all the time. I didn't realize it came from him. That's funny.
Kept-Secret - Well I was born to break the rules! *laughs hysterically*
Angel Ecstasy - Well, I was in negotiations to give my story to the prince of Lala land, but I suppose you may have it instead. Can I come to the ceremony? And yes, tortured Legolas is the best Legolas.
lolly pop3 - Yes, yes I do. And I'm glad I made your bad day a little better.
MelanyeBaggins - *backs away with hands in the air* I fixed it! See? I fixed it! *hides*
MG87 - What is this weird power you have over me all of a sudden? Hmm? I don't think I like this. :) And yes, dramatic drama is always a good thing. *grins*
Lady Aqawondel - Oh how I love to be evil. :)
Cosmic Castaway - Ack! *makes a desperate grab for her Aragorn poster* Please give it back now. Please? I made a long chapter. And it was early. *gives you my best puppy dog eyes* Pretty please with Legolas on top?
