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Chapter 4:
Aragorn's heart nearly jumped out of his chest when he finally found a shred of Legolas's tunic. He had been searching with Gimili, and of course some guards from Gondor, for near a week now.
Legolas had been on his way to visit Arwen, Gimili, and himself about two weeks ago. They had not seen Legolas for almost four years. The first two years Aragorn had been busy with Gondor, getting her back on her feet that is. When he had finally been able to visit his old friend, Legolas had been busy helping his father with the Woodland realm of Mirkwood. Finally though, everyone's schedule was empty and they had planned for a visit. Gimili was even planning on showing up about four days after Legolas. Gimili showed up, but no Legolas.
Aragorn and Gimili didn't worry too much about their friend at first assuming he was just running late. But then a merchant had come up and said there was a dead horse upon the road. He was too old to move it and so came to report it so something could be done about it before it rotted and stunk up the area. Knowing this was the road Legolas would come by, Aragorn and Gimili had decided to help, just in case. When they came upon the horse they had to cover their noses. The horse had been hit with about six Orc arrows and was covered with bugs and flys eating away at it's flesh. The horse had a Mirkwood bridle and no saddle. It was Legolas's horse.
From that moment, after getting some men to help, Aragorn used his old ranger tracking skills and followed a feint trace of Elf blood and some heavy tracks in the dirt. That had been a week ago. Aragorn had been starting to despair at ever finding his friend. And if he did find him, it would be too late. The leftover Orcs from the War of the Ring had been moving across Middle Earth murdering and pillaging. Gondor had hunted many of the groups but there were still many out there. And they had Legolas. Aragorn had heard the horror stories of what they did to the Elves. He could only pray to the Valor Legolas would hold strong.....if he were still alive.
Aragorn shook his head ridding himself of the thought. Legolas would hold strong. He had to! Aragorn chanced a glance at Gimili. GImili looked tired and distraught. He and Legolas had become fast friends despite their background. It was a strong bond that would never be broken. Gimili cared greatly for his friend as did he. It was hard to think of Legolas caught and held against his will. Legolas was such a strong, wise Elf. He was probably one of the best fighters Aragorn and Gimili would ever know. His skill with his bow and his blades was stunning. He made fighting look like a graceful dance with every swing of his blades. To others, he made the bow look like a simple feat and Aragorn has only known him to miss his target once. That was very impressive. Along with his fighting skills, Legolas was your typical Elf. Wise, graceful, stunning, joyful and sorrowful at the same time, stubborn, and even a little intimidating. There was no way you could dislike the Elf. He and Aragorn had become instant friends when they met........and Aragorn didn't want to lose that. He would not let him down.
And finally through all the searching they had been given a break. A piece of Legolas's tunic and a fresh trail. It wasn't much longer now.
~~~~~~~~~~
They were training at the fields. Legolas was training with his bow. He was hitting every target of course. Nilavar watched in fascination. She resulted in throwing apples in the air for him to shoot at. He hit every one.
"You know what blondie?"
He shot an arrow at the target down the field hitting the bulls eye. "What?"
"I think you need to try a new weapon. I mean, you've mastered the bow, but in a battle you may not always be at a safe distance. You may get into hand to hand combat you know?" She was kicking the dirt on the ground looking in deep concentration.
"I know that Nilavar. I have been in hand to hand combat nearly a hundred times before which is why I take a sword with me."
"You need something new though." Suddenly her head popped up. "I got it. Wait here!"
She ran off back across the field back to what he assumed was her room. He walked over to retrieve his arrows and when he got back she had returned. She held out two knives to him. The blades were sharpened to a point in the silver of the metal. There was an intricate design down the curved blades. The handles were a creamish color with even more designs. He turned them over in his hands admiring them. She smiled with pride.
"They're mine. I am giving them to you. Seeing how you are leaving back home tomorrow, you can take them with you and practice with them back in Mirkwood. So when you come back you can strut your stuff."
He smiled and pulled her into a hug. "Thank you. I will take the uttermost care with them."
She frowned. "The only harm you could do with them would be to leave them in your room to gather dust. You must promise me you will train hard with them."
"I promise, and I shall treasure them forever."
He looked back down at them in awe. He had never really considered knives. He knew how special the knives were to Nilavar and he did keep his promise. By the time he came back to Rivendell after going back home for a year, he was a master of the knives. The knives seemed to come to life in his hands. He'd defeated every opponent he practice against. He could feel her spirit within them as they whistled in the air. When he came back to Rivendell, he showed her and she practically giggled in delight. He had been so proud that day. Nothing filled his heart with joy more than making his best friend happy.
~~~~~~~
Legolas opened his eyes. There was a lot of commotion coming from outside the door. The Orcs were yelling. They were speaking in their cursed tongues and he couldn't understand them. From their tone though he could hear the fright. Something was making them nervous. He hung there for about an hour before anybody came in. One of the larger Orcs hobbled in. He had a nasty sneer on his face. Behind him, all had gone quiet. Where did all the others go? The Orc drew his attention.
"It seems your friends are coming for you. Why is beyond me."
Legolas's heart skipped a beat. Aragorn? Gimili?
"Don't get all excited. They won't find you. This cave is well hidden. Plus........"
He pulled a knife from behind his back and stabbed Legolas's right shoulder. Before it struck him, Legolas noticed some kind of a paste on it. They had poisoned it.
"You'll be dead if they ever do find the cave which is slim to impossible odds."
Legolas grimaced as it took a few tugs to get the knife back out. The Orc grinned with satisfaction. "It's been a pleasure."
With that, the door shut and Legolas could here the click of a lock.
Chapter 4:
Aragorn's heart nearly jumped out of his chest when he finally found a shred of Legolas's tunic. He had been searching with Gimili, and of course some guards from Gondor, for near a week now.
Legolas had been on his way to visit Arwen, Gimili, and himself about two weeks ago. They had not seen Legolas for almost four years. The first two years Aragorn had been busy with Gondor, getting her back on her feet that is. When he had finally been able to visit his old friend, Legolas had been busy helping his father with the Woodland realm of Mirkwood. Finally though, everyone's schedule was empty and they had planned for a visit. Gimili was even planning on showing up about four days after Legolas. Gimili showed up, but no Legolas.
Aragorn and Gimili didn't worry too much about their friend at first assuming he was just running late. But then a merchant had come up and said there was a dead horse upon the road. He was too old to move it and so came to report it so something could be done about it before it rotted and stunk up the area. Knowing this was the road Legolas would come by, Aragorn and Gimili had decided to help, just in case. When they came upon the horse they had to cover their noses. The horse had been hit with about six Orc arrows and was covered with bugs and flys eating away at it's flesh. The horse had a Mirkwood bridle and no saddle. It was Legolas's horse.
From that moment, after getting some men to help, Aragorn used his old ranger tracking skills and followed a feint trace of Elf blood and some heavy tracks in the dirt. That had been a week ago. Aragorn had been starting to despair at ever finding his friend. And if he did find him, it would be too late. The leftover Orcs from the War of the Ring had been moving across Middle Earth murdering and pillaging. Gondor had hunted many of the groups but there were still many out there. And they had Legolas. Aragorn had heard the horror stories of what they did to the Elves. He could only pray to the Valor Legolas would hold strong.....if he were still alive.
Aragorn shook his head ridding himself of the thought. Legolas would hold strong. He had to! Aragorn chanced a glance at Gimili. GImili looked tired and distraught. He and Legolas had become fast friends despite their background. It was a strong bond that would never be broken. Gimili cared greatly for his friend as did he. It was hard to think of Legolas caught and held against his will. Legolas was such a strong, wise Elf. He was probably one of the best fighters Aragorn and Gimili would ever know. His skill with his bow and his blades was stunning. He made fighting look like a graceful dance with every swing of his blades. To others, he made the bow look like a simple feat and Aragorn has only known him to miss his target once. That was very impressive. Along with his fighting skills, Legolas was your typical Elf. Wise, graceful, stunning, joyful and sorrowful at the same time, stubborn, and even a little intimidating. There was no way you could dislike the Elf. He and Aragorn had become instant friends when they met........and Aragorn didn't want to lose that. He would not let him down.
And finally through all the searching they had been given a break. A piece of Legolas's tunic and a fresh trail. It wasn't much longer now.
~~~~~~~~~~
They were training at the fields. Legolas was training with his bow. He was hitting every target of course. Nilavar watched in fascination. She resulted in throwing apples in the air for him to shoot at. He hit every one.
"You know what blondie?"
He shot an arrow at the target down the field hitting the bulls eye. "What?"
"I think you need to try a new weapon. I mean, you've mastered the bow, but in a battle you may not always be at a safe distance. You may get into hand to hand combat you know?" She was kicking the dirt on the ground looking in deep concentration.
"I know that Nilavar. I have been in hand to hand combat nearly a hundred times before which is why I take a sword with me."
"You need something new though." Suddenly her head popped up. "I got it. Wait here!"
She ran off back across the field back to what he assumed was her room. He walked over to retrieve his arrows and when he got back she had returned. She held out two knives to him. The blades were sharpened to a point in the silver of the metal. There was an intricate design down the curved blades. The handles were a creamish color with even more designs. He turned them over in his hands admiring them. She smiled with pride.
"They're mine. I am giving them to you. Seeing how you are leaving back home tomorrow, you can take them with you and practice with them back in Mirkwood. So when you come back you can strut your stuff."
He smiled and pulled her into a hug. "Thank you. I will take the uttermost care with them."
She frowned. "The only harm you could do with them would be to leave them in your room to gather dust. You must promise me you will train hard with them."
"I promise, and I shall treasure them forever."
He looked back down at them in awe. He had never really considered knives. He knew how special the knives were to Nilavar and he did keep his promise. By the time he came back to Rivendell after going back home for a year, he was a master of the knives. The knives seemed to come to life in his hands. He'd defeated every opponent he practice against. He could feel her spirit within them as they whistled in the air. When he came back to Rivendell, he showed her and she practically giggled in delight. He had been so proud that day. Nothing filled his heart with joy more than making his best friend happy.
~~~~~~~
Legolas opened his eyes. There was a lot of commotion coming from outside the door. The Orcs were yelling. They were speaking in their cursed tongues and he couldn't understand them. From their tone though he could hear the fright. Something was making them nervous. He hung there for about an hour before anybody came in. One of the larger Orcs hobbled in. He had a nasty sneer on his face. Behind him, all had gone quiet. Where did all the others go? The Orc drew his attention.
"It seems your friends are coming for you. Why is beyond me."
Legolas's heart skipped a beat. Aragorn? Gimili?
"Don't get all excited. They won't find you. This cave is well hidden. Plus........"
He pulled a knife from behind his back and stabbed Legolas's right shoulder. Before it struck him, Legolas noticed some kind of a paste on it. They had poisoned it.
"You'll be dead if they ever do find the cave which is slim to impossible odds."
Legolas grimaced as it took a few tugs to get the knife back out. The Orc grinned with satisfaction. "It's been a pleasure."
With that, the door shut and Legolas could here the click of a lock.
