Hi there everyone! Darn site! It seems determined to prevent my updates. I finished after work, but I couldn't log in to update….GRRRR!!! Thanks for you reviews! Glad you all enjoyed it…Here's the next part!
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Chapter 43--Willing Sacrifice
Legolas was startled from a restless sleep by the cage door opening. He opened his eyes to see a guard standing in front of him, but the true surprise was who was with him. "Aragorn! Gimli! Qui! What are you doing here?" he asked.
"Yokoku freed us. He is going to help us escape," Aragorn said.
Yokoku unlocked the shackles. "We must leave quickly," he said. "If Wai Chee finds us we are all dead. We must hurry. Can you walk?"
Legolas tried and fell forward into Yokoku when his legs refused to support him. "Uh, no," he said sheepishly.
Qui came up and scooped Legolas into his arms. "I have him. Let's go," he said.
Yokoku nodded and led the way towards the back of the dungeon. "This way, there is a hidden passage," he said.
"Is it safe?" Aragorn asked as they followed.
"Safer then trying to leave through the temple. I managed to drug the guards watching you and at the door to the dungeon, but I could not get all of them," Yokoku said.
They came to what looked like a blank wall and Yokoku examined it then pressed on a rock. There was a soft click and a secret door opened. "This way, hurry," he said.
They had walked for an hour when Legolas shifted restlessly in Qui's grip. "I can walk now, Qui. Put me down," he said.
"If you fall I am going to sling you over my shoulder like a sack," Qui warned, but he set Legolas down. He waited until Legolas seemed steady then released him.
"Is it much further, eh…what is your name anyway?" Legolas asked.
"Yokoku," Yokoku said.
Qui chuckled. "How fitting, in our language it means ally," he said.
"I would ask one thing of you in return for my aid," Yokoku said.
"What is that?" Aragorn asked.
"Will you allow me to come with you?" Yokoku asked.
"Of course, but why would you want too?" Aragorn asked.
"Master Wai Chee is no fool. He will find out what I have done and I will die for it as Mei did," Yokoku said.
Mocking laughter sounded around them and suddenly the tunnel lit up as bright as day to reveal Wai Chee and seven men dressed in black. "You are correct, Yokoku. I am no fool, but you are for betraying me," he said. He gave them all a rather cruel smile. "It is very rude to leave without saying good bye to your host. Of course Westerners have no proper manners."
"How did you find us?" Aragorn demanded.
"I have many--informants," Wai Chee said. "Bring him to me." He pointed to Legolas and two of the men started forward.
Qui pulled Legolas behind him protectively. "You will have to kill me before you will be able to take him," he said.
"That will not disturb me at all. It would probably be wise to kill all of you. He may be more obedient if there are none to aid him," Wai Chee said thoughtfully.
"You may find that more difficult then you believe. We will not die without a struggle," Aragorn vowed.
The two groups exchanged wary glances and glares, realizing there was a stand off then suddenly Legolas pushed past Qui.
"Legolas! What do you think you are doing? Stay back!" Qui said.
"If you let them go unharmed I will go with you willingly," Legolas said quietly.
"Legolas! No!" Qui protested.
"I must. I cannot let you die for me," Legolas said. He shuddered when he saw the cruel smile on Wai Chee's face….
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*Hides Behind Desk With Plot bunnies* Sorry! I wanted to get this up sooner…. honest! Um, R/R.Please?