(A/N: Okay, I know I promised I would have it up soon, but for those of you
who juggle jobs and college like I do, you understand that you may not
always have the time to do everything that you had planned. But to make up
for lost time, I've posted 2 new chapters for you today! Enjoy!)
(P.S.- Thanks to all of those who reviewed! I love to read all of your responses and appreciate everyone's suggestions. So again, thanks to everyone!)
Much to Neithas' surprise, neither Boromir nor Aragorn jumped up in anger, as he had heard men were very easily angered, although both stiffened slightly and showed a keen interest in his story. So after the brief moment of hesitation to see the reactions of the two men, he continued his story.
~ Flashback ~
Neithas and Legolas rode happily on their horses. Neithas rode a large brown horse named Rairnol while Legolas rode a fiery white horse named Trilith. Neithas rode ahead of Legolas, who was hot on his trail. When they reached a small brook, they stopped.
"Well, it seems that I am the victor this time." Smiled Neithas as he got down off his horse.
"Only by a little, mellon nin." Said Legolas returning the smile as he also removed himself from his horse. "But next time you will not be so fortunate."
"Maybe, then again, maybe not." Neithas and Legolas led Trilith and Rairnol to the brook, where they drank the cool water. The two elves sat down next to the brook. Legolas sat against a tall tree stared dreamy eyed at the sky, even though he sensed something was amiss but pushed the thought of threat out of his mind. Neithas sat closer to the brook, letting his had slide into the cool water. Neithas looked up at a mountain way out in the distance. Legolas slightly glanced at what his friend was looking at and turned his attention back towards the sky.
"Moria." Said Legolas. "My father and I passed it on the way here."
"Did you go inside?" asked Neithas with childlike curiosity, as he looked Legolas.
"No. We went around."
"Why did you not go through Moria? It would have saved you many days of travel."
"My father did not believe we would be welcomed by the dwarves. They are not in good company with elves these days."
"I see." Neithas looked back at Moria before he went back to swishing his hand in the water and playing with pebbles on the bottom of the brook.
After a little while of quietly sitting by the brook, Legolas suddenly became uneasy.
"What is it Legolas? What's the matter?" asked Neithas slightly alarmed by his companion's sudden change in mood.
"Something doesn't feel right. I feel a danger coming nearer. I felt it when we first arrived, but I ignored it. But the feeling is stronger, now." Said Legolas as he stood up and cautiously peered through the trees. Neithas followed Legolas' movement as he also stood.
"What do you suppose it is?"
"I don't know."
"Do you think it could be orcs?"
"No. I hear horses. Orcs do not ride horses." Neithas could here the beating of horse hooves, now.
"Perhaps it is friends."
"Maybe, but they feel so foul. No, Neithas. I do not believe whatever comes will be friendly."
"We should get back then, Legolas."
"We would not make it there before they caught up with us. Come, Neithas. We must ready ourselves for battle." Neithas nervously agreed. Although he had plenty of practice with a sword and bow, he had never actually been in battle before.
Legolas ran to Trilith where his bow and quiver full of arrows hung on the horses back. He grabbed his two white knives and thrust them into his belt. Neithas also grabbed his bow and quiver and his sword, his hands shaking all the while. Legolas noticed his friend's fear. He knew that unlike himself, Neithas had never been to battle before. He then decided that he would protect Neithas the best he could. Each of them notched an arrow as they heard the battle cries of the enemy echoing in the trees.
"They are nearer." Said Neithas, his voice shaking.
"No, Neithas. They are here." Replied Legolas. Legolas stood motionless, aiming his arrow at the trees to the west to them as dark horses and dark hooded figures burst from the trees. Both elves recognized these figures as men. The men quickly surrounded the two elves as they now came from all directions. There was no possible way to escape the circle of men. One man rode his horse into the circle.
"Well, well, well. What have we here? Two lone elves in the middle of no where." Smiled one of the men, looking down on them from the top of his horse. The man had bushy black hair. His cloth was poor, and the armor that covered him was a dull metal. Legolas aimed his bow at the man as Neithas leaned his back against Legolas' and aimed at other men, but neither of them released their arrows.
"What is your business here?" Legolas asked the man.
"My dear elf, my men and I are searching for criminals and it seems that we have found two here." The man's voice was rough and unfriendly. Neithas turned his head to the man.
"We are no criminals." He said confidently. "We have committed no crimes."
"Oh, but you have. You have committed the worst crime you can commit."
"And what crime is that?" asked Legolas.
"Being elves." The man once again gave them a smile only more evil.
"Being elves?!" cried Legolas. "How is being an elf a crime?"
"Elves are dangerous and foul creatures, the whole lot of them. Conjurers of malign magic, they are. They are evil and they must be punished for their wicked ways."
"We are not evil. Magic is the way of the elves. We use it to heal, not to do evil." Said Neithas.
"I do not want to hear your absurd talk, elf. I will not exchange words with criminals."
"Who are you?" asked Legolas.
"Oh, I am sorry. Did I not mention it before? I am Beldor. My company is that of the Verdihir, set out to deliver justice to the elves for their evil ways."
"But we are not evil!" cried Neithas. Both elves filled with fear, though neither showed it.
Beldor and Legolas stared each other in the eye for a moment. Beldor turned away from them and let out a great howl, and before either elf could react, all Legolas and Neithas knew was darkness.
(P.S.- Thanks to all of those who reviewed! I love to read all of your responses and appreciate everyone's suggestions. So again, thanks to everyone!)
Much to Neithas' surprise, neither Boromir nor Aragorn jumped up in anger, as he had heard men were very easily angered, although both stiffened slightly and showed a keen interest in his story. So after the brief moment of hesitation to see the reactions of the two men, he continued his story.
~ Flashback ~
Neithas and Legolas rode happily on their horses. Neithas rode a large brown horse named Rairnol while Legolas rode a fiery white horse named Trilith. Neithas rode ahead of Legolas, who was hot on his trail. When they reached a small brook, they stopped.
"Well, it seems that I am the victor this time." Smiled Neithas as he got down off his horse.
"Only by a little, mellon nin." Said Legolas returning the smile as he also removed himself from his horse. "But next time you will not be so fortunate."
"Maybe, then again, maybe not." Neithas and Legolas led Trilith and Rairnol to the brook, where they drank the cool water. The two elves sat down next to the brook. Legolas sat against a tall tree stared dreamy eyed at the sky, even though he sensed something was amiss but pushed the thought of threat out of his mind. Neithas sat closer to the brook, letting his had slide into the cool water. Neithas looked up at a mountain way out in the distance. Legolas slightly glanced at what his friend was looking at and turned his attention back towards the sky.
"Moria." Said Legolas. "My father and I passed it on the way here."
"Did you go inside?" asked Neithas with childlike curiosity, as he looked Legolas.
"No. We went around."
"Why did you not go through Moria? It would have saved you many days of travel."
"My father did not believe we would be welcomed by the dwarves. They are not in good company with elves these days."
"I see." Neithas looked back at Moria before he went back to swishing his hand in the water and playing with pebbles on the bottom of the brook.
After a little while of quietly sitting by the brook, Legolas suddenly became uneasy.
"What is it Legolas? What's the matter?" asked Neithas slightly alarmed by his companion's sudden change in mood.
"Something doesn't feel right. I feel a danger coming nearer. I felt it when we first arrived, but I ignored it. But the feeling is stronger, now." Said Legolas as he stood up and cautiously peered through the trees. Neithas followed Legolas' movement as he also stood.
"What do you suppose it is?"
"I don't know."
"Do you think it could be orcs?"
"No. I hear horses. Orcs do not ride horses." Neithas could here the beating of horse hooves, now.
"Perhaps it is friends."
"Maybe, but they feel so foul. No, Neithas. I do not believe whatever comes will be friendly."
"We should get back then, Legolas."
"We would not make it there before they caught up with us. Come, Neithas. We must ready ourselves for battle." Neithas nervously agreed. Although he had plenty of practice with a sword and bow, he had never actually been in battle before.
Legolas ran to Trilith where his bow and quiver full of arrows hung on the horses back. He grabbed his two white knives and thrust them into his belt. Neithas also grabbed his bow and quiver and his sword, his hands shaking all the while. Legolas noticed his friend's fear. He knew that unlike himself, Neithas had never been to battle before. He then decided that he would protect Neithas the best he could. Each of them notched an arrow as they heard the battle cries of the enemy echoing in the trees.
"They are nearer." Said Neithas, his voice shaking.
"No, Neithas. They are here." Replied Legolas. Legolas stood motionless, aiming his arrow at the trees to the west to them as dark horses and dark hooded figures burst from the trees. Both elves recognized these figures as men. The men quickly surrounded the two elves as they now came from all directions. There was no possible way to escape the circle of men. One man rode his horse into the circle.
"Well, well, well. What have we here? Two lone elves in the middle of no where." Smiled one of the men, looking down on them from the top of his horse. The man had bushy black hair. His cloth was poor, and the armor that covered him was a dull metal. Legolas aimed his bow at the man as Neithas leaned his back against Legolas' and aimed at other men, but neither of them released their arrows.
"What is your business here?" Legolas asked the man.
"My dear elf, my men and I are searching for criminals and it seems that we have found two here." The man's voice was rough and unfriendly. Neithas turned his head to the man.
"We are no criminals." He said confidently. "We have committed no crimes."
"Oh, but you have. You have committed the worst crime you can commit."
"And what crime is that?" asked Legolas.
"Being elves." The man once again gave them a smile only more evil.
"Being elves?!" cried Legolas. "How is being an elf a crime?"
"Elves are dangerous and foul creatures, the whole lot of them. Conjurers of malign magic, they are. They are evil and they must be punished for their wicked ways."
"We are not evil. Magic is the way of the elves. We use it to heal, not to do evil." Said Neithas.
"I do not want to hear your absurd talk, elf. I will not exchange words with criminals."
"Who are you?" asked Legolas.
"Oh, I am sorry. Did I not mention it before? I am Beldor. My company is that of the Verdihir, set out to deliver justice to the elves for their evil ways."
"But we are not evil!" cried Neithas. Both elves filled with fear, though neither showed it.
Beldor and Legolas stared each other in the eye for a moment. Beldor turned away from them and let out a great howl, and before either elf could react, all Legolas and Neithas knew was darkness.