Review responses
Gozilla Thanks for R&R! Thrilled you can't wait to read more!
Deana Yup, Legolas is not having a good time. When we said angst did you expect less? smiles evilly Elladan and Elrohir thinking Leggy is dead... well they had got separated in battle and did not see him afterwards and knew he was not captured with Aragorn so they assumed the worst. Sorry if
there was confusion here. I will try and edit it later. winks thanks!
Icclefairy Thanks for R&R! Hope you don't get 2 confused LOL! I try to
avoid causing that. Hope you continue to enjoy reading it!
Lord (ess) Stewfu ...? (did we get it right?) Thank you for R&R! About
slash... NEVER shudder! We think slash is totally against Tolkien's writings. (We aren't trying to flame on you!) Please do not use the word 'hell' and other such profanity in your review. It is a pet peeve of ours! grins sheepishly Sorry if that is what you are used to, we don't mean to flame on you either. Please humor us! Please! We are extremely grateful for your review however and will NEVER TIRE of hearing from you or anyone else!
Anyway, hope ya did not take any of this the wrong way.
Strider's Girl You really like it oo! Cool! It is going to get better (we PROMISE no slash if that is any consolation, we don't like it either)!
Plenty of Arry torture to come! cackles madly Muahahahahaha!
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Part two
Hide and Seek
Present...
Legolas opened his eyes slowly, almost against his own will. It was as though he felt called. He could not explain the strange feeling. His blue eyes fluttered as he blinked. It was dark out. Night had come as he lay in unconscious form. He felt a burning sensation n his shoulders. /Aragorn?...Where in the name of Eru?.../ Memories of the battle flooded back. His head swam. He felt a sick feeling in the pit of his stomach. The prince began to feel cold. Perspiration clung to his icy brow and lay cold in his hands. Emitting a shiver of fear and regret of his own helplessness, he struggled to rise. His shoulder felt so stiff and pain climbed his arms with every movement. He wanted just to lay there and never get up. Sharp pain, like knives pinched between his shoulder blades and his injured shoulder was throbbing with protest at the resolve Legolas felt creeping into him, the resolve to overcome his fears and agony for Hope's sake.
He got up onto his trembling arms and fell again. He nearly cried out in pain as the shoulder's screamed and he felt his back burst into a flame of pain. The suffering dried his mouth out, and stunned his senses. He tried again and managed to get onto his knees. His lamed shoulder felt crazy with agony. He hugged the arm close to his side. Ruefully, he realized this was his most useful arm. He could use them both, but was most comfortable with his right. He could not leave it lose to b reinjured or worsened.
He closed his eyes and squeezed them tightly shut, as though to drown out all the darkness and hopelessness he felt. When he opened them, he saw the dead orc bodies all around him. Their hideous faces even worse at their death, dripping with black blood. Seeing the orc blood made him think of his own and for the first time since he had woke up, he realized that the silvery-red substance covered the front and back of his tunic. His hands glistened with it. His wound had not quite bleeding. How long had he been draining his system of blood? He did not know and fear gripped his heart as the thought of death stole into his crux.
Shaking off the fear, he looked groggily around. If he did not stop the blood flow, it would do neither he nor the ranger any good. He could feel the blood spurting out of the wound with every beat of his heart. He could feel his hair sticking to his face and neck with the sticky liquid. An owl hooted in the woods, and his heart leaped. Something was out there.
He scrutinized the woods with a careful eye. Seeing nothing only served to give his dread greater momentum. He could eel his heart coming in greater, quicker beats. His chest heaved as he drew deep, frightened breaths. He staggered up to his feet. He needed to bandage his wound.
He looked morosely at the orc bodies. There was nothing on them he would dare to even consider using. He tried to call up more saliva to wet his arid mouth. Licking his lip, he reached around behind himself and grasped his cloak. A pain tremor rain through his back and he sank to his knees. Carefully, the elf began a tear in his cloak. He tried to rip it the rest of the way but he had not the strength. He glanced about him and saw one of his twin knives on the ground. It was covered in black blood mingled with his own.
Grimacing, Legolas wriggled forward. Cries of caustic pain begged to be released, but he denied them the opportunity. After what seemed like writhing three hundred miles he reached the spot where the blade lay. His breath was fast and shallow from the exertion of his broken body. Perspiration dripped from his brow. It rolled into his eyes, stinging them. Grasping the white handle, he put it to the fabric of his cloak and sawed it to and fro. The threads popped and fell before the sharp eleven made silver edge.
Soon, the elven prince had a strip that was the length of his cloak. Setting his weapon on the ground, he took the cloth and put it about his arm. Pulling the wrap taut, he hissed as it jolted his shoulder. Putting the longer pieces left about his neck, the prince made a make shift sling.
A low rumble form the woods caught his attention. He looked in the direction it had come from but his sharp eyes saw nothing that would make such a noise. His fair face went pale when he heard the noise again, only it was more of a growl. Legolas turned slowly around. To his horror, he saw a wild pack of wargs, or at least he saw no orcs with the creatures.
They had come to feast on the dead. One went to a fallen orc and the prince shuddered as he heard the animal snap through the carrion's bones and devour it. He then dropped slowly to the ground, so as not to be seen. He tried to calm his rapid breathing, but it was in vain. His golden, red tinted hair sprawled out behind his head. He heard one of the wolf-like creatures come his way. The prince reached beside himself and gripped the knife hilt. He felt his skin go clammy and his throat burned from being parched.
The warg drew in a deep breath. It smelled something sweeter than any meat it had ever tasted before. The animal smelled Legolas's blood. It snarled and went straight at the injured elf. Legolas's fair face blanched as he saw the creature leap at him.
He tried to roll out of the path of the warg's sweeping paw. He was unsuccessful and it caught him on his bad side, pinning him to the ground. The prince screamed in pain. Legolas slashed at the huge paw and set a long cut across it. The warg roared and snapped at Legolas's neck. The creature had not expected live meat. The elf fended off the gapping jaws with his knife.
The warg managed to grab the elf's cloak in his mouth. He released his crunching weight off the prince's side and using the cloak as a gripping tool, he swung the elf into the air. Legolas choked as he felt his throat constrict. The warg had him by the cloak and was choking the life out of him, he was lucky his neck had not broke. His feet kicked the air and he searched in desperation for a grip to get or a place to push his feet against.
Around the creature's neck hung a piece of leather. It resembled that of an old collar, long out of use. It was a mere nothing really, but Legolas swung out his booted feet and caught them up in it. He felt the pressure release form his throat. Then he felt something snap. Looking below, he saw his cloak flutter to the ground. The brooch holding it had broken.
He reached his good arm out and held onto the leather piece. To do so, however, he had to drop his knife. The animal began to race around, trying to rid it's neck of the elven prince. Legolas hung on in franticly. He was getting thrashed around and he felt his head growing light. His shoulders and back screamed.
His hands were slippery with blood and he could feel his grip slipping. Suddenly, one of his feet hooked in the strap buckle. He kicked at it in panic and his hand suddenly slipped of it's hold and he was left hanging by his foot.
His blonde hair fell into his eyes and covered his vision. The warg responded by trying to bite the prince's head. Legolas swung around by his one foot, dodging the animal's deadly jaws. His other foot connected with the animal's jaws. He heard it yelp in pain and then its anger doubled. It whipped the elf through the air.
More wargs looked and watched as the elf and one of their pack members battled.
The warg with the hung up prince swept its head along the ground and Legolas saw his knife lying there. It offered a gleam of assurance. As the creature swung its head along the ground, Legolas grabbed his blade.
As he got hold of the blade, the animal flung its head up. Legolas stabbed as the creature's own strength launched the elf onto its shoulders. The knife buried itself in the soft flesh and course hair of the warg's back.
The other wargs snarled as they watched the contention. The injured warg reeled near the trunk of a tree. Legolas saw his chance to get out of the combat and swung back down. He slashed the leather that held his foot. The strap came loose and he began to fall.
A low branch offered a haven for the elf that was more at home in the trees than on the ground. He extended his good arm quickly, dropping the knife again, and caught it. The other arm had worked its way out of the sling and hung limply at his side. Legolas swung there for a moment and then felt his fingers slipping. His arm ached and his injuries cried. He could not fall now. He willed his badly injured arm to grasp the branch and so held on with his legs dangling down.
His blonde hair had begun to work itself loose and a sweat soaked piece hung in his eyes, plastered to his forehead. His cobalt eyes flashed with a determined white fire. The warg seemed to glare at him. Drool trickled out of its open mouth. Blood ran from its shoulder. The other wargs moved in and the elf was surrounded.
Panic raced through his heart. Legolas's overtaxed body began to tremble and he could feel it failing him. He cursed his body's weakness and wished he could hold on just a little longer.
A loud crash rumbled through the forest and even the wargs trembled and shrank back. Their black eyes gazed fearfully around. Another creature of the night approached. With a look at one another, the wolf-like animals fled. Legolas sighed with almost relief.
The crash shook the trees now and the elf dropped tot he ground. He shrank against the bowl of the tree, but not before grabbing his white handled knife. He cursed his luck, that he had not the other. He slid down along the trunk in exhaustion.
A huge troll showed it's ugly face through the trees. Legolas felt himself shake from weariness and a slight fear. He would normally not worry over a troll. They were stupid and under methodical conditions, the elven prince could easily out wit the beasts and escape.
Now however, it was different. His body was broken and weary. Just fighting the warg had nearly killed him. He could not fight this next onset. He hoped the troll had not yet seen him.
It seemed to take no notice and Legolas held his breath. He watched as it lumbered on through the trees. But he knew it would be back. He would have to leave quickly. Wearily, he dragged himself to his feet and fought the pain that rippled up and down his back. He had to find and rescue Aragorn, even if he died in the process. As he thought of the ranger in the clutches those horrible beasts, recollections came back unbidden to his mind and his wound continued to bleed.
Past...
Legolas jolted awake as he felt an iron clad foot bang against his cell door, rattling the bars and blurring his vision. His blue eyes opened groggily. He was awake but he felt asleep. It was a living death he woke to. As he looked up at the source of his new pain, he saw a goblin grinning down at him. "Have a nice sleep my sweet?" Legolas gulped down cold fear. "Your going to need it."
The bolt was drawn back and the orc entered with a set of heavy chains. Legolas scooted backwards but the point of a scimitar to his throat held him back. The elf shivered as cold hands grabbed him and wrenched him forward. He was pulled to his feet by his long blonde hair with an orc paw snarled in it. Hands grabbed his arms and pinned them to his sides.
The orc holding the manacles laughed shrilly and cruelly. "To goblin town you go little elf snaga." Taking Legolas's wrists, he clapped the cuffs on them. The chain that held them together was long enough that the prince could stretch his arms out. A hand slapped him across the face and he cried out. He was shoved roughly to the floor.
An orc placed a boot on his back and pressed down on his welts. Legolas cried out again. All sounds he made now were those of pain and despair. He felt fetters of iron being snapped onto his ankles. He tried to get away and go to a corner in the back of his cell, but it was an immediately regretted decision. He screamed as he felt a chain snap across his back. The links pinched his welts and sent excruciating pain rippling on his back. The orcs cracked the chain upon his bare and marred back again. The elf clenched his fist and his jaws tightened.
He was yanked up again by the chains on his wrists and drawn up to meet the face of the orc holding him. He trembled. The prince was battling pain and fear. The orc took a whip and touched the handle of it against the elf's cheek. Legolas turned his face away. The orc cackled and taking his hand, backhanded the prince to put his head back around. Legolas's eyes were large now and they stared back into the red, hateful, bitter eyes. "You will learn respect slave. You are ours now, our toy for our entertainment." He saw how the elf watched his black hands. Laughing sinisterly, he took and stroked Legolas's fair face and ran his fingers through the prince's fine golden hair.
Legolas did not know what to do. He felt like crying and that scared him. The orc smiled. "The boss wants to see you. He has entertainment plans for today concerning you elfy." Legolas trembled. He did not know if he would live through what ever they were going to do.
The elven prince was led out of the cold cell. He froze when they quite telling him to move. Legolas did not want to go further into the darkness and he refused to move. The beasts shoved him forward. "Run elf!" Legolas had just begun to move when a whiplash snapped across back. He wailed under his breath. The prince broke into a smooth run. Being an elf, he could run for very long periods of time.
The iron manacles prevented him from going much faster. The evil heat pressured on him and his heart ached. He wanted to die. Legolas watched as a huge quarry loomed ahead. He could hear the orcs panting beside or behind him. "You tell me to go faster," he spat in elvish, "yet you are far slower than I." The creatures stank and his nose stuffed up.
The orcs heard it and snarled. "Halt!" The one who had dared to stroke his face came forward brandishing a whip. Legolas glared. His eyes were icy. The orc spat and grabbed the prince's chin in his hand. Pulling Legolas's face close to his he hissed, "care to repeat that slave? In a language we all understand!" He slapped the elf sharply and blood trickled form the corner of Legolas' s swollen, parched lips.
Legoals's icy gaze did not break and he whispered, "no."
The orc laughed. "I thought as much. Yellow liver of an elf."
Legolas was about to respond with a snappy answer about how it was they that never fought unless victory was inevitable, but thought better of it. All it would earn was more whip weal's. The orc unfurled the whip he held and snapped it in the air. Legolas resisted the urge to jump. The orc jeered as he saw the fear in the elf's eyes. It was barely recognizable and was well held back. He shoved the elf to the edge of the pit. It was a good five-foot drop. Legolas looked back and gulped. Foul gases lifted up from the bottom. The elven prince choked. The orcs smiled and pushed him against the edge. Legolas leaned forward. The big one laughed, "here's where the fun begins my love."
With a shove, he thrust the prince backward into the gravel pit. Legolas hit the grit and stone with his back. Pain burned deep in is spine as the rock bit a bloody scrape on his already abraded back. He slid the rest of the way to the bottom. The elf was lucky to have escaped breaking any bones.
The elven prince rose in a daze. Stars danced before his vision. His loose blonde hair covered his face and hid the pain and bruises. His body trembled from weakness and fear. He could see the orcs sliding down after him. The elf was panting.
The large brute went up to the elf and smacked him down to the ground again. Legolas fell and his free golden hair fell about his shoulders and face. He was breathing rapidly now from heat and pain. He glanced back up with pain sick eyes. The orc took the length of chain he held and whipped it back. Legolas held up a trembling arm to block the blow. The orc struck around the arm and the links struck the prince's ribs. Legolas hissed and wailed as he felt a rib crack.
Another hideous monster came down and tossed the elf a pickaxe. "Get to wok or you will know pain! That's a promise snaga wretch!" Legolas looked at the tool he was tossed and gingerly moved to pick it up. He did not ever work with stone before and knew not what to do. He dimly guessed that he was supposed to cleave the silver that shimmered on the rocks from the hard minerals.
His problem was diverted, however, when a cry echoed in the dark, foul passage, "the boss is here! The boss is here!" Legolas felt a sick feeling in the pit of his stomach. The elven prince wiped a chained, trembling hand across his brow. It came of slick with sweat and grime. Pushing his golden locks behind his pointy ears, he looked with cold agony at the Great Goblin who stood on the edge of the pit.
The Great Goblin glared at the half-broken elf. "Well? Get the murderous elf whelp on his trembling feet!"
Legolas was tugged to his feet. His hair fell back over his face. A smack on the back of his head signaled for him to go forward. To his own surprise, he went. The chains around his ankles hindered his movements and he stumbled. The orcs hooted with laugher. "I thought elves were graceful!" rumbled the Great Goblin with deep cackles, as he nudged some others near him with his elbow, pointing to the fumbling elf. "I guess that was joke!"
"We are graceful, slimy spawn of the dark. If I was free of these shackles you would witness what you already know!" growled the prince lowly in the Gray Tongue.
The orcs shoved him along, enjoying the feeling of power they felt by causing one of the Firstborn to falter. They paid no heed or did not hear the elf's comment. They were to enthralled with the sport of the elf.
Legolas fell and his hand was sliced on a rock. The Silvan elf hissed and bit his lip to stifle a cry. He shut his blue eyes tightly and held back tears, words that longed to come from his over worked body. He felt an nails bite into the soft, raw flesh on his back as they lifted him to his feet. He moaned, "no."
The goblins half dragged, half whipped the prince up the slope of the pit. When he reached the top, the elf collapsed, panting. The Great Goblin stood in front of him. Taking the toe of his boot, he wedged it beneath the prince's quivering chin. Tilting the prince's face upward, he looked into the blue eyes. Legolas's body was broken and his spirit wavered but still he shot a defiant gaze back. The Great Goblin chuckled to himself. Looking at the slave drivers that stood on either side of the bleeding prisoner, he said, "he's more resilient than the last one we caught isn't he?" He let the elf's head drop. Legolas let it fall to rest against the cool ground of the cave. "He is too good for the pits. I thought wrong last night. No, this elf is going to be one my personnel servants. Or perhaps I have a better purpose for such a prisoner"
Legolas did not care what they did to him as long as they let him lie still and rest. He began to feel unconsciousness tug at his mind. The Great Goblin looked at the bleeding elf. He was too weak and needed to recover his vigor. Legolas suddenly seemed to go deaf to the world around him. Time seemed to stop and all went black.
Present...
Aragorn held looked fearfully back as he heard the creatures enter the forest. He scrutinized the woods for a good tree with low branches. Maybe if he climbed up, he could avoid them. They seemed to be stupid enough. However, on the other hand, orcs had an excellent sense of smell. It was almost legendary and was notoriously effective in recapturing prisoners. The ranger thought though that for it to be that well known for recapturing prisoners, that much had escaped. Anyway, they had to live through their capture, otherwise, how would they been able to tell that was how they had gotten recaptured. He nearly chuckled as he thought of that. Orcs may recapture their prisoners but whose to say they would not escape again.
He had to try. A thick tree caught his eyes, with a low, fat branch. He ran to it. The branch was not as low as he would have liked and he realized that with bound hands, this was going to be especially difficult. The bark was smooth and provided little friction to use as a brace to push up on. He jumped and managed to get himself half up. Hooking his hands beneath the bottom of the branch, he pulled himself up. Once on the bough, the human knew this was of little protection. He would have to get higher.
The orcs were getting closer. Aragorn could here their cries of dismay and wrath directed at him. He stood up carefully, leaning heavily on the trunk of the tree. His gray eyes darted behind him to see if they were in view and then he grasped the branch above with his bound hands. He swept his legs up and looped them over the limb. Once this was accomplished, he dragged his body up onto it so he lay on his chest on the branch.
He continued this process until he was a good ten feet above the ground. As he looked down he thought of how he might get there, other than being shot out of the tree by an orc cross bow. The thoughts quickly vanished from his mind as he heard a harsh, icy voice call out in a sinister tone that sent chills down his spine, "ready or not here I come little human rat! Don't be shy! We just want to play!" Aragorn shivered and clung to the trunk. The orc continued. "Come here! We can't play alone"
Aragorn rolled his eyes upward. 'Sure, I'll just hop on down and you shoot me with your crossbow! Oh, yes, would you please torture the hell out of me!' he thought sarcastically to himself. How stupid did they think he was? He was not coming down unless they shot him down. Hopefully they would not find him to shoot him down.
The orc growled. "Alright then, you like games. Well so do we! If hide and seek is what you want, hide and seek is what you will get. Winner takes all." The creature was obviously getting very angry. The ranger really hoped they did not find him now. If they did though, and they wanted him alive, they would have a difficult time getting him down. He could see the creature, Raksi, below his tree, sniffing.
The human held his breath and dared not to bat and eye. In his hands the orc held a set of chains and a club. Aragorn felt his head going light. /No/ He felt like dying. /Not here! Not now/ The orc snarled a warning to the human. "We know you're here human trash! We can smell you. You reek of fear!" The orc spat onto the forest floor. Aragorn suppressed a shiver. The fact that they could tell what he thought through their sense of smell was absolutely creepy. He did not like the feeling and closed his eyes to be invisible. "We will find you murderous elf-friend!"
Aragorn's aching body began to quiver against his will. He tried to stop it, but he was fast loosing control over his own body. He cursed this change in his fate and looked warily below at the huge orc intending to capture him again. The creature was sniffing around the base of the tree and the ranger could here his nose snuffling as he collected the human's scent.
Aragorn suddenly felt his body sway as he began to get weak in the knees. His stomach felt sick. He suddenly sensed his body beginning to fall. In panic, he grasped the smaller branch above his head to try and steady himself. He caught the branch, but it was dead and broke off in his hands with a loud snap. He tried to catch it but it fell to the ground below and struck the orc square on the head. The creature growled at the fallen limb and then looked up. His red eyes glowed in the darkness, like evil pits of hatred.
"I found ye!" snarled the beast joyestly. "You might as well come down boy! We're going to get ye anyway, one way or another! Sooner or later!"
The ranger quirked a brow and glanced down. "How soon I wonder?" He said this to deliberately frustrate the beast and anger it. If it got angry enough, it would get fed up with him, or at least he hoped. He meant to escape if it were possible. Where were Elladan and Elrohir when you needed them?
He sighed as he remembered them, they were right there beside him when he needed them. He missed them and his heart bled. But he had to strong.
Orcs came from all over when they heard Raksi's cry that the human filth was found. Aragorn clung to the tree trunk. Raksi circled below. Aragorn watched. He had no intention of getting down if he did not have to. Raksi took out his cross bow just as the ranger had expected. He notched a large black arrow in the bow and leveled it at the ranger. "Don't make me do this!" snapped the vile animal in frustration at the human who acted like an elf in a tree.
Aragorn looked up at the treetop, wondering if he could get higher up. Then he stopped. Why did the orc not want to shoot him? Did not orcs take pleasure in killing and torment and weren't they totally bereft of mercy? He decided he could try and go higher and began to ascend the tree once more. Whatever reason they wanted him alive for, he did not think it was in his best interest. As he swung his feet up, the branch he was going to cracked as well.
The human plummeted towards the ground. As he fell, he thought of Legolas and Elladan and Elrohir. He wondered if he would ever see them again. He suddenly saw a bough sticking out and reached for it. He grabbed it just in time. However, his grip was weak and he felt his fingers sliding and shifting as he struggled to hold his desperate grip. The smooth bark was not aiding him and as sweat form his palms wetted it, it became slippery, almost slimy.
Raksi rolled his eyes below. Orcs were impatient and he was itching to shoot the mortal anyway. He drew back the powerful bow with a creak and matched the sightings up. He knew it was only a matter of time before the ranger fell. When he fell, he would find an arrow through his leg. "After this try escaping again human," it snarled.
Just as he had expected the human fell. Aragorn's fingers slid free of the tree and he felt himself plunging into the unknown. He did not know what the orcs would do now, but he suspected it was going to be extremely painful. Raksi released the arrow.
The man felt a shot of pain go through his left leg. Released projectile had found its mark and was deeply embedded in the man's thigh. He fell with a cry of pain. His leg crumpled beneath him as he landed and the arrow snapped off half way down the shaft. He suddenly felt a horrible blow strike the back of his skull as one of the orcs struck him in the back of the head with a club it had carried.
Stars danced before his eyes and he black spots. His head spun and throbbed with intense agony. He saw the orcs closing in on him and then he was struck again and the world faded into black. Even as he felt the welcoming darkness claim him in rest he called out to Legolas. "Legolas...Legolas..." How he wished for his friend in this time. His gray eyes closed and he went limp in his captors clutch once again.
Memories waterlogged his weary mind. Memories of a journey he took long ago...
Past...
The human ran through the thick forests that surrounded the mountains. He had to find Legolas soon. If the elf was even alive. The ranger shivered at the possibility of his friend's death. The sky was dark and stars were popping up here and there. They shone bright against the black-blue sky. The radiant lights gave him a ray of hope and a knew spark of life, a stronger will to find and bring home his friend.
He could smell the sweet scent of pines and maple, birch and ash, as the wind carried their scents up from the valleys in the crux of the mountain range. They also seemed to give him knew strength. They reminded him of the elf he sought. Legolas loved to smell the scents of the woods and waters. With a wry smile, Aragorn thought to himself, 'I been elves too long, the smell of leaves is reviving to me!' He stopped on the edge of a large precipice to observe the horizon before him.
Beyond were the rest of the Misty Mountains and new forests that perhaps some day he and Legolas would travel through together. He wished his friend was here to see this phenomenal sight. The elf would love it, the ranger imagined that if Legolas was there with him he would scarce be able to drag the elf away form the sight.
He longed to stay there himself but he knew the mission at hand was more urgent, much more urgent. If he did not complete it he would never have the chance to try and pry the elf away, Legolas would be gone. Maybe he already was, the man did not know. Shaking his head, he debated which way he should go. Two paths were possible.
On path would take him to a cave that was known to be a place well guarded and teaming with goblins. It was also there most common exit and entrance into the mountains.
The other was a windy path that led through the forest and would guide him to another precipice with a 'door' into the caves.
Crinkling his brow in critical thought, the human pondered the ways he could go. The trail leading to the caves was quicker and he needed to get to the prince as quickly as possible. The thought of having to overcome goblins upon goblins was not a thrilling motivation to go that way however. His brothers had only done that once...when they had rescued Celebrain, their mother.
His thought went to the second option. The pass that led through the woods and to a 'door'.
That one would definitely be easier. But it would take so much longer, to travel around the mountain and through the many passages after entering the mountain. Legolas did not have long. He had a matter of days not weeks. Aragorn recalled the tales his brothers had told him of Celebrain to try and explain to him how terrible the orcs were and why they were so adamant about his staying clear of the orc pits. His heart sank. He knew what he had to do.
He had to take the cave way. If he did not, he would more or less be abandoning the prince to the mercy the orcs were totally deprived of. He could bring himself to see the pain Legolas would go through nor permit it to be unless he was dead and could no longer fight for his friend's sake.
Sighing heavily, the ranger turned himself around and began to travel back to the trail leading to the cave entrance. /Legolas...mellon nin...can you hear me?...Are you alive in their world of darkness/ His gray eyes glistened with unspilled tears. He had to find him. He had to. /I will find you my friend and lead you home./ This he swore by his life. His eyes hardened with his resolve. They became like gray steel.
Present...
Elladan stood facing his family. Elrohir looked at his brother and pulled back from Elrond's fatherly embrace. If Elladan was going, he would follow. Elladan was like his other half, without his brother, he was only half- alive. The brethren could see Glorfindel's shoulders shaking slightly as his grief was slowly released in quiet sobs.
Elladan went and put a hand on the elder elf's shoulder, giving it a comforting squeeze. "We will bring him home. We have done this kind of thing before." Elrohir nodded slowly. Both of the twins knew they should have stayed on the trail and never stopped their search.
Elrond's face went blank, utterly emotionless. He was blotting out painful memories of his wife's last conversation with him. They came, however, and even the elven lord could not prevent it. His gaze strayed to the window and he looked into the gathering darkness of night. It was as black as the memories returning.
Past...
Celebrain lay on a canopied stretcher. Her fair face was white and drawn. Her golden hairs looked frost bitten and yet fair as it spilled out onto the pillow behind her head like molten gold from the mine. Her gray eyes fell upon her beloved husband. Tears were in them an gave them a sparkle. But the sparkle did not reflect what she felt inside. She felt empty. The goblins had robbed her of her will to live. That is what they did to immortals.
Elrond's face stared tearfully into hers. His was gray with sorrow and for the first time, he showed a sign of aging. He brought his warm hand to her cold face. She grasped it and held it to her face, closing her eyes. "I will see you again love," soothed Elrond.
Elladan and Elrohir stood nearby. Tears rolled down there white cheeks. They had been the first to see her, they had rescued her and now a bitter hatred for the goblins found a dwelling place in their normally soft immortal hearts.
Elladan went to her and whispered low and surprisingly serenely, "mother, I love you." Elrohir just wept silently. He had come across her first before they had rescued her and now he utterly broke down. He crumpled to his knees, leaning his face against a tree trunk and hiding his sorrow covered face from them.
Celebrain looked weakly in Elrohir's direction. A sob shook her. Looking into Elladan's eyes, Galadriel's daughter held them. "My son, tell your brother to be strong. Tell him this is not the end but the beginning, for I will see you both again. I am just going to a new home that has been there for me since the world was created." A tear rolled down her cheek and Elladan hiccuped as sobs broke forth. She grasped his hand, releasing her husband's, and drew him close to her. "My child, this was meant to be."
Elrond placed hands on his son's shaking shoulders and pulled him gently back. It was time. The daughter of Galadriel looked at them as the elves bearing her away began to move. The Noldor family watched as she faded beneath the trees along with their hearts...
Present...
Elladan and Elrohir watched their father's face. They knew what he was thinking, for it was in their minds as well.
Glorfindel spun around. He too remembered some the last events of Celebrain's stay in Middle Earth. "I will accompany you if you stick with your confirmation to go." He wanted to occupy his mind, for he began to fear he was tiring of Middle Earth.
Elrond snapped out of his daze and blinked at the other elves. "Yes, bring Estel home." Then he looked out again at the world beyond again. The world was changing. He could feel it in his soul. Whether it was for good or evil, he did not know.
A thought tugged at the back of his mind. Legolas was not dead...what? That could not be. His gift of foresight told other wise. The prince was alive. Where was he? He did not know, but his heart forebode that the elven prince would help save his foster child before the end.
TBC...Well, now that was longer eh? I don't hear any complaints so I will take it that you don't mind. I know it was not very long to most standards but to mine and my style of writing, it was long LOL. Don't expect the next chapter to be short either mellon nins! Plenty of ranger and elf angst to come! Muahahahahaha!
Review responses
Gozilla Thanks for R&R! Thrilled you can't wait to read more!
Deana Yup, Legolas is not having a good time. When we said angst did you expect less? smiles evilly Elladan and Elrohir thinking Leggy is dead... well they had got separated in battle and did not see him afterwards and knew he was not captured with Aragorn so they assumed the worst. Sorry if
there was confusion here. I will try and edit it later. winks thanks!
Icclefairy Thanks for R&R! Hope you don't get 2 confused LOL! I try to
avoid causing that. Hope you continue to enjoy reading it!
Lord (ess) Stewfu ...? (did we get it right?) Thank you for R&R! About
slash... NEVER shudder! We think slash is totally against Tolkien's writings. (We aren't trying to flame on you!) Please do not use the word 'hell' and other such profanity in your review. It is a pet peeve of ours! grins sheepishly Sorry if that is what you are used to, we don't mean to flame on you either. Please humor us! Please! We are extremely grateful for your review however and will NEVER TIRE of hearing from you or anyone else!
Anyway, hope ya did not take any of this the wrong way.
Strider's Girl You really like it oo! Cool! It is going to get better (we PROMISE no slash if that is any consolation, we don't like it either)!
Plenty of Arry torture to come! cackles madly Muahahahahaha!
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