Part Five Cont.
To Watch Hope Fade

Present...

Raksi sat upon his warg mount. The creature was shifting uneasily; it could sense the elves presence. The orc captain smiled cruelly. The other orcs and wargs nearby him seemed to grin as well. The time had come to set their perfect snare to trap the unlucky firstborn. Raksi motioned for his lieutenant to come over for a talk, for final plans. "Take your wargs and riders Glukig, I want them hidden in the brush. When I put the other maggots in the trees to shoot arrows. When the arrows fly I want to you to charge forward. Do not kill the dark-haired one, but you can do what you will with the golden-haired one."

Glukig smiled a smile cold enough to chill the flame on a torch. What fun this mission was going to be. He reached down and stroked his warg almost passionately. The creature nearly purred. Glukig asked darkly, "what is so special about the dark one?"

"He is a Son of Elrond, worm," growled Raksi dispassionately. He had no love for the Noldor elves. "The other one we have is his brother, they are identical." Glukig nodded.

"It will be my pleasure to escort the guest to our humble home."

"Good," purred Raksi. "Do not fail me. If he is killed, it will be you who will pay the price." Glukig smiled grimly. He knew that. Heeling his warg, he motioned for his forces to follow. They silently rode through the woods and into the brush. Raksi frowned. He called to his best archers to get into their positions in the trees.

Elladan opened his eyes to see Glorfindel sitting quietly by him. The elf lord's eyes were half lidded and he was singing of Elbereth Githoniel. "Glorfindel?" The Gondolin elf opened his eyes the rest of the way and stared at the dark-haired Noldo looking at him.

"Yes Elladan?" asked the golden-haired elf with a hint of sorrow in his voice. He pushed the nose of his horse, Asfaloth away lovingly. The animal was nuzzling its master affectionately with its velvety nose.

"I can't feel anything anymore," said Elladan worriedly. Elrohir was no longer in pain it seemed. Was his brother dead? No, not Elrohir. It was not possible.

Glorfindel's voice was filled with dread when he thought of what this could mean. "What...do you mean?" His blue eyes were wide and staring at the dark- haired elf that was almost like a son to him.He knew what Elladan meant, but he was not willing to fully except the pain that he knew it would bring.

Elladan hesitated before trying to explain the strange emotion he felt. He clutched at his heart and moaned. "I can't feel my brothers anymore, their pain that had been so real only moments ago is now not even faintly there." Tears burned in Elrond's Son's throat and eyes. "It is dead, they are dead." Glorfindel said nothing, but rubbed his temples, trying to cope with the horror building in his heart.

So it was finished? Everyone they had hoped to rescue was dead? This was not happening. How could the Gondolin elf go and tell Lord Elrond that two of his sons were dead by the hands of orcs, just like Celebrian had been? He could not.

Suddenly, arrows sang through the air. The elves had heard them before they saw them. They had heard the bows creak as they were drawn back . "Duck Elladan!" shouted Glorfindel and he pushed the raven-head of the twin down protectively. An arrow struck the tree above Elladan where his head had been only seconds ago. Turning his gaze upon Asfaloth, the golden-haired elf cried, "noro lim, noro lim!" He did not want to the horse to get hurt and in a battle with wargs, it was most likely the animal would. The horse reluctantly obeyed the Gondolin elf and galloped off into the forest. He would bring back help.

Both of the elves' hands went to their swords and they drew them out. A howl rose in the air, chilling and horrible. Elladan rolled his eyes. "Wargs," he spat. The creatures charged out of the brush. How had the elves not even heard them sneak into the hidden spot? Elladan had no idea, but he was disturbed by that more than anything else.

Soon they were engaged in a bloody fight. The wags leaped at them and Glorfindel hewed one in the throat before it could strike, pitching off its rider. The orc flew through the air and as it hit the ground head first, a snap came from its neck and it was stilled.

Elladan found himself facing nearly half of the beasts that were growling and lunging at him, barely held in check by there riders a top of them. Arrows continued to fly through the air, sometimes striking the wargs or goblins themselves.

Elladan all at once felt an orc's heavy boot smash into the back of his skull as he drove his elven blade through the course pelt of a warg. All went black, the elf opened and shut his eyes and still all was dark as midnight without a star. A warg shouldered the helpless immortal as it ran by, slamming him into the tree. Elladan could not see and staggered side ways. He could feel his heart throbbing in his chest and his breath coming in rapid intakes. A wave of panic washed over him. He could not see!

The midnight-haired elf's sword slid from his fingers as his hands went to his eyes. Elladan rubbed them and still his vision was gone. His head was screaming in a dazed pain. /Glorfindel help me...help me! I'm blind/ thought Elrond's Son in consternation. What good was a blind elf?

Glorfindel looked over at Elladan, something was wrong. The elf was staggering and he was covering his eyes with his hands. The elf lord ran towards the raven-haired immortal. Any orc that got into his path was instantly slain.

Elladan was standing totally still now. He hated to admit that he was too scared to move. He had no idea what his surroundings were and all he could do was listen to the battle raging about him. He unexpectedly felt a hand on his shoulder. It was shaking him, "Elladan? Elladan?"

It took a moment for the Son of Elrond to answer. He tried to pull away from the hands that held a firm grip on his shoulders. Then, he recalled the voice; it was Glorfindel's. He stopped struggling and faced the elf lord as best as he could figure. Glorfindel looked sorrowfully upon the raven-haired elf's gray eyes. They were unfocused and paler; the younger elf was visionless. A lump welled up in the golden-haired elf's throat. Elladan said, "Glorfindel, I am blind! I can't see! Oh Elbereth, my eyes!"

Glorfindel knew what had happened. Elladan had been struck blind from the blow to his skull. Perhaps they were lucky none of the other friends were here. The pain of what had happened would devastate Elrohir and Aragorn the most. The wargs were shifting closer with their riders. Glorfindel whipped his hands behind and over his back in a motion quicker than sight and had an arrow notched in his bow and the bowstring pulled taut. He fired one of the projectiles, driving it deep into the throat of a warg. The rider rose from its felled mount and drew out his scimitar, giving a threatening growl. Glorfindel notched another arrow and shot it into the monster before him. The orc fell with a squawk of death.

Elladan could fell the intensity of the battle about him. Glorfindel put his hand on the elf's shoulder again and pushed him protectively back. Elladan stumbled slightly and the Gondolin elf held his shoulder tighter to keep him from falling back wards. 'Elladan, why did you have to go and get blinded!' thought the elder elf with anger, not at the sightless elf, but at the orcs who had blinded his friend, possibly for life. Elladan felt the elf lord's hand suddenly go tense and slide slowly from his shoulder. He heard a muffled moan escape the golden-haired elf and the heavy breathing of pain.

"Glorfindel?" asked Elladan slowly. Then he yelled, "GLORFINDEL!" He felt the elf by his side staggering forward and heard him gasp. Unable to see, the raven-haired elf went into a state of panic.

He heard a voice that he knew so well say, "curse them! They lodged an arrow in my shoulder socket! I can't move it," replied the Balrog-Slayer in dismay. Pain was coursing through his arm, then it suddenly went numb. The bone had broken and the arm was utterly useless. The Gondolin elf cursed under his breath. Glorfindel looked up in time to see a warg come pelting his way with its rider. The fair-haired elf tried to move out of the way, but then he recalled Elladan was blind. Elrond's Son would never move out of the way in time. Springing over to where Elladan stood unmoving, and confused, the elder elf slammed his body, good shoulder first, into the surprised Noldo.

Elladan gave a strangled cry and stumbled side ways. He had no clue what was going on. A huge arm encircled his neck and chest before Glorfindel could come to the aid of the ebony-haired elf. Elladan struggled to get free, but he could not see. The world he knew as black and filled with fear and chaos.

The Gondolin elf was about to go and try and help anyway, when he felt a fiery pain in his other arm. Looking at his right arm, the elder elf saw a huge orc blade infixed in his upper arm. Following it up to see who held it, the Balrog-Slayer saw he faced a very scared-faced orc. The creature grinned and gave the blade a cruel twist. Glorfindel pressed his lips into a thin line and with held a cry of intense pain. The goblin then yanked the blade back out and snarled. Glorfindel met the beast's eyes with his own jaded blue ones. The warg the orc was on slammed its shoulder against the faired-haired immortal and Glorfindel was too wounded to really counter the blow. He stumbled and fell into the bushes nearby, the broken, jagged ends of the branches and twigs that broke beneath him scratched and tore his skin.

Ignoring his own anguish, the golden-haired immortal looked to Elladan. The elf was struggling madly. The orcs had a rope about his wrists already, but that was not about to slow the twin down. Even in blindness, the elf fought, urged on by the feeling of panic shooting through his system. Glorfindel tried to get up and rush to his friend's aid, but it was delusive, because he could not brace any of his weight on his arms. Cursing the orcs under his breath, the Balrog-Slayer rested his head down on the ground. He could do nothing. He knew that Elladan had to be absolutely terrified beyond his knowledge due to the sudden blindness, not to mention angry enough to commit a murder. The thought pained the Gondolin elf greatly. He wanted to scream at the orcs and distract their attention from the visionless immortal, but he knew there was no point to it. For even if Elladan could get free for a time, it would be short lived and perhaps worse for the Son of Elrond for an attempted escape attempt. Years of experience in the Gondolin and Goblin wars had taught Glorfindel much about orcs and their tactics. Glorfindel wearily shut his eyes and decided he would rest for a time and wait until the orcs were gone before he would even attempt to heal himself.

Elladan felt himself being dragged up onto a warg mount by a cluster of hands that pulled at him. He could feel the course pelt of the animal and the warmth of its skin on his hands that he had bound in front of him. He felt off balance and tipped to one side, totally unaware he was doing so. The orc that he was placed before slapped his face back over, pushing Elladan up right. The Noldo shook his head in bewilderment of the unexpected blow to his face and the pain that followed it. His head was throbbing and his blood pulsed in his ears with each heartbeat. /Glorfindel? Where are you? Are you dead/ Indeed, the twin hoped not, but he feared it was so.

The orc grabbed a lock of black hair from the dark-haired elf and pulled the immortal's head back close. Elladan flinched at the sudden movement that he had been totally unable to predict. The goblin whispered sinisterly in Elladan's ear, "hello master elf. Bet you weren't expecting this, were ye?"

He shook Elladan and the elf growled back, "you leave me alone." His voice was dead, but cold and defiant at once. He was not going to let fear over come his will and master him, he would master his fear.

He could not help but gasp as he felt the cool leather of the orc's glove enclose about his throat and squeeze. Elladan's airway constricted and his bound hands reached up to clutch at the hand strangling him. "Hopefully you will be smarter than your brother was and hold your fiery tongue," taunted the orc brutally.

Elladan hissed, "what did you do to my brother?" his tone was lethal and filled with suppressed anger and hatred.

The monster laughed coldly and ran his fingers through the jet-black hair of the elf in a tormenting caress. Elladan shivered. The orc looked at the perfect point the ears tapered to and flicked one. Elladan jerked his head away, or at least tried to. If he were free he would never have permitted his ears to be touched by any mortal save Aragorn, his brother, much less be handled in this manner by a goblin. The orc stroked his hair and Elladan shuddered inwardly as he felt the rough, thick hands patting his head like he was a dog. Suddenly, the orc snarled his fingers in the ebony tresses and pulled Elladan's head further back, Elrond's Son felt his neck being stretched and his head whirled in a wave of pain. "Lets not spoil the surprise now little elf," purred the orc with a hiss of pleasure at his captive's distress. Elladan felt anger welling up in his heart. What had they done to his brother? Elrohir!

"Let me go you dirty rat!" Elladan wriggled in the orcs grasp, but it shoved him forward. And placed a hairy arm about his neck. Elladan smelled the stench of the orc and the terrifying strength in its muscular arms. The warg began to lope away and Elladan could feel its muscle moving and working beneath him. So this was what warg riding was like? He could here the snarls of victory from the orcs and he knew they had succeeded, but in what way he was not sure. The thought made his stomach want to retch and he sucked air in through his mouth in a deep, thoughtful breath.

Suddenly the Noldo felt dizzy. He slouched forward against the arm that held him tightly to the goblin's chest. The immortal's breath labored for a moment and then he went limp.

The wags rode into camp with their rejoicing riders. Legolas looked at Elrohir, who was in deep sleep. His chest rose and fell with deep, slow breaths. However, the ranger that lay beside him was pale and his breath was rapid and shallow.

A new storm was threatening and its thunder could be heard as it rumbled. Two orcs came stalking over, in their hands they held ropes. Legolas turned his jaded blue orbs onto the pair o evil beings. They passed him the blonde elf by and went for Elrohir. Legolas cried out, "don't! Please don't! Take me instead, let the sick be!" One of the orcs turned on Legolas and slapped him sharply.

"Did we talk to you?" the goblin's glare was piercing and Legolas turned his burning eyes away. "I didn't think so elf, so shut yer yap before I shut it for yer." He raised the whip and struck the fair being across the face with it as an example of what he could do. "See?" A bleeding welt stretched across Legolas's cheekbone in a red streak. Putting a hand on his head, the orc gave the elf a shove to get him out of the way.

Legolas snorted and mumbled, "you think you can conquer everything with force, but they're some things that are greater than what you have ever imagined and a mere show of force is ineffective."

Elrohir woke with a start and found orcs surrounding him. He focused his bleary eyes on the one holding the ropes meant for his wrists. He knew they had come for him, but he was too tired to fight back. The orcs grabbed his arms and pulled him forward and up, Elrohir hissed as pain rippled up from his leg as he was forced to apply pressure to the fracture. His eyes connected with Legolas's cobalt ones and Legolas was horrified at how peacefully clear and sure Elrohir's eyes looked. He was far less than panicked. The ebony-haired Noldo knew almost what was to come and fearing it was not going to help him any, so why show the orcs you are scared?

"We have a little gift for you elfy," they crooned in Elrohir's ear. The twin drew back at the stench and feel of the creature's hot breath on his face. The orc laughed and pushed Elrohir with his back to a tree. Twisting the immortal's arms harshly behind him, the orcs tied them tightly with a thick cord. Looking at Legolas, the orcs growled as they noticed the free hands of the elf. Legolas felt his face pale slightly. They were going to bind his wrists again and it was going to hurt drastically.

Unconsciously, the elf prince slid backwards, away from the orcs. As he realized what he had done, he cursed under his breath, for he had shown weakness. They grinned at their captive's pain and fear. Though the elf did no show much fear, they could smell it, the blonde elf reeked of the scent. Elrohir watched what they were going to do to Legolas and bit his lip. He knew what the blue-eyed elf was going through. If those fresh wounds were touched with a tight hemp rope, it would sting like crazy. "Don't, please," pleaded the twin with his captors. "He won't leave, if he does you can kill me."

Legolas shot Elrohir a lethal look. "Shut up El!" Elrohir gave the prince a sad look. He could feel the fear that tensed the prince's voice and made him so sharp.

Legolas was angry. He did not want Elrohir to sacrifice himself like he had just offered. He had no right! Anyway, Legolas could look after himself, he was old enough and grown.

All the same, the prince knew he was being selfish, but he had seen too many others in pain already and he did not wish to see it again. He knew it was Elrohir's decision, but he wanted Elrohir to be left out of the picture. His leg was broken and he had just mended it.

Elrohir said softly in the gray tongue, "peace Legolas."

Legolas put on a wry grin and said back in Sindarin, "Elrohir I just did all that work on your leg, I would not have it wasted."

Elrohir raised a brow then shook his head wearily and said in Quenya, "it is wasted anyway, for they will harm it more without my protecting you mellon nin."

Legolas glared, "I don't need your protection." Suddenly, Elrohir's face blanched white and he hissed, arching his back against the tree trunk. Pain was scoring his leg and racing up his spine. Gasps were torn from the elf's pale lips and sweat beaded on his brow. Legolas looked at his friend with grave concern. Without warning, an orc came up behind him and put an arm about his neck. The creature pulled the elf backwards and pinned him to the ground.

"Remember me Sunshine?" It was Raksi. Legolas's breath increased and he tried to roll away, but the grip as like a choke hold. "I like it when I am remembered," he purred. "Because when I'm not I have to do things to refresh your memory that you may not like." releasing his gripon Legolas's neck, he grabbed one of the prince's wrists and saw the raw flesh. He rubbed it with his rough palm. Legolas cried out softly against the burning. Raksi smiled cruelly.

The orc captain turned to go. Then he turned back around on one heel. "you aren't going to just stay here and tarry for me." Legolas felt his eyes go wide and Raksi spat at the elf prince. Turning his head over his shoulder, the goblin yelled to other orcs, "take him and bind him to the tree next to this one." The orc captain gestured to Elrohir who was defiantly tugging at his bonds.

As the orcs rushed over and jumped upon Legolas, grippinjg his arms tightly and being none too gentle about the administration of the fetters that they looped about his wrists and pulled cruelly tight, as they bound the elf to a tree.Others came forward bearing a limp elf. The elf's face was not colorful, nor was it pale. His eyes were open, but they were rolled back in unconsciousness, or perhaps something more, it was hard to tell. His mouth lulled open. Elrohir screamed, "nooooooo! Elladan!" A sharp kick in the ribs shut him up and doubled him over against his bonds, dark hair spilling over his pain stricken face.This was not true! They could not have caught his brother! No!No!

The orcs had his brother, his blood brother. It was all too real and Elrohir knew that Elladan was not dead, but yet something was wrong with him. His breathing was almost still and his eyes were paler. Elrohir had enough experience as a healer to know Elladan had been struck violently in the back of the head. No blood flowed from the back of his head, but those were the worst wounds possible. They could cause swelling of the skull and or brain, even death. The orcs smiled harshly and proceeded to truss up the newly caught Noldo by his wrists from the tree before Elrohir.

Elladan's feet were hardly touching the ground and his head was off to the side in senselessness. His black hair spilled over his face, having come loose from one of the catches in his braids. A cool sweat coated the raven- haired elf's brow. Elrohir was horror struck. Dread fell upon his heart.

"The men are here Raksi," came a large brute to report to the captain. Raksi grinned. The smile he sported could have frozen the pits of Hell and melted the Arctic cold, so twisted was it. Elrohir pondered the message he had heard. Men? Who? More captured rangers perhaps? But Raksi seemed too happy. It was something the foul creature was looking forward to and it caused Elrohir to shiver.

Two orcs came and with them came a group of five men. They were clothed all in black and had huge spears, a few had tatoos. Raksi greeted them gruffly, "so why are you late?" he complained with a snort.

"We had some trouble with two elves as we crossed near Rivendell," snapped the leader sharply. "Now where's these slaves you were talking about? You said some elves?"

Raksi spat at Elrohir and Legolas. "There is a change, you get elves and a man." Elrohir's heart leaped into his throat/Estel./.

Raksi went and looked down at Elrohir. He kicked the raven-haired elf's fractured leg and said, "hey elf, did you ever hear of the Corsairs of Umbar?"

Elrohir did not look up, he just hissed under his breath then snarled; "you mean the pirates?" he spat at the orcs. The men pointed at him and laughed. This elf had spirit for sure. The goblin looked at Elrohir then reached down and grabbed his chin.

"You look at me when I'm speaking to you elf or are you scared?" Elrohir looked up and his cloyed gray orbs flashed a show of anger towards the beings that tormented the elves and ranger.

The men jeered and said with grins on their faces, "what's wrong with this one, eh? Would you settle on a price for him?" Elrohir felt anger welling up in his chest as he listened to them talking about him and his companions as though they were sheep to be sold to a butcher.

Raksi smiled. He could sell Elrohir to them and get rid of the defiant nuisance for good. "I might." Elrohir shot the men a 'if you dare' look that plainly said he was not going to let them touch him without a fight.

The men laughed at the elf and said, "let's have a look at you there, elf." They went over and glared down on him. Suddenly, their eyes fell upon the leg that was still off at an odd angle despite what Legolas had done for it, and their eyes darkened. Nudging the injured leg painfully, they asked Elrohir deviously, "and pray tell us what this is master elf."

Elrohir glared at them, but kept his mouth shut tightly. If they found out about his broken leg it could mean big trouble. He knew it was only a matter of time that was quickly wearing by, but still, he was not going to make the chance of discovery greater by trying to cover up and he was not going to flat out tell them. They kicked his leg and Elrohir felt his face blanch as pain raced up his leg and scored him. The men frowned and said, "oh, we see, it is broken. My-my, you poor thing."

The elf was worthless to them and they knew it. They did not think the elf was worthy to live anymore, besides, if they killed him they would be doing him a small favor in any case, because the orcs would be much less merciful. Drawing out a sword, the closest one set it to the 'younger' Noldo's throat. Elrohir did not move and watched the men's faces with eyes that plead for them to go ahead with the men to follow through. He longed for death, his brothers and friends would soon be dead, why couldn't he go ahead and die? They pressed the blade in just enough to prick the skin and were about to slit the elf's throat, when Raksi set his hand on the blade, staying it. "I have not sold him to you and he is yet mine. I want him alive," rumbled the orc in a threatening voice that dared the men to follow through and kill the elf that was before them.

The men stared at Elrohir for a moment before sheathing the scimitar and turning their attention upon the other captives.

The men looked at Legolas next. "And him?" They stepped up around the prince.

Raksi stepped in front of Legolas. "He is mine and I want him!" Legolas thought ruefully, 'I am not yours! I am nobody's!' His blue eyes flashed fiercely.He could take a lot, but no elf could take this.

The man said crudely, "we will pay extra for this one," he offered hopefully to the orc captain. There were many uses for an elf like this, and they planned to be the ones to own him and have the benifits.Legolas was not enjoying listening to them trying to sell him like a crate of apples or something. If they kep this up, he would not be responsible for his actions.

Raksi spat at Legolas. "How much?" His red eyes flickered and he watched the man warily.

The captain of the Corsairs frowned, "fifty gold pieces?" he offered.

Raksi growled and said, "sixty."

"Fifty-five," argued the men back. "He has been through a beating more than once, he's troublesome. Look at the welt on his face!" they cried, in no position to allow themselves to be cheated.

Raksi knew he was going to get no better a price and said angrily and under his breath, "fifty-five." Legolas pushed with his feet in the dirt, pressing against the tree and glared at the mortals who stood menacingly before him. Their cold eyes made him shiver inside and he felt his stomach lurch.He did not like those feeling and knew that it was only a matter of time before the men knew that he felt them and used them against him, which was not a pleasant thought.

The men eyed the prince over and said, "sold!" Drawing out a pouch containing the typical one hundred and then extra fifty gold pieces, they tossed it casually to the orc captain who caught it greedily. Legolas rolled his eyes and sighed heavily. He was just bought and sold like a sack of flour or a loaf of bread, and with just about as much thought had been put into his purchase.

Elrohir wanted to weep; his brothers were both about to be sold into slavery to Sauron's minions along with prince Legolas. They were the Son's of Elrond and Prince of Mirkwood! This was perhaps the cruelest fate they could be sent into. Elrohir bucked against his bonds, "no! Take me! Please! No! You can't take them, the are all weak or sick!" he pleaded for his friend and brother in earnest. Raksi went over to the plunging elf and kicked him in the stomach. Elrohir cried out helplessly as the heavy boot connected with his soft stomach and bit his lip. He looked to his younger mortal brother and felt tears sting his eyes.

"You shut up! Or perhaps you need to be taught a lesson by these good men?" Raksi said with a grin. The orc thought of the fun he would get from watching the men performing their little stunts on the elf. The irritating immortal was nearly broken, a little bit more persistence to cause pain would make him scream. Elrohir knew what they wee thinking, but if he could get them to take the attention of the corsairs off his brothers and Legolas, perhaps they could escape, perhaps it would be worth it.

The twin flashed an angry gaze upon the orcs and said grimly and in a tone that plainly stated his will was set, "if you have nothing better to do, you lazy, incompetent fools!"

The orc smiled and said in a discomfortingly serene voice, "that's quite a mouthful elf, for one in the situation your in. If you want to play all you had to do was ask nicely little worm, and we would have shown you a real fun game we know," crooned the evil being with a laugh of pleasure.

Elrohir felt a thrill of fear race up his spine, but he tensed his muscles and suppressed the shudder that was more than willing to present itself to the orcs. The midnight-haired elf shot back a fiery answer, "I am so sorry, I had no idea the thought of courtesy weighed so heavily on our minds, I will ask nicely next time."

The captain gave him a sinister look and mouthed the words, 'we will play later elf, and what fun we will have.'

Elrohir shifted uncomfortably as he read the message and mumbled inaudibly, "I can't wait." The orc did not hear the words, and frowned intensely as he followed the men over to where Elladan was strung up by his wrists, twisting slowly in his bonds.

The pirates of Umbar circled Elladan carefully. They had very nearly forgotten about Elrohir, for he was of no importance to them with his broken leg and they were in a hurry. They had heard the conversation between the orc and other dark-haired elf, but it was not of very much magnitude to them at all. "Why isn't he moving?" they asked about Elladan.

Raksi spoke quickly, "we just caught him and he went out stone cold on us."

The headman picked up Elladan's head and supported it, looking at the elf's features and checking his breathing. "It's odd," commented the pirate, "he looks just like the one that's broken over there," he twisted his head in Elrohir's direction.

The orc captain smiled when he saw Elrohir's face blanch. "Oh, that's because they are the twin whippersnappers of that rogue Elrond," droned the orc slantingly.

The corsair smiled and said, "well if that's not a treat and a find." Then he said halfway to himself, "the Son's of Elrond." He thought of asking for Elrohir as well, despite the broken leg, but then he thought that together, they might be trouble. The Noldo did seem to enjoy being with the orcs so much that the evil human could hardly bear the thought of shattering this nice experience for the elf.

The evil man checked the slack immortal's pulse and then began to open Elladan's tunic. He didn't even bother to unbutton it, but slid his knife along it, popping off the buttons. Elrohir jerked against his bonds. What were they doing to his brother? "Leave him alone, please!" pleaded the elf.

"Relax master elf! We are merely looking him over!" growled the head corsair. He brushed the tunic flaps aside to see Elladan's chest and abdomen, checking for muscle content. The slaver was not unpleased. This elf was perfect, like most of the immortal's race. Elrohir bit his lip; terrified of making it worse for his brothers and Legolas, yet he wanted to scream. The man then went to the back of Elladan and peeled up the tunic, checking for signs of a beating that would show he was difficult to handle and that the orcs were lying. He found none and knew then for a fact that the elf was a fresh catch. Smiling, he said, "I am pleased. But what of the man? Why do you want to get rid of him? What are you trying to press on us?"

He nodded towards the ranger lying in deep sleep on the ground. Elrohir followed the slaver's eyes and sensed apprehension welling up in his spirit.

Raksi snarled, "he's one of them rangers. Always watching us and foiling our plans. We want him to know what it is like to not be so free."

The pirate frowned and bent over the ranger that lay in a heap on the ground. Taking the man, he opened up what was left of his tunic after the experiences with the orcs and checked to see if the seemingly scrawny mortal had any muscle. He was not as compact as the elves, but he was not weak either. Smiling, he got up and shook his head.

The man laughed and his four followers smiled. "We can arrange that." He looked about the camp and then at his men. They nodded and the headman said, "how much for both of them?"

Raksi looked at Elladan swinging on his fetters, then to the flaccid ranger. "I want one-hundred gold pieces for each of them." It was an expensive price, but one was a ranger and the other was one of the twin Sons of Elrond, which was probably merited more. The man tossed a heavy pouch to the goblins from his pack at his side. The deal was done.

Elrohir laid his head back against the tree and felt consciousness that he welcomed with an embrace of relief come over him, in fact, he halfway wished it was death..

He also knew that his human brother was sick. The corsairs would not keep the ranger for long if they thought they could catch it and would probably kill him and then the ranger could not fullfil his destiny to be king. Elrohir thought glumly to himself, 'so this is the fate of Middle Earth? It all ends with this?' Darkness crept over him and he gave in without struggling once.

The head buccaneer went over to Legolas and brought forth a strange phial. He put it to the prince's lips and said, "drink it, trust me, it will make things easier for you and me." Legolas stared at the bottle in disgust. A noisome odor drifted up and the blonde elf wrinkled his nose.

"It's a poison," Legolas snorted. "I refuse to drink it and you cannot ask me to." The man slapped the blonde immortal across the face. Blood rushed into the fair cheek that had been pale only seconds ago, and it burned with a hot fire.

"You are mine and when I tell you to drink something, you drink it without any lip, are we clear?" snapped the man.

Legolas met the harsh human with blue degenerate orbs. "Transparently," the elf prince stated after mature consideration. He feared this man, but not enough to be submissive, not yet. The man growled under his breath about teaching the elf brat respect later. Legolas pursed his lips together in a thin defiant line.

The man rolled his dark eyes and said, "look, I just paid one-hundred and fifty-five gold pieces for you, you brat. Now why would I kill you?"

Legolas spat at the Corsair from Umbar and said, "you tell me!"

The man was finished with this argument coming from a slave of his purchase. "The fact is I wouldn't! You are far too valuable to be slaughtering just yet elf, although, if you spit again I can arrange for your mouth to be relieved of such a impetuous tongue. All this potion will do is put you to sleep for a couple of hours." This elf was the only one awake, and that could be dangerous. He had to be knocked out, but without risk of damage. Legolas turned his head away. If the man wanted him to drink it, he would have to make some effort at forcing it down the immortal's throat. The human grasped the prince's chin and brought his head back around. Legolas wrenched his head away, but the man drove his knee into the elf's unprotected stomach. Legolas doubled over and the back grabbed his head in one swift motion, sweeping it back and tipping the contents of the flask into the prince's mouth. Legolas tried to spit it back up, but it was impossible to do, when another blow to his stomach made him suck air in quickly, forcing him to swallow or choke on the nauseating liquid.

Legolas felt a numbing sensation wash over him the instant the drug hit his stomach. How potent was the stuff? Obviously it was very strong, strong enough to knock an elf out stone cold within moments after consumption. His vision began to blur and he seemed to be seeing double. He felt his tongue go dead and the elf found supporting his head was becoming a great challenge. Sleep tugged at the back of his mind. Legolas could feel his breath becoming deep, but rapid as fear washed over him in a large breaker.

He watched as the corsairs went and cut down Elladan, who fell with a crash to the ground. Legolas felt his heart laboring as he recalled his last experience with evil men. He was going back to a life of slavery and he was utterly afraid. The men had drugged him into a complete stupor and he was giving into the tonic, unable to fight back. As the drug worked its odd effects, the prince could hear the men saying, "Draciar is going to meet us halfway with his men, if we are lucky, we will get through the South with no trouble. Now get that blonde one quickly!"

Even as he fluxed into earnest repose, the prince became painfully aware of all he wished he had left behind. Now, it was his nightmare that he could not wake from. /Aragorn...Aragorn...no...no.../

Past...

The man before Legolas removed the spear from above the prince's breast and nodded for him to go ahead. Legolas did not even give him a chance to change his mind, he stumbled towards his friend and reached him in only a few seconds.

The elf knelt by the ranger's side. The orcs near the human backed off deeper into the shadows. They were uncomfortable with the whole situation. Why the men were being 'nice' to this scrawny immortal and human they would never understand, it was beyond their darkest thought. All they could do is watch in wonder as the elf kneeled by Aragorn and gently rolled the man onto his back. Aragorn opened his eyes to gaze into the deep Sapphire ones of his friend.

He could feel the prince's hands shaking as he felt the ranger's brow and shifted the dark waves of hair from the moist forehead. The ranger feebly reached up and grasped the prince's hands. "Legolas, why didn't you escape when you had the chance mellon nin?" Aragorn felt the ranger's hands shaking as well. The human felt Legolas's spare hands shaking slightly beneath his grip and gripped them tighter. Legolas gave a weak excuse of a smile down at the man that he was attempting desperately to save. Aragorn gave a delicate grin back. Legolas flinched inwardly at his pale companion's face. The poison was getting worse, but why? Perhaps it was the water, the elf was unsure. Aragorn released his grip on the prince's hands and put them wearily on his chest to rest. Again, the ranger asked of the elf, "why Legolas?"

Legolas furrowed his brow as he thought of the venom that must be pulsing through the man's veins and then said, "because I did not want to escape and leave you to them, I know you would be just as stubborn Strider, do not say you would not," argued the immortal.

Aragorn chuckled sickly and said, "I don't deny that I would be Legolas, yet for your sake, I wish that you were not so mule-headed." Legolas did not crack a smile, his frowned just deepened.

"Strider, be serious! You are absolutely inane!" snapped the Silvan elf irritated. Aragorn, that stubborn, aggravating little human! Aragorn smiled and then shut his eyes tiredly. Legolas looked at him in alarm. "Strider?" asked the prince with a touch of intense worry in his voice.

Aragorn opened his gray orbs and looked at Legolas's contorted face. Rolling his eyes, the ranger said, "Am I not allowed to sleep while you work your skill over me?"

Legolas just mumbled, "I would prefer you wouldn't, I thought I had lost you." He had been saying this to himself and the ranger knew it would do no good to ask the elf what he meant by it, anyway, the ranger was pretty sure he knew already. He let it go.

Legolas id not know what to do about the wounds that the human had taken. He had no water and o herbs, no bandages or wadding. Then, he realized it was more the poison than the wound and he definitely had no idea how to counter that attack. He had some power as an elf, but he was not a high elf like Lord Elrond or Glorfindel, he could not channel power like they could, if channeling it could be called. Sighing, the elf was having a lot of trouble admitting he was helpless to nourish his friend. Rubbing his temples with despair, the immortal bowed his head wearily.

The Haradrim were getting restless. "Are you finished yet elf?" they called impatiently. Legolas did not know what to say.

"I don't know what to do. I don't have the right herbs!" shouted Legolas over his shoulder. He frantically took the ranger's pulse. /Don't fade Aragorn...please...I need you...please./ He could feel the beat of the human's heart slowing down to barely recognizable. Then it would speed up to a rapid pace, then ease into a normal rate. Legolas lifted the lids of the ranger's eyes.

Aragorn grabbed the prince's wrists and said, "Legolas, relax! I do not think this potion is all that fatal. I think it may be a drug that can be lethal but in this case there is too little of it and it will just make me violently ill."

Legolas raised a slender brow into a perfect arch. "Really? And that is better how?" Aragorn rolled his eyes and gave the elf a sharp glare that plainly said, 'do not get yourself into trouble on my account'. Legolas shook his head. "I am not going to leave you. Before you came I was lost to them and now that you're here I found myself, do you think I want to be lost again?"

Aragorn smiled and said, "Legolas you always knew yourself, it was just slumbering inside you waiting to wake, it is possible for one to get lost in their own world and forget things that one would think are impossible to. Anyway, I will be fine, just leave!" insisted the ranger adamantly. He did not want Legolas to get beaten or worse on his account.

Legolas rolled his eyes and said in exasperation, "If I ever hear the words 'fine', and 'leave' in the same sentence directed at me from you I will shoot you!" teased the elf amidst their pain.

Aragorn rolled his eyes and said just as rankled back, "and if ' I ever hear the words, 'stubborn', and 'insane' again aimed at me from you I will go mad!" retorted the ranger. Legolas just grinned sheepishly. It still disturbed the elf that the man was not really moving and that his face was as pale and clammy as it was.

The men that had come to take the prince away felt that they had lingered here too long. They had to leave. Going over to the prince, they put hands on his shoulders, "come one elf, time to go." Legolas looked in horror as they pulled him to his feet, away from the ranger. They were going to leave his best friend as orc food. The man smiled up reassuringly at the Silvan elf that was being dragged away. To Legolas the looked was that of one who has accepted his fate and was no longer dreading the prospect of death, no matter how dreadful. It made the prince shudder. He felt cold and numb inside, like the world was unreal. He bucked in the grip of the humans that were dragging him away by his arms. "Strider!" he screamed. "Strider! No!"

Legolas wrenched free of his captors and fell before them on his knees, "please don't let the orcs have him, please!" The prince was begging, and it wounded his elven pride deeply, but not as deep as the death of a friend would wound his heart. The men looked at the elf and then to the orcs, shuddering as the glance fell on the evil beings.

Even though they were cruel men, they were not going to let the human get ripped up by orcs. But then again, duty and orders called. "I'm sorry master elf."

Legolas nearly growled and said, "how can you do that to another? How can you men be so cruel to one another?" He was nearly panting in anger and fear now. Somewhere in their twisted and corrupted hearts, the men felt the sting of the question and the headman furrowed his brows in thought. He did not care much for the life of the human that the orcs held captive at all. But, the elf needed to be gotten to Mordor as soon as possible, they could afford to keep the man until they had handed the elf over to Sauron. If having the strange man around calmed the elf enough to get him to Mordor with out him doing some thing rash and forcing them to kill him, then they would have to burden themselves with yet another captive. Besides, they needed leverage. They were not certain the elf would hold to his promise once they neared the Black Gates.

"Take the man," the head Haradrim told his companion. "Hurry, we have to meet Rasa's group as we near Gondor so they can escort us through around those Southern Rangers."

"Rasa may not come," said the other man as an after thought. He went over to collect the sickly ranger.

"He had better! We need those oliphaunts to get through, otherwise we can get shot!" growled the man as an irritated response to the others concern. He then turned his attention onto Legolas and the iron fetters about his hands and feet. They were not about to carry the elf and they needed to make good time, here the man would come in handy for them. He went over tot he group of orcs, dragging the prince by the chains behind him. Legolas went along willingly, he knew he was in no position to fight back and they had Aragorn now. He was not stupid, he knew what they were planing. "Where is the dratted key to this contraption?" asked the man with anger in his voice.

The orcs flinched back a pace. "What do you want it for?" they snarled.

The man drew out his sword with the hand free of Legolas, and said grimly, "produce the key, or else you will suffer for it, have I made myself clear?" Apparently he had, the orcs pitched the key at his head. It hit the dirt at the prince's feet and the elf moved his feet back. They were going to remove his fetters. Wrenching Legolas closer, the man held a tight grip on one of the immortal's wrists, while with the other, he unlatched the manacles on the prince's hands. Legolas felt happy as the weight was taken from his hands that had been binding them and making him awkward. Them man looked up at Legolas and knew the elf was not going to try and run. The numerous orcs all around them were not the cause, however, an elf would fight to the death if it only endangered himself. It was the ill man that the elf was so attached to that hindered his flight.

TBC...Muahahaha! Please review people and tell us what you think, even if it is to butcher us for making Elladan blind and selling them as slaves to the Corsairs of Umbar. And yes, he is clinically blind! Muahahaha! The cat was in a particularly bad mood today.

Review responses

Thank you to all that reviewed earlier! It is greatly appreciated! ((((((()))))))) huggles

Evenstar You like it? Really? Thanks, although in our opinion the text is not that vivid, but hey, if you think so.

Someone Reading Glad you liked the dialogue, it took forever to come up with! Nail biting? Trust me, save the nails! You will need more of them later if you thought that was nerve wracking! LOL I know what you mean about nail biting though, like I will be reading one of Nili's or Cassia's and I am just chomping down and before I know it, there's no nail left to chomp. Tin doesn't bite her nails and they are long, she is just too serene, it's scary. Oh- and you are very welcome! We love sharing our stories. g its like our second life to school and church.

Gozilla We always update ASAP, so don't worry about that!

Shadowed Flames Yes! Evil orcses! They all must die, they must preciousssssss! very bad Gollum imitation LOL

Strider's Girl you had better quit falling there! He-he! Nice play on words! LOL Longer chapters are going to become a lot more frequent.