((A/N 1: And, after much anticipation, here is the chapter where the
eternal question is answered: Will Legolas chose to return? Enjoy!))
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Chapter Four
Aragorn's voice petered away to nothingness as his sobs overcame him. Hot tears poured from under his closed eyelids to fall on Legolas' motionless, cold chest, splashing and spattering all over the porcelain skin.
At first, he thought his grief was causing him to hallucinate, and he shook his bowed head, unwilling to let his hopes rise again. But as time ticked slowly onward, the white skin under his hands grew steadily warmer.
Aragorn lifted his head to stare in disbelief at his friend's body...just as the Elf took a deep, quivering breath and opened his eyes slowly, as if pine resin gummed his eyelids together. The blue eyes were tired when they met Aragorn's, but life shone in them brightly.
The cell grew steadily brighter and brighter as Legolas took several deep breaths and regained strength, color flooding back into his features.
"Legolas?" Aragorn's voice cracked as he struggled to believe what he had just seen.
"I could not go, Estel," Legolas' voice was tired, but it was there. A wry smile tugged the corners of his mouth as he continued, "You have the words and tune to that song all wrong."
Aragorn laughed shakily, mopping at his eyes with his shoulder. "Is that the fault of the teacher or the student?" he asked, joining in the teasing.
Legolas managed to look offended while smiling. "I have no idea, Human, but we will work on that when we get out."
When, not if, noted Aragorn, and he realized that Legolas had received a fresh dose of hope while his body lay dead. His own hopes lifted timidly in response to Legolas' hope; nay, in response to the solid conviction in his eyes.
Legolas noticed the Man shiver and smiled. Carefully, he pulled himself to a sitting position, breaking out of Aragorn's arms, and removed the coat Aragorn had draped over the Elf's own cloak. Moving to lean against the wall, Legolas handed the coat to Aragorn.
Aragorn gratefully took the coat, wrapping it about his bare torso. "Thanks," he murmured, reaching out to steady the Elf as he slid along the wall.
Legolas wrapped an arm around his abdomen with a grimace as his stomach reminded him that he needed food, and soon.
Aragorn heard Legolas' stomach growl all the way from where he sat and he chuckled. "Hungry now, Legolas?"
Legolas looked up from underneath his dark eyebrows with a darker look. "Very hungry, Human. I suppose you already took care of that rotten food they deigned to give us?"
Aragorn scowled into the stubble decorating his chin. "Unfortunately, yes." A memory suddenly struck the ranger and he fumbled in the pockets of his coat. "Wait a moment..." he mumbled, reaching into an inner pocket.
After a moment, Legolas asked, "Am I still waiting?"
"Har, har," Aragorn muttered, finding what he sought just as Legolas said that. "Here," he said, offering the Prince an oiled packet.
"What is it?" asked Legolas, taking the packet gingerly and turning it over in his long fingers, looking for the opening.
"Ranger waybread," Aragorn explained off-handedly, trying not to stare hungrily at it as Legolas found the opening and unwrapped it. The bread was stale and broken, but to the hungry Elf and Ranger, it appeared to be a feast. "It's not dissimilar from lembas, only made by Humans. I'd forgotten about it until just this moment."
Legolas took several of the pieces and shoved them in his mouth with the disgrace of the starving. Aragorn chuckled, forcing his eyes away from the waybread.
Legolas forced his jaws closed, wincing as the stale edges cut his gums a bit, but he continued chewing until the waybread was mush in his mouth. As he swallowed, he noticed Aragorn's slightly longing gaze in the direction of the packet in Legolas' hand.
The Elf followed the Man's glance and realized that, while the ranger *had* eaten everything the friends had been given, it wouldn't be the type of food that would fill, and Aragorn hadn't eaten in hours.
Carefully balancing the broken pieces, Legolas divided the waybread into two equal parts and handed a half to Aragorn. "Eat up, young one," he said with a grin.
Aragorn took the food quickly, not even considering refusal, and shoved a good portion of it into his mouth, chewing quickly.
A silence fell over the friends, only broken by chewing and swallowing sounds. Aragorn finished his food and leaned back against the wall with a contented sigh.
Legolas chuckled, the sound echoing. "Are you tired, Estel?" The Elf asked quietly, extending an arm toward the Human.
Aragorn looked at the Elf, his eyelids shuttling up and down. "Very," he admitted, wrapping the coat tighter about himself. Moving slightly, he rested his head against Legolas' shoulder and felt the Elf tuck an arm around him.
Aragorn was not quite asleep when he felt Legolas stiffen beside him. "What is it?" Aragorn almost asked...when he heard it too: soft, stealthy footsteps creeping ever closer to the friends.
Legolas and Aragorn exchanged confused glances. Before, the Corsairs had always come with loud stomps and coarse shouts. It was almost as if the one in the corridor, for Legolas' ears confirmed that it was only one, did not want to be heard by any.
A key slid into the lock, then turned and the door slowly swung open to reveal...the small Man who had brought Aragorn to Legolas. He slipped inside and closed the door behind him. Legolas noted briefly that two wrapped bundles rested on the Man's back, and he wondered idly what was in them.
Aragorn shot to his feet, bracing one hand on Legolas' shoulder. "What do you want?" he snapped, fire raging in his eyes.
"Please, Captain," the man said, looking pleadingly from Legolas, still seated on the floor, to Aragorn glaring at him. "Just listen to me." The accent that had so troubled Aragorn's comprehension hours before had vanished, leaving the faint, but distinct accent of a Man of Gondor.
Aragorn frowned, puzzled, but he said quietly, "Speak."
"I am Talagan," the man said, bowing awkwardly towards the friends. "I am, as you may have guessed from my accent, a Man of Gondor. I was captured by the Corsairs nigh on ten years ago, and have managed to work my way upwards in their confidences. They have not killed me because they truly believe I am trustworthy."
"And are you?" Legolas asked cuttingly, meeting the Man's eyes.
Talagan hesitated for the merest fraction of a second before he said, "I have seen many Men broken by the Corsairs; I have become almost callous to it. But when they bring one of the Firstborn," he inclined his head toward Legolas, who acknowledged that with a nod, "and a former Captain of Gondor here, I cannot sit by idly. I knew some Elves when I was a young man, and they impressed me. I want to help you. Will you trust me?"
Legolas let out a tiny sigh as he looked up at Aragorn. The younger Human dropped into a crouch beside his friend and asked in quiet Elvish, "What do you think?"
Legolas was silent for a moment, his blue eyes thoughtful. At last he answered in the same language, "It is a risk, to be sure, but I would sooner trust this man than the mercies of Talnich." He spoke the name as the curse it was.
Aragorn nodded in quiet agreement. "In this case, better the friend we do not know than the enemy we do?" he asked, his tone lightly teasing.
"Tîr," Legolas replied with a smile. /Right/.
"Very well," Aragorn said in Common. Turning to Talagan, the ranger said calmly, "We will trust you. But if we even so much as smell betrayal, we will not be the ones paying the price, understood?"
"Perfectly," Talagan replied, digging in a belt purse. Pulling out a key, he tossed it to Aragorn. "That key opens the fetters. No offense, but I'm sure Legolas would rather it be you touching him than me."
Legolas smiled grimly as Aragorn turned and began fiddling with his Elven friend's chains. "You know he is correct," Aragorn whispered evilly in Elvish.
"Of course he is," Legolas replied, unruffled. "I trust you. I am not sure about this one yet."
Aragorn didn't bother answering, deciding his energy was better directed towards getting the ugly chains off his friend's slender wrists quickly. Within moments, the chains fell free of Legolas' hands, and the Elf groaned softly as he rubbed feeling back into his chaffed wrists. Aragorn began working on the ankle fetters.
Moments later, Legolas was in possession of the key and working on Aragorn's chains.
Talagan was not idle during this time. He removed the bundles from his back carefully, acting as if whatever was inside was more precious than gold. Unwrapping one, he revealed a long black object, a smaller one bristling with feathers and a bundle of fabric.
Legolas dropped the discarded chains with a look of nausea on his fair face and looked at Talagan. His eyes were drawn to the long black object and his eyes went wide. "My bow!" he cried, diving for it.
Talagan got out of the Elf's way quickly, letting him grab the prized object and hold it. If the small Man hadn't known better, he would have sworn he saw tears in the regal Elf's eyes, but he dismissed that thought as ridiculous quickly as he unwrapped the other bundle, revealing Aragorn's sword.
"Your sword, Captain," he said quietly, extending the weapon toward the other man.
Aragorn took it, relief and joy on his face as he buckled the belt about his waist. "I have felt naked without it," he confessed quietly, running his fingers over the hilt.
"Speaking of which..." Talagan picked up the bundle of fabric. "Legolas, I was only able to locate your leggings. Your other clothing was destroyed, and I felt weapons were more important to carry to you."
"You judged aright," Legolas replied, strapping the quiver's straps to his bare chest and accepting the leggings. "I fear that without weapons we will not get far. We can live without clothing." A couple deft motions, and the Elf was clothed in his leggings.
Talagan waited until both friends were ready. "Let's go," he whispered, turning to lead the way out of the cell.
"Wait." The word was not a suggestion; rather, it was an order spoken regally by Legolas. Talagan turned to look at the Elf, a question in his eyes. "Talagan, you should not lead us. They will kill you if they ever find out."
"That would be true...if I stayed with them. But I will not stay with them, not knowing what atrocities they are capable of." His brown eyes glanced at Legolas guiltily, and the Elf understood. "Nay, I shall make my way back to Gondor and hopefully find a place under Lord Ecthelion."
"So be it," Legolas replied. "Lead the way."
Silent as wraiths, the trio set out, Talagan at the head, Aragorn behind him and Legolas bringing up the rear, his bow ready.
Talagan knew all the secret paths through the stronghold, all the ways that took them away from the main passageways of people. It was a very good thing in one respect, but bad in another. Good, because the weary friends did not wish to have to fight right now, but bad because the paths took them deeper into the earth, and they wound more than the normal paths. Plus, they couldn't risk Legolas' light or the light of a torch, so they traveled in near dark, which did nothing for Legolas' nerves.
After some time, Aragorn moved back and pushed Legolas gently ahead of him. "What are you doing, mellon?" Legolas asked quietly, resisting the push.
"I am ensuring that you are not left behind or panic alone." Aragorn replied softly, resting a hand on the slender shoulder.
Sighing, Legolas submitted and moved ahead of Aragorn. "Where will this path lead us, Talagan?" the Elf asked quietly, trying to distract himself.
"I'm not entirely sure, Legolas. All I know is that this is a way out. No one ever told me where exactly it leads." Talagan's disembodied voice floated from before Legolas.
"Wonderful," Legolas murmured to himself.
Time tracked onwards, leading the trio further and further along. Legolas had just begun to wonder if he would go insane down there when he heard it: voices and footsteps...coming straight for them.
"Strider!" he hissed. "Men approach!"
Aragorn tensed, drawing his sword. "I will not be taken again," he whispered harshly, readying himself. "Legolas, some light would be helpful."
Legolas nodded and gripped his daggers, waiting for the attackers to come closer. When the men were less than a bowshot away, Legolas let his natural light flood from his body. The men shouted in surprise and drew their swords quickly, not sure what was before them.
Recovering their senses quickly, the Corsair men attacked the trio. Legolas and Aragorn moved into their normal fighting stance, back to back to the other, with one small difference: they kept Talagan between them, as the small Man did not have a weapon, and the friends still needed to find their way out.
The battle was ruthlessly short, leaving piles of dead Corsairs and the friends with small wounds, easily ignored.
Talagan recovered his wits quickly and hissed, "Let's go! Others will have heard that and will follow us!"
Legolas' ears confirmed what the Man said and he dashed forward, Aragorn right beside him. Stealth was set aside for speed, and Talagan marveled how fast the friends could run when pressed.
Skidding around a corner, Talagan stopped at a box on the wall. He opened it quickly and yanked on the lever inside. His strength was insufficient to trip the lever, so he turned to Legolas. "Master Elf, could you help me?"
Legolas looked at the lever for a second, then wrapped his right hand around it and yanked with all his strength, tearing the lever off after tripping it. An ominous rumbling sound came from above him, and the Elf looked up, the lever still in his hand.
"RUN!" Talagan shouted. "The roof is caving in!"
Too late.
((A/N: *evil grin* This'll make a great science fair experiment: how many evil cliffies can reviewers take before keeling over from a heart attack? Cookies as consolation to all my wonderful reviewers *hands them out*. And, that said, here's my reviewer responses.
Twilight_Haven: *deep bow* I thank you kindly for your kind words. Don't worry about the creativity...this plot bunny wouldn't let me go until I'd finished this.
Elfmage: But cliffies are such fun! *makes a note to print and frame Elfmage's review...first ever cliffie complaint!*
Yes, you are one of my best ever reviewers, and I'm not ashamed to say so. Reading your reviews is always a high point of every chapter. If you really think this deserves to be spread abroad, you go right ahead and advertise for it. I'd be honored to see more people read it.
Seriously, I was crying at the point where Aragorn was wondering why Legolas would give up his life for him. He sounded so lost when he thought that in my mind...*grabs a Kleenex*. The language barrier is one of my favorite pet peeves about much of fanfic. Either the author makes it so everyone can speak every language fluently (disregarding the fact that the Black Speech makes Elves ill to even hear spoken), or they have a spell the hero can cast to make every language understandable.
Hurrah! The effect of being without words was precisely what I was striving for! It's *nice* to know I've succeeded.
This response is starting to look like another chapter in its own right, so I'll move on now...btw, the long wait was to prove that I can and do let people hang on an evil cliffie.
mIzXxXmALfoY: I know exactly what you mean. No one, and I mean no one, especially not an Elf, can bounce right back from being raped. No way, no how. I did a bit of research for this particular story, talking to people who were raped when they were younger. Most didn't want to even remember it, but the few who did talk to me told me that they didn't let anyone near them for weeks, even months afterward, and that was only when they had told others. A couple people didn't tell anyone else for years. How can you? For myself, if that ever happened, I think I'd probably crawl into a deep hole and sleep for years. A good book, btw, about this sort of thing, is Speak. I forget the authoress at the moment, but it's incredible.
silvertoekee: Yes, this was the saddest chapter...and the hardest...to write. *little smile* And wouldn't you just love to know what happens to poor Legolas now? I don't think I've seen you review before. Welcome to the review panel!
Well, that wraps it up for this chapter. Reviews make me post faster...unless it's a massive cliffie and I *want* you to be anticipating for a long time. *evil grin...and runs as reviewers chuck things at her*))
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Chapter Four
Aragorn's voice petered away to nothingness as his sobs overcame him. Hot tears poured from under his closed eyelids to fall on Legolas' motionless, cold chest, splashing and spattering all over the porcelain skin.
At first, he thought his grief was causing him to hallucinate, and he shook his bowed head, unwilling to let his hopes rise again. But as time ticked slowly onward, the white skin under his hands grew steadily warmer.
Aragorn lifted his head to stare in disbelief at his friend's body...just as the Elf took a deep, quivering breath and opened his eyes slowly, as if pine resin gummed his eyelids together. The blue eyes were tired when they met Aragorn's, but life shone in them brightly.
The cell grew steadily brighter and brighter as Legolas took several deep breaths and regained strength, color flooding back into his features.
"Legolas?" Aragorn's voice cracked as he struggled to believe what he had just seen.
"I could not go, Estel," Legolas' voice was tired, but it was there. A wry smile tugged the corners of his mouth as he continued, "You have the words and tune to that song all wrong."
Aragorn laughed shakily, mopping at his eyes with his shoulder. "Is that the fault of the teacher or the student?" he asked, joining in the teasing.
Legolas managed to look offended while smiling. "I have no idea, Human, but we will work on that when we get out."
When, not if, noted Aragorn, and he realized that Legolas had received a fresh dose of hope while his body lay dead. His own hopes lifted timidly in response to Legolas' hope; nay, in response to the solid conviction in his eyes.
Legolas noticed the Man shiver and smiled. Carefully, he pulled himself to a sitting position, breaking out of Aragorn's arms, and removed the coat Aragorn had draped over the Elf's own cloak. Moving to lean against the wall, Legolas handed the coat to Aragorn.
Aragorn gratefully took the coat, wrapping it about his bare torso. "Thanks," he murmured, reaching out to steady the Elf as he slid along the wall.
Legolas wrapped an arm around his abdomen with a grimace as his stomach reminded him that he needed food, and soon.
Aragorn heard Legolas' stomach growl all the way from where he sat and he chuckled. "Hungry now, Legolas?"
Legolas looked up from underneath his dark eyebrows with a darker look. "Very hungry, Human. I suppose you already took care of that rotten food they deigned to give us?"
Aragorn scowled into the stubble decorating his chin. "Unfortunately, yes." A memory suddenly struck the ranger and he fumbled in the pockets of his coat. "Wait a moment..." he mumbled, reaching into an inner pocket.
After a moment, Legolas asked, "Am I still waiting?"
"Har, har," Aragorn muttered, finding what he sought just as Legolas said that. "Here," he said, offering the Prince an oiled packet.
"What is it?" asked Legolas, taking the packet gingerly and turning it over in his long fingers, looking for the opening.
"Ranger waybread," Aragorn explained off-handedly, trying not to stare hungrily at it as Legolas found the opening and unwrapped it. The bread was stale and broken, but to the hungry Elf and Ranger, it appeared to be a feast. "It's not dissimilar from lembas, only made by Humans. I'd forgotten about it until just this moment."
Legolas took several of the pieces and shoved them in his mouth with the disgrace of the starving. Aragorn chuckled, forcing his eyes away from the waybread.
Legolas forced his jaws closed, wincing as the stale edges cut his gums a bit, but he continued chewing until the waybread was mush in his mouth. As he swallowed, he noticed Aragorn's slightly longing gaze in the direction of the packet in Legolas' hand.
The Elf followed the Man's glance and realized that, while the ranger *had* eaten everything the friends had been given, it wouldn't be the type of food that would fill, and Aragorn hadn't eaten in hours.
Carefully balancing the broken pieces, Legolas divided the waybread into two equal parts and handed a half to Aragorn. "Eat up, young one," he said with a grin.
Aragorn took the food quickly, not even considering refusal, and shoved a good portion of it into his mouth, chewing quickly.
A silence fell over the friends, only broken by chewing and swallowing sounds. Aragorn finished his food and leaned back against the wall with a contented sigh.
Legolas chuckled, the sound echoing. "Are you tired, Estel?" The Elf asked quietly, extending an arm toward the Human.
Aragorn looked at the Elf, his eyelids shuttling up and down. "Very," he admitted, wrapping the coat tighter about himself. Moving slightly, he rested his head against Legolas' shoulder and felt the Elf tuck an arm around him.
Aragorn was not quite asleep when he felt Legolas stiffen beside him. "What is it?" Aragorn almost asked...when he heard it too: soft, stealthy footsteps creeping ever closer to the friends.
Legolas and Aragorn exchanged confused glances. Before, the Corsairs had always come with loud stomps and coarse shouts. It was almost as if the one in the corridor, for Legolas' ears confirmed that it was only one, did not want to be heard by any.
A key slid into the lock, then turned and the door slowly swung open to reveal...the small Man who had brought Aragorn to Legolas. He slipped inside and closed the door behind him. Legolas noted briefly that two wrapped bundles rested on the Man's back, and he wondered idly what was in them.
Aragorn shot to his feet, bracing one hand on Legolas' shoulder. "What do you want?" he snapped, fire raging in his eyes.
"Please, Captain," the man said, looking pleadingly from Legolas, still seated on the floor, to Aragorn glaring at him. "Just listen to me." The accent that had so troubled Aragorn's comprehension hours before had vanished, leaving the faint, but distinct accent of a Man of Gondor.
Aragorn frowned, puzzled, but he said quietly, "Speak."
"I am Talagan," the man said, bowing awkwardly towards the friends. "I am, as you may have guessed from my accent, a Man of Gondor. I was captured by the Corsairs nigh on ten years ago, and have managed to work my way upwards in their confidences. They have not killed me because they truly believe I am trustworthy."
"And are you?" Legolas asked cuttingly, meeting the Man's eyes.
Talagan hesitated for the merest fraction of a second before he said, "I have seen many Men broken by the Corsairs; I have become almost callous to it. But when they bring one of the Firstborn," he inclined his head toward Legolas, who acknowledged that with a nod, "and a former Captain of Gondor here, I cannot sit by idly. I knew some Elves when I was a young man, and they impressed me. I want to help you. Will you trust me?"
Legolas let out a tiny sigh as he looked up at Aragorn. The younger Human dropped into a crouch beside his friend and asked in quiet Elvish, "What do you think?"
Legolas was silent for a moment, his blue eyes thoughtful. At last he answered in the same language, "It is a risk, to be sure, but I would sooner trust this man than the mercies of Talnich." He spoke the name as the curse it was.
Aragorn nodded in quiet agreement. "In this case, better the friend we do not know than the enemy we do?" he asked, his tone lightly teasing.
"Tîr," Legolas replied with a smile. /Right/.
"Very well," Aragorn said in Common. Turning to Talagan, the ranger said calmly, "We will trust you. But if we even so much as smell betrayal, we will not be the ones paying the price, understood?"
"Perfectly," Talagan replied, digging in a belt purse. Pulling out a key, he tossed it to Aragorn. "That key opens the fetters. No offense, but I'm sure Legolas would rather it be you touching him than me."
Legolas smiled grimly as Aragorn turned and began fiddling with his Elven friend's chains. "You know he is correct," Aragorn whispered evilly in Elvish.
"Of course he is," Legolas replied, unruffled. "I trust you. I am not sure about this one yet."
Aragorn didn't bother answering, deciding his energy was better directed towards getting the ugly chains off his friend's slender wrists quickly. Within moments, the chains fell free of Legolas' hands, and the Elf groaned softly as he rubbed feeling back into his chaffed wrists. Aragorn began working on the ankle fetters.
Moments later, Legolas was in possession of the key and working on Aragorn's chains.
Talagan was not idle during this time. He removed the bundles from his back carefully, acting as if whatever was inside was more precious than gold. Unwrapping one, he revealed a long black object, a smaller one bristling with feathers and a bundle of fabric.
Legolas dropped the discarded chains with a look of nausea on his fair face and looked at Talagan. His eyes were drawn to the long black object and his eyes went wide. "My bow!" he cried, diving for it.
Talagan got out of the Elf's way quickly, letting him grab the prized object and hold it. If the small Man hadn't known better, he would have sworn he saw tears in the regal Elf's eyes, but he dismissed that thought as ridiculous quickly as he unwrapped the other bundle, revealing Aragorn's sword.
"Your sword, Captain," he said quietly, extending the weapon toward the other man.
Aragorn took it, relief and joy on his face as he buckled the belt about his waist. "I have felt naked without it," he confessed quietly, running his fingers over the hilt.
"Speaking of which..." Talagan picked up the bundle of fabric. "Legolas, I was only able to locate your leggings. Your other clothing was destroyed, and I felt weapons were more important to carry to you."
"You judged aright," Legolas replied, strapping the quiver's straps to his bare chest and accepting the leggings. "I fear that without weapons we will not get far. We can live without clothing." A couple deft motions, and the Elf was clothed in his leggings.
Talagan waited until both friends were ready. "Let's go," he whispered, turning to lead the way out of the cell.
"Wait." The word was not a suggestion; rather, it was an order spoken regally by Legolas. Talagan turned to look at the Elf, a question in his eyes. "Talagan, you should not lead us. They will kill you if they ever find out."
"That would be true...if I stayed with them. But I will not stay with them, not knowing what atrocities they are capable of." His brown eyes glanced at Legolas guiltily, and the Elf understood. "Nay, I shall make my way back to Gondor and hopefully find a place under Lord Ecthelion."
"So be it," Legolas replied. "Lead the way."
Silent as wraiths, the trio set out, Talagan at the head, Aragorn behind him and Legolas bringing up the rear, his bow ready.
Talagan knew all the secret paths through the stronghold, all the ways that took them away from the main passageways of people. It was a very good thing in one respect, but bad in another. Good, because the weary friends did not wish to have to fight right now, but bad because the paths took them deeper into the earth, and they wound more than the normal paths. Plus, they couldn't risk Legolas' light or the light of a torch, so they traveled in near dark, which did nothing for Legolas' nerves.
After some time, Aragorn moved back and pushed Legolas gently ahead of him. "What are you doing, mellon?" Legolas asked quietly, resisting the push.
"I am ensuring that you are not left behind or panic alone." Aragorn replied softly, resting a hand on the slender shoulder.
Sighing, Legolas submitted and moved ahead of Aragorn. "Where will this path lead us, Talagan?" the Elf asked quietly, trying to distract himself.
"I'm not entirely sure, Legolas. All I know is that this is a way out. No one ever told me where exactly it leads." Talagan's disembodied voice floated from before Legolas.
"Wonderful," Legolas murmured to himself.
Time tracked onwards, leading the trio further and further along. Legolas had just begun to wonder if he would go insane down there when he heard it: voices and footsteps...coming straight for them.
"Strider!" he hissed. "Men approach!"
Aragorn tensed, drawing his sword. "I will not be taken again," he whispered harshly, readying himself. "Legolas, some light would be helpful."
Legolas nodded and gripped his daggers, waiting for the attackers to come closer. When the men were less than a bowshot away, Legolas let his natural light flood from his body. The men shouted in surprise and drew their swords quickly, not sure what was before them.
Recovering their senses quickly, the Corsair men attacked the trio. Legolas and Aragorn moved into their normal fighting stance, back to back to the other, with one small difference: they kept Talagan between them, as the small Man did not have a weapon, and the friends still needed to find their way out.
The battle was ruthlessly short, leaving piles of dead Corsairs and the friends with small wounds, easily ignored.
Talagan recovered his wits quickly and hissed, "Let's go! Others will have heard that and will follow us!"
Legolas' ears confirmed what the Man said and he dashed forward, Aragorn right beside him. Stealth was set aside for speed, and Talagan marveled how fast the friends could run when pressed.
Skidding around a corner, Talagan stopped at a box on the wall. He opened it quickly and yanked on the lever inside. His strength was insufficient to trip the lever, so he turned to Legolas. "Master Elf, could you help me?"
Legolas looked at the lever for a second, then wrapped his right hand around it and yanked with all his strength, tearing the lever off after tripping it. An ominous rumbling sound came from above him, and the Elf looked up, the lever still in his hand.
"RUN!" Talagan shouted. "The roof is caving in!"
Too late.
((A/N: *evil grin* This'll make a great science fair experiment: how many evil cliffies can reviewers take before keeling over from a heart attack? Cookies as consolation to all my wonderful reviewers *hands them out*. And, that said, here's my reviewer responses.
Twilight_Haven: *deep bow* I thank you kindly for your kind words. Don't worry about the creativity...this plot bunny wouldn't let me go until I'd finished this.
Elfmage: But cliffies are such fun! *makes a note to print and frame Elfmage's review...first ever cliffie complaint!*
Yes, you are one of my best ever reviewers, and I'm not ashamed to say so. Reading your reviews is always a high point of every chapter. If you really think this deserves to be spread abroad, you go right ahead and advertise for it. I'd be honored to see more people read it.
Seriously, I was crying at the point where Aragorn was wondering why Legolas would give up his life for him. He sounded so lost when he thought that in my mind...*grabs a Kleenex*. The language barrier is one of my favorite pet peeves about much of fanfic. Either the author makes it so everyone can speak every language fluently (disregarding the fact that the Black Speech makes Elves ill to even hear spoken), or they have a spell the hero can cast to make every language understandable.
Hurrah! The effect of being without words was precisely what I was striving for! It's *nice* to know I've succeeded.
This response is starting to look like another chapter in its own right, so I'll move on now...btw, the long wait was to prove that I can and do let people hang on an evil cliffie.
mIzXxXmALfoY: I know exactly what you mean. No one, and I mean no one, especially not an Elf, can bounce right back from being raped. No way, no how. I did a bit of research for this particular story, talking to people who were raped when they were younger. Most didn't want to even remember it, but the few who did talk to me told me that they didn't let anyone near them for weeks, even months afterward, and that was only when they had told others. A couple people didn't tell anyone else for years. How can you? For myself, if that ever happened, I think I'd probably crawl into a deep hole and sleep for years. A good book, btw, about this sort of thing, is Speak. I forget the authoress at the moment, but it's incredible.
silvertoekee: Yes, this was the saddest chapter...and the hardest...to write. *little smile* And wouldn't you just love to know what happens to poor Legolas now? I don't think I've seen you review before. Welcome to the review panel!
Well, that wraps it up for this chapter. Reviews make me post faster...unless it's a massive cliffie and I *want* you to be anticipating for a long time. *evil grin...and runs as reviewers chuck things at her*))