A/N: And here's my second fic! It pretty much follows on from the first,
but it will be readable as a stand-alone I hope (it's not all written yet
so I can't say for sure!)
With Wraiths, orcs and vengeful dwarves.......read on!
This fic is set almost a year to the day after Identical Differences ended.
Replies to reviews from last chappie of ID:
Deana: yeah, thought it'd make a good twist! Sorry the sequels taken so long...
Magicians of the yami: thank you!!!
Mellaithwen-ElvenMaiden: I have no idea what to say!! I'm chuffed that I managed to write a baddie that someone really didn't like!!! *blushes at 'utter brilliance'* ME?! lmao! I wish!! but tytyty!!! Hope you like this one!
lulu bell: LMAO!!! I'm sorry it's taken so long to get posted!!! Promise I'll try and not keep you waiting so long! *goes cross-eyed at so many sequels* Being multi-national is cool. :D
kurafoxgirl: yes he is!! at least for now... wuv u too!! *huggles all reviewers*
Hellmarie: Thankyou! I love writing, but I can just never find the time!!! I'm gonna try and force myself to keep writing this one!
cherryfaerie: yes, that was the end of that story - but there's a sequel! *points at following text* and I am SO SORRY for not emailing - I'm not even gonna offer an excuse... *bows down in front of you* sorry?
amy: aww, thankyou!! I've read a few bad twin fics myself, but I think it's safe to say that I'm sliiiiiiightly twin obsessed! (as you will see in future fics...) I'm glad you liked! Well here's more now! Sorry for the delay!
Elf-Girl: yesyes, it sorta did...and sorry bout the pen name! See, even replying individually! :D
Kogura: yes, you do smell a sequel! It's here now, and please accept my humblest apologies its taken so long! Eep! An author alert list!! ME?! *dies*
Gloriollas: There is a sequel, and its up now! (albeit slightly later than planned...sorry!)
leggylover: Yeah, it's over, but there's MORE!!! muahahahahaha!!!!
*points at following text* enjoy all, and apologies again for the delay!!! I'm gonna try and keep this going though!!! Review button is at the bottom! :D
*****
Spoilers: only for my first fic, Identical Differences, I think - there might be some Silmarillion but I really doubt it at the moment...we'll see as I write!
Disclaimer: I don't own Tolkien, his work, his characters...and so on...the original characters that are not Tolkien's creations however, are mine.
The pair had been travelling for almost two weeks now. They had hoped to leave Rivendell earlier in the year, when the weather was still good, but a series of unfortunate events involving them and the twins had meant that they had to stay to allow Aragorn time to recover from their latest excursion. They had crossed the mountains with relatively few problems, and were now on the lower ground of the foothills.
They had agreed to stop for the night under the shelter of a rocky overhang. Even though they were not at any great height now, it had been threatening snow, and the air was cold. Aragorn had gone to find water, while Legolas had stayed behind to get a fire started.
They had known they were being followed for almost a week. As far as they could tell, it was a small group of men, maybe ten at the most, but because their pursuers had been careful and very rarely had been glimpsed for more than a fleeting moment, neither could be sure. The men had been following the pair closer and closer over the past day or so, but had not done anything more than watch yet. Still, it didn't seem like a great idea to be separated for long at the moment.
Legolas heard footsteps approaching. Thinking Aragorn had returned, he did not look up, but carried on with what he was doing. It was only when the approaching steps had almost reached him that he realised it couldn't be Aragorn and looked up.
A man of medium build, not particularly tall, stood just past the edge of the overhang. The man smiled, and even as he did, Legolas got the distinct impression that the man was not alone. He noted that all his weapons were on the opposite side of the fire at the outer edge of the overhang. Some sign of his unease must have shown on his face, for the man held his hands up and told him,
"Peace friend. I simply wish to share the heat from your fire, as I could not get my own started, and the night is cold."
"And will your companions be joining us too?"
There was a brief moment of surprise on the man's face, shrouded almost immediately as he called out,"Right boys, come on out. He know's you're there."
Immediately, eight fully armed men stepped out from various hiding places. And immediately, Legolas found himself cornered with eight arrows aimed at him at short distance.
...........
Meanwhile, at the same time as Legolas had first looked at the intruder, Aragorn had found a stream, collected the water and was ready to head back. Just as he was about to turn back, a noise from the rocks above caused him to stop. Hearing nothing further, he turned again to leave.
He crossed another stream and cut along the bottom of a ragged cliff face. The same noise again, this time just above and ahead of him. There was nowhere that anyone could be hiding, and the noise itself wasn't particularly threatening, so he decided to leave it be and carry on.
A moment later, a large rock broke away and caught him solidly between the shoulder and neck. It was immediately followed by more rocks breaking away and landing with crushingly lethal accuracy on the spot where Aragorn stood. The last thing he felt before being completely buried was the pain in his lower arm as it snapped.
......
"If you value that immortal life of yours, I suggest you keep quiet and do what we ask.", the first man, who was obviously their leader, told him. Nobody had moved, and the men who were with him had not lowered their weapons.
"What do you want?"
The man smiled, then replied slowly, "You, my dear elf. Or rather, the money you are worth. You are going to make me a very rich man."
--------------------------------------- Aemir watched with regret and not a little guilt as the men led the bound elf away. It had after all been Aemir's information which had allowed them to capture him. He had immediately fought back when they approached him, regardless of the threats on his life. He had however, been cornered, weaponless, and outnumbered. The odds had been against him.
Reluctantly Aemir followed behind the small group that had now left the small overhang behind, after collecting anything that looked like it belonged to the elf. He noticed as they left the rocky crag behind, that the elf stopped fighting for a moment. He had heard something they had not. None of the other men seemed to notice the momentary change though, and the moment they pulled him on again, he immediately started fighting back again, although Aemir thought he seemed more determined than before. The little man wondered what it had been that the elf had heard. Had he known it was Aragorn's cries for help, he might have done something about it...
.......
The rockfall had ended as suddenly as it began. Unknown to Aragorn, there had been a small group of orcs nearby, who had been considering following him. As soon as the dust had settled though, they moved in. Even if he had survived they reasoned, he would be in no mood to fight them. And that meant easy food.
Slowly they started to pull the rocks away. Eventually the pile reduced enough for the orcs to reach the man. When they grabbed his arm and pulled him roughly out, there was no response. Without a second thought, they carried their new prey away in the direction of their camp.
They had not gotten far from the cliff face, just into the trees in fact, when they found a pair of elves looking back at them, fully armed. Immediately, the orc carrying the ranger dropped him roughly on the ground. There was no response still, even though he landed on his broken arm. He never saw the battle between the orcs and the elves.
.........
As the last orc fell, one of the elves stepped over to Aragorn, thinking him dead. She found a very faint pulse, and turned to her companion.
"He's alive, but he won't make it to Rivendell."
"Then we go back." he replied.
The pair were heading back to Rivendell after visiting Mirkwood. They were over a week from their destination, but only a day from Mirkwood. With luck, he might live if they were to turn back. And so they did, and went with all speed towards back the way they had come.
Replies to reviews from last chappie of ID:
Deana: yeah, thought it'd make a good twist! Sorry the sequels taken so long...
Magicians of the yami: thank you!!!
Mellaithwen-ElvenMaiden: I have no idea what to say!! I'm chuffed that I managed to write a baddie that someone really didn't like!!! *blushes at 'utter brilliance'* ME?! lmao! I wish!! but tytyty!!! Hope you like this one!
lulu bell: LMAO!!! I'm sorry it's taken so long to get posted!!! Promise I'll try and not keep you waiting so long! *goes cross-eyed at so many sequels* Being multi-national is cool. :D
kurafoxgirl: yes he is!! at least for now... wuv u too!! *huggles all reviewers*
Hellmarie: Thankyou! I love writing, but I can just never find the time!!! I'm gonna try and force myself to keep writing this one!
cherryfaerie: yes, that was the end of that story - but there's a sequel! *points at following text* and I am SO SORRY for not emailing - I'm not even gonna offer an excuse... *bows down in front of you* sorry?
amy: aww, thankyou!! I've read a few bad twin fics myself, but I think it's safe to say that I'm sliiiiiiightly twin obsessed! (as you will see in future fics...) I'm glad you liked! Well here's more now! Sorry for the delay!
Elf-Girl: yesyes, it sorta did...and sorry bout the pen name! See, even replying individually! :D
Kogura: yes, you do smell a sequel! It's here now, and please accept my humblest apologies its taken so long! Eep! An author alert list!! ME?! *dies*
Gloriollas: There is a sequel, and its up now! (albeit slightly later than planned...sorry!)
leggylover: Yeah, it's over, but there's MORE!!! muahahahahaha!!!!
*points at following text* enjoy all, and apologies again for the delay!!! I'm gonna try and keep this going though!!! Review button is at the bottom! :D
*****
Spoilers: only for my first fic, Identical Differences, I think - there might be some Silmarillion but I really doubt it at the moment...we'll see as I write!
Disclaimer: I don't own Tolkien, his work, his characters...and so on...the original characters that are not Tolkien's creations however, are mine.
The pair had been travelling for almost two weeks now. They had hoped to leave Rivendell earlier in the year, when the weather was still good, but a series of unfortunate events involving them and the twins had meant that they had to stay to allow Aragorn time to recover from their latest excursion. They had crossed the mountains with relatively few problems, and were now on the lower ground of the foothills.
They had agreed to stop for the night under the shelter of a rocky overhang. Even though they were not at any great height now, it had been threatening snow, and the air was cold. Aragorn had gone to find water, while Legolas had stayed behind to get a fire started.
They had known they were being followed for almost a week. As far as they could tell, it was a small group of men, maybe ten at the most, but because their pursuers had been careful and very rarely had been glimpsed for more than a fleeting moment, neither could be sure. The men had been following the pair closer and closer over the past day or so, but had not done anything more than watch yet. Still, it didn't seem like a great idea to be separated for long at the moment.
Legolas heard footsteps approaching. Thinking Aragorn had returned, he did not look up, but carried on with what he was doing. It was only when the approaching steps had almost reached him that he realised it couldn't be Aragorn and looked up.
A man of medium build, not particularly tall, stood just past the edge of the overhang. The man smiled, and even as he did, Legolas got the distinct impression that the man was not alone. He noted that all his weapons were on the opposite side of the fire at the outer edge of the overhang. Some sign of his unease must have shown on his face, for the man held his hands up and told him,
"Peace friend. I simply wish to share the heat from your fire, as I could not get my own started, and the night is cold."
"And will your companions be joining us too?"
There was a brief moment of surprise on the man's face, shrouded almost immediately as he called out,"Right boys, come on out. He know's you're there."
Immediately, eight fully armed men stepped out from various hiding places. And immediately, Legolas found himself cornered with eight arrows aimed at him at short distance.
...........
Meanwhile, at the same time as Legolas had first looked at the intruder, Aragorn had found a stream, collected the water and was ready to head back. Just as he was about to turn back, a noise from the rocks above caused him to stop. Hearing nothing further, he turned again to leave.
He crossed another stream and cut along the bottom of a ragged cliff face. The same noise again, this time just above and ahead of him. There was nowhere that anyone could be hiding, and the noise itself wasn't particularly threatening, so he decided to leave it be and carry on.
A moment later, a large rock broke away and caught him solidly between the shoulder and neck. It was immediately followed by more rocks breaking away and landing with crushingly lethal accuracy on the spot where Aragorn stood. The last thing he felt before being completely buried was the pain in his lower arm as it snapped.
......
"If you value that immortal life of yours, I suggest you keep quiet and do what we ask.", the first man, who was obviously their leader, told him. Nobody had moved, and the men who were with him had not lowered their weapons.
"What do you want?"
The man smiled, then replied slowly, "You, my dear elf. Or rather, the money you are worth. You are going to make me a very rich man."
--------------------------------------- Aemir watched with regret and not a little guilt as the men led the bound elf away. It had after all been Aemir's information which had allowed them to capture him. He had immediately fought back when they approached him, regardless of the threats on his life. He had however, been cornered, weaponless, and outnumbered. The odds had been against him.
Reluctantly Aemir followed behind the small group that had now left the small overhang behind, after collecting anything that looked like it belonged to the elf. He noticed as they left the rocky crag behind, that the elf stopped fighting for a moment. He had heard something they had not. None of the other men seemed to notice the momentary change though, and the moment they pulled him on again, he immediately started fighting back again, although Aemir thought he seemed more determined than before. The little man wondered what it had been that the elf had heard. Had he known it was Aragorn's cries for help, he might have done something about it...
.......
The rockfall had ended as suddenly as it began. Unknown to Aragorn, there had been a small group of orcs nearby, who had been considering following him. As soon as the dust had settled though, they moved in. Even if he had survived they reasoned, he would be in no mood to fight them. And that meant easy food.
Slowly they started to pull the rocks away. Eventually the pile reduced enough for the orcs to reach the man. When they grabbed his arm and pulled him roughly out, there was no response. Without a second thought, they carried their new prey away in the direction of their camp.
They had not gotten far from the cliff face, just into the trees in fact, when they found a pair of elves looking back at them, fully armed. Immediately, the orc carrying the ranger dropped him roughly on the ground. There was no response still, even though he landed on his broken arm. He never saw the battle between the orcs and the elves.
.........
As the last orc fell, one of the elves stepped over to Aragorn, thinking him dead. She found a very faint pulse, and turned to her companion.
"He's alive, but he won't make it to Rivendell."
"Then we go back." he replied.
The pair were heading back to Rivendell after visiting Mirkwood. They were over a week from their destination, but only a day from Mirkwood. With luck, he might live if they were to turn back. And so they did, and went with all speed towards back the way they had come.