A day had passed since Calaen had last seen his prisoners, but they were
unaware of the amount of time that had drifted away. They had not spoken in
what seemed an age, and when they did, it was only to ask how the others
were faring. Pippin had shed no tears for a long while, choosing to fix his
eyes on the ground in front of him.
"Calaen won't keep us in here for much longer," whispered Sam, as he heard Frodo sigh heavily. "I mean, he has no use of us. If he had, I'm sure his plans would've been revealed by now."
"But if he has no use of us, he would not hold us here," said Frodo.
"Well, that may be so. But I can't see us being here for very long," said Sam reassuringly.
Legolas closed his eyes and rested his head back against the wall as he listened to the Hobbits' talk. He could not let his friends be killed at the hands of Calaen, but nor could he help in the quest to rid Mirkwood of her present King. For a start, it was Legolas' own father! It was impossible for him to aid Calaen. But then, that meant his friends would-
"Can't you do something, Gandalf?" asked Merry desperately. "You could use your powers to free us."
"If there was anything to do, I would. My staff has been taken away, and I have been muttering various incantations under my breath ever since we got here. Believe me, master Meriadoc, I will keep going until I get some sort of result, but it seems that at the moment, I am powerless without my staff."
"But you do not always need it," said Frodo. "You can just speak words, and things seem to happen."
"Yes, but I have explained already that I have been muttering incantations under my breath," replied Gandalf gently. "This place – whatever it may be – is probably protected by some form of Elven magic."
All eyes travelled across to Legolas at this, but he quickly shook his head. "I know nothing of this place. I do not even know where it is, so I cannot help you."
"Curse him to Mordor and back!" exploded Boromir, startling everyone in the cell.
Legolas smiled vaguely, as he wondered just how many times in his life he had done what Boromir had just said. He tried to figure it out, deciding it would be an interesting and unique way to pass the time that never seemed to move. It did not work well though, for Aragorn spoke quietly then, interrupting his mathematical thoughts.
"The only thing we can do is wait until Calaen chooses to reveal his plans," said the Ranger.
"I wonder how long that will be," muttered Pippin.
Aragorn sighed, but shot the Hobbit a reassuring glance. "I cannot answer your questions, or anybody else's. But like all of you, I see no reason as to why he is keeping us here. If he-
"Will you please stop talking about that?" asked Legolas in annoyance. "We have covered those grounds enough times as it is."
A tense silence fell once more, broken only by the occasional sigh from one of the Hobbits, or the clanking sounds of chains as the captives moved restlessly. After a while though, Pippin spoke the words which had been expected a long time ago.
"I'm hungry."
"We all are," sighed Merry, looking sadly down at his stomach. "But at least you have some food."
"It's no good whilst I can't reach it," said Pippin. To prove his point, he lowered his head, and with his mouth, tried to grasp the carrot sticking out of his pocket. He could not quite reach though, much to the disappointment of everyone.
"At least you can smell it," offered Sam.
"But that just makes it worse," moaned Pippin. He paused for a brief moment, before his eyes lit up. "Do you know what I could do with right now? A blackcurrant pudding covered in strawberry cream and topped off with a sprig of maple."
"Lovely as that sounds, I would much prefer those little cheese pasties we used to eat in the winter," said Merry.
Sam closed his eyes longingly for a moment, dreaming of the feasts and parties they used to attend. "What about that hazelnut bread that Rosie Cotton used to make? That was delicious. And some hot scones with it wouldn't go amiss. And some redcurrant tarts with meadow cream, beechnut cake preserved in honey, damson trifles, flaked almond pastry, ryebread and-
"You seem to have forgotten about the drinks," laughed Frodo, the nostalgic talk making him forget where they were. "I could gladly drink entire pitchers of strawberry cordial, dandelion and burdock wine, and some scented rosewater."
"Thank you, dear Hobbits. I do believe you've made me feel, if possible, even more hungry than I already was," said Gandalf.
That brought Frodo, Sam, Merry and Pippin back down into reality with a harsh jolt, as they looked around and saw where they were. Their smiles faded, and the light in their eyes diminished.
"Do not worry. I'm sure that before long, you'll be able to taste the food of which you speak," said Boromir, in a voice as cheerful as possible.
"Besides, we won't be kept without food for much longer," agreed Gimli. "They have to feed us at some time."
Legolas opened his mouth to point out that Calaen had held him captive for just under a week without food; however he was prevented from speaking by two things. First of all, he did not wish to worry the Hobbits even more, so he kept quiet. Secondly, the door swung open, revealing a tall Elf with shiny black hair and green eyes. He carried a tray, and on it were some pieces of bread and a pitcher of water.
"I told you," said Gimli comfortingly to the Hobbits.
"I have been ordered by Prince Calaen to bring you some food and water," said the dark haired Elf, setting the tray down on the floor and looking around at the Fellowship. He tried to keep his gaze away from one member in particular, but found it nearly impossible to look at anyone but Legolas.
"You are one of Calaen's soldiers?" asked Gandalf curtly, watching as the Elf broke off some bread and held it to Frodo's lips. The Hobbit looked at it hesitantly for a moment, before realising just how hungry he was.
"Yes I am," replied the Elf. "My name is Aradan, and I have worked for Prince Calaen ever since I was a child."
"You do not look that old now," commented Gandalf.
Aradan paused in the process of taking the pitcher away from Frodo's lips, before shaking himself mentally and moving onto Sam. "Well, I am-
"Tell us in Mortal terms," cut in Legolas. "There are some here who do not understand the way in which Elves age."
"As you wish," said Aradan. "Mortally speaking, I am seventeen years old."
"Calaen must be desperate if he needs the help of mere children," muttered Legolas.
"I am not a child, Prince Legolas. In fact, I am far from it," said Aradan, trying to ignore the hurt he felt. "You lost your own childhood, having to live with Calaen. There are others who have been through the same."
Legolas watched, willing Aradan to elaborate on the statement he had had just made. Nothing came. Instead, the dark haired Elf moved onto Merry, tipping the pitcher of water a little more harshly than he had intended. Legolas however, was certainly not going to show how curious he was about Aradan.
"I don't suppose you could tell us why we are here, could you?" asked Gandalf. "We are not quite sure why Calaen should want to hold captive a group of travellers."
"I am aware of why you are here, but I am not at liberty to disclose that information," said Aradan carefully. "However, Calaen said that-
"All will be revealed in good time. Yes, we know that," cut in Gandalf, ending the sentence with a sigh and resting wearily against the wall. When Aradan knelt beside him and held out some bread, he dismissively shook his head.
"Alright, but I do not know how long it will be before Prince Calaen lets you eat again," said Aradan, now kneeling next to Legolas.
The golden haired Elf looked at Aradan for a moment, before realising that upon closer inspection, his green eyes were flecked with a warm brown. Although he was striking in looks, he did not have the alabaster complexion of Elves, nor did he have the same ethereal beauty.
"Prince Legolas, will you not eat?" asked Aradan.
"Not if I am being fed like a child. I would prefer to keep whatever dignity I have left," retorted Legolas. "But you know, if my chains were off, and I was free for a moment, then I would probably eat."
"I cannot free you," said Aradan incredulously. "If Prince Calaen found out, he would...Look, I'm sorry, but I cannot do that."
"I don't see why not. I am not going to try anything," said Legolas. "And you need not worry about Calaen; he will not find out. I'm certainly not going to tell him."
Aradan locked eyes with Legolas for a brief moment, before cursing under his breath, and pulling a bunch of keys from his pocket. Aragorn and the others watched in amazement as one of Legolas' wrists was freed, and the other one started on.
"I will have to chain you up again after you have finished," warned Aradan, reaching down and pulling Legolas to his feet. "Prince Calaen must not find out about this, and if he-
"I've already told you that he will not find out. And if he does, I will tell him that it was not your fault," offered Legolas. He paused, and regarded Aradan intensely. "If you are afraid of Calaen, why do you remain here?"
Aradan bit his lip, and looked almost fearfully towards the open door. "I am not afraid of Prince Calaen. I just...he...I am afraid of no-one, Prince Legolas. I'm sorry, you have been free for long enough."
Legolas inclined his head, and made to turn back to the wall. Movement from outside however, caught his eye, and he drew in a sharp breath as he saw who was out there. Aradan spun around, and the pitcher of water he held fell to the floor.
"What do you think you're doing?" hissed Garilion, running into the room with Tolvanir just behind him.
"I...I....stammered Aradan, caught off his guard.
Garilion made a noise of anger and pushed the younger Elf out of the way, before grabbing Legolas and forcing him down to the ground. Legolas fought hard, but Tolvanir stepped across and struck him across the face.
"Prince Calaen will have something to say about this," said Garilion grimly, holding Legolas' arms up against the wall, and snapping the manacles around his wrists.
Aradan visible paled at the words, and his eyes widened in shock. "Garilion, you cannot tell him. Please-
"You released one of the prisoners!" shouted Tolvanir.
"Only so he could eat," protested Aradan. "You must believe that I was not going to free him, or any of the others."
"You can tell that to Prince Calaen," said Garilion scornfully, grabbing Aradan by the arm, and pulling him from the room. Tolvanir went to follow, but was halted by Legolas' voice.
"Do not place the blame on him. It was I who convinced him to release me for just a few minutes. It is as he said: I merely wanted to be free to eat," said the golden haired Elf.
Tolvanir raised an eyebrow and shook his head, before turning on his heel and leaving the room. The door slammed shut the behind him, sending a draught through the room. They were plunged into darkness.
............................................................................................................
Rachel13: Hee hee! A portal to Rivendell would be REALLY good right now I think! And yeah, a pacifier would be great for Legolas.
Deana: I've never had a broken rib, but it sounds painful, so I sympathise with him!
Maiden-Of-Tears: More than you can imagine!
Legolas-gurl888: Don't worry, there is a LOT more angst on the way! And sorry I haven't e-mailed you in like, 1000000 years, but I've been so amazingly busy. But I'll tell you all about it in an e-mail.
Fuji the Hobbit: Do I hate Legolas? No, definitely not! He's one of my fave characters, and contrary to popular belief, it's NOT because Orlando Bloom plays him, (though that does help!). No, I just write about him so much because I find him easiest to write about. I guess because like, nothing is revealed about his past, so it leaves people free to make stuff up.
Queen-of-Mirkwood-2932: Yeah, I think that ROTK is better than FOTR also!
Katie a.k.a feawen cuivie: Yeah, Boromir does look a little like a pincushion at the end, doesn't he?! Anyway, I don't have a real job cos I'm still in school: I'm only 15. But at the weekends and holidays, I work as a silver service waitress in a hotel. I have to serve loadsa posh old people, and get bossed about all the time. Great!
ChibiYugiYasha: Shorter? Well, I'll try really hard not to make them too long, but sometimes I just tend to get carried away! But yeah, I will try!
Hiei-Rulez: Yeah, I know! I didn't even cry the first few times I saw FOTR! But I was in a sad mood that day. As for ROTK, the first time I saw it, I cried 7 times. The second and third times I saw it, I only cried 4 times!
GollumGirl: Yeah, randomness is the best way to go!
Thanks to everyone who has reviewed, and I'm sorry if I've left any of you out. Please don't be offended! OK, some of you have been asking about the Ring, and what's gonna happen with that. It's gonna be discussed in about two chapters, so it's not that long a wait. I'm also really sorry about the wait, but I've been rushed off my feet with work and revision and boring stuff like that! Anyway, there won't be any delay with the next chapter, so see you soon, Luv Misto x-x
"Calaen won't keep us in here for much longer," whispered Sam, as he heard Frodo sigh heavily. "I mean, he has no use of us. If he had, I'm sure his plans would've been revealed by now."
"But if he has no use of us, he would not hold us here," said Frodo.
"Well, that may be so. But I can't see us being here for very long," said Sam reassuringly.
Legolas closed his eyes and rested his head back against the wall as he listened to the Hobbits' talk. He could not let his friends be killed at the hands of Calaen, but nor could he help in the quest to rid Mirkwood of her present King. For a start, it was Legolas' own father! It was impossible for him to aid Calaen. But then, that meant his friends would-
"Can't you do something, Gandalf?" asked Merry desperately. "You could use your powers to free us."
"If there was anything to do, I would. My staff has been taken away, and I have been muttering various incantations under my breath ever since we got here. Believe me, master Meriadoc, I will keep going until I get some sort of result, but it seems that at the moment, I am powerless without my staff."
"But you do not always need it," said Frodo. "You can just speak words, and things seem to happen."
"Yes, but I have explained already that I have been muttering incantations under my breath," replied Gandalf gently. "This place – whatever it may be – is probably protected by some form of Elven magic."
All eyes travelled across to Legolas at this, but he quickly shook his head. "I know nothing of this place. I do not even know where it is, so I cannot help you."
"Curse him to Mordor and back!" exploded Boromir, startling everyone in the cell.
Legolas smiled vaguely, as he wondered just how many times in his life he had done what Boromir had just said. He tried to figure it out, deciding it would be an interesting and unique way to pass the time that never seemed to move. It did not work well though, for Aragorn spoke quietly then, interrupting his mathematical thoughts.
"The only thing we can do is wait until Calaen chooses to reveal his plans," said the Ranger.
"I wonder how long that will be," muttered Pippin.
Aragorn sighed, but shot the Hobbit a reassuring glance. "I cannot answer your questions, or anybody else's. But like all of you, I see no reason as to why he is keeping us here. If he-
"Will you please stop talking about that?" asked Legolas in annoyance. "We have covered those grounds enough times as it is."
A tense silence fell once more, broken only by the occasional sigh from one of the Hobbits, or the clanking sounds of chains as the captives moved restlessly. After a while though, Pippin spoke the words which had been expected a long time ago.
"I'm hungry."
"We all are," sighed Merry, looking sadly down at his stomach. "But at least you have some food."
"It's no good whilst I can't reach it," said Pippin. To prove his point, he lowered his head, and with his mouth, tried to grasp the carrot sticking out of his pocket. He could not quite reach though, much to the disappointment of everyone.
"At least you can smell it," offered Sam.
"But that just makes it worse," moaned Pippin. He paused for a brief moment, before his eyes lit up. "Do you know what I could do with right now? A blackcurrant pudding covered in strawberry cream and topped off with a sprig of maple."
"Lovely as that sounds, I would much prefer those little cheese pasties we used to eat in the winter," said Merry.
Sam closed his eyes longingly for a moment, dreaming of the feasts and parties they used to attend. "What about that hazelnut bread that Rosie Cotton used to make? That was delicious. And some hot scones with it wouldn't go amiss. And some redcurrant tarts with meadow cream, beechnut cake preserved in honey, damson trifles, flaked almond pastry, ryebread and-
"You seem to have forgotten about the drinks," laughed Frodo, the nostalgic talk making him forget where they were. "I could gladly drink entire pitchers of strawberry cordial, dandelion and burdock wine, and some scented rosewater."
"Thank you, dear Hobbits. I do believe you've made me feel, if possible, even more hungry than I already was," said Gandalf.
That brought Frodo, Sam, Merry and Pippin back down into reality with a harsh jolt, as they looked around and saw where they were. Their smiles faded, and the light in their eyes diminished.
"Do not worry. I'm sure that before long, you'll be able to taste the food of which you speak," said Boromir, in a voice as cheerful as possible.
"Besides, we won't be kept without food for much longer," agreed Gimli. "They have to feed us at some time."
Legolas opened his mouth to point out that Calaen had held him captive for just under a week without food; however he was prevented from speaking by two things. First of all, he did not wish to worry the Hobbits even more, so he kept quiet. Secondly, the door swung open, revealing a tall Elf with shiny black hair and green eyes. He carried a tray, and on it were some pieces of bread and a pitcher of water.
"I told you," said Gimli comfortingly to the Hobbits.
"I have been ordered by Prince Calaen to bring you some food and water," said the dark haired Elf, setting the tray down on the floor and looking around at the Fellowship. He tried to keep his gaze away from one member in particular, but found it nearly impossible to look at anyone but Legolas.
"You are one of Calaen's soldiers?" asked Gandalf curtly, watching as the Elf broke off some bread and held it to Frodo's lips. The Hobbit looked at it hesitantly for a moment, before realising just how hungry he was.
"Yes I am," replied the Elf. "My name is Aradan, and I have worked for Prince Calaen ever since I was a child."
"You do not look that old now," commented Gandalf.
Aradan paused in the process of taking the pitcher away from Frodo's lips, before shaking himself mentally and moving onto Sam. "Well, I am-
"Tell us in Mortal terms," cut in Legolas. "There are some here who do not understand the way in which Elves age."
"As you wish," said Aradan. "Mortally speaking, I am seventeen years old."
"Calaen must be desperate if he needs the help of mere children," muttered Legolas.
"I am not a child, Prince Legolas. In fact, I am far from it," said Aradan, trying to ignore the hurt he felt. "You lost your own childhood, having to live with Calaen. There are others who have been through the same."
Legolas watched, willing Aradan to elaborate on the statement he had had just made. Nothing came. Instead, the dark haired Elf moved onto Merry, tipping the pitcher of water a little more harshly than he had intended. Legolas however, was certainly not going to show how curious he was about Aradan.
"I don't suppose you could tell us why we are here, could you?" asked Gandalf. "We are not quite sure why Calaen should want to hold captive a group of travellers."
"I am aware of why you are here, but I am not at liberty to disclose that information," said Aradan carefully. "However, Calaen said that-
"All will be revealed in good time. Yes, we know that," cut in Gandalf, ending the sentence with a sigh and resting wearily against the wall. When Aradan knelt beside him and held out some bread, he dismissively shook his head.
"Alright, but I do not know how long it will be before Prince Calaen lets you eat again," said Aradan, now kneeling next to Legolas.
The golden haired Elf looked at Aradan for a moment, before realising that upon closer inspection, his green eyes were flecked with a warm brown. Although he was striking in looks, he did not have the alabaster complexion of Elves, nor did he have the same ethereal beauty.
"Prince Legolas, will you not eat?" asked Aradan.
"Not if I am being fed like a child. I would prefer to keep whatever dignity I have left," retorted Legolas. "But you know, if my chains were off, and I was free for a moment, then I would probably eat."
"I cannot free you," said Aradan incredulously. "If Prince Calaen found out, he would...Look, I'm sorry, but I cannot do that."
"I don't see why not. I am not going to try anything," said Legolas. "And you need not worry about Calaen; he will not find out. I'm certainly not going to tell him."
Aradan locked eyes with Legolas for a brief moment, before cursing under his breath, and pulling a bunch of keys from his pocket. Aragorn and the others watched in amazement as one of Legolas' wrists was freed, and the other one started on.
"I will have to chain you up again after you have finished," warned Aradan, reaching down and pulling Legolas to his feet. "Prince Calaen must not find out about this, and if he-
"I've already told you that he will not find out. And if he does, I will tell him that it was not your fault," offered Legolas. He paused, and regarded Aradan intensely. "If you are afraid of Calaen, why do you remain here?"
Aradan bit his lip, and looked almost fearfully towards the open door. "I am not afraid of Prince Calaen. I just...he...I am afraid of no-one, Prince Legolas. I'm sorry, you have been free for long enough."
Legolas inclined his head, and made to turn back to the wall. Movement from outside however, caught his eye, and he drew in a sharp breath as he saw who was out there. Aradan spun around, and the pitcher of water he held fell to the floor.
"What do you think you're doing?" hissed Garilion, running into the room with Tolvanir just behind him.
"I...I....stammered Aradan, caught off his guard.
Garilion made a noise of anger and pushed the younger Elf out of the way, before grabbing Legolas and forcing him down to the ground. Legolas fought hard, but Tolvanir stepped across and struck him across the face.
"Prince Calaen will have something to say about this," said Garilion grimly, holding Legolas' arms up against the wall, and snapping the manacles around his wrists.
Aradan visible paled at the words, and his eyes widened in shock. "Garilion, you cannot tell him. Please-
"You released one of the prisoners!" shouted Tolvanir.
"Only so he could eat," protested Aradan. "You must believe that I was not going to free him, or any of the others."
"You can tell that to Prince Calaen," said Garilion scornfully, grabbing Aradan by the arm, and pulling him from the room. Tolvanir went to follow, but was halted by Legolas' voice.
"Do not place the blame on him. It was I who convinced him to release me for just a few minutes. It is as he said: I merely wanted to be free to eat," said the golden haired Elf.
Tolvanir raised an eyebrow and shook his head, before turning on his heel and leaving the room. The door slammed shut the behind him, sending a draught through the room. They were plunged into darkness.
............................................................................................................
Rachel13: Hee hee! A portal to Rivendell would be REALLY good right now I think! And yeah, a pacifier would be great for Legolas.
Deana: I've never had a broken rib, but it sounds painful, so I sympathise with him!
Maiden-Of-Tears: More than you can imagine!
Legolas-gurl888: Don't worry, there is a LOT more angst on the way! And sorry I haven't e-mailed you in like, 1000000 years, but I've been so amazingly busy. But I'll tell you all about it in an e-mail.
Fuji the Hobbit: Do I hate Legolas? No, definitely not! He's one of my fave characters, and contrary to popular belief, it's NOT because Orlando Bloom plays him, (though that does help!). No, I just write about him so much because I find him easiest to write about. I guess because like, nothing is revealed about his past, so it leaves people free to make stuff up.
Queen-of-Mirkwood-2932: Yeah, I think that ROTK is better than FOTR also!
Katie a.k.a feawen cuivie: Yeah, Boromir does look a little like a pincushion at the end, doesn't he?! Anyway, I don't have a real job cos I'm still in school: I'm only 15. But at the weekends and holidays, I work as a silver service waitress in a hotel. I have to serve loadsa posh old people, and get bossed about all the time. Great!
ChibiYugiYasha: Shorter? Well, I'll try really hard not to make them too long, but sometimes I just tend to get carried away! But yeah, I will try!
Hiei-Rulez: Yeah, I know! I didn't even cry the first few times I saw FOTR! But I was in a sad mood that day. As for ROTK, the first time I saw it, I cried 7 times. The second and third times I saw it, I only cried 4 times!
GollumGirl: Yeah, randomness is the best way to go!
Thanks to everyone who has reviewed, and I'm sorry if I've left any of you out. Please don't be offended! OK, some of you have been asking about the Ring, and what's gonna happen with that. It's gonna be discussed in about two chapters, so it's not that long a wait. I'm also really sorry about the wait, but I've been rushed off my feet with work and revision and boring stuff like that! Anyway, there won't be any delay with the next chapter, so see you soon, Luv Misto x-x