I'm back again!!!! Here's chapter 10. It's getting near to the end of the fic now. Only a few more chapters to go...sob

Mornflower: Almost correct, except...your forgetting one very important thing. They don't have the sword!!! Oh and there's a few bad guys to kill...

Chapter 10

Sannyn stopped on the mountain looking around, something was nearby. He knew it, that damned elf more likely, he'd probably ventured through that cave Tándil had insisted on avoiding, making them go the long way around. The only reason he had let the man have his way was because the man was useful, a scapegoat, also a good warrior but rather stupid, Sannyn would never have set up the agreement with a wiser man than himself.
"Hello Sannyn" said a silky voice interrupting his thoughts
"My Lady" he replied turning around, when faced with only Tándil, he turned again to see the lady stood there in all her glory
"The Elf is on his way here, I advise you to stay here and capture him for me. Do not fail me Sannyn, you know I need him. There is a mortal with him. Kill him. He is not needed. You shall be greatly rewarded when I am ruler of Middle Earth"
"I shall rule a quarter of Middle Earth" Sannyn replied
"Yes," replied The Lady with a smile let the mortal believe what he wished. She was not one to stick to her word, as Talider had found out. She had promised him a quarter of Middle Earth, and eternal life. Instead she had killed him. Sannyn would not suffer the same fate. She would let him live, if he promised to serve her. She rather liked him, he was smarter than his father, and greedier, he would be to use to her if he co-operated, if he didn't, well she could find another servant easily. There were many men who could be persuaded by a beautiful lady as she was. Men were foolish; her promises could make them fall at her feet. "He will be here by tomorrow, capture him and wait here for my return" she smiled, the elf would make an impressive slave too once his Father was dead. But then, all the elves would be her slaves as would every being in Middle Earth she allowed herself a laugh, it echoed of the sides of the rock wall sending a chill down the spines of all that heard it.

"What was that" muttered Legolas from outside the cave looking up in alarm
"I didn't hear anything" replied Estel, Legolas was about to deliver some cutting remark about that when he realised that it was not one of the twins he was with
"No" he replied "It came from over there" he gestured to cliff wall that lay a day's journey away "it sounded like a laugh, but I have never heard a more evil one in all my days. I do not wish to go there, yet...something pulls me in that direction" Legolas stared ahead towards the rock face "something out there moves" he said "I cannot see what it is, they are clouded by shadow" "Orcs?" Estel asked
"It is daylight, so I do not think so, they should all be hidden in caves now, and besides orcs do not ride horses, wargs yes. But I have yet to meet a horse that would allow a beast so foul as an orc to ride him" Legolas gestured to some hoof prints that passed by the cave entrance, not that far away and headed directly to the cliff face.
"And orcs would Travel in more than group of two" Estel pointed out
"It seems plain to me who these hoof prints belong to" Legolas said "a certain two people we are tracking, who have a sword which does not belong them" he looked over at Estel "I guess we should follow them" he said with a grin
"It'll be dangerous" Estel replied
"Dangerous? Then let's go!" Legolas laughed "unless you want to stay here?"
"I was merely suggesting that you stay here due to your tendency to get into trouble. I have had to rescue you twice since we entered that cave" "Once" argued Legolas "I had to rescue you from the orcs and then from the cliff!" Estel replied indignantly
"I had the orcs under control" Legolas replied with a slight smile
"What! They had you on the floor! I think they had you under control" Laughed Estel
"It was a matter of negotiation!" Legolas replied
"Just keep telling yourself that, maybe you can convince yourself. You won't convince me!" Estel laughed walking forward and tripping over a log and tumbling headfirst into a bog, he sat up covered in mud "I meant to do that!" he snapped at Legolas who was on the ground in hysterical laughter, tears rolling own his cheeks "its not funny!"
"It is! Estel it is!" Legolas laughed "attacked by a log! You're brothers won't believe this!"
"You wouldn't" Estel hissed, knowing that his brothers would never let him live that episode down, he swatted at a couple of flies that had began to buzz around his head attracted by the stench of the mud
"Maybe" replied Legolas getting to his feet he turned to walk away "I will if you throw that mud at me" he looked back at Estel who had picked up a handful of mud and aimed it at Legolas' head
"How did you know that" Estel said amazed "I know when something is behind me" Legolas laughed "and when they are going to attack,"
"That really is not fair!" Estel muttered "Maybe not" replied Legolas, "yet it is not something that only elves can learn to do. All warriors have that ability. It is our way of survival" he looked over at the mud soaked Estel "are you ready now?" he asked with a raised eyebrow
"Give me a few minutes" Estel replied disappearing, Legolas shrugged and stared over at the rock face, dark clouds hovered beyond it in the far off distance, as he looked the wind tousled his hair tugging it behind him "The rain will reach the rocks about the same time we will" Legolas muttered, to quiet for mortal ears to hear "Hurry up Estel" he called turning round to see the man walking towards him pulling a fresh tunic over his head,
"There's a stream around there" he told the elf, nodding in the direction he had come
"We need to move on" Legolas replied "are you ready now?"
"As I'll ever be" replied Estel following Legolas across the moors.

"Elladan, we are nearing the outside world" Elrohir said glancing ahead at the edge of the cave, which did not lie far ahead.
"Thank the valar" replied Elladan "we will have to make sure Estel and Legolas are well"
"If we can find them" Elrohir replied seriously
"We will" his brother assured him
"We just have to go to the most dangerous places we can find"
"Like that rock face over there?" Elrohir asked, as they exited the cave on the east side of the mountain, the rocks to the north were still visible however, if more distant than to Estel and Legolas.
"They look dangerous enough; someone could fall off the rocks,"
"Or evil could be lurking"
"Definitely a place where someone could get hurt"
"That's where we'll find them" Elrohir said, "where ever they can be injured" his face grew serious "as long as they don't die on us" he muttered "then things will be fine"
"Legolas has never yet done that, though he has been very close to doing so" Elladan replied, the twins looked at each other not needing to say anything. They were worried about their friend and about their brother. Without saying another word they headed off towards the rock face.

"Erestor is there any word?" Elrond asked his advisor, who had entered the room
"No Lord Elrond. I am sorry. Do you wish me to send someone out to look for them" Erestor replied. Elrond almost agreed but then shook his head.
"They have been gone for longer than this before. Really this is nothing to worry about" he told his advisor, who nodded and left the room.
"Thranduil, they have been gone much longer than this before. I am not too worried"
"And how many times have they come back unscathed" replied the king shortly, "I cannot help but worry. What if...?"
"Thranduil, I will send someone out to search for them if you wish" Thranduil looked for a moment like he was going to ask Elrond to do just that, but then he thought of the times when Legolas had been gone a few days and he had sent guards to search for him, only to have Legolas return with them a few days later safe and well, if a little angry that once again Thranduil had failed to trust him to go into Mirkwood without getting injured. It was not like that of course, and Thranduil sending the guards to look for his son had been the right thing to do more than once. Legolas knew that his Father was over protective out of love alone and not because his Father did not trust him or wanted to mother him. Yet it did irritate the Prince
"No," he replied "give them a few more days to return" he looked over at Elrond "they will all return" his voice spoke confidence, but his eyes spoke two words 'will they?' Elrond could see them saying
"Yes" Elrond assured him with some confidence, looking over at his friend. "They will" he hated to see his friend this way, Thranduil was a strong elf and King. But his biggest weakness was his love for his son. There could never be such a thing as loving someone too much, but when you were king, many could use this love against you, as Thranduil had discovered time and again and the king had been offered the decision of 'Mirkwood or your son?' never yet had these villains succeeded, as Thranduil was still the King of Mirkwood, and Legolas still lived. But Elrond knew if there was no other choice, the elven king would give up Mirkwood to save his son. As he Elrond would with Rivendell, to save any of his sons. Of course, their respective kingdoms would not stay under enemy control for long. Elrond knew that neither could afford to loose a son. Legolas was Thranduil's only child, and his loss would mean the end of the King. Whereas, Elrond knew that if either his twin son's were to die, the other surely would too.

Legolas neared the rock face; it stood in front of him, reaching into the skies. A path wove its way to the top, to where dark clouds menaced the skies. Looking up Legolas felt a shiver crawl down his spine, he lanced over at Estel, who also had a look of fear upon his young face. "Well" he said "We're here"
"We are" agreed Estel, unable to disguise the fear in his voice.
"You can wait here if you wish." Legolas said with a smile, knowing what the mortal's reaction would be
Why would I want to stay here...unless you want me to stay here with you?"
"Are you saying I am afraid?" Legolas laughed "No, are you saying that of me?"
"Not at all. Despite the fact you look very afraid" Legolas said with a grin, unable to believe that a few days ago he had hated this man, surprising how now he felt he liked-if not trusted the young mortal, 'trust your instincts' Alcarnor-his tutor in warfare had once said. Legolas always trusted his instincts, many a time it had saved his life...and now; his instincts were not screaming at him to flee, or to kill this mortal. They were telling him he could trust him.
"Afraid me?" laughed Estel "Nothing scares me" he turned to pick up his pack and cried out
"What?" said Legolas
"Get...it...off!" Estel said pointing at a large spider sat on his pack
"It's only a spider!" Legolas laughed "There's nothing to be afraid of Mr. 'Nothing scares me' "I don't like the way they move" Estel muttered "so get it of now!"
"I don't much like being ordered around" replied Legolas
"Alright. Please get that thing off!" Estel repeated, watching as Legolas bent down and scooped the offending spider off the pack he paused "is there any other things your afraid of?"
"Just spiders" Estel muttered as they began to walk up the path "but everyone is afraid of something"
"I suppose you're right. I myself have many fears." Legolas replied "darkness and enclosed spaces being just the lesser of them. I also fear failure. But no fear is larger than loosing those I care most for"
"But then, doesn't every one fear that" replied Estel with a smile "My brothers fear loosing each other"
"Yes" Legolas interrupted "but then, they share a strong bond that nothing. Not even death could shatter." He looked at the younger elf.
"I also know however that you're your brothers are petrified of snakes"
"And what trivial things are you afraid of?"
"None!" Legolas replied with a laugh, and I would never tell you if I was. I have seen enough of the world and have gained many larger fears to be afraid of trivial matters" Legolas paused "but I was once afraid of thunderstorms. I remember many a night spent curled up in My Fathers arms. Too frightened to sleep in my own room where I was alone. I believed my Father could frighten them away." Legolas stopped as the path narrowed dramatically and began to inch across it pressing his back close to the wall. Estel followed, trying to keep looking ahead, "Don't look down" Legolas told him, which of course caused Estel to glance downwards at the fields below which seemed much farther away than they were.
"Did I mention I didn't like heights" Estel muttered
"You don't like heights? I guessed as much?"
"How did you...?" Estel began
"It's obvious from the way you were pressing yourself right into the wall" Legolas replied as they reached wider ground again and rounded a bend, there standing against the rocks was Edhel-Naur. Legolas took a couple of steps forward and stopped his face showing confusion "it's a trap" he muttered "it has to be" he whipped around at the sound of a scuffle and a voice calling his name
"Isn't he a clever boy" said the voice of the man who stood in front of him; Legolas stared at him and then glanced at the man who stood behind him, a blade to Estel's throat...

TBC...

Muahahahahaha!!!!!. Another cliffie.

Bye now