Author's Note: Okay, so the update was still a bit long, but not entirely
bad, right? So in order to rectify the situation, I solemnly swear to
commit no more cliffhangers. At least for this chapter anyway. As always
thanks so much for all the lovely reviews, as soon as I get some free time
I'll respond to them individually and see if there's any questions asked
that I missed. And nope, still aint Tolkien and still get no money for
this. Enjoy!
Chapter 12
The footsteps stopped outside of the door and then Legolas heard the unmistakable sound of the padlock being worked on, as if somebody was trying to unlock it.
Legolas stayed motionless in his defensive crouch, his muscles locked and ready. His left hand strayed to his belt for his long knife and his bloodstained fingers gripped it. If he had been in a better state of mind, he might have questioned over why the dwarves had allowed him to keep his weapon, but it was little concern for him at the moment.
After a few moments, Legolas could hear the lock being sprung and then the heavy padlock being thrown to the ground. Legolas tensed even more, his breathing coming short and fast. His only thought was on getting out, he could not let himself stay in here for much longer.
The door slid open, a few inches, then a few more. No light came from the opening as there were no torches, but Legolas was able to make out a figure pulling open the door as his eyes had become so wide that even no light was a better reprieve from the darkness he had been in.
Legolas told himself to wait until the door was pulled open all the way so as not to lose a chance of freedom, but the realization that he could finally see something, as dim as it was, acted as a trigger that spurred him to rush the door.
He moved soundlessly, covering the small space between himself and the door within a fraction of the second. The individual opening the door never even got a chance to step inside.
The door flew back on him as Legolas rushed him, grabbing the dwarf in his momentum and effectively carrying him off his feet across the wide hall and slamming him against the stone tunneling.
Legolas' knife was at the dwarf's throat, his other arm locked across the stout chest, pinning him against the wall. The elf leaned in close, wanting to see who it was that had dared to think that he could be caged like an animal.
"Legolas?" the voice that came to him sounded weak and uncertain.
The familiar voice stopped Legolas and he pulled himself back a few inches, confusion filtering through him, but his adrenaline and madness knew no caution and he was highly suspicious of a trick that would force him back inside the dreaded room.
Legolas pressed the knife deeper against the dwarf's throat. "I am not going back into that room."
"Legolas, it's me, Gimli, I don't want you to go back in the room, I came to get you out," the voice continued.
Legolas hesitated. He still could not see as well as he wished, but the scent and voice was undeniably Gimli. He withdrew the knife a few inches but otherwise did not move.
"Legolas? What are you doing? Let me go, I'm not going to hurt you."
Finally logic and remembered feelings of friendship came through to the elf and Legolas let go of Gimli and backed away.
"We have to get out of here," Gimli said when his feet were once more on solid ground and he was no longer pinned against the wall. He was surprised by Legolas' reaction but knew that his friend had suffered greatly in that room. Elves could not stand such a thing for too long.
"I'm sorry I could not come for you sooner, but I had to wait until my father was convinced I was too sick to go anywhere for the rest of the night. Let us go now before somebody sees us."
Gimli started to move down the stone hall in the opposite direction he had come from. He would have to take them out through the back way in order to sneak his friend out without anybody seeing. It was dark and he could not risk any light, so he could not see more than a few inches in front of his face, but he knew these tunnels well and was confident he would be able to find the way out.
It was a while before Gimli realized that he could only hear his own footsteps. He stopped, wondering if his friend was doing that annoying elf thing again in which nobody could hear him walking. He turned and peered into the darkness.
"Legolas?"
The elf's voice came to him from far away. "I am not going back into the dark. I will not go further into it." It was a flat statement made in an odd voice Gimli had never heard his friend use before.
Gimli retraced his steps until he was once again standing in front of the elf. "We have to go that way, if anybody sees us they will not let us go."
"I cannot," Legolas said in that same voice.
Gimli stepped even closer until he was practically standing on Legolas' feet. "Legolas, we have to. Trust me, nothing will happen to you. The sooner we go the sooner we will get out of the tunnels and into the open."
Gimli felt rather than saw the elf backing away from him. "No, I cannot stand it again. I cannot go back in."
Gimli finally realized why his voice sounded so odd. It was tinged with panic.
Gimli reached out and grabbed his friend's hand. "Legolas please," he stopped. Gimli withdrew his hand and held it close to his face, sniffing it. "Why is there blood?" he asked.
"I cannot go back in," Legolas said again, backing away again.
Alarm raced through Gimli. He was not sure why his friend was acting so irrationally and did not know why he was injured or even the extent of his injuries.
"We have to," Gimli tried again, "you know you can trust me."
Gimli heard Legolas take a deep breath. "You will lead the way?" he asked.
"Yes," Gimli said.
"And you will not leave me?"
"I will be by your side."
Gimli felt Legolas suddenly closer. "I trust you," he said.
Gimli turned and began to slowly walk. He could not hear Legolas walking, but he felt his presence next to him and knew he was following. Gimli knew it was not far until they reached the door that led outside, he just hoped his friend would be able to hang on long enough.
The floor beneath them began to slant downwards and Gimli knew that they were in the heart of the mountain, he just hoped Legolas did not know that. But the pressure was increasing with every step, alerting the elf to the fact that they were deep under ground.
Legolas' panic and adrenaline were still flowing through his veins, but he was using all of his strength to keep some sort of grip on them. His mind was still trying to operate in a primeval fight or flight mode and he had to concentrate on the fact that his friend was at his side in order to not give in to it.
The pressure continued to increase and the tunnel seemed to get smaller the further they went along. The heavy clomping of Gimli's walk was the only noise Legolas could hear and after a while it began to finely grate on his sensitized nerves. The noise seemed to be like a brutal pounding upon the stone and the walls created a small echo.
Legolas suddenly felt a strong desire to take his knife and drive it through one of the feet just to stop the pounding that was beating on his ears and seemingly inside his skull. It was so strong in fact that he even discovered himself to be clutching his knife again without any recognition of freeing it from his belt. Legolas hastily put it back and stopped.
"Please," he said, "I cannot go on."
Gimli stopped, confusion and anxiety battling inside of him. He wanted them to get out as quickly as possible, they could not stop.
"You have to go on, there's no other way," Gimli said.
Legolas was holding his hands over his ears though Gimli could not see so. Even the dwarf's voice seemed amazingly loud and the echo now seemed to reverberate within the whole of the elf's body.
"Just for a minute," Legolas said, "I just need it to be quiet for a minute."
Gimli was baffled at the request but he remained still, staring intently at the nearby walls, ascertaining their position.
Legolas stood entirely still, his hands still clamped over his ears, trying to will the pounding and trapped feelings away. Finally, when his head cleared a bit and some of the pounding had stopped, he lowered his hands.
"Let's go," he said.
Gimli jumped slightly at the suddenness of Legolas' speech. He still could not exactly see his friend so he had no idea why he had wanted to stop and what was affecting him.
Gimli continued. He wanted to move quickly but would not let himself go too fast. He had never actually made the journey down here without a torch and he did not want to risk passing up the tunnel that would lead to the door.
After a while Gimli felt a slight change in the pressure. He immediately turned to his left, knowing that they had reached the tunnel. Now it was only a matter of climbing up it to the doorway and they would be outside.
"Almost there Legolas, we have to turn here."
The elf said nothing and Gimli hesitantly started up the tunnel, not sure if his friend was following or not. After a few moments he was able to sense that the elf was close behind him and was assured that he was following.
Legolas felt the ground slanting upward now and also sensed the pressure becoming lighter. His heart was cheered at the thought that they were getting closer to being outside, but his adrenaline did not ebb. Now that he knew they were close to freedom he wanted nothing more than to overtake Gimli and dash the rest of the way on his own.
But he strained to keep himself in check and instead forced himself to follow behind the dwarf's seemingly very slow and very loud progress. The pounding in his head was starting again, as this tunnel was narrower than the first and the echoing even louder.
Gimli reached the door. He turned back to his friend, "See? We made it, we are almost outside."
Legolas stopped and said nothing, his muscles quivering from all the unreleased tension.
Gimli reached out and pushed up hard against the door.
It screamed in protest as the door was pushed out of its place, rock grinding hard against rock.
Legolas winced and held his ears again, the pounding in his head reaching a sharp crescendo. He could not take this any longer, he had to get out and the only thing in his way now was Gimli.
Gimli was moving up through the door, but far too slowly for the elf's tastes.
Gimli was surprised when he felt a definite push from behind. Before he could gather what was happening, he was swept off his feet by the momentum of whatever was pushing him. He soon found himself outside, but lying on the ground facedown. Gimli flipped himself over, confusion and irritation both welling up inside of him.
It was dark outside as it was night, but the light from the stars and the moon was as good as the sun compared to what they had just been in. Gimli could clearly see his friend standing still over him, his face turned toward the open sky.
"Legolas?"
Legolas looked down, and for an instant Gimli felt fear grip him. The elf's eyes were dark and alien, his temple and hair smeared with blood while the rest of him was flecked with blood and dirt. Then the dwarf saw Legolas' hands, saw them dripping and stained, and that he was holding his knife. He looked out of sorts, and dangerous.
"Legolas, why are you holding your knife?" Gimli's question was out before he could think it through.
Legolas only stared down at him, his expression unchanging and unfathomable.
Gimli tried one more time, truly hoping that he had not just lost his friend to madness. "Legolas?"
Legolas closed his eyes and rocked back slightly on his heels. When he opened them again they were clearer and his face seemed more normal, less cold and alien. Gimli got to his feet. "What happened to you?"
Legolas looked down over himself, taking in the dirt, blood, and torn clothing. Lastly he looked at his hands, turning the knife in his hand a few times before returning it to his belt. "I could not see," he said quietly, "I felt like the walls were closing in on me. And then the pounding started, I could not escape it."
"Legolas, I'm sorry," Gimli said, "I'm so sorry I let them take you. I did not think you would be in there for so long, I thought I'd be able to get to you sooner or at least talk some sense into my father."
Legolas was nodding woodenly. "I know, I know it was not your fault."
His voice and expression still seemed off to Gimli but he decided Legolas would get better quick now that they were out in the open.
"Come, let's take you back home," Gimli said.
Legolas said nothing but followed when Gimli began to walk. They had come out far from where they had come in and it would take them the rest of the night just to round the mountain enough so that they could then continue on towards Mirkwood.
Gimli just hoped his friend would recover swiftly. Legolas was walking silently alongside him now and Gimli glanced over at him. His manner was still unsettling and Gimli could not shake feelings of danger and discomfort.
He wished he had never taken his friend to see his home.
Chapter 12
The footsteps stopped outside of the door and then Legolas heard the unmistakable sound of the padlock being worked on, as if somebody was trying to unlock it.
Legolas stayed motionless in his defensive crouch, his muscles locked and ready. His left hand strayed to his belt for his long knife and his bloodstained fingers gripped it. If he had been in a better state of mind, he might have questioned over why the dwarves had allowed him to keep his weapon, but it was little concern for him at the moment.
After a few moments, Legolas could hear the lock being sprung and then the heavy padlock being thrown to the ground. Legolas tensed even more, his breathing coming short and fast. His only thought was on getting out, he could not let himself stay in here for much longer.
The door slid open, a few inches, then a few more. No light came from the opening as there were no torches, but Legolas was able to make out a figure pulling open the door as his eyes had become so wide that even no light was a better reprieve from the darkness he had been in.
Legolas told himself to wait until the door was pulled open all the way so as not to lose a chance of freedom, but the realization that he could finally see something, as dim as it was, acted as a trigger that spurred him to rush the door.
He moved soundlessly, covering the small space between himself and the door within a fraction of the second. The individual opening the door never even got a chance to step inside.
The door flew back on him as Legolas rushed him, grabbing the dwarf in his momentum and effectively carrying him off his feet across the wide hall and slamming him against the stone tunneling.
Legolas' knife was at the dwarf's throat, his other arm locked across the stout chest, pinning him against the wall. The elf leaned in close, wanting to see who it was that had dared to think that he could be caged like an animal.
"Legolas?" the voice that came to him sounded weak and uncertain.
The familiar voice stopped Legolas and he pulled himself back a few inches, confusion filtering through him, but his adrenaline and madness knew no caution and he was highly suspicious of a trick that would force him back inside the dreaded room.
Legolas pressed the knife deeper against the dwarf's throat. "I am not going back into that room."
"Legolas, it's me, Gimli, I don't want you to go back in the room, I came to get you out," the voice continued.
Legolas hesitated. He still could not see as well as he wished, but the scent and voice was undeniably Gimli. He withdrew the knife a few inches but otherwise did not move.
"Legolas? What are you doing? Let me go, I'm not going to hurt you."
Finally logic and remembered feelings of friendship came through to the elf and Legolas let go of Gimli and backed away.
"We have to get out of here," Gimli said when his feet were once more on solid ground and he was no longer pinned against the wall. He was surprised by Legolas' reaction but knew that his friend had suffered greatly in that room. Elves could not stand such a thing for too long.
"I'm sorry I could not come for you sooner, but I had to wait until my father was convinced I was too sick to go anywhere for the rest of the night. Let us go now before somebody sees us."
Gimli started to move down the stone hall in the opposite direction he had come from. He would have to take them out through the back way in order to sneak his friend out without anybody seeing. It was dark and he could not risk any light, so he could not see more than a few inches in front of his face, but he knew these tunnels well and was confident he would be able to find the way out.
It was a while before Gimli realized that he could only hear his own footsteps. He stopped, wondering if his friend was doing that annoying elf thing again in which nobody could hear him walking. He turned and peered into the darkness.
"Legolas?"
The elf's voice came to him from far away. "I am not going back into the dark. I will not go further into it." It was a flat statement made in an odd voice Gimli had never heard his friend use before.
Gimli retraced his steps until he was once again standing in front of the elf. "We have to go that way, if anybody sees us they will not let us go."
"I cannot," Legolas said in that same voice.
Gimli stepped even closer until he was practically standing on Legolas' feet. "Legolas, we have to. Trust me, nothing will happen to you. The sooner we go the sooner we will get out of the tunnels and into the open."
Gimli felt rather than saw the elf backing away from him. "No, I cannot stand it again. I cannot go back in."
Gimli finally realized why his voice sounded so odd. It was tinged with panic.
Gimli reached out and grabbed his friend's hand. "Legolas please," he stopped. Gimli withdrew his hand and held it close to his face, sniffing it. "Why is there blood?" he asked.
"I cannot go back in," Legolas said again, backing away again.
Alarm raced through Gimli. He was not sure why his friend was acting so irrationally and did not know why he was injured or even the extent of his injuries.
"We have to," Gimli tried again, "you know you can trust me."
Gimli heard Legolas take a deep breath. "You will lead the way?" he asked.
"Yes," Gimli said.
"And you will not leave me?"
"I will be by your side."
Gimli felt Legolas suddenly closer. "I trust you," he said.
Gimli turned and began to slowly walk. He could not hear Legolas walking, but he felt his presence next to him and knew he was following. Gimli knew it was not far until they reached the door that led outside, he just hoped his friend would be able to hang on long enough.
The floor beneath them began to slant downwards and Gimli knew that they were in the heart of the mountain, he just hoped Legolas did not know that. But the pressure was increasing with every step, alerting the elf to the fact that they were deep under ground.
Legolas' panic and adrenaline were still flowing through his veins, but he was using all of his strength to keep some sort of grip on them. His mind was still trying to operate in a primeval fight or flight mode and he had to concentrate on the fact that his friend was at his side in order to not give in to it.
The pressure continued to increase and the tunnel seemed to get smaller the further they went along. The heavy clomping of Gimli's walk was the only noise Legolas could hear and after a while it began to finely grate on his sensitized nerves. The noise seemed to be like a brutal pounding upon the stone and the walls created a small echo.
Legolas suddenly felt a strong desire to take his knife and drive it through one of the feet just to stop the pounding that was beating on his ears and seemingly inside his skull. It was so strong in fact that he even discovered himself to be clutching his knife again without any recognition of freeing it from his belt. Legolas hastily put it back and stopped.
"Please," he said, "I cannot go on."
Gimli stopped, confusion and anxiety battling inside of him. He wanted them to get out as quickly as possible, they could not stop.
"You have to go on, there's no other way," Gimli said.
Legolas was holding his hands over his ears though Gimli could not see so. Even the dwarf's voice seemed amazingly loud and the echo now seemed to reverberate within the whole of the elf's body.
"Just for a minute," Legolas said, "I just need it to be quiet for a minute."
Gimli was baffled at the request but he remained still, staring intently at the nearby walls, ascertaining their position.
Legolas stood entirely still, his hands still clamped over his ears, trying to will the pounding and trapped feelings away. Finally, when his head cleared a bit and some of the pounding had stopped, he lowered his hands.
"Let's go," he said.
Gimli jumped slightly at the suddenness of Legolas' speech. He still could not exactly see his friend so he had no idea why he had wanted to stop and what was affecting him.
Gimli continued. He wanted to move quickly but would not let himself go too fast. He had never actually made the journey down here without a torch and he did not want to risk passing up the tunnel that would lead to the door.
After a while Gimli felt a slight change in the pressure. He immediately turned to his left, knowing that they had reached the tunnel. Now it was only a matter of climbing up it to the doorway and they would be outside.
"Almost there Legolas, we have to turn here."
The elf said nothing and Gimli hesitantly started up the tunnel, not sure if his friend was following or not. After a few moments he was able to sense that the elf was close behind him and was assured that he was following.
Legolas felt the ground slanting upward now and also sensed the pressure becoming lighter. His heart was cheered at the thought that they were getting closer to being outside, but his adrenaline did not ebb. Now that he knew they were close to freedom he wanted nothing more than to overtake Gimli and dash the rest of the way on his own.
But he strained to keep himself in check and instead forced himself to follow behind the dwarf's seemingly very slow and very loud progress. The pounding in his head was starting again, as this tunnel was narrower than the first and the echoing even louder.
Gimli reached the door. He turned back to his friend, "See? We made it, we are almost outside."
Legolas stopped and said nothing, his muscles quivering from all the unreleased tension.
Gimli reached out and pushed up hard against the door.
It screamed in protest as the door was pushed out of its place, rock grinding hard against rock.
Legolas winced and held his ears again, the pounding in his head reaching a sharp crescendo. He could not take this any longer, he had to get out and the only thing in his way now was Gimli.
Gimli was moving up through the door, but far too slowly for the elf's tastes.
Gimli was surprised when he felt a definite push from behind. Before he could gather what was happening, he was swept off his feet by the momentum of whatever was pushing him. He soon found himself outside, but lying on the ground facedown. Gimli flipped himself over, confusion and irritation both welling up inside of him.
It was dark outside as it was night, but the light from the stars and the moon was as good as the sun compared to what they had just been in. Gimli could clearly see his friend standing still over him, his face turned toward the open sky.
"Legolas?"
Legolas looked down, and for an instant Gimli felt fear grip him. The elf's eyes were dark and alien, his temple and hair smeared with blood while the rest of him was flecked with blood and dirt. Then the dwarf saw Legolas' hands, saw them dripping and stained, and that he was holding his knife. He looked out of sorts, and dangerous.
"Legolas, why are you holding your knife?" Gimli's question was out before he could think it through.
Legolas only stared down at him, his expression unchanging and unfathomable.
Gimli tried one more time, truly hoping that he had not just lost his friend to madness. "Legolas?"
Legolas closed his eyes and rocked back slightly on his heels. When he opened them again they were clearer and his face seemed more normal, less cold and alien. Gimli got to his feet. "What happened to you?"
Legolas looked down over himself, taking in the dirt, blood, and torn clothing. Lastly he looked at his hands, turning the knife in his hand a few times before returning it to his belt. "I could not see," he said quietly, "I felt like the walls were closing in on me. And then the pounding started, I could not escape it."
"Legolas, I'm sorry," Gimli said, "I'm so sorry I let them take you. I did not think you would be in there for so long, I thought I'd be able to get to you sooner or at least talk some sense into my father."
Legolas was nodding woodenly. "I know, I know it was not your fault."
His voice and expression still seemed off to Gimli but he decided Legolas would get better quick now that they were out in the open.
"Come, let's take you back home," Gimli said.
Legolas said nothing but followed when Gimli began to walk. They had come out far from where they had come in and it would take them the rest of the night just to round the mountain enough so that they could then continue on towards Mirkwood.
Gimli just hoped his friend would recover swiftly. Legolas was walking silently alongside him now and Gimli glanced over at him. His manner was still unsettling and Gimli could not shake feelings of danger and discomfort.
He wished he had never taken his friend to see his home.