Disclaimer:
Do not own anything…apart from the bad bloke...
Rating:
R - to be safe.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
Elrohir gritted his teeth as agony ripped up his leg from his ankle. Staring down at the blood oozing from between the iron jaws, he desperately tried to free himself, fingers clawing at the thick metal, trying in vain to pry the snare open. Yet all that his efforts earned him was another groan of pain.
As Elrohir struggled to think of how to release himself, the horse that had leapt out from the edge of the clearly snorted and swayed nearby, as if afraid to move. The elf spared a glance at the creature, not recognising it as his hands protectively cupped his ankle in attempt to quell the bleeding. The snap of a branch drew his attention and turning his head toward the sound, his eyes widened as he stared up at the form of a man, face concealed behind a hood as he stepped out from the shadows of the trees. His feet dragged as he approached the elf, as if he were uncertain, and then an amused grunt sounded.
"Well…not quite what I was expecting, or hoping for."
Elrohir's eyes grew wide.
The stranger sniggered, "though you'll do."
Elladan tugged the reins of his horse, bringing the animal to a skidding halt. That ill-feeling had sunk within his heart and now he stared desperately at the woodland.
Elrohir...
The trails chased each other around in circles and he stared hopelessly. Panic caused him to lose reason and direction and he blinked, trying to focus.
Elrohir...
Memories haunted him as well as the same feeling of fear that he had felt all those years ago, when he and his twin had searched desperately for their mother.
Focus...
Shaking his head to clear his mind, he followed his instinct and turned the horse eastward, whispering a command that caused the animal to bolt forward and canter wildly down the chosen path. As the breeze lapped at him, his heart hammered with the hoof beats.
"Noro lim!"
He spurred the steed onwards, praying in his heart that the feeling eating at him was naught but an onslaught from the past…he could not face the grief of losing his twin.
Elrohir stared across at the man through pained eyes, watching as the mortal drew a large, jagged knife from his cloak. Blood still coated the edge of the blade and the elf felt nausea swirl in his stomach, intensified by sudden panic.
"Darker haired," the man muttered as he rounded the helpless elf, "unlike the other ones I've seen."
Elrohir struggled to keep the man in his line of sight, but found that he was barely able to twist his body enough without causing more pain to his ensnared ankle. All the while one thought plagued him…
Legolas.
Was this the man that Legolas had encountered? Was this the sick, twisted person who had carved his vile intention into the body of an innocent creature?
The elf blinked, feeling a sudden tiredness come over him, a weakness overpowering the strength in his limbs. Staring down at his ensnared ankle he briefly wondered if it was from loss of blood, though he doubted it…it felt as if something had crawled inside of him, leaching his strength.
Poison...
A hand fisted against the back of his head, gripping his hair and yanking. A hiss of pain caught in his throat as his vision began to blur. The man stepped around and knelt in front of him, smirking as he drew the blade down his cheek, drawing a thin line of blood.
"Bleed the same colour though." The mortal chuckled, a strangely hollow, if not malicious, sound.
Elrohir, daring to lower his eyes, widened them in shock as he stared at the painted face, smeared in strange dyes. The hood had fallen back, or had been pulled back. He had never seen such a thing and despite his already dire predicament, it unnerved him even more to stare into such a fierce, crazed face. The fist in his hair tightened and the blade came to rest against his chest.
"Perchance you know the elf…" the man muttered, as if the words were meant to make sense. Another sadistic laugh, "Oh…now that would be interesting."
Ere Elrohir could even begin to ponder the meaning behind the man's words, the vice like grip at the back of his head was loosened and fingers brushed delicately down his face, tracing the fresh line of blood and smearing it.
"There was so much more blood than this." The man growled, "I could not even stop the bleeding."
Elrohir blinked fiercely, his senses lulling into a state of trancelike consciousness. Aragorn's words about powerful sedatives echoed in his mind and he briefly wondered whether this man had poisoned him somehow.
The snare...
The thoughts fled from his mind the moment the rough stubble of the mortal's beard scraped against his cheek. He cringed as the man buried his foul head into the dark tresses of his hair, breathing deep.
"I shall never know them ever again, never know their scent."
A groan of discomfort caught in Elrohir's throat as he was forced to sway back from the touch, causing white-hot pain to sear in his ankle. The man abruptly pulled back and backhanded the elf across the jaw.
"And your filthy kin did nothing!" He growled, "Nothing…You will be the bearer of the second message, elf!"
Legolas leapt over several tree roots in his flight, his golden hair billowing behind his shoulders as he ran. Already he had unsheathed his elven blades and ran with both of them in each hand.
This must end! I will not fall again!
Still those words rang clear in his mind, even as he reminded himself that he as drawing nearer to that possibility. His eyes swept across the earth ahead of him as he ran, searching for signs.
The rustle of leaves caught his attention and he abruptly halted, body frozen, rooted to the spot as he turned his head sharply, listening. Silence echoed around him as he stared ahead at the coarse thicket. Unthinkingly, he sheathed the daggers with mere flicks of his wrists and within moments, he had notched an arrow to his bow. Aiming the projectile in the direction of the thicket he carefully advanced, each step as careful as the last.
Do not hesitate.
The elf's eyes narrowed in suspicion, yet before he could even demand that the hidden stranger reveal himself, the blade of a sword swept out, the edge of it catching the tip of the arrow and knocking it off centre.
Legolas released, letting the arrow fly, even if it was in the completely wrong direction, ere he reached for another. Yet he found than he was unable to leap back a step and take aim as a man stepped out from the thicket, arms splayed upwards in surrender. A hiss of a sigh escaped the elf's lips as he lowered the bow.
"Aragorn." The elf whispered, relief quelling the tension.
The man looked sheepish.
"Though I'll admit that I had thought it would take longer to find you, I am certainly surprised that you found me." The man smiled slightly.
"That was not my intention." Legolas corrected, seeing the flash of hurt or perhaps disappointment in Aragorn's eyes.
Aragorn steeled himself, after all, how else did he expect Legolas to react? This was not the same Legolas he had known months before…that Legolas had been locked away within this stubborn elf's mind, most probably chided if he even dare begin to grieve as a result of what had happened to him.
As Aragorn gazed at his friend, he feared for the elf…he had been told that they reacted entirely differently to a violation of such. They were ethereal beings, and though it would be terrible for a mortal to cope with such an assault, for an elf it was worse. It was against their ways - they rejected bodily life. Aragorn blanched as he remembered reading about elven grief.
Legolas frowned as the man just stared at him, lost within his thoughts. He took this as a chance to take a step back and glance around him, ready to take flight. He was already wasting time.
"Legolas?"
The elf flicked his gaze back to the man. Aragorn had sheathed his sword and was staring at him with an infinite pleading in his eyes.
"I cannot tarry here, Aragorn." Legolas replied.
The ranger frowned, "Come back to Rivendell, please. Let Elrond help you to-"
"Enough, Aragorn! I do not need to be mollified with help!" the elf spat, his eyes flashing with that unrestrained anger he was unaccustomed to.
A pause at which the ranger had to swallow the lump caught in his throat.
"Please." Aragorn whispered, "Do not cast us aside, we are here for you."
The elf glanced down the path he had been taking…time was against him. He had to be rid of Aragorn quickly if he hoped to find answers to his questions.
"I do not want your help, Aragorn." The elf echoed his earlier words as he turned his eyes toward the man, "You would do well to remember that."
Yet you need it.
The guilt bit into the man's heart, gnawing at already raw wounds as it pushed aside reason. Reason which told him he could not have prevented what had happened…but then…that was the first time….but the second time…he could have done something.
The elf's eyes narrowed slightly as he eyed the man, ere turning to walk away.
"Legolas, please-" Aragorn stepped in front of the elf, blocking his path.
"If you wish to help me, then leave me in peace!" the elf snarled, "You have caused me enough grief with your words, spare me the pointless uttering of your apologies and advice, I desire neither!"
The elf stared with stone cold eyes at the mortal, hoping his words would have their intended effect. Aragorn, however, did not even react; he just stood still, eyes almost shimmering as he absorbed what was said. After a beat of silence he shook his head.
"It is not safe out here." The man reasoned.
"I am not a weak child, Aragorn." Legolas seethed, "I am capable of protecting myself."
Even to his own ears the words sounded pathetic…though he was grateful Aragorn did not bring up the past events, perhaps the man also found it too painful to speak of.
"I know you are…when you know what you are up against. We do not even know the intentions of this man, who he is…if he is even a mere man to one's eyes."
"His intentions were quite clear, Aragorn." The elf murmured, dropping his gaze for a moment.
Valar.
"Legolas," Aragorn cursed his mind, "I did not mean…I-"
"Avo." The elf cut in, "You are wasting my time."
Aragorn gaped, barely able to accept that these words were dropping from his friend's lips.
"You have somewhere to be?" the ranger enquired.
"I do, you would also do well, not to hinder me." The elf made to step past the man, but Aragorn blocked his path.
"Legolas, this is not you." The mortal alleged, "Step back and look at how you are reacting!"
"How would you have me react!?" the elf snapped, "What do you desire of me, Aragorn!? Do you desire me to snivel and whimper!?" even as he said the words, he could feel a part of his heart reaching out to the man, the confused, wounded part of himself, still not understanding how his compassion could be so utterly betrayed.
He pushed the emotions aside.
"If it helped you." Aragorn whispered, "Do you honestly believe I would think any less of you?"
"I honestly do not care what you think of me, Aragorn!" The elf growled, ready to step around the mortal once again.
"Do you care for anything anymore?" the man asked, eyes hard as he refused to move.
Legolas met the ranger's eyes and inside he could almost feel his heart clenching in pain at those words. He had hoped to remain devoid of feeling…it seemed that it suddenly was not as easy as he had hoped.
"If you cared, you would let me pass."
"It is because I care, that I won't." Aragorn replied firmly, hating that he no longer knew those eyes that stared back at him.
Ere Aragorn could even attempt to speak again, he blinked in shock as he found the head of an arrow aimed at his chest. He slowly raised his eyes to meet the fierce glare of the elf.
"Let me pass." The elf ordered in a cold, clipped tone.
Aragorn stared hard at the archer, eyes dark under a furrowed brow, "You are not going to use that."
"Do not assume anything, Aragorn." The elf snapped, "You are wasting my time and if you do not let me pass, then I shall pass through or over your body…it makes no difference to me."
What has happened to you?
Standing there, Aragorn felt the distance between himself and Legolas grow, pulling apart all that had once been between them. Who would ever have thought that his friend would ever take up arms against him, with the intention to hurt?
"Then shoot me." Aragorn murmured, "If it truly makes no difference to you."
Legolas' eyes twitched slightly at those words and he set his jaw firmly. He was wasting time and the sadness in Aragorn's eyes was beginning to sway his heart.
Do not hesitate.
Without question, he cocked the bow and let loose the arrow.
Elrohir struggled as wildly as his aching body would allow, already his vision was blurring to the extent where he could barely see. The agony in his leg intensified as the man sat astride him, gripping his chin in one hand and pinning his wrists above his head with the other.
"Such a memorable moment, this is." The man chuckled throatily, squeezing the elf's jaw relentlessly.
Elrohir found he was barely able to form coherent sounds in his throat and blinked fiercely, the figure of the man above him was no more than a vague shape, contorting into a blur. He felt strangely numb as he lay there, leg bent at an even worse angle, causing the snare to slice through already bruised and bleeding flesh.
Elladan! He attempted to summon his twin, probing deep for their bond so that he might reach out...
The man released his jaw and reached across for the dagger he had discarded, twirling it in his fingers for a moment, ere he pressed the blade against the elf's tunic.
"This image shall haunt your foul people for the rest of their years." The man promised as he ran the blade through the tunic, cutting into flesh as he did so, "Just as I have seen all the horrors of this world because of them."
Elrohir squirmed as best he could, though he knew it was futile, he could barely even coordinate his limbs. Soon the cold air caressed his bare chest and he felt a sliver of fear sink into his heart as the mortal pressed the tip of the blade against his taut stomach.
"Justice is no longer blind." The man snarled, pressing the razor edge against the elf's flesh, "it shall be paid in blood."
Elrohir let out a weak cry when his skin split beneath the blade, hands curling into fists as the mortal set about carving the word into the elf's flesh. Burning pain licked at his stomach and he attempted to wriggle away only to be backhanded across the face.
Yet the man barely finished his foul task ere a fierce cry sounded and two hands gripped his shoulders, jerking him off of the prone elf with a grunt. A small cry of agony sounded as the mortal nearly fell upon Elrohir's leg.
A fist connected with the mortal's jaw with enough force to dislocate it, whipping his head back. Blinking, he stared up into a pair of eyes that looked identical to those of the elf that lay upon the earth. In fact, upon closer look, his attacker was the mirror image of the prone elf.
The elf did not grant him a second glance as his fist connected once again with the man's face, causing him to fall back with a sadistic laugh, blood spilling from his mouth.
Elladan wheeled around to look down at his twin and horror gripped his heart.
No…
He dropped to his knees, smoothing his brother's hair from his face.
"Elrohir! Valar….no…saes…Elrohir!" he cried.
His brother blinked slowly, staring up at Elladan, though his eyes appeared strangely distant.
"Can barely…see." The young twin choked out, "Elladan?"
"I'm here." Elladan whispered, pressing a finger to his brother's lips before his hands instantly flew toward the snare.
Panic shook him as he saw the blood that oozed from the wound…so much blood…Even as he tried to free his brother, he felt tears burn his eyes when Elrohir whimpered in pain. Elladan realised with a hopeless certainty that he was making it worse. This contraption was different to the snares he had often seen before...or perhaps his shaking hands were of no use.
Valar...
The elf's heart then burned with a fury he had not felt for a long while, an all consuming rage as he gripped the dagger from the earth with white knuckles, where the man had dropped it. Elladan then sank to a knee and pressed the blade against the man's throat, summoning all of his strength and self-control so that he did not slice the mortal's throat there and then.
"Free him!" Elladan ordered, the words as fierce as the fire in his eyes.
A dark laugh escaped the man, who spat blood ere meeting the elf's eyes.
"There is no freedom for the guilty."
Elladan's eyes widened in rage, "FREE HIM!" he roared, pressing the blade closer to the man's throat, drawing a thin line of blood.
All he received from the mortal was a smirk and another chuckle, laced with ire. Staring down at the man, Elladan nearly reeled back in disgust and shock; he had never seen such burning hatred for his people.
As another raw chuckle escaped the man, the elf's eyes narrowed to slits and twirling the blade in his hand, he was about to plunge it into the mortal's heart.
An arrow cut through the air, sinking into Elladan's sleeve, effectively pinning him to the earth.
The elf blinked in surprise and snapped his head toward the direction from which the projectile had flown, ready to look upon the one who dared to stop him.
Horror and shock fractured his face as he stared up into the haunted eyes, of Legolas.
Phew! Another chapter up - I'd love to hear your thoughts! Hannon le!
x.x.x.x
Avo – Don't
Saes – Please
Hannon le, Reviewers!
IMTrinity – [grins] suspense is good! Hannon le! Hannon le! Hannon le! As always, your review gives my muse a kick up the arse, so thank you for your constant support of this re-vamped story. Oh dear! I'm sorry to hear that you aren't enjoying your time in NY! I hope that things brighten up for you. I shall update as often as I can, my dear! Be well! Congratulations to your sister and her little one!
EyesLikeSilk – [laughs!] Yes, Elrohir 'must' be saved – though I might just let him die a slow, horrible death [evil laughter]…would I? [grin] Thanks for your review!
Nestea – Hello there, Nestea! Thanks for your review! I'm certainly glad that you are enjoying it!
Irish Anor – [laughs!] Hannon le, Meldir for such an amusing review! It brought a grin to my face! I hope that you have tamed your Boromir alter-ego [winks] LOL! When writing about Glorfindel bursting into the room shouting "Lord Elrond!" I suddenly had this amusing image of Elladan exchanging a glance with Elrohir before sticking out his foot and tripping the elf lord over! [winks] however, I somehow think that would have spoilt the mood LOL! [laughs!] Your reference to Princess Bride made me chuckle! I'm hard pressed not to agree! [smiles] Thank you so much again for your review!