Hello all,
Is it safe to come out? I know I promised quite a few of you that this would be posted a week and a half ago but I have had to look for some new beta readers - 3 from Indil and Emily. Thanks to their kind assistance I am now getting around to putting up the latest chapter.
I am going to start work on Chapter 11 although since my little sis is coming to stay next week I might not get a whole lot of time but I do sincerely hope it won't take as long as this chapter has.
I'd like to say a big thanks to the large number of people who've been writing to me and offering support and encouragement, you make it all worthwhile.
I can't think of anything else to say right now, and I hope I'm not offending somebody by forgetting something, but I'm figuring the most important thing you want at the moment is the chapter, see how much I love you all, you're the first to get this, hope it doesn't disappoint:
Chapter 10
Consciousness returned to Legolas slowly, at first a few undistinguishable sounds filtering through the darkness, followed slowly by a flickering of his eyelids as he strove to re-enter the waking world. His lashes fluttered softly and with some effort his lids were raised a fraction, enough for him to see that he was somewhere dim. Feeling assured that the light would not blind him after the darkness, he raised his lids fully.
It took a few moments for his vision to clear enough for him to make out his surroundings with any detail, but the slow return of his other senses aided him. He lay upon something hard and wooden, he could tell from the rough surface beneath his fingers. He was not flat on his back though, and he realised from the tight, roughness around his wrists that he lay bound. He moaned softly, a sound that was muffled by the coarse material that had been thrust into his mouth. A sudden jostling caused him to become aware of the fact that he was moving, or rather, whatever he lay on was moving. Another jolt sent him rolling backwards painfully onto his bound arms, and he had a quick moment to realise he could feel warm flesh next to him before his body was again bounced the other way. The pain became secondary as a sense of weakness rolled over the elven prince and he succumbed once more to the darkness.
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Lord Denethor was not a man prone to panicking unless he felt the situation had degenerated beyond all his control. However when the parchment from Legolas was delivered to him he felt justified in allowing some despair to filter through his being. He immediately made his way to the healing wing to confront the prince, and check on the progress of the king.
He was in no way soothed by the chaos he found outside and within the King's healing room. Guards hovered nervously under the steely glare of their captain who was directing more of his men away from the healing wings. He caught sight of the steward and moved quickly over to intercept the older man before he could enter the King's chambers.
"My Lord," the captain acknowledged.
"Jerin, what is going on here?" the Steward asked his anxiety increasing at the sombre look on the captain's face.
"My Lord, Prince Legolas and the dwarf Gimli appear to be missing," he informed Denethor.
"What? How can they appear to be missing? Either they are or they aren't. I thought Master Gimli had been hurt in the accident," the Steward said in bewilderment.
Jerin grimaced. "He was my lord, quite badly, there is no way he could have left here under his power."
"Do you think that Prince Legolas had him moved and forgot to inform anyone?" Denethor asked.
"I do not know for certain my lord, but Prince Legolas was acting somewhat strangely when we returned to the palace. He called for his bodyguard and dismissed all of the healers from the King's room," the captain said softly, his voice lowered in order to contain the passing of information.
Denethor looked up sharply. "Do you think the Prince had some reason for removing the healers from the side of his stricken husband? I find it hard to believe. What is the King's current condition? Has he worsened?"
The captain of the guard shook his head. "He has not, but he is still gravely ill. My lord, I am afraid there is already talk that the Prince sent the healers away deliberately."
The Steward's eyes widened at that piece of news. He looked around carefully before speaking again. "What do you think Jerin? Did Prince Legolas intend harm to befall his husband? I cannot believe that would be the case. They are extremely devoted to one another."
Jerin shrugged helplessly. "I do not know what to think my lord, the Prince's people and their ways are strange to us. It is hard to say what happened without having been here. Yet that does not explain the missing dwarf."
Denethor frowned suddenly, thinking of the missive he had received from the Prince. He passed the parchment over to Jerin without a word and waited for the man to finish reading its contents before asking his opinion.
"This further complicates things my lord, it presumes that Prince Legolas knew something of what happened. I fear it does not cast a good light upon the Prince's actions. The removal of his only son and the heir to the throne could be seen in a detrimental light, especially with the King's health as uncertain as it is."
"What if the King's accident was no accident?" Denethor mused quietly. "I think you should keep this area as clear as possible save for some of your most trusted men. Prince Legolas must be located. Only he has the answers that we now seek, perhaps Master Gimli is with him."
Jerin nodded. "I have already sent my men out to try and locate the Prince and Master Gimli, as soon as they have discovered anything I will inform you my lord." The captain paused for a moment. "In light of the King's condition I will also dispatch some men to try and locate Prince Elessarion. He is Gondor's future now, as you know my lord the kingdom cannot be left with no clear line of succession."
Denethor nodded distractedly. "Very good Captain. I will return to palace and try to keep things as calm as possible." The Steward turned quickly and left.
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When Legolas next awoke he found that he was no longer moving. Allowing his senses to gather as much information as possible he discovered he lay bound on a hard dirt floor but he was no longer gagged, and he lay within a tent facing one of the sidewalls. He quickly forced himself into a sitting position and immediately regretted it when his stomach still churning from both his residual weakness and the journey forced him to expel its contents in a series of painful heaves that left him gasping for breath, tears stinging his eyes.
"There there laddie, calm yourself, it's over now, rest," a voice said and a large rough hand gently stroked his back in soothing circular motions.
Legolas turned his head gingerly and was shocked to find his companion was Gimli. The dwarf looked almost as ill as Legolas felt and he noticed that one arm was held protectively against the dwarf's chest, the red hair and beard covered in dust from their ordeal.
"Master Gimli, although I wish it were in other circumstances I must confess that I am glad to see a friendly face," the Prince said, his voice hoarse.
"Aye laddie, the feeling is returned. Now, were you hurt anywhere?" the dwarf asked in concern, not liking the still too pale features of the elf.
"Nay, I am just a little tired," Legolas answered. "And you Master Dwarf, how are you feeling, you were quite badly hurt in the accident."
Gimli growled suddenly. "By Durin's beard, that was no accident. Your husband spotted the trail of black powder that led the city wall just before the wizards fire erupted. I do not know who the target was, but I've no doubt in me that someone did not want us to come away from that wall alive."
"Aragorn," Legolas moaned softly, thinking of the vulnerable condition in which his husband now lay, his only consolation was that Elessarion was safely away from the city and headed towards the safety his kin provided.
The entrance flap to the tent being pulled aside had them both turning swiftly to confront their captor.
"Prince Legolas, it is good to see you again."
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Celdarion sat high in the branches of an ancient tree deep in the forest that he had entered only days before. His keen ears caught the voices of men as they called out to one another, their dogs yapping at their heels. His sharp eyes could make out the uniforms of the Royal Guards but this did not reassure him. Until they discovered the traitors that dwelt within the White City, the warrior elf would entrust his precious burden to no other.
The men had entered the forest a short time after Celdarion himself had disappeared into its depths, their dogs attempting to track his scent. But the elf was wiser and had taken to the trees almost immediately, his trail disappearing. Still there were many men and his progress had been slowed by their wide spread search for the princeling in his arms. He had been forced many times to sit silently in the welcoming boughs of the trees as the men passed below. Then as the men moved on he would silently creep forward, jumping from one tree to another, their branches almost seeming to bend together to aid him.
A small whimper had him looking down to the infant sleeping in the sling across his chest.
"Shhh little one," he whispered softly. "We will soon reach the safety of your grandfather and then we will return for your ada."
Elessarion seemed to settle again and Celdarion was thankful for the trusting nature of the infant. The warrior elf looked down again and saw that the men had moved on, slowly he got to his feet, with not even the briefest rustling of leaves to betray his presence he moved onward again, hoping that the King's party was not too far away.
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Boromir halted, startled as he entered the sickroom of the king and found it already occupied.
"Lord Fenner," he acknowledged recovering his wits and continuing further into the room, taking a seat at the king's bedside.
"Lord Boromir, how is your lovely wife?" Fenner asked calmly.
"She is well thank you," the steward's son said with a small smile. "Tell me though Lord Fenner, what brings you here?"
"I should imagine it is the same thing that brought you here my lord," Fenner said wryly. "I am no more willing to trust the King's life in the hands of strangers than you are. These have become dangerous times and with Prince Legolas and his son missing the king requires as much protection as we can afford him."
"Do you not trust the Royal Guard to do their job?" Boromir asked curiously.
"I do not trust the Royal Guard," Fenner said in response and this seemed to kill the conversation as Boromir considered the other man's words.
"You trust Prince Legolas?" Boromir asked finally, his tone hesitant.
"Implicitly," Fenner said swiftly. "Whatever they say about Prince Legolas removing the healers from the room you and I are amongst the very few who know of his new healing gifts. There is no doubt in my mind that whatever the reason behind any of the Prince's actions, they were done for the sake of his family."
The steward's son found himself in agreement with the garishly dressed lord. "Perhaps then I should take some rest so that I might relieve you later," the man said as he rose from his seat sharing a look with Fenner who nodded in response. Boromir nodded in acknowledgment of their unspoken pact to provide protection for the king and took his leave.
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"Chieftain Grotahn," Legolas acknowledged regally, his face betraying no emotion beyond his initial surprise. "Might I ask why we are here?"
The Chieftain said nothing for a moment looking carefully at the elf and dwarf in the middle of the tent.
"You will get up and strip. Your clothing will be left at the entrance to the tent and you will wear these instead," the man said finally, throwing a pile of cloth to the ground.
Legolas held up a hand to forestall the response the dwarf had been about to make. "And if we refuse?" he asked, his tone holding the mildest hint of curiosity.
"Then you will be held down and the clothes forcibly removed, my men will have no thought towards your comfort or your dignity." The Hrotaki Chieftain said without emotion.
"Very well," Legolas said and turned his attention away from the Chieftain clearly dismissing him.
Gimli held his breath as he caught the look of rage swiftly suppressed by the man fearing his swift retaliation but the Chieftain said nothing merely turning and exiting the tent. Beside him Legolas let out a sigh of relief.
"That's a dangerous game you're playing laddie," the dwarf commented.
"I know master dwarf, but I will not let him see me at a disadvantage. I will not allow him an easy victory," the elf confided, casting his troubled gaze upon his fellow captive.
"Aye, but it would be foolish to provoke him, we do not know how swift or fierce his retribution will be," Gimli advised.
A sad look descended upon the elven prince. "Fear not Master Gimli, I will not push him too far, were it myself alone I would not fear him, but I fear mine is not the only life at stake."
Gimli harrumphed. "Do not worry for me Master elf, we dwarves are sturdy folk, I can withstand much."
Against his will Legolas found himself smiling. "I believe it so master dwarf, however my body is no longer mine alone, I have just conceived my husband's second child," he admitted, and then with a grimace added. "Aragorn will be furious with me. He feared much for me during the last pregnancy and although I reassured him that all would go well this time he still had many doubts. Now he shall be proved right."
Gimli looked sharply at the elf, taking in his slight pale form with new eyes. He noted the worn expression the elf wore, the shadows under dull eyes, the way the skin seemed to stretch itself tightly over alabaster skin. He reached out and gently patted the Prince's arm in reassurance.
"Do not worry laddie, some opportunity will arise and we will make our escape back to your husband's side," the dwarf said gruffly.
Legolas smiled again. "I say once more friend Gimli that I am glad I am not alone in this place and that you are here by my side."
A quick look at the garments that the captives had been ordered to wear offered little reassurance as to their new status. The cloth would be politely termed well worn, but to Legolas and Gimli they were little more than rags, which had obviously not been cleaned after their previous owner had abandoned them.
With a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach Legolas forced himself to remove his own comfortable tunic and don the coarse cloth, the material feeling dirty and rough against his sensitive skin. The leggings were not much better and once he had finished dressing the elf prince had to force himself to breathe through his mouth, that he might attempt to block out the foul odour the rags emitted.
Gimli had not fared much better. The tunic he had been brought fell to his knees and the leggings, although fitting well at the waist were made for a man, with a little assistance from the elf they managed to tear the cloth to make short pants, similar in style to those Legolas' hobbit friends wore.
Once finished they neatly piled their own clothing near the entrance to the tent and sat quietly to await the return of their captor. They did not have to wait for long, Grotahn swept into the tent, his eyes taking in the altered garments of his captives. He frowned.
"Why are you still wearing your boots?" he demanded.
"You provided us with no other substitute," Legolas replied calmly, although his heart swelled with anger.
"That is because I did not wish for there to be an alternative. Remove them immediately."
With a shared look Legolas and Gimli removed their boots adding them quietly to the pile of their own clothing. They then took their seats on the floor again. Grotahn exited the tent for a moment before he returned, one of his people with him. The other Hrotaki stooped and gathered the captives belongings before departing once more.
"You must release us," Legolas said quietly.
Grotahn laughed in amusement. "You are in no position to make demands," he said. "You will both make fine addition to my stock."
"Your stock of what?" Gimli demanded.
"Why slaves of course," Grotahn answered, as though the answer had been obvious. "I must admit dwarf that I had not expected your presence. I had only been promised the elf but you look strong enough. You will be able to handle much work I think. I have not yet decided what tasks you will perform for me elf. You look far too fragile to carry out any of the hard labour, but my status amongst other tribes will be heightened immensely by your uniqueness amongst our stock. I have heard also that your people are immortal. You will make a fine heirloom to my son."
"If I am not returned to Minas Tirith I will die," Legolas stated simply.
Grotahn frowned. "You think I am so simple? I will ensure that you do not waste away. Do not think to starve yourself or provoke me into killing you for I will not. If you do not eat or drink you will be made to."
"It makes little difference as to whether or not you can force me to ingest anything. There is only one thing keeping me alive now, and that is the fact that my husband still lives. He will hunt you down and destroy you for this act," the elf prince stated, his voice becoming more passionate as his own wish for vengeance coloured his speech.
"Foolish elf, your own people plot against you, how do you think you were passed on to me?" the Hrotaki chieftain said. Legolas said nothing for a moment, his own heart filled with worry over the fate of his son and husband. "You cannot be rescued if there is no one to rescue you. And if by some miracle your husband were to live, there is no way he can know of my involvement. My departure was publicly made. No one will suspect that you have been delivered into my hands."
The elf Prince's heart fell as the Hrotaki's words struck home. He bowed his head in a moment of grief before looking up. He had one last chance to try and win his freedom, but it would mean making himself even more vulnerable to his captor.
"Chieftain Grotahn, I do not know whether you have heard many tales of my people, but it has long been known that we are not given to issuing falsehoods." Legolas paused and assessed the Chieftain's response to his words. Grotahn waited for the elf to continue. "I am," he paused finding it difficult to reveal his weaknesses, yet there was not only his life to consider. He took a deep breath before continuing. "Chieftain Grotahn I am with child."
The Hrotaki's expression revealed his shock before a calculating awareness replaced the surprise. He laughed suddenly. "I suddenly find what a gift I have received. Yes of course, I had almost forgotten you were capable of breeding, this will be a mighty gift to my tribe, you will breed a fine force of long lived slaves."
Legolas felt the shock hit him like a physical blow. The Hrotaki was already planning how his people would rape him in order to force him to bear more children. "You do not know the ways of my people Chieftain Hrotaki, we choose when we wish to conceive, and I will not allow my body to carry any of your people's spawn." The young prince decided it would be wiser not to mention the fact that if he did not return to his bower in time for the birth both he and the child would most likely die anyway.
"You will have no choice if you value the life of your fellow captive and the child you already carry, for do not doubt that I will not hesitate to dispatch either of them from this world," Grotahn stated venomously, his face contorted with rage.
Legolas swallowed, a task he found more difficult in his suddenly dry throat. He bowed his head in apparent defeat allowing the Hrotaki Chieftain to believe he had won this round.
"Good, I am glad we have reached an understanding," Grotahn said before leaving the tent once more.
Legolas gave a small laugh, which to Gimli sounded dangerously like a sob, and he watched as the elf prince sank to the floor, his legs pulled up close to his chest and his head resting heavily on his knees. Almost timidly the dwarf patted the young elf's shoulder.
"Don't worry lad, we will find some way to escape this fate and return to your husband," he offered gruffly.
Legolas looked up and offered Gimli a watery smile. "I fear we have no other choice Gimli, what I did not reveal to Grotahn was the fact that if I do not return to my bower, neither my child nor I will survive the birthing process."
"Then we have even more incentive to find ourselves a way out of this situation," Gimli said in a more encouraging tone.
A movement alerted them to Grotahn's return and they said nothing as two robes were flung at them.
"Put them on and hurry along, I want to get moving and I will not suffer your slowing us down," he grunted before leaving.
The two captives put on the long robes and a short time later two of the Hrotaki entered the tent with manacles and chains. The captives were bound and escorted from the tent, their hoods pushed up high on their heads to conceal their features. The chains leading from their manacles were then attached to one of the carts that had already been packed high with the spoils of the Hrotaki's trading in Gondor.
Within a short time the remainder of the camp had been dismantled and the group were on their way home, their captives marching along, guarded well on either side and with little opportunity offered for any escape.
Legolas tried to conceal his despair as he forced his body into motion, one step in front of another, he still felt so tired from both his earlier healing of Aragorn and Gimli, and the kidnapping. He looked over at Gimli and felt his heart lift a little as the dwarf gave him an encouraging look. Directing his gaze back to the front of the caravan he continued on as the group slowly put more distance between themselves and the Gondorian capital.
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A lone figure moved swiftly through the palace gardens, his presence remaining undetected until he reached a small hidden alcove. With one last look around to ensure that he had not been followed he entered to wait. The alcove was not empty and the lone figure started nervously as a figure detached itself from the shadows.
"Well?" the shadowy figure enquired.
"It is done, however there were complications..." the newcomer paused momentarily but when no response was forthcoming he continued. "The King remains in the healing wing unconscious, the healers fear that he may not waken at all. The elf's own actions will help us to implicate him should anyone discover that the explosion was not an accident. He sent his son and bodyguard away and we are out hunting them now. We took the elf from the King's own healing room... but the dwarf saw it happen so we were forced to take him too." The newcomer held his breath after finishing his report.
"I see, so, very little actually went according to plan. The King was supposed to be dead along with his son and the elf should have been sent to Grotahn leaving everyone with the impression that he had fled back to his own people. Now I will have to clean up the mess you have made with your incompetence," the shadowy figure snarled, and the newcomer shrank back in fear.
"We can still salvage the situation," the newcomer offered finally.
"How?" the dark figure demanded.
"We can announce that the explosion was no accident and thereby begin making subtle suggestions that the elf's disappearance is tied into this. When we find his bodyguard and the child we will kill them both, we dispose of the bodyguard's remains and say that the elf gave instructions for the child to be slain, leaving him as the only power to the throne. Grotahn will ensure that the elf never sees the white tower again."
"Fool!" the dark figure exclaimed. "If the elf's aim was to take the throne then how can you explain his disappearance now? No... We simply have to tie up all loose ends and then ensure no one can trace the crimes back to us. Go now, I want you to ensure that the bodyguard and child are eliminated, leave the rest to me."
Bowing swiftly in acquiescence the newcomer swiftly left the alcove as stealthily as he had arrived.
End of Chapter 10
LAXgirl - yay I'm alive :-) Glad to see a posting of They Came... I'm really enjoying it and hope to see another update tout suite!!!
Is it safe to come out? I know I promised quite a few of you that this would be posted a week and a half ago but I have had to look for some new beta readers - 3 from Indil and Emily. Thanks to their kind assistance I am now getting around to putting up the latest chapter.
I am going to start work on Chapter 11 although since my little sis is coming to stay next week I might not get a whole lot of time but I do sincerely hope it won't take as long as this chapter has.
I'd like to say a big thanks to the large number of people who've been writing to me and offering support and encouragement, you make it all worthwhile.
I can't think of anything else to say right now, and I hope I'm not offending somebody by forgetting something, but I'm figuring the most important thing you want at the moment is the chapter, see how much I love you all, you're the first to get this, hope it doesn't disappoint:
Chapter 10
Consciousness returned to Legolas slowly, at first a few undistinguishable sounds filtering through the darkness, followed slowly by a flickering of his eyelids as he strove to re-enter the waking world. His lashes fluttered softly and with some effort his lids were raised a fraction, enough for him to see that he was somewhere dim. Feeling assured that the light would not blind him after the darkness, he raised his lids fully.
It took a few moments for his vision to clear enough for him to make out his surroundings with any detail, but the slow return of his other senses aided him. He lay upon something hard and wooden, he could tell from the rough surface beneath his fingers. He was not flat on his back though, and he realised from the tight, roughness around his wrists that he lay bound. He moaned softly, a sound that was muffled by the coarse material that had been thrust into his mouth. A sudden jostling caused him to become aware of the fact that he was moving, or rather, whatever he lay on was moving. Another jolt sent him rolling backwards painfully onto his bound arms, and he had a quick moment to realise he could feel warm flesh next to him before his body was again bounced the other way. The pain became secondary as a sense of weakness rolled over the elven prince and he succumbed once more to the darkness.
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Lord Denethor was not a man prone to panicking unless he felt the situation had degenerated beyond all his control. However when the parchment from Legolas was delivered to him he felt justified in allowing some despair to filter through his being. He immediately made his way to the healing wing to confront the prince, and check on the progress of the king.
He was in no way soothed by the chaos he found outside and within the King's healing room. Guards hovered nervously under the steely glare of their captain who was directing more of his men away from the healing wings. He caught sight of the steward and moved quickly over to intercept the older man before he could enter the King's chambers.
"My Lord," the captain acknowledged.
"Jerin, what is going on here?" the Steward asked his anxiety increasing at the sombre look on the captain's face.
"My Lord, Prince Legolas and the dwarf Gimli appear to be missing," he informed Denethor.
"What? How can they appear to be missing? Either they are or they aren't. I thought Master Gimli had been hurt in the accident," the Steward said in bewilderment.
Jerin grimaced. "He was my lord, quite badly, there is no way he could have left here under his power."
"Do you think that Prince Legolas had him moved and forgot to inform anyone?" Denethor asked.
"I do not know for certain my lord, but Prince Legolas was acting somewhat strangely when we returned to the palace. He called for his bodyguard and dismissed all of the healers from the King's room," the captain said softly, his voice lowered in order to contain the passing of information.
Denethor looked up sharply. "Do you think the Prince had some reason for removing the healers from the side of his stricken husband? I find it hard to believe. What is the King's current condition? Has he worsened?"
The captain of the guard shook his head. "He has not, but he is still gravely ill. My lord, I am afraid there is already talk that the Prince sent the healers away deliberately."
The Steward's eyes widened at that piece of news. He looked around carefully before speaking again. "What do you think Jerin? Did Prince Legolas intend harm to befall his husband? I cannot believe that would be the case. They are extremely devoted to one another."
Jerin shrugged helplessly. "I do not know what to think my lord, the Prince's people and their ways are strange to us. It is hard to say what happened without having been here. Yet that does not explain the missing dwarf."
Denethor frowned suddenly, thinking of the missive he had received from the Prince. He passed the parchment over to Jerin without a word and waited for the man to finish reading its contents before asking his opinion.
"This further complicates things my lord, it presumes that Prince Legolas knew something of what happened. I fear it does not cast a good light upon the Prince's actions. The removal of his only son and the heir to the throne could be seen in a detrimental light, especially with the King's health as uncertain as it is."
"What if the King's accident was no accident?" Denethor mused quietly. "I think you should keep this area as clear as possible save for some of your most trusted men. Prince Legolas must be located. Only he has the answers that we now seek, perhaps Master Gimli is with him."
Jerin nodded. "I have already sent my men out to try and locate the Prince and Master Gimli, as soon as they have discovered anything I will inform you my lord." The captain paused for a moment. "In light of the King's condition I will also dispatch some men to try and locate Prince Elessarion. He is Gondor's future now, as you know my lord the kingdom cannot be left with no clear line of succession."
Denethor nodded distractedly. "Very good Captain. I will return to palace and try to keep things as calm as possible." The Steward turned quickly and left.
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When Legolas next awoke he found that he was no longer moving. Allowing his senses to gather as much information as possible he discovered he lay bound on a hard dirt floor but he was no longer gagged, and he lay within a tent facing one of the sidewalls. He quickly forced himself into a sitting position and immediately regretted it when his stomach still churning from both his residual weakness and the journey forced him to expel its contents in a series of painful heaves that left him gasping for breath, tears stinging his eyes.
"There there laddie, calm yourself, it's over now, rest," a voice said and a large rough hand gently stroked his back in soothing circular motions.
Legolas turned his head gingerly and was shocked to find his companion was Gimli. The dwarf looked almost as ill as Legolas felt and he noticed that one arm was held protectively against the dwarf's chest, the red hair and beard covered in dust from their ordeal.
"Master Gimli, although I wish it were in other circumstances I must confess that I am glad to see a friendly face," the Prince said, his voice hoarse.
"Aye laddie, the feeling is returned. Now, were you hurt anywhere?" the dwarf asked in concern, not liking the still too pale features of the elf.
"Nay, I am just a little tired," Legolas answered. "And you Master Dwarf, how are you feeling, you were quite badly hurt in the accident."
Gimli growled suddenly. "By Durin's beard, that was no accident. Your husband spotted the trail of black powder that led the city wall just before the wizards fire erupted. I do not know who the target was, but I've no doubt in me that someone did not want us to come away from that wall alive."
"Aragorn," Legolas moaned softly, thinking of the vulnerable condition in which his husband now lay, his only consolation was that Elessarion was safely away from the city and headed towards the safety his kin provided.
The entrance flap to the tent being pulled aside had them both turning swiftly to confront their captor.
"Prince Legolas, it is good to see you again."
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Celdarion sat high in the branches of an ancient tree deep in the forest that he had entered only days before. His keen ears caught the voices of men as they called out to one another, their dogs yapping at their heels. His sharp eyes could make out the uniforms of the Royal Guards but this did not reassure him. Until they discovered the traitors that dwelt within the White City, the warrior elf would entrust his precious burden to no other.
The men had entered the forest a short time after Celdarion himself had disappeared into its depths, their dogs attempting to track his scent. But the elf was wiser and had taken to the trees almost immediately, his trail disappearing. Still there were many men and his progress had been slowed by their wide spread search for the princeling in his arms. He had been forced many times to sit silently in the welcoming boughs of the trees as the men passed below. Then as the men moved on he would silently creep forward, jumping from one tree to another, their branches almost seeming to bend together to aid him.
A small whimper had him looking down to the infant sleeping in the sling across his chest.
"Shhh little one," he whispered softly. "We will soon reach the safety of your grandfather and then we will return for your ada."
Elessarion seemed to settle again and Celdarion was thankful for the trusting nature of the infant. The warrior elf looked down again and saw that the men had moved on, slowly he got to his feet, with not even the briefest rustling of leaves to betray his presence he moved onward again, hoping that the King's party was not too far away.
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Boromir halted, startled as he entered the sickroom of the king and found it already occupied.
"Lord Fenner," he acknowledged recovering his wits and continuing further into the room, taking a seat at the king's bedside.
"Lord Boromir, how is your lovely wife?" Fenner asked calmly.
"She is well thank you," the steward's son said with a small smile. "Tell me though Lord Fenner, what brings you here?"
"I should imagine it is the same thing that brought you here my lord," Fenner said wryly. "I am no more willing to trust the King's life in the hands of strangers than you are. These have become dangerous times and with Prince Legolas and his son missing the king requires as much protection as we can afford him."
"Do you not trust the Royal Guard to do their job?" Boromir asked curiously.
"I do not trust the Royal Guard," Fenner said in response and this seemed to kill the conversation as Boromir considered the other man's words.
"You trust Prince Legolas?" Boromir asked finally, his tone hesitant.
"Implicitly," Fenner said swiftly. "Whatever they say about Prince Legolas removing the healers from the room you and I are amongst the very few who know of his new healing gifts. There is no doubt in my mind that whatever the reason behind any of the Prince's actions, they were done for the sake of his family."
The steward's son found himself in agreement with the garishly dressed lord. "Perhaps then I should take some rest so that I might relieve you later," the man said as he rose from his seat sharing a look with Fenner who nodded in response. Boromir nodded in acknowledgment of their unspoken pact to provide protection for the king and took his leave.
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"Chieftain Grotahn," Legolas acknowledged regally, his face betraying no emotion beyond his initial surprise. "Might I ask why we are here?"
The Chieftain said nothing for a moment looking carefully at the elf and dwarf in the middle of the tent.
"You will get up and strip. Your clothing will be left at the entrance to the tent and you will wear these instead," the man said finally, throwing a pile of cloth to the ground.
Legolas held up a hand to forestall the response the dwarf had been about to make. "And if we refuse?" he asked, his tone holding the mildest hint of curiosity.
"Then you will be held down and the clothes forcibly removed, my men will have no thought towards your comfort or your dignity." The Hrotaki Chieftain said without emotion.
"Very well," Legolas said and turned his attention away from the Chieftain clearly dismissing him.
Gimli held his breath as he caught the look of rage swiftly suppressed by the man fearing his swift retaliation but the Chieftain said nothing merely turning and exiting the tent. Beside him Legolas let out a sigh of relief.
"That's a dangerous game you're playing laddie," the dwarf commented.
"I know master dwarf, but I will not let him see me at a disadvantage. I will not allow him an easy victory," the elf confided, casting his troubled gaze upon his fellow captive.
"Aye, but it would be foolish to provoke him, we do not know how swift or fierce his retribution will be," Gimli advised.
A sad look descended upon the elven prince. "Fear not Master Gimli, I will not push him too far, were it myself alone I would not fear him, but I fear mine is not the only life at stake."
Gimli harrumphed. "Do not worry for me Master elf, we dwarves are sturdy folk, I can withstand much."
Against his will Legolas found himself smiling. "I believe it so master dwarf, however my body is no longer mine alone, I have just conceived my husband's second child," he admitted, and then with a grimace added. "Aragorn will be furious with me. He feared much for me during the last pregnancy and although I reassured him that all would go well this time he still had many doubts. Now he shall be proved right."
Gimli looked sharply at the elf, taking in his slight pale form with new eyes. He noted the worn expression the elf wore, the shadows under dull eyes, the way the skin seemed to stretch itself tightly over alabaster skin. He reached out and gently patted the Prince's arm in reassurance.
"Do not worry laddie, some opportunity will arise and we will make our escape back to your husband's side," the dwarf said gruffly.
Legolas smiled again. "I say once more friend Gimli that I am glad I am not alone in this place and that you are here by my side."
A quick look at the garments that the captives had been ordered to wear offered little reassurance as to their new status. The cloth would be politely termed well worn, but to Legolas and Gimli they were little more than rags, which had obviously not been cleaned after their previous owner had abandoned them.
With a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach Legolas forced himself to remove his own comfortable tunic and don the coarse cloth, the material feeling dirty and rough against his sensitive skin. The leggings were not much better and once he had finished dressing the elf prince had to force himself to breathe through his mouth, that he might attempt to block out the foul odour the rags emitted.
Gimli had not fared much better. The tunic he had been brought fell to his knees and the leggings, although fitting well at the waist were made for a man, with a little assistance from the elf they managed to tear the cloth to make short pants, similar in style to those Legolas' hobbit friends wore.
Once finished they neatly piled their own clothing near the entrance to the tent and sat quietly to await the return of their captor. They did not have to wait for long, Grotahn swept into the tent, his eyes taking in the altered garments of his captives. He frowned.
"Why are you still wearing your boots?" he demanded.
"You provided us with no other substitute," Legolas replied calmly, although his heart swelled with anger.
"That is because I did not wish for there to be an alternative. Remove them immediately."
With a shared look Legolas and Gimli removed their boots adding them quietly to the pile of their own clothing. They then took their seats on the floor again. Grotahn exited the tent for a moment before he returned, one of his people with him. The other Hrotaki stooped and gathered the captives belongings before departing once more.
"You must release us," Legolas said quietly.
Grotahn laughed in amusement. "You are in no position to make demands," he said. "You will both make fine addition to my stock."
"Your stock of what?" Gimli demanded.
"Why slaves of course," Grotahn answered, as though the answer had been obvious. "I must admit dwarf that I had not expected your presence. I had only been promised the elf but you look strong enough. You will be able to handle much work I think. I have not yet decided what tasks you will perform for me elf. You look far too fragile to carry out any of the hard labour, but my status amongst other tribes will be heightened immensely by your uniqueness amongst our stock. I have heard also that your people are immortal. You will make a fine heirloom to my son."
"If I am not returned to Minas Tirith I will die," Legolas stated simply.
Grotahn frowned. "You think I am so simple? I will ensure that you do not waste away. Do not think to starve yourself or provoke me into killing you for I will not. If you do not eat or drink you will be made to."
"It makes little difference as to whether or not you can force me to ingest anything. There is only one thing keeping me alive now, and that is the fact that my husband still lives. He will hunt you down and destroy you for this act," the elf prince stated, his voice becoming more passionate as his own wish for vengeance coloured his speech.
"Foolish elf, your own people plot against you, how do you think you were passed on to me?" the Hrotaki chieftain said. Legolas said nothing for a moment, his own heart filled with worry over the fate of his son and husband. "You cannot be rescued if there is no one to rescue you. And if by some miracle your husband were to live, there is no way he can know of my involvement. My departure was publicly made. No one will suspect that you have been delivered into my hands."
The elf Prince's heart fell as the Hrotaki's words struck home. He bowed his head in a moment of grief before looking up. He had one last chance to try and win his freedom, but it would mean making himself even more vulnerable to his captor.
"Chieftain Grotahn, I do not know whether you have heard many tales of my people, but it has long been known that we are not given to issuing falsehoods." Legolas paused and assessed the Chieftain's response to his words. Grotahn waited for the elf to continue. "I am," he paused finding it difficult to reveal his weaknesses, yet there was not only his life to consider. He took a deep breath before continuing. "Chieftain Grotahn I am with child."
The Hrotaki's expression revealed his shock before a calculating awareness replaced the surprise. He laughed suddenly. "I suddenly find what a gift I have received. Yes of course, I had almost forgotten you were capable of breeding, this will be a mighty gift to my tribe, you will breed a fine force of long lived slaves."
Legolas felt the shock hit him like a physical blow. The Hrotaki was already planning how his people would rape him in order to force him to bear more children. "You do not know the ways of my people Chieftain Hrotaki, we choose when we wish to conceive, and I will not allow my body to carry any of your people's spawn." The young prince decided it would be wiser not to mention the fact that if he did not return to his bower in time for the birth both he and the child would most likely die anyway.
"You will have no choice if you value the life of your fellow captive and the child you already carry, for do not doubt that I will not hesitate to dispatch either of them from this world," Grotahn stated venomously, his face contorted with rage.
Legolas swallowed, a task he found more difficult in his suddenly dry throat. He bowed his head in apparent defeat allowing the Hrotaki Chieftain to believe he had won this round.
"Good, I am glad we have reached an understanding," Grotahn said before leaving the tent once more.
Legolas gave a small laugh, which to Gimli sounded dangerously like a sob, and he watched as the elf prince sank to the floor, his legs pulled up close to his chest and his head resting heavily on his knees. Almost timidly the dwarf patted the young elf's shoulder.
"Don't worry lad, we will find some way to escape this fate and return to your husband," he offered gruffly.
Legolas looked up and offered Gimli a watery smile. "I fear we have no other choice Gimli, what I did not reveal to Grotahn was the fact that if I do not return to my bower, neither my child nor I will survive the birthing process."
"Then we have even more incentive to find ourselves a way out of this situation," Gimli said in a more encouraging tone.
A movement alerted them to Grotahn's return and they said nothing as two robes were flung at them.
"Put them on and hurry along, I want to get moving and I will not suffer your slowing us down," he grunted before leaving.
The two captives put on the long robes and a short time later two of the Hrotaki entered the tent with manacles and chains. The captives were bound and escorted from the tent, their hoods pushed up high on their heads to conceal their features. The chains leading from their manacles were then attached to one of the carts that had already been packed high with the spoils of the Hrotaki's trading in Gondor.
Within a short time the remainder of the camp had been dismantled and the group were on their way home, their captives marching along, guarded well on either side and with little opportunity offered for any escape.
Legolas tried to conceal his despair as he forced his body into motion, one step in front of another, he still felt so tired from both his earlier healing of Aragorn and Gimli, and the kidnapping. He looked over at Gimli and felt his heart lift a little as the dwarf gave him an encouraging look. Directing his gaze back to the front of the caravan he continued on as the group slowly put more distance between themselves and the Gondorian capital.
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A lone figure moved swiftly through the palace gardens, his presence remaining undetected until he reached a small hidden alcove. With one last look around to ensure that he had not been followed he entered to wait. The alcove was not empty and the lone figure started nervously as a figure detached itself from the shadows.
"Well?" the shadowy figure enquired.
"It is done, however there were complications..." the newcomer paused momentarily but when no response was forthcoming he continued. "The King remains in the healing wing unconscious, the healers fear that he may not waken at all. The elf's own actions will help us to implicate him should anyone discover that the explosion was not an accident. He sent his son and bodyguard away and we are out hunting them now. We took the elf from the King's own healing room... but the dwarf saw it happen so we were forced to take him too." The newcomer held his breath after finishing his report.
"I see, so, very little actually went according to plan. The King was supposed to be dead along with his son and the elf should have been sent to Grotahn leaving everyone with the impression that he had fled back to his own people. Now I will have to clean up the mess you have made with your incompetence," the shadowy figure snarled, and the newcomer shrank back in fear.
"We can still salvage the situation," the newcomer offered finally.
"How?" the dark figure demanded.
"We can announce that the explosion was no accident and thereby begin making subtle suggestions that the elf's disappearance is tied into this. When we find his bodyguard and the child we will kill them both, we dispose of the bodyguard's remains and say that the elf gave instructions for the child to be slain, leaving him as the only power to the throne. Grotahn will ensure that the elf never sees the white tower again."
"Fool!" the dark figure exclaimed. "If the elf's aim was to take the throne then how can you explain his disappearance now? No... We simply have to tie up all loose ends and then ensure no one can trace the crimes back to us. Go now, I want you to ensure that the bodyguard and child are eliminated, leave the rest to me."
Bowing swiftly in acquiescence the newcomer swiftly left the alcove as stealthily as he had arrived.
End of Chapter 10
LAXgirl - yay I'm alive :-) Glad to see a posting of They Came... I'm really enjoying it and hope to see another update tout suite!!!