*Disclaimer* ::checks watch:: Nope, still own nothing.
A/N: Okay, I felt bad leaving you with that cliffhanger. So here you go. Don't expect this every time, now. Read on!
Chapter 16- Captive
"Kor, what's taken you so long?" He lifted her with an exagerrated grunt of effort and slung her over his shoulder.
"Bloody immortals! Putting up a fight, this one!" They all guffawed heartily at that one. Though she was told to struggle, she didn't try until they came into full view. Silence reigned as Legolas walked out, trying to shake his Elven way of walking. She wished he didn't; it was bouncy enough as it was.
"H-hey. You aren't Kor!" Legolas adopted a lower tone of voice, not his mellow tenor, but coldly educated one.
"You're a hard Man to fool, aren't you? I do not know what became of your friend Kor, but you are talking loud enough to attract every Elf in Mirkwood, aye, and Lothlorién!" The sentries climbed down from the trees, curious, and the grounded sentry brandished his spear at him somewhat truculently.
"Well, well, who're you, to be talking to us like that?" Legolas smiled grimly, and everyone around took one step back.
"Who are you, to question me so?" No one had an answer to that. He nodded slightly. "As I suspected. Now, I suppose you'll be wanting this," He threw her down on the ground, and she winced as her jaw hit the ground painfully. Did he have to throw her so hard? Even as a prisoner, it seemed a bit unnecessary. Remembering her role, she struggled into a sitting position and bared her teeth defiantly.
"You'll never take me to your scummy warlord alive, you rotten bunch of slime-faced cowards!" Her words caused a stir among the Men. The ground sentry prodded her with his spear, though not hard enough to even damage her shirt.
"Huh, so this is the great terror that stalks the woodlands? She couldn't fight to save aught, and that's the truth! Here now, you keep a civil tongue in your head, missie, or you'll soon find that tongue out of your head!" Legolas kept up his pretense as the mysterious stranger, trying to sound and look as though he wasn't the same age as the 'captive' he was presenting. It seemed to be working; the Men seemed as dim-witted as Legolas predicted they would be. Well, he was technically a fair bit older than she, about 1,600 years to her 1,300. But what would Men know of that?
"It does not pay to belittle the fighting power of Elves, even the very young. Besides, as a captive, she may come in handy. Her parents will trip over themselves to free her with no harm done. You know how these sort get about their children." This earned a few grins among the ranks. Legolas' easygoing air disappeared. "Now, I wish to speak with your warlord, to discuss this girl." The smiles evaporated almost instantly.
"Eh..." The ground sentry seemed to be elected spokesperson. "Perhaps...it could wait til morrow, sir? It will take at least all night into dawn to get the main camp."
"How many are in your camp?" Rose inwardly marveled at her friend's methods. Why worry about getting caught when the enemy did the work for them?
"Er...two and a half score, plus our captain. Here now," he said, forcing her chin up with the blade of the spear he carried, leering nastily, "Elves is said to be the fairest of creatures; she's a pretty little piece of work, isn't she? Are you sure you can't stay the night, sir? I could find a nice berth for this maid, aye!" She struggled not to show any signs of fear. That could not bode well. Legolas would never let anything happen to her. Yet the suggestive chuckles in the woods surrounding her pierced her with terror, and, despite having Legolas' strong presence at her back, her breath came in labored, shallow gasps. Stupid, stupid Man! Legolas' rebuttal, however, sent them back to their places.
"Fool! I come for information, not a harrassment of my captive!" There were, however, several sly looks. He had said 'his' captive. Perhaps that was why he refused the invitation for the night? She felt tears of shame prick her eyes. She would not let them fall! "Now then. How many are in the closest camp to here, over yonder?" The sentry looked thoughtful for a moment.
"Five and seventy, an' if it's different, tis more. Is that all you'll be needing, sir?" Legolas nodded, almost absent-mindedly pulling out an arrow from his quiver.
"Let this be a last lesson to you all: keep your voice down and question everything." Leaning over, he quickly cut the bonds on Delaney's hands. "Up and at them, now!" he yelled. The sentries, for their part, reacted quickly. One arrow grazed her side as she cut the rope on her feet, and Legolas put paid to the offending sentry. She hacked the spear handle of the ground sentry in half, then slew him with a vicious thrust to the gut. She looked around for the next onslaught, but there wasn't one to be seen. Her friend had seen to the tree sentries.
"If you ever make me do that again, Legolas Greenleaf, I will make you wish you'd drowned in the lake!" she said, meaning every word of it.
"I'm sorry. I didn't think they'd tease you so. I just thought it might be a better ploy than swinging rocks around haphazardly."
"It's not the teasing, silly, it's just...they want to hurt you, and you're helpless, you can't do a thing about it. I'd rather die than be a captive for real."
"Then pray such a thing never happens. Come on, discuss it on the walk. It's time we were headed home." He was right. She pulled a clump of grass and cleaned her knife blade with it, then tossed the grass aside.
"What possessed you? Okay, so we saved half the night traveling; why did you think making me a captive would work better than any other ploy?" He shrugged.
"To tell you the truth, I didn't. But I wanted to see what kind of shape those soldiers are in, and it's sad, let me tell you."
"No need," she cut in, "I was there." He smiled slightly.
"Silly me. Of course. It was really just one of those spur-of-the-moment plans, and it worked quite well, wouldn't you say?"
"No, because you weren't the one tied up on the ground so people could make sport of. I prefer other plans, thanks ever so much."
"I'll keep that in mind. Pick up the pace; we saved time, but that doesn't mean we can just hang around." In the deepest inset of her mind, Delaney had secretly hoped that they could hang around in the forest, but knew not to raise her expectations too high. She could just be happy to spend time with him. Besides, for all she knew, something could have happened between Tracie and Legolas. But she doubted it. Tracie would have told her, just to rub it in her face. Not that Tracie was mean; she just loved to mercilessly tease Rose. It was all in good fun, she supposed. Her spirits took a slight dip. She plastered a smile on her face anyway. Unfortunately, he knew her too well. "Oh, what's wrong?"
"What do you mean? Nothing's wrong," she said, carefully tooling her features to be openly innocent. But, he knew her too well.
"Come on. You and I both know you can look innocent when you want to. It'll fool everyone else, but Tracie, Forest, and I have been around you a wee bit too long. Something's wrong. You only smile like that when you're feeling down. Look, if it's about the whole captive thing, I said I was sorry."
"I wish you didn't know me so well. It's not about the captive thing, though. Don't worry." But, luckily, he didn't know her well enough to know what exactly was bothering her. For which she was grateful.
"What kind of friend would I be if I didn't? Are you sure you're okay?"
"Just great. Really." The look on his face said he didn't believe it for a minute, but he didn't say anything else about the subject. They continued on, falling silent when they neared the first camp. To her amusement, almost every Man in the camp was ringed around the exterior, waiting for an army to attack. She gave in to temptation and shot off one stone, just one. It pinged harmlessly off a spear handle, but the chaos it caused was instantaneous. The two friends were far away by the time the camp realized there was no army. Legolas was torn between berating her and giggling along with her. He settled for a combonation of both.
"You shouldn't have done that! They could have killed us! Even though they couldn't hit a fish in a puddle. But did you see that guy's face? Classic. But that doesn't justify endangering our position, not in the least. Okay, I admit that you had pretty good aim there...but what if they killed us? Then what use would great aim be?!" She rolled her eyes, somewhat amused.
"Are you lecturing me or congratulating me?" He stopped and actually looked thoughtful for a moment. Only for a moment. Then he continued walking.
"Both, I guess. But since you're my friend, I'll just say 'nice shot' and leave it at that." She snorted at that.
"Oh please! Since when have you ever just left anything at that? You have to debate it, pick over it, say what source you got your information from, why you disagree with the author and name five other people who do as well." He looked like the picture of injured dignity.
"Why, you belittle the fine art that is debating."
"You just demean it into arguing."
"I'm hurt."
"I'm right."
"I hate you."
"I know."
A/N: There. Not quite so cliffhanger-y. Ttfn, ta ta for now!
A/N: Okay, I felt bad leaving you with that cliffhanger. So here you go. Don't expect this every time, now. Read on!
Chapter 16- Captive
"Kor, what's taken you so long?" He lifted her with an exagerrated grunt of effort and slung her over his shoulder.
"Bloody immortals! Putting up a fight, this one!" They all guffawed heartily at that one. Though she was told to struggle, she didn't try until they came into full view. Silence reigned as Legolas walked out, trying to shake his Elven way of walking. She wished he didn't; it was bouncy enough as it was.
"H-hey. You aren't Kor!" Legolas adopted a lower tone of voice, not his mellow tenor, but coldly educated one.
"You're a hard Man to fool, aren't you? I do not know what became of your friend Kor, but you are talking loud enough to attract every Elf in Mirkwood, aye, and Lothlorién!" The sentries climbed down from the trees, curious, and the grounded sentry brandished his spear at him somewhat truculently.
"Well, well, who're you, to be talking to us like that?" Legolas smiled grimly, and everyone around took one step back.
"Who are you, to question me so?" No one had an answer to that. He nodded slightly. "As I suspected. Now, I suppose you'll be wanting this," He threw her down on the ground, and she winced as her jaw hit the ground painfully. Did he have to throw her so hard? Even as a prisoner, it seemed a bit unnecessary. Remembering her role, she struggled into a sitting position and bared her teeth defiantly.
"You'll never take me to your scummy warlord alive, you rotten bunch of slime-faced cowards!" Her words caused a stir among the Men. The ground sentry prodded her with his spear, though not hard enough to even damage her shirt.
"Huh, so this is the great terror that stalks the woodlands? She couldn't fight to save aught, and that's the truth! Here now, you keep a civil tongue in your head, missie, or you'll soon find that tongue out of your head!" Legolas kept up his pretense as the mysterious stranger, trying to sound and look as though he wasn't the same age as the 'captive' he was presenting. It seemed to be working; the Men seemed as dim-witted as Legolas predicted they would be. Well, he was technically a fair bit older than she, about 1,600 years to her 1,300. But what would Men know of that?
"It does not pay to belittle the fighting power of Elves, even the very young. Besides, as a captive, she may come in handy. Her parents will trip over themselves to free her with no harm done. You know how these sort get about their children." This earned a few grins among the ranks. Legolas' easygoing air disappeared. "Now, I wish to speak with your warlord, to discuss this girl." The smiles evaporated almost instantly.
"Eh..." The ground sentry seemed to be elected spokesperson. "Perhaps...it could wait til morrow, sir? It will take at least all night into dawn to get the main camp."
"How many are in your camp?" Rose inwardly marveled at her friend's methods. Why worry about getting caught when the enemy did the work for them?
"Er...two and a half score, plus our captain. Here now," he said, forcing her chin up with the blade of the spear he carried, leering nastily, "Elves is said to be the fairest of creatures; she's a pretty little piece of work, isn't she? Are you sure you can't stay the night, sir? I could find a nice berth for this maid, aye!" She struggled not to show any signs of fear. That could not bode well. Legolas would never let anything happen to her. Yet the suggestive chuckles in the woods surrounding her pierced her with terror, and, despite having Legolas' strong presence at her back, her breath came in labored, shallow gasps. Stupid, stupid Man! Legolas' rebuttal, however, sent them back to their places.
"Fool! I come for information, not a harrassment of my captive!" There were, however, several sly looks. He had said 'his' captive. Perhaps that was why he refused the invitation for the night? She felt tears of shame prick her eyes. She would not let them fall! "Now then. How many are in the closest camp to here, over yonder?" The sentry looked thoughtful for a moment.
"Five and seventy, an' if it's different, tis more. Is that all you'll be needing, sir?" Legolas nodded, almost absent-mindedly pulling out an arrow from his quiver.
"Let this be a last lesson to you all: keep your voice down and question everything." Leaning over, he quickly cut the bonds on Delaney's hands. "Up and at them, now!" he yelled. The sentries, for their part, reacted quickly. One arrow grazed her side as she cut the rope on her feet, and Legolas put paid to the offending sentry. She hacked the spear handle of the ground sentry in half, then slew him with a vicious thrust to the gut. She looked around for the next onslaught, but there wasn't one to be seen. Her friend had seen to the tree sentries.
"If you ever make me do that again, Legolas Greenleaf, I will make you wish you'd drowned in the lake!" she said, meaning every word of it.
"I'm sorry. I didn't think they'd tease you so. I just thought it might be a better ploy than swinging rocks around haphazardly."
"It's not the teasing, silly, it's just...they want to hurt you, and you're helpless, you can't do a thing about it. I'd rather die than be a captive for real."
"Then pray such a thing never happens. Come on, discuss it on the walk. It's time we were headed home." He was right. She pulled a clump of grass and cleaned her knife blade with it, then tossed the grass aside.
"What possessed you? Okay, so we saved half the night traveling; why did you think making me a captive would work better than any other ploy?" He shrugged.
"To tell you the truth, I didn't. But I wanted to see what kind of shape those soldiers are in, and it's sad, let me tell you."
"No need," she cut in, "I was there." He smiled slightly.
"Silly me. Of course. It was really just one of those spur-of-the-moment plans, and it worked quite well, wouldn't you say?"
"No, because you weren't the one tied up on the ground so people could make sport of. I prefer other plans, thanks ever so much."
"I'll keep that in mind. Pick up the pace; we saved time, but that doesn't mean we can just hang around." In the deepest inset of her mind, Delaney had secretly hoped that they could hang around in the forest, but knew not to raise her expectations too high. She could just be happy to spend time with him. Besides, for all she knew, something could have happened between Tracie and Legolas. But she doubted it. Tracie would have told her, just to rub it in her face. Not that Tracie was mean; she just loved to mercilessly tease Rose. It was all in good fun, she supposed. Her spirits took a slight dip. She plastered a smile on her face anyway. Unfortunately, he knew her too well. "Oh, what's wrong?"
"What do you mean? Nothing's wrong," she said, carefully tooling her features to be openly innocent. But, he knew her too well.
"Come on. You and I both know you can look innocent when you want to. It'll fool everyone else, but Tracie, Forest, and I have been around you a wee bit too long. Something's wrong. You only smile like that when you're feeling down. Look, if it's about the whole captive thing, I said I was sorry."
"I wish you didn't know me so well. It's not about the captive thing, though. Don't worry." But, luckily, he didn't know her well enough to know what exactly was bothering her. For which she was grateful.
"What kind of friend would I be if I didn't? Are you sure you're okay?"
"Just great. Really." The look on his face said he didn't believe it for a minute, but he didn't say anything else about the subject. They continued on, falling silent when they neared the first camp. To her amusement, almost every Man in the camp was ringed around the exterior, waiting for an army to attack. She gave in to temptation and shot off one stone, just one. It pinged harmlessly off a spear handle, but the chaos it caused was instantaneous. The two friends were far away by the time the camp realized there was no army. Legolas was torn between berating her and giggling along with her. He settled for a combonation of both.
"You shouldn't have done that! They could have killed us! Even though they couldn't hit a fish in a puddle. But did you see that guy's face? Classic. But that doesn't justify endangering our position, not in the least. Okay, I admit that you had pretty good aim there...but what if they killed us? Then what use would great aim be?!" She rolled her eyes, somewhat amused.
"Are you lecturing me or congratulating me?" He stopped and actually looked thoughtful for a moment. Only for a moment. Then he continued walking.
"Both, I guess. But since you're my friend, I'll just say 'nice shot' and leave it at that." She snorted at that.
"Oh please! Since when have you ever just left anything at that? You have to debate it, pick over it, say what source you got your information from, why you disagree with the author and name five other people who do as well." He looked like the picture of injured dignity.
"Why, you belittle the fine art that is debating."
"You just demean it into arguing."
"I'm hurt."
"I'm right."
"I hate you."
"I know."
A/N: There. Not quite so cliffhanger-y. Ttfn, ta ta for now!