Disclaimer: See Chapter One.
A/N: Hi there and thank you all so much for your reviews! Hugs everyone who reviewed! I can't believe it! Many thanks to my beta enb2004, so go read her Harry Potter stuff. As promised, here is Chapter Thirteen. Enjoy!
It was sunset and Elladan was becoming increasingly anxious. He had taken over for Elrohir a few hours previous and his unease had been growing since.
Something just did not feel right to him. Elladan scanned his surroundings with unease. The sun had set and the sky was a brilliant blood red and the tree's whispered of evil. He suddenly felt the overwhelming need to flee from this place. Seeing the blood red sky did nothing to settle Elladan's unease. Nature was whispering of danger.
Heeding the whispered warnings, Elladan hurried over to his brothers and Legolas.
"Legolas, Elrohir, wake up," Elladan said shaking the two.
"Alright, alright! I'm up! There is no need to shake my head off," Legolas said irritably.
"What's wrong Elladan?" Elrohir asked concerned. He knew that Elladan would not wake them unless something was seriously wrong.
"I feel the urge to flee from this place. A red sun set, and the tree's whisper of evil. Can you not feel it creeping into the corners of your mind?," Elladan whispered.
Now that Legolas was awake, he could indeed feel unease creeping into his mind, urging him to flee.
Looking over at Elrohir, Legolas knew that he had felt the same danger that he had.
"We should move, now," Elrohir said looking around with unease.
Elladan nodded in obvious relief that his brother and friend had felt the same unease and that they were moving away from here.
"Elrohir, if you would get the horses, Legolas and I will prepare Estel for travel," Elladan said.
Nodding, Elrohir moved over to prepare the horses. They would all have to ride double. Estel was still unconscious and Legolas was too exhausted to guide his horse by himself, not that Legolas knew that he would be riding double.
While Elrohir was preparing the horses, Legolas moved over to Estel. Estel was still unconscious, which was somewhat worrisome, but he did not have time to dwell on that at the moment.
Legolas gently wrapped his cloak around Estel and lifted him into his arms. Legolas pursed his lips when Estel did not stir in the slightest at the movement.
Seeing that Elrohir had brought over the horses and Elladan had cleaned up the camp, Legolas carried Estel over to the horses.
Legolas's horse, bent down onto her knees, anticipating what Legolas wanted her to do. "Hannon le mellon nin," Legolas said to his faithful mare.
Legolas gently put Estel on to his horse, making sure that he was secure before mounting himself.
Just as Legolas had mounted, Elladan and Elrohir turned to him. "Legolas, what do you think that you are doing?" Elladan asked.
Legolas looked at the twins in honest confusion. "What do you mean Elladan?" he asked in confusion.
Elrohir just rolled his eyes. "Honestly Legolas. You have only had a few hours of sleep in the past few days. You can not honestly expect us to believe that you are capable of not only guiding your horse but holding Estel as well?" he asked disbelievingly.
This time it was Legolas who rolled his eyes in frustration. "Elladan, Elrohir, I thank you for your concern, but we really do not have the time to argue this.
Before either of the twins could protest, Legolas had turned his horse and was already riding away from the cave.
Elladan and Elrohir exchanged exasperated glances before quickly mounting and following Legolas away from the cave.
Shortly after Legolas had left the cave, Elladan and Elrohir caught up to him.
"Elladan, I do not like this," Legolas said seriously.
Elladan nodded in understanding. "Aye, I know, but the urge to flee has been reduced," he said.
"Aye, I too do not feel the urge as much as I did in the cave, but I do not like traveling in the dark," Legolas said darkly.
"We have no other choice I'm afraid. We need to get Estel back to Ada and soon. I don't like that he is still unconscious," Elrohir said grimly.
Legolas too had his fears about Estel's condition but did not express them. Instead he only hugged Estel tighter to his chest, gently placing Estel's head against his shoulder, and continued to ride on.
One hour later, they were all beginning to tire and Legolas was starting to worry about Estel. The horse ride was straining the gash on his leg and was staring to bleed again.
"Elladan, Elrohir, we need to stop and find some shelter," Legolas said wearily.
"I know that you are weary Legolas. If you wish, I will take Estel and you can ride double with Elrohir," Elladan offered.
"Nay, although I am weary that is not why we need to stop, though I appreciate your offer. The gash on his leg is bleeding again," Legolas said, his voice full of worry.
Elladan and Elrohir started at that. "Then we will have to stop here. Something presses me to move from this area Legolas. I fear that the evil that we sensed is following us and may not be that far behind. The darkness gives it strength," Elrohir said warily.
Legolas nodded in understanding. Halting his horse, he gently dismounted and pulled Estel off.
Elladan and Elrohir dismounted as well, and helped Legolas set Estel down.
Elladan brushed away some of Estel's hair from his face and frowned at the heat that he felt radiating from him.
"Legolas, Elrohir, he still burns!" Elladan said fearfully.
Elrohir and Legolas both felt Estel's brow and frowned at the fever they felt.
"Is it from the poison?" Legolas asked, concerned that he might not have gotten all of the poison out of Estel's system.
"Nay, I do not believe so," Elrohir said. "If you listen, you can hear a slight congestion in his lungs. The poison has probably weakened his immune system. I believe he has a cold," he continued saying.
"Great, just great. A cold on top of all his other injuries. Just perfect," Legolas muttered.
"Aye, Ada is going to have our heads when we come home with Estel in worse condition than when he left," Elladan said shaking his head in defeat.
"What should we tell him when we get there?" Legolas asked, curious to see if the innovative twins could come up with something that would save them all from a lecture.
"Oh, this is what we'll say. Don't worry Ada, Estel isn't poisoned anymore but he does have some broken ribs, a gash on his forearm, a gash on his head, and a gash on his leg," Elladan said sarcastically.
"Wonderful, just wonderful," Legolas said while rewrapping Estel's leg.
"If you two are through, we really should move from this place," Elrohir said.
Legolas and Elladan looked at each other. "We are coming Elrohir," Elladan said.
Legolas gently placed Estel back onto his horse, despite the twins disapproving frowns, and mounted behind Estel.
"Lets move," Elladan said, urging his horse into fast pace, the others following behind him.
Three hours later, the sense of unease had returned. "I do not like this Elladan, I do not like this at all," Legolas said uneasily.
Elladan nudged his horse forward so that he would be next to Legolas.
"Something isn't right here," Elladan muttered.
Elrohir's horse nickered nervously, and began trying to back away with Elrohir pulling on the reigns and trying to soothe the horse in elvish.
Suddenly, an arrow whistled through the air, barely missing Elladan.
"Yrch!" Legolas exclaimed. Legolas quickly dismounted and pulled Estel off his horse while looking for a spot to conceal Estel. The yrch were coming and quickly.
Seeing a few dense bushes, Legolas quickly deposited Estel behind them, hoping that they would conceal him from the orcs.
The orcs were coming within shooting distance. Elladan, Elrohir, and Legolas all drew their bows and began shooting the orcs as they came, while dodging arrows that were being shot at them.
"Elladan! We must end this quickly!" Elrohir shouted to his brother.
Elladan nodded in silent agreement.
"Quick! Draw your swords, they come," Legolas said, quickly putting his bow aside.
Drawing their swords, Elladan, Elrohir, and Legolas charged the orcs, finding themselves deep in battle before they realized it.
All three fought back to back, but the orcs were trying to separate them.
Legolas was forced to duck and roll as a scimitar was aimed at his head. This move had cost Legolas his protection however. He was know in the midst of the battle with no one at his back.
Cursing in elvish, Legolas became a blonde blur. He ducked, parried, and killed any orc that was unfortunate enough to come across the blonde elf.
No matter how fast Legolas was though, he could not protect himself and check where Estel was hidden constantly. So involved did the fighting become, that Legolas had to give his full attention to the foul orcs in front of him, not having the time to check Estel's hiding spot.
Elladan and Elrohir were in a tad bit better position but not by much. Being able to fight back to back held a slight advantage, and Elrohir was able to check on his little brother's hiding spot more often than Legolas.
It was during one of the periodic checks on Estel's hiding place that Elrohir saw an orc going through the bushes, were Estel was in hiding. "ESTEL!" Elrohir cried out in anguish as he saw the orc looming over Estel's prone body, sword at the ready.
Translations:
Ada: Dad/Daddy
Hannon le: Thank you
Mellon nin: My friend
A/N 2: Hehe, evil cliffy? Runs from readers! See ya next time!