Title: Mirkwood's Ring: Part 7 of 13 The great escape

Author: Shi Ryuu

Website: www . artisticentropy . com

Thranduil swept from the room with the same feline grace he had used on his entrance. "See to the twin's, Legolas. I don't want them here when I return, but you will not unbind them." He tossed over his shoulder as he passed through the large stone arch leading to the hallways which would take him to his rooms.

'Probably to change clothing so he doesn't spoil his fine silks with my blood.' Elrond thought morosely. His eyes flicked back to the dais from the king's retreating back as Legolas collapsed coughing from the release of the ring's directives on his body. Elrond could sympathize as a similar, though unworded release threatened to topple his own bound form unceremoniously on his nose. The bonds at his wrists and ankles ironically served to keep him from that indignity. The guards remained just as they were for several moments after their lord had left, then they all moved to leave as one, probably to set up for the upcoming bloody spectacle from some unvoiced command of the dwarven ring.

The lord of Imaldris's eyes roved to his own poor sons, still in their cruel sleep at the foot of the throne; Legolas seemed to have collected his limbs and muscles back into some semblance of his own control, and he moved to check on them.

"Are they well?" His voice was a bit harsher than he had intended and the prince's head jerked up in immediate response.

"They sleep. It is something like what is in the River, but not so strong. They will wake soon I think...I...I have done all I could to keep them safe here. I am sorry it has come to this." Elrond was struck by the heartbroken tone in the admittedly very melodic voice of the blonde noble.

"I am sorry I spoke harshly. I did not mean to cast blame on you. They came on my own behest." The Lord spoke this time more evenly, "I spoke with a father's fear." His heart lurched in painful anxiety over his sons even as he spoke. Neither twin stirred, though, as the archer said, they both seemed to be healthy.

"I understand." Legolas stood from Elrond's sons' prone forms and approached the kneeling half-elf. Carefully he crouched down behind him, and Elrond felt him begin to loosen the bonds which bound his wrists behind his back.

"What are you doing Legolas? Even should you free me, some enchantment keeps us here. I felt it when I entered. There is no where for me to go, and you will only bring your sire's wrath back down on your head."

Legolas's nimble fingers made quick work of the knots and the rope slipped silently down to the ground. He used the convenient excuse of going to work on the cords which bound his ankles in order to avoid Elrond's gaze. "I--I think I have worked out how to get a few people out of here as long as they remain untouched by the ring's evil. You and your sons are the only ones left besides myself with free will. I will free you, and you and they must get far from here. I know not what my father thinks you possess but he will hurt you horribly to get to it."

As soon as Elrond felt his legs come free he turned and carefully raised Legolas's chin so that the younger elf was forced to meet his gaze. He was stunned by the magnitude of resignation and courage shinning brightly among the traces of elven grief in the stunningly blue orbs. "You will free us? Good. Then we shall get you from here as well and together we will find a way to free your father." An odd protectiveness for the archer settled over the dark tressed Noldorian lord. His eyes fairly radiated the nobility of his spirit and Elrond felt his own heart lurch at the pain this madness of Thranduil's must be inflicting on his son. How could even a ring dull a paternal bond of an elf sire for his children to the point where he could do this to his offspring?

He rose in a fluid motion and went to the twins, quickly beginning on their bonds. Legolas rose with his father's grace and spoke from his position behind him, "I cannot go with you. I must stay in case something happens. In case there is an opportunity to free him. He is my father. Besides...I do not know if I can free more than three. I have never tried to bend Mirkwood's enchantments so…I do not think I could do it from without these walls."

He made no move to help untie the twins, and for a moment Elrond wondered at that, before remembering Thranduil's directive towards his son. His lips quirked in a sardonic smile. Legolas would surely see that the twins were no longer here when his father returned. His thoughts quickly turned dark once more at the thought of what might await the prince at his lord's hands when he learned of the escape. "Are you sure you cannot come with us? I fear for your safety if you remain." He hoped the prince had well thought out this plan of his. He hadn't time to go over the details with him. They'd need to work fast to get out before the king returned to begin his 'fun.'

Legolas knew whatever leniency the ring had allowed his father towards him had run out, but he had promised the twins that he would see no harm come to their father, and he meant to keep that vow, whatever the cost to himself. He would not be the cause of such sorrow as they had suffered for their mother. He could not wish that kind of pain on anyone, let alone those he considered closer than brothers. Besides, he could feel the strength and power of the elf in front of him as he moved from his elder son to free the bonds of the younger. He could not let Middle Earth loose such a ruler. The schemes of evil would be furthered much more greatly by Elrond Half-Elven's death then they would by the torment and passing of a back-water prince like himself. He would foil the ring that had ruined his father and his country in any way he could. Perhaps pursuit of the Imladrian captives would be slowed by his remaining behind. He had to give them whatever chance he could.

He lowered his eyelids as he pondered his response. Elrond was well noted for his kindness and courage. Legolas thought it unlikely that he would take himself and his sons to safety if he knew the truth…"He cannot harm me seriously." He finally replied with a lie, surprised by the ease with which the untruth flowed from his tongue, "I am his heir. What more precious possession does a king have than his one male heir? I will see you safely away. Do not fear for me."

The prince knelt to lift Elladan as Elrond rose with Elrohir. His father had told him to see the twins out of the room so he was no longer restricted in his interactions with them. His blue eyes turned beseechingly on the lord of Imladris and he was unaware of the effect the sincerity and deep fear for his country and father-- which reflected so clearly in their depths--had on the older elf. "I know we have caused you nothing but pain, and that my father's folly with this ring has threatened the lives of those you hold most dear. I know that pain as I care deeply for them myself, as brothers and friends. Still, I must beg you. Please try to find us aid. I do not know what it will take to overthrow the power of the dwarven ring which controls my father, but please, if not for charity, then in return for your freedom--"

Elrond was further moved by the humility of the obviously proud warrior who began to lead the way down a passage opposite from Thranduil's egress. "--Say nothing else my Prince. You need not plead for that which I would freely give." The relieved sigh which left the blonde's lips was nearly a tangible thing in the gloom as he led the elder lord through several twisting tunnels to what looked like a dead end. The twins would have recognized it as the secret royal entrance into the mountain, but the elven lord knew nothing of the mysterious nature of the rock wall.

"I thank you my Lord." Legolas's voice was soft with an odd catch like the beginnings of tears in his throat, "I thank you for the lives of my people and the freedom of my land, and for my father who is all I have left in Middle Earth. If you can help us, I will owe all of these things to you, and I will forever sing your praises to the stars. If ever I can do anything for you--"

Elrond silenced him with a wry grin, "Save your thanks for when your people are free and your father is ringless."

The blond nodded and carefully lay Elladan down, propping him against the tunnel's wall. "Forgive me, but I have been hopeless for so long..." He sighed and then carefully drew out a small paring knife from his boot which he kept for use during meals. "I will prick myself and touch the wall. There is a door here in the mountain which will admit you to the outside. It is somewhat more complicated than merely stepping through, since I am going to open all of Mirkwood's enchantments to you, so I must remain here, in contact with the stone. You will have to take Elrohir out and then return for Elladan. They told me their horses were told to remain nearby, so you should be able to easily find or call for them. You must ride quickly. I will try to convince my lord Father that you are hiding within the palace, but he will eventually send out riders for you regardless. One of the upsides to the mindlessness of everyone is that none of the guards seem able any longer act on their own directives, so you should be safe for a few days at least. There are almost no patrols outside the walls now that they are not needed, and Adar has wanted to keep all of his people close, so you should not meet anyone. Go quickly and follow the gold-leafed plants, they will lead you outside the wood within days."

Elrond nodded, "I have a companion who waits for me without. Together we should be able to keep the twins horsed until they wake."

Legolas did his best to summon a smile for the mighty elven lord who still looked so noble, even with his knees stained from kneeling on the dusty floor and his arms full with a grown half-elf. He would have liked to serve with such a lord, but he would be content to know that his sacrifice would ensure help for his people. He knew with a sick certainty that the ring would not forgive him for this and would see him dead if it could. Help would not arrive in time. "Tell Elladan and Elrohir that I am sorry they ended up entangled with this, and that I am sorry for everything else, as well…"

Elrond frowned at the finality he sensed in the younger elf's words, "You may tell them yourself when we find Mithrandir and return with a force to free your people."

Legolas swallowed hard and turned away before the peredhel could see the look in his eyes, "Of course." He murmured. Carefully he made a shallow cut along the palm of his left hand then moved to press it to the wall. "When I nod, go as quickly as you can."

Elrond watched as the prince placed his bleeding hand against the wall of the mountain. He caught sight of a small white bandage stained red on Legolas's cheek that he had not noticed before, but it was too late to ask after such obviously small hurts because the blond was nodding to him and he swiftly exited with his youngest twin lest this opportunity be lost.

A moment later he returned for Elladan, and with a final nod to the brave archer prince of Mirkwood, which he probably didn't even see through his obviously intense concentration, Elrond Half-Elven got his sons out of the grasp of the Mad King of the Woodlands.

When Legolas had released all three of the half-elves from the wood's enchantments that would have prevented them from leaving the borders, he fell back exhaustedly against the wall and sent a silent prayer to Elbereth that they would reach the edge of the forest safely. Distantly he thought he heard his father's voice raised in outrage. He had probably discovered Elrond missing by now. Legolas hurriedly pushed himself away from the wall's support and ran for the lower levels with the swift suredness of one who had lived for thousands of years within these walls. The tunnels down there were vast. He would make sure he was found in an area it would take them ages to completely go over. It was all that was left that he could do for them.

The guards caught up with him near the storage rooms in the opposite end of the palace from his father's new quarters. They seemed to silently materialize out of the passage's murk as they had done when they took him and the twins to the audience where Legolas had met Elrond. A quick count in the darkness revealed at least seven of them to the Prince's keen eyesight and they were all armed with blunt weapons. Three of them held clubs and two had maces, the rest were armed with staves.

'So I am to be taken alive then. Very well. I shall see if I can't buy a little more time before they subdue me,' Legolas thought and with that, he launched himself at the nearest guard--one with a staff.

The fighting was furious. Legolas kept his back to a wall so that they could not come at him from all directions and there were too many of them for them to all try at once. He was a blur of motion as he spun and ducked away from blows that would not be fatal but would surely be damaging and painful. He managed to kick the legs out from under one of the guards and the fall sent his head into the floor hard enough to knock him out of the fight. If the others had been using weapons with shorter reach, his prone form might have even served as a slight impediment to the prince's attackers. The next guard to fall dealt Legolas a hard hit to his right shoulder nearly numbing the limb clear down to the wrist, the blow cost him dearly though, as the princes uninjured left caught him in the jaw at the same time and he fell with the resounding crack of bone to join his fellow on the floor.

The fight became even more disorderly after that and Legolas knew he did not stand a chance. He was unarmed and outnumbered and he had to pull any blow that might prove fatal. He would not kill another elf. If he was to join Mandos in his halls so soon, it would not be with that black sin upon his soul. The wounded arm gave him trouble and soon another of the guards was able to get past his weakened defenses with a staff and jab him in the kidney. The pain sent stars before his vision and before he could recover a mace hit him in the left side. He fell heavily to his knees on the floor, darkness threatening to consume his vision from what he was sure were at least two badly broken ribs. That hit had been delivered with more than normal strength and he could feel a sharp pain in his chest every time he inhaled. Something was well broken in his chest and it was threatening his lungs. He instinctively folded in on himself, expecting further blows, but none fell.

When he had mastered the pain enough to look up at his assailants, they stood over him with passive faces, the only sign that they were threats their brandished weapons. The lead guard who had a very nice shiner from one of Legolas's well placed hits glanced down at his second in command who was writhing on the floor with what was assuredly a badly broken nose. "If you are done now my Prince, His Majesty requires your presence."

Even after all of that, the soldier's voice was coldly level and not a spark of free will lit his eyes. "Rise." He barked the command and Legolas had no choice but to try and obey. He was desperately gasping in pain, hardly able to draw a breath, and he knew he could not continue to fight in the state he was in. Further damage to his chest would almost definitely cause the rib to puncture his lung and then he would have bought Elrond and his sons very little time indeed.

Painfully he struggled to stand, attempting to lever himself up with the wall behind him without jarring himself too badly and with only minimal use of his right arm. Twice he had to stop and fight off threatened unconsciousness but none of the remaining four guards still standing without help showed any sign of wishing to aid him.

Finally he made it to his feet and stood swaying heavily without its support. Distantly he realized he was proud of himself for keeping whimpers of pain from escaping his lips.

"Come." He was commanded, but with the first step he knew he was not going to make it. A dark pit of blackness loomed in his vision and he fought down a moan of agony at the pain the movement caused. Abruptly he found himself coughing and he was dismayed to see bright spots of blood on his hand when the fit had subsided. He solemnly prayed to Elbereth that his healing was still functional on wounds caused by things other than his father's ring as he lost the battle for consciousness. A small moan slipped from him that he could not hold back, and he felt himself begin to fall, and then he knew no more.

Elvish:

Adar -- Father

Peredhel -- half-elf

Since some of the issues with formatting seemed to have been worked out within fanfiction . net, I'm giving this website one more try. -;- If my paragraphing disappears this time…I'm afraid I'm going to have to hurt someone. :P This fic is also updated on Adultfanficion . net under the profile of "shiryuu" and will be up on my webpage (www . artisticentropy . com ) along with the first five chapters of the sequel, probably within the week.