shadowfaxgal7; LOL! You poor thing! I didn't mean to give you a second heart attack, just the one... Yay! I wanted to experiment with some twin angst; of course, me doing that to Dan and Ro doesn't mean Aragorn and Legolas are going to get it any easier... =)
galadriel evenstar; lol! Yeah, I guess the guys need some good ol' fashioned TLC right about now... they definitely will later!
Deana; Yeah I know! =) MWUHAHAHAHAHAHA!!! Just so you know, I've changed the time span it takes to get from Mirkwood to Rivendell (and vice versa) because I found out that it takes just 5 days to get from Osgiliath to Rivendell... yeah...
Astievia; Oh, the usual... =) Yeah, I know ALL about Elladan and Elrohir, so I know about the whole Paths of the Dead scene... in fact, I know so much they've taken to calling me the Fanfiction Stalker... lol!
CSI3; Ah... I believe you're in luck there... =)
eruve tinwen; LOL!!! Wow I had no idea... hands over false set of titanium nails That should do you; no amount of biting will break 'em!!! ;-)
Anarya; Thanks! Ah, the wording... well, I couldn't really think of any other way. Sorry it sounded like a documentary, I'll try harder next time... ;-) Ah, so far you're the only person who caught that; the shouting I mean... very observational mellon nin, I like! =)
leggylover03; LOL! I can imagine that...
ELROND: Elladan! What happened to you?!
DAN: Ah, just a broken ankle, poisoned, not long to live, you know; the usual...
ELROND: Oh right. Where are your brothers and Legolas?
DAN: Ah, slight problem on the "others" front... I don't know.
ELROND: You don't know?!
DAN: Yes. I believe this is the part where I say "they're goners"... yeah...
Lol!!! =D
Stephanie-Lou; Yup! Jeez those guys never get a break, do they?! =) Oh, I don't know about not killing them... you'll have to wait and see... =)
Terreis; I don't understand it either... but I guess so many villains are created against those two on here that some of them must escape into reality... lol! Thanks! Yup, Hal is on the way!!! =)
HAL: Thank you, thank you!!! takes a bow
Ok now you, back in your box... thanks for reviewing Terreis!
Stoneage Woman; Thanks! grins ala. The Cheshire Cat =D Covri? That was a cross between a 'cobra' and a 'viper'. Yup. You really want to? blushes Yeah, go ahead!!! =) Ooh I'm thrilled!!! =) Can't wait to see it!!!
Mellaithwen; =) Thanks Amy. Eeew... snakes... shudders Eeew... SHOUTING IS GOOD FOR YOU!!! Lol! ;-) Chat to you soon, yeah?
Lexial147; I don't know why either, lol! =) Yup, this time it's Dan's turn!!! =) Good good, tell me ASAP!
Lainfaer; Lol! looks sorry Sorry about thumping you... natural reaction... =) JOKE!!! He he he, this one is DEFINITELY angsty...
Estel; LOL! Chemistry teacher?! oO LET'S KEEP ALL SCHOOL-RELATED THINGS OUT OF REVIEWS, YEAH?!?! I hate it enough as it is... Oh yeah, could you please pwetty pweese write the first part of Twilight's next chapter?! I'M STUCK!!! Yeah, Hannah told me! =) Just so you know, NONE of that is made up... it's ALL real... dear god, I'm mental!
Celebrean; Ok, thanks for understanding! phew! =) Thanks for reviewing too!
Dha-Gal; MWUHAHAHAHA!!! Elladan is going to- stops self Actually, no. I'm not going to tell you if he lives or not... =) LOL! FORCE FEED HIM SKITTLES!!! Go on, you know you want to... oh yeah; UPDATE YOUR STORY NOW!!! In the politest possible way of course...
Now that that's done...
I HAVE CHANGED SOME THINGS IN THE LAST CHAPTER!!! I CAUGHT SOME SPELLING MISTAKES AND ALSO, I'VE NOW CHANGED THE LENGTH OF TIME THAT IT'LL TAKE HAL TO GET TO RIVENDELL. Thank you. Now it'll only take him two days.
I feel I must warn you though... due to the fact that my story, Orcs!, never made the semi-finalists list at the Mithril Awards starts crying I've decided to take it out on Legolas and Estel... this means that THERE WILL BE ELF AND RANGER TORTURE IN THIS CHAPTER!!! =) (Even though technically Estel's not a Ranger yet...)
.: Chapter Four :.
Legolas stumbled as some small pebbles shifted suddenly under his feet; fortunately he was able to regain his balance. Shardûg yanked the ropes, determined to crush the Elf's pride, and Legolas crashed to the ground.
As he was wrenched back to his feet, the young Prince glared at the beast. His wrists were now red and sore from the rough rope's chafing, but it was bearable... just.
"Keep moving wretch," sneered the Orc. He had now found that carrying Elrohir over his shoulder was too hard and had now taken to dragging the still unconscious Elf along the ground by a chain shackled to his ankle.
Legolas winced as his friend was heaved over the rough terrain; the arrow was still sticking out of both sides of Elrohir's shoulder and no doubt causing a tremendous amount of pain.
Ahead of them stomped Garvorg, the unmoving form of Estel still draped over his burly shoulder. He scowled, scanning the area for any Elves that could possibly interfere. They needed a nice... quiet, spot if he was to interrogate these three.
A pained groan from the boy he was holding suddenly alerted him. It caught Legolas' attention too.
Estel's eyes fluttered opened and the first thing he saw was the ground moving in front of him. Then he felt the arm around his waist. His hands were tied together as well. All of a sudden, everything came back to him.
"Dan!" he whispered, his head snapping up. Suddenly he was unceremoniously dropped to the ground. He swallowed back a cry as a rock drove into his stomach, knocking all the wind from him.
"We'll camp 'ere tonight," Garvorg told Shardûg. "Tie 'em up..."
-=-=-=-
Elladan's head swam. Consciousness had returned to him just moments ago, but already he was wishing that he was back there. His insides rolled over.
He shivered but felt hot at the same time. With blurred vision, he stared feverishly up to the sky. The stars were beginning to come out. That could mean that he had only around six hours left; six hours in which someone had to find him and cure him.
The Elf had already lost all hope of that and resigned himself to his miserable fate. Nobody would find him... not now...
-=-=-=-
Hallataulë couldn't help but shiver as the same spine tingling feeling coursed through him again. He looked out over the land as he began to descend over the Misty Mountains. After travelling for about four hours he was now crossing over a very low peak. The heir to Mirkwood's throne had so far had an undisturbed journey, save only the discomforting feelings he kept getting.
A short way away, Hallataulë could see the forests around Imladris, spreading out over the land like a great green carpet...
-=-=-=-
Legolas pulled away from the Orc as he was tied to the tree. This just succeeded in getting his bonds tied even tighter. Garvorg emerged from around the other side to glare at the blonde Elf. "Stop your stugglin'!" he rasped. Legolas ignored him, twisting his hands in a vain attempt to escape.
A sharp sting erupted on the Elf Prince's cheek as Garvorg's hand connected with it. "I said stop." he said slowly, as though Legolas was stupid and couldn't understand. There was a tone in his voice though, something that hinted that inside, Garvorg was not all there... insanity was a hard thing to pin on a person at times. "Now shut up and quit squirmin'!"
Estel glanced over at Elrohir. The older Elf was being tied to another tree, still unconscious. He couldn't help the deep pang of worry that pierced his heart.
Shardûg gazed deeply into Estel's eyes. The boy continued to be rebellious, staring back equally as coldly. The Orc almost smiled; a bare hint of a smile, with just the corner of his mouth curling up.
"You're a strong one, yes..." he whispered darkly. "I can see it in your eyes. But I can smell fear human, and right now," At this point he smirked disdainfully. "You reek of it."
-=-=-=-
Elrohir knew when he was poisoned. After all, it had happened enough times before. Now he sat, having woken up a few minutes ago, leaning against the tree he was tied to, feeling sick to his stomach and trying not to panic. He wasn't worried for himself; instead he was in despair over his brother. Elladan was probably critical at this point, and nobody was there to help him.
Suddenly he found himself staring at the foul feet of Garvorg. The Orc was wearing steel-capped boots and leather gloves with curled metal spikes sticking out of the knuckles.
"Havin' fun?" questioned the Orc with a dark hint of amusement in his voice. Garvorg knew that this particular Rivendell Elf was strong and proud; if the Elf wasn't enjoying himself, he certainly was.
Elrohir simply stared back up at him. He wouldn't give in that easily.
All of a sudden, Garvorg leaned forward and grasped the shaft of the arrow. With brute force, he ripped it out of Elrohir's shoulder.
The Elf bit his lip hard, forcing himself not to give in. His eyes squeezed shut. When they reopened, Elrohir's grey eyes were hazy, another effect of the poison. The Orcs knew that he would probably be their biggest challenge; that was why he was targeted with the arrow.
Yet he still remained defiant.
"Amin delotha lle," he hissed, his speech slurred. Legolas and Estel could only look on anxiously as the Orc captain stared coldly into Elrohir's eyes.
"Is tha' so?" he growled in a low tone. "Well if tha's the case..."
He turned on his heel, walking slowly and purposefully away from the raven haired Elf. He was headed for a black leathery pack lying on the floor.
Estel craned his neck to see what the Orc was doing. If he hurt Elrohir... the boy clenched his fists and glared as he thought of the possibilities. Whatever way, that Orc scum would be sorry.
Garvorg pulled something from the pack. A dark coloured handle, carved from the bone of the previous Orc Captain (before Garvorg had killed him) rested in his hand, long thin leather straps attached to it. At the ends, small metal barbs were twisted into them, poking out and glinting in the failing moonlight.
Garvorg eyed the impudent Elf, wondering if this was what he wanted to do.
This wasn't a sudden bout of conscience. This was Garvorg's calculating mind pondering on what would hurt Elrohir more; whip and torture the Elf who had been insolent, or...
His mouth cracked into a toothy grin. Yes...
Instead of striding back to Elrohir as the three had expected him to do, Garvorg approached Estel and Legolas.
"These two will pay for your loose tongue!" he told Elrohir spitefully.
Shardûg laughed; a high-pitched cackling snigger that cut through the air and hurt the Elves' and human's ears. Grabbing Elrohir's hair in his hand, he forced the Elf to watch as Legolas and Estel struggled against Garvorg.
Elrohir watched in complete horror as the mighty whip was brought up over the Orc's head. As it swished down, he shut his eyes. He could already hear the two younger ones' screams. He didn't want to have to see it as well.
The barbs cut into their skin and ripped their clothes. A fist would occasionally slam into Legolas, or a metal-capped foot into Estel. Either way it hurt. The whip kissed skin again and left a long bloody slash in its wake.
Estel could taste blood in his mouth. He felt nothing but the pain that now surrounded him; had there been any other feeling before this? He could not be sure, but anything had to be better than this.
Legolas felt hot liquid trickling down his forehead, and his arms and his back, and everywhere else. A swift kick caught him in the stomach and all the air was ripped from him. More blows rained down on him, and suddenly the young Elf wanted to let go of everything he knew.
Garvorg's eyes lit up, blood staining his filthy hands. It seemed that every scream gave him more strength, causing him to hurt the pair more. Therefore they screamed more. It was a vicious cycle that would only end with either Garvorg relenting or Legolas and Estel giving up.
Elrohir was praying that the latter situation wouldn't happen, but the dark shadow of doubt was tugging at his heart. Surely they couldn't hold on like this for much longer?
Crack after crack cut through the early evening air as the whip rained in harsh unforgiving blows on the two friends. Even Shardûg stood in transfixed awe as Garvorg beat the Elf and the boy. He had never seen such a beating on anyone; not even another Orc. It suddenly dawned on him just how terrified he was of his Captain.
Garvorg, his thick heavy arms finally drained slightly of their energy, looked down triumphantly at the two bloody beaten figures lying still at his feet. With a smirk, he grabbed Legolas and Estel by what remained of their shirts and threw them down in front of Elrohir.
Elrohir looked in absolute shock at his little brother and his friend. Deep gashes and lacerations ran over both of them and dark purple bruises were already forming on pale skin. What partly amazed him and partly terrified him was that Legolas and Estel were still conscious, but both seemed very far off, glazed looks in their eyes, caught up in deep places in their minds.
Perhaps it was better that way.
Garvorg stood over the two and looked pointedly at Elrohir.
"Don't disobey me..."
Ouch... even I felt sorry for them there... MEMO TO SELF: When typing torture scenes, don't let the Benny Hill theme music play as you do... it really puts you off!!!