Hey all- the muse has been jabbering away, aside from being sick. . . bleh. The story is almost over- I think the next chapter might be the last. If any of you want either of the two back-stories, (Fal's execution or Oropher's AU jerkiness to Legolas,) really badly, let me know, otherwise, I'll be moving on to the next story in the series. Also, I'm trying a new scene separator, instead of BROUHAHA. As it was pointed out, that kind of ruins the moment when someone's about to die. Anyway, I hope it works, and please forgive me if it doesn't.
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Mar found the captive elf sleeping with his arm extended past the bars of the cage. He smiled to himself in sadistic pleasure and stepped on the elf's wrist.
Fal, to his credit, winced but did not cry out. His eyes shifted their focus, a signal to the human that he had awoken. "Hungry?"
"Hardly."
Mar shook his head. "Tsk, tsk. Lying is unbecoming of an elf, especially one so regarded as a hero."
"You will die before this is over, Mar. You will never touch my brother again, and you will be a nameless casualty of the war to come."
"Aw, how cute," Mar smiled. "Are you threatening to get your homeland involved in a war over this? Oh, wait, that's right. You can't. You don't have a homeland!"
"You've no idea what your fate is to be. No agent of Darkness shall ever escape the Light."
"Perhaps not, elf. But I shall see your death before the Light ever catches me." He ground the heel of his boot into the elf's wrist before stalking away.
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'So,'Aragorn thought to himself, 'this is what it feels like, knowing you're going to die. I had thought it would have been more peaceful.' It was his last thought before unconsciousness claimed him.
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Legolas gasped, clutching at his throat. He almost passed out.
"I knew ye were still poisoned! Stupid elf!" Nevertheless, he ran to the elf's side.
Legolas fell to the forest floor, on hand holding him on his knees, the other massaging his aching neck. "No," he panted. "I'm not poisoned. It's Strider. He's in trouble. We need to find him."
"How do ye know that?"
"Don't ask," Legolas replied, pushing himself to his feet. Nifren nodded and started walking.
"No," Legolas stated firmly. "Not that way." He nodded his head to the left. "That way."
Nifren followed the elf, shaking his head. "One day, Legless, I will discover yer secrets."
Legolas smiled despite himself. "That is doubtful, Nifren. An elf's secrets are too many for one man. Too many and too painful."
"A human's memories are not all sunshine and glory, ye know."
"I know." He thought of his adventures with Aragorn, the knowledge the young man held about the future, the responsibility he had before him. "Yes, I know. But you have just 100 years of them. To an elf, 100 years is just a second thought."
Legolas stopped talking when he heard moans and cries. The trees were talking to him, urging him on, telling him he was so close to his friend, but not close enough. 'Hurry, hurry. He needs you! On swift feet, Child of the Stars,' they beckoned him. The more frantic their cries became, the faster he moved, until he broke into a dead run.
'No, not that way. Turn there. Hurry!'
He followed their directions unquestioningly; he wasn't even looking where he was going. He finally ran out of places to run, the river just in front of him. He looked around frantically, Nifren catching up, panting heavily.
"Where?" The elf shouted, confusing Nifren. "Where is he? I don't see him!" His heart was racing in desperation. He knew that in just a few moments, it would be too late. "Where is he?"
'There, just there,' the trees bowed their great trunks, as if pointing across the river. Legolas' eyes followed their boughs, finally landing on Aragorn. He dove into the water and swam. Nifren sighed, still not seeing his friend, and followed the elf.
Legolas pulled himself out of the water without a second thought, racing to his bound friend. It only took the elf a second to understand what was happening. He grabbed at the leather, but almost screamed at the agony in his hands. "Nifren! Help!" Nifren complied, but the leather was so tight, the man could not get his fingers under it. He finally pulled out his knife.
Only seconds later, the leather dropped to the ground, partially covered in blood.
"Is he still breathing?" Nifren asked.
"Yes," Legolas replied, vaguely wandering if his body would hyperventilate to make up for the lack of oxygen.
After a few moments, Aragorn's eyes fluttered open. "Legolas! You're. . . you're okay. . ."
"Shh," Legolas said. "Concentrate on breathing deeply. Don't breathe too quickly."
Aragorn did as he was told, his hand reaching for Legolas', which was held over the superficial wound. It came away bloody. "What did. . . you do to. . . me?"
Legolas smiled. "Nifren did it."
Nifren feigned shock. "The elf told me to!"
Both Nifren and Legolas laughed. Aragorn chuckled, but coughed violently. All three sobered immediately.
"Are you all right, mellonamin?"
"I am," he answered, "I really thought that it was over."
Legolas leaned towards the ranger so that Nifren could not hear him. "You will never die prematurely so long as I walk in Middle-Earth."
Aragorn smiled. "Hannon le," he whispered. "How did you find me?"
Legolas sighed. How could he explain it? He followed his friend's pain? It didn't make sense even to him. "The trees spoke of your predicament."
Nifren coughed. "There's still the other elf to rescue."
Mithfalas! Legolas stood, helping Aragorn up. "Strider, why aren't you with them?"
"They didn't need me. She doesn't want me. Just you and Fal. And I wouldn't tell Mar where you were."
"You could have lied, you know."
Aragorn smiled. "Yes, but where would the fun have been in that?"
Legolas chuckled, gently pushing his friend as the three started towards the southeast.
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Mithfalas cursed as he saw the wall of the city come into view. Surely, being elven, he was the only one to see it, which meant they were still a day's ride away, maybe a day and a half, if he was lucky. He had been in this accursed cage for a few days now—for far too long. He was near starving. He prayed that his brother was still alive. He prayed that he could let go of his ties on this earth before they reached the woman's city.
He would give anything to see Legolas again—just not under these circumstances. "Go home, little Brother. Go home and be safe."
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"Legolas, please, I know you are desperate to get to Fal, but Nifren and I cannot go any further. We need rest." Even the small traces of elf in Aragorn were worn out. He was tired.
Legolas was resting on the balls of feet, ready to keep going, by himself if he must.
"Legolas, please."
He knew that if he asked Aragorn of it, the human would follow him. Could he do that to his friend? Every second they delayed was another second farther from Mithfalas.
"All right, but we leave at first light."
Nifren had already fallen to the ground, nearly asleep the second his head landed. Aragorn smiled softly at Legolas.
"He'll be fine, Legolas. We're moving faster than they possibly can, and we haven't rested for a couple of days. We'll catch up to them."
Legolas nodded, but said nothing. He sat against a tree, but sleep never claimed him. By dawn, he was waking the others.
"We should reach the city by nightfall, if we hasten," He said to a rather grumpy pair of humans. "If we reach it long after they do, it will be too late for him."
"I know," Aragorn said, stifling a yawn. "I just needed about another hour of sleep. It's okay, let's go."
Nifren decided wisely not to say anything. Finally, he spoke of Mar and his band of traitors. "Ye know that they will continue to the next city until they succeed in winning one over. After that, it's easy for them to win more."
"I know," Aragorn answered. "If we can dispose of their leader, Mar, then perhaps they will give up." He stopped talking when he noticed Legolas' attention drawn to something elf. The elf started running.
"Legolas? What is it? Where are you going?"
"I see them, Strider. They are resting."
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By sunset, the three pursuers were hiding in the trees above the camp. Legolas was searching for Mithfalas while listening to various conversations.
"We should have made it to the city by now," one man said.
"Aye, 'tis true, but we pushed the horses too hard. They couldn't go on."
He moved to the next conversation.
"I can't wait until we reach the city. Find a beautiful maiden to bed. Well, she doesn't even have to beautiful at this point!"
Disgusted, Legolas trained his ear in another direction.
"Those stupid elves have caused us too much turmoil. We should just kill this one."
Legolas froze.
"True, I do agree," another replied, "but she would certainly have our heads. Her wrath is not something I wish to incur."
"It would almost be worth it. Come on, it's our turn to watch the blasted creature." The two men stood and walked towards the opposite side of the camp. They relieved two other guards who sat in front of a cloth covered box.
Legolas caught Aragorn's eyes and pointed. The man nodded, informing Nifren as well.
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The three companions moved as silently as possible through the sleeping camp. Aragorn and Nifren instantly killed the two guards as they snuck up behind them. Legolas pulled the cover from the box.
No, he corrected himself, it was a cage. Mithfalas cringed as the firelight flooded his vision, then gripped the bars as soon as he saw who stood before him.
"You are the stupidest elf to ever walk Middle-Earth!"
"Sh, Fal. We're here to rescue you."
Mithfalas shot a glance at Aragorn. "That didn't turn out so well last time," he whispered. "How did you. . .?"
Aragorn, rubbing his neck, nodded towards Legolas. Mithfalas rolled his eyes. "Of course."
"Where are the keys, Fal?"
"Mar has them."
Nifren groaned. "Of course he does. They always do. And ye know what else? They are ALWAYS light sleepers."
The three rescuers glanced at each other. "I'll do it," Legolas said in hushed tones. "I'm the quietest of us." He crept away.
"Strider, you shouldn't have brought him here."
"I didn't have much of a choice, Fal. He brought us here, not the other way around. You know him. You try telling him no."
Legolas came back empty-handed. Aragorn raised an eyebrow. "The key?"
The elf prince stared solidly at the ground, trying to form an answer, but no sound was made. A moment passed before Mithfalas understood.
"He can't get them, Strider. They are tied to Mar's belt."
Aragorn was confused, but he followed Legolas' gaze to his hands. "Oh, mellon nin, I am sorry. I will get the key. Stay with Fal."
The elder elf reached through the bars of his cage. "Show me your hands, Las."
Legolas obeyed, wincing when his brother prodded his wounds. Nifren looked at the caged elf with apprehensive eyes. He may not have liked Legolas, but he still felt badly for him. MIthfalas shook his head, a motion that went unnoticed by Legolas.
Aragorn came back, a triumphant smile on his face. "I got them," he whispered. "Which one is it, Fal?"
"Third from the left, Ranger."
Aragorn nearly dropped the keys as Mar's voice answered him.
"Oh, come now. The four of you really do take me for stupid, don't you? When will you learn? All so predictable."
Legolas gently pulled the ring of keys from Aragorn's fingers. "Here Fal, can you do it yourself?"
Mar had snapped and the entire camp came to attention. "Kill the humans, contain the elf."
The guards grabbed Legolas, who fought in vain due to his hands. Aragorn and Nifren pulled out their swords, even knowing it was useless. Mithfalas waited until attention was everywhere but on him, he sprang from his cage, grabbed Legolas' knives, and whistled. The surrounding forest erupted with yells and cries, men in grey forming seemingly out of the trees.
Less than an hour later, nearly all of Mar's men lay dead, while the leader himself and Mithfalas were tangled in a deadly battle with each other. Nifren was leaning against a tree, his shoulder bleeding profusely. Aragorn pulled his sword from the gut of an enemy guard, his eyes searching for Legolas. He found the blonde elf kicking and screaming against another guard that was trying to slip unnoticed into the trees. Aragorn was stopped short from rushing at him when the guard realized what was happening. He pulled a knife from his belt and pressed it to Legolas' throat. "Come any closer, and so help me, I will slit his throat!"
"You're not allowed!" Aragorn countered, still moving forward.
"No, but it does not mean I am incapable."
"You're bluffing."
"By all means, keep coming closer, and find out."
Aragorn stopped. "The Lady would have your head."
"She wouldn't. She ultimately wants him-" he jerked at Legolas, "-dead, so I wouldn't really be in all that much hot water."
"Kill him if you need!" Mar shouted, blocking a blow from Mithfalas. The elf screamed in rage, lunging with another attack.
The guard smiled. "See?"
Other, uninjured rangers were moving closer, ever so slightly, backing Aragorn in his rescue attempt.
Aragorn moved another step, his eyes locked with Legolas'. The guard pressed the knife harder, drawing a thin line of blood from the elf's neck. Legolas cursed his helplessness.
Aragorn stopped moving.
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Whoo-hoo! One more chapter to go, lots of answers in the next chapter. A summary of the next story will appear at the end of the next chapter. Jeez, this was a long chapter for me, too. I'm so proud. . . anyway, to my reviewers:
Deana: I'm so proud of myself—this wait wasn't nearly as long as the last one! Gr, is really bugging me lately. Hope this chapter held your interest!
Linda Hoyland: Thank you! I hope you liked this chapter as well.
Rae132: Lol, yes, as we can see, Fal was terribly wrong. Legolas has such a knack for getting himself in trouble. Haha, I loved that review, had me laughing.
Das Blume: Lol, I cannot wait for the old and senile days. I've been doing a lot of things, work, sports, getting ready for school. . . and then, of course, there are times when the muse refuses to talk. This is the first story I've updated before it was finished, so my updates have been terribly timed. Haha, I tried something different from BROUHAHA, since you did have quite a point. It just didn't work. At the time, it was the only think I could think of. Hope you liked this chapter. . . I feel kind of iffy about it.
F h c: I'm extremely interested in who Nifren reminds ye. . . er, you of, lol. He wasn't supposed to make it this far in the story. I planned on his death a long time ago, but he kept protesting, and, sigh, he's still here. I guess I have to keep him.
Faerlain: Lol, so you don't want me to kill the evil, good looking guys? Just the ugly ones? Lol. No, Aragorn has a destiny to fulfill, Legolas has to help him fulfill it, and Mithfalas. . . well, he's major part has been played, so I don't really need him anymore. We'll see what happens to him. ::evil grin:: I like this name too, very nice!
ClaMiAl: Thank you so much for your review! It went in my "favorite reviews" folder. I am grateful for the encouragement!
Jazi: ! You're back! Yeah, camp was LONG for me when I worked there. . . it NEVER ended, lol. I love how Dae pops in, and Miffy just walks in, all casual like, lol. No wonder they don't get along! (And yet they do. . . weird elves!) HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!! (A little late, lol!) Uhm, honey, I'm sorry, but you can't kill Mithfalas, I still need him for another chapter. Then he's all yours. I don't think I'll need him after that. But don't quote me on that! WELCOME BACK!