Chapter 4
Days 11-20

"You are sure that that is where they are?" demanded Glorfindel.

The Man nodded. "They were living in that town up until a week or so ago. It was known that they were looking for elves. If you say that they caught some, then they would stay there no longer."

Haldir frowned. "And how would you know where they are now?"

The Man smiled sadly. "I was one of them. Until I found out that they truly served the Dark Lord, I was one of them. When I found out, I left as quickly as I could…not all Men are bad. You must understand that."

"Just weak," said Glorfindel. "Men are not bad, just weak."

"We cannot help the way we are made. We cannot help that we are not as perfect as elves."

Glorfindel could definitely hear some irony in the Man's voice. "If they are not there, we will hunt you down and kill you."

"Well," said the Man, "so much for the stories that elves are good and noble creatures."

"Sometimes such things must be sacrificed when more important things are on the line," said Haldir.

Four days later…

Glorfindel charged down the passageway. It was devoid of all Men, but Glorfindel knew that they had to be in here somewhere. Haldir was only a few steps behind him. They were both ready to take whatever action was necessary to ensure that the elves they loved were freed from the prisons that these Men had constructed for them.

It was Glorfindel that found the Man first. As Glorfindel stepped into the room, the big man with the bushy red beard said, "Hold it right there…"

"I don't care what your excuses are, Man, but you hold two elves prisoner here, two elves that are dear to me. You will let them go, right now, or you will face my wrath, and you will face Haldir's wrath as well."

The Man laughed. "You're too late, Elf."

Glorfindel's heart contracted. Had they been killed? If they had, Glorfindel vowed to kill this Man and all the other Men around here as quickly as he could. "What happened to them, Man?"

"They're gone."

"Are they dead?" asked Haldir. His rage was growing very quickly. Soon, he wouldn't be able to contain it anymore. And he feared for the lives of these Men if that rage were to break loose.

"No," said the Man. "One of them was close to it, but they were both alive when they left here."

Glorfindel was getting impatient. "So where are they?"

"We sold them."

"Sold them? You sold two of the Firstborn?" Haldir was disgusted. "And who, pray tell, did you sell them to? Orcs? Sauron himself?" Neither answer would have surprised him all that much.

"No, to another Man."

"Which Man would that be?"

"Aragorn. He's a Ranger."

The name rang a bell in Glorfindel's head. It took him a few moments to realize the connection, and when he did, he was sickened by what he remembered. "Where was Aragorn taking them?"

"I do not know. He and I do not talk much."

Glorfindel nodded. He gestured to Haldir, who raised his bow and shot an arrow into the Man's right eye.

Three days later…

"Glorfindel, there is no way that we're ever going to be able to find a Ranger. Not unless he wants to be found!"

Glorfindel sighed. "Would you rather forget about Erestor and Elrond? Would you rather leave them to suffer whatever fate that Aragorn has in store for them? And you heard that other Man. One of them was dying."

"All I'm saying, Glorfindel, is that our chances of finding Aragorn are slim to none."

"Not all that slim," said a voice from behind them.

Glorfindel and Haldir turned, their swords raised. They saw a Man, lean and fit with a hungry look in his gray-blue eyes. He was clad in simple clothes. He looked like a Ranger. "And who might you be?" asked Glorfindel. He was not in the mood to put up with anything from anyone, especially not a Man.

"Well, I might be this Aragorn that you two are talking about."

"Where are they?" demanded Haldir.

"I don't know," said the Man. "As I am not actually Aragorn."

Haldir raised his bow again. "Then we have no purpose for you. There is no need for us to keep you alive."

"I have friends all around you, Elf. No sooner would you fire that arrow than you would be killed yourself. So I recommend that you lower that bow and we can talk like civilized beings."

"Man is not a civilized being if he can capture another race and sell them," snarled Glorfindel.

"Do you wish for my aid or not?" asked the Ranger.

"Your aid in what?"

"I know where Aragorn lives this time of year. I could take you to him. Maybe those elves are still with him."

Glorfindel sighed. He did not much like the idea of working with a Man. He had very much come to dislike them. But he really couldn't see another way out of this situation. Either he was to agree now or if this Man really did have friends all around here (something not entirely implausible), he would be dead soon. And if he were dead, he could not help Erestor. And Erestor was very important to him. "Very well, Ranger. Lead us to Aragorn."

The Ranger nodded and walked ahead. "It shall take a few days to reach him. If we walk fast, it will take less."

"Then we shall walk fast."

Two days later…

Glorfindel had to admit that the Ranger knew what he was doing. Not once had the Ranger ever stopped to consider where he was going. It seemed like the Ranger knew this Aragorn very well. That just made Glorfindel hate the Ranger more.

"Are we almost there?" he demanded. Every day that passed was one more day that Elrond and Erestor could be mistreated.

"As soon as we break through this patch of woods, you will be able to see Aragorn's home," replied the Ranger.

Once they could see the building, Glorfindel resisted the urge to run to it. He would not do so, though, because that could be dangerous. The Ranger left them, and the two walked down to the hut.

Aragorn was outside, working in a small garden. "Where are they?" asked Glorfindel, drawing his sword.

Aragorn stood up, his hand reaching for his own sword. "Elves. I should have known."

"Where are they?" repeated Glorfindel.

"They left two days ago."

Glorfindel sighed. Everywhere they went, Elrond and Erestor had passed by just a couple of days before. It was maddening. "How were they? Were they both alive?"

"They were both alive. They were in adequate health."

"And where are they now?" demanded Haldir.

"I sold them."

"What is it with Man, that you believe that you can sell anything and everything?" shouted Glorfindel. "To whom did you sell them?"

Aragorn smiled, a crooked smile. "There was a passing slaver caravan. I got a good price."

Haldir was almost lost for words. "You sold Elrond and Erestor…into slavery?"

"Yes."

Author's Note: So, what exactly should i force Elrond and Erestor to do now that they're slaves? Open to all suggestions.