I'm back, and the computer ban is lifted yay!
Once again, thank you for the lovely reviews.
Lorella: Heh…Evil am I? And proud of it!
Lyn: Thank you! Heh, I've since amended that chapter. The horse in now moving much slower and Legolas is only bound by his wrists. (If the horse is only trotting, that shouldn't kill him, should it) He's only having to run/walk behind the horse. I don't want to cause him permanent injury! Or death…
Heh. Thank you very much!
As for the whole lose/loose problem, tis a mistake I constantly make…and I think you pointed that out to me before. Gah! Stupid spelling!
Thank you!
MCross: You can't rescue my Thranduil! Or Legolas
And for some reason everyone thinks this will go wrong, and I'm not saying it will, but I can't help but think you are going to be surprised!
Chapter 6
The small cell was dark, no light crept beneath the door, nor was there a window. Legolas guessed that he was underground, something that he wasn't happy about. Not only was it dark, it was too small. The Prince could not have even stretched out fully if he had chosen to lie down. Not that he would have chosen to do so. The floor was damp, and mildew dwelt on the ceiling and walls. It was not a pleasant cell. He watched a rat scuttle across the floor to a skeleton. It climbed up the bones and into the old occupant's skull. Legolas grimaced how long shall it be before rats are nesting in my skull? It should not be long; I am not expecting to have chance of escape, I would easily get lost. And chance of rescue seems bleak. No one knows I am here. And Estel will be recognised. Adar…he will not even care… He glanced towards the door, his heart told him otherwise. He knew his Father cared; he knew the King was probably worrying for him now. But his pride would not allow him to accept that theory. Yet, all he wanted now was for his Father to wrap his strong arms around him and tell him that everything would be fine,
But had his Father appeared, he surely would have turned him away, however unwillingly. Somewhere a niggling doubt still remained, screaming at him words the Prince never wanted to hear He doesn't love you. He never even wanted you! He's happy without you…
Legolas shook his head to dispel the doubt, but it didn't work. It remained, as bad as ever, he pulled his knees to his chest and placed his head in his hands, hiding the tears that threatened to spill from his silver eyes. After all, it would not do to show tears in front of these men. The humiliation would only treble. Sighing deeply and blinking back the tears, replacing them with a mask of indifference.
Not long after he drifted into the elven state of dreaming.
That next morning Legolas was woken by a sensation of drowning, water invaded his mouth and nose, soaking his hair and plastering it to his head. He leapt to his feet cursing when he realised that Sannyn had simply tossed a bucket of water over him. But as he gained his feet two of the men grabbed Legolas' arms and forced him against the wall, Sannyn walked forward and slapped Legolas across the face the two men then turned Legolas around so his face was pressed against the wall and bound his hands roughly behind him, caring not that the ropes almost cut of the blood supply to his hands, then they pushed the Elf Prince in front of them and led him down the corridor, into another much bigger room. Legolas eyes widened as he entered the room, more skeletons hung from shackles on the wall, along side many other torture devices. Legolas was taken to the centre of the room where he was pushed to a kneeling position, his ankles were fastened into shackles on the ground, and then he was pushed down and his wrists fastened into further shackles, a large iron collar was placed around his neck and that too was fastened to the ground, it took longer than necessary, for Legolas was not one to easily be shackled, it took five me to finally restrain him, then they left him, taking the torches with them leaving the elf in darkness. For a few moments he tried to break his bonds, but it was fruitless. The bonds were strong, and they kept the Prince restrained on his hands and knees. He could hardly move his head, the chain restricting his movement. So he could not see who walked into the room, when the door swung open. But he could tell that four men had entered the room, and one whose step was lighter who he figured to be the Lady.
"So" he heard her say "Strider, is this one of the elves who burnt your farm"
Legolas tensed as Sannyn grasped his hair and wrenched his head up, tightening the collar, making it harder for the elf to breathe; he stared into the blue eyes of the man who stood there, Estel…
Estel stared at Legolas in shock, seeing the elf brought so low angered him, He should not be treated such!
The Lady however had his anger mistaken however "It is…" she said softly "Do not worry, he shall be punished"
Estel tried not to pale; he locked eyes with Legolas for a moment longer then watched as Sannyn released his hair, instead taking hold of a long leather whip. He smiled cruelly as he raised it in the air and brought it down on Legolas back, with a sharp crack, Legolas, however had braced himself for the pain and did not cry out. He had grown used to this kind of pain. He was glad they could not look into his eyes, for that would reveal his true pain. He counted the number of lashes inwardly, until he lost count.
Estel could only watch the brutal torture his friend was being subjected to, Sannyn was a master at causing the most pain to his hapless victims, the mortal knew he would never be able to endure such agony without screaming, and to see the elf able to suffer these tortures without crying out made Estel wonder how many such beatings Legolas had endured. Watching this he felt tears threaten to spill from his eyes, and they did…
"Why do you cry?" a soft voice whispered to him
"My family are dead…I loved them so…" he replied, thinking swiftly, before the Lady could suspect his compassion for Legolas.
"Come…" she whispered leading him away "I shall make you feel better" he glanced behind him once more before the door slammed shut, and met Sannyn's eyes. At once he recognised the jealousy written on the man's face. The jealousy and the anger, it lasted for only a moment longer before Sannyn turned, once more directing his anger on Legolas, whose clothes already hung in tatters from him, and copious amounts of blood already ran from his back.
Legolas winced as the whip fell again on his back; the whipping had suddenly become harsher, and he was thankfully becoming more and more light-headed, meaning that soon he would be likely to black out. A prospect which he did not dread…
That blackness was creeping closer with every passing second. Legolas could see black spots in his gaze and the loss of blood made him feel weaker; a moment later he had collapsed on the hard floor of the cell.
Estel followed the Lady up several flights of steps, staring at her back, imagining daggers protruding from it, before suspecting that she could read minds and kept such thoughts to his himself. They finally arrived on a low balcony overlooking the Grey Mountains, she turned to him and smiled framed by sunlight, "It is my favourite place this balcony, and you are surely the most beautiful man I ever met" she whispered stepping to him and caressing his cheek softly with the back of her hand.
Estel froze, "My Lady…w...What are you…?" he stammered
"Hush, my love" she whispered kissing his gently on the lips. When she pulled away she spoke again "You will learn that there are ways to gain a higher position and my favour, Strider. And there are also ways to die." She whispered meaningfully
He knew what she meant, love her, or die. He also knew what he had to do both for his own life and Legolas' I am so sorry Arwen… then he looked into the Lady's eyes "Why should I care for position" he whispered kissing her softly on the lips, she tried to remove his fine shirt, but he pushed her hands away "I cannot, not until we are wed. It would spoil it…besides, it is traditional that we are not to share a bed till our wedding night" he told her, wishing to escape anything but kissing her.
She looked disappointed, yet slowly nodded. "Very well. We shall wed in four days."
Estel stepped backwards surprised at her urgency "My Lady…we have just met…"
"But already I see the man I dreamt of, already I feel love for you" se said, her eyes softening "I wish us wed. Please Strider"
Strider knew not what to do, closing his eyes briefly he nodded Four days, I have three days to escape this place with Legolas. "And would I be foolish to not love you, the most beautiful woman I laid my eyes on" He knew not how he would, or could escape this place with Legolas with only four days…before he would be married to this elf and if that occurred, nothing could ever be right for him…
TBC…
ducks from flying missiles
Heh! But ya didn't see that coming!
BTW, will be away till Sunday, so don't expect a new chapter tomorrow
Aranel