Aragorn watched as the gate slammed behind Legolas. He had told his friend what he needed to tell his father. He had also asked Legolas to take his pack. He wouldn't need it any longer. He had his sword and other blades, along with a little food in his pockets. Sighing, he turned and walked back towards the inn.
He heard the gatekeeper grumble about the odd doings of Rangers before he returned to his post. Aragorn walked to the front door of the inn and entered it for the second time that night. He quickly located the men that Legolas had identified as slave traders, and sat down near them. The tables were beginning to fill so no one noticed when Aragorn sat down.
He listened to the men talk about recent hunts, which sounded more like invented stories to Aragorn. He never had understood why humans felt the need to brag about their accomplishments. He had learned at a young age that nothing came from lying.
"Join us, Ranger." One of the slave traders said to Aragorn.
Aragorn was loath to join such a horrible group of people but he smiled and joined their table. "Good evening," he greeted them kindly.
The men at the table echoed him and began to prod him.
"Yer a little young to be a Ranger aren't ye?" the balding man asked.
Aragorn answered him as politely as possible but continued to have questions about his age thrown at him. They seemed convinced that a person in their twenties could not be a Ranger.
"What are you all doing here in Bree?" Aragorn asked, trying to sound interested. He wanted nothing more than to return to his table and listen to their conversation without actually taking part in it.
One of the men shrugged. "Nothin' much. We're just humble traders. Nothin' too interestin'."
Aragorn adopted a look of pure curiosity. "Oh, what is it you trade and sell?"
A tall man with dark brown hair eyed Aragorn suspiciously. "Why?"
Aragorn shrugged. "I'm just curious."
The man nodded. "Work animals."
Aragorn nodded. Inwardly he was ready to launch himself at the people and demand that they let the slaves loose. "Good trade, you must make a lot off money that way," he said calmly.
The man gave him a toothy grin. "It helps, and we're not complainin'."
Aragorn nodded. "How long will you be in Bree for?"
A short balding man answered him. "We just came through to get a drink. We're leaving in a few hours."
Aragorn was happy to see that the men's tongues were loose. He knew better than to bring up the slave trade, but he might be able to find out when they were leaving. "Where're you staying? Surely you have lodgings?"
The short man shook his head. "Nope, we are just camped a mile away. Most of the other men are watching the…animals." He took another swig of his drink.
Aragorn nodded. He had found out the information he needed. He could now track his way to their camp and hide himself in the trees. He stood. "Excuse me please, I must be going." He walked from the inn.
The tall man watched him go and his eyes narrowed. "Follow him; I want him as one of the slaves. He is strong and well built; he'll do a fine job and fetch a good price."
Two men stepped out from the shadows and walked from the inn, tracking their prey.
Aragorn walked from the gate. He didn't hear the two people sneak out behind him, or the sound of a heavy object being picked up from the ground. He was still a young Ranger and was more interested in tracking the slave traders than his surroundings. "Hmm…where did they come from?" he asked himself softly in Elvish.
He heard footsteps behind him and saw a person raising a pole over his head, but he was too late to defend himself. The last thing Aragorn remembered was seeing the moon directly above his head before darkness consumed him.
Legolas hummed a tune to himself as he walked through the forest. He had been traveling for three days now and was only a few miles away from Rivendell. It was very late at night but he wasn't tired. Since he was traveling alone, he could travel as fast and late as he wanted. He knew how important it was to get the information to Lord Elrond. Since Legolas had no idea where to find the Rangers, he headed directly to Rivendell.
Suddenly, he was grabbed from behind and held tightly by his captors with a blade pressed against his neck.
"Trespassers are not welcome in Rivendell. Tell us what your business is and why you travel under cover of darkness," a venomous voice said in Legolas' ear.
Legolas stopped. He must have been closer to Rivendell that he had thought.
"Speak up!" the person commanded.
Legolas paused. He knew that voice well. "Elladan? Elladan, it is I, Legolas!"
The person removed his blade from Legolas' throat and spun him around. "Oh, hello Legolas," he said pleasantly.
Legolas smiled. "Hello, Elladan." He looked at the blade Elladan still held. "Do you mind putting that away and releasing me?"
Elladan chuckled and let the prince go. "Why have you returned so soon?" He looked around. "Where is Estel?" His concern was mounting.
Legolas placed a hand on Elladan's shoulder. "He is fine. I left him in Bree a few days ago so that he could follow the slave traders. I am going to return to him as soon as I tell your father what we discovered."
Elladan nodded, still concerned. "You are going to go back?"
Legolas nodded and gently squeezed the older twin's shoulder. "Yes, I will make sure your little brother is alright."
Elladan nodded. "Good, let us get to my father."
An arrow flew from the brush and landed in front of Legolas' feet.
"Elrohir, you dim elf, it is Legolas!" Elladan called.
Legolas shook his head, trying to contain his mirth.
Elrohir strolled out onto the path and smiled sheepishly at Legolas. "I am sorry. Had I known it was you I would not have fired."
"Are you deaf as well as dim?" Elladan demanded. "I was talking with him!"
Elrohir blushed crimson. "I was not listening."
Elladan rolled his eyes. "Obviously."
Legolas looked at Elladan oddly. "I think you should get some sleep. You are rather ornery."
Elladan rounded on Legolas. "I am not!"
Elrohir shook his head. "Come, we should get to the house. No doubt Legolas is tired from his travels."
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Aragorn woke feeling horrible. The sun was directly in his eyes and he felt stiff. He tried to sit up but someone forced him to the ground. He thought it was one of his brothers and tried to push the person away. "Get off of me, 'Dan, 'Ro, whichever one of you it is!" he muttered in Elvish. He could feel that all of his weapons had been removed and he wondered where they had gone.
"Hush; it is better if you don't let them know you're awake." Someone, said to him in Common.
Aragorn opened his silver eyes to gaze into a woman's concerned dark blue ones. "Who are you?"
The lady smiled grimly. "A slave; as are you."
Aragorn stiffened at the information. How could he be a slave? What had happened? He tried to sit up, only to find that he had shackles on his wrists and ankles. His ankles were bound together by the shackles, as were his wrists. He touched his neck and found a leather slave collar sewn around his neck. "What happened?" He knew he had found the slave traders; he just wasn't happy about the circumstances.
"I don't know; I think that they hit you over the head. You've been unconscious for a few days," she whispered to him.
Aragorn stared at her. "Where are we?" he demanded. He noticed for the first time that he was lying on a wooden floor surrounded by at least one hundred people in pens. Aragorn had never seen a slave pen; he had never been to a slave selling.
The woman looked at him sadly. "We are waiting to be sold. You're lucky that you woke up. They were considering giving you to the Orcs."
Aragorn had to suppress a shudder. "I have never been a slave before," he whispered to her. He was suddenly slightly frightened. He had heard stories from his father about what slaves were put through.
The woman looked at him, startled. "You're freshly caught? I thought you had tried to escape or something."
He looked the woman over. She had probably once been a beautiful woman but slavery had hardened her. She looked to be in her late thirties or early forties. She had dark blonde hair and dark blue eyes. "Have you been a slave long?" He thought she might have been - she had a lost sort of look in her eyes.
She nodded. "Yes, my children as well. I have been a slave since I was fifteen, them since they was born."
Aragorn nodded. He also doubted she had ever been educated; she had a rough sort of tone to her Common. He wondered if she spoke a different language, her accent was odd. "What will happen? Are we being sold today?"
She sighed and nodded. "Yes, you'll be bet on quickly."
He looked at her with a confused expression. "Why?"
She looked at him sadly. "Young girls, boys, and men are sold quickly. Girls are normally bed warmers and boys make good laborers or house slaves. Young men are good as bodyguards; they work in the fields, or in the bellows."
Aragorn nodded. He felt bad for the young girls; being used as a sexual toy was not a good existence. "What is your name?"
She shrugged. "Doesn't matter anymore; right now I am number thirty."
He sighed. "Where are your children?"
"Sold," she replied flatly. "A man bought my daughter for a bed warmer two years ago, and my son was bought as a house slave."
"I'm sorry," Aragorn said compassionately.
She nodded. "Thank you."
"So, you woke up. Just in time, Ranger." Aragorn turned to see the tall, suspicious man walking towards him. He carried a three-tailed whip in one hand and a riding crop in the other. "Get on your feet."
Aragorn stood; he knew it would not be a good idea to fight. His best bet would be to wait until he was sold and then try to escape. He doubted his brothers or Legolas would be able to find him here, or even know where to look. "Where am I going?"
The man slapped Aragorn on the shoulder with the riding crop. "You'll speak when you're spoken to."
Aragorn glared at the hateful man and followed him towards a platform. He cast a small smile at the woman but she wasn't looking at him. He turned his gaze back to the front and could see lots of people surrounding the platforms. Most were rich people, most likely nobles. He walked up the steps behind the tall man and stiffened when a short man ran his hands over Aragorn's body.
"Remove his clothes until he is in a loin cloth; they will want to see he is capable of work," the man said.
The tall man nodded and ripped Aragorn's shirt from his body along with the rest of his clothes.
Aragorn felt slightly shamed at being stripped down to a loincloth but he allowed the man to do so. He knew better than to fight. The man had a whip and he had nothing. Even if he did manage to get away from the tall man he would be met with even more slave traders and would be easily outnumbered. It would be smarter to bide his time.
"Are you ready?" a woman asked. "It is almost time for him to be sold."
The tall man nodded to her and shoved Aragorn up onto the platform.
Aragorn didn't listen to the people betting; he didn't care. He was more interested in who he was being sold to. He looked at the face of the old man who continued to bet on him. Aragorn thought he looked wealthy and commanding. He looked at the middle-aged man who was betting against the old man. He decided he liked the old man more. The middle-aged man had the look of someone who cared nothing about other people and only for himself.
"Sold!" the auctioneer called out.
Aragorn felt himself being pushed towards the middle-aged man by two strong men. He sighed as realization settled in. He was a slave and he had just been sold. He shook his head and walked towards his new master, hoping that he would be able to escape quickly.
A/N No reviewer responses. They will be in the next post (Unless I am in California).
