"Hurry up, would you!" Merry gritted his teeth as Pippin's feet shifted on his shoulders. "Do you intend to take until the next Age?"

"I'm trying, you know! It's harder than you think!"

"Is that so? Then I may as well sit down and nap, because if it's truly that difficult, we'll still be here by Bilbo's eleventy-second birthday!"

The two halflings stood at the single door to their cell, Pippin shuffling about on Merry's shoulders as the other hobbit struggled to hold him up. Pippin had one arm through the bars of the door's window. Lockpick in hand, he strained to reach far enough to work the rusted padlock open.

"Oh, stop whining. You sound like a goblin who's missed his breakfast."

"I am, though—only I'm a hungry hobbit. Hungry enough to eat a goblin!"

Back and forth the banter went. Merry's shoulders soon became numb, and the muscles in his legs knotted; Pippin's arm was sore from wrenching it back and forth between the bars.

"Any minute now…" Merry mumbled to himself, not really expecting an answer of any kind.

A scrape and a click, and the clumsy lock fell free.

Merry froze for a moment, almost unable to believe it. Then he spun abruptly, meaning to wrench the door open and be free, but he forgot that Pippin still stood on him. The sudden spin threw Pippin off balance, so in a tangle of arms, legs, and dirty cloaks they both tumbled to the floor.

Merry jumped up instantly, hope sparkling in his eyes. "Come on, let's get this door open and find Legolas. Then we can leave for good and all!"

"Won't Saruman be surprised!"

The pair rushed to the portal but stopped short. Pippin turned pale with dread. The iron-shod stomp of Orkish boots clanged down the stone corridor.

They had been discovered.

ειδαсαг

Aragorn stopped for a moment and dropped to the earth, gasping for breath, sweat pouring into his eyes, muscles burning from exertion. The long run had thoroughly exhausted him, and he wanted nothing more than to fall down where he stood and sleep for an Age. But he had only to summon a vision of Legolas, Merry or Pippin in Saruman's tower of hell to keep his will strong.

The Ranger put an ear to the earth; he knew it would tell him what he needed to know, if only he would listen. He stayed so long in that position that to any observer he would have appeared to be asleep—how easy it would have been!—but at long last he rose again and took off at a sprint, heading towards the needle on the horizon that was Orthanc. It was drawing closer and closer. A few hours, and no more.

There was an added urgency to the Man's step as he raced on. Somehow he knew that his companions would need him soon, and badly.

ειδαсαг

Screaming again, horrible and terrible, stinging his tender Elven ears. It was his father again.

"Laiqulassë! Ai, ionn nin! Tua amin! Tua amin, amin kyermallë!"

"Anything!" Legolas shouted into the shrieking wind. "Whatever you want, you shall have it, this I swear! But leave my father alone!"

This time that slow, black consciousness was quicker to respond. It seemed to gather its strength, somehow feeling like approaching storm clouds that had not yet unleashed their fury. Then it pounced.

Legolas screamed in pain, the sheer blinding force of it tearing apart his very soul. He felt as though a thousand tiny black-shafted arrows were piercing his skin, under his skin, in his bones, ripping into his heart and mind. He could feel them stripping away his memories, his thoughts, his emotions, like so much food for some wretched parasite. Burning white agony lanced through his body, laced with black chaos. In some anguished corner of his mind he watched the little black veins swell. They grew larger and larger, bleeding together, and then the whole of his world was enveloped in darkness.

ειδαсαг

The iron boots stomped closer.

And passed.

Pippin let out a long-held sigh of relief and looked at Merry. Merry looked back. "Stupid Orc," they chimed, grinning, and then rushed out of the cell.

ειδαсαг

Legolas was not sure what had awakened him, but was grateful that it had. He shuddered at the memory of his nightmare. It had felt all too real. But there were no boots clomping down the passage, no noises, nothing to pull him out of his much-needed sleep. Then he caught it: an almost inaudible scuffling that was so out of place it caught his attention. The Elf managed to drag his wounded body upright and peered at the door to his cell.

His surprise was complete when a pair of high little hobbit-voices reached his ears, in debate as usual.

"Is it this one?"

"It must be, because in the picture Saruman showed us he was only one cell away."

"But he could have been lying. And besides, one cell in which direction?"

"Stop fussing—I'm sure it was this one. I remember facing this way."

"Oho, do you? Well, as I recall, you ran face first into the wall on that auspicious day, didn't you? Might that have addled your sense of direction?"

"Of course not, and besides, I remember that wall very clearly. You would too if you had its brickwork imprinted on your nose."

In spite of his condition, Legolas had to stifle a chuckle. Hobbits, he thought. Hobbits, Hobbits, Hobbits. He began to inhale in order to shout to them, but his broken rib shifted and he exhaled in a soundless gasp of pain.

"Well, I'm not opening this door until I can be sure that it'll be Legolas, and not some nasty goblin charging out at us." Obviously Pippin, continuing the debate.

"Look, I'm telling you, this is it!"

"Then boost me up so I can see. I still think you may have gotten too close with that wall!"

"Oh, no you don't, I get to stand on you this time. My shoulders will never forgive me for the torment you put them through."

"All right, fine, get up."

Scraping and shoving sounds, and then Merry's curly head appeared between the window bars. Legolas looked up at him wordlessly. The Hobbit's eyebrows shot up and his mouth opened wide to see the Elf's condition, but Pippin must then have lost his balance, for Merry dropped from sight and there were the scuffling sounds of a tumble.

"Pippin, you twit!"

"Oh, shut up—it takes one to know one. Was it him?"

There was an anxious note in Merry's voice as he answered. "Yes. Open it now, and quick."

There was more scraping, and the annoying squeak of metal on metal. Then there was a click; the door creaked open and Merry and Pippin rushed inside. Legolas pulled himself further upright against the wall and attempted a smile, to put on a brave face for the little folk. Their expressions told him that the effort had been in vain.

Pippin tried to conceal his shock and horror at the archer's appearance. Legolas faltered slightly at the Hobbit's expression and slipped down, wincing. He fell to his stomach and grimaced, then pushed himself up on weak arms. Merry caught a glimpse of his side and the ugly bruise of the broken rib. The wound from the ebony arrow still trickled black-streaked blood. The Halfling followed the crimson trail and saw all the tiny rivers joining it, all the lashings connecting them to the main stream. Several of the half-healed wounds broke and bled, adding further liquid to the already damp stone floor. When the Elf lifted his face, Pippin could see a black eye, a split lip, and a hairline cut on each high cheekbone, one from Saruman, one from Kashgûl. His blood-streaked hair fell forward to reveal the flat tip of one ear, raw and red—infected, most likely—though the cut had been made hours ago. Legolas was dangerously pale...but under all the grime…it was nearly impossible to see. He managed one last weak smile before falling to the ground again.

The two hobbits rushed forward to aid their wounded companion as sudden shouts rang out down the corridor.

"They've escaped!" bellowed a voice. It sounded close by. Too close.

"Find Saruman!"

ειδαсαг

There it was: the tower. Finally.

Orthanc loomed before him as Aragorn stood quietly in its shadow. So far he had successfully managed to avoid all the traps and hazards set for him here—it remained to see whether he could survive long enough to find his companions.

He had seen Gandalf do it, once—open a door where there was none. Placing one rough hand on the smooth stone wall, the Ranger sent his mind flowing through his palm and into the structure, seeking the very weave of existence for the solid stone. A thought rearranged the particles. A portal opened. Thank you, my friend.

Hearing a commotion within, the Man knew on some instinctual level that Merry, Pippin, and Legolas needed him. He slipped through the doorway and dashed inside. The echoing boom of the closing portal, now that the wall was no longer under his influence, followed him through each step like some drum of doom.

Doom, doom.

He could see the trio ahead, the two hobbits supporting the lithe but limp form of an Elf. On the other side of them came a yelling host of Orcs, shouting and waving their crude blades. Aragorn drew his sword and charged ahead, adding his own battle cry:

"Elendil!"

ειδαсαг

whew. well. tell you what, i barely got this done in time. i did post it on saturday, like i said i would, so there! even if it was at like 11:59:59! anyway, moving on…there's only one translation, and it's the same one as in chapter 6…i thought it fitting and i was too lazy to dredge up and then translate a new one, so all it means is 'legolas! ai, my son! help me! help me, i pray you!'

and so sorry i haven't updated in so long…but at least i'm getting back on track now, right? and thank lady v for the big angst paragraph on legolas, she helped me out with that. we had fun.

Reviews (I don't know where I left off, so im just doing the first page. I think those are all the new ones…sorry if I skip you—talk to me and let me know if I do):

Unil-Gadia—whoa, cool name. anyway, i'm debating about the whole ear thing—one, none, or both?

Sirithiliel—sorry, I'm trying! So much to do…aagh…homework…finals…nooooo!

Fire Pendant—gotta love the torture, eh? me too. and as for Sabrion, you think you have an evil job being her muse? You gotta talk to my muses…yours will seem like a walk in the park, I promise you!

Orli92003—au contraire, being stranded was actually great fun—what with sledding off the roof and all that. but I cant tell you whats going to happen, b/c that would be giving things away, now wouldn't it…

Ankhesanamun—dude, another cool name. We're on a roll here. anyway, glad you like it!

Cheysuli—yes, you have been waiting, and very patiently, so here's your new chapter as a present (I promise ill have another one up soon, too, so there)

Lamoo—I know, isn't it fun to hurt him? its like theres this big gigantic sign around his neck that screams hurt me!

Sirithiliel—wait a minute, déjà vu again. o well. 8b was much better—much more angsty, and that's always good. and this one was even better, so s'all good now!

Sake Girl Duelist—haha, I win! I updated, like I said I would! Thbbb to all you unbelievers!

Orli92003—angst. Ah, what a wonderful word…isn't it lovely? Makes me think of…dungeons…and torture…dreamy sigh

Andmetwen—I know, ive been soooooo bad about updating. It wasn't my fault, really! (all right, all right, im sure you've heard that excuse before.) but really, it wasn't!

Black Hawk—still on the happy ending kick, are we? Well, no promises! Bittersweet, maybe, but happy? shudder

Jazmin—theyre so much better when theyre painful. that whole healing ring idea of mine was not one of my best. And what was i on? to be putting in something to ease pain! really!

Witchmastergasp, pant there, i wrote my new chapter! better than the last one, too, i hope. more angsty. ah, the torture…i just love it, you know?

all right, finally done. until next chapter, everyone! (set a goal…say, next wednesday? or something thereabouts?)