Authors notes: - Thank you so much for the reviews!!! I really am very grateful for each and every one; the continued support is keeping the momentum going. Work seems to be taking over, why does the final year have to be so hard! The will is there but ahh the brain is failing. Well on with the story. Feedback is always welcome!

OO

Legolas flinched internally as the door slammed shut behind him and the wizard.

"Hello pet." A voice hissed. Legolas's heart stopped before increasing to a frantic pace. Suddenly the force that had prevented him from acting independently for so long vanished.

"I don't think we need you controlled anymore. There is no where to run." The voice chuckled, a sound that contained no warmth.

"Too weak to get me here without mind control?" Legolas snarled and everything froze. Legolas had to use all his strength to prevent himself from hurrying backwards and flinging his hand over his mouth.

'Why did I say that?' he thought frantically. He remembered the torture, months and months of torture to beat exactly that kind of attitude out of him. Why after all this had he reverted back to it?

'Because you are going to die' his inner voice stated. 'There is no way out of this situation and do you want your last moments to be that of a snivelling, weak coward?'

'But that is what I am.' He argued.

'Only because you have let yourself become like that. Your friends are dying out there because of you and your people. Don't go down without a fight.' The voice continued.

'I am going mad!' Legolas thought as he debated with himself

'No little one, not quite yet. We will come for you.' The voice became Elrond's voice and suddenly Legolas felt a new burst of courage flood through his veins. He had suffered so much that death would be welcomed, how could it get worse?

A cold hand gripped his chin and he snapped back to reality.

"So the spark has returned?" Sauron hissed. "All the better for me, I had so much fun last time crushing your spirit."

Sauron ran his hand over the elf's face and then clasped it around Legolas's throat. He tightened his grip relishing the feel of the contracting windpipe. Legolas's hands flew to his throat attempting to break the grip. He gasped and choked as he fought to breathe. As his knees gave out Sauron released his hold.

Legolas immediately crouched on all fours gasping for breath.

"Now pet you have been very disobedient. You allowed that wizard into your mind in an attempt to defeat me. I have been very lenient in the past because I wanted you to serve me of your own free will. I gave you every opportunity to stand beside me, commanding your own army, but you resisted me. Now I am extremely displeased."

Legolas managed to stop gasping and glared at the dark lord.

"Sorry to disappoint you."

"Oh you will be sorry little prince, for you are going to suffer the fate that most of your race endure when captured."

Legolas paled slightly as Sauron crouched in front of him.

"I am going to make you an orc. I will burn your pale skin and rip out your hair." Sauron grabbed Legolas's hair and pulled his head back violently.

"I think I will leave your eyes until last so you can see the hideous creature you have become. Then I will burn them out so you can never again see the trees or the sun. In fact I may never let you feel the outside world at all. What do you think?"

"If you expect me to beg then you will be sorely disappointed." Legolas growled.

Sauron screamed in anger and struck the elf across the face. Legolas clutched his cheek but continued glaring. Before Sauron could hit him again the other occupant of the room stepped forward.

"He is mine." The wizard growled. "You said I could claim him. I do not want him deformed as an orc."

"Do not dare question me. I have put up with you for more than enough time. The elf is mine; I do not share my prizes."

Legolas watched as the wizard went bright red with fury.

"I BROUGHT HIM HERE!"

"AND IN DOING THAT TWO OF MY NAZGUL WERE DESTROYED!" The raw fury in Sauron's tone made the air tremble.

Legolas slowly began to crawl away from the two furious figures.

"THAT DOES NOT MATTER. HE IS BEYOND POWERFUL! HE COULD BE OUR BEST WEAPON!"

Legolas watched as the argument progressed as he inched towards the doors, suddenly something gripped him around the ankles. With a yelp he was dragged towards Sauron.

"Where do you think you were going?" Sauron inquired his voice so different from the furious tone he had adopted just a few seconds ago.

"For some fresh air." Legolas said. With a roar of absolute rage Sauron flung Legolas across the room. The elf hit the wall hard and dropped into a crumpled heap, unconscious.

"I hope he is not dead!" the wizard snapped moving to check.

"It will take more than that to kill the prince." Sauron reached the elf first and moved to block him from the eyes of the wizard.

"He is mine." The wizard hissed.

A flash of blue lightening engulfed the wizard and he screamed agonisingly. Sauron increased the intensity until the wizard was begging, tears streaming down his face.

"If you are here when I return I will kill you."

From his position on the floor the wizard watched as Sauron dragged Legolas from the room; as soon as the door shut he crawled to his knees.

"You have not heard the last from me. I will get that elf."

OO

The first bleak rays of sun heralded the arrival of dawn. Azian watched this with a grim sense of satisfaction, the night favoured the dark creatures but the light would turn that around.

He was watching the Nazgul reeking havoc on the Mirkwood archers who luckily for them had superior agility and could dart out of the way. Despite this several elves had fallen and Azian mourned their loss, even one fatality was one too many.

"What's the next idea?" Kiren questioned.

"Legolas's plan is already unfolding but I do not feel that all the orcs have been committed. If more orcs hit the flanks then we will be devastated."

"What do you suggest?"

"We need to go to the tower and cut off reinforcements."

Kiren flinched.

"We will not survive." Kiren said. Azian shook his head.

"Maybe not. My brother has marched to the gates of Mordor itself, he has been tortured by Sauron but still he lives. I would be only a coward if I refused to go to Dol Guldur. If we do not go than I will never be able to look him in the eye again."

Kiren nodded in understanding.

"What about the pure ones?" the older elf asked.

"I do not know. I was sure that we would have seen some evidence of their actions by now."

"What if they have fallen?" Kiren asked playing the devils advocate.

"They took down two Nazgul I am hoping it will take a lot more than that to take them down."

The two turned their horses and trotted back to the other elves who were awaiting Azian's command.

"What about the thing that had everyone worried about the pure ones? The reason that no one called on them before?"

Azian frowned. "I don't know and until you mentioned it I wasn't even thinking about it!" he snapped as another worry added to his already overflowing concerns. Kiren looked guilty.

"I am sorry."

Azian sighed. "It is not your fault. I am sorry."

The other elves watched their approach warily. Azian knew that they realised a trip closer to the tower was an option, he knew they would follow him without question, but was he really worthy of their loyalty. Would he lead them foolishly to their deaths? Would they die because he was not a good enough commander? Had he already failed?

OO