Authors notes: - Thank you for the reviews. I hope you enjoy this next part!
OO
Legolas shivered so badly that his teeth chattered. He pulled himself tighter into a ball in an attempt to warm himself but the cold held him deep within its embrace. The pain was terrible, the torture had continued for hours and he could no longer tell night from day. He had been so delirious with pain that the move from the torture chamber to this damp and cold cell was a blur. His vision and hearing had been returned although considering that it was pitch black and there was no sound it made little difference. His left hand hurt worst of all. He could not remember what had been done to it but the pain was agonising and he could feel it moving. It was like liquid pain travelling up his arm through his veins. Every time he tried to narrow down the pain and work out what was causing it his mind would wonder. His stomach decided to pick that moment again to rebel. He managed to crawl a few feet away and heaved. There was nothing to bring up and his insides clenched painfully.
He was so exhausted but dare not go to sleep for fear of not waking up or Sauron taking advantage while he was unaware and unable to defend himself.
Crawling back into the corner he pressed himself as far back as he could. The pain was increasing as the exhaustion dulled his ability to fight it. He tried to think of calming things, his mothers face, and her soft voice singing gently to him when he was ill when he was little. Softly he began to singing a nursery rhyme.
"Childs' songs will not take you away from here. Your voice is pretty but its even prettier when its screaming. How about we see if we can do it again?"
"I'd rather not. How about you let me go?" Legolas murmured bitterly.
"How is your arm?" the voice continued.
"It's fine."
"Can you feel the fire burning in your veins? Shame you can't see the lovely colour it is going. Black suits you, you know."
"What?" Legolas choked eyes going immediately to his arm even though he couldn't see it.
"I am afraid you passed out too quickly to enjoy the first stages of your transformation."
"I will not become one of your orcs. You will fail."
"How can you resist it? You cannot stop it, it will slowly take over and the pain will be so intolerable that it will drive you insane. Insanity will make you do the strangest things."
"Don't you have anything better to do?" Legolas muttered as he ran his fingers gently over his left arm, he could feel his skin had cracked as if very dry. That light touch caused almost debilitating pain.
"Well I suppose I could watch your friends die instead but I find you more fun." The voice mocked.
Legolas closed his eyes and continued to hum the nursery rhyme trying to block the images of his friends' dying from his mind.
OO
Aragorn nudged the little chestnut horse and it bucked hitting two orcs soundly in the chest. Spinning around the horse reared up clearing a path for itself as Aragorn steered it towards the front of the lines.
"Close up!" Aragorn called urging the flank to close its ranks. The orcs had sensed that the left flank was the weakest point of the whole battle and were now attacking it with increased numbers and ferocity. The right flank and front ranks had hemmed them in admirably but the left were going to disintegrate under this pressure, it was only a matter of time.
Glancing around himself quickly he saw a group of elves charging towards him. They each yelled out their challenges and launched themselves into the affray. Dimly he recognised them as those who had followed Azian but he could not dwell anymore on the subject as again the tide of the battle shifted taking him further away from the front. Resolutely he continued on but he hoped for some respite and soon because exhaustion would soon set in and tired soldiers faltered.
OO
Thranduil winced as Gandalf tightened the strip of cloth around his calf where an opportunistic orc had stabbed as it had lay dying on the ground.
"I do not think it is poisoned." The wizard muttered as he finished tying the knot.
"No because that would ruin this otherwise pleasant day!" Thranduil returned sarcastically. Gandalf rolled his eyes.
"Elves." He cried as if it was a curse word. Thranduil glared as he rose to his feet wincing as the pain flared in his leg.
"I think now would be the perfect time to implement your plan." He stated as accepted his sword back from one of the elves stood next to him.
"Plan? Oh yes that plan. If you truly think so?"
Thranduil turned to face him and spoke with a tone that bordered on malice.
"Alternately you could wait until we are all dead."
Gandalf didn't respond and hurried away.
"Go with him." Thranduil ordered one of the elves. "Feel free to force him into hurrying." The elf nodded and hurried after the wizard.
"You two." He continued pointing at two random elves. "Light some fires for I have a feeling the Nazgul will return soon and so far that is the only method I can see that works against them. The rest of you with me, we need to destroy some orcs."
OO
Azian dismounted his grey horse and gave it a gentle pat on the neck.
"I am afraid my friend that I must leave you here. I cannot risk taking you any closer to the tower. Go back to the others they will look after you."
The horse shook its head ruffling its mane. It nudged Azian gently and blew through his hair.
"No you cannot come with me."
Stamping his hoof the horse neighed softly with indignation.
"Have a tantrum all you want but you are going back." Azian shoved the horse and it reluctantly moved away looking over its shoulder every few paces.
"Its like having a child." He muttered as he disappeared into the undergrowth. Dropping into a crouch Azian weaved in and out of the trees like a wraith. He knew all possible entrances into the tower would be heavily guarded so he would have to find another way in. Now that was probably easier said that done.
He halted overlooking the main road into the tower. It was quiet but as soon as he set foot on it he would probably be set upon by dozens of blood thirsty orcs. He needed a plan but sadly one eluded him. A loud neigh of a horse disrupted his musing. Turning he saw his grey stallion rearing and pawing in the middle of the road.
"Oh mellon what are you doing?" he whispered sadly. He wanted to call to his faithful steed, tell him to run but he feared giving away his position. As much as he hated to admit it the horse was doing a grand job of creating a distraction. Orcs had moved out of their positions to investigate it, demonstrating that they were indeed stupid. Sneaking forward towards the gates he paused and turned to see his horse kill an orc as it reared. The others orcs incensed at the death of their comrade charged.
"Thank you." Azian whispered and he ran for the gates.
OO
