Authors notes: Thank you for the reviews. I hope you all had good holidays! Happy New Year! I am sorry for the delay and the shortness of this chapter but real life has taken over leaving me less time to write at the moment! I hope you like this chapter and as you can probably tell this story is nearing the end, so comments on the piece as a whole are very welcome. Enjoy!
OO
"Well it seems that I have interrupted an ill – planned escape attempt by a foolish brother." The wizard smiled. "And where do you think you were going?"
Azian sighed and joined his brother on the ground.
"No where apparently." He muttered.
"Indeed!" the wizard replied cheerfully. "Instead of one prince I have two. What a piece of luck. I hope you are as entertaining as your brother."
"I sincerely hope I am not and that Legolas ceases to become such an entertainment for you."
The man burst out laughing. "Elves are so amusing. You are full of confidence almost to the point of arrogance. You sit calmly like death does not faze you when I know that when faced with losing your immortality you tremble like a new born babe."
Azian turned to regard Legolas only to discover that the elf was staring at a point on the opposite wall as if completely memorized. A slight nudge forced him to redirect his attention to one of Legolas's hands, the pale hand was sliding a small knife across the ground and quickly Azian grabbed it and hid it behind his back.
"I fear I do not hold your interest my prince. As my prize I want a bit more animation." Faster than Azian thought a man could move he had struck Legolas across the face. Legolas did not make a sound and apart from the trickle of blood running down his face he remained unaffected. Azian frowned as he realised how much Legolas had suffered that he could treat such a blow to the face as a matter of course.
"Does Sauron know you are here?" Legolas questioned calmly, although it sounded like a threat. Azian blinked realising that there was much more to this then he was aware of.
"Is that a threat princeling?" the man sneered.
"Yes. I am still connected to Sauron. If I want to I can let him know you are here?"
Azian's eyes widened as Legolas's threat turned malicious. His brother was sat, beaten and bloodied but was still making threats to someone who was extremely powerful. He was turning out like his father more every day. The man was furious and his hand fizzled with power which he promptly turned onto Legolas. The elf jerked backwards and cried out.
Azian resisted the urge to leap to his brother's aid as he realised that Legolas had intended this. The man was totally distracted with inflicting pain on the young elf and Azian was able to move. Faster than a mortal eye could follow Azian slashed at Legolas's attacker with the knife. The man's attention was broken and Legolas sprinted to his feet and slammed his fist onto his tormentors head. The man fell limply to the ground. Both elves stood still breathing heavily.
"Who is he?" Azian asked as he handed back the knife to Legolas.
"The wizard who created the pure ones. He wanted me as his prize but Sauron would not allow it."
Azian looked at him with wide eyes. "You certainly attract powerful evil! Are you sure you are not emitting an evil attracting aura?"
"That would certainly explain a few things." Legolas whispered. Azian watched as Legolas examined his arm. It looked hideous and extremely painful.
"Gandalf will be able to help." The elf offered. Legolas just turned a sad smile on his brother, his eyes appearing ancient in his young face.
"Gandalf cannot cure the world Azian. He is just as fallible as you and I."
"He can cure this Legolas. He and Elrond will do everything they can." Azian protested vehemently.
"Of that I have no doubt. Lets go."
Azian followed Legolas as he darted through the passage. The elf was amazed at his agility despite his wounds.
As they reached the bottom of the stairs Legolas turned to face Azian. "Go back to the others. Win this battle for me."
"Where are you going? And so help me if you say you are going after Sauron I will kill you myself!"
"I can destroy him. I know his weaknesses and the power that the wizard gave me is still there. I will succeed Azian."
"I am coming with you."
"Fine. Two is better than one."
Azian started, shocked that Legolas had agreed and so quickly. Swiftly he stepped backwards as he remembered past events. Legolas laughed softly.
"Do not look so fearful I will not strike you over the head again. You are more useful conscious."
"I don't know whether to be complimented or insulted." Azian muttered as they ascended.
Once they reached the courtyard Legolas pointed at the large foreboding doors that heralded the entrance to the tower.
"In there."
"Couldn't we be more subtle?" Azian questioned.
"Think about it. Sauron will think that there would be no chance that we were stupid enough to go through the front entrance; we would therefore look for a side entrance. So we are going through the front entrance."
"No wonder you were called a menace as a child." Azian commented. "How do you know Sauron has not thought of that already? So that he is now stood guard behind that door?"
"Sauron is distracted and he is not that cunning. He is the ultimate source of evil, he feels no need to be sly and devious."
"You know too much about him that it is creepy!"
Legolas smiled but it did not reach his eyes.
"What's the plan then? Surely we are not to going to go and find Sauron, ask him quietly to surrender and if he refuses kill him?" Azian questioned.
"If I thought that would work I would do it. Fortunately for us he is distracted by the battle, I fear he is suffering heavily casualties…" Legolas features curved into a malevolent expression, one that only someone who knew what it was like to be tortured and then have their torturer suffer could ever sympathise with.
"We should be able to get closer to him. The majority of his force is no where near here. Just get me near him and I will do the rest."
"What do you mean the rest? You cannot challenge him?"
"Oh but I can. I am powerful Azian, more so than he believes."
"You sound very sure of yourself. Arrogance comes before a fall." Azian commented.
"There is a difference between arrogance and capability. I will take him down or die trying; either way is fine by me."
Then with a glance across the courtyard Legolas bolted across it and Azian had no choice but to follow.
OO
