Angelofdeadlydarkness0010 – You won't be disappointed. :o)
HyperSquishy – Yes, poor Legolas. But he's a tough little elf. You'll see.
Linilya Elf – Thanks! Pallando's definitely seeking revenge, but you'll have to wait to find out whether Leggy believes his mother did.
Dreamsofdarkness – You're so funny. But I can't spoil it, you'll have to wait and see.
Lou – I know you are. Here's a new chapter just in time for when you get back from Arizona.
ElPrincessLarien – Thanks so much! I'm trying to keep some of Pallando in the dark so all can be revealed at the best time.
Legolaslover – Oooooo, you're in my head again. I really want Leggy to save the day, but you never know…Hehehe.
Tiffiany-45 – You're funny. There's a lot happening in this chapter and probably in the next couple. But I'm close to the end and there will be some happy times.
Storiesworm – Thanks! Here's more!
Sauruna – Okay, okay, okay. Here's more:o)
Tommy14 – Thanks! Here's more!
Lil'Annie – Makes me feel all warm and fuzzy, thanks! I'll send you "No Control". Thanks for asking.
A/N – Sorry for the delay, but there's so much happening in this chapter that it took me a while to regurgitate it from my head. Also, I've embellished on the history of the Lonely Mountain a bit.
WARNING – There's some torture in this chapter with some graphic acts of violence toward the end. But it's not too bad.
Chapter 25 – Consequences
When Emlin approached the Great Gates, he had expected to find his king, but found Glorfindel and Lord Celeborn instead. "My lords," Emlin said as he bowed his head to them.
"We thought you dead, Emlin," stated Celeborn. "You did not return with Haldir and the others."
"I have been in pursuit of a cunning Orc who has been a constant threat to Thranduil's Realm."
"Aye. Thranduil mentioned Hurbag. Have you captured or killed him?"
"Nay, but I know where he is going."
Hurbag grinned as he peered into the Portcullis from where he stood chest-high in the Forest River. There was no light inside and a dead silence except for the bubbling sounds of the water as the underground stream flowed out into the river. He wanted to laugh outloud at his luck. For many years he had thought of a way into the elf king's caverns and had only vaguely heard that an underground stream flowed through. And now he had found the exit.
For the last two hours he had fought the river, moving against it's current, trying to stay as covered as possible in case an elf wandered the area. Then he finally reached the opening of the Portcullis and giddily pushed his way inside. The current was even stronger there and the temperature of the water had dropped twenty degrees, making Hurbag's jagged teeth chatter.
It wasn't long before he saw a small patch of light up ahead. When Hurbag moved closer, he realized that the light came from the ceiling of the passage. Once he was beneath the light, he reached up to push open a wooden trapdoor. Expecting to be assailed at this point, Hurbag jumped away to pin himself to the rock wall and held his scimitar ready. But no one appeared and there was no sound of movement from above. So Hurbag approached the trapdoor and pulled himself up into a large room containing hundreds of barrels. He glanced around warily before approaching one of the barrels. A cork covered a hole on the side. Hurbag pulled the cork out and red wine began to pour out. He brought his mouth to the flow and let it slosh all over his face with a chuckle. "They make good wine, I will give them that."
Without bothering to recork the barrel, the wine continued to spill out on the floor. Hurbag wiped his mouth with his sleeve and headed for a wooden door. He paused to listen for sounds. After opening the door silently, Hurbag poked his head out to glance down the narrow passageway. There was not a sole in sight. He thought perhaps they were still out fighting his fellow Orcs and the crazy Kozari people. With a bit more confidence, Hurbag waltzed down the passageway for some time before he came across an intersecting passage.
Up ahead he heard faint voices. But there were no sounds coming from the other passage, so he decided to change course. A few minutes later he came across a doorway. His eyes widened at what he discovered inside. He could not believe it, but he had found the king's treasure. The small room was filled with gold and silver items, goblets and vases, statues encrusted with jewels. Hurbag entered the room and began to scrounge through the items.
The door suddenly slammed shut with a loud bang. Hurbag whirled around in time to see the face of an elf in the small window on the wooden door. He recognized the elf as one of those he had constantly fought against.
Emlin smiled faintly. "The king will be so thrilled to see you again, Hurbag."
Hurbag lunged at the door, forcing the elf to take a step back. "The king will be dead soon."
"Your own vision of grandeur." Emlin checked to make sure the lock was secure before he walked away to inform Glorfindel and Lord Celeborn that the plan had worked.
Hurbag turned back to the room and glared at the treasures before him. How could he have been so stupid to fall for this trap? The elf king would never leave such a treasure unguarded, especially in what looked to be a prison cell. Hurbag blamed his stupidity on his blind desire for elven riches. He slumped down on the cold floor to await his fate.
Thranduil and Gandalf reached the blazing wall of fire just as Dagnir and the Mirkwood elf army rode up.
With a look of frustration at the flames, Dagnir then turned to Thranduil. "We rode south along the line of flames and everytime we thought we were reaching the end, the flames continued to stretch onward. They move with us and do not allow us to go around."
Gandalf stared at the flames. "This is indeed Pallando's doing."
"Can you quell these flames, Gandalf?" asked Thranduil.
Gandalf was about to respond that he could not when the flames suddenly vanished as if they had never existed.
"I thank you," replied Thranduil with a nod.
"I did not quell them," said Gandalf.
The elven king exchanged a curious glance with the Istar. Both came to the same conclusion. The flames had been extinguished purposely. Pallando was aware they were en route to the Lonely Mountain and allowed them passage.
"He awaits us," said Thranduil in a nervous tone. He feared what his old nemesis had already done to Legolas. His son was resilient in many ways, but he had never suffered extreme pain. There was no telling how Legolas would react if Pallando inflicted serious pain upon him. He had already been injured, possibly gravely, when he was hit in the back by an arrow.
Gandalf studied Thranduil's blank stare and knew the elven king was thinking of what could be happening to Legolas at the moment. "Do not dwell on dark thoughts, my friend. Let us continue forward."
Thranduil turned to Dagnir. "Take half the regime back to the caverns. The other half ride with me."
"Aye, my lord." Dagnir motioned to his team leads and when he raced in the direction of Mirkwood, half of the troops went with him while the other half followed Thranduil and Gandalf.
Aragorn and Celegmin slowed their horses about half a mile before reaching the Lonely Mountain. He saw men on horses up ahead, but did not know how many. "What do your elven eyes see, Celegmin?"
Celegmin studied the sight before him. "The Kozari are assembled at the foot of the mountain. I estimate the same number that were present earlier."
Aragorn's hopes dwindled. How could one man and one elf go against over a hundred Kozari? Aleera's brother was skilled with a sword, but he was not quite so skilled with a bow and not able to dispatch a large number from afar. Not the way Legolas could. Aragorn turned his gaze to the blackened sun that was close to setting. He wondered if the sun would rise bright in the morning or if it would continue to rise covered with a dark shroud.
Legolas clenched his teeth firmly, determined not to utter a single sound as the pain became intolerable. Not a moment of solace did he receive when he had been tossed into another cavern. The air was cleaner there so he knew he was closer to the surface. When Legolas had tried to get up earlier, someone kicked him in the face repeatedly. But he did not go down without fighting. He grabbed his assailant's foot and pushed him away. Then he mustered every bit of strength he had to pull himself up on his feet. He grabbed the Kozari around the waist and pushed him hard into the rocky wall before reaching up and snapping his neck like a twig. The movement had not gone without pain to Legolas's back from his injury. That was all before five others surrounded him and began beating him with chains and kicking him in the ribs and back.
"Is he dead? He's not even crying out," said one of the Kozari.
"Come on, elf, I want to hear you scream," said another.
"I bet I can make him scream," said yet another as he brought his chain down across the back of the elf's head.
Legolas made no sound. He closed his eyes and thought about being somewhere else. Anywhere but here. His thoughts turned to Aleera and he prayed to the Valar that she was not experiencing the same as he.
Aleera carefully felt along the wall where Pallando had knocked her into. The only light came from the elven glow she emitted in the darkness, which did not reach very far. Her toe kicked something on the ground and she knelt to pick up the object. It turned out to be an arrow and the tip and half the shaft were sticky with blood. She wondered if this was the arrow that had been in Legolas's back. A sudden groan made Aleera whirl toward the sound, but she could see nothing in the dark. The nasally sound alerted her that Gwinn was also trapped in this cavern.
Gwinn shook her head to clear it and reached up to feel that the stitches around her nose had opened up and blood dripped to her lips. The darkness in the cavern told her that Pallando had sealed her inside. But before she could dwell on that disturbing thought, she noticed a glow coming from the other side. When Gwinn turned, she saw that the faint light came from the she-elf. Licking the blood from her lips, she drew her sword and moved toward her.
Aleera heard the Kozari woman's steps and saw the reflection of her aura glint across the blade of the sword. When Gwinn swung her sword with a furious cry, Aleera was able to easily duck it. The woman was tired and her moves were slow, but she had a lethal weapon while all Aleera had in her possession was an arrow. And unfortunately, with the glow Aleera emitted, she was an easy target.
"I have had enough…" Gwinn uttered as she swung her sword again, but Aleera ducked once again. "…of you. It's time for you to die!"
As Gwinn altered her movement to swing downward, Aleera shifted to the left and forward. She plunged the arrow into Gwinn's stomach, burying it to the fletching.
Gwinn gasped at the unexpectedly sharp pain that seized her belly and the sword dropped from her hand with a loud clatter. She reached down to her stomach and felt the foreign object imbedded there. It didn't belong there so she yanked it out with a loud cry. It was one of her arrows. How had the elf girl come to have it? She hadn't even seen anything in her hands.
Aleera stepped backward, the glow of her aura casting a gloomy light on Gwinn's mangled face, which was now contorted in shock. The Kozari queen gave Aleera a sneer before she slumped dead to the ground. "Correction…it is time for you to die," said Aleera as she reached down and pulled the arrow out of Gwinn's grasp. It might come in handy elsewhere, if she could get out of this cavern. She stepped over Gwinn's body and moved along the wall until she came to the place where the opening had been. Leaning a shoulder against the rock, Aleera gave it a shove, even though she knew it would be too heavy for her to move. After several more attempts, she knew it was futile and she fell to her knees in exhaustion and despair.
Aragorn turned to the advancing cloud of dust. Something was approaching, but it was difficult to see in the dark, even in the faint light of the moon that had risen high above. "What do you make of it?" he asked Celegmin.
"Elves approach, led by King Thranduil and Gandalf."
"At last," Aragorn said with a sigh. He turned to the mountain where he knew Legolas and Aleera were being held. This mountain had been the setting of a previous battle many centuries ago against a fearsome dragon known to many as Smaug. After the death of the dragon, a kingdom thrived beneath the mountain for a little over another century before it was abandoned by the people due to the constant attacks of Fell beasts and giant spiders that made their homes in the higher caverns of the mountain. Aragorn had heard that the lower levels contained elaborate mazes of catacombs where one could easily become lost. How in Arda would he ever find Legolas and Aleera if he even managed to get passed the horde of Kozari that blocked the only entrance into the mountain?
Beside him, Isilrö snorted and whinnied loudly at the approaching elves. He broke from his standstill and trotted circles around Aragorn and Celegmin, his tail raised proudly. Aragorn had witnessed the effect Legolas had on certain animals, but Isilrö had been at Legolas's side since his birth fifteen years ago. Isilrö's behavior might also be due to his sire's approach.
Thranduil urged his horse faster, which was not necessary. The stallion sensed his offspring's anxiety over his missing elven master. Thranduil saw Isilrö rear and finally bolt in the direction of the mountain briefly before Aragorn's call brought him reluctantly back.
Aragorn clung to the mane of Legolas's stallion, speaking soothingly in elvish to calm the rage and to keep the animal from bolting once again. It was apparent Isilrö knew that his master was inside the mountain and he was anxious to go to him.
When Gandalf finally reached Aragorn and Celegmin, he quickly dismounted and took several steps forward toward the mountain and the rows of Kozari man obstructing the way. "Damage has been wrought in the last two hours," admitted Gandalf as Thranduil walked up beside him.
Thranduil tried to maintain his composure. "Aye, I have sensed Legolas's misery for some time now."
Gandalf turned to the elven king. "I was unaware the bond you have with your son is strong enough to span this distance."
"I regret to say that it has not always been. But we developed a stronger connection in the last few days, since his return home from his travels with Aragorn." Thranduil looked down and sadly shook his head. "I fear for his life, Gandalf."
Gandalf placed a hand on Thranduil's shoulder. "There is yet hope, my friend. Hope of an unlikely kind."
"Aleera," whispered Thranduil. "What can she do?"
"It is time your son's mate discovers her abilities."
"How will she discover them?"
"A simple link into her mind and all will be revealed," assured Gandalf with a melancholy smile.
Legolas rolled in agony, unable to avoid the pain no matter which way he turned. Twice one of the Kozari had pulled Legolas's right hand out while another slammed his boot heel on it, breaking the bones of three of his fingers. Despite the incredible pain, Legolas refused to cry out.
The Kozari named Luxin crouched in front of Legolas and grabbed him by the front of his tunic, raising him up so he could stare into the elf's eyes. The elf had a blackened left eye and blood dripped from his nose and mouth and a number of cuts on his face. And still the elf made no sound. He was actually taking the thrill out of the beating which Luxin so relished in. "I've been instructed to beat you to within an inch of your life, elf." He clenched his teeth. "This is what I thrive on, do you understand?"
Legolas stared into the Kozari's eyes, revealing no fear to him. His expression remained stoic, trying to prove that no matter what harm they brought upon him, he felt none of it and refused to give them the satisfaction they sought.
Luxin grinned crookedly. "Maybe what I'll have to do is see if that pretty little elf girl of yours wants to bed down with a real man like me."
That was all Legolas needed to hear. Summoning strength he thought he no longer had, he slammed his forehead hard into Luxin's, forcing the Kozari to fall backward. Before any of the others could stop him, Legolas jumped on the Kozari and grabbed his dagger. With a quickness only he possessed, Legolas repeatedly stabbed Luxin in the chest, just above his armor, blood splattering everywhere as the other Kozari tried to drag him off. But not until Legolas managed to whirl and slice the throats of two before they threw him into the wall with enough force to knock the breath out of his lungs.
Pallando entered the chamber at that moment and shook his head as he glanced around in disgust at the three dead Kozari. "What is the matter with you people? Have you no ability to cause damage to one single elf?"
Despite the continuous pain in Legolas's upper back from the arrow, he rolled over on his back, his breathing labored. His eyes turned to look up at the Istar dressed in black.
"I must say, son of Thranduil, you are quite the performer. I have never been so entertained in my entire life. Surely you must be in considerable pain by now."
"I feel…nothing," expressed Legolas.
Pallando smiled to himself. "Just as I would expect you to say. I have to admit, I should have paid more attention to you when you first came to be in Kozar. I should have seen the resemblance you have to your father."
Legolas tried to recall when he had seen Pallando in Kozar. He had seen many people in the streets and many more in the dining hall during the time he had spent in Kozar. But he did not remember seeing Pallando at all.
"I know what you are thinking. You wonder when we met. The wizard you met in Kozar looked nothing like me. You see, I have a tendency to alter my appearance. In truth, your father would not recognize me as I am today. I probably could have walked into his realm and pretended to be someone else. Then I could have killed him." Pallando sighed. "But I prefer complexity and I find satisfaction in toying with the minds of others. By making you suffer, young elf, I make Thranduil suffer. Then I will take your life and watch him falter before I take his life as well." Pallando took a deep breath and smiled smugly to himself. He knew the Istar that stood outside with the king of the woodland realm. Mithrandir was what most elves called him, while others called him Gandalf. Did he really think he could interfere or influence Thranduil in any way? Pallando was interested to see what the other Istar had in mind by coming to the Lonely Mountain, getting involved in his affairs.
Two Kozari guards came in to replace those that had been killed. With a nod from Pallando, the Kozari chained Legolas's wrists and ankles before five of them picked him up. He fought them, even in his weakened condition as they dragged him out.