Here I am once again, had a long rest and hopefully I'm ready to go. I fear I've had a rough time writing lately. I guess I'm a little burned out, but I'll do my best.

Chapter 23-Separate Plans

Muttering a few curses he'd picked up from Gimli, Legolas picked himself up and looked around. It was like any other cabin that you would find on a ship and that might work to his advantage. He began to look for something useful. After an hour he collapsed on the bunk with a frustrated sigh. It looked like they had thought ahead very carefully. He had laid on the bunk for nearly two hours when he heard a key turn in the lock and the door opened.

A small boy entered the room carrying a tray. He set it down on a small table then looked over at Legolas. "Here is your lunch," he said and scuttled from the room. The door was relocked behind him. Legolas sat up and took the time for a luxurious stretch then went over to the table to see what had been left there. He was surprised to find bread, cheese and wine instead of the usual gruel. He sat down and ate the food. After eating he felt much better and more alert. He decided to search the cabin again.

A key turned in the lock and the door opened to reveal the same young boy who had brought the food.

"I came for the dishes," he said shyly.

"Thank you, so what is your name?" Legolas asked.

"Rynn," the boy said bashfully.

"Thank you for bringing my food to me," Legolas said.

"You are welcome," Rynn said and left.

Legolas frowned, noticing several scars on the boy's back. It seemed the boy was a slave as well. He returned to the bunk and sat down again. He began trying to think of a way to escape and reach Jaisia so they could flee together.

Meanwhile

Jaisia was near frantic with worry as time passed and Legolas wasn't brought back to the hold. She would have been pacing if she hadn't been chained.

Finally someone came into the hold, but it was no one familiar. It was a thin, grimy boy. He began to pass out food.

Jaisia waited until he reached her before speaking. "Where is Legolas?" she demanded.

The boy flinched nervously. "I do not know who that is," he said.

Jaisia realized she had frightened the child and gentled her voice. "My friend, he is an Elf," she said.

"Oh, he is locked in one of the cabins. That is where Xavier puts special cargo as he calls it. Slaves that are unusual and exotic are only offered to those that can pay well for them," the boy said.

"What is your name?" Jaisia asked.

"Rynn," the boy said.

"I am Jaisia, is my friend alright?" Jaisia asked.

"He is fine, Xavier will not hurt him or let anyone else hurt him. That would lower his value," Rynn said, rather bitterly.

"Are you a slave too, Rynn?" Jaisia asked. "How old are you?"

"Yeah," Rynn said. "I am seven."

"Rynn, Legolas and I want to escape, can you help us?" Jaisia asked.

Rynn cringed and began shivering. "If I do that Xavier will hurt me again. I do not want to be hurt," he said. "You do not know what he is like. He does not have mercy or pity for anyone."

"If we win he will never hurt you again then you can go home to your family," Jaisia said.

"I lived with my grandparents and I watched Xavier kill them both because they were too old to be useful. They were all I had!" Rynn said and burst into tears.

"We will avenge them and Legolas and I are good friends of the King of Minas Tirith. I bet he would find you a good home, please help us, Rynn," Jaisia pleaded.

"I do not know, I just do not know!" Rynn sobbed. Turning he fled from the hold.

Jaisia felt tears well up in her own eyes in pity for the child's pain. There only chance was that a battered, terrified child could find new courage.

Not bad, what do you all think? R/R please! For the health of the plot bunnies