"Legolas?"
"Hmm?"
"How did you know Ryder?"
"Who?"
"Black."
"Funny story actually."
"Funny?"
"No, not really."
I turned and looked at him quizzically and he smiled. We were riding through the planes of Rohan on our way to Ithilien. I had come back from our fight to find a note telling me to pack all my belongings. Legolas had laughed when I thought he was finally kicking me out.
"I love you too much to make you leave," he had said after kissing me soundly.
His father granted him permission to journey to the land near Minas Tirith with a tour of Elves to improve the land. He insisted it wasn't only because of me.
He spent a few long days carefully choosing those who would join him, making it clear that they were invitations and any declines would not be taken personally. Within a few years their families would join us after establishments were created.
We had been traveling for many days, exchanging stories of our adventures during our time in the lands. When he spoke of his time with the Fellowship many of the Elves traveling with us drifted closer to his horse. Even though they tried to appear otherwise occupied I could tell they were fully engaged in his tales. I, however, enjoyed listening to his travels with Gimli.
I sat before him of Arod, my horse being sacrificed as a pack mule. I think it was his excuse to keep me close to him. Not that I'm complaining.
"So? Are you going to keep me in suspense?" I asked when he didn't begin. Then it occurred to me speaking of Black while the Elves present were listening was probably not a good idea for concealing my identity.
"No, would you like to see?"
"See?"
He wrapped his arms around me and grasped my hands. Instantly my surroundings turned from the bright, sunny planes to the dark dungeons of Mirkwood. I was standing against a cell, my back pressed against the bars. An Elf flanked each of my sides; my eyes fixed on the two figures before me. I couldn't see her face, but I knew who it was—Black.
Her arms snaked through the bars for a fierce hold on the Elf's neck—the one who she had called Scar Ear, the very same Elf who I temporarily controlled the fate of that foreboding day…
"There is no way you could harm him from that position," the Elf to my right said. I immediately recognized his voice. Naellen.
"Would you like to see me try?" she asked, tightening her grip.
"No—"
"Then here's the deal," she started amist the guard's gasping. "You would be so kind as to escort me out of these caves, return my effects, and watch me go without word 'til sunrise, and I shall be so kind as to let him live."
I couldn't miss the stressed word, but I already knew the outcome. She would let all of them live.
The guard was frightened, to state the obvious. His eyes were wide and pleading with me. However, I felt unusually calm—no doubt Legolas' calm—but I could feel his hate and disgust welling up inside.
"And what if we refuse?" Naellen, ever the diplomat, asked.
Black leaned her head against the bars and her evil grin spread across her face. Her finger traced his ear, and I cringed, knowing what she was doing. Legolas, on the other hand, felt an uncontrollable urge to somehow inflict pain on her, seeing the action as toying with her captive.
"Then you will have the extreme pleasure of watching your friend die…slowly."
The guard trembled in pain as the sensitive shell of his ear blistered and boiled. I winced, shaking, remembering a similar experience with the formation of my now pointy ears.
"And what of your friends?" I felt myself—or Legolas—saying.
So Red and Green were there? I wondered what she would do for them. No doubt they could free themselves from the cells, but escape the guards?
"They are not companions by choice, and they most certainly are not friends. Do with them as you please."
Figures.
All was silent for a moment except for the guard's gasps for air and moans of pain.
"Until dawn, you say?" I asked. "That is a fair ways away as it was just dawn a short while ago. Surely you don't need that much time." I could feel a plan formulating. "Until noon."
"After dark."
"Dusk."
"Dinner."
"Done." Legolas concluded slightly smug. It appeared dinner was going to be served early tonight.
The guard was released and dropped to the floor. I immediately found myself on my knees beside him, questioning his well-being in whispered Elvish.
"Go to the healers," I ordered softly confirming her was well enough to make it there. "Tell them what has occurred. Have them—"
"Just because I don't speak it doesn't mean I don't understand it," came Black's voice. "The guard comes too."
"He's been burned," I countered in disbelief.
"Yes, your highness," she muttered in a mocking tone, "I'm afraid the fire left my fingers a little warm. And like he said, he's well enough for a walk."
Looking at the wound, it suddenly occurred to Legolas that he was dealing with much more than he bargained for.
"We will go now," she ordered, "and the guard goes with us."
I stood, Legolas' eyes measuring the woman behind the bars. She had nothing to force them to withhold their end of the accord with her captive on the ground. He was seriously considering the proposition of walking away. In any other situation he would, but he had seen what she had done to the guard's skin and didn't want to find how far her powers extended.
Reluctantly, he nodded for Naellen to open the cell.
"Over there," the woman indicated with a nod of her head to a thick edge of the forest encompassing the Elven cave castle. The four of us escorting her wordlessly veered from the path and stopped on her command. I could feel Legolas' impatience growing. He did not appreciate being ordered by the human.
"If you dare come back here," I warned, "you will receive a less welcome greeting and will not be given the same opportunity to leave unharmed."
"I'll be sure to keep that in mind," she whispered back as if trying not to alert the trees of their presence. "Now, if you will kindly step back and join your pointy-eared friends."
Shooting a look of disgust, he obliged simply because he wanted the woman from his sight. They watched as she fastened her belt, slipped her knives into her boots, and flung her cloak around her shoulders, quickly pulling the hood over her scarred face.
"It's been fun," she chided. "Give my regards to your king; it really was a lovely dungeon."
She had barely drawn even with the first few trees when the hunting party emerged—a small band of Elves, armed with bows, arrows, and long knives—making their way back from their day out.
"Is everything all right, Your Highness?" the leader called. I could feel Black's eyes embedding into me.
"Everything is fine. Tell them to move on," she said.
That was all they needed. She saved me from having to somehow communicate the situation. Bilinthor was not blind, thus why he had asked in the first place. Legolas made eye contact to make sure he understood.
"Yes, Bilinthor, carry on."
Without pause, the hunting party continued along the path, appearing to be oblivious to the exchange between me and the woman. However, they suddenly changed course with a flick of Bilinthor's wrist and came charging into the gathering, weapons drawn, but a shrill cry echoed through the clearing.
The circled and surrounded the woman and her captive.
"I'm afraid I cannot let you go so easily," said Naellen. He nodded to the other guard that had been in the dungeons with us. "Bind her hands."
However, mistaking the order, the injured guard stepped forward and with tremendous swiftness for her race, the woman flung out her arm and a small fireball appeared, making a speedy path at the guard.
It connected with the flawless skin of the guard's face and he fell to his knees with a scream. "Aegnor!" he cried. The other Elves, even though taken aback by this display of power, continued to circle the four Elves and the woman. A small number stepped forward in attempt to apprehend her, but a palm stopped them. She held it before her, flames flickering from her skin, in a silent message: 'Stay back lest one of you meet the same fate.'
They didn't move.
"Step aside!" she ordered, "Line up over there!" Her unoccupied hand pointed at me.
"I said, move away!"
The flame in her hand flickered brighter.
Fearing for more Elves losing face, Legolas called to them in his native language, confirming the order. A few tried to go to the fallen and whimpering guard.
"Leave him!" the dark woman snapped.
Even if they didn't understand, her tone said enough and they retreated to me.
The woman kept her threatening hand raised and stalked over to the guard who was now rocking back and forth, his face covered by his hands.
She commanded him up softly, but when he didn't obey, pulled him to his feet and into the trees.
I stepped forward, I had not sacrificed as much only to lose them both in the end. I could not stand by and listen to his screams of death.
As if in response to my steps, she turned, "I want you to stay there," she said. "You may follow me and retrieve your friend after you count to three thousand." I opened my mouth to object. "By sevens," she added and disappeared into the foliage.
I took another step forward, fully intending to stop the murder that was about to be committed. A hand on my shoulder stopped me.
"Let me go, Naellen," I growled, trying to twist from his grip.
"Do as she says, Legolas."
"I've done enough as she said, and she said she would not kill him if we did as she asked. Look where that got us!"
"She gave us her word."
"And what is the word of a thief worth?" I roared. "She said we may retrieve him. What else could that mean but have his body after she is done with him?"
"Wait, Legolas!" Naellen snapped. "I will not return to your father with your body as well as his. Just wait…"
The silence of the forest was terrifying. The scene of the fireball hitting the guard replaying in my head. He must be in s o much pain that he wouldn't make a sound as she finished him off.
It had been long enough. I knew that if we waited any longer we would have no chance at catching her. I started forward and broke out into a run, hearing Naellen start behind me. He did not stop me though, just came with.
We found the guard alone by a tree, gasping for breath and shaking. He pointed ahead, as if reading my mind, and I took off, leaving Naellen to tend to his injuries.
I ran for miles, not wanting to accept the fact that she was gone, free…Stopping and slowing my breathing, I grabbed a rock angrily and threw it, cursing.