Disclaimer- I don't and won't ever own LOTR…
A/N- Thank you for the reviews!:D
Chapter 3- Revelations
Legolas was jerked down on the grass. The man that led Legolas, Dernid, tripped on a rock. Legolas moved his head to the side, since he couldn't do anything else with his hands bound, and spit out some grass that'd gotten into his mouth.
"Halt!" Hesid cried. He ran over to Dernid and helped him sit up. Legolas was, again, left unattended to. "Does this hurt?" Hesid asked while pulling the man's ankle straight.
Dernid cringed in pain. "Yes…" He moaned.
"Hang on, men. Looks like we'll be setting up camp here for awhile."
The men groaned. They wanted to get home to their families or go out and relax a bit.
"Stop yer complaining! We're men, not weak little Elves!"
The men sulked away and prepared to rest. Some men laid down, others sat down, and the rest played games.
"Do ya think it's broken?" Dernid asked between gasps.
"Might be. I don't know for certain." Hesid helped Dernid stand on his good foot.
What about me? Legolas attempted to at least roll onto his back. They've all left me… they don't even care how they get me back to their city, just as long as I'm still alive…
Hesid helped Dernid sit down on a fallen tree. "Rest here, I have some talking to do…" He walked over to Legolas and kicked him over with his foot. He then heaved Legolas' chain up. Legolas was helpless; the chain controlled his every movement. "You did this, didn't you?" He fiercely shook Legolas' shoulders. "Because of you, Dernid's injured."
Legolas was silent for a moment. He was thinking of how he could word his sentence.
"Speak!" Hesid shook Legolas violently.
Legolas started slowly, "I didn't do this. He tripped-"
"Stop makin' excuses fer yerself!" Hesid punched Legolas in the stomach.
Legolas cringed and groaned a little, he wanted to punch him back, but he couldn't. Kick him. Legolas' conscious thought, No… I don't need any more problems… He kept his head low, afraid to look the man in the eye.
"Stupid thing…" Hesid grumbled under his breath while taking Legolas' chain and walking back to Dernid. Legolas obediently followed, knowing that if he didn't, he would be severely punished.
"I don't want to do this, Dernid, but the Elf did injure you." Hesid helped him to stand up. "Down, Elf!" Legolas arched an eyebrow. Hesid pointed to the ground, "Down!" Legolas sighed and got to his knees. "Good." Hesid ruffled Legolas' hair, then he helped Dernid onto the Elf's shoulders. "Come!" Hesid pulled the chain and made him scramble to his feet. He pulled him to the front of the camp and addressed everyone, "Men, we're leaving now!"
The men got to their feet and formed a band behind their leader.
Hesid led on the company for many leagues until they got to their home, Sarnik.
The men cheered when the hills of the city appeared on the horizon. Legolas would've collapsed onto the ground if it weren't for Hesid holding the chain so tightly.
"Guards, open the gates for Hesid, son of Hensar." Hesid cried.
The gates were opened so that Hesid and his company could pass through.
"Got another one?" A guard laughingly queried.
Hesid held the end of the chain proudly. "Hard one, it was."
Legolas didn't heed to the comment. He was already sick of being talked about and treated like an animal.
"Thank you, men, for another successful capture!" Hesid dismissed the men and led Legolas to the healers, north of the gates.
When they arrived, Legolas saw that the little brick building was crumbling, the roof was made of straw and mud, and the floor was crawling with rats. This is nothing like the House of Healing in Gondor… Legolas looked in disgust at the small, unsanitary building.
"Healer," Hesid addressed the only healer there, "please tend to Dernid. His ankle is damaged."
"Set 'em on that table over there." The healer was very busy, and didn't want to be bothered any further that day. "I'll be with 'em in a moment." She dodged to and from beds, caring for the most injured or sick first.
Hesid pointed to the floor, and Legolas obediently got down to his knees and waited. Hesid laughed at how easily he could command the Elf. He pulled Dernid onto a bed and whispered, "I'll be back soon." He dragged Legolas out of the building and led him east.
This place looks awful. No glass in the windows, broken doors, houses made from sticks, only some are made of stone, and the roads are just plowed dirt. Legolas stopped to examine a house, but he was roughly pulled along.
"No stopping!" Hesid jerked the chain.
They finally reached their destination, the dungeons. Hesid picked the foulest cell available. "In!" He shoved Legolas in and drew his knife while walking up to him. He cut Legolas' bindings and left, locking the cell door behind him.
Legolas sighed heavily. He hated being confined. All Elves hated it. His cell's walls were stained with blood, there were no windows, it was unbearably small, and the floor was littered with bones. Human bones. Legolas kicked a skull away and sat down in a corner. Why couldn't he take this chain off too? He lifted the end of the chain and cast it aside. He clutched his stomach; it had been two days since he'd actually eaten a decent meal.
A cell guard peered into Legolas' cell. "Another one of them, huh?"
Legolas ignored it. He was too hungry to focus on anything else.
"Here." The guard held out an apple. "You look hungry."
Legolas looked up. He hesitated before he spoke. "You aren't going to drug me, are you?"
The guard shook his head. "No. I'm different then the other people in this city."
"Like how?" Legolas stood up and walked to the door.
"Like this." The guard pushed a dark lock of hair behind his ear.
Legolas gasped. "You're an Elf…" He stood, flabbergasted.
The guard nodded. "I'm here, hiding from them. I know what they do with the prisoners, and I don't want to end up like them."
"What becomes of them?" Legolas took the apple from the Elf's hand.
"They're put up for auction… a slave auction…" The Elf's eyes dropped to the ground.
Legolas' heart raced. "Please, let me out."
"I can't. Only the man who brought the prisoner in has the key." He paused. "I'm sorry."
Legolas slumped down, no longer interested in eating. The apple rolled out of his hand and across the floor before hitting the skull. He sat motionless for awhile. Then he crawled into the darkest corner he could find and curled up. Silently, there, he wept.
The guard turned around and sat down, worried for the captured Elf.
Legolas got out of his corner a few hours later. He walked to the Elf and asked, "How can you sleep like that?"
The guard opened his eyes and turned his head around. "If I sleep like a normal Elf, people would suspect something."
"I guess. That must've taken a long time to sleep with your eyes closed, though."
"Not really. It's actually quite soothing." The guard turned his head back.
"Do you have any water?" Legolas was thirsty after the ordeal of his capture.
"Of course." The guard handed Legolas his water flask. "Drink as much as you want."
Legolas took many long draughts. "Thank you." He handed the empty flask back.
"When's the last time you've drunk anything?" The guard stood and faced Legolas.
"Two days ago, at least." Legolas said while picking the fallen apple up.
"Right before they caught you?" The guard took the apple from Legolas' hand and dropped it on the ground.
Legolas nodded. "Yes."
"Are you hungry now?" The guard just remembered that Legolas hadn't eaten anything before he came in.
Legolas had completely forgotten about his hunger. "Famished."
The guard handed Legolas a fresh apple. "There's plenty more of those, too."
Legolas hungrily ate the apple and disposed of the core out in the corridor.
"Would you like another one?"
"Maybe later." Legolas sat down with his back against the bars.
"Tell me, uh…" The guard fumbled for words, "First, what is your name?"
"Legolas, son of Thranduil, prince of Mirkwood."
"Prince?" The guard stood shocked.
"What, then, is your name?"
"My name is Tirnen, son of Tiri."
"It's a pleasure to finally meet another Elf, Tirnen."
"Tell me, Prince Legolas-"
"Please, just Legolas." Legolas interrupted.
"Oh, sorry. Tell me, Legolas, how did they catch you?"
Legolas told of all the events that happened during his capture. Tirnen stood, interested in the prince's story.
"I see." Tirnen spoke after Legolas accounted his tale.
"Hey!" Hesid's voice boomed from the top of the stairs. "I've got good news for ya!" He flew down the stairs and went straight to Legolas' cell. "You're not gonna be here very long…" He smiled menacingly.
Tbc…
A/N- Please review, I love to hear from you:D (ha, that rhymed…)
Responds to Reviews-
Outofthebox- Thanks for the comment! And Aragorn should appear later on in the story. I haven't thought of when yet, though…:/
Troubles8806- Thank you for the advice and comment!:)
thesadness2003- Aww…thank you!:D
Mrs. Bloom- Lol, yes, there will be more Legolas angst! Thank you for your review!:)
Horsiegurl- And happy holidays to you too! Thank you for the comment!:)