Disclaimer- lala… move along, I don't own LOTR or any of the characters:)
A/N- YAY! Quicker update:D (I've updated this, because Jedi noticed that some of the punctuation marks were missing! So I hope that this helps… thanks for pointing that out, Jedi!) ... It didn't work... -sigh- sorry, people but ff isn't letting me put the punctuation up:P
Chapter 5- The King
The man motioned for two men watching the fray to take Legolas back to his cell. The rugged men grabbed Legolas by his shoulders and roughly dragged him to the dungeon's entrance. Legolas couldn't keep his mind off of the pain that shot through his shoulder from one of the men's hands gripping his wound, digging his fingers into the torn flesh. He groaned when the other man finally got the door open. They dragged the Elf's limp, motionless body down the steps and up to Tirnen.
"This cell's open…" Tirnen said in a gruff voice, trying his hardest to keep his Elven voice concealed. He pointed to a cell that looked the nicest. It had a window and some straw, and that was about it, but it at least had more then some of the other cells.
The men dragged Legolas into the cell and slammed the door shut. "'Ere, make sure it don't get out ag'in." The man quickly shoved the key in Tirnen's hand while he walked past him. He left with the other man, leaving a quite confused and surprised Tirnen.
"Valar, Legolas, what did they do to you" Tirnen opened the door and sat down next to the older Elf. He propped Legolas' head up with the crook of his arm and eyed the wounds with disgust.
"They caught me…" Was all Legolas could manage to say.
Tirnen ran his slender hand through the Prince's hair soothingly. "You need medical attention." Tirnen examined the gaping wounds. He furrowed his brow when he came upon his chafed neck. "The healers here wouldn't dare touch or even help an Elf though…" He pulled out his water flask and gently dribbled some water on his neck and washed it clean of the blood and dirt. "Here, drink. You look as though you're going to pass out." Tirnen held the flask to Legolas' lips and bade him to drink some.
Legolas swallowed the water and asked in a raspy voice"Do you have any food"
"I'll get some." Tirnen helped Legolas sit against a near-by wall, and then he left the dungeons. Legolas waited as patiently as he could for Tirnen to return.
Tirnen returned with food, water, and bandages. "Glad to see you've got an appetite." He propped Legolas up again. "Here, I've got some bread, an apple, water, and bandages for your wounds." He handed him the food. Legolas hungrily ate the offered food and laid back in Tirnen's caring arms.
Tirnen slowly unbuttoned Legolas' tunic, so as to not to disturb the wound any further, and washed the deep arrow-wound clean. He took some bandages and wrapped them snugly around his shoulder. Then he buttoned his tunic up again and carefully slid Legolas' leggings down only far enough to see his wound. He cleaned that wound too and wrapped it in the same fashion as his shoulder.
Legolas swiftly fell asleep out of exhaustion when Tirnen finished with his bandaging. Tirnen laid him down on the straw and unclasped his brooch. He laid his cloak across Legolas' sleeping form. Then he silently kissed the prince's brow and said a silent prayer of protection. "Sleep well, mellon-nin." Tirnen walked out of the cell and closed the door behind him.
"Got another one." Said a short, fat man. He, with another, taller, slimmer man dragged the motionless body to the cell at the end. They roughly pushed the man in and quickly locked the cell door.
"I could hold onto that for ya, if you'd like." Asked Tirnen with his deepened voice.
"Nah. I'd rather keep it. Seen' as how you'd let 'em escape." The short man pocketed the silver key. He followed the tall man out of the dungeons.
Tirnen made sure that they were out of sight before he walked over to the newly occupied cell. "Are you alright" Tirnen asked between the steel bars. The man gave no response. "Hello" Tirnen called again, but still, no response came. Tirnen picked a stick up, stuck it between the bars, and gently prodded the man's shoulder, but the man didn't move. He prodded him a little harder, yet again; the man gave no response. Tirnen didn't want to harm him, so he put the stick down and got his flask of water. He walked back to the man's cell and splashed the man on the face. This time, the man at least responded to the water by furrowing his brow. "Good. You're at least alive. I was getting worried for a moment." Tirnen watched as the man opened his gray eyes.
'Where am I" The man struggled to sit up, but his arm was badly wounded and wouldn't hold much weight.
Tirnen didn't know how to say it without shocking the man, so he put it bluntly. "You're in a dungeon."
"Why" The man gave up on trying to sit up, so he was lying on his side.
"You were captured." Tirnen could hear an exasperated sigh escape the man's lips.
The man surveyed his surroundings. "So, are you friend or foe" The man looked Tirnen in the eye, knowing that he could catch him if he was lying.
"I try to help the captives here, so friend, I'd assume."
The man studied Tirnen's slender form. "You look of Sindarin origin… but that's impossible… why would an Elf be a guard here"
"You tell me." Tirnen pushed some dark hair off his brow, revealing his pointed ears.
The man was confused now. He struggled to get into a sitting position, but once again, he painfully failed. "What is your name" The man looked up at Tirnen.
"Tirnen, sir, Tirnen son of Tiri." Tirnen sat cross-legged in front of the man's cell. "And what might be your name"
"You can call me Strider." Strider didn't fully trust the Elf yet. He wanted to make sure that he could trust him completely before he gave out his name.
Tirnen gave a complying nod. "Alright, Strider, it's a pleasure to meet you."
"Same here. It's nice to see a friendly face here in this place."
Legolas awoke to find his cell door closed again. He sighed heavily and painfully sat up. "Tirnen" He called"where are you"
"Legolas" The Ranger's head shot up.
"Ara" Legolas cut himself off. He remembered that Tirnen was still here. "Estel"
"Estel" Tirnen looked puzzled. "But didn't you say your name was 'Strider' just a moment ago"
"Yes, I have many names. Strider is just one of them." Strider was trying in vain to sit up.
"I see." Tirnen got up and unlocked Legolas' cell.
"Is Estel here" Legolas already knew the answer, but he just couldn't believe it. He wanted to jump to his feet and run to see him, but his gaping wounds wouldn't allow him.
"Yes. He's in the last cell." Tirnen helped Legolas slowly get to his feet.
Legolas desperately wanted to see his dear friend again. He didn't care if he was caught outside his cell; it was worth it. "Estel…" Legolas put his arm between the bars, trying to get as close as possible to his friend.
"Legolas…" Strider outstretched his arm. He truly wished that he could stand, or at least sit up. "How did you get here"
"I was captured… and you"
"Same here. I was walking outside the city when a man came up behind me and knocked me out. Next I know, I'm here, in a cell." Strider's head fell to his chest.
"Estel" Legolas' focus shifted to the floor, focusing on a small bug. "I'm going to be a slave soon…"
"What" Strider's head jerked up and he looked at his friend with wide eyes. "Why"
"I'm going up for auction soon."
"No…" Strider's eyes fell to the floor in desperation. "No… no… no…" He couldn't believe it. His friend a slave? No. He had to stop it. "Legolas, you must escape."
Legolas showed him his shoulder. "I've already tried that..."
Strider gasped, Legolas was still bleeding profusely. "You have to try again. Please, if not for yourself, then for me. I can't imagine you as a slave. Working for someone who thinks they're higher than you" He paused. "Please… just try…"
"I don't know how I'd get"
"Quick, Legolas, back to your cell. Someone's coming" Tirnen shoved Legolas back to his cell. Knowing that if he'd taken his time, they'd get caught and beaten. Once Legolas was safely back inside, Tirnen shut the door and locked it. He cast himself down by foot of the door and both of them awaited the man.
Tbc…
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A/N- What? Were you expecting more? Well, you'll just have to wait like everyone else:) CONSTRUCTIVE CRITICISM WELCOME!
Responds to Reviews-
Teha- lol, I have a feeling that Tirnen will be making a lot of appearances;) Oh, and I have a little calendar that shows me a new word every day:)
Zammy- Thranduil might hear of his son's capture, but we'll have to see…;)
Iccle fairy- Aww… and Tirnen thanks you for the complement!
Jedi gollum- Do I want to know what happens to him? HAPPY BIRTHDAY (it's late, I know:P) Ha, very random indeed! HAM! Hehe:D
Kestrel of Valinor- (Oops… I'm really sorry for not responding to your review in the last chapter…) So thank you very much for your review! It means a lot to me that people like you are enjoying this little fiction:D