Disclaimer- -checks- nope, still don't own LOTR or any of the characters…
A/N- When you see ".oOo." in the story, it means that there's a switch in settings.
A/N#2- Some people are confused about Ascarlún. He's not a horse, but actually an Elvish nayona. I don't know why I didn't say their name in the last chapter. I was really tired when I wrote that, though. So sorry for any of the confusion that I've caused you.
Chapter 7- Of Elves, Men, and Elvish Nayonas
Footfalls were heard as a man came down the stone steps. He was a stout man, very rugged, and his beard fell to his chest. He wore a torn and tattered brown leather jerkin that had obviously seen many fights. He walked up to Aragorn's cell first, ignoring the Elves for the moment. "Get up!" The man shouted. When Aragorn didn't move, the man took out a key hidden in his pocket and opened the steel door. He pushed Aragorn to his feet, holding him up by his tunic. "Today's gonna be a different day fer ya." The man had a very unpleasant smile on his face whilst he spoke. "There's no way that you can abolish slavery with your head missin'." He pulled Aragorn out of the cell and ordered Tirnen to come over. "Clean him. I want all his wounds, scratches, and dirt cleaned off. Ya have an hour to do so." Tirnen nodded. The man left Tirnen to his work and walked out of the dungeons.
"Legolas, Estel's out of his cell." Tirnen opened Legolas' door and helped him to his feet.
"He's out?" Legolas hurriedly walked out of his imprisonment with Tirnen, careful not to hurt himself any further. "Estel!" He cried, now running ungracefully to his fallen friend. Pain shot through his body, but Legolas ignored it, he was too preoccupied about his friend.
"Hello, Legolas, quite a predicament that we've fallen in…" Aragorn's voice was dry and raspy when he spoke.
"Shh, don't talk." Legolas knelt down next to the Ranger. "Tirnen, where do these people keep their water?" Legolas faced the guard.
"Hang on, I'll get some." Tirnen walked over to what looked like a closet of some sort. He pulled out a bucket of water and a rag. After getting the needed items, he walked back to the Elf and man. "Here's the water, Legolas." He set the bucket down and draped the rag over the side of the bucket.
Legolas unlaced Aragorn's tunic and shirt. He wetted the rag and started to scrub the dirt off his chest. He was more careful, though, when he washed his wounds. Aragorn winced when Legolas washed a particularly deep gash.
"That hurt?" Legolas noticed when Aragorn shut his eyes and drew in a deep breath. Aragorn gave a slight nod. "I'll try and do this a little more gently then." He continued to wash and scrub at Aragorn's skin, until all the blood and dirt was gone. "Aragorn, do you have any wounds on your legs?"
The ranger shook his head. "None that I know of."
"Then I'm done. Here, let's get you to your feet." Legolas slid his arm under Aragorn's back and bade Tirnen to come over. Tirnen copied Legolas and also slid his arm under Aragorn's body. Legolas took a deep breath, knowing that this action would cause him pain. The two Elves heaved Aragorn up to his feet. They supported Aragorn by slipping their arms under his shoulders and they walked back into his cell. Gently, they set him down, propping his back up against the wall.
"What do we do now?" Tirnen said, retrieving his arm from under Aragorn's stout shoulder.
"I don't know. Escaping is out of the question with Aragorn in this condition; and I'm not leaving without him." Legolas looked sadly upon his mortal friend.
.oOo.
Ascarlún flew for a while, Galion always keeping a keen, Elven eye out for any sign of Legolas' passing. "There! Down there! Ascarlún, quick, land here!" Ascarlún landed on the green grass, and Galion dismounted. He bent down and picked up a shred of green suede leather. "Legolas." He gripped the strip in his hand. The men trampled the grass; leaving it bruised and tainted. "They took him north." Galion looked up from the trail to the north. "The only city north of here is Sarnik, although, they could've taken him elsewhere." Galion rose and mounted Ascarlún, preparing himself for the long search ahead. " Ascarlún, head to Sarnik first, it's directly north of here. "Ascarlún rose into the air and flew north, just as Galion directed.
.oOo.
The man came back, and again, headed towards Aragorn's cell. He was shocked when he got there though. Legolas, Tirnen, and Aragorn were in the same cell; the Elves were too preoccupied to even notice the man when he was standing in the doorway. "Hey, guard!" He commanded
Tirnen's head jerked back, realizing that the man stood in the doorway. "I was just helping him get back to his cell." Tirnen said the first excuse that came to his mind.
"Then why is that in there?" The man was referring to Legolas.
Tirnen was lost for words. He couldn't come up with even the simplest excuse. "It…" Tirnen stumbled over the words, "It… wanted to…" He stumbled again, "see… the man…"
"Why?" The man demanded, starting to suspect Tirnen.
"It'd never seen a man before." Tirnen hated referring to Legolas as an 'it'.
"Yah? Well, bring it out here." The man suspected Tirnen was an imposter.
Tirnen did as he was told and got Legolas to his feet. They walked out of Aragorn's cell and into the corridor.
The man wound a chain around Legolas' wrists. Then he wound the end of the chain around a bar, so he couldn't escape. "You've been too nice, guard." The man advanced towards Tirnen. "Guards are supposed to be mean, and ya ain't!" Tirnen backed up against a wall. The man grabbed Tirnen by his shoulders and shoved him hard against the wall. He forcefully pushed his hair behind his ear, revealing an elegantly pointed ear. "Why ya dirty, sneaking little Elf… you'll pay dearly for this." He replaced his hand on Tirnen's shoulder and turned him around so that his face was pressed firmly against the stone. The man pulled Tirnen's arms behind his back and pulled out a rope. He quickly wound it around the Elven wrists. The bond was cruelly tight, and if Tirnen moved his hands, even just a little, the rope would soon chafe his skin. "Now come. Hesid might've been too foolish to treat such a prize like that; it decreases their value. I'll be lucky to even get two silver pennies for ya." The man looked at Legolas' poor state. His wounds were healing, leaving white scars. "Foolish Hesid." The man cursed. "Without all those wounds, you'd fetch a very high price." The man's gaze shifted to Tirnen. "But you'll fetch me a nice price…" He took Tirnen's jaw in his hand and moved it to the side, examining his state.
Tirnen spit in the man's face. The man let go of him to wipe it off, and Tirnen stuck his head in-between the bars of a cell door.
"What are ya doing, Elf?"
The man reached to pull Tirnen back, but Tirnen quickly warned, "I'll end my life here if you try and sell Legolas." Tirnen moved his head to the side slightly, showing how he could easily snap his neck.
"Ya mean that you'd kill yerself just to save this one that's probably gonna die anyway?"
"It's better than having to be a slave for eternity, and knowing that Legolas is a slave too." He turned his head back to its original place. "I'm worth more than him anyway. Wouldn't it be more of a loss to you if I died? A dead Elf wouldn't sell for anything on the market."
The man stroked his beard thoughtfully, "Alright, he can go. You stay."
Tirnen pulled his head out from the bars. "So let him go."
"Nah, I changed my mind." The man grabbed Tirnen before he could get his head back in-between the bars. "Stupid Elf, you shouldn't have trusted me. The man laughed at how ingenious he thought he was. He unwound the chain from the bar and took Legolas and Tirnen out of the dungeons.
"You were willing to give your life for me?" Legolas whispered to Tirnen.
"Of course." Tirnen smiled, lightning the mood. He also added in a whisper, "I would rather see the Prince of Mirkwood at home with his adar, than in slavery."
"Both of ya, in!" The man shoved his captives into a small, dark room. The room was filled with other Elves from all over Middle-earth.
"Haldir?" Legolas walked over to the form sitting in the corner. Haldir looked up and noticed Legolas squatting in front of him. "Captured too?"
Haldir gave a slight nod, "Yes, I fought to keep the borders of Lorien clear, but I failed. Every Elf that didn't leave for Valinor, was taken."
"So they're taking every Elven dwelling?" Legolas bit his lip. "If Lothlorien was taken, then Rivendell and Mirkwood will be next."
"Elrond will stay in Rivendell, no matter what"
.oOo.
Ascarlún and Galion soon saw the city of Sarnik appearing on the horizon. "We're almost there, Ascarlún. Remember that these men hate Elves, and I'm sure that they hate Elvish nayonas too." Galion drew in a deep breath. He clutched Ascarlún's wings nervously; he wasn't sure how this would work out.
When they came upon the city's gates, Ascarlún flew over them and landed in a clear spot. "There's no one here." Galion said, dismounting. "I wonder where they all are."
"Halt!" A gatekeeper cried. "Who are you, and why have you come?"
"I'm Frus, son of Fruseir." Galion blurted out random words. "And I come here on a trip."
"What's that then?" The gatekeeper cocked an eyebrow. He was looking at Ascarlún.
"That's a very special steed." Galion was trying to buy time as to a new name for Ascarlún.
"Alright, but what is it?" The gatekeeper flinched when Ascarlún flicked his wing, trying to get a feather back in place.
"He's a Dwarvish horse." Galion almost blushed at how stupid that sounded. "His name is Thor." Galion didn't even know if that was even a real name.
"Thor, the Dwarvish horse, and Frus, son of Fruseir." So where do you come from?"
"We come from Bree." Bree? What? This is the most messed up story that I've ever told Galion smiled meekly, afraid that the keeper would expose them for frauds.
"Alright, sounds good. You should check out the slave auction today. There's some good Elves up this time." The gatekeeper returned to his post.
"Ascarlún, lets go to that auction. Legolas could be there." Galion whispered into the Elvish nayona's ear. "Keeper, where's this auction being held?"
"Go straight from here, and take a right at the blacksmith's."
Galion nodded his thanks and led the way to the auction. "Ascarlún, come." Ascarlún followed the Elf to the place where the auction was taking place, and there they had to talk with another keeper. "Keeper, let us through."
"Who are ya, and why should I do that?"
So many questions… "I'm Frus, son of Fruseir." Galion lied.
"What's that?" The keeper was also referring to Ascarlún.
"He's Thor, a Dwarvish horse."
"How can a Dwarf even get on top of that thing?" The keeper arched an eyebrow.
"They use ladders." Galion's mind wasn't used to making up so many excuses.
"Alright, so what are you?" The keeper unsheathed his sword, trying to throw him off.
"I'm an Elf." Galion was too preoccupied with the sword, so he didn't think before he spoke. And I was doing so well before… "Ascarlún! Come, we have to depart!"
"ELF!" The keeper shouted, "GET 'EM!"
Galion quickly swung upon Ascarlún's back and they began to take flight. They were airborne until a rope was tossed around Ascarlún's neck, pulling the creature and rider to the ground.
"Another Elf for sale, and a nice, shiny new pelt." The keeper fingered his sword whilst he walked up to Ascarlún. "Your hide's gonna look nice in my house." Ascarlún was held firmly down. No matter what he did to get free, he couldn't break the ropes. Galion was being held back by two strapping men. He cursed at the men for holding him back, and at the man who was going to kill King Thranduil's fastest steed.
Tbc…
A/N- Adar father in Elvish. Thor… isn't he the Viking god of thunder? WOW! This chapter's long! And this Author's note is random! HAM! Hehe, Jedi;) Oh, and it may seen like everyone's getting captured, but it's not always going to be like this. I mean, if it was, then there'd be no hero in the end:)
Responds to Reviews-
Lyn- You make a very interesting point. I know that the extensive dragging, beating, and stuff like that will decrease his value (sheesh, sound's like I'm talking about a car…), but the men in the camp really could care less. Hesid got very annoyed with Legolas, and so he didn't care how he got Legolas back to the city, just so Legolas was alive when they got there.
Aranel of Mirkwood- Actually, I was just thinking of that same thing last month… weird… but anyway… I was already too far in the story when I actually thought of that to fix it… and now trying to fix it would be a NIGHTMARE!
Kestrel of Valinor- Yay! I'm a talented writer-beams- Thanks! I appreciate the compliment a lot:D
Jedi Gollum- Well, it's like this, I wanted to keep the creature's name a little secretive… I actually don't know why though n.n;… just to add a little mystery or something really stupid like that… I don't know… I was a little tired when I wrote that though:P
Horsiegurl- hehe, actually he's not a horse:) He's an Elvish nayona. I made them up when I was like 5 or so… and they just stuck with me all this time!
Iccle fairy- No, Legolas didn't appear in that chapter. I wanted to focus on Galion and Thranduil only. And sorry to disappoint you, but he's not a horse:)