Disclaimer- I think you've all seen this enough to know that I don't own LotR or any of the characters…
A/N- There's this ".oOo." thing again. It just means that you're switching to another character's story.
Chapter 9- Kept in Slavery
Haldir and Ascarlún were roughly untied. The man brought them back into the stables, where he took the girth strap off of Ascarlún. Underneath the strap, there was sweat and dirt. "Ai, don't you Elves know how to care for steeds?" The man took the bit out of Ascarlún's mouth, and hung the bridle over a post. He then forced Haldir to work there the rest of the remaining day.
Once finished with all his assigned jobs, Haldir was too exhausted to even walk back to the little house that was given to him. He crawled over to Ascarlún and collapsed, quickly falling asleep soon afterwards. Ascarlún could feel Haldir's heart beat against the side of his rib. He was glad that the marchwarden was still well. To keep him warm, Ascarlún laid his head down next to the sleeping form. There, they slept soundly for the night, comforted by the presence of each other.
A swift sunrise came, waking the Elvish nayona. Ascarlún looked down to find Haldir still deeply asleep. Ascarlún nudged Haldir's neck, trying to wake him gently, but Haldir didn't respond to the nudging. Ascarlún stood up, hoping that the movement would wake him, but again, Haldir didn't respond. Not knowing what else to do, Ascarlún nudged the back of Haldir's hip. Haldir winced; the brand still burned on his fair skin. He awoke with a groan, not wanting to face the challenges that the new day was to bring.
"Hello, Ascarlún." Haldir said, getting up. He stroked Ascarlún's neck; "Did you at least sleep well?" Haldir held the back of his neck.
"Why weren't you in your quarters, slave?" The man came back into the stables with an aggravated look on his face.
"I'm sorry, I just collapsed here." Haldir spoke the truth.
"Well, we'll see if you just collapse in the fields." The man shoved a scythe in Haldir's hands. "The grass needs to be cut." The man walked over to Ascarlún. "It's getting really skinny." He ran his hand underneath Ascarlún's stomach. "What do they eat?"
"Meat," Said Haldir, "They're carnivores."
"Carnivores, huh?" The man furrowed his brow, displeased at how high the price of meat was. "Well, we'll just see how well of a job you do tonight, slave." The man smiled at Haldir's confused expression. "You'll see what I mean soon enough…" Haldir turned back around to go work in the field.
.oOo.
Legolas and Tirnen were roughly thrown on the cold, stone ground. "You two are mine now." Their new master, the armory shop owner, sneered. "I needed some new victims to test out my swords and armor." The man smiled menacingly, "You two don't want to know what happened to the last ones that tested here…" He motioned to some dead bodies piling up and rotting in the corner. "Should really get to disposing those things."
Tirnen's expression went blank, he wasn't sure of what to think. All he could hope was that he and Legolas would survive the night.
"You two can sleep wherever you find room in here." The man said coldly, "Since it's almost sunset, I'll give you the rest of this day to get adjusted." The man was about to leave, but then he just remembered something. "The borders here are well-protected, trying to escape would be useless." With that, he left the two Elves in solitude.
"My worst fear is now a reality…" Tirnen shook his head in disbelief. "I'm now a slave to another being…"
"Don't worry, Tir, we'll escape somehow." Legolas put his hand on the younger Elf's shoulder in compassion.
Tirnen nodded slightly. "We will have to rest and think of a plan." He picked his way to a corner and bid Legolas to follow. Soon, the two friends were planning their escape route.
.oOo.
"Since father has given you to me, that makes you my new slave." Galion's new master smiled sweetly. Galion was then kindly led to a nice, feather bed. "This is where you will sleep every night. Get to bed at sunset and wake at sunrise. Your meals will be brought to you every morning, afternoon, and evening." She smiled sweetly, taking a swift liking to him. After the bedroom, came the kitchen. "You will work here most of the time. Baking, cooking, or cleaning. And since you're an Elf, I'm sure that all of your dishes will be quite good." She giggled a little after saying that. "Wash up at the stream before coming back into the house." She continued, "You are welcome to come in the house anytime after you finish your jobs."
She dismissed Galion with his first assignment. He was to wash all the dishes and sweep the floor afterwards. Being a butler, he was used to obeying orders without complaining. Galion got to work, and very efficently, he finished both the jobs in just a little over an hour.
"You sure are quick." Galion's master walked back into the kitchen and smiled.
"Thanks, master." Galion sighed.
"Oh, you can call me Isabel." Isabel gave him a warm smile.
"Isabel." Galion smiled a slight smile back to her.
"Well, the sun's about to set. Go wash up and return here." Isabel said, "But don't even think about escaping. Bounty hunters looking for stray Elves are probably just waiting to get their hands on you."
Galion sadly nodded his understanding, and walked out the door down to the stream.
.oOo.
Many tiring hours passed and Haldir was just finishing up. Sweat beaded and dripped off his brow. With one last swipe of the scythe, the last patch of grass was cut.
"Alright, you've done enough for the day." The man didn't want to wear out his slave so soon, "Here's a reward for doing a good job." The man handed Haldir some food. The first amount of food that Haldir had had in awhile. He ate the food hungrily. "Now off to your quarters, slave." Haldir did as he was told; he walked back to the little house and awaited his master.
The man walked in and gave Haldir a blanket. "Can't have you freeze to death." Haldir took the blanket from the man's hands.
He walked to his little bed, feeling rather tired and worn. Well, I survived another day… Haldir yawned, crawling into the small bed. He uncomfortably fell asleep underneath the wool blanket. The man left once he was sure that his slave was deeply asleep.
.oOo.
Morning came and the two Elves hadn't gotten a minute's sleep, for they were far too busy with their plans.
"So tonight, then?" Tirnen reassured. He yawned, just now noticing that the sun's warm rays were pouring softly into the room.
Legolas nodded and stifled a yawn, for their master had just come into the room.
"Good, you're up." The man gave the Elves some newly forged helms and swords. "Time to get to work, slaves."
"How?" Tirnen braved a question.
"How, what?" The man turned around.
"How do we test these out?"
"On each other, idiot." The man rolled his eyes, "Do I have to teach you everything?" Legolas and Tirnen looked at each other. "Now, try them." Frustration edged the man's voice.
Legolas and Tirnen put the helmets on, but they couldn't bring themselves to fight.
"Fight, damn it!" The man stomped his foot on the stone floor.
The Elves stared at each other and dropped their swords, understanding that neither of them wanted to fight one another.
The man growled angrily and picked the fallen swords up. "You," he pointed to Tirnen, "sit over there." Tirnen reluctantly did as he was commanded and sat down in an empty spot on the floor.
Alternating between the two Elves, the man tested out many swords and armor designs. Finally satisfied with his choices in weaponry, he left the Elves alone again.
"Legolas," Tirnen groaned, "I don't think we can survive another night…"
Legolas nodded weakly. "That's why we're leaving tonight." He coughed, "It's tonight or never."
Tirnen wiped the dripping blood off his arm; "We better tend to our wounds, Legolas." He saw a bucket of water and a couple of rags lying on the floor. He picked them up and walked back over to Legolas. "Here, Legolas." Tirnen handed Legolas a rag from the bucket. He sighed, " I have wounds all over my body." He took his tunic and shirt off and began to wash all of the drying blood off. Legolas proceeded to do the same. Once their upper bodies were clean, they needed to wash their legs; so both of them stripped out of their remaining clothing and washed the blood off their legs.
Whilst they finished, the man came back in. "Here, I brought you some food." He set the tray down on the floor and left once again.
Tirnen and Legolas got their leggings on and walked over to the food. They each took equal shares and ate without content.
.oOo.
Galion returned, his golden hair dripping wet, and his boots held in his hands.
"There's fresh fruit on the table. And after you eat, get to bed." Isabel waved him good night, before she slipped off to her quarters.
Galion took a pear and ate it whilst he walked to his bedroom. I need to escape here somehow… but for the time being, I don't really mind being here. He thought, lying on the bed. Legolas never treated me this nice… in fact, he really never really treated me nice at all… Galion frowned at the memories of a little Elfling playing tricks on him all the time. He laughed at some memories of himself pranking the little Elfling back. He sighed and fell asleep on the feather bed.
.oOo.
When the sun fell, Haldir awoke to the cramps developing in his legs. His legs were stiffening from the curled position that he resumed to lay in. He got out of bed and quietly walked under the moonlight to the stables. Ascarlún was there, asleep on the straw in his stall. "Ascarlún, wake up." Haldir whispered in Ascarlún's ear. Ascarlún's eyes opened and peered up at Haldir who was leaning over him. He stood up and looked at the moon, trying to figure out why Haldir had awoken him.
"Now, Ascarlún, let us leave quietly." Haldir said, stoking Ascarlún's neck. Ascarlún wasn't normally fond of new riders, but under the life or death condition, he obeyed. Haldir took the pack off the post and slung it over his shoulder before mounting Ascarlún.
Quietly, Ascarlún began to leave the stables; carefully placing his foot, so not to step on anything, he walked out under the moonlight. The slim moon was falling in the sky, shedding his last light before quietly slipping beneath the hills. Ascarlún ran quickly, spreading his feathered wings as he did so. Quickly beating them, Ascarlún was able to lift himself off the grass and into the starry sky.
"Head to Mirkwood first. We'll see King Thranduil and tell him of Legolas." Haldir clung onto Ascarlún's wings, trying to stay mounted.
Ascarlún flew until the sun rose. Finally stopping in the courts of King Thranduil's palace. Servants and guards stopped what they were doing and rushed to where the Elvish nayona stood.
"Prince Legolas!" Menelvagor shouted, pushing his way through the mass of bemused Elves. "Legolas?" He looked disappointedly upon Haldir. "Where is Prince Legolas?"
"First, where is King Thranduil?" Asked Haldir, dismounting.
"He has left. He said that no one could follow him; he didn't want to endanger any more Elves." Menelvagor looked sadly down. "But where is Prince Legolas? Has he fallen?" He added in a whisper.
"Nay, he is still alive." Haldir's voice faltered, his body still worn from the work that he had to do the day before. "He has been taken captive and sold as a slave."
The crowd gasped, their prince a slave? A fluster of questions aroused after that statement. Many Elves were talking at once, each asking a question about Legolas.
Haldir mounted Ascarlún again. "Calm, we will find Legolas." He said, patting Ascarlún's neck.
"But what if you don't? Legolas was Thranduil's only son. And if Thranduil falls, then who will rule Mirkwood?" Menelvagor asked, concerned for the fate of Mirkwood.
"We hopefully won't have to think of that." Haldir pushed Ascarlún foreword, away from all the questions. "There are enslavers about and they have already taken Lorien! Mirkwood could be next! I'd advise all of you to take this warning seriously!" Haldir shouted as Ascarlún flew into the sky.
"I hope that we have enough supplies." Haldir remembered the pack hanging over his shoulder. "We need to warn Rivendell of the enslavers also. Hopefully, it hasn't been taken yet either."
Tbc…
A/N- please, people, review! It really brightens my day to hear from you. Suggestions welcome! Especially what the Elves should do for tasks. Also, do you people like Tirnen? Just curious… laughs menacingly… I mean… oh nothing;)
Responds to reviews-
JediGollum- Yes, cheese is quite good nods
Horsiegurl- I know; he is quite mean, but he's gone now! BUT now you have the armory shop owner to worry about;)
Iccle fairy- Hehe, the leggings part was fun to write. And I promise, Faramir will appear in the next chappy!
Mrs. Bloom- Thanks so much for all the compliments!
Elanna- hehe, that's what was going to happen:)