Disclaimer- LotR or any of the characters do not belong to me…
A/N- Faramir's a Ranger in here. I know that he's a prince in the 4th age, but here, he's a Ranger.
Chapter 13- Another Day, Another Slave
A silent, motionless hour passed before Legolas was finally awaking from his unconscious state. He groaned heavily and looked over his shoulder at his lower back. The hilt of the knife was the only part visible sticking out of Legolas's torn bloodied flesh. He reached back and grasped the black hilt. He squeezed his eyes shut and began to pull the serrated knife free from his muscle. He took a long deep breath through clenched teeth whilst he pulled the knife free. He weakly threw the knife as far away as he could.
Painfully pulling himself up to a sitting position, he was able to grab the rag and dunk it in the cool, clean water. He reached back and began to gently scrub the drying blood and dirt off of his back.
Once finished with cleaning his wound, he put the rag back into the red soiled water and grabbed the clean white bandages lying right next to the bucket. He wrapped them tightly around his abdomen to stem the flow of blood as quickly as he could.
Then remembering his wounded shoulder, he fished back in the red water for the strip of cloth. He washed his left shoulder carefully, being extremely cautious not to break the flesh that was already beginning to heal. Following that, he took the remaining bandages and wrapped them snugly around the old wound.
He finished with dressing his wounds and his glance sadly drifted over to Tirnen's body. He sighed; Tirnen's body didn't give off the warm soft glow that was present when he was alive.
He slowly brought himself out of the painfully sorrowful memories of his dear late friend. His attention was soon drawn to his completely empty stomach. He looked over to the tray of food that was sitting to his right. At least he still feeds me… The Elven prince thought; picking up a slice of freshly baked wheat bread. He slowly ate the bread, not hoping but feeling alone in the dark, helpless room. He finished eating the slice of bread and picked up a little bunch of green grapes. He picked one off the stem and ate it, savoring its sweet, ripe juice. He relished the remaining grapes, knowing that this would be his only meal for the entire day.
.oOo.
Haldir groaned; Nadhor, his master, had just given him a very harsh and unjustified beating for trying to snatch a little piece of food.
The Marchwarden was to work in the stables again that evening, but he didn't feel like cleaning up anymore. He didn't feel like doing anything anymore, actually. He just wanted to be free again. He wanted to go back to his telon and rest in his silver-boughed mallorn tree. He missed his cozy telon high above Lothlorien's forest floor.
"Get back to work, slave!" Haldir's master whipped Haldir across his back.
Haldir's thoughts ended there. He got back to the stables and cleaned them up some more. And no matter how much he detested cleaning them, he beared through it and cleaned them until they were spotless.
By the time Haldir was finished with the stables, the moon was already high in the sky. The Marchwarden walked out of the stables and into the little room that was assigned to him. He miserably crawled into the little bed and swiftly fell asleep.
The pale yellow sun rose, the little birds awoke, and the cricket's melodious songs had stopped. It was morning again, and Haldir awoke with a groan. "Another damned day in this damned place!" He groggily got out of bed and walked outside.
A large tree loomed over Haldir's head. The Marchwarden looked up and saw that it bore pears. He looked around to make sure that his master was still in his house. Good! He is gone! Haldir jumped up trying to grasp a ripe pear, but his jump was just a little too short. Thinking quickly, he skillfully scaled the tree and sat on one of the tree's mighty boughs. He picked the ripest looking pear and ate it hungrily. He dropped the core on the grass and picked another three pears that were in his reach. He jumped down from the tree and ran back into his small room. There, he stored the three ripe pears under the wool blanket of his small bed. "That should help me survive this hellish place for a little longer…"
He quickly left his room again and met up with his master a few moments later at Nadhor's doorstep.
"Slave," Nadhor addressed Haldir, "I want you to meet the new slave that I just bought!" He shoved a thin, almost emaciated Elf in front of Haldir. "This new slave will help out around here also."
Haldir nodded, feeling pity for the new Elf almost immediately. The Elf that stood before Haldir was of Sindarin origin, and that was quite apparent to Haldir. The thin Elf had golden brown hair down to the middle of his back. His face came to an elegant point on his chin. And his eyes were silver blue that had sorrow etched into them.
"I have nothing for either of you to do now. But I will think of something later on." And so, Nadhor left Haldir and the new Elf.
"Hello." Haldir began, figuring that the new Elf wasn't going to speak first, "What is your name?"
"Slave…" The thin Elf replied quietly.
"No. That is not your name." Haldir felt even more pity for the Elf now. "My name is 'Haldir'." The Marchwarden held out his hand to greet the other Elf. "What were you called before you were caught?"
The Elf stood silent for a moment, thinking back to happier times. He finally spoke after a long silence, "Naurthúl. My name was Naurthúl."
"You look half-starved, Naurthúl." Haldir put his arm around the Elf's shoulder. "Would you like something to eat?"
Naurthúl perked up at the mention of food. "Yes! Please, if you have any!"
"Of course! I have just found a pear tree this morning, actually."
The older Elf smiled. "Thank you very much. It has been so long since I have actually eaten."
Haldir helped Naurthúl walk over to his newly discovered pear tree.
.oOo.
Ascarlún flew until the edge of the Mirkwood was just below him. He landed right in front of the dark forest and breathed heavily.
The Ranger dismounted and stroked Ascarlún's neck happily. "You seem to have a destination in mind. I would have wished that we could've gone to Sarnik, but seeing as how you have your heart set on your destination… I guess that I will accompany you." He opened the pack that Haldir had taken along with him and looked inside. He took out some cured meat and fed Ascarlún. Then he took out some dried fruit for himself and ate that. "There isn't much food in there." He counted their meager provisions and frowned. "Well, I hope that where you want to go is not that far away." He closed the leather bag again and sat down on the grass.
Ascarlún sat down next to him. His breathing was labored and strong.
"You seem to be quite tired. Would you like a drink? I have seen a stream not far from here." The Ranger pointed to the stream's direction.
Ascarlún stood up and limped over to the swiftly flowing stream. He dipped his mouth in the icy cold water and took a long drink from the clear stream. He finished drinking and limped back over to the Ranger. He nuzzled the Ranger, wanting to leave again.
"Leave again? So soon?" The Ranger got to his feet and mounted Ascarlún.
Ascarlún ran along the forest's edge and flew up, over the forest's thick canopy.
Within a few hours of fight, the Elvenking's palace could be seen. Ascarlún beat his wings as fast as could.
The Elvish nayona landed right in King Thranduil's courts of his palace. He growled, trying to get an Elf's attention.
Menelvagor turned around and saw Ascarlún. "Ascarlún! You have returned!" He was about to run up and hug the nayona, but then he remembered what Ascarlún was capable of doing. He shuddered at the thought of Ascarlún's bites. Then the Elf became very confused when a Ranger dismounted. "What? Ascarlún, what happened to Haldir?" Menelvagor turned to the Ranger. "What is your name, and what do you need?" He asked a most un-polite tone, "The Elves of Mirkwood do not deal kindly to strangers!"
"I am Faramir, a wandering Ranger." Said the Ranger, "And I come here because this nayona has brought me here."
Menelvagor bid a servant to fetch the king. The servant did so, and soon the king of Mirkwood was standing right in front of his favorite steed and Faramir. "So, I hear that you are Faramir, a Ranger." The king said, "And now you are here? In my forest?"
"I am sorry for trespassing, but this nayona has brought me here for reasons of his own."
"Where is Galion?" Thranduil asked, becoming very irate.
"No one knows, my king. Haldir of Lórien was here before also, but he did not tell us anything about Galion." Menelvagor said.
"If Galion was riding Ascarlún, and Haldir was riding him also… and they both went missing… Ascarlún, have you been eating Elves!" Thranduil asked, shocked.
Ascarlún snorted.
"Ascarlún, I am afraid that I will have to confine you until Galion and Haldir are both found." Said Thranduil, none too happy with Ascarlún's behavior.
"But then how will I ever get to Sarnik without Ascarlún?" Faramir spoke up.
"I do not care. Ascarlún is not even your steed to begin with!" The king was becoming agitated. "Now, dismount and talk to my face."
Faramir reluctantly dismounted from Ascarlún's back and walked up to the king.
"Now, what is it that you need in Sarnik?" Thranduil asked.
"The king of Gondor is being held there and I must save him!" Faramir panicked, fearing that he was too late to even save Aragorn any more.
"Aragorn is being held captive?" Thranduil stood shocked at the news that the Ranger brought.
"Yes! And I must help him!"
"Nay. You will not go alone. Mirkwood's finest soldiers will accompany you. As will I." Thranduil summoned for the best of the soldiers to be brought out into the courtyard.
Soon all of Mirkwood's finest and best soldiers were standing with their weapons in the large courtyard.
"Come, we must depart quickly!" Thranduil mounted his dazzling white horse and called behind him, "Confine Ascarlún and keep him tethered whilst I am gone." And with that, he left with Mirkwood's army and Faramir.
Tbc…
A/N- This is another picture of Tirnen in remembrance of him (lol, it's a lot better than the last one;)): http/ w w w .deviantart. c o m /view/16755440/
Responds to Reviews-
Saerwen- I'm sorry… I was crying when I wrote that chapter:( And that Ranger isn't Aragorn;) hehe, you'll find out what's happened to Aragorn later on.
JediGollum- Oh:'( Tirnen's dead…
The Underworld- Guilty? How does that make you feel guilty?
Kestrel of Valinor- Tirnen: Oh, I see how it is! I die, and you have no sympathy for me what-so-ever!
Bberry: Uh… sorry about that… Tirnen's a bit angry tonight…;
Oblifiac- You are relying on this story? Hehe… I have power now:D
Elf771- Hehe, I know I'm evil!;)
XxelfxX- 'Hurry up with it'! Sheesh… someone's a bit demanding;)
Troubles8806- hehe, I thought that Faramir would be a nice character to put into the story.:D
Kirsten- 'Hurry up and update'! … you reviewers are getting so impatient:)
Mr. Leader- … I don't know if I should take this as a threat or a complimentO.o…