Disclaimer: Not mine:(
Title: To New Mutiny
Rating: R
This is dedicated to Alex, who gave me a kick start!
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Chapter 31
"Hello, Legolas. Did you miss me?"
Legolas' face darkened. "Coward," He hissed, "Were you so afraid to take my father on in a fair fight, or would you rather flee than take responsibility for your actions?"
His brash words earned him a crack across the face from the demented Elf above him.
"I thought you might have learned manners from me, if nothing else, prince of Mirkwood. I am your father's royal advisor, and should be treated with respect!"
Legolas snorted in disgust, grey eyes spitting unchecked hatred. "The last I saw of him, my father would likely skewer you as soon as look at you. He has sworn that you will not live long enough to be stripped of your title, traitor. He is on the warpath, you have my sympathies."
Anamaer snarled incoherently, pushing down on the blade at Legolas' throat. Thunder rumbled in the distance, as yet unnoticed by the two Elves. "Just remember which one of us has the power here, prince Legolas. You are in no position to be sympathetic to anyone's plight but your own,"
"That is where you are wrong," A voice spoke from behind Anamaer, startling them both.
The demented Elf spun around, not releasing his death grip on Legolas. Tolren stood behind him, holding his sword uncertainly to Anamaer's neck. Tolren had always been a healer, never much of a warrior, he did not think himself capable of fighting this enraged Elf, let alone taking him down, but he owed it to Legolas to try.
Legolas' eyes grew wide. What was Tolren doing? He would be killed!
"And who are you, stranger, who thinks he can stand up to me?" Anamaer scoffed, "You do not look very worthy of that weapon,"
"If you believe that," Tolren spat back, "Then you are not as intelligent as I had believed. Release him now, or I shall relieve you of your head, traitor."
Anamaer sneered. "I grow tired of you…"
Tolren tightened his hold on his weapon until the tip of the weapon was just grazing the traitor's neck. "I said release him,"
Without warning, Anamaer swung his sword up in a tight arc, knocking Tolren's weapon away from him, and stood to his feet.
"Very well, stranger. You wish to fight me? Here I am. What are you waiting for?"
Tolren faltered slightly. The older Elf had called his bluff, but to back down now would be to forfeit Legolas' life, and most likely his own as well. He had hoped to distract Anamaer from Legolas and allow the prince to escape, but the former advisor was not so easily fooled. He positioned himself behind Legolas, placing one foot on the young Elf's chest.
"Come on then, let us see if you are as skilled as you seem to believe…"
Legolas' body was screaming under the abuse. He slowly turned his head to look his uncle in the eyes.
"You do not have to do this, Tolren. Save yourself, while you still--"
Anamaer leaned his full weight on the foot that rested on the prince's chest, cutting him off abruptly.
"Now, now, brat…this Elf knows better than to run from a fight that he instigated--Do you not, friend?" He sneered mockingly.
Tolren's eyes flashed angrily. "I am not without honour, friend." He growled, "Which is more than I can say for you,"
Anamaer laughed. "Looks like I need to teach you some manners, like I did with the little whelp here… Tell me, do you like my work?"
With a manic smile, he slashed downwards, cutting Legolas' tunic open and revealing bruises and lash marks still painfully fresh, some bandaged, others not.
Tolren took a halting step forward as lightning split the sky, highlighting the prince's injuries starkly. "Leave him be!" He shouted, "This is between us,"
The surrounding trees began to rustle distractedly, distressed by seeing their beloved prince so injured. Legolas raised his head, silently begging his uncle to leave before he got himself killed. Tolren replied with a barely perceptible shake of his head.
A look of great grief passed over Legolas' face, and he opened his mouth to speak, but Anamaer's sword at his nose cut him off.
"One word out of you, brat, and I will send you both back to daddy in pieces."
"He is nothing to do with you!" Legolas spat boldly, "Therefore you have no quarrel with him. Let him go, tis me you wish to destroy."
Anamaer shook his head. " I cannot do that, princeling. You see, I lied when I called him stranger…he is the sibling of your dear mother, is he not? Next in line for the throne, after you, perhaps?"
Legolas' eyes flashed. "Do not be a fool, Anamaer, you know it does not work that way. Let him be,"
"Dina, Legolas. Sidh," Tolren admonished softly, "Your father charged me to protect you, and I intend to."
Anamaer laughed harshly. "Oh, how loyal and noble of you! Obeying your king to the bitter end…well it shall only be your own end," He hissed, striking towards the younger Elf with his blade.
Tolren quickly raised his own sword to block the attack, the force behind Anamaer's strike forcing him back a few paces. The former advisor was a trained swordmaster, and Tolren was hard put to keep the blade from striking him as the fight continued, and the intensity escalated.
Legolas let out a short, pained cry, as one of Anamaer's more vigorous swings placed the elder Elf's full weight suddenly on his injured body.
Tolren's attention faltered. "Le--"
"Concentrate, uncle, if you wish to return to your wife in one piece!" Legolas gasped out, snapping his uncle out of the momentary lapse.
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A league away, Elrohir's head snapped up from a trail he had been following, sharp eyes scanning the surrounding trees for movement.
Elladan turned, noticing his twin's attention had strayed. "Ro? What is it?"
Elrohir frowned. "I heard something, Dan…" He muttered.
Elladan glanced around. "I heard nothing, brother. Are you certain that--"
"No, Dan, I heard something!" He raised fearful eyes to his brother's face, "Legolas is in trouble…"
He took off at a run in the direction of the sound, worry and anger lending speed to his flight. Elladan called to Aragorn, who was further along the track, and took off after his twin.
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Tolren grunted as Anamaer once again fiercely blocked his attempts to attack, driving him back with quick, forceful strikes.
Legolas had fallen silent, incapacitated by a sharp kick to the temple from Anamaer.
"You will never beat me, young one. Why not just lay down your sword and surrender?" The traitor mocked, "Either way, you are both mine…"
Tolren growled, tightening his grip on his sword. "I will never give up my nephew's life so easily. I am not a coward like you,"
Anamaer screamed incoherently, his movements losing all coordination in his sudden fury. He swung at Tolren again and again, driving the other Elf back further. The healer was so intent on blocking the enraged Elf's sword that he did not watch where he was being driven.
A few seconds later, his back hit a tree trunk hard, jarring him and loosening his grip on the sword. Anamaer smirked and gave one more violent swing, knocking the sword from Tolren's hand. Pressing his advantage, Anamaer moved in close to Tolren, sliding his sword up under the younger Elf's chin.
"Well, I must concede that you did try very hard…but alas, it was in vain. Now I have both of you in the palm of my hand,"
As the blade nicked the underside of Tolren's exposed chin, Legolas pulled himself to his feet. Grabbing Anamaer by the shoulders, he threw his weight against the elder Elf, trying to unbalance him.
Anamaer easily twisted out of his grip, with a roar of rage, he turned and backhanded the prince across the face so hard that Legolas was thrown clear across the forest road, connecting solidly with the trunk of a tree. He slid to the ground and lay still.
Tolren grew frantic when Legolas remained unmoving, as Anamaer advanced on the prince, sword raised.
"Legolas…"
Anamaer smiled evilly as he stood over Legolas.
"I told you it would have been easier to just stay dead…" He sighed in mock sorrow, reaching out towards the incapacitated younger Elf.
So close was he, that he had no time to jump back when Legolas suddenly rolled onto his back. The archer kicked out hard with both feet, catching the corrupt Elf square in the chest and sending him to the ground.
"Perhaps it would have been easier for you if I had…" Legolas sneered, unsheathing his long knives and stepping unsteadily between his still reeling uncle and his father's former advisor. "Would you like to see what a fair fight looks like?"
Anamaer jumped to his feet, his face drawing into a knowing leer. "I hardly think that you will be a match for me, brat. But if you insist…"
Legolas dropped into a fighting stance without hesitation, not allowing his opponent to psych him with confidant words. He had to do this, otherwise he forfeit not only his own life, but those of his uncle and foster father.
Anamaer twirled his sword in his hand, smirking. Without warning, he lashed out at Legolas, forcing the younger Elf straight to the defensive. Legolas blocked him determinedly and struck back, surprising the former advisor by the bold move and forcing him back a few paces.
They continued this way for several minutes, until Legolas managed to get below the older Elf's guard and strike his sword arm, cutting a deep groove through fabric and flesh.
Anamaer stumbled back, gripping his arm. He removed his hand and stared at the blood that covered it.
"I have never before fought the legendary warrior prince…it seems I may have underestimated you," He brought his sword up again, "But you are still only one injured Elfling. One I am determined to kill!"
He lunged forward again, but Legolas was prepared this time. Dancing to the side, he brought up his knives in a defensive block and kicked out with his foot, throwing his opponent off balance.
Legolas knew he should use the dropped guard to his advantage, but much as he hated to admit it, he was tiring fast. He needed all his time to gather his energy.
Anamaer cackled, eyeing the archer with disdain. "Having trouble, young one? Let me help you…"
Legolas shuddered, seeing a scene long ago when the advisor had spoken those same words. He had only been a small Elfling at the time.
"How long?" He asked darkly, keeping his eyes on his opponent.
Anamaer's eyebrows drew together in bewildered annoyance. "How long what, brat? What are you trying to do?"
He lunged once more at Legolas, thinking he had the young Elf off guard, but Legolas caught his advance and drove him back again.
"I am trying to get some answers from a two faced traitor," Legolas grunted, "How long has this been going on? If I find out you had anything to do with my mother's death, I will gut you where you stand, and to hell with a fair trial."
Tolren stared at his nephew, vaguely unnerved by the dangerous light flickering in the grey gaze.
"Even if I had been inclined to answer your question, I would not bother after that little tantrum." Anamaer sneered, "Really, Legolas, it is about time you grew up."
Legolas growled low in his throat, stalking slowly towards Anamaer. "Answer the question," He pressed, trying to ignore the pull of his injuries as he squared up to his enemy.
"Why should I tell you?" The former advisor was beginning to get nervous. Even injured, Legolas was a more formidable opponent than he had counted on. "Even if I said that it was not my doing, you would not believe me."
"Try me," Legolas spat.
"Very well, brat. It was not my doing,"
Legolas shook his head. "Not very convincing, but perhaps I shall let you live long enough for a court to determine your honesty."
Any reply that Anamaer might have given was drowned out by a sudden crack of thunder so loud that it reverberated through the forest, echoing several times before dying.
Legolas started, breaking his intense gaze with the elder Elf. Anamaer lunged forward, but Legolas jumped back and blocked, locking blades with the former advisor as a flash of lightning split the sky.
"Tolren--" He started, but Anamaer pushed away from him, circling around and attacking again, forcing the prince to defend himself or be skewered. Lightning struck again, closer than before, and an ominous smell of burning reached the archer.
"Tolren!" He shouted over the thunder, trying to get his uncle's attention while keeping his guard up, "I need you to get out from beneath the trees, tis not safe here!"
Tolren stared at him with wide eyes, opening his mouth to protest, but Legolas cut him off.
"Do not argue with me! Get Nar, there is a fire break to your left, fifty feet."
Tolren glanced at the unmoving form of the Human. "Legolas--"
"Please, uncle! I need to know that you are both safe,"
"I do not think so, little prince." Anamaer snarled, working harder to get beneath the wounded archer's defence.
"Leave them out of this, traitor," Legolas spat, "Your business is with me."
He struck out hard, causing Anamaer to stumble back several paces to get his balance. Legolas swung around and fixed his uncle with a dangerous glare.
"Get moving!"
His urgency seemed to break the spell, Tolren whirled, picking up the Human as if he weighed nothing. Anamaer tried to block their path, but Legolas once more drove him back. His strength was waning rapidly, but he needed to see his uncle and foster father safely away.
Tolren grunted as he hefted the Human's weight, turning to look at his nephew once more before rushing to obey the order Legolas had given. He could smell the burning now, and hear the low roar as the fire took hold of the dry wood of the trees surrounding the lightning strike.
The further he got from Legolas, the more certain he became that his nephew was not going to come after them. The young Elf was not expecting to survive the duel.
He stumbled into the fire break, carefully constructed by the Elves to keep such a fire confined to one section of the wood. He looked around frantically for somewhere safe to leave the Human so he could double back and help Legolas.
The healer started violently at the sound of something crashing though the forest towards him, in the opposite direction from where he had come. Freezing in his tracks, he lowered Narso to the ground and drew his sword.
His eyes widened as Elladan and Elrohir came pelting into the clearing, followed closely by Aragorn. They all froze, looking at each other in shock, before the three brothers began to speak at once.
Tolren shook his head frantically. "There is no time, sons of Elrond!" He gasped desperately, "Legolas needs your help!"
Without another word, the twins sprinted into the trees, as Aragorn crouched and helped Tolren ease Narso onto his back, as they looked the big man over for injuries.
As the twins neared Legolas' location, they could clearly hear the sounds of the struggle echoing through the trees.
Elladan held a finger to his lips, swinging into the nearest tree as the approached the roadside. Elrohir nodded his understanding, swiftly climbing into the boughs of another tree and looking down on the scene below them.
Legolas was still holding his own, but it was obvious to his friends that he was quickly losing steam. Elrohir frowned, thinking he had never seen the prince move so slowly. His face was pale and his breathing laboured as he worked to block his opponent's strikes.
Elladan drew his bow and silently notched an arrow, sighting in on the former advisor as Anamaer moved in on Legolas as the younger Elf stumbled from the weight of the blow he had blocked.
As the older Elf raised his blade, Elladan released the arrow.
He watched what followed in horrified fascination.
The traitor lunged forward, grabbing Legolas by the arm and swinging him partway around-- directly into the path of the arrow.
The projectile cracked into the prince's shoulder, throwing him back into the elder Elf. Anamaer smiled sadistically as he twisted Legolas' wounded arm behind him and slid his sword up under his captive's chin.
"Thank you for your aid, invisible stranger," He sneered, looking in Elladan's general direction, "I may not have caught him otherwise. Now," He growled, pressing the blade into Legolas' neck, drawing blood. "Show yourself, or watch your prince die."
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Thank you all for being patient, I know it's been a year and I'm so sorry for making you wait! Hope it was worth the wait
.:Tithen Min:.