A/N: Hey there! Okay, I know you all want to kill me but remember, if you do so, no conclusion to this story and you wouldn't want that to happen would you? Hehehe. Thank you all so much for your reviews! I love them all! A huge thanks to my beta enb2004 who has a fantastic HP story that is a must read! As promised, here is Chapter 16. Enjoy!
Glorfindel paced around Thranduil's study, his anxiety increasing with every second. Not five minutes ago, he had recalled that Estel's grandmother and grandfather didn't know what had happened, although with Galadriel, one could never be sure.
They, along with Thranduil's children and the twins would be entering the study at any moment. Glorfindel sighed and pushed a loose strand of hair away from his face. Why did it always fall to him to tell the bad news?
"Glorfindel? You wanted to see us?" Galadriel said entering the room with her husband and the others following behind her.
"Ah, yes I did. Everyone sit down, relax. Nothing to worry about," he muttered pacing up and down nervously while everyone sat down.
"That would be our cue to be worried," Elladan whispered over to Iaurdil who nodded in agreement. It had been a very long time since he had seen Glorfindel so high strung, and for Glorfindel to be high strung in the first place? It did not bode well for anyone. The fact that Glorfindel hasn't stopped pacing since they had entered did nothing to boost Iaurdil's confidence either.
"Glorfindel! Quit your incessant pacing and just tell us what is wrong!" Celeborn finally exclaimed.
For a moment, Glorfindel stopped and looked at all the elves assembled in the room before him before he started to pace once more. "All right, I want you all to stay calm for the last thing we need to be doing is panicking." He turned a blind eye to the fact that he already was panicking.
"Glorfindel wait one moment. Shouldn't we wait for Thranduil, and Legolas?"
"Nay, Thranduil is with Elrond and Legolas, well, Legolas is one of the reasons we are all here," Glorfindel said, not daring to look any of Thranduil's children in the eye.
"Glorfindel, quit speaking in riddles and tell us what is going on and what this has to do with Legolas," Galadriel said, her normal patience waning.
Glorfindel sighed and looked up at everyone. "There is no easy way to say this so I will be blunt. Gorothdil has captured Legolas. Estel found out and went after Legolas, intent of rescuing him. By now, we fear that he has already been captured by Gorothdil."
For a moment, there was dead silence in the room as everyone absorbed what they had just heard, but didn't want to believe. The twins were the first to break the silence.
"WHAT! Why would Estel go after Legolas in his condition? Wait, don't answer that. But why wouldn't he tell us?" Elladan exclaimed.
"He didn't tell us because of this letter," Glorfindel said, handing the letter over to Elladan to read.
Everyone gathered around Elladan and paled as they read the note. "Eru save them both," Iaurdil whispered.
"He knew. He knew that Estel would never let Legolas stay in danger. How did we not notice him taking Legolas in the first place!" Thilloth exclaimed, sitting down heavily on one of the couches.
"It's all my fault. I drugged Legolas so that he would get a decent nights sleep. Gorothdil must have been watching and taken his opportunity," Iaurdil said broken heartedly.
"Iaurdil, none of this is your fault. The blame lies solely with that son of an orc Gorothdil. We will find your brother and Estel Iaurdil, I promise you. None of us will rest until that murderous traitor has been brought to justice," Glorfindel declared, a murderous glint in his eye at the thought of what he would do to the traitor once he got a hold of him.
"Glorfindel is right Iaurdil, you couldn't have known. Immortal we may be, but not perfect. No one is perfect," Fuina said gently.
"She speaks wisely Iaurdil. Not even the wisest know all," Galadriel said gently. "If I did not foresee this, then you certainly could not have. All you are guilty of is caring for your little brother."
Iaurdil nodded but he wasn't quite through blaming himself. He probably wouldn't until Legolas was returned to them whole.
"What we need to do right now is come up with plan. Not all of us can go and search for Estel and Legolas. Knowing those two, they may make it out on their own and come stumbling back here half dead," Glorfindel said.
"Aye, tis true. It would not be the first time," Delelen muttered.
"Elrond, Iaurdil, Delelen, and Thilltoh will have to stay here. I know you wish to look for your brother and friend, but you three will need to run the Kingdom in your father's stead," Glorfindel said, seeing the protests upon their faces.
"Aye, Elrond will help you. Those looking for the two young ones shall be myself, Glorfindel, Thranduil, the twins, and Haldir," Celeborn said.
"Promise us that you will be careful. I could not bear to loose anyone else to this mad elf," Iaurdil pleaded.
"We will be, you can be sure of that," Glorfindel said, his blue eyes turning to steel. He would not let that traitorous elf hurt anymore of the people he called family. He would not!
"Please, watch over father for us as well. He can be somewhat rash as you know," Thilloth said.
Celeborn and Glorfindel smiled. They knew quite well how rash and stubborn Thranduil could be when he put his mind to it. Rather like his youngest son actually.
"They shall all take care and they will find Legolas and Estel," Galadriel said giving her husband a hard look.
Celeborn nodded and wearily accepted the look his wife was giving him. He knew what she meant. Should anyone be harmed while finding Estel and Legolas, she would pin the blame on him since he was the one appointed to look out for the others. In other words, he had to keep everyone from doing something rash.
Looking at the assembled company, Celeborn knew that would never happen. Glorfindel and Thranduil were bad enough. Add the twins into that mixture though, it was only a matter of time before chaos descended upon them. The twins were infamous for doing rash and stupid things.
"Come, we need to get ready to leave. I'll find Thranduil while you do so," Glorfindel said.
One by one, everyone left the room in various states of shock. They had to find Estel and Legolas before Gorothdil could kill them. Just the thought of Gorothdil having his hands on the two young princes was enough to send shivers up and down everyone's spine. All they could do was hope that Estel and Legolas could survive until they got there and pray that their injuries would not be severe.
Little did they realize that one of the two young ones was already severely injured and would most likely not survive Gorothdil's tortures.
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Legolas watched with horror as Gorothdil brought the whip down over his friends prone form. Much to his surprise and immense relief, Gorothdil hit the floor, not Estel.
Gorothdil saw Legolas's relief though and smiled evilly. "Come now my young prince, you did not think that I would make it that easy? What point is there in whipping a prisoner if he is not conscious to enjoy it?"
Legolas shuddered. This elf was not like any eldar he had ever known. The kind of torture Gorothdil was talking about was what he expected from orcs, no one else.
"I'll see you in the morning prince. I hope that you enjoy this nice little cave of mine. Someone told me that you just adore caves. Night!" Gorothdil said far to cheerfully.
Legolas glared at Gorothdil's retreating figure. When he got free... He would think about that later. He had more important things to worry about at the moment though.Namely, somehow getting Estel to regain consciousness.
Legolas noticed that Estel had been left unbound, which surprised him for a moment. Looking at Estel's condition though, he could understand why Gorothdil had not bound him. Even if Estel regained consciousness, he was in no condition to go anywhere.
Still, Legolas knew he had to try. If he could wake Estel, there was a chance that Estel could undo his bonds and then he could get the both of them out of the hellhole they had found themselves in.
To do that though, he would have to remove the insufferable gag, which he had no way of doing with his hands tied behind him. Legolas groaned in frustration as he realized that he was going to have to wait for Estel to come to on his own.
All Legolas could do now was sit tight and wait for Estel's stubborn nature to surface. Estel would regain consciousness this night. He had to, he just had to.
Legolas's faith in his friend was not misplaced. Not two hours later, Legolas heard Estel groan and start to shift about.
He tried to encourage Estel, but the gag muffled Legolas quite efficiently. Estel still heard him, for as he regained consciousness and opened his eyes, the first thing Estel did was turn in Legolas's direction.
"Legolas?" he questioned weakly.
Legolas nodded, knowing that no discernible words could be made out through the gag.
"By the Valar, what has he done to you?" Estel said softly.
Legolas shook his head to indicate nothing while trying to motion to Estel's own unbound hands.
Estel got the clue and grimaced as he moved to untie the gag.
Legolas leaned down over Estel in order to make it easier. It took a few minutes, but Estel got it off.
"Thank you mellon nin," Legolas croaked out gratefully.
Estel nodded tiredly and closed his eyes against the fierce pain that he was experiencing.
"Ah! Estel, you can not go to sleep mellon nin. You are far to injured to sleep and we need to escape. Do you think you can undo my bonds if I leaned down?" Legolas asked.
"Yes," Estel croaked out. Valar did
he feel ill. The arrow that was imbedded in his collar bone had to have
some kind of poison on it. That was the only possible reason he could
be feeling as poorly as he did.
It was a painstaking process, and Estel had to stop several times in
order to regain his breath. Eventually, he had freed Legolas's hands
leaving Legolas free to untie his own legs.
"All right Estel, I have no idea when Gorothdil will be back so I say we leave now. I would much rather take my chances with the creatures of the forest than him," Legolas said.
"Aye, but I do not think that I will get far mellon nin," Estel whispered.
"Estel you silly human, that is what I am for. I will help you, now come, we must leave before it is too late," Legolas said insistently.
Estel nodded and allowed Legolas help him up, pride be damned this once. His body hurt far to much to protest anyway.
With Legolas half carrying, half dragging Estel, they made their way into the night quite oblivious to the pair of menacing eyes that watched their hasty retreat.
Translations:
Ada: Dad/Daddy
Ion nin: My son
Mellon nin: My friend
A/N 2: Hehe, should I consider running again? Hmm, I'll take that as a yes. Tata!