Okay, I don't know what is wrong with me! I have never had such a horrible track record for posting with ANY of my other stories! My apologies. Man, if I keep this up I may have to cut back on the cliffies…but then, if I did that, nobody would really care about looking for the next chapter and y'all would probably just give up on my altogether. Hmmm. Maybe I'll just kick my lazy rear into gear and make myself write. /cheers from reviewers/ Okay, well I left the last chapter with Legolas very injured, Elrohir very unhappy, Elladan very guilt stricken, and Aragorn very unconscious. Let's see what happens next!
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Aragorn groaned softly. Where was he? And how on earth had he fallen asleep in such a hideously uncomfortable position? It felt as though he were bent double over a tree branch, his head, arms and legs dangling freely. Blood pounded in his ears from hanging upside down. The young ranger shifted, trying to bring his arms up so he could push himself free.
The arms would not move correctly. It felt as though they were attached to each other somehow…Prying his silver eyes open at last, Aragorn glanced down at his wrists as they dangled below his head. They were bound together. Looking down farther still, (and making himself quite dizzy doing so) he could see boot heels striding steadily…
So it was not a tree branch. He was slung over someone's shoulder like a sack of meal.
The heavy stride of the human caused Aragorn's head to bounce off the man's broad back. The young ranger nearly blacked out once more. His head was already aching from the blow he had received, and the blood rushing to his face was making him feel quite ill. How had he come to be in this very bad position? Confusion reigned as he sought to make sense of his current predicament. He remembered entering the town…being captured…a cell…he was to be hanged…Legolas… Legolas! A stream of Sindarin profanity spewed from the young man's mouth as memories came rushing back with the force of a tidal wave.
The man carting him came to an abrupt halt. Aragorn heard him calling for Halith. That only made the dark haired ranger curse more vehemently. He had been betrayed! And what was worse, what was infinitely, horribly worse, was that he had dragged his friend down with him. Aragorn remembered Legolas' limp, broken body and the ill feeling he felt intensified.
A pair of boots came into the young ranger's inverted sightline. Halith's dry voice reached his ears. "So, you've finally decided to join the land of the living, have you?"
There was a whirl of movement, and the man carting Aragorn heaved him to the ground. Landing with a heavy 'thud', Aragorn gasped as the wind left his lungs quickly. For a few minutes, all he could do was glare up at his former 'friend,' and focus on breathing. "Huanion," he finally spat, his silver eyes blazing. "Orch morore agarwaen!"
Halith looked amused, his dark eyes glinting in the light of the stars. "Such venom. Is this how you speak to all your friends?"
"You betrayed me!"
"Of course I did, little fool." A secret smile curled the corners of Halith's mouth. "I have a much more important master to serve than any bond of fellowship. After all, will friendship make one wealthy? I think not. I did give you a chance to join me, Strider, in fact," he sighed as though in deep regret, "I tried many times to win your loyalty."
Aragorn struggled to his knees and pushed himself to his feet with difficulty. Several of Halith's thugs stepped forward to stop him, but Halith waved them back, an amused look on his weathered face. The young ranger did not appreciate being an object of amusement. "Why did you do this?" he asked, his voice sharp. "Why the charade of saving my life…" a sudden flash of insight enraged him… " …when it was you who had me arrested in the first place! Was it not?"
"As I told you," Halith shrugged, "I have been trying to win your loyalty." He laughed softly. "Tell me, would you not have been infinitely grateful to a man who had saved your life? Of course you would have. It has something to do with honor…I wouldn't know about such a thing from firsthand experience, but I make it a point to be well informed on such weaknesses." An ugly look crossed the older man's face suddenly. "And if that elf," he spat the word as though it was a curse, "had not interfered, it would have worked perfectly." Halith glowered at his captive for a few minutes, then shrugged. "It matters not. I have you. I doubt that you will be enough to force the elves from their home…"
Blood drained from Aragorn's face. "What?" he croaked. "What madness has possessed you?"
"The elves, Strider. My master wants them gone. They're in the way." The elves obviously think much of you; I saw as much when I was in your home. I had thought to use you as a kind of ransom…"
"You are insane." Aragorn shook his head in disbelief. "The elves will not be driven out for one person."
Halith continued as if the young ranger had not spoken. "But then I realized that you would probably not be enough. No Lord would sacrifice the good of the many for that of the one. However, given your knowledge of their valley, I am sure that anything you have to tell us would be very useful when we attack and drive them out."
Several seconds passed in a deep and terrible silence. Aragorn stared at the man before him in horror. "Do you honestly think…" he almost couldn't continue as his rage rose within him, nearly choking him in its' intensity. The image of Legolas' injured body left alone in the middle of the forest floated through his mind…
Forgetting any rational thought, Aragorn leapt forward, intent on wrapping his hands around Halith's throat. Apparently, the older man did not expect such a violent action from his captive. He was borne to the ground underneath Aragorn's weight. The two hit the forest floor with a thud, Halith on the bottom. Aragorn pressed his advantage as quickly as he could, placing his bound hands at Halith's throat and squeezing as hard as he could. Unfortunately for the young ranger, though the older man was surprised, he regained his bearings extremely quickly, and he was not hampered by any rope around his wrists.
Halith's fist shot upwards, hitting Aragorn squarely in the face. The ranger was thrown backwards by the force of the blow. His ears were ringing and something warm was flowing from his nose. Blood. Ignoring the pain, Aragorn threw himself forward, bulling into Halith with his shoulder as the weathered man tried to rise. Once again, Aragorn had a momentary advantage. He doubled up his fists, preparing to bring both of them down on his opponent's face…
Strong arms caught hold of his shoulders, jerking him backwards. His arms were being crushed in the grip of two men. Probably the same two that had held him back from helping Legolas. The very thought made Aragorn struggle wildly.
Halith rose to his feet, an unpleasant glitter in his dark, cruel eyes. Aragorn snarled at him defiantly. One of the men holding him struck the ranger, but even as he pulled his arm back to hit him again, Halith halted him.
"Enough! We need him to be able to walk. Unless one of you feels like carrying him all night long?" He turned his gaze back onto his captive. "But don't think I've forgotten this, Strider. You'll tell me everything I need to know, eventually. And you'll scream for me to finish you before the end." With that dark promise, Halith stalked away, leaving his men to follow with the very unwilling Aragorn.
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The night's dark blue was fading towards the grey of early dawn. Morning doves were waking within the shadows of the trees, their soft voices a delicate harmony.
The dark haired elf that raced beneath them took no notice of their song, however. His breath came in sharp gasps. Sweat beaded his forehead. He had been running all night, and a good portion of the day before. Finally, he came to a halt, leaning against a tree as he tried to steady his breathing. It would not do his brother any good if he showed up unable to battle.
And yet, he could not outrun or reason with the demon that plagued his thoughts. It's all your fault, the voice hissed within his mind. You did not protect him. He will die because of your neglect…Legolas will die…it is all your fault…
Elladan groaned, pressing the heels of his hands against his temples. Guilt tore at him without mercy. Estel was in danger. He had failed to protect his little brother. Legolas had been injured.
Remembering his friend's broken body, Elladan winced.
It is all your fault.
"No," Elladan hissed. His legs trembled with fatigue. He tried to start walking, but his knees buckled. They would not carry him any further without a rest. The young elf lord allowed himself to slide down the trunk of the tree. Dark strands of hair floated around his face, having come loose from his normally neat braids.
Fierce gray eyes focused on the trail he had been following since he had parted from his twin the day before. A grim sigh shook his slender frame. During the night, he had suddenly noticed what direction he was being led. Now he cursed himself for several different kinds of a fool not to have noticed before.
It is all your fault. You did not protect him. Estel will die…
"No!" Elladan pushed himself shakily to his feet, ignoring the screams of protest that rose from his overworked muscles. With grim detirmination, the elder twin set out once more.
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Halith held up a hand, bringing his men to a halt. They were more than happy to oblige. All through the group eyes were drooping with weariness. Aragorn could hear the heavy breathing of more than one individual. Halith had pushed them hard, and for a long time. The young ranger knew why…and he cursed the man for being so intelligent. Halith knew that even with Legolas left behind, it would not be long before he had elves on his trail. He had seen Elladan and Elrohir in action. Only a very stupid individual would hang about with the prospect of those elven warriors close behind him.
Several men were emerging from the foliage in front of them. Aragorn's eyes narrowed. He had know they were there of course. Though good, these men could not hope to hide themselves from elven trained eyes. But he had to wonder what they were there for…
Perhaps, a guard of some kind? The silver eyes widened. Of course. They were guards…just as there were troops posted around the perimeter of Imladris' borders. The realization sent an unpleasant thrill down the young man's spine. He was about to cross into the enemies' territory.
And his brothers would follow.
A tight knot of guilt quickly rose in Aragorn's throat. His brothers would come after him, he knew. They would march boldly into any danger for his sake. Tears stung his eyes for a brief moment. He had been such a fool. He had taken the sacrifice of their love and care and spat on it, as though it was unworthy of his attention.
And now, he was putting those who cared for him in danger.
Halith was speaking to the newcomers, gesturing towards Aragorn. As the young man watched in confusion, the guards quickly formed a circle around Halith's group, stamping heavily until their boot tracks mingled with those of the other men and it became impossible to distinguish one from the other. Without a word, they began to walk away, still treading as heavily as possible, leaving a trail a blind man could follow.
Halith gestured to his own group sharply, and they continued on their way. But to Aragorn's horror, two of the party dropped back and began to cover the trail carefully, something they had not done until now. They meant for his brothers to follow the other group. The young ranger felt his mouth go dry with sudden fear. Elladan and Elrohir wouldn't be looking for a concealed trail when nothing had been concealed before. They would follow the obvious tracks…perhaps into a trap. He could not allow it to happen. Yet how to prevent it? He was not in the best strategical position at the moment. A hard push in the small of his back reminded him of this sharply as he stumbled, landing face first in the dirt. An idea flashed through his mind.
Without stopping to think, he acted on the impulse.
Ian reached a rough hand down and caught the collar of Aragorn's worn overcoat, hauling the young man to his feet. The ranger bit his lip nervously. He knew that his brothers would spot what he had done…or at least he desperately hoped so. But would the group of humans be so keen sighted?
They were pushing him along, keeping him moving…Aragorn looked back over is shoulder at the two covering their trail. As they stepped towards the place where he had fallen he held his breath…
They did not see it.
The silver eyes lit up. He would of course, try to leave more clues as they went on, but the fact that his first had not been noticed made him almost cheerful.
Behind the group, the green glint of Barahir shone in the dirt where it lay, half buried.
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Elrohir saw his brother before Elladan knew he was there. The younger twin quickly tapped his heels against his horse's flanks, urging the animal forward.
Elladan whirled as the sound of hoofbeats reached his keen ears. His hand was flying to his sword, but stopped midway as he realized whom was riding toward him. "Elrohir? What are you doing here?" A pang of panic passed swiftly across his face. "Where is Legolas?"
"Safe amongst our own warriors," Elrohir reassured him, pulling his horse to a halt alongside his twin. The steed he had brought along for Elladan halted as well, pushing his nose against the elder twin in a vain quest for apples. Elladan fended him off weakly, still staring at his brother in amazement.
"Our warriors," he repeated softly. "Ada sent them after us?"
Elrohir nodded grimly. He knew without speaking that Elladan had realized the truth about the trail they had followed for weeks. He knew exactly how close they were to their home. "Tolo, gwanor nin. Noro roch lin. Met uva utuv Estel."
Elladan jerked his head in a short nod, and without a word, swung himself up onto his horse's broad back.
The two elf lords rode on, their dark hair glinting in the sunlight, like the back of raven's wings.
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Halith ground his teeth together in frustration. "Get up!" His boot nudged the young ranger less than gently in the ribs. What was wrong with Strider? Ever since they had crossed into Daeion's territory the boy was tripping and falling at the slightest push. Odd for one who had been so surefooted. Even more odd was the expression on his stubbly face every time he rose. The silver eyes glinted with something like…triumph?
Halith scowled, etching deeper lines into his already worn face. This was bizarre. Was one of the men tripping the ranger when he wasn't looking?
Ian pulled Strider to his feet, snarling as he did so. The big man was also growing tired of their captive's new found clumsiness.
Still musing inwardly, Halith found himself staring at the ground where Strider had fallen. His dark eyes lit on a small object, half hidden amid the dirt and leaves, but very obviously not belonging there. He bent, scooping it up. It was a button.
A sour taste rose in the man's mouth. Of course, it could be entirely coincedental that the dark haired ranger would lose a button when he fell. The worn state of his coat suggested that a button could easily be detatched. And yet…Halith could not forget the glint of triumph he saw lurking in those silver eyes every time the young man was pulled back to his feet. A triumph that was there, despite the bruises he endured from being kicked when down.
"Hold." Halith's voice was cold, and hard. Immediately, his men stopped moving. Seething, Halith marched towards Ian, his fist clenched around the button. Strider's eyes widened as he saw the elder man draw near. He, at least, knew that something was very wrong.
All doubt fled from his mind as Halith allowed his cruel eyes to drift over the young ranger's form. There was not only one button missing from his coat, but several. A length of lacing was missing from both boots. Halith reached out and roughly jerked back the collar of the young man's overcoat.
He had even torn pieces from the inner lining. All dropped along their path like little bread crumbs, leading the elves after them. With a snarled curse, Halith backhanded his captive viciously.
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Aragorn was not taken by surprise. He knew that the blow would be coming the moment he saw Halith stalking towards him, a murderous look in his cold, cruel eyes. Despite the pain, the young ranger could not help but smile. No matter what happened now, Halith would not have time to go back and search for all the little clues he had left for his brothers to find. And once the elves had discovered the covered trail they would be able to track their brother no matter how well the humans tried to conceal their path.
If they discovered the hidden trail. This was the only flaw in Aragorn's plan, and he was worried. If Elladan and Elrohir did not look closely, they would follow the false trail.
Another blow to his face brought him back to the present. Halith was furious. The elder man's face was twisted with rage…and fear. It gave Aragorn no little pleasure to see that fear. Halith was afraid of what would happen if the elves caught up with them. As well he should be. Aragorn had seen his brothers when they were enraged. It still gave him nightmares.
"Been leaving hints, Strider?" Halith asked, his voice deceptively soft. "For your little elf friends?"
No matter what answer he gave, he was going to be hit. Aragorn could see it in Halith's face. So if avoiding a beating was impossible…an obnoxious grin split the ranger's stubbly face. "I am surprised you had the brains to see it."
Ouch.
Aragorn shook his head, trying to get rid of the ringing in his ears. The older man had a surprisingly strong fist.
"How many of these little clues did you leave?" Halith shook the hand holding the button under Aragorn's nose.
"It doesn't matter, does it?" Aragorn asked coldly. "You do not have enough time to go back and try to find them all." A grim smile tugged at the corners of his mouth. There was something infinitely satisfying about infuriating his captor. Halith raised his fist again…but did not strike. With what appeared to be a supreme effort of self control, the older man restrained himself.
"Drug him," Halith snapped sharply at Ian. "We can't have him leaving anything else."
A damp cloth was pressed over Aragorn's mouth and nose. He smelled something sharply unpleasant…then everything faded away.
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Dusk was falling. Elladan brought his horse to a halt sharply, his gray eyes scanning the forest floor closely. What had happened here? The ground was a mishmash of heavy boot prints. It looked as if the humans had invited a troup of orcs to come clog dance. As that was probably not the case, the elder twin became wary.
Elrohir's forehead wrinkled as he stared at the ground. The tracks did not make any more sense to him than they did to his brother. It was entirely possible that Halith had brought his men to a halt and this is where they had camped, explaining the many footprints crossing and recrossing each other. However, all evidence suggested that the despicable man had pressed his group along hard up until this point. Why would he stop when he had to know that there would be elves on his trail? It did not make sense.
"The trail continues on heading in that direction," Elladan pointed east, but his eyes were still on the ground. His eyebrows were drawn close together as he pondered the mystery before him.
Elrohir shook off the feeling of unease. "Then let us go." Without another word, he kicked his heels into his steed's side. The horse shot off along the trail, leaving Elladan to follow. The older twin was still frowning as he rode after his brother, however.
Behind them, the last rays of the setting sun were caught in Barahir's green gem, glinting unnoticed on the forest floor.
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His head was pounding. A strong feeling of nausea was rising in his throat. Aragorn swallowed hard. Whatever the drug was he had been given, he did not care for it overly much. His cheek was pressed against cold stone. Smooth. Not a rock, this was part of a paved walkway or a floor. A dull tingling in his hands let him know that they were very firmly asleep, tied together and crushed under his chest.
"How much longer is he going to sleep?"
"The potion should wear off soon, sir."
Aragorn quickly decided to keep his eyes closed. He did not recognize the first voice, but the second was Halith's. Who was Halith referring to as 'sir'? Perhaps he would learn more if he feigned unconsciousness for a little longer.
"You had better be right about this."
"Even if the elves are unwilling to leave for the sake of his life, the boy has obviously lived among them. He knows all about them. He's been trained by them. I've seen his skills at tracking. Nobody is that good."
"Except the elves?"
"Exactly. It's a good thing it was him and not an elf we took along with us. He knew something was wrong with that phony campsite we set up, but I don't think he could put his finger on what. An elf would have seen through it."
"So his knowledge of them should be extensive."
"All we have to do is persuade him to yield it."
Never! Aragorn's rage burst within him. He would never betray his family! With difficulty, the young ranger forced himself to lie still. There might be something of use he could glean from this conversation as long as they thought he could not hear them…
"What if he will not talk? Have you considered that?"
"I have. When the elves brought us into their valley, I kept my eyes open. They really are almost ludicrously unprotected. At least, that's how it looked. I want to make sure that's how it truly is before I rush in."
Unprotected? Was the man deaf, blind, and stupid? For once, Aragorn agreed with the little voice bellowing from somewhere inside his skull. There were guards all through the trees! They were everywhere, especially around the border. Of course, they only showed themselves when there was need…
Aragorn nearly gasped. That was it. Of course Halith wouldn't know that there were elven warriors watching his every movement as he entered Rivendell. The human had entered with Elladan, Elrohir, and himself. The guards would never challenge anyone accompanied by Lord Elrond's sons. Of course, if the man tried to cross the border on his own, he would find a much different reception.
Halith believed Rivendell to be unprotected. If the man mounted any kind of attack against the elven refuge, he would be woefully unprepared. The thought was strangely comforting.
"I think he's stirring."
Aragorn winced as he felt the toe of a boot nudge him none to gently in the ribs. "Are you awake yet?" The boot hooked itself under his shoulder and pushed, rolling the young ranger onto his back. The rush of blood to his hands made Aragorn groan, grimacing as he felt the tingling pins and needles pain. Slowly, he allowed his silver eyes to flutter open. It would do him no good if they suspected he had heard any of their conversation…
Halith's weathered faced leered down at him. "So glad to see you again, Strider."
Aragorn hissed softly between his teeth, letting the older man know that he in no way reciprocated the feeling. His silver eyes blazed from behind the strands of dark hair thrown across his face.
"Have you no manners, Strider? It's not polite to meet your host while lying on the floor…" As he spoke in his mocking tone, Halith reached down and jerked his captive to his feet, keeping a firm hold of his elbow.
Though he hated to admit it, Aragorn was grateful for the extra support. His legs were weak and shaky from whatever they had drugged him with. He did not want to shame himself by falling face first onto the floor. Quickly, the young ranger sent his eyes flitting around the room, taking stock of where he was. What he saw did not fill him with a great deal of comfort. It was obviously a holding cell. The walls and floor were thick stone, and there were no windows. Several hooks hung from the walls, chains dangling from them. A table stood against the wall, several tools lying on it. Aragorn did not want to think of what things those tools would be used for.
"Strider, may I introduce you to Daeion."
The man standing before him could not have been more than five feet tall. He was slender, and slightly built, and yet when Aragorn met his eyes, he was reminded of nothing so much as a snake. Cold. Evil. Black pools that held a calculating intelligence. The man's mouth curled as if he could guess what the young ranger though of him, and was amused by it. He was dressed in fine clothes, the clothes Aragorn would have expected to see on a noble, not a thief that preyed on the fears of men.
Cold disdain radiated from the dark haired ranger. He could not have been more contemptuous of the man before him if he tried.
The smile on Daeion's face disappeared as though it had never been. "So," he said softly, "I am told that you have lived among the elves in the valley…Strider. That's not your real name, is it?"
"I have none other to give." None that he would supply this man with at any rate… A shudder coursed through his body at the thought of this man holding the knowledge of his heritage.
"Strider it is then." Daeion shrugged his slender shoulders, as though it was of no importance, but Aragorn caught the brief flash of annoyance in the black eyes. This was a man who was not used to being crossed, and violent things might happen if he were pushed too far. The young ranger tucked away this shrewd observation with the accompanying resolution to push the man as far as possible. Stupid, hissed the voice that sounded like Elladan. SO stupid! However, Aragorn reasoned, nothing he had done so far in his life had been UN-stupid, and he was still alive. I can't argue with that, the voice admitted grumpily, but I feel like I should.
"I am prepared to offer you a deal," Daeion said softly. His eyes were narrowed, watching the ranger closely. "If you tell me what you know of the elves' defenses I will give you riches. I may even let you take a position in my band."
As what? A thief and murderer? A betrayer of family and friends? As if I haven't done enough damage! The sickening image of Legolas' still form flashed before his eyes. "Never."
"Consider carefully your position…"
"There is nothing to consider," Aragorn cut him off abruptly. "I will never tell you what you want to know." Or if I tell you anything, I will confirm what you think you already know, then laugh heartily as you are demolished.
Daeion sighed softly. "I though you might say as much. However, we have other means of convincing you." The slender man strode towards the table and lifted a curious object from the wooden surface. At first glance, it did not seem particularly harmful. A thin, flexible wand of some type of wood. Then the young ranger noted the row of sharp looking spines traveling its length. Daeion held it out, carefully avoiding piercing his fingers on the spines. "Do you know what this is, Strider?"
Aragorn simply pressed his lips together tightly, unwilling to let this man know of the uneasy curling in the pit of his stomach. The malicious way Daeion's eyes traveled from the wand to the young ranger made Aragorn feel distinctly uneasy.
Halith released Aragorn for a moment, stepping to the door and gesturing sharply to someone outside. Within moments, Ian and another large man stepped in. Their brutish faces lit up when they saw the object in Daeion's hands.
"You'll forgive me if I do not remain," Daeion said in a lofty voice, handing the wand to Halith. The slender man looked over his shoulder as he was about to exit, and there was no mistaking the evil gleam of pleasure in his eyes. "I abhor bloodshed."
The door closed with a very final 'click.'
Halith jerked his head towards Aragorn. "Take his shirt."
The moment Ian laid a thick ham sized hand on Aragorn the ranger lashed out with his foot, catching the big man behind his knee. With a howl of pain, Ian crashed to the floor. The other man leapt forward with a roar, fists raised. Aragorn ducked under his first blow and came up sharply, the top of his dark head connecting with the other man's jaw. He collapsed instantly, unconscious. Unfortunatley, he came forward as he fell. Still weak from being drugged, Aragorn could not move fast enough to get out of the way, nor was he strong enough to hold up his own weight and that of his foe.
"Stupid, Strider," Halith said calmly.
Aragorn did not bother to reply as he struggled futiley against the man's dead weight. Ian had risen once again to his feet, and did not look at all pleased. With a snarl, the big man took hold of his companion and hefted him off the young ranger. Ian seized the front of Aragorn's shirt before the ranger could strike out, jerking him to his feet. Without stopping to think, Aragorn sank his teeth into Ian's arm.
The blow that Ian landed threw the dark haired man back several feet into the wall and made stars fly before his eyes. Slowly, he felt himself slide down into a sitting position. Though he wished to remain standing, it felt as though for the moment he no longer had control of his legs… He could hear Halith speaking. He sounded angry.
A dark shape was bending down in front of him. Ian. Though half unconscious, Aragorn struck out with his bound hands, earning another clout to his ear. A damp cloth was pushed over his mouth and nose.
No! He couldn't lose consciousness now…they were going to do something… Aragorn clamped his mouth shut and concentrated on holding his breath.
A heavy hand pressed down on his chest, forcing his air out. Aragorn gasped instinctively, smelt the same, sharply unpleasant smell and cursed in vile Sindarin as blackness claimed him once more.
0-0-0-0
When Aragorn came to, he immediately wished he hadn't. His shirt was cut from his shoulders and flung into a corner of the cell. His bound hands were jerked over his head, forcing him to stand almost on tiptoe. Pain surrounded him. He nearly choked at the intensity of it. What had happened? It felt as though his back was one solid mass of agony.
Thick ropes were wrapped around his bare torso, covering him from the armpits nearly to his waist. The young ranger could not spare any of his attention to think of what they might be for. He need every ounce of concentration just to keep from howling.
The door swung open, hitting the wall with a bang. Halith stood in the open doorway, a malicious smile twisting his lips.
"Well, now that sleeping beauty has decided to join us, perhaps we can discuss your friends the elves."
Aragorn's silver eyes grew wide as the older man stepped forward. He could not retreat, could barely move…Valar, it was all he could do to keep from screaming as it was! What had they done to him while he had been drugged? The young ranger bit down on his lower lip as he watched his foe approach.
There was nothing he could do. And the sick feeling of helplessness filled him with something very close to despair.
0-0-0-0
Huanion! Orch morore agarwaen!- Son of a dog! Blackhearted bloodstained orc!
Ada-Father(daddy)
Tolo, gwanor nin. Noro roch lin. Met uva utuv Estel.-Come, my brother. Ride your horse. We two will find Estel.
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Ainu Laire- Alright! Yes! Ranger torture! Obviously, you are in the right place for a whomping on everybodys' favorite ranger.:) Glad you are enjoying it, hope you like the bruises and other injuries Aragorn sustained.
AM- I dunno…He's gonna get awfully beat up…/evil grin/ I think you may be right however. He will be beating himself over the head horrendously for being so horrible to his brothers and father. Emotional angst! That's almost as good as torture/bright happy smile/ yeah, I know, I'm nuts.:)
Saerwen- /screams of horror/ BARNEY? You ARE evil! And everything's pink…/look of disgust/ it's like something out of MY worst nightmare anyway. I think that I would prefer torture! However, that's not for me, that's for Aragorn. /cackles evilly/ Sorry about the lack of regular posting, this story is turning out to be more tricky to write than just about anything else. /ducks as Saerwen waves the Pickle/ Come on…I said I was sorry! Um…look! Look over there! It's the next chapter/points wildly then flees as Saerwen turns/
Grecian- Oh yeah, the twins are going to get VERY vicious. And just because Legolas is near death and very badly wounded doesn't mean that he's going to get out of harms way. I'm not finished with him yet/evil smile/ Glad you're enjoying it.:)
Evergreene- /Sadie staggers in looking like she fell off a cliff after being dragged by a warg/ Now I know that you wouldn't have like sent wargs after me for not posting regularly…right? Anyway, I also loved that line from TTT.:) However, Elladan being jealous of Elrohir's insanity was also one of my favorite parts and don't worry! Even though Aragorn was absent from the last chapter he wasn't absent from this one! This time it's Legolas who doesn't make and appearance…
Ithil-Valon- Thank you very much! I really try to work in humor along with the torture blood and pain that everybody seems to want and it's really nice to know that people think I'm funny.:) I can never decide which twin I like more. I love them both so much! And Legolas and Aragorn and…well…all the LOTR character now that I think on it.
QueenofFlarmphqal- Okay, after that review, I will now sleep with a weapon under my pillow.:) Just kidding. I know that you wouldn't really stab me in my sleep simply because you know that then I REALLY wouldn't be able to post! (Last time I checked, they didn't allow laptops into the afterlife) The ranger whomping is HERE! And it will only get worse from here on out. Doesn't that make you happy:)
Singingharp- Hey buddy! Thank you so much for your excellent feedback. I'm happy to hear you are enjoying my little tale of pain and suffering…wait…that didn't sound right. Oh well.:) Congrats on your job!
Stonage Woman- I can understand that. I picked up that book and couldn't put it down until I finished. Wasn't it good?
Deep Sorrow-/watches SM and AE waltzing together as they sing 'Happy Days Are Here Again'/ Well, they're happy anyway. (Estel) What about me! (Me) not important. Duh. Anyway my beloved sibling, thanks once more for your tireless prodding getting me to write this chapter. I don't know what it is about this story but it certainly is taking it's time working its way out of my little fingertips. Fortunately, I don't think there's going to be very much more slow stuff so from now on../slumps over in chair as SM brains her. AE quickly drags away the carcass/ (SM) Well, I think we've had enough working up to the good stuff. Now it's time for some ANGST! (AE) ARE YOU READY TO RUMBLE/Legolas Estel and Twins begin digging and escape tunnel/ (Me) Ow…Son of an evil biscuit monkey! Who would have though a wiffle bat could hurt so freaking much? And you/level evil glare at her muse/ get out of that chair! These are MY review responses! (SM) No! It's my turn now! (Me) Oh for the love of the Valar…fine/heros blanch in horror/ but those guys better still be alive when I get back! Anyway, sibling, everything is going perfectly and now for some torture pain and suffering./evil smile/
Viggomaniac- Yes, potential for LOTS of angst. /evil laughter/ I can't say much or it would give away all my evil cliffies, but you're closest guess was the one about the injured ranger being found by the Twins. Notice, I only say CLOSEST.:) Sorry this is taking so horribly long to crank out. I'm going to blame it all on my muse. She's picketing for better wages…bloody muse.
Greeneyedelf001- Ooh! A favorites! I'm thrilled! Thank you very much!
Aranna Undomiel- Yes, I know EVERYTHING about being late. I have a black belt in that too, but I don't show that one off nearly us much as my whining one.:) I'm not allowed to kill Legolas? Darn. Now I have to rethink the entire ending of this story! Just kidding. I don't think I would ever be able to kill off a main character. It's not in my blood.:) Sorry this is so horribly late.:)
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Once again, my apologies for how horribly late this is and how this story is just seeming to drag out! I'm going to try really hard to get the next chapter out in less than a month's time cause this is just getting ridiculous. Please review anyway/hopeful smile/
Actually, from now on, I think I will hand over the writing to my muse. She's been looking forward to horrible torture and angst so much it seems like SHE would do a much better job of getting the thing out on time than me.:)