Hey everyone! Wow, this was a long chapter. Everyone's been asking for some action and, though the adventure will start officially in one or two chapters, I thought, why not? Here is some action for all of you. I hope you like it!
Overthrown
Chapter 5
Disturbed
Legolas turned; all around him was growing dim as the moonlight faded behind grey clouds. The city around him was white and shimmering but darkness penetrated every nook and cranny as though challenging his eyes to penetrate it.
Melithor shifted beside him and then turned away from the forest, and rested his back against the wood railing. He sighed deeply and let his blond head tilt back as he stared at the dark sky through the swaying treetops above them.
"The night is still." He said gently, looking over at Legolas. "Nothing moves. It is late and your father wishes you to still hold the council tomorrow." Legolas sighed and smiled.
"He will persist until I do." He answered. Melithor nodded and walked around to Legolas' other side. They had practically grown up together but Legolas knew he would never get used to Melithor's restless nature. "I do not know if I can take another day of talks with the Men of the Lake."
"Me neither." Melithor sighed deeply. "They are troubled by something. Some day you will have to fulfill your father's duties though." Legolas closed his eyes and blocked out the moonlight that shone through a broken cloud.
"Not necessarily." Legolas said. He opened his eyes and watched a few guards passing below. "Our people are leaving Mirkwood. If I ever do obtain the throne there will be no one to govern." Legolas looked over at Melithor who was watching him closely. "Our time is ending; you know it as I do."
"It is bitter sweet." Melithor said, and then he smiled. "I will always be here for you to govern Mellon-nin." He laughed lightly. "You've never had a problem telling me what to do before." Legolas smiled back as a presence was felt behind them. Legolas turned and found his father standing in the doorway behind them.
"Ada." Legolas breathed, stepping away from the railing and bowing his head. Melithor stayed silent at his side. Legolas looked his father over in robes of flowing brown overtop a shirt of silver and green breeches, exactly what Legolas was wearing only, on top of Thranduil's head their was a crown. "Did we disturb you?"
Thranduil shook his head and smiled. "No." He answered. "But I wish you would come with me, Legolas. Laren is back and she needs to speak with us." Legolas nodded and turned to Melithor.
"I'll stay here." He said simply, nodding to Thranduil. The King returned the gesture and gracefully turned, moving across the room with soft feet. Legolas followed quietly behind and shut the door behind them.
They were now in a hallway, the stone walls cold and cut in strange patterns. Torches flickered around them as they moved towards the main hall, past flickering glass windows painted with images from the days of old. When he was younger, Legolas had long stood in front of those windows, etching every bit of them into his mind. Thranduil didn't even spare them a glance as he entered the main hall.
A contingent of four Elves were standing by the door, Laren in the very front. She was dressed in a brown ankle length coat, split up the back for riding with patterns of golden leaves running up the back. Long pleated sleeves fell over her slender hands, also adorned with gold leaves and blond hair fell around her shoulders. Legolas moved in behind his father to listen to her news.
"We think spiders and men are moving this way." She said. Legolas stared at her and then eyed the others. They thought? They weren't sure? Thranduil was thinking along the same lines and voiced in aloud. "Well, we never actually saw them." She said. "But we could feel them."
"You couldn't see them?" Thranduil asked. Laren shook her head and glanced at Legolas. "Why not?"
"Some evil veiled them." Laren said grimly. Thranduil nodded.
"Set up more guards around the kingdom." He said. Laren nodded to her men who swept off at once. "I will be in my study if you wish me further." Thranduil turned, placed a hand on his son's shoulder and then left. Legolas didn't watch him go but studied Laren who was watching him.
"Evil?" He asked. Laren nodded. "What evil?"
"I'm not sure." Laren answered. She was fingering a small pendent on her neck, in the shape of a moon, her face troubled. "My Prince, I have something I must tell you." Legolas could sense a whole bunch of feelings at once, anger, betrayal, fear, sorrow… "I…"
Suddenly bells began to ring all around them, warning bells. What little color Laren had in her face drained and she turned, staring out the open front doors in fear. Beyond, in the moonlight, Legolas could see archers and swordsmen running across the courtyard to engage some unknown enemy.
Hands grabbed him from behind and Legolas spun out of their grip, reaching for his knives but it was just Melithor. "Come on, the spiders are here." He said, grabbing Legolas' arm and leading him off across the room to his father's study.
"I should be out there fighting." Legolas said, trying to pull away but Melithor's grip on him was intense. From behind them, breaking wood sounded. Legolas pulled away from his friend to see a large spider had ripped one of the doors off the chamber completely and Laren was alone, fighting it. Legolas moved to help but Melithor practically threw him into the study, closing the door behind them.
"She'll be okay." He said, "We need you and your father, Legolas. Don't go and get yourself killed." Legolas tried to argue but his father had now grabbed him and was leading him down a side passage from the study.
The windows were floor to ceiling and every other one was open to the trees beyond. Beautiful paintings on the glass that did grace some windows were painted, the art showing the Elves arriving in Mirkwood, others showing floods and temples of old. Legolas ignored them for the first time in his life and allowed his father to push him along the corridor.
They were only a few steps away from the door at the end leading to the main hall when a spider leg punched through one of the pains, showering the three Elves in glass. Legolas unsheathed his knife and sliced off the tip of the spider's leg. It made a terrible hissing sound and retracted the leg. Legolas could feel it moving along the side of the building, following them.
They pushed into the main hall and closed the door, running down the dark corridor and into a circular pod. Legolas took off left with Melithor towards his room; Thranduil went straight to the stairs leading to his chambers.
Legolas' room was dark but the small amount of moonlight filtering in through the painted glass lit up the room enough for his Elf eyes. He spotted his quiver and bow lying next to his bed, gifts from his travels with the Fellowship. He grabbed them and strapped them on as Melithor went to the window and peered through a clear spot in the glass to the dim fighting figures on the ground below.
"There are people now." He said. Legolas' head snapped up sharply and he stared at his friend in the dark. "They are in light amour…"
"Laren said there would be men." Legolas said softly, coming to the window to. He stood up on his tip toes to look through a clear spot in the glass. Now he could clearly see men below fighting the Elves. "How did they sneak up so fast?"
"I do not know, but I think we should get down there and fight." Melithor said. Legolas nodded, checked his weapons and then took off out the door. He didn't need armor, men were easy enough to fight, it would be the spiders who would give them trouble.
A few female Elves with children had made their way into the castle and were hunched up in one of the side corridors. Legolas pulled the women to their feet and grabbed a small Elf boy, and led them to a secret passage to the dungeons. He settled them in a hidden room behind a tapestry and told them to stay silent until he came for them. There was enough food and water for them all to last a few weeks if that's what it took.
As he was closing the door, one of the children called out. "What if you don't come back?" Legolas stopped closing the door and stared at the child in the dark. Her brown hair was filled with leaves and twigs and some dirt was on her nose.
"I will come back." Legolas said. "You have my word." He smiled weakly at them and closed the door. Melithor was looking at him skeptically.
"You shouldn't give your word so lightly." He said. Legolas shook his head.
"They have as much chance relying on me as they do out there." Legolas answered. He grabbed his friend's arm and took the stairs to the upper levels three at a time.
The castle was silent but loud clangs and bow twangs were ringing outside but Legolas could hear faint echoes…they sounded like they were coming from the throne room. Melithor was standing beside him to, listening.
"I would say most of our people are in the throne room." He said. Legolas nodded and made his way down a left passage and into a hidden courtyard surrounded by high walls and even higher trees which swayed ominously in the wind.
Legolas was heading across the courtyard when a spider dropped from a tree right front of him. With its front leg it hit him hard in the side, sending him flying into the wall. Legolas slid down the stone as chips broke away beneath his impact and rained down on his head.
Melithor shot the beast in the eye with an arrow but it kept coming, driven by some evil force. Legolas pulled himself to his feet and ran towards his friend, taking his place at his side. They stood shoulder to shoulder with each other, hitting this beast with arrows as they stepped away from its advance.
Legolas was just worrying they were never going to fell it when his back hit the wall of the courtyard and he was stopped, the creature still coming. It was close enough to strike with its poison sting when Melithor shot it hard and true in the middle of the forehead. The creature rose up on its four back feet, let out a terrible shrieking cry and then fell to the ground again, dead. Legolas let out a breath he'd been holding and stepped around the creature's many legs.
They took off for the throne room and hit it at the exact moment as the full force of the enemy. All the remaining Elves were grouped here in the one room, quite trapped and very much out numbered. A line of Elves in the middle of the room were shooting continually at the open door of the room, enemies piling up on the steps beyond.
Legolas found his father at the back of the group, full armor on and bow waiting. He smiled grimly at his son and then turned eyes to the door again. Legolas came to his side, heart beating fast.
"The enemy is too great." Thranduil said quietly. A few Elves in front of them shifted at this unwanted news but held their positions. "Legolas, I need you to leave."
Legolas turned to his father, confused and slightly angry. "I will not leave our people in the middle of a battle, Ada." Thranduil turned and placed a hand on his son's shoulder.
"You are a Prince." He said. "You have higher responsibilities to your people then getting yourself killed in battle. Go, send word of our attack." Legolas shook his head. "Do as I say." Thranduil's eyes were filled with sadness. "You have always been a problem child." He announced. "Please, do this. You are the swiftest rider we have. You must do this."
Legolas' throat had tightened. Clenching his teeth, he nodded but couldn't say anything to his father. All words had failed him. Turning, he grabbed Melithor and an Elf in front of him.
"Come with me." He said. He spotted Laren at the back of a group near the far end. Calling to her, the four gathered near the back doors where Legolas and Melithor had entered. He told them what he was doing in a hushed whisper.
"Just get out of Mirkwood alive." Legolas said. "When we are beyond the forest, we'll go where we can for help. Most likely to Lake Town." Laren nodded, her face set. "Okay, come on."
Legolas led them out the door and down a dark hallway. They made their way to the front of the castle and stared out of the shadows at the men beyond. Legolas' eyes widened. Some of these men were from Lake Town! Their distinctive blue amour and battle tunics dazzled his eyes in the darkness. Why would they attack?
The stables were not to far away, Legolas knew they could make it; they'd just have to go as silently and quickly as they could. Looking left and right, Legolas led the way down the steps and through the thick trees at the side. A movement in front of him caught his eyes. Three men were moving around the stables, their swords up and ready. Two were men of the lake, the other was a stranger. Legolas pointed ahead and motioned they fire. Lifting his bow, Legolas sighted along the shaft and shot. His arrow entered the stranger's head and dropped him without a sound.
They moved forward cautiously, aware that at any moment they could be caught. A spider moved in the trees over top of them but, crouched in the shadows, it didn't notice them. Legolas tried to still his breath as he entered the cleared space around the stable and began stripping the stranger's tunic. He also took an arrow from his pack and tucked it inside the tunic. He'd take this and study them later.
The stables weren't guarded on the inside but the outside was crawling with guards. Legolas led the others up a tree and onto the roof. Only Elves would be able to slip in through the small windows that surrounded the top and, easily, he dropped into one of the horse's stall.
It was a large white mare they had just received from Rohan as a gift to one of their soldiers. Legolas took a pack from the side of the stall and placed the arrow and tunic inside. He strapped the pack to his back and wrapped a strap around his quiver. Then, he mounted the animal and walked it into the main walkway of the stable. The others were all mounted, Laren on one of Legolas' own.
He motioned they run through the doors at the other side and all the others nodded. Lining himself up, Legolas whistled and his horse jumped beneath him, running top speed towards the doors at the other end. The horse burst through the doors and into the open courtyard.
Their stealth was blown completely now. Everyone in the clearing turned, startled and began shooting at them. Legolas zig zagged around trees and walls, people jumping out of his way. A spider fell from a tree above but he dogged it.
A cry from behind stopped him. The one Elf they had brought with them was down, a spider had grabbed him clean off the horse and he was lying on the ground, frothing at the mouth as spider venom pierced his body. Legolas turned and followed after Laren and Melithor who had streaked off ahead of him.
The black gates to his city were guarded heavily but Melithor and Laren had bowled right through the men. Legolas spurred his horse forwards through the gates and instantly felt a piercing pain running up and down his side. Crying out, he dropped the horse's main and grabbed his side.
Melithor stopped and turned, grabbing Legolas as his horse flew past. He easily pulled the Prince on in front of him and Legolas' horse turned left and flew off into the trees. "It's okay, I got you." Melithor called, tightening his one handed grip on Legolas' chest, whistling. The horse took off again, dogging trees and rocks. Legolas reached down and grabbed the shaft of the arrow, snapping it off.
They rode fast, following Laren who was ahead of them. They were coming through a thick bluff when the horse stumbled. "Is there something wrong with his leg?" Melithor called. Legolas leaned down painfully to look at the horse's legs when there was a whistle, a loud sickening thump and Melithor grabbed him. They both flew backwards off the horse and hit the ground hard, rolling in the fallen leaves.
Legolas gasped as his side was jarred on a rock. "Laren!" He called out. Laren had already turned. Raising her bow, she shot the unseen archer in the trees and then trotted over, grabbing their horse.
Legolas rolled over and his heart sank. Melithor was laying there, an arrow sticking out of the middle of his chest. A mixture of blood and black water oozed out of his mouth and ran down his chin as a strong smell met Legolas' nose.
"Melithor." Legolas whispered, pulling his friend into his arms. "Lle ume quell." (You did well) Legolas said. Melithor smiled, showing black teeth and then coughed.
"I'm sorry." Melithor whispered. Legolas shook his head.
"Don't be. You saved me." Melithor smiled, his body shaking. "Quel kaima." (Sleep well) Legolas said. Melithor opened his mouth to speak but no words came out. His eyes glazed over and his body went limp in Legolas' arms. Legolas let out a slow breath and looked up at Laren.
"More are coming. We must fly." She said. Legolas nodded, let his friend down on the ground and then pulled himself on the horse. Together, he and Laren rode off into the dark trees as the crash of spiders sounded around him…
Legolas woke with a start, his body jerking up and a cry escaping his lips. He pulled himself out of bed and began tearing at his clothes, hitting the table beside the bed and knocking it over with a crash. Breathing hard, he leaned against the wall and slid down to sit at the base. He'd left! He shouldn't have left! Thoughts of his dead father filled his head and he closed his eyes trying to block them out. Again, the enemy tunic came to his mind. He'd seen it before, but where?
TO MY REVIEWERS:
Shadowolf XIII: (for Chapter One) Thanks Taylor, you're a real pal but, seeing as I haven't gotten around to finishing reading any of your stories either, I wont feel to bad if you don't read this one, don't worry. We just aren't into the same things but I'd really like it if you wrote another poem! Thanks.
Flamesofthemo0n: Hey! Thank you for the review. I can't wait until they all get to Minas Tirith to…but ive already written that chapter so I know when and how that will happen. Don't worry, everything in between will be to your liking to. I hope you enjoyed this chapter! P.S. Thanl you for adding me to your author alert and fav. list. It makes me feel really…proud or something. I got a bubbly feeling in my stomach. LOL.
Snow-Glory: Yeah, I love Gimli. There is nothing more amusing and heartwarming then Gimli and Legolas together. You brought up such a hauntingly wonderful point, with Legolas and Gimli and the weakness thing. It was so brilliant! I'd kinda had something like that at the back of my mind but the way you brought it out was great! I'm so happy you got so in-depth into my little Fiction thing. Who is the bad guy! Well, it's of course! I can't tell you that, it would spoil the whole thing! And the twist I want at the end.
katquest2000: Thank you so much for reviewing and reading my story. I'll let you know what happens, slowly with hopefully a lot of cliffhangers.
Zammy: Hey, thanks for reading and reviewing, I hope you liked this chapter and much as I liked writing it. See you hopefully on the next one.
Kirsten: It's okay, I'm glad you found my update last time…and hopefully this time! LOL. The poison has a very weird quality. I guess, in a way, it makes elves lose their mortality because it can kill but…they don't really lose their grace or anything. They're still elfish but…it's hard to explain but you'll see the effects and stuff in later chapters which, if this was a movie, would add for really cool special effects and makeup on Orlando.
FaerlasThe tunic part will surprise you and make you really mad that you didn't get it before when you find out where he saw it before. I try to hide clues and stuff in my work and then tie it all up in the end (it's hard and miss a few things but, I'm trying) LOL. I hope you enjoyed this chapter!
Dawn: Let's just say, Legolas will not be very Legolas-like by the end of this story. I actually feel sorry for the guy, but you'll just have to wait and see. Thank you for your comment on my work. Personally I think I could do better but everyone is their own worst critic. Thank you and I hope you like it.
IwishChan: Gimli, Gimli, Gimli. He's one of the best characters anyone could try and write because he's just so…I can't really describe him. I'll figure out how though. I hope you liked this chapter.
Yanzen Uroloki: Well, here was your action. There will be more, once it all gets under way don't worry. I plan on action a page, weather it's killing things or dancing (no dancing I was just kidding) don't worry. The monotony is getting to me to.
Slayer3: LOL. I hope you liked it! Thank you. Will the evil people get what's coming to them? Hummm….I haven't decided yet. Evil bunnies though, would you want to fight an evil bunny? I hear the evil ones in middle earth are sadistic. You saw the trailer for Kingdom of Heaven? Was it good?
Moonyasha: I'm glad you liked the last chapter and I really hope you like this one. My favorite so far is the next one to come, but seeing as you haven't seen it yet…Please keep reading.
morph: Thank you, I really hope you like this chapter.
Ilana Starr: Thank you. I thought I was doing bad with the characters but your words helped me to change my mind. I really hope you liked this chapter.
Elessar-Lover: Thanks, I'd love to hear when you have new pics up. Two or three weeks is my usual for some of my other stories. I have major writers block on them. I was so upset, I just finished another one and I feel kind of empty without it, a year of work and it's done! I really hope you liked this chapter and I hope to hear from you again!
Deana And last but not least…I really hope you liked this chapter! Keep reading an reviewing!
IF I FORGOT ANYONE, I'M SORRY! TO EVERYONE WHO IS READING THIS, THANK YOU!