Faster than almost anyone would have believed possible, Estel shot up the trunk of the tree, pulling himself out of reach of the warg's snapping jaws just in time. The cloak snagged once more, holding him within the bottom most branches, barely inches away from the warg's fangs.
With a half-choked snarl, the young human clawed at the cloak's clasp. Undone, it slipped back over his shoulders and fell towards the ground. Estel heaved a sigh of relief and pulled himself higher.
Bereft of his prey, the warg snatched at the discarded cloak. Nothing but the rending of cloth punctuated by irritated snarls could be heard for the next few minutes.
Estel looked down at the beast and shivered slightly, the rush of adrenaline leaving him shaky. He was safe…for the moment. However, he knew that he could not stay in the tree forever. Dark hair swung around his face as he peered through the branches. The monster looked quite content to stay at the bottom of the tree, tearing the cloak into pieces for a very long time.
The teenager felt a stab of unease. What if the warg decided to stay there all night? Estel had never quite gotten the hang of sleeping in trees, though his brothers had tried on numerous occasions to teach him. Eventually, Elrond had forbidden such a practice for the young man on account of the injuries he was sustaining during his attempts.
Unfortunately, he soon realized that this would be the least of his problems.
While the warg ripped and tore at the cloak, several more of the loathsome creatures loped out of the trees' shadows.
Estel felt his heart sink into the bottom of his boots.
One of the newcomers, a particularly large male, strode boldly to the creature that had treed Estel and poked his nose at the torn garment. The first warg growled angrily, but withdrew, letting the larger animal snuffle over the prize.
Estel drew in his breath sharply as he saw the warg look up at him. The monster was hideous, his enormous fangs dripping yellow saliva onto the forest floor. But it was not the creature's looks that sent a stab of fear racing through the young human. It was the eyes. There was an evil intelligence lurking in those eyes… Estel shivered slightly and pulled himself a little higher.
The warg turned his attention away from the slender youth, and snarled at the creatures who accompanied him. Immediately, they positioned themselves around the base of the tree and settled down.
If it was even possible, Estel's heart sank a little lower.
The large warg (who seemed to be the alpha male) caught the shredded remains of the cloak up in his jaws and sprinted away…but the others remained where they were.
'This,' the young human thought as he adjusted his grip slightly, 'Is not a good sign.'
0-0-0-0
Elladan strode onward grimly. His fair features were set in a hard, stonelike expression, revealing nothing of what burned in his thoughts Elrohir was silent as well, but not, perhaps, for the same reasons. The younger twin's mind was occupied by the human youth they had so recently parted company with. He could not have explained it if he tried…but for some reason he was consumed with a gnawing worry that intensified with every step he took. Something was not right.
Elladan froze suddenly. Jerked from his musings, Elrohir listened intently. For an instant, he thought that Estel had defied them and tried to track them once more. But almost as soon as he thought of it, he discarded the possiblility. No matter how inexperienced he was, the youth was quiet for one of his race.
Whatever was coming through the woods was making no attempt to mask its' steps. Or, their steps.
As silent as shadows, the twins melted into the surrounding undergrowth, drawing the hoods of their Lothlorien cloaks down over their faces. Elrohir silently thanked his grandmother, (as he had done many times before) for the gift of the marvelous garments. They made things so much easier.
Very soon, figures became visible to the keen eyes of the young lords. They were stooped, squat things. Thick, long arms and equally thick (if not equally long) legs. Unheeding of the noise they made, they crashed through the forest. Weapons were clenched in their gnarled fists. Elladan made a low gutteral sound in his throat as he saw the group approach.
Orcs.
The elder twin would have leapt forwards at once if his brother had not seized his arm and held him fast.
Furious, Elladan shot an ugly glare at Elrohir. 'What are you doing?' he mouthed. His gray eyes burned with the power of his rage. The hand resting on the hilt of his sword trembled with anticipation. There was an almost hungry look contorting the elf's normally handsome face.
Elrohir, however, noticed none of this. His attention was not on his twin at the moment.
Confused by Elrohir's lack of response, Elladan followed his brother's gaze. He froze. All color seemed to drain from his face, leaving it a sickly gray.
One of the orcs had a torn garment dangling from his hand.
"Elladan," Elrohir whispered so softly that Elrond's firstborn could barely hear him. "That is Estel's cloak."
0-0-0-0
Rashneg hissed softly through his broken and blackened teeth. Had he a choice, he would not be tramping through the woods in broad daylight so close to a known elven refuge. Unfortunately, the choice was not his to make. He snarled as late afternoon sunlight filtered through the trees and hit him full in the face.
While it was true that it was his own fault he was here, he ignored the fact. So he had fallen asleep on one (or twenty) watches when he was supposed to be overseeing human slaves. That in and of itself would not have been such a problem had a group of said slaves not decided to escape at exactly that moment. Rashneg sliced at a tree to vent his frustration. Cursed slaves. The goblin king had been furious of course, and Rashneg found himself tracking down the escapees with the promise that unless they were found, there would be an orc skin decorating the king's stone throne.
The orc's clawed hand tightened around the tattered cloak. This was the first sign they had found of the escaped prisoners. His other hand stroked the rough, matted fur of the enormous warg that strode at his side. Taghak, the pack leader had never failed him yet. If there were humans to be found, the warg would sniff them out.
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Elladan's eyes widened with horror as he watched the orc band stride within a foot of his hiding place. The moment they were passed, he leapt to his feet, Elrohir springing up beside him.
They spoke not a word, but moved after the orcs together, their hearts filled with dread.
0-0-0-0
Estel shifted slightly, grimacing. Trees, he decided sourly, were not at all comfortable things to sit in for long periods of time, no matter what his brothers' said.
Of course, the presence of several large and deadly wargs did not help matters at all.
The teenager glanced upwards through the network of branches anxiously. He could see a small patch of sky, but it did not reassure him. It was turning from blue to an orange and rose color. The sun was setting. Soon it would be dark, and he would be stuck, unable to see whether or not the creatures below had left.
Never before had he wanted his brothers so badly.
The slender youth placed his head against the rough bark of the tree, allowing his dark hair to swing forward and hide his face. To hide the childish tears that threatened to spill from his silver eyes. Now he saw how foolish he had been. The twins were right. He was young, and weak. He snuffled softly, trying to stop the flow, but it was a useless attempt. He was frightened, and alone…and he wanted his brothers! Always, the twins were there for him.
Estel remembered when he had been very small and haunted by nightmares. He would slip from his bed and into Elladan or Elrohir's room. They would hold him. Soothing away a child's fears. They never demanded that he return to his own bed.
A stirring below caught the human's attention. Quickly, he scrubbed away the traces of his tears. Perhaps it was the twins! Perhaps they were coming to rescue him…
His delight turned to horror as he saw orcs emerge from the trees. The one in front held the remains of the boy's cloak. Estel swallowed hard, hoping against hope that they wouldn't look up and see him.
No such luck.
Almost immediately, the leader turned his yellow glare up into the branches of Estel's tree. Catching sight of the boy, he swore viley.
0-0-0-0
Rashneg kicked the ground and swore again. Days of searching for this! One scrawny little whelp! The orc very nearly tore apart what was left of the cloak in frustration.
Taghak butted his blunt nose against his master's hand and growled softly, his eyes drifting hungrily up to the human nestled amongst the branches.
"No," Rashneg shook his head grimly. "Not today, my pet. Though he is a sorry catch, he's the only catch we've had. Perhaps he knows where the others are."
The warg snarled nastily, but settled himself at the orc's feet. Rashneg motioned to two of his command and jerked his head at the tree. "Get him down."
0-0-0-0
Estel heard the orc's orders and swallowed hard. He was not safe any longer. Though wargs could not climb trees, the goblins could.
The two below swiftly pulled axes from their belts and stepped forwards.
Or they could simply cut the tree down. As the first blow landed, Estel looked around desperately for some means of escape. There had to be a way! A thought entered his head, but it was so wild…so reckless…
The axes were creating an uneven tempo below and the tree was starting to shiver under the onslaught.
Estel quickly pulled his feet under him and stood, grasping the trunk for support. He would only have one shot at this.
0-0-0-0
Elladan saw his brother stand and his face went from gray to very white. "What does he think he's doing!"
Elrohir opened his mouth to respond but was struck dumb as Estel released the tree trunk and sprinted along the length of the branch.
0-0-0-0
Estel felt his balance faltering as the branch dipped under his weight. It was now or never. He leapt forwards.
For one horrible second he was totally free falling. The wind whistled in his ears and his stomach seemed to have been left behind. The youth stretched out his fingers…just in time to snag a branch from the neighboring tree. He hung by one hand, grinning insanely. It worked! Now all he had to do was pull himself up and continue to do this until he reached Rivendell.
Unfortunately, the branch had other plans.
There was a horrible crack. Estel felt the color drain from his face as he realized what that meant. Moments later he was falling toward the ground.
0-0-0-0
Rashneg shook his head as his orcs muscled the young boy over to their leader. These humans were all the same. Impulsive, reckless, and stupid. A look of loathing crept across his twisted features as the youth was forced to his knees before him. Cursed humans. Oh, how he hated them. Of course, they had their uses, (slave labor and so on) but he detested the very sight of the lad kneeling at his feet.
The boy was struggling for breath, the fall having knocked the wind out of him. His head fell forward as he gasped. Apparently, he did not have the strength to keep it raised.
With a growl, Rashneg gripped the dark locks roughly and tipped the human's face upwards. A bruise was forming across one cheek, and blood trickled from the corner of the young one's mouth. Wide silver eyes stared back at him. Emotion flickered within their depths. Fear, and to Rashneg's surprise, anger.
There was something strange about this human. Something that made the orc very uneasy. Almost…afraid.
As soon as he even thought the word, Rashneg's anger rose. Afraid! Afraid of what! This whelp? The boy did not even look like he had reached fifteen years of age. He was a gawky child, nothing more. Rashneg back-handed him savagely, just to vent his feelings.
Though the blow must have hurt, the teenager did not make a sound. Rashneg caught the youth's chin with his broken nails. "Tell me, maggot," he growled nastily. "Where are the others?"
Confusion danced through the silver eyes. "I do not know what you are talking about."
0-0-0-0
The twins had frozen momentarily when they had seen Estel plummet towards the ground.
Elrohir broke first and surged forwards, drawing his weapons even as the orcs dragged his little brother towards their leader. Elladan followed swiftly, choking back a cry of rage as he saw Estel take a blow. Now was not the time for noise. They were badly outnumbered and their one advantage lay in speed. If they could strike deep into the group before the orcs realized what was happening, there was a good chance they would be able to seize Estel and flee.
0-0-0-0
Estel realized almost as soon as the words left his mouth that that wasn't what the orc wanted to hear. A second blow to the other side of his face left him dizzy. He sagged against the arms of the monsters that held him, trying desperately to fight off the blackness that threatened to drag him down.
"I'll ask you one more time, slave." The twisted creature in front of him gripped his chin once more. Estel winced as the nails dug into tender flesh. Confusion reigned through his mind. What on Arda was it talking about? What others?
"Apparently, your brief spell of freedom has made you forget your place," the orc said cruelly, a smile twisting his features even more. "When you are addressed, you are to answer quickly. Perhaps you need a lesson?"
There was a ripple of black laughter at those words. Estel felt a shiver of unease. He didn't know what kind of 'lesson' the thing had in mind, but he didn't think that he would enjoy it very much.
"Yes." Rashneg waved the two orcs holding Estel's arms away as he reached down and caught hold of the young man's tunic. He brought the youth to his feet with a jerk. "I think a lesson might be just what you need."
Estel could not repress a shudder of dread as he looked into the orc's eyes and saw the gleam of cruel pleasure.
0-0-0-0
The twins struck hard at the group of orcs, their blades gleaming in an intricate dance of death. So quick and silent was their attack that three orcs had fallen to their weapons before the rest even realized they were there.
An orc turned to make some comment to his companion and was confronted with the sight of Elladan wrenching his sword from a crumpled carcass. The creature barely had time to squeal before the same sword took his head, but it was enough.
Elorhir ducked under an ill aimed swipe and promptly extinguished his enemy's life with a swift thrust. Not even looking at the orc he had killed, the younger twin spun to face his next opponent. His gray eyes narrowed to slits as the heat of blood lust pounded through his veins. The force of his hatred for the vile creatures almost drove Estel from his mind. Instead, another figure rose within the red mist that seemed to fall before his eyes.
An elf woman with flowing blond hair.
With a ferocious shout, the young elf lord threw himself into battle.
0-0-0-0
Estel heard a choked cry and saw his captor look up sharply. The orc's jaw dropped open and his eyes went wide. More cries filled the air, along with the sound of steel clashing on steel.
There was a shout, and the boy felt his heart swell with hope. He recognized that voice! His brothers were here!
Swiftly, Rashneg spun Estel around so that the youth's back was pressed against the orc's chest. One black arm encircled itself around Estel's shoulders in a bruisingly tight hold, the other pressed a dagger up under the soft skin of the boy's chin. "Move an inch," he hissed into Estel's ear, "and I'll pin your tongue to the roof of your mouth."
Estel didn't make a sound. His eyes were fixed on his brothers.
The hope he had felt faded, to be replaced by a sick sense of horror.
He had never seen the twins fight before. There was a horrible ferocity in their movements; an almost gleeful look burning in their eyes. It struck him that they were enjoying what they did. As soon as the thought rose he banished it. It wasn't possible. Not his brothers. Not the same elves who always stressed how important life was.
To kill was neccesary, they had told him. For food, when killing animals. For safety, when your opponents were orcs, or men. Or elves. But what they did now did not follow with what they had taught him since he could lift a sword. The fanatical gleam in their eyes repulsed him more than he thought was possible.
A sudden realization caused the young man to choke. Was this what they did every Norui? Then they were correct. He was far too young.
"HALT!" Rashneg bellowed. "Stop right there, elf scum, or this little squeaker gets a knife through his throat."
Estel half expected his brothers to ignore the orc and continue with their slaughter. To his surprise, as the orcs pulled away, the twins lowered their weapons. Elladan caught his gaze, and for the first time in his life, Estel could not hold it. He dropped his eyes to the ground. Shame washed over him. They were his brothers…but he could not force himself to look up. Not after what he had witnessed.
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Elladan lifted his sword, pointing it at the young man. "Give us your captive, and we will let you live, orc." Blood thundered in his ears as he felt the familiar rage coursing through him. His hand tightened on the sword hilt.
Elrohir stood next to him, breathing hard, his limbs trembling. Not with exhaustion, but with the dark emotion he shared with his twin. His gray eyes swept over the lines of orcs. An almost hungry look crept across his fair elven features.
Rashneg had not moved. Elladan took a step forward, ignoring the way the orcs raised their weapons. "Now, filth. Give him to us."
Rashneg laughed harshly. "Not a chance, elf. He's ours." The orc tightened his grip on Estel slightly. "If you want him, you'll have come up with something of value to trade."
Elladan's knuckles turned white around his sword hilt. "Scum," he hissed between clenched teeth. "The human is under the protection of Rivendell. Unless you release him you will bring the full wrath of the Elves down upon your evil head."
"The elves are too quick to protect that which is not theirs," Rashneg snarled nastily. "The boy is an escaped slave and my king will not be pleased if I do not return with him and his companions."
The young elf lord's face turned a very unusual shade of red as his temper shot to the limits of his restraint. Isildur's heir? An orc slave! "You…" Elladan stepped forward again, fully intent on engaging the monsters once more…but then he caught sight of Estel's face.
The human was gazing at his brother with a look of sick horror, and Elladan had the distinct impression that he was responsible for the emotion. It froze him in place. The reality of what he and Elrohir had just done was brought home to him in the few seconds that Estel met his eyes.
Swiftly, the youth averted his gaze once more. Elladan felt sick. He remembered the fierce surge of joy as he slew the orcs; the pleasure he took in their pain. Suddenly, he could see through Estel's eyes, and he did not like the picture.
Elrohir stiffened beside him, and Elladan knew that his twin realized what had just happened. Even now, Elrond's firstborn admitted to himself, he had been prepared to enter into battle once more. Even though Estel's life was on the line.
Slowly, the dark haired elf lowered his blade. Too far. They had gone too far.
"Gohena nin, gwanor tithen," he whispered softly.
Estel's head shot up, his silver eyes wide.
0-0-0-0
Estel fastened his eyes on Elladan, hardly daring to believe what he had just heard. In all his thirteen years, he had never heard his elder brother ask him for forgiveness. The elf's fierce eyes had softened, losing their blood lust. An expression of deepest remorse was spreading across his fair features.
Elrohir straightened from his ready position, his weapons held loosely.
A change had swept over the two elves in the space of seconds.
Estel swallowed hard, feeling the orc's blade scrape against his throat. "U-moe edhored gohena."
"Stop your filthy elf speak!" Rashneg tightened his grip across Estel's shoulders painfully.
"What would you have, spawn of Mordor?" Elladan's deep voice quickly captured the orc's attention.
0-0-0-0
Rashneg smiled evilly. If these elves were so willing to protect the human, there was a way to win back the favor of his king. "In exchange for the whelp?" His smile grew just a little wider. "My king would be most pleased to have two strong elves amongst his personal slaves."
He felt the young one stiffen with shock. Obviously, he hadn't been expecting that. And he wasn't the only one. A surprised mutter rippled through his own group.
The elves, however, did not seem caught unawares. Their faces remained calm. Cold. Without a word, the one who had been talking let his sword fall to the ground.
Rashneg jerked his head, and several of his orcs pulled forth bows and arrows, keeping the twins covered as they proceeded to disarm themselves.
0-0-0-0
Estel mouth dropped open as he watched Elrohir pull his quiver of arrows from his back. What on Arda was happening? They could not do this! They could not trade themselves for him!
The dagger at his throat slowly began to slip away as Rashneg's attention was drawn to the young elf lords. Estel silently twisted his head to one side, away from the razor sharp blade as a plan formed in his mind…
0-0-0-0
Elrohir drew the last dagger from his boot and started to lay it on the ground. A tingling feeling of sudden dread swept over him without warning. His eyes shot up and locked with Estel's.
That look in the boy's eyes…it was the same look he had worn moments before when he leapt from the tree. (very similar, the elf noticed, to the look that had creapt over the young man's face when he had hidden Glorfindel's sword, drawn rabbits in Elrond's books, and painted a very imaginative scene on the tiles of the garden path involving Elladan and a kitchen maid.) It was the look that proclaimed to the world that Isildur's heir was about to do something incredibly stupid.
Elrohir snatched his dagger up once more just as Estel bit deeply into his captor's arm, simultaneously kicking his boot back into the creature's knee. The orc howled in pain and released the young boy as chaos erupted…
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Gohena nin, gwanor tithen-Forgive me, little brother
U-moe edhored gohena- There is nothing to forgive.
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