There and Back Again

Hola, mi amigos!

Thank you so much to ALL my loyal reviewers that I didn't have to blackmail glares at all who didn't review. LoL this chapter is kinda short, and pretty depressing, but the next one should be cute winks. I'm posting now cuz I just saw the stupid little sign that said I wouldn't be able to post from Sunday to TUESDAY! Argh! So, being the lovely person I am snorts are heard in the backround, I decided to post early again! Yay!

Ok, done now. Happy reading!

Chapter Four: To Dungeons Deep

Far over Misty Mountains cold

To dungeons deep and caverns old

We must away ere break of day

To seek the pale enchanted gold

For ancient king and elvish lord

There many a gleaming golden hoard

They shaped and wrought and light they caught

To hide in gems on hilt of sword

J.R.R. Tolkien

Elladan tiptoed quietly down the stairs and out into the hall, carrying with him his bow, arrows, and the bridle for Valacirca. Praying silently to Illuvatar that his adar would still be fast asleep, he inched open the door, wincing when it creaked halfway through the process. Who had oiled these doors last, anyway? He looked around once more, checking his surroundings just in case his dear brother had decided to surprise him on his way out the door. Satisfied, he took a tentative step out of the door.

"Elladan," spoke a reprimanding voice from behind him. Dammit!

"Yes, adar?" he groaned, turning around to face the ancient elven lord.

"Just where do you think you're going?" he asked, cocking an apprehensive eyebrow. That was never a good sign.

"Uhh...hunting?" Elladan stuttered in reply. The eyebrow, if possible, rose even further up.

"At this hellish hour? We have enough supplies of meat to last an entire winter, which, may I remind you, doesn't roll around for another half a year. You're needed here," his father reprimanded. Elladan sighed. In truth, he had wanted nothing more than to get away from the monotonous daily councils in which he was 'needed for'. Very often now, envoys from Mirkwood had come as their spider problem had reached its climax. That in itself proved how dire their situation was if they were coming to beg for assistance in solving the epidemic.

"Ada, I simply just could not stand one more six hour council about nothing more than a spider overpopulation! I need air, trees, just about anything other than one more council! Please, adar, let me go," Elladan pleaded, hoping against hope that for once, just once, his father would give in. Elrond put on a face that suggested that he was considering, then smiled at the pleading look on his son's face.

"Ion-nin, you may go. There is to be no council today anyway, so you are free to go, but only until noontide. I want to speak with you, your brother, and Glorfindel about a pressing matter in the hall. Now go, and be back soon!" The surprise must have registered on Elladan's face, because his father chuckled softly and cried 'Go!' once more. Elladan grinned brilliantly, hugged the amused elf lord, and walked out the door.

"Elladan," Elrond called as his son was almost out of earshot, "I'm counting on you."

o-o-o

Darkness surrounded Estel as he awoke. He blinked, not quite sure of where he was, and tried desperately to remember how he had arrived here. He recalled huge, towering dark blotches hovering over him, and a deep, splitting pain in his head. He heard laughter resound in his head, dark, sadistic chuckles that haunted his very soul. He shivered, both from cold and from fright, and that was when he noticed the chains...

Some heavy weight pulled down his already weakened limbs. Shackles. He looked around, squinting his eyes in an effort to see past the suffocating darkness. What he saw did not make him feel overcome with joy.

In the distance, there was a faint gleam of dim light, peaking out of a barred window.

A BARRED window.

His heartbeat quickened, and he rolled onto his knees, feeling around with his hands and desperately searching for something that would make sense of what he was seeing.

But he felt nothing. Only more bars.

He was trapped.

o-o-o

"Master, we come bearing gifts," murmured a low, gravely voice. The hands around his arms felt cold and clammy, yet they were the only thing between him and the hard stone floor. His dark, bloodstained hair lay plastered to his face as he averted his eyes to the ground. Estel did not dare look up.

"He seems rather scrawny for an elf," remarked the man in front of Estel. His voice was high-pitched, yet gruff. He wore what would have been in fashion for rich landlords about 20 years prior, and his face was shallow and angular, with a prominent nose that ended sharply an inch from his face.

"'E's a youngin'," blurted the orc to Zughtuk's left, who was quickly silenced by a sharp elbow in the stomach.

"He has just come of age in his culture, almost a child," assured the unsightly captain. Estel scowled at the word "child", but held his tongue. He wasn't sure he could talk even if he tried. Zughtuk had made if excruciatingly clear on what was to be said to Vilgar, the orc party's "leader", and what was not to be said. Estel shifted his weight from one leg to the other, wincing as his now welted back screamed in protest.

Estel chanced a look up at his captor, who stood a few feet in front of him. The man smirked as he caught the helpless gleam in the young human's eye. He took a step closer, carefully examining his new addition. He'd amassed quite a horde of "servants" over the past few years, and if he did say so himself, it was quite a sight to see.

"What's your name?" he demanded, grabbing the so-called elf's chin between his thumb and forefinger.

No response.

"I'll ask you once more, and only once. What's-your-name?"

Estel remained stubbornly quiet.

Vilgar smirked once more, not at all set aback by this act of defiance on the elf's part. In fact, he rather enjoyed it. A malicious gleam sparkled in his eyes as his thoughts drifted to the race that this...thing...belonged to. Elves. Oh, how he hated them, and yet at the same time was fascinated by them. With their proud and haughty words, their abilities that excelled so much beyond that of human capability. Their stubbornness was told in every legend, every tale, and every myth that graced the land of Middle Earth. They were not an easy race to conquer.

It would make breaking him all the more enjoyable.

Well, there you have it, chappy four all done! Thanks again to my reviewers:

grumpy: LoL, sorry, Estel's going to be detained for a VERY long time. Torture is so much more fun! Now excuse me while I hide from two identical yet scary looking elves. RoFl, thanks for readin'!

jacquelinestel: Blushes Thanks so much! And yeah, the title "Bleeding Ears" was probably much more revealing than it should have been, LoL. I promise I'll give Estel a break next chappy. ;-)

Dernhelm-caorann: Hmmmmm, not quite sure what you ment by "the canon is out", but I'll nod and pretend I do, LoL. Thanks so much for reviewing!!! :-)

elitenschwein: I'm going to write more about the dwarves in the later chapters, probably bout thier captivity in Mirkwood reporters take notes. LoL. Thanks so much!

Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU to all my reviewers!

Now, to all of you who have yet to review, please read the following list of unfortunate events that studies have shown could occur without proper response:

1) I will tie you to the back of my car and drag you down a dirt road at 60 mph.

2) I will pour an entire bag of salt on you.

3) I will cover you with honey and stick you in an ant hill.

4) And if you still don't review after that, then I'll really get nasty!

LoL, sorry, couldn't resist. I had a jazz teacher that always used to say that. Something about the consequences if we didn't hit our staccato notes. But he also called my trombone a sludge-pumber, so I don't know.

LoL, well I'd better go. I have a 3 minute speech to write about China and the UN (any advice will be much appreciated)!!

Hasta la vista, baby!

CzechChicka