Legosgurl I'll tell Darion to grab…and twist! Yeoww! That hurts! (Yes, I believe that it works too!)
Keluin Lossehilin So, how did the meeting with Orli go? Come on! Tell me! And I can't wait to see the pics!
Karriya Maybe you've already known this, but the May issue of FIRST magazine has Orli on the cover. I've just bought one for myself!
Rutu I deliberately use Asian names on some of my characters 'cause I want to feel a bit closer to home. Heck, I'm even thinking of using my own real name for a character in the next fic! LOL!
Viggomaniac I'm very glad you've discovered me. Take you time reading through the series. I'm not going anywhere, I promise.
Leralonde Eldarion is Aragorn's son, and you wonder where the boy gets his rebelliousness from? You're kidding, right?
Szhismine Ha ha ha ha ha ha! You got me laughing like crazy there! (Our planet earth and Middle-earth are quite similar in some way, aren't they? Just look at the variety of societies they have.)
JoeAteMuffin My badgering my boss proves fruitful. I just got a 10 raise! Yippee!
Delano The brothers haven't died yet, but they might. I've prepared something evil for them. (Crackles evil laughter…)
Sailor Elf : Part of this story is going into the direction that you thought it is going. But, I assure you, it would not end the way you thought it will.
Seylin You might find out that one of your wishes will come true. Brace yourself. It's coming soon, but not in this chapter though.
Tbiris Leggy and Kel are still quite far, enough time for Darion to suffer like his Da once.
Trista Yeah. I noticed that too. But I think the ffnet have put it all back to order.
WARNING : A terrible, horrible cliffie up ahead! I repeat; a terrible, horrible cliffie up ahead! Prepare your parachute, guys! Feel free to jump if you think you can't hang on to that cliff any longer!
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"It's them," Keldarion said shortly. His cobalt blue eyes were sharp and intense as he gazed at the campsite at the bottom of the valley.
Leaning against the boulder next to his brother, Legolas cocked an eyebrow. "You are perfectly sure?"
"Positively sure. I can guarantee that it's their horse tracks we've been following these few days. No other people would roughshod their mounts in this dry weather."
The elder elf then pulled away to sit down on the hard ground. He rummaged through his pack and took out a whetstone. Before long, he was sharpening his beloved sword in smooth methodical strokes.
Sending another glance at the human camp below them, Legolas went to join his brother. "I can't see Darion anywhere. I wonder where they're hiding him."
"Maybe they lock him in that lone wagon they brought along with them," Keldarion replied with a shrug. "We shall see if that's the case when we attack them tonight."
"Tonight? Why not right about now?" Legolas hissed his disagreement.
"That's because the sun is about to set behind us. Those humans down there would see us the moment we came charging down the hill. We would loose a fair amount of surprise that way. Besides, we see better in the dark than they do."
"I hate it when you are right," the younger prince grumbled, folding his arms across his chest. "What do you suggest we do in the mean time, then? Twiddle our thumbs?"
"You are always so impatient, brat." Keldarion chuckled. "Do me a favor and check the fledging on your arrows. I don't want your shots to go awry and hit me by mistake!"
Legolas gave his brother a dirty look, even though he knew his brother was only teasing him. A legend with his bow, the lord of Ithilien never missed his shots, let alone wrongly hit a target.
With jerky movements, Legolas released the leather straps of his quiver and yanked it off his back before he went through his supply of arrows, muttering hotly to himself all the while. Keldarion just grinned, pleased that his simple gibe had so riled his brother. That would keep Legolas mad enough for the coming battle. A furious Legolas was equaled to the strength of five humans, something to even them up with the group of bandits below which consisted of nine big nasty men.
They had almost lost track of the robbers at the River Anduin. But after a long conversation with the boat master at the small dock—and after bribing him with a few shillings to make him open his mouth—the brothers managed to dig out some details from him.
"They didn't pay me a single cent!" the man had complained, waving his arms angrily about. "They even threatened to jab their blades up my arse if I refused to take them across, the ungrateful lot! I swear I'll sink the raft the next time they show their butts around here!"
The man had kept rambling on and on about what he wished to do with the bandits that it took the brothers several more try to get the man talking about Eldarion.
"A boy? Yes, there was a boy. They got him all tied up like a stuffed turkey!"
"And you didn't even help him?" Naturally, Legolas had gotten very angry when he heard that.
"Help him?" The man scoffed. "I can't even help myself, mister. I have my own sorry butt to consider. I won't simply put my bloody head on the bloody chopping block for a bloody stupid kid!"
Legolas would have pummeled the man to a bloody pulp if Keldarion had not pulled him away. Then, after Legolas had threatened to shoot his ear off, the boat master had frantically taken them across the River Anduin—with Legolas aiming his arrow at the man's head the entire way.
Arriving at the south bank, the brothers had rediscovered their quarry's tracks, much to their great relief. After a hard day's ride, they had found that the track led them to the River Poros. At Keldarion's insistence, both elven princes had masqueraded themselves as a couple of Haradrim mercenaries. Even though Legolas complained the entire time about the confining attire—most especially the heavy turban atop his head—the disguise had helped them gather some quick information about their quarry from the black-marketers doing business near the bridge.
After another long day of tracking, they had come to this overhanging rock which looked over a narrow valley between two hills. The elves were now waiting for the men below to let down their guard before launching a swift attack—and taking Eldarion out of their clutch.
Sighing for the umpteenth time, Legolas slipped his fingers up his turban and scratched like mad at his scalp, right behind his ear. "This blasted thing itches!"
Keldarion paused with an arched eyebrow. Looking mildly exasperated, he shook his head at his brother. "Really, Legolas, your complaining is driving me crazy."
"Yes, well, this stupid turban is driving me insane! I think I'm getting bald here," the younger prince grumbled in response. Then, with a suppressed growl, he yanked the entire bundle off his head and slammed it to the ground.
"There. Now I can breathe again," he said in grim satisfaction, running his hands through his long golden hair to comb it back to order.
Keldarion rolled his eyes. "Do you know how long it took me to fashion that thing for you?"
Legolas gave his brother a droll look. "Do I look like I care?"
Fixing his brother a gimlet stare, Keldarion then snatched the discarded turban and threw it at Legolas' head. "Brat."
Legolas just grinned. "Blockhead."
"Silly imp."
"Uptight brute."
"Pretty face dimwit."
"Filthy swine."
"Yellow-haired sissy."
"Pockmarked-bum idiot."
And the volley of insults continued on, back and forth, as the sun slowly sank behind them.
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Rodem rolled over restlessly on his blanket. He had trouble sleeping that night. His bruised ribs were still a big bother, keeping him wide awake with their constant jabbing pains. The rough and hard ground he was lying on was not helping any, which caused him to crave for a soft, comfortable bed where he can disappear into and sleep for the whole year.
He cursed loudly when loose stones poked at his injured ribs. Admitting defeat, he reluctantly rose from his pallet. Yawning widely, Rodem looked around the camp with half-lidded eyes, noticing in distaste that his mates were all zonked out under their own blankets.
Muttering in disgust, Rodem grabbed his cloak and walked towards the wagon they had purchased at Poros. Filled with loots and treasures, the wagon barely left a space for sitting, but there were also several bundles of fabric that he could improvise as a comfortable bed.
Rodem was about to unlatch the wagon doors when someone spoke, "What are you doing there, you knave?"
He froze. Turning around, he saw his one-eyed chief watch him warily. "I had trouble sleeping on the ground tonight. My ribs are killing me. I thought of sleeping in here."
Patch-eye visibly relaxed at that.
"Oh, your poor wee ribs," he said mockingly. "That boy really kicked your ass there, didn't he? Really, Rodem. You are an embarrassment to the company. Go ahead, man, sleep in that junk. Just don't think of slipping anything in there into your own pocket, or I'll cut off your hands myself."
With an amused snort, Patch-eye settled back onto his pallet and closed his eyes. Rodem made a face at the other man's back and climbed aboard the wagon. He pushed aside a few boxes and packs before unrolling several bolts of fabrics. Sighing in content, he lay down on his crude mattress—squeezed between two cases filled with stolen armors and weaponry—and finally drifted off to sleep.
Unfortunately, a sudden commotion from outside jerked him back awake not long after.
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The elven brothers came down upon the camp like a whirlwind of fury.
Leaving their mounts behind, they moved as stealthily as shadows down the hill, and started attacking without any warning. The men's horses, however, quickly sent out cries of panic to their masters when they caught the scent of the two intruders.
Legolas' hands were lightning fast on his bow and arrows, shooting randomly at the stirring men until Keldarion loudly protested, "Will you stop showing off and leave something for me!"
Grinning, Legolas lowered his bow and stepped aside to give his brother the center stage. "It's all yours, big brother."
Muttering to himself, Keldarion rushed headlong into the camp and swung his great blade, knocking away a man's sword before lashing at the other. Panicked by the surprise attack, all the men had scrambled to their feet and grabbed any weapons they could reach to return the assault, but the brothers were too fast for them. In just a short while, six corpses already littered the ground while the still standing men tried very hard to escape the mad elves.
"Keep one alive for questioning!" Keldarion yelled to his brother.
Legolas nodded and slung his bow over one shoulder. He then yanked out his twin blades to charge at the man wearing the eye-patch. Patch-eye desperately swung his sword to defend himself, not knowing why they were being brazenly assailed.
Following the man's every move, Legolas pushed the man harder and harder, taking absolute pleasure from the fight to release the anger out of his entire system. The man was a very exceptional swordsman himself, but was no match to Legolas' skill. The elf toyed with the man to weaken him, barely aware that his older brother was doing the same thing to his own opponent on the west side of the camp.
Patch-eye was horrified when a slash from Legolas' blade cut through the vein on his wrist, making him drop his sword. The elf kicked the blade away and smashed his elbow into the man's face. Patch-eye fell like a rock to the ground, his features contorting with pain. Smiling grimly, Legolas pressed one knee against the man's chest, hard.
"Where is he?"
The man blinked in confusion. "Wh…who?"
Legolas pressed harder. "The boy! The one that you've taken from the caravan troupe. Now where is he?"
Patch-eye was mystified. Why are these elves looking for that stupid boy?
"I don't know what you're talking ab…Ah!" The man cried out when Legolas smacked him in the nose with the butt of his blade.
"Don't even think of lying to me, you miserable cur! Now tell me where you hide him and what you've done to him or I'll cut off your ears and make you chew on them!" Legolas' face was so red with fury he looked almost purple.
"Yes! Yes! There's a boy! But we didn't harm him, I swear!" the man frantically cried out as Legolas began sawing at his left ear.
Keldarion, meanwhile, was staring in disgust at his erstwhile opponent lying at his feet. The man had stumbled during their skirmish and fallen flat onto his dead friend's upraised blade, impaling him right through the neck. With a shrug, Keldarion stepped over the body and glared down at Patch-eye.
"Do you keep the boy in the wagon?" he asked the man in Westron.
Patch-eye's face instantly lit up. "Yes. The…the wagon. We hid him there. He's fine. Go check him yourself."
Something in the man's voice didn't sit right with Legolas, but he didn't know what it was. As Keldarion strode towards the wagon, however, the younger prince saw a strange gleam in the man's lone eye.
Legolas' senses instantly screamed great danger.
"KEL, NO!"
About to unlatch the wagon doors, Keldarion whirled around at his brother's yell. At that same moment, a man burst through from inside with a deadly loaded crossbow in his arms.
The elder prince fell heavily to the ground upon impact, a long dart imbedded in his chest.
TBC…
Okay, everyone. Scream. Yes, that's it. Scream as loud as you can.