The next morning Elrohir broke camp as soon as he woke up. He spent the majority of this time glaring at his brother and muttering some rather imaginative curses in Elladan's general direction.

"Elrohir, I will not apologize so if you would please stop cursing in…are you speaking Rohirric! When did you learn that?"

"Arwen taught me," was the simple answer. Elladan immediately decided he did not want to know how his 'innocent little sister' had learned Rohirric curses. No, he definitely didn't want to know.

"Elladan?"

"Yes?"

"Arwen is planning on drugging you at the banquet next weekend."

"Oh…"

"Just thought to warn you…."

-oOo-

"Those little…oh Valar they will pay. Legolas, Legolas, look at me, look at me. That's it. That's a good elf. Keep looking at me. That's it." Bridget was working her hardest to keep Legolas from passing out, but it was getting harder and harder to keep him around. Her heart was thudding in her chest. I know Silicon is bad. But must it be that bad? I don't even know how to treat it…water. Something about absorbing moisture, oh, why didn't I pay attention in science class? A simpering laugh interrupted her thoughts.

Simpering…that's a nice word.

Rather fun to say if you ask me.

Oy, I'm going mental.

"Still trying Palanél?"

"Of course. We can't all be useless now can we?" the remark was less insulting then she would have liked, but it wasn't too much of a problem. Miniel took offense to most things.

"My cousin hates you," Miniel said casually, glancing at her fingers in a way that made Bridget think that she was actually from modern times.

"Cousin?"

"My dear, dear Palanél, Linnor, he is my cousin. Ah, you didn't know."

"Then…then…Randir…"

"Ran, oh, yes, he is my cousin as well." She tossed dark hair over her shoulder. "You see, my mother was Linnor's aunt. I must say that she was a bit of a disgrace to the family, Randir took after her. Which is why he is asleep in that cell and not out there."

"I hope the Valar have mercy on you Miniel, for no one else is going to, at least not willingly."

"I am bored, Linnor! Set up a new guard, this girl is annoying me," the whiney tones in her voice made Bridget contemplate cutting her ears off. The only thing that stopped her was a groan from the elf that lay at her feet.

"Legolas?" she whispered. "Stay with us, that's it. Right there, stay with us, that's it. Come on, open your eyes…" With a groan the elf prince forced his eyes open.

"This is not funny. Why isn't Estel here…" there was slight desperation in the other's voice.

"Estel is with Linnor, I am sure everything is okay…"

"Wrong assumption, but then, that is what humans do is it not?" Linnor asked as he stepped into the room. Bridget shook her head slowly, disbelief written in her green eyes. She saw Aragorn being led in by two guards his eyes were a proud shade of grey and his hands were clenched. A guard stepped into the cell and Bridget stepped automatically closer to the elves on the floor. Said guard sneered at her before shoving Aragorn into the cell. He had begun to shut the door when Linnor stopped him.

"Bring me the girl," he said with amusement. Bridget squirmed and tried to get away but she was dragged to Linnor's feet. He sneered down at her and raised his hand, slapping her so hard that a deep gash appeared above her left eye where his ring had connected with her face. Her eyes met his half defiantly, she was terrified, but she really didn't want him to know that. The blood from the cut dripped down into her eyes.

Drip.

Drip.

Drip.

She was beginning to understand a new meaning to the phrase "seeing red" she wanted to stick her hand up and wipe her eye. Valar, this was going to drive her mad.

Drip…

"So, my dear, dear Palanél…"
Drip…

She cursed at him in English. He raised an eyebrow and ran his finger along the cut. With a twisted smile he dragged the hand down her face leaving a red trail. She shuddered and glared. His grin widened even more. He snapped his fingers and moved away; two elves grabbed Bridget down the hall. The echo's of Bridget's voice cursing them in every language she knew could be heard long after her departure.

-oOo-

There was a new sense of urgency as Elladan and Elrohir ran around the bend at full speed. Horses, Elrohir was thinking, good for nothing beasts that would not help us. Who knew that a tree was so very terrifying? I mean, you are ELVEN horses for Varda's sake. WHY did you HAVE to run away? This makes life harder…so much harder…

"Elrohir?"

"Yes Elladan?"

"Stop cursing the horses."

"Fine," Elrohir replied shortly. He was worried and he was scared, and that is what one calls a bad combination. Because very soon he would be angry. And then someone was going to have a lot of explaining to do. With a glare at no one in particular he picked up the pace, they were approximately two hours from Mirkwood, and he was itching to disembowel Linnor and then suffocate him with his own vital organs. With that pleasant image in his mind he broke into a brisk jog. Elladan raised a skeptical eyebrow but followed quickly, not one to dispute with his twin when he had the look. The look that clearly said whoever had laid his hands on his little brother was going to die a slow and painful death. Elladan sighed, less for him to deal with he supposed. Hurrying to catch up with his brother he mused over the fact that Aragorn and Legolas always got in trouble. In fact, as he thought he realized it had been a very stupid thing to let Bridget go with them. He didn't blame them, it would be hard to, but those two attracted trouble like honey attracted flies. Just as he was musing over a few different escapades of Legolas' and Aragorn's his thoughts found a particular favorite. He would never understand Randir's fascination with Wargs, not ever. It really had been interesting the time he had brought a pet one to Imladris, Estel had been taking it on a walk when he met its mother. It was rather odd really, it just happened to be Estel. Had it been anyone else they would have been dead. His brother had actually come rather close to it…

"Elladan?"

"Yes, Elrohir?" he asked in reply, turning a curious gaze on his brother.

"We have arrived, only I do not know how we are to get in, the gates are sealed and there are many guards."

"We are the sons of Elrond. Someone will let us in…"

"But Thranduil…"

"Sons of Elrond, welcome, to what do I owe this pleasant surprise?" it was Thranduil speaking. He looked…healthy and happy. A beautiful elleth stood next to him, her eyes traveling over them appraisingly. Elladan shuddered, he didn't trust her. Clear eyes met the blue ones of the king, her own eyes darted among the company. She lay a hand on the king's arm.

"My Lord, I believe your guests would like to come in," her voice was soft spoken, and sounded to Elladan as if she was reciting them a fact that unnerved him.

"Why thank you, my Lady," he began.

"Miniel," she supplied smoothly. "My name is Miniel."

-oOo-

Pain. It was her existence, she didn't understand why, not a hand had been laid on her that she could remember, wait, yes she could. So much pain, striking her. A voice whimpered in the distance, it seemed so familiar. Was that her own voice? It was. It was. She felt an intense anger course through her thin frame, anger at the pain, the helplessness. She wondered vaguely where her friends were, were they all right? Alive at the very least?

"Rohech…" was the first word to come to mind she spat it vehemently. Anger that she had never before known coursed through her being. "I HATE YOU! BADO! ECHELTH VELETH ORCH!" her voice rose higher, sending each straight to the depths of Angband. "Morgoth call his darkness upon you," she settled for, as she soon realized that screaming hurt. Hurt a lot. She grimaced as she tried to move a bit, with a start she realized that she was chained to a wall, a cave rather. She started cursing again.

Drip.

Drip.

Drip.

She cried out in frustration. This was going to drive her insane. Simpering…simmmmpppeerrriiinnggg her mind whispered.

"SHUT UP!"

-oOo-

Elladan and Elrohir followed the elleth after Thranduil had left, she was dressed in the finest silks he had ever seen and a silver ring glittered about her neck.

"Betrothed my lady?" She touched the ring self confidently.

"Why yes, yes I am," she replied smoothly, her eyes glowing. Elrohir smiled, that kind of love was important."

"Please, Lady, we look for our brother, he is very young," it was true, if not the whole truth. Elrohir and Elladan needed to get to their brother, he could be dieing. But they were wrong; it wasn't Aragorn who was dieing. It was Legolas.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I got it up! Only a few hours before I go to AZ, but I got it up. I can only assume there are numerous mistakes, but I have a plane to catch. My cat came back, so I am in a good mood.

Note 1: The thing about the vital organs was an original idea of what I wanted to do to my lab partner when he left class just after he had done a rather messy lab, one I had to clean up mind you.

Note 2: I am currently studying the periodic table. Silicon is an element and one of it's properties is to absorb moisture. I have no idea exactly how it does this, it is very vague from the research I have done. I have taken the (non-scientific) liberty of assuming it will only dehydrate you. Legolas will NOT be having his blood absorbed, thank you very much.

Linnor smiled grimly. Oh yes, the fun was only beginning…