For anyone who has not already read this story…NASTY CLIFFIE ALERT! Heh heh heh. :) Enjoy.
Aragorn did not hear the orcs until it was almost too late. By sheer luck, one of the unfortunate creatures became too eager and charged ahead of the rest. The young ranger gave a shout to alert the three elves, then leapt to meet his foe, his sword already gleaming in his hands.
Before the orc knew what had happened, it fell dead, a rather surprised expression still twisting his ugly features. But there were many more to replace him…
Upon hearing their younger brother's cry, the twins were almost instantly awake and on their feet, their swords flashing in the fire's bloody glow. Legolas was slightly faster, and made it Aragorn's side, his white handled knives weaving an intricate pattern through the air.
"Where did they come from!" Elladan shouted over the clash of steel. He countered the blade of an orc, twisting it to one side before stabbing the vile creature.
"I do not know!" Elrohir shoved his opponent back, then lashed out with his foot, catching the orc right below the sternum. "Nor do I care overly much at the moment!" Another orc tried to leap at the younger twin, only to meet the elf's oncoming fist. Unfortunately for the orc, it was the fist that still held the hilt of the elf's sword.
"You are right!" Elladan feinted to one side, drawing a clumsy blow from his foe. The elf neatly dodged the ill-aimed thrust and spun in a deadly circle, taking the orc's head as he did so. "We do have some rather important business for the time being."
0-0-0-0
Legolas quickly pulled one of his daggers free from an orc's neck, spinning beneath the blow of another and stabbing up into the creature's rib cage. As he fought, the golden-haired elf's confusion grew. These orcs…were not fighting as they normally did. They were treading carefully around him, engaging the prince, but obviously not intending to kill. More than once, they had tried to separate him from Aragorn; driving a large group towards them in the hope that the elf would be forced to move away from the human as he defended himself. Legolas pondered this as he almost casually smashed the hilt of his knife into a sneering face. It just didn't make sense. It would have been a little more logical if the orcs were just as obviously not trying to kill any of the group…Legolas quickly intercepted a blow that was meant for the back of Aragorn's head. No…no it was just him they wanted alive. He was almost certain of it.
0-0-0-0
Orchbeck watched the fray with a scowl twisting his face into an even more hideous image. Drat that horrible little squeaker Ralckegh! The human had heard him coming and been able to alert the others. It was just as well the nasy little scum had fallen to the ranger's sword, because he certainly wouldn't have lived after Orchbeck had gotten his hands on him!
The orc's eyes narrowed shrewdly. Their ambush was damaged, certainly. He was going to lose a lot more of his company than he had thought. But it was not unsalvageable. He knew this cave…an evil smile pulled at the corners of his mouth. "Shaza!"
The second in command looked up sharply from his position beside his commander.
Orchbeck motioned in disgust at the fight before them. "Tell them to stop trying to split the elf away from the human. It's not working and it's taking more orcs than we have to spare. Get those two," he waved a clawed hand at the dark-haired elves. "Drive them back to the very back of the cave. The ceiling there is unstable. Get a couple of our boys who know somewhat about rock and have them collapse it. We'll crush the two look-alikes, then concentrate on the other elf and the human. Take them both alive. The human can be our play for this evenings trouble."
Shaza quickly nodded, but hesitated. "What of the other elf? Why do we want him alive?"
Orchbeck rolled his eyes. "Look at him. Who does that face remind you of?" the orc watched his second in command's eyes widen. "Yes, that's right. Now do you understand?"
Without a word, Shaza slipped off into the melee.
Orchbeck watched him go and his yellow eyes lit up. They were good fighters, to be certain. He had never met an elf who wasn't. But there was too many for them. His force was too large to be overcome.
This was a battle he would win.
0-0-0-0
Aragorn wrenched his blade free from an orc carcass, black blood spattering him as he did so. A voice was shouting over the din, the black speech echoing against the cave's walls.
Aragon felt a thrill of horror as he saw the orcs fighting pattern change before his eyes. Before, they had been trying to kill, their blades aimed at vital portions of his anatomy. But now…they were pressing in closer, using the sheer force of their greater numbers to their advantage. Yet their blows had changed. The sharp edges of swords were withdrawn, replaced by hilts and clubs.
They were trying to take him alive.
The ranger glanced at Legolas and saw that the elf prince was in the same boat as he. His silver eyes roved over the heads of the orcs, searching for his brothers…now that was odd.
His brothers fought back to back, as he and Legolas did, but the orcs were not trying to capture the elf twins. Instead, they were driving them back towards the darker recesses of the cave…
Numerous orcs were clustered against the walls, and they seemed to be prying something loose…
It came to Aragorn as he heard the ceiling towards the rear of the cave groan in protest.
"Elladan!" Heedless of the danger, the young human leapt forwards into the press of the twisted creatures. "Elrohir!"
Legolas heard his companion cry out and turned, unwittingly exposing his back to his foe. "Aragorn, wait…!" the elf prince hissed in surprise as he felt a blade slice down his arm, trailing a ribbon of pain. With a fierce shout, the golden elf turned and slew the orc who had wounded him, plunging his knives deep into the monster's throat. Legolas continued to fight, a sick feeling building in the back of his throat. He tried frantically to batter his way through the press of evil creatures, back to his friend's side…but it was as though the orcs had formed a stone wall. They gave way before Aragorn, but closed behind him swiftly.
0-0-0-0
Elrohir brought his sword up quickly, blocking a blow meant to decapitate him. The orc in front of him snarled into the elf's face and shoved hard, actually driving the twin back a pace. The younger of Elrond's sons frowned. He could see Elladan out of the corner of his eye, but could not catch sight of Legolas or Aragorn. For some reason…it bothered him immensely. There was something wrong here…
"Elladan!"
Elrohir heard his younger brother's cry, and looked up swiftly, focusing on his twin. There was nothing threatening Elladan that the elf could not deal with…
"Elrohir!"
Elrohir caught sight of Aragorn pressing through the orcs, leaving Legolas behind. He saw Legolas struggle desperately to follow and realized that the orcs were allowing Aragorn to make his way through them; to separate him from Legolas…
"Estel, go back!"
The monsters behind the young ranger were already drawing closer together, moving in towards the human. "Estel!" For a split second, the twin hesitated; torn between two brothers. Should he race to Aragorn, and leave Elladan to defend himself, or stay with Elladan…?
A horrible groaning answered the dark-haired elf. His grey eyes shot to the cave's ceiling, just in time to see a large part of it tear free and fall…
"Elladan!"
Elrohir leapt toward his brother, knocking the older twin out of harms way as the rock came crashing down. There was a moment of crushing pain on his leg, and the knowledge that more of the ceiling was falling around him…then something hit his head hard and everything went black.
0-0-0-0
"NO" Aragorn stared in horror at the mound of rubble before him. It blocked the back of the cave completely. The twins had disapeared beneath it.
"NO!" Heedless of the foes surrounding him, the young Dunadan hurled himself at the blockage, digging desperately. Orcs laid hold of his arms and dragged him back, kicking and writhing in their grip. The silver eyes were blind to the ropes they eventually managed to wind around his wrists; they saw nothing but two elves falling under a cascade of stone…
0-0-0-0
A spear shaft cracked Legolas across the shoulder's, driving the prince to his knees with a cry of surprise. Before he could rise to his feet, the orcs piled in.
The elf fought desperately, stabbing wildly with his knives…a hand closed around his wrist, clamping down tightly. More hands closed around his arms.
The prince was dragged to his feet. His arms were cruelly jerked behind his back and bound. Legolas submitted, for the moment; intent on lulling them into a false sense of security. His blue eyes roamed wildly around the cave, seeing orcs…and more orcs. Where were the twins? Where was Aragorn?
"NO!"
Legolas' head jerked in the direction of the cry. It did not come from the throat of any orc…His heart dropped with a nearly audible 'thud' into his stomach. A mound of rubble close off a good half of the cave. There had to be quite a few orcs underneath that…but the golden elf's attention was not on the fate of his adversaries.
"NO!"
His eyes were drawn to the young ranger trying to claw his way through the massive blockage. Rage surged through him as he realized what had to be underneath those stones…
The orcs were taking hold of Aragorn. They were binding him, dragging him away. Legolas tried to push himself up to see over the heads of the orcs. Where were they taking his friend? He could not see the Dunadan anymore… "Aragorn!"
0-0-0-0
Aragorn was forced to his knees before a large and evil looking orc. The yellow eyes surveyed the young human emotionlessley, flickering over him in a moment, and dismissing him easily.
"Well, lads," the orc raised his voice, causing the rabble to fall silent. "We got what I want." A cruel smile curled the corners of his ugly mouth. For a moment, the eyes that looked at the ranger seemed to flicker hungrily. Had he been paying attention, Aragorn would have shuddered at the evil look. But the man was not seeing what was before his eyes. His mind was elsewhere…far, far away.
The orc leader leered. "Now, who's up for some play?"
There was a howling cheer. Aragorn was dragged upright, and pressed face first against the cave wall. His arms were pulled out until he was fastened in a splayed position. He leaned his forehead against the cold stone as his shirt was cut away. It did not matter what they intended to do to him…it simply did not matter…
Behind him, he could hear the sound of a whip being shaken out.
His teeth clenched together.
The thong snapped hard, trailing a line of agony across the ranger's unprotected back.
Aragorn cried out, but it was not in response to the burning pain across his shoulders. Rather, it was in response to the stab of razor sharp grief that speared through his heart. His brothers… his brothers were gone…
A familiar voice answered.
"ARAGORN!"
0-0-0-0
Legolas lunged against his captors, ignoring the searing pain from his arm. An orc stepped in front of the struggling elf, raising a hand to strike the prince.
Said prince lashed out with his foot, kicking the orc in the throat and crushing its' windpipe. The orc fell to the ground with a slight gurgling noise; dead.
The orcs holding Legolas howled with rage and began to rain blow after blow upon the prince's head and torso.
Legolas fell to the ground once more, stars floating in his vision. His breath left his body with a painful 'woosh' as an iron clad shoe connected with his ribs.
"Here! Stop that!"
Immediately, the punishment ceased. The orcs surrounding Legolas stepped back, clearing a space around the fallen elf.
The prince of Mirkwood pushed himself to his knees, then slowly made it to his feet. He shook his head slightly, trying to dispel the lingering stars that floated in his vision. Blood leaked from the corner of his mouth.
The company of orcs parted, allowing a very large and quite evil orc to stride forwards.
"I said he was to be kept alive," the orc snarled. " Alive, and able to travel back to Mirkwood. You keep up like this and we'll be carrying what's left of him." He jerked his head back in the direction he had just come. "The ranger will do for sport."
Legolas felt a cold chill race down his spine. "No."
The orc actually laughed in real amusement. "No? And what, pray tell, would you be doing to stop us?'
The elf's eyes flew around the cave, taking in the amount of orcs slain and those that were left alive. "You need me alive, don't you?"
"Aye. But I don't see what that has to do with the ranger."
"Alive and not permanently harmed?"
The orc laughed nastily. "For the moment."
Legolas drew a deep breath. "Keep the Dunadan alive," he said softly, his blue eyes blazing. "And I won't fight."
The orc laughed again, long and hard. "I don't need your promises not to fight," he finally managed. "You're surrounded, there's no way to get out…"
"But you don't have a hold of me at the moment."
"You're bound."
The elf's eyes dropped down to the orc that lay dead at his feet. "That didn't stop me from killing this one."
Yellow eyes narrowed. "You mean to say that you'll come quietly, without trying to get free at all. Ever. For the life of a human."
Blue eyes glared with all the force they could muster, burning brightly in the fair face. "Yes."
The orc captain growled softly. "Done. But be warned, elf. Every time you try something, and I mean anything; the ranger will pay the price." He smiled nastily, exposing rotting teeth. "My boys are good at what they do. And you will watch. Do you understand?"
A brief nod.
The orc turned and walked away, jerking his head towards the elf as he did so. At this signal, several of the company pressed forwards, roughly grabbing Legolas arms and pulling him along with them.
Legolas allowed them to lead him passively on, his mind working in overdrive.
What did they want with him? Why were they traveling to Mirkwood? What was this new evil threatening his home…finally, Aragorn came into his sight, and the prince felt his heart jerk.
The ranger's eyes were staring straight ahead, not seeing. His dark hair fell around his face in sweaty locks. Blood dripped from a small cut on his shoulder, and seeped from an ugly whip wheal across his back. His shirt was gone, apparently torn from his shoulders. Legolas had to bite his tongue to stop from crying out in outrage when he saw the human's sword being fondled by one of the orcs. Aragorn's sword! His brothers had given him that weapon…
Ai, the twins…
It was all happening too fast. Before he could properly assimlate all that was happening to them, the Mirkwood prince found himself being propelled forwards by rough hands. He winced inwardly as one of the hands dug its nails into the wound on his arm, and saw Aragorn flinch as an orc shoved him forwards, cruelly slapping its hand across the whipped flesh.
And the golden prince could only grind his teeth together helplessly as he was rushed out into the night…
0-0-0-0
It was dark. Dark, and unpleasant. Something hard was digging into his back, grinding against his shoulder blade. Elladan shifted slightly, and blinked in confusion. Why was he lying on his back on what felt to be a bed of rocks?
Slowly, the twin raised himself up on his elbows, wincing as his head protested sharply at the movement. He reached up and probed his temple gently, finding a rather large swollen lump, covered in something sticky. Drawing his fingers away he held them up in front of his face. Blood. He sighed. Lovely.
Carefully, Elladan pulled himself up onto his feet, grasping the cave wall for support. He tried to piece together what had happened…The orcs had attacked…he and his twin had been fighting…Aragorn had called his name…
There had been a horrible rumbling sound…
Elladan's grey eyes widened as he suddenly remembered. Elrohir had leapt at him, knocking him out of the way of the collapsing ceiling. Which meant that Elrohir would be…
The older twin nearly choked as he looked at the immense mound of rubble that sealed off the cave. "Elrohir!"
The elf's glow made shadows play against the wall as he desperately searched for his brother. Elrohir could not be dead…he could not…He would know if Elrohir was dead…
If he was not dead, where was his light!
Finally, he saw it. It was so dim…and half buried.
The younger twin was buried from the waist down, his hair falling across his face, creating a stark contrast between the raven strands and the terrible pallor of the elf's skin.
There was blood dripping from a wound on his head.
His eyes were closed.
And his light seemed to grow more dim by the moment…
"ELROHIR!"