Aragorn opened his eyes with a jerk, gasping as he felt a thin line of fire slide all the way up his bare arm.

An orc crouched beside him, leering unpleasantly. It sneered at the young ranger and dug the tip of its knife into Aragorn's arm a little harder. Blood trickled from the long cut. Several of his tormentor's cronies surrounded them, laughing unpleasantly as the red liquid dripped onto the ground.

The human winced slightly at the added pressure. This was painful certainly…but it wasn't something he couldn't handle…his only real concern at the moment was how they had managed to surprise him like this. Legolas should have seen them coming and woken him long before now…

His thoughts were interrupted as the orc pressed even harder, sending pain racing from his shoulder to the tips of his fingers. He struggled to get away from the cruel game, automatically fighting against the ropes that held him.

"That's enough!" The orc captain scowled at his troops as he strode forwards. "I said get them up, not play with them. We don't have time for this."

The orcs scowled and grumbled, but drew back. The one who had been cutting Aragorn quickly sliced through the ropes that bound the ranger to the tree and pulled the human to his feet with a rough jerk. Aragorn hissed as the black clawed hand closed over his wounded bicep, but quickly fell silent. He glanced back at the tree, anxious to see if Legolas was receiving the same treatment…

He froze.

When the ropes had been cut, Legolas had fallen to the ground. He lay in a crouched postion, knees drawn in towards his chest. His eyes were tightly shut. A sheen of sweat covered his face. His breathing was light and fast.

"Legolas!" Aragorn tried to leap to his friend's side, but the orc restrained him, gripping his wounded arm even more tightly.

0-0-0-0

Orchbeck scowled fiercely down at the elf. What in the name of evil was wrong with the wretched creature…? He kicked the still form with an oath. The only response was a low moan as the orc's boot connected with the elf's ribcage.

Orchbeck crouched down and turned his captive onto his back. His breathing was rapid…a fever raged under the fair skin…the lithe body trembled violently…the orc captain caught sight of blood and seized the elf's arm. A long jagged wound ran from his elbow almost to his wrist. It was not deep, but the edges were blackened…the orc's eyes narrowed dangerously…yes, they were blackened…as though the wound was poisoned…the orc snarled viciously. He had told them…! Ah,well. At least it was easily remedied.

Cursing to himself he reached within the filthy vest he wore and withdrew a small vial. This was going to slow them down. While he could cure the elf, the scum certainly wasn't going to be strong enough to walk this night. He grabbed Legolas' jaw roughly, forcing the prince's mouth open.

0-0-0-0

Aragorn saw the bottle and nearly panicked. Ignoring the searing pain that tore through his arm, he wrenched his limb out of his guard's fingers, kicking bacwards as he did so. His boot connected solidly with the orc's knee, and the creature screeched in pain.

"Stop!" The human threw himself at Orchbeck. Crashing into the orc's side, he sent them both to the ground. The vial flew from Orchbeck's fingers.

"Stupid human…" Orchbeck thrust Aragorn away, backhanding him savagely across the face. Snarling in his horrible language, the orc quickly rose to his feet and dealt another punishing blow to the side of the ranger's head.

Aragorn blinked rapidly, trying to clear the stars from his vision. He couldn't black out…if they gave Legolas what was in that bottle… He felt hands seizing his shoulders and dragging him back. Orchbeck had found the vial and was once again preparing to administer the potion to his captive.

"Stop!" Aragorn struggled uselessly against the clawed fingers. "You will kill him!"

Now he had Orchbeck's attention.

Slowly, the orc captain withdrew from Legolas' still form, placing the vial back into his pocket. "What do you mean, human?"

"It will not cure him," Aragorn shook his head lightly, trying to clear the cobwebs. "He is an elf. Your brews will only kill him faster. Please…" he stumbled over the word, reluctant to let it pass his lips. His silver eyes fell on his friend.

Immediately, he swallowed his pride.

"Please," he continued. "I am a healer. Let me help him."

0-0-0-0

" I can't believe you didn't wake me."

Elrohir smiled slightly at the petulant tone of his brother's voice. "Really, I thought you would expect it by now."

Elladan swiped sulkily at the sweat dripping from his brow and glared at his twin. Elrohir smiled back innocently from his seated position.

With a wordless snarl, the elder brother turned back to the mammoth pile of stone and his nearly impossible task of making a way through.

Leaning back against the wall, Elrohir let his breath out in a long sigh, his smile slowly sliding off his face. When Elladan had awoken, they had discovered that the younger twin's left leg was broken, along with several ribs. Elrohir made light of it…but it frustrated him greatly to sit while his brother did all the work. Not only that…he was beginning to believe that something else was injured deep inside of him…something rather serious…his breathing was becoming gradually harder… He knew that his dim light worried Elladan, and so for his twin, he made an effort to shine a bit more brightly.

It was becoming more and more difficult.

Elladan paused again, leaning against the blockage, resting his bruised and bleeding hands.

He did not think that Elrohir could see he face. Perhaps that was the reason he allowed the very briefest look of despair to cloud his fair features.

Perhaps it was the reason he allowed tears to pool in his gray eyes.

But Elrohir saw, and his heart nearly broke. He could not stand to see his brother so. He had not seen him this utterly down cast for a very long time…since their mother had passed to Valinor in fact. The very night she had left, he had come to Elladan's room. There he had seen his twin leaning his forehead against his window, the tears in his eyes reflecting the rain that trickled down the glass. He could almost feel the hopelessness seeping from the elder twin's rigid stance, filling the entire chamber.

They had not spoken that night. Elrohir had simply pulled his brother from the window, enfolding him in a fierce embrace. He had sung softly as his brother wept.

And he had stayed until the morning.

With a swift move, Elladan dashed the tears from his eyes and continued to labor.

The younger twin sighed softly. Almost in relief. Here was something he could do at last…

Elladan jerked his head around in surprise as the first line of a well known song echoed around their stone prison.

Elrohir's eyes were closed, his head leaning back against the rough wall of the cave. He was singing.

Snow-white! Snow-white! O lady clear!
O Queen beyond the Western Seas!
O light to us that wander here
Amid the world of woven trees!

His voice was soft and deep. Not quite the melodius tenor of Legolas…but very pleasant to listen to nonetheless. Elladan actually felt a small smile tug at the corners of his mouth as he worked…and suddenly the rocks did not seem so heavy…

Gilthoniel! O Elbereth!
Clear are thy eyes and bright thy breath!
Snow-white! Snow-white! We sing to thee
In a far land beyond the Sea!

O stars that in the Sunless Year
With shining hand by her were sown,
In windy fields now bright and clear
We see your silver blossom blown!

O Elbereth! Gilthoniel!
We still remember, we who dwell
In this far land beneath the trees,
Thy starlight on the Western Seas.

0-0-0-0

Orchbeck watched the young ranger bend close to the ground, carefully pulling up a large handful of the plant he had discovered. Finally. The orc captain was in an extremely foul temper. This went against every instinct in his body. Every part of him wanted to see the elf suffer and suffer horribly…and here he was helping to find the herbs that bring comfort to the creature!

He had to fight his natural instincts. He needed that elf. It was imperative that the elf remain alive. And for the most part…unspoilt. If he was to exact the fullness of his revenge, it would be much sweeter if the prince was in good condition by the time they reached Mirkwood.

The orc captain released some of his tension by kicking the human's bent form and jerking savagely on the lead rope that had been tied around the captive's throat. To his dissapointment, the dark haired ranger did not cry out at the abuse. If he did not need the man's skills at the moment, he would be so happy to intruct his prisoner in the fine arts of dispensing pain…he was sure that eventually he would get a scream. Unfortunately…he did need the man. Who among his company knew how to treat elves?

0-0-0-0

Shaza glared down at the elf. It wasn't right. It simply wasn't right that they should be healing an elf. He understood his commander's point of view, oh yes. He too wanted to return to Mirkwood.

But this was disgusting.

The others agreed with him, he could tell. He saw the sidelong glances they threw in the fair being's direction. Very hungry sidelong glances. They thirsted for screams of pain, just as he did.

The golden haired elf shook spasmodically. Every so often he would whisper broken phrases of elvish.

Shaza resisted the urge to cover his ears. He hated the sound of the elven tongue. Intsead, he cursed in his own language. To his surprise, he saw a shadow of pain flit across the delirious elf's features. A cruel smile tugged at the corners of his mouth as he waved over a few of his mates. Perhaps they could have some fun with the elf after all.

0-0-0-0

Cruel laughter surrounded him…floating in the air…

Memories of different laughter… pleasant laughter…in a sunlit hall…Why had the memory of that laughter come back to him now? Why here?

This was not a place for laughter…

0-0-0-0

Shaza and his orcs stood over Legolas, laughing cruelly. They took turns bending over him, whispering into his ear in their black speech, laughing when he shuddered. They could tell that what they were doing pained him, and they took great enjoyment in it.

Shaza bent low, his eyes gleaming with malice. This was fun. Oh yes, quite a lot of fun in fact. But he still wanted more. He wanted to hear the elf scream. Beg. Plead with them to stop. He raised his voice, telling the creature exactly what was going to happen to it when they reached Mirkwood, the horrible snarls of his tongue seemed to blacken the very air.

The elf shook convulsively, his eyelids flickering. He moaned….whispering a soft word.

"Aragorn…"

0-0-0-0

Aragorn strode back towards the camp wearily. In his hands, he clutched the precious plant that would heal his friend. It had taken a long time to find it…and now he was quite bruised from numerous kicks and blows aimed in his direction. A raw, red circle had been rubbed around his neck from the constant jerks on his 'leash'. Orchbeck had not been in a good mood.

Stiff and aching as he was, the ranger could not help but try to speed his steps. A growing sense of disquiet had come on him. Something was horribly wrong, and he needed to get back to Legolas.

Orchbeck willingly matched his stride with the human's. After all, he had wasted enough valuble time.

0-0-0-0

The elf prince tried to force his mind away from what was happening. To remember something…anything… He needed light, but everything was dark before his eyes.

A memory of Aragorn swum through his fever fogged mind…his silver eyes shining at the promise of a journey…but even that had been taken from him.

The light was gone…he could not find it. Only the memory was left…

0-0-0-0

Shaza was growing increasingly impatient with the captive. He watched as the blue eyes rolled back in the elf's head and snorted.

With a swift move, he reached down and grabbed the back of his prisoner's head, entwining his fingers through the golden hair. "Elf scum," he sneered as he jerked the prince up onto his knees. Shaza captured the elf's jaw roughly, and Legolas hissed in pain. His blue eyes opened wide, and the orc could see the confusion that reigned there.The prince tried to turn away.

Shaza tightened his grip, digging his nails into the smooth skin. "Don't like what you see?" The elf's refusal to cry out irked the orc to no end. "Better get used to it, little elf." He released Legolas' chin and drew his hand back to strike…determined to hear the elf scream…

0-0-0-0

Aragorn saw the hand raise. His own hand snapped back, taking hold of the rope Orchbeck had tied around his neck. With a fierce jerk, he wrenched it from the surprised orc's fingers.

The plant he had searched for so long fell to the ground as the ranger sped towards his friend. He saw Shaza bring his hand down hard, stiking Legolas across the face. The orc raised his had again…

Only to have it siezed from behind. Aragorn caught the black, scaly wrist and twisted sharply as he pulled down.

Shaza was hurled to the ground, a 'woof' of air leaving his lungs as the wind was knocked from him.

Aragorn leapt over his fallen enemy, catching Legolas in his arms as the blond elf started to fall forwards. "Legolas!"

Shaza slowly made his way to his feet, fury twisting his features as he gazed at the young ranger. He clawed fingers scrabbled for the knife at this belt. He pulled it free with a yell.

Aragorn looked back in time to see the orc raise the knife high.

"STOP!"

Orchbeck snarled angrily as he strode forwards and snatched the knife from his second in command. "You can't kill him! Who else knows how to treat the elf? How many time do I have to tell you something before it sinks into your thick skull?" He looked around fiercely, glaring at the members of his company. "Now listen, all of you. We need the elf alive. Do you understand? If you ever want to get back into Mirkwood, we need the little princeling here."

Aragorn stiffened slightly. They knew who Legolas was!

"And I know that there's a lot of fun we could have with him and still have him alive…but think of this. I want him fit when we reach Mirkwood. Cause then it will take so much longer for him to die if his dear father won't let us in."

An appreciative mumble rose from the orcs and they backed off. Orchbeck handed the knife back to it's owner. He looked down at Aragorn and aimed a kick at the young man's wounded arm. "Get to work…healer. Just remember this. If he dies, so do you. And I promise, it will be very slow." The orc captain opened his hand and dropped the plant Aragorn needed into the ranger's lap.

Orchbeck called toward his company and three orcs quickly took up a guarding position around the companions. With a flick of his knife, he severed the rope around Aragorn's neck, then turned and walked away.

0-0-0-0

Glorfindel watched his lord out of the corner of his eye. They were four days out of Rivendell…and he was slightly worried.

They did not stop often, only long enough for the horses to rest. The elves took to sleeping in shifts when they were halted, one half now, the other when they stopped again. Glorfindel knew that when Elrond slept, he saw the vision.

Elrond had told him what he had seen…and it chilled the blond elf lord. Who knew what the sons of his lord had gotten into this time?

They had discovered the four's trail easily enough. Glorfindel found it somewhat comforting that the young ones seemed to have been taking the journey quite slowly. They hadn't traveled at anywhere near the pace of the Rivendell warriors at any rate.

Elrond rose from his sitting position and strode towards his second in command. "Get them up. It's time we were going."

The sun was sinking slowly as the elves swung themselves onto their mounts. Streaks of red and orange speared the dove gray clouds, falling across the company's backs as they rode.

Elrond was fretting. Glorfindel could see it in the way the elf lord's long fingers gripped at his steed's mane. He knew why.

Their pace had slowed considerably, but it was neccesary. It was not safe for the horses to travel in the mountain paths at great speed. Elrond knew this…yet he could not help but chafe at the delay.

An elf pulled up alongside Glorfindel, a frown marring his smooth forehead. "Hir nin," he said quietly.

"Hmmm?" Glorfindel drew his attention away from Elrond. "Yes? What is it?"

"There is a small cave up ahead…and there is a strange sound coming from it." The elf tilted his head, indicating the direction from which the noise was coming.

The blond elf lord held up his hand, halting the company. Elrond looked up sharply, his eyebrows drawing together. "That sound…"

Without the harsh 'clop' of the horses hooves on the rocky path…the very slightest of echos could be hear…a haunting melody…

Elrond's heels kicked into his horse's flanks. "Elrohir!"

0-0-0-0

hir nin- My lord