Disclaimer: I own nothing except my original characters and I'm not making money off of it.

Summary: When treason is suspected in the kingdom of Mirkwood, it is up to Aragorn to save the life of Legolas and the other royals.

The Scam

Chapter 3

Selective Amnesia

I kept on running as fast as I could, but unfortunately, even though I had been raised by elves, I had not the speed of one. I heard Carek and Kindry getting awfully close. It had seemed like for every step that I took, they managed ten.

"We're gaining on him" Kindry yelled to his companion.

"I know, he will not get away" the other responded.

Their very voices chilled my blood. How could these two seemingly trustworthy people turn their backs on the people that they swore to protect? It wasn't right then, it's not right now. Then I thought, if soldiers of Mirkwood could do this to the royal family here, what would stop the warriors of Imladris from doing the same thing? But my thought were cut short when I felt an arrow imbed itself in the back of my right knee. I fell to the ground with a thud.

"Estel" Kindry said as he pressed his foot down upon my back. "I should have known you would do something like this."

"Lord Elrond's foster son?" Carek asked for confirmation. He received a nod as a yes. "Well then what are we going to do with him? If we let him go, he'll spoil our plans for sure."

"Damn right I will" I spat. Now I realize that heckling your captor probably isn't the best thing to do. Carek kicked my side with such force that it sent me rolling across the leaf covered floor of the garden. As a result of that, the arrow snapped, leaving to way for me to pull it out myself. It was stuck in my flesh. I let out a grunt of pain, only to have another arrow shot in my arm, luckily not in my fighting arm. It almost went right through, but it didn't.

"Take that as a warning. Shut up" Kindry threatened. "I guess our only other option is to kill him."

Lucky for me, I had grown up with Elladan and Elrohir. This had taught me to take pain, lots of it. They would purposely put me in harmful situations and I would get hurt. They thought it was funny, I thought it was mean. Anyway, to add to my good fortune, a thunder storm started, the loudest one that I ever heard. I thought that this would give me a chance to run, but nope. As soon as I started to stand, Carek turned around and gave me the evil eye.

"But if he turns up dead, people might get suspicious don't you think? It looks weird. There was an attack on the royals of Mirkwood, and then the foster son of the Peredhil is killed, too risky. The one who wishes to take the throne of Mirkwood with the Lady, he made this potion type thing. I swear he has the powers of a wizard, or at least the brain of one. Anyway, apparently it has the ability to wipe out one's memory. It won't vanish their knowledge of those whom they knew, just the things that make them a threat. For example, this conversation" Carek said with a grin.

I was getting more nervous by the second. Now that I knew they weren't going to kill me, just give me selective amnesia, I knew I had to do something, something that would help me to remember. Thankfully, I have always worked best under pressure, and that instance was no different. While they were making plans to get this potion stuff, I had my finger in my abrasion and I was pretty much painting a tree with my blood. I was writing a name: Rydel. At the time I had thought that if I saw his name written there I would remember that he was going to be this 'lady's' next victim.

"I'll wait with him. You go get this potion" Kindry ordered and the other complied. "Well I guess you're happy aren't you?" he asked as he walked over to where I was leaning against a tree.

"About what? That I'm just going to have no memory of this so I can't warn the royals? Let me tell you something. I would rather be lifeless than helpless" I spat angrily as I held the heavily bleeding laceration on my arm, which now stung more than ever.

"Be careful what you wish for, human." The threat was clear so I stopped talking and just turned away from looking at him. "And actually I meant that you must be happy that your friend is still alive. Legolas? Well, he won't be alive for much longer. The lady won't keep him alive."

"Who is this lady?" I asked.

"Do you really think that I am that stupid to tell you?" my captor inquired with a malicious smirk.

"Well seeing as you are robbing me of my memories, what harm would it do?"

"Good point, very good point. And I guess it will make this even harder for you, which will be fun" the noldorian elf said as he rubbed his chin. The she elf who is planning this is someone who you know very well, she's someone who the royal family knows very well. In fact she is part of the royal family."

I swear I had felt the blood drain from my face. I think I even began to tremble upon learning this. I wanted to believe he was lying and just making this up, but something about the way he said it made me realize he was being truthful.

When Kindry saw my reaction, he began to laugh. "Yes that's right. Thianna has been planning this for five months now. She's betraying her own family. You see, she knew that if she killed her father and the crown prince, even though she was the oldest one left, the throne would still be given to Rydel. So get rid of him, but wait, Legolas would get the throne. So her only option was to have her entire family murdered. Then she and her fiancé, yes she's engaged, don't worry, her family didn't know either, would be king and queen of Mirkwood. It really is a brilliant plan, don't you think?"

"Only one as evil as you would think so" I rebutted. I remember I had felt like crying right then. Even if I could get my memory back, the only one who may believe me would be Rydel and by the time I had any chance of remembering, he'd probably be dead too. All I was doing then was praying that sometime before next week, when Rydel was to be murdered, I would find my makeshift clue. That was my only chance of saving the royals, my only chance of saving Legolas.

"Ah, good, you're back" Kindry said as Carek came back to where I was being kept. "Did you get it?"

"Yeah, I got it" Carek replied. "I told her what had happened and she thinks it's a good a idea to wipe out his memory. She doesn't want him dead."

"All right then, let's get this over with" Kindry said as he took the small vile from his friend and walked over to me. "Open wide." I wouldn't comply so he knelt down on my chest; thank the Valar that elves are light, but none the less it still hurt. But I still kept my mouth firmly shut. "Fine" the elf grumbled. He then used his slender fingers and pried my mouth open. "If you won't do it, I'll do it for you." Then I felt this thick liquid come into my mouth, but I wouldn't swallow it. As a result, Carek jammed his, what felt like a steel toed boot, down upon my stomach. I had no choice but to let the drink slid down my throat. After that, everything went dark.

Well? What do you think? Is it good? Should I continue? Let me know. Review!!!

~*Judy Greenleaf*~