Chapter 2

Aragorn and Gimli made their way through the streets to the northern end of town. Just as they were warned, abandoned storefronts and forgotten houses became a frequent sight, lining the dark streets with a sad and eerie presence. Despite the late hour of the night, there were a few people about and the man and dwarf kept a keen eye out as they walked deeper into the ruins.

"I don't like the looks of this place." Gimli said as he spotted a group of five or so men occupying a neglected building. It looked as though the structure would fall over with even the slightest push of wind, yet they went about their business without any concern. The bunch glared at the ex-rander and dwarf as they passed, trying to figure out who this unusual duo was that seemingly did not belong.

The man and dwarf ventured further into the forgotten, but that notion seemed to not hold true. Perhaps it was no longer used for everyday towns-folk, but it was not totally abandoned. Again, the travelers were spotted as they came to an intersecting road, but this time they were approached and surprisingly it was by a woman.

The top of her black dress was cut far too low and yet the corset she wore underneath heaved her chest up far too high. With a casual sway in her hips, she placed herself directly in Aragorn and Gimli's path, forcing them to make eye contact with her, but the two stepped around her. She reeked of some cheap concoction meant to peak one's lasciviousness if they were so inclined to let it and the king held his breath to combat the obnoxious scent as he passed.

"I can accommodate any size, gentlemen." She purred, sizing up the two, but a seductive smile crept upon her face, changing the meaning of her statement and it had nothing to do with their height. She traced her fingers ever-so-lightly over her own clavicle, doing her best to tantalize the men with lustful thoughts. "...and I don't charge extra."

Aragorn and Gimli walked by without exchange.

"Not hairy enough, if ya' ask me." The dwarf mumbled, trying to find a speck of humor after the awkward encounter. Aragorn tried to ignore the comment, but the absurdity of the remark could not be missed and the king chuckled lightly regardless.

They passed crude signage that was slapped over the once beautiful landmarks, declaring the best prices for cheap, stolen, or illegal goods. In one area of the town, stolen horses were also subject to trade. Their brandings were in the process of being sired off in an attempt to keep them from being identified, but some of the marked horses came from Gondor's armies and it puzzled the king.

Further down the way, another man used several large barrels as table tops and he proudly showed off his cache of strange herbs that were guaranteed to give 'other worldly thrills.'

The man and dwarf rounded a corner and nearly collided with another passerby doing the same. Both parties pulled up short and the stranger backpedaled to avoid a run-in.

"Watch it!" the man scowled, but he resumed his trek just as quickly as it was disturbed. However, his hard stare caught the king's and Aragorn watched his retreat.

The man seemed to be rather young; he was far from a kid, but was considerably younger looking than Aragorn. Dark hair framed his face and a short cape covered his shoulders. He seemed to blend into the night with his dark clothing.

There was something very familiar about the man, but Aragorn could not place his identity. The king turned to continue watching the stranger, finding that he too had turned and was walking backwards while keeping his vision locked on Aragorn as if to fight if needed.

"What?... you want to have a go at it?" the man challenged, taking Aragorn's interest in him as a sour critique. The man momentarily halted his march and staired the ex-ranger down.

There, Aragorn and Gimli had an unrestricted view of the man's clothing. His navy blue tunic was decorated with a leafless white tree and scattered stars through each branch - A Gondorian soldier's uniform.

Aragorn was shocked, but his lack of response prompted the stranger to seek his weapon. His hand slid to the pommel of his sword at his side, preparing to fight both the man and dwarf, but the disguised king held his hands up in submission.

"My apologies." He said to diffuse the situation, but it was only met with heated defense.

"Eh, piss-off." The stranger spat before he turned on his heel and stalked into the night.

"...I didn't know you had your soldiers stationed here, Aragorn." the dwarf whispered as soon as the stranger was out of earshot, but Aragorn heard it clearly.

"I don't." the king said flatly. This man looked to be a Gondorian soldier, but what in Middle Earth was he doing here? The king's eyes narrowed as he watched the man tread up an alleyway and disappeared at the end.

Aragorn cast the dwarf a skeptical glance, but words did not need to be exchanged to know what Aragorn's intentions were. The king stalked after the man with Gimli only a pace behind him.

The man and dwarf slowed their steps as they neared the end, but rather than barge out into the intersecting courtyard they were nearing, they held back. Using the shadows to their advantage, they crept forward while pressing themselves close to an adjacent building for added shielding.

The man and dwarf surveyed what they could make of the small area quietly. The courtyard was predominantly lit by moonlight, but a few faint torches were lit within the area which created dramatic dancing shadows. There were a few buildings that all faced the court, but what was once merily used seemed to mimic the rest of the area and the hovels most likely had not been used, at least properly, in quite some time.

The false soldier was spotted easily and he made his way to a door. He pounded on it with a closed fist and shouted to some unseen person inside.

"'EY!... Time is nearly up! Did he pay for more?!"

'He'll be done!" a muffled voice piped up from inside the building.

"Be sure that he is!" the man shouted back, but rather than attempting to go inside the once well-used store, he took a seat on the stoop as if to wait. He pulled out a small roll of packed herbs and lit one end, bringing the other to his lips to puff at the biri.

Only moments passed before a voice off to the side of the courtyard piped up.

"You Dreager?"

Agarogn and Gimli could not see who it was from their vantage point, but the one presumed to be Dreager turned his head, also noting the newcomer as he walked up another alley. He stood to his feet as someone approached him. He never answered the initial question, but his reaction gave some confirmation that was his name. Dreager just watched while waiting for the other to speak.

"I hear you have an elf." the stranger approached but remained a distance off, making sure his assumptions were correct.

Though the shadows of the alleyway hid their features, Aragorn and Gimli's brows creased in confusion.

"Elf?" Gimli asked suspiciously and the king turned briefly to confirm.

"That is what I heard too, but that cannot possibly be true." Aragorn whispered, but turned back to continue his spy on the two men, doubtful of what Dreager spoke of.

"Only if you got money." Dreager replied flippantly around the cigarette in his mouth. He would not waste his time with those wanting free handouts.

"How much?"

"Depends..." A sly grin played out across Dreager's face as he took on the role of a merchant selling to his potential customer. He took a long toke before pulling the stick out of his mouth, exhaling with thick white trailing out of his mouth and nose. "Five gold dollars to do what you want with it... ten to make it perform on you….. We've made sure it can't bite….. The price is for the first ten minutes. After that, it is an additional two dollars for every five minutes."

"Ten minutes?!" the man exclaimed. "And two dollars every five minutes thereafter?!"

"How much time do you need?!" The dubious statement was an argument indicating that the price was for ample time. "This ain't no woman you need to swoon - take your pleasure and be done with it."

The nameless man contemplated this. "Still seems pricey…. Is it contained or something? I don't want to waste my money on time in a struggle."

Dreager waved his hand in a nonchalant way and dismissed the worry, flicking the ash from the burnt potion of his roll before placing it back in his mouth. "It's bound - it can't fight and it will be the entire time. We've kept it drugged, but ran out a while ago. It still seems to linger in it's system. It hasn't been much hassle. Besides, it is suspended so any fight it might have left will not hinder you. So, you'll get your full ten minutes."

The stranger bobbed his head, mulling the information over in his head, accepting it.

"And… it's a boy?" he asked, but added to his question. "Do you have a woman?"

"Male, yes, but it ain't human so it's not a boy. And no, we don't have a woman, but it is as fair as one. Whether or not you have preferences for a male, keep in mind that this is a rare opportunity to experience the exotic. Elves are uncommon - even more so nowadays which is why the price is set as is. If you want this grand opportunity, you better take it."

There was a moment of contemplation, but the stranger stepped up to Dreager with his hands shoved into his pockets in an attempt to locate his money.

"And how much again?" he asked to stall, fumbling with the coins as Dreager reiterated the price.

"Five to fuck it, ten to use it's mouth." The trader seemed annoyed, now wasting time and he held his hand out to persuade his customer to hand over his money and just make up his mind.

The man was about to hand over his payment, but he hesitated a moment before cautiously pulling back.

"...I want to see it first."

"What?" Dreager was put off by the request.

"I want to see it… in the light. I have no idea what you have in there." the man said, shrugging his nose towards the building where the elf was presumably being kept.

Dreager rolled his eyes. "I am not deceiving you-"

"And how do I know that. If you are so confident with what you have, show it to me."

Dreager huffed. "Fine - but you'll have to wait. Someone is finishing up now…. Actually he should have been done by now." the trader huffed and turned back to the door, banging on it once more."Ey! Time is up!"

"He's done! Give him a minute!" the same voice from before answered back.

"Bring the elf out here. Someone wants to see it before payment!"

"What? Eh - well, alright… hang on…"

All of the occupants went quiet as they waited. In the shaded corner of the alley, Gimli tugged on Aragorn's coat to gain the man's attention quietly.

"It needs to be stopped." Gimli whispered as quietly as he could to his companion. "No matter what those men have concealed in there, we can't leave that poor soul in this captivity."

"Agreed. But they cannot possibly have an elf. It must be a ploy - a scam of sorts." Aragorn turned and crouched near the stout being. "But we need to see all who are present. There are others about whom we cannot see and we can not be so foolish as to run head on into this mess. I cannot see what lies around this corner either." Aragorn started formulating a plan in his head when conversation between Dreager and his customer started up again.

"So…. What's with the outfit?" the potential buyer asked, eyeing Dreager's soldier's uniform. "You are not a soldier are you?"

"Ah, you like it?!" Dreager's attitude changed drastically as he boasted about his attire. "I am not a soldier but my partner and I-" He threw his thumb back to the store indicating that whoever the man worked with was the one he had been talking to inside. "-were able to get our hands on some Gondorian uniforms. It helps us blend in."

"Blend in? Stand out is more like it. I wouldn't be wearing that in this town. Either you will spook everyone off or get the tar beat out of you... I'd say so far you are lucky neither has happened."

"Nah," Dreager countered, pushing the cigarette he was puffing on into the corner of his mouth so he could talk around it. "No one will mess with the King's armies. I think the attire has enough believability that no one has questioned us yet. It's amazing what wearing this will do… All you have to do is act like authority from the king, give a few commands, and people will simply do as you bid… We have a few spares if you would like to purchase one."

Aragorn tensed at the revelation. So this must be how his citizens were disappearing. He didn't know if Dreager and his comrade were the sole ones responsible for all of the kidnapping reports in recent months, but if these two men were using that tactic, there was no telling how many more were doing the same. It was no wonder how the men could slip away from their sight. The traders looked like soldiers so that was why his men could not find them - because they looked like one of their own!

"Oh really?" the buyer asked, his interest peaking. "How much?"

"Seventy-five gold dollars."

"Seventy-five?!… no one in their right mind would pay that!"

Dreager just shrugged his shoulders, but the door to the hovel swung open and his latest customer exited the dark building. A tall man stepped through the threshold, his face was flush and sweat rolled down his temple as he worked hard to control his breathing. He was fumbling with the ends of his belt as he walked, dressing himself as he left. He ran his hands over his shirt to smooth out the wrinkles. He shot Dreager a lopsided grin with a mixture of spent pleasure and exhaustion written on his face.

"Worth every penny." he beamed in satisfaction as he passed, nodding his thanks and descending the small stairway in quick steps.

"Told you, didn't I?" Dreager chuckled, holding his hand up in a pathetic wave as his customer left.

"It's an elf?" The potential customer asked, now eager that the claims had some validation and his eagerness began to grow. The former client nodded once before disappearing all together.

Dreager shouted back to the store. "Bring it out here!"

"I'm coming!" A fed up voice fired back and in an instant, Dreager's partner appeared in the doorway. He was an incredibly hefty man whose mass was a combination of muscular physique and plumpness. Though Dreager appeared to be a tall man himself, his compion still seemed to tower overhead. His rounded belly stuck out of his Gondorian jerkin for it could not close around his girth, but the ease with which he walked forward dragging his hostage was a firm indication of his brute strength.

Aragorn and Gimli were on edge as they watched, but the potential buyer stepped up as the burly man heaved someone forward, blocking their sights of the prisoner.

The captive stumbled quickly and fell to his knees before the patron, but made no attempt to move as he panted around a crude gage that was tied around his head. His long blond hair hung about his face, obscuring most of his features. He was shirtless and it was plain to see that the being had been beaten into submission earlier, for he bore lacerated stripes that indicated a whip of sorts had been used on him.

"Get up!" The large man who acted as a guard ordered, but the hostage could not make his body obey. "I said GET UP!"

When the presumed elf did not comply, the guard bent to retrieve him, wrapping his massive hand around the elf's neck in a firm grasp and hoisting him up.

The elf 's back was slammed into the threshold of the door, giving the guard some support in forcing the elf he held to stay upright while the potential customer evaluated him. With what little energy the captive had, he held his bound hands up to try and evade his captors, but the large man slammed his free fist into the elf's head, splitting his temple to stun the prisoner and squash any form of resistance. Save for the uneven rise and fall of his chest, the elf no longer moved.

The guard grabbed a fist full of blond tress and yanked it away from the person's ear showing the delicate point that was unique to the elven race.

"Wow…. it is an elf." The customer could be heard saying with a hit of awe and wonder. "but… it looks… awful." he noted that the near unconscious being had been roughed and it was obvious he had been well used before.

"Should have gotten here earlier." Dreager commented offhandedly, but began pressuring his customer. "You want a go or not?"

Only after a moment of hesitation, the customer gave in. He pulled money out of his pocket and stepped away from the captive to hand Dreager the money.

With the retreating form of the man came an unrestricted view of the captive that was the subject of all conversation and Aragorn and Gimli could not believe what they saw.

It was Legolas.

It was Legolas?

By the stars, it was Legolas!

"Aragorn!" Gimli's whisper was close to being a shout, hoping that his eyes deceived him. But Aragorn could not answer. He was reeling from the revelation and he could not quite comprehend what was happening.

The coins were dropped in Dreager's hands and from then on, all events unfolded much too swiftly.

The guard released the elf who dropped soundlessly to the floor before the large man grabbed at his captive's bound hands. He dragged the unresponsive prince back into the dark building with their new client only a step behind. The door closed and the sound of a bolt clicked in place.

The ice that seemed to have frozen Aragorn in place melted with anger and he stepped out of the shadows without any heed. Gimli was doing the same.

Dreager looked up as two men seemed to pop out of nowhere and he suddenly went on the defense as he recognized the man he ran into earlier. He glared.

"You!" He said and made for the disguised king, knowing he had reason to be so gruff with him before. "I should have dealt with you when-"

But his threats fell on Argorn's deaf ears. The King had his sights locked on his target and unsheathed his broadsword in a fluid motion, never breaking his march toward Dreager.

Dreager backpedaled briefly as he too reached for his sword.

"Ey! We got trouble!" He called back to his companion, hoping his warning could be heard through the door before Aragorn rushed him.

Metal clashed in the dark, filling the court with a metallic ring. Dreager made to slash the king, but a quick flip of his wrist caused Aragorn's sword to throw the blade off its course.

Aragorn swung his blade, but it was blocked by a last minute strike.

The guard threw the bolt to the door aside and dashed through the entry, pulling up short at the scene he came upon. His companion was locked in a heated fight and he had no idea what led to this.

"What the hell happened?!" he shouted, but Dreager was too preoccupied with his fight to answer.

The door closed quickly behind the guard, the client inside doing what was necessary to protect himself and he shoved the bolt back into place, locking everyone out.

The guard started for the door, intending to find some way to open it again and securing their elf, but that thought ceased when Gimli set himself in motion. In an instant, the stout being took the guard on as Aragorn dealt with Dreager. He hefted his ax and brought it down on the massive man but he had more time to react than his companion did and grabbed his own sword from his belt, blocking the dwarf's attack and delivered an equally deadly blow of his own. Gimli jumped back, dodging the strike. The blade sliced through the air and connected with the cobblestone alley, sprawling sparks at their feet. The guard lifted his sword and swung it in front of him wildly as he advanced on the dwarf, pushing Gimli further out of the alley.

The dwarf retreated only long enough to regain his stance before he unleashed his wave of attack, delivering deadly blows and connecting his broad ax with the sword of the guard.

A sharp cry pierced the air and the guard and dwarf halted only briefly to see Dreager collapsing in the street. Whether or not he had been cut down or merely took a wound they did not know, but sensing his companions' end, the guard renewed his efforts with vengeance and charged Gimli.

The stout being swung his ax, missing his target by a hair. As the ax came full circle, it sliced through one of the porch posts, toppling the thick pole to the street. The two jumped back from each other as the pole landed in the street with a thud.

Aragorn shoved Dreager with the heel of his boot, checking to make sure the man he was fighting had been disposed of before Aragorn unslung his bow. In no time, the ex-ranger had an arrow tracking the guard's movements, waiting for the opportune moment to release it without risk to the dwarf.

There was a slight break in the fight and that was all Aragorn needed to safely let the projectile fly. The arrow flew straight and fast, finding its mark and pierced the man's chest. He was dead before he even hit the street.

The dwarf turned to Aragorn, but the man rushed for the locked door. He jammed his shoulder into the sturdy wood to try and force it open, but the door wouldn't budge.

Aragorn paused and listed. The stranger was inside, yelling at him through the door.

"I only just got in here! Wait your turn!"

Aragorn bristled at the comment. He threw his shoulder against the door again and gave every ounce of strength he had. While the wood creaked, it would not budge.

Gimli shoved Aragorn out of the way. He hoisted his ax above his head and brought it down on the door, slicing through the wood. He pried the ax out the gouge and repeated the motion until the door had a decent hole in it.

Aragorn pushed his way through the chopped wood, splintering the already broken door as the entrance was forced opened. Gimli tried to follow suit, but the hole was not wide enough for himself to squeeze through and he dare not strike the door in attempt to make it wider while Argorn was just on the other side.

It only took Aragorn half an instant to take in his new surroundings. It was almost pitch black in the hut. A tiny lantern in the far corner of the room provided the only light and countertops, full of odds-and-ends, lined the walls. In the center of the room, Legolas hung limply by his bound wrists from the crossbeams above their heads. His torn and bloodied leggings were pulled down around his knees, exposing the prince. Blood ran down his arms in rivulets from his bleeding wrists and started to trail down his bare chest, mixing with the blood that spilled from his split temple that dripped down his face and neck.

The king looked about for the customer who was somewhere inside, finding him cowering behind the prince and using the dangling body as a shield. Once spotted, the man reached for a small dagger on his belt and held it in front of himself as he turned to Aragorn.

"You have no business-"

His speech was cut off as Aragorn pointed his sword at the man intending to strike him down, but he was far too close to Legolas for that kind of combat.

"Leave!" the king's booming growl startled the man who did not expect that volume to emulate from the heavily clad warrior in front of himself.

"I paid my share. I haven't done anything wrong!" The man tried to talk his way out of the situation, knowing full well that his small dagger was no match for the full length sword he faced.

Aragorn took a heavy step towards him, his sword leading the way. The man he stared down reached behind himself and grabbed whatever he could find. He did not know what he held, but hurled it at Aragorn regardless, causing the king to have to duck and stumble to avoid being struck. In a final attempt of desperation, the stranger used two hands to pick up a large stoneware jar and heaved it at Aragorn's head. Having no time to dodge the large object, Aragorn quickly brought his forearms up to shield himself. The jar shattered on the vambraces that Aragorn wore, showering him in sharp pieces of pottery and the contents inside.

The disruption gave the man the distraction needed to make a dash for the door. Jetting past Aragorn, he unbolded the door quickly and practically jumped through the wide open exit only to slam into Gimli. Both man and dwarf tumbled to the ground, landing them both next to the dead guard who was sprawled in the street with an arrow protruding from his chest. The stranger's eyes went wide. He was quick to his feet and ran past Dreager's lifeless body as well. He did not stop and took off down the alley as fast as he could.

Aragorn gained his feet and ran to the door just as the man ran into the dwarf. He had half a mind to run him down and kill him for what he had done to his friend, but he resisted the urge. He glanced at the dwarf to make sure he was not seriously hurt before he turned and walked back inside the hut. Legolas needed his attention.

Aragorn reached his friend's side. He took in the situation quickly and grabbed the waistband of the elf's leggings, pulling them up to cover the exposed prince. The laces were cut and strewn on the ground around his feet, but the form fitting material stayed in place around Legolas' hips without further aid. Carefully, Aragorn smoothed the elf's hair away from his face, tipping his head back and seeking out the elf's half-lidded, pain-glazed eyes.

Legolas' blurry mind registered that hands were on him once more and he tried to force his body to fight, but his movements were faint and sluggish as consciousness threatened to leave him again. He knew what the man was going to do to him, it was inevitable, but he tried to fight anyway. He did not want to be taken again.

Aragorn caught his friend's head as the elf thrashed weakly in his bonds. He tried to calm the elf's movements to keep Legolas from causing more damage to his bound wrists.

"Legolas?" The man called out softly, but the semi-aware elf couldn't hear him. His strength was spent and his movements stilled as he tried to gasp for air around the gag in his mouth and the ache in his chest from being suspended by his arms.

Gimli had taken a defensive position in the doorway. He watched the streets, intently scouting for any signs of danger as Aragorn freed their friend. Muted sounds of a conversation could be heard seconds before a group of men rounded the corner and began to trek up the alley.

"Aragorn!" the dwarf called out behind him. "We need to get out of here!" Gimli fled from the stoop to stand in the courtyard, ready to intercept any newcomers.

Aragorn pulled the elf's body against his own and wrapped an arm around the prince's waist to hold him in place. He raised his sword to the tether that connected the elf's bound wrists to the crossbeam of the small shack. With one swift move, the rope was cut and the elf's body fell into Aragorn's shoulder. Legolas' sharp cry was muffled by the gag in his mouth as stars exploded in his blurry vision before his world turned black and unconsciousness claimed him.

"Aragorn! We need to leave! Now!" The dwarf's voice was urgent as he unstrapped his ax. The men in the ally stopped once they saw the dwarf and eyed him suspiciously. From their vantage point, they could not see the bodies that lay in the street…. yet.

Aragorn laid the elf on the wooden floor. He tried to remove the gag in the elf's mouth, but the knot at the back of the elf's head was tied too tight and he didn't have time to waste to pick it free so he left it. Aragorn re-sheathed his sword and shed his gray cloak, wrapping the prince in the soft fabric and pulling the deep hood of the cloak over his friend's face. Scooping the elf into his arms, he stood to his feet and was headed toward the door, but froze when he heard a voice call out to the dwarf that stood in the doorway.

One of the men took a few steps forward as he looked around the small area.

"Hello!" he called out in a friendly voice. Gimli lowered his ax slightly but said nothing. "We uh... we are hoping that we have the right place..." his words were cautious as he continued to move forward slowly. He held his hands up showing that he had no weapons and a friendly, bright smile was played out across his features.

"I'm sure ya' have the wrong place, lad." the dwarf said flatly.

The man looked perplexed. "No... No I'm sure this is the place! You have an elf, don't you? We ran into a traveler at a tavern down the street and he told us that there was an elf for sale in this alley. We are interested!"

"No you're not!" the dwarf growled.

The man looked at the dwarf questioningly. He turned back to his comrades and shook his head. "Did he not say the old store in Brewer's Alley?" Everyone nodded in agreement. "No this is it..."

"No it's not!" the dwarf shouted. He stepped forward raising his ax ready to fight. He was seeing red at the men's intent and without any heed, stalked toward the stunned men. The irate dwarf glared at the group, as he walked, his eyes low and dangerous. Without any warning, the dwarf let out a battle cry as he hefted his ax over his head. At this, the group of men turned and fled down the alley. He scared the men off but he didn't know for how long.

The dwarf ran back to the now open doorway and poked his head inside. "Aragorn! We've got to leave, now!"

Just as the words left the dwarf's mouth, Aragorn brushed past him with Legolas securely in his arms.

The atmosphere of the broken down store froze the dwarf for a second. He looked around the space in disgust. He turned to leave when a glint of metal caught his eyes. He stepped closer to the object and was horrified at what he saw. One of the counters held an array of items, each with a price tag attached to them. The dwarf recognized a few of objects; a glittering green leaf brooch, an Elven long bow, a quiver, twin white handled knives, a gray cloak, and a pair of well made boots with matching vambraces were all for sale. Snatching the items from the table, he gathered Legolas' belongings and tucked them under his arm before he left.

TBC...

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