A/N: I know it's been a long time since I've added to this story, but what with the computer dying and everything else, I've had a hard time doing so. I hope you enjoy it.
Chapter 6: Captured
Legolas awoke, confused and disoriented. He was lying on something rather lumpy, was getting jostled around, and there was what looked like a potato sack in front of his face!In an automatic reaction, Legolas tried to sit up, and realized that he was wrapped in the brown canvas, which quite effectively prevented him from moving easily. He choked back a yell. Whatever the reason he was entrapped like this, he would rather attempt to figure out his situation before announcing to his captor that he was awake.
Slowly, Legolas stretched as far as he could, and felt the sides of his wrapping. it seemed he was in a bag. Suddenly, he realized the lumpiness below him must be his friends. Were they all right? They didn't seem to be moving. Were they dead?
Gradually Legolas relaxed. If he wasn't dead, and was in fact completely unharmed, his friends were liable to be in the same condition. But how had they been captured? The berries? When he thought back, he remembered how they had all fallen asleep so suddenly, after eating those blueberries, and how his alarm at that realization had faded so quickly into a desire to sleep. He remembered how Tienthe had mentioned that it wasn't the season for blueberries, and realized that they must have been a sorcerous trick. The berries must have been a sleep spell in disguise, or the area coated in one, and like fools they had all succumbed.
The jostling stopped. They must have been in a moving cart, Legolas realized, but that didn't matter anyway. Without his knives, he would have been unable to get loose even if they had been unguarded in some meadow.
***
Hearic chuckled with glee. Not only had he caught the girl and the prince, but he had three other hostages as well! The Master would be pleased.
Hearis turned and waited. Soon the boat would arrive, and he could continue on his way to meet the Master, leaving no trace for those foul elves to track. He'd be home free. Hearic grinned. In his happy anticipation of the reward to come, he was acting quite unlike his normal self.
The boat arrived, rowed by a single grumbling orc. "Hush up now!" Hearic snapped. "We have a very important package for delivery."
***
Legolas felt the first real pangs of panic as he heard those words. Who was "delivering" them? And to whom? He knew he had to get them out of there, and fast. But how? The others evidently were either still under the spell or biding their time as he had been. Legolas stealthily checked everywhere in the bag. Yes, they had taken his two more obvious knives, but the shorter one in his boot remained. Evidently their captor hadn't searched him as thoroughly as they might have. Slowly and quietly, Legolas began to withdraw the knife from his boot. Just as he finished straightening out though, he felt a big thump, and his bag (with him inside) began sliding backwards. Legolas very carefully remained still and limp. It must appear that he was still unconscious.
He felt himself lifted and moved...somewhere. When he was set down on a hard curved surface, and felt the rhythmic swaying, Legolas realized he must be in a boat. He heard footsteps approaching and suppressed a grunt as one of his companions was dropped on top of him. Listening carefully, and not hearing anything other than the footsteps heading away, Legolas withheld a sigh of relief. Evidently his captors had not heard him, or if they had, they had not thought it unusual. Careful not to move too suddenly, Legolas began to cut a hole in the fabric. He hoped the hole would not be noticed until too late.
The hole grew larger, bit by bit, as Legolas's companions were transferred to the boat atop him. By the time the boat left shore, he had an opening large enough to wiggle through, and was working on the bag next to his. When he got it open, he found himself looking into Kenturiel's wide, staring eyes.
***
Kathara awoke to the feel of a knife pricking her nose. Jerking back and opening her eyes, she saw that the knife was sawing at the material of her bag.
The hole was opened, when it was done, by none other than Legolas. Surprised, and, truth to tell, rather dumbfounded, Kathara stared at him blankly. Legolas put a finger to his lips and began working the opening wider.Kathara shook herself mentally and moved to help him.
"Where'd you get that knife? I thought they took both of yours away!" Kathara whispered.
"They must have been careless. They didn't get the one in my boot."
"Where are the others?"
"They must be in the other sacks around us. The question is how to get out of this mess. We can't just spring up and run, we're on a boat."
Kathara nearly groaned, but stopped herself in time. She didn't know if she knew how to swim. That memory, along with most of her others, was lost at the moment. "Then what are we going to do?"
Legolas sighed. "I was hoping you'd have an idea. Well, let's free the others - Then we'll work out a plan."
Kathara nodded. "Do you have any other knives? I'll help."
Legolas shook his head. "Nope. But if you can wriggle out, maybe you could untie the tops?"
Kathara nodded and carefully got out of the bag. Thereafter they worked in silence, keeping low and hoping to avoid notice. They could now see that there were only two people on the boat keeping them captive - one orc, and the elf Kathara recognised as the one who had caught them in the first place. Seperately, they each came to the same conclusion. There was no need for a plan, if the others were awake. They could simply storm their arguing captors and use the boat to get to Lothlorien.
A few minutes later, the freed captives were ready to take the boat. Legolas had only his knife, and the others were unarmed, but they remained confident they could overwhelm their captors.
They were right. Unfortunately, they also overwhelmed themselves. For, as they charged forward, the boat flipped over sideways...dumping EVERYONE into the water.
A/N: ok, I know it's a cliffhanger, but I do love doing those...they're FUN!!! Besides, they should leave you thinking...and I like to promote thinking. ANYways, please review!
Chapter 6: Captured
Legolas awoke, confused and disoriented. He was lying on something rather lumpy, was getting jostled around, and there was what looked like a potato sack in front of his face!In an automatic reaction, Legolas tried to sit up, and realized that he was wrapped in the brown canvas, which quite effectively prevented him from moving easily. He choked back a yell. Whatever the reason he was entrapped like this, he would rather attempt to figure out his situation before announcing to his captor that he was awake.
Slowly, Legolas stretched as far as he could, and felt the sides of his wrapping. it seemed he was in a bag. Suddenly, he realized the lumpiness below him must be his friends. Were they all right? They didn't seem to be moving. Were they dead?
Gradually Legolas relaxed. If he wasn't dead, and was in fact completely unharmed, his friends were liable to be in the same condition. But how had they been captured? The berries? When he thought back, he remembered how they had all fallen asleep so suddenly, after eating those blueberries, and how his alarm at that realization had faded so quickly into a desire to sleep. He remembered how Tienthe had mentioned that it wasn't the season for blueberries, and realized that they must have been a sorcerous trick. The berries must have been a sleep spell in disguise, or the area coated in one, and like fools they had all succumbed.
The jostling stopped. They must have been in a moving cart, Legolas realized, but that didn't matter anyway. Without his knives, he would have been unable to get loose even if they had been unguarded in some meadow.
***
Hearic chuckled with glee. Not only had he caught the girl and the prince, but he had three other hostages as well! The Master would be pleased.
Hearis turned and waited. Soon the boat would arrive, and he could continue on his way to meet the Master, leaving no trace for those foul elves to track. He'd be home free. Hearic grinned. In his happy anticipation of the reward to come, he was acting quite unlike his normal self.
The boat arrived, rowed by a single grumbling orc. "Hush up now!" Hearic snapped. "We have a very important package for delivery."
***
Legolas felt the first real pangs of panic as he heard those words. Who was "delivering" them? And to whom? He knew he had to get them out of there, and fast. But how? The others evidently were either still under the spell or biding their time as he had been. Legolas stealthily checked everywhere in the bag. Yes, they had taken his two more obvious knives, but the shorter one in his boot remained. Evidently their captor hadn't searched him as thoroughly as they might have. Slowly and quietly, Legolas began to withdraw the knife from his boot. Just as he finished straightening out though, he felt a big thump, and his bag (with him inside) began sliding backwards. Legolas very carefully remained still and limp. It must appear that he was still unconscious.
He felt himself lifted and moved...somewhere. When he was set down on a hard curved surface, and felt the rhythmic swaying, Legolas realized he must be in a boat. He heard footsteps approaching and suppressed a grunt as one of his companions was dropped on top of him. Listening carefully, and not hearing anything other than the footsteps heading away, Legolas withheld a sigh of relief. Evidently his captors had not heard him, or if they had, they had not thought it unusual. Careful not to move too suddenly, Legolas began to cut a hole in the fabric. He hoped the hole would not be noticed until too late.
The hole grew larger, bit by bit, as Legolas's companions were transferred to the boat atop him. By the time the boat left shore, he had an opening large enough to wiggle through, and was working on the bag next to his. When he got it open, he found himself looking into Kenturiel's wide, staring eyes.
***
Kathara awoke to the feel of a knife pricking her nose. Jerking back and opening her eyes, she saw that the knife was sawing at the material of her bag.
The hole was opened, when it was done, by none other than Legolas. Surprised, and, truth to tell, rather dumbfounded, Kathara stared at him blankly. Legolas put a finger to his lips and began working the opening wider.Kathara shook herself mentally and moved to help him.
"Where'd you get that knife? I thought they took both of yours away!" Kathara whispered.
"They must have been careless. They didn't get the one in my boot."
"Where are the others?"
"They must be in the other sacks around us. The question is how to get out of this mess. We can't just spring up and run, we're on a boat."
Kathara nearly groaned, but stopped herself in time. She didn't know if she knew how to swim. That memory, along with most of her others, was lost at the moment. "Then what are we going to do?"
Legolas sighed. "I was hoping you'd have an idea. Well, let's free the others - Then we'll work out a plan."
Kathara nodded. "Do you have any other knives? I'll help."
Legolas shook his head. "Nope. But if you can wriggle out, maybe you could untie the tops?"
Kathara nodded and carefully got out of the bag. Thereafter they worked in silence, keeping low and hoping to avoid notice. They could now see that there were only two people on the boat keeping them captive - one orc, and the elf Kathara recognised as the one who had caught them in the first place. Seperately, they each came to the same conclusion. There was no need for a plan, if the others were awake. They could simply storm their arguing captors and use the boat to get to Lothlorien.
A few minutes later, the freed captives were ready to take the boat. Legolas had only his knife, and the others were unarmed, but they remained confident they could overwhelm their captors.
They were right. Unfortunately, they also overwhelmed themselves. For, as they charged forward, the boat flipped over sideways...dumping EVERYONE into the water.
A/N: ok, I know it's a cliffhanger, but I do love doing those...they're FUN!!! Besides, they should leave you thinking...and I like to promote thinking. ANYways, please review!