Thanks to all who reviewed; here's chapter 8 : )

ROGUE

Chapter Eight: Aril

Legolas had been surprised when an elf had come in and cut his bonds, telling him that he was free to wander around. At first, the Prince entertained thoughts of using his newfound freedom to escape, but as soon as he stepped outside, he realized that it was in fact, too good to be true.

For once he was outside, he could see that archers, some elves, others men, surrounded the camp. One glance at their barbed arrows told Legolas that now was not a good time to contemplate escaping.

The camp was set up simply so that whenever the situation required it, they could easily pack up and leave. To Legolas, it seemed as if they were doing just that. Elves and men alike went about their business, quenching camp fires, and taking down tents, while some others prepared what would likely be their last meal in Mirkwood.

Legolas understood why they were not staying in one place for so long. After all, seeing that Gondor was ten-days away, Legolas could not see a reason for why they would be tardy.

Out of the corner of his eye, he spotted someone; turning his full attention to the person, he recognized her as Shayleigh, the woman who had been partially responsible for having him taken away. He eyed her with pure disdain, so pure that she was almost caught off guard, for was that a glimmer of hate that she saw in his eyes?

Nevertheless, Shayleigh had never been a woman to shirk away because a man or any other being gave her a dirty look. She returned his glare with a smirk of her own and sauntered over.

"Well, hello to you as well, Prince," she said in a sarcastic tone, but regardless of whether or not she was being sarcastic, Shayleigh's voice always seemed to come out as if she was mocking you.

Legolas turned to face her fully. "I do not know very much about you, woman, but I know that your intentions are evil, and that is enough for me to know—I advise you to stay away from me."

Shayleigh took full note of the anger in his voice, but if she was in any way frightened, she did not show it. "Oh, Prince, you must do better than that if you are to succeed in threatening me. Besides, where are your weapons? And even if you did have them, I doubt that you would be able to kill me without killing yourself in the process."

Legolas's eyes narrowed to slits. "I thing that you are mistaken, Shayleigh; weapons or no weapons, I could still kill you just as easily."

"With a score of barbed arrows in your back?" she asked rhetorically. "I think your pride had gotten the better of you, Prince. Perhaps we will have much more fun than I once thought."

Before she could say another snide remark, Legolas gripped her arm tightly, and stared into her eyes. "You know why I am here, do you not?" he did not even stop to let her answer that question, he simply rambled on. "Ah, you must know, you played a part in bringing me to this ragtag band of renegades. You will tell me why you have brought me here, and you will tell me now."

Shayleigh looked at her arm and then back at Legolas. "I will tell you nothing; after all, you should learn everything in due time. What is the matter? Do you lack in patience?" she asked, noting his brows quickly furrowing into so deep a frown that they formed into a V.

"I neither need nor want your sarcasm, Shayleigh; I simply want the truth."

"And he will tell you when he sees fit," she retorted.

"Who?"

She frowned. "You have not met Xiomar as of yet?"

"Who is Xiomar?" Legolas asked, growing more confused by the minute.

She smirked. "He does not look so different from you," she remarked slyly.

Legolas took the hint. "He is the elf that met with me," he reasoned, though he was quite surprised seeing that Xiomar was not an Elven name.

"Well met, Prince," she said. "Perhaps you are smart after all."

"My advice still stands," Legolas almost hissed, referring to his earlier threat that she stay out of his face.

Shayleigh simply wore a smirk as she sauntered away and out of his view.

Legolas turned away, disgusted by how one individual could annoy him more, it seemed, than a host of orcs.

He didn't get to reflect on her annoyance for too long, though, for a voice startled him a little bit.

"Shayleigh seems to have a lasting effect on all of us," the male voice said from behind.

Legolas turned around, and found himself face to face with a blond elf, and he was undoubtedly surprised by the slightly boyish features, considering how mature the voice sounded; not deep and resonant, but simply a bit mature.

"Who are you?" Legolas asked, trying to keep the mean edge out of his voice.

"I am Aril, assigned to guard you," the elf replied.

Legolas eyed the camp, which was not very large. "From what?" he asked.

Aril was silent for a moment. "We are to set out for Gondor again as soon as everything is pack up and our meal is prepared, and my father does not wish for you to be bound…"

Legolas held up his hand, showing that he had the general idea. When his hand was held up, Aril, saw that he still wore his royal ring, which was ruby, with emerald, in the form a leaf, snaking around it.

"I am surprised that the rogues have not yet taken that from you," Aril remarked, eyeing the ring pointedly.

Legolas did not know what to say to that, he only offered some kind of shrug.

The uncomfortable silence that ensued was stifling, but in that short span of time 9which seemed longer, considering the strained situation), Legolas studied Aril's features and saw that he bore a resemblance to Xiomar: their blond hair was of the exact same hue, as was his skin tone and features, all save the green eyes, and Legolas could not guess where he inherited those orbs from, but Aril's eyes were, in truth, the best feature on his face, for though Xiomar was not a bad looking elf, it seemed that there was a clash of those features and those of immaturity when it came to Aril.

Legolas finally broke the silence. "Aril, there is something that I need to know."

The elf only slightly frowned. "I will tell you whatever it is, so long as it is within reason," he said.

Legolas brushed the latter part of the sentence away. "I need you to tell me why I am here."

Aril shook his head, "That is not in my power to…"

"Listen to me," Legolas said, cutting him short. "My father, King Thranduil, will know that I am missing, and he will come after me, and when he finds me (which will not take too long), he will likely have every one in this camp slaughtered in the heat of his rage; but if you tell me the truth, then I will see to it with my life if necessary that neither you or your loved ones in this camp are hurt."

"I do not want to be the one to tell you this, but I do not believe that King Thranduil will find you," Aril said solemnly.

"Why?" the Prince asked, somewhat incredulously.

"Because, my father is in league with someone so powerful, that his army will crush Thranduil and his own army before he can give the order to strike."

"What foe is this?" Legolas asked, seemingly more to himself than to Aril. "There, or rather, was, one foe that was so powerful that Middle-Earth was brought to a…a standstill, and……." His words caught in his mouth as he saw that Aril was nodding to every word.

"He is not dead, he is very much alive, and in league with my father, Xiomar."

Legolas's eyes could not have gotten any wider, and his voice was barely a whisper.

"Sauron?"