Readers: THANK YOU for being here today! As I told you, this chapter is finished! And, as a reward for being so kind and patient, CHAPTER FOUR WILL BE POSTED NO LATER THAN TWO WEEKS FROM TODAY! Thank you, my kind and patient readers!
Please note, to my old readers, that there is not much changed from the original to this version. Except for the first part of this chappie. Just fyi.
ALSO NOTE: IF YOU HAVE NOT READ THE PREVIOUS CHAPTER, READ IT. NOW. Even if you are reading this email because this story was on your alerts, and you've already read chapter 2, READ IT AGAIN. IT IS VERY, VERY DIFFERENT. If you don't read it, you'll be lost. So...yeah. Please.
TRS
Chapter 3
Night had fallen on the lair in which Taros Acosta sought to carry out his wicked plans. He lenade back in his chair and steepled his fingers, temporarily lost in thought.
Oh, but planning revenge was sweet indeed. It was true what they said—that it was a dish best served cold. Cold Taros would be in releasing his venom upon the Valar-damned Ranger. Cold and merciless like a serpent about to seize on its prey. He would be ruthless as the mountain cat, silently stalking its victim, eyes alight with a hard, murderous glitter.
He would strike out at his hated enemy, at the Dunedán who had destroyed Taros's world without a second thought. For months he had seethed and raged and plotted—but nothing was good enough for him or bad enough for the Ranger. Death would have been too easy. Death was too good for the son-of-scum Ranger who had heartlessly and emotionlessly cast Taros into the dark without a flicker of thought.
Yes indeed, death was too good.
He had stewed over this fact for many a night, over many a pipe, often hurling the smoking instrument to the wall in his frustration to come up with something which would adequately punish the Dunedán. Taros had always rather had anger issues.
But finally, after many restless nights, he had come up with a perfect plan. Absolutely perfect. It was guaranteed to make the Ranger's life the absolute epitome of misery, make him weep wretchedly, force him to lower himself to the lowest point. He would make his life a living hell. He was going to make the Ranger feel his existance was completely futile.
And he knew exactly how to do it.
"To make one lose interest in life…merely remove from it that which makes one's life worth living," he whispered, voice strangled with malicious pleasure.
To his right there was a tiny moan. Taros glanced over at his captive and smirked. The fair being had no idea what had hit him. He was under the impression that his best friend had betrayed and kidnapped him. It was so perfect. After spying on the Prince and his friend Aragorn for months, he had finally determined the proper things to do and say in order to act like the Prince's best friend. He already had the looks—indeed, at first he could hardly believe his luck—and now his mannerisms were perfect. He knew exactly what Aragorn would say in situations. He knew enough of their heritage together to get away with that as well. He knew of Aragorn's brothers, surrogate father and Rivendell, the place he called home.
It was so perfect. And torturing the elf would be so much fun, too.
To his right Legolas gave a small moan.
Taros glanced at him. "He should be waking up soon," he murmured to himself. The drug was supposed to last twelve hours, and it had been nearly that already.
Surely enough, a few minutes later there was movement from the bound figure. He tried to say something, but the gag on his mouth prevented this.
Taros smirked at him, even though he knew Legolas couldn't see him. He had bound the elf's wrists, ankles and thighs, a well as gagged and blindfolded him. Elves hated the dark, and Legolas just might panic if he found out he could not see.
"What did you say?" he asked as Legolas made another attempt at speech. "Tsk, tsk," he scolded, as the only products of the prince's attempt were muffled Elvish curses. "Didn't your father ever teach you to speak clearly, Legolas?"
Angry noise came from Legolas, and Taros watched with amusement Legolas's vain attempts to free himself of his bonds.
"I wouldn't bother," he said. "They'll only get tighter as you struggle…it is hithlain, as I'm sure you know, and you should be grateful it's only cutting off your circulation and not cutting into your skin as well."
Legolas tried to speak again and Taros, tiring of his game, got up to remove the gag. Never able to do things the simple, painless way, he slid a knife under the gag right next to the elf's ear. Legolas immediately tensed up, thinking Taros was going to slice his ear or something equally unpleasant, and he tried to squirm away.
"Hold still," snapped Taros. He grabbed Legolas's shoulder to hold him still. "I'm not going to hurt you just yet." He sliced through the gag and tossed it away to the side. He also cut the bonds on the elf's thighs and ankles, knowing there would be no way Legolas could escape. After a moment he slid the knife directly next to one eye, intending to cut the blindfold but hoping to cause the elf to think his eye was about to be gouged out. Much to his disappointment Legolas remained calm and unflinching while Taros slit the know binding the cloth to the prince's eyes.
Legolas blinked a few times, letting his eyes adjust to the light of the torches in the room, before his gaze came to rest on Taros—or, as Legolas believed, on Aragorn. His shoulders slumped; apparently he had actually been hoping he had imagined it all.
"Aragorn," he said softly. "I still cannot believe it."
"What?" asked Taros sarcastically. "That I betrayed you, or that you were stupid enough to think I was your friend?"
Legolas blinked. "I…both, I suppose," he said quietly. He looked down at his bound hands, and then looked up again. "Would you mind explaining why…why you did this?" he asked, clearly struggling not to say why you abducted me.
Taros smiled and idly examined his fingers. "I don't believe that information is for you to know, dear prince," he drawled.
Legolas didn't answer; he was staring at his hands again and his expression was one of sad disbelief. "I still don't believe you'll hurt me, Aragorn.…I don't think you can."
"Think again," sneered Taros. He knew how horribly he was hurting the elf, and he loved it. It caused Legolas so much pain to think his best friend was treating him like a prisoner… "You see it is me, Aragorn, don't you think if I can go so far as to betray and abduct you that I can hurt you just as easily?"
Again Legolas didn't reply. Suddenly he looked up, and his gaze was fierce. "How can I believe it is you?" he demanded. "How do I know you are Aragorn? Perhaps you are only a simpleton, a look-alike, pretending to be my best friend?"
Angered, Taros leaned forward and struck him. "A simpleton? Even if I were not Aragorn, and a stranger instead, no mere simpleton could have kidnapped a prince, Legolas. No so-called simpleton could have masterminded the plan I have for you and your kingdom. Truly, for all the long years you have known me, have I proved myself to be simple? I am no look-alike. I am Aragorn."
Legolas spat blood contemptously from his mouth. "Prove it," he said defiantly. "Prove to me that you are Aragorn son of Arathorn, my friend."
Taros ginned. He couldn't wait to see the elf's face when he pulled out his 'proof'. "You want proof? Very well, as you wish. Here is your proof." He flung out his hand, and watched with satisfaction as Legolas's eyes widened and any hope he had held previously drained from his features. The elf slumped back in defeat, his.
For there on the second finger of Taros's left hand, sat the Ring of Barahir.
"Where—where did you get that?" Legolas whispered, staring at it in shock.
"Are you really so dull?" said Taros, sneering. The Prince had to believe it was really Aragorn now. This was all going so well… "I am Aragorn, you stupid, dim-witted elf, this ring belongs to me and my line. It was given me when I became of age, as you well know."
He grabbed Legolas's chin and forced him to stare into his captor's dancing grey eyes. "Do you believe it now, Legolas?" he asked, grinning with evil pleasure.
"It seems I have no choice," the elf replied stiffly, though sadly. He averted his anguished gaze from his captor's.
"Good." Taros released Legolas, who immediately turned his back to Taros, swung his legs up onto the stone bench he was sitting on and hunched his back, resting his chin on his knees. He looked so defeated, which delighted Taros to no end.
"Normally I would punish you for that direct display of disrespect," drawled Taros from behind him. "But since I know you must be going through quite a shock…well, I'll let it go this time."
"You are so kind," Legolas said bitterly, sarcasm lacing his every word. "I know not why I even bother to grace you with a reply," he muttered to himself.
"Well, in future, I will of course be deciding whether you reply or not, since I will be deciding when you may or may not speak," Taros mused with a smirk.He saw Legolas stiffen, and was disappointed when the Elf refrained from angry response, since it would have given him another opportunity to abuse him."Though then again in future, certain events may render you unwilling or possibly…unable to reply."
He made a move towards the door. "I'm leaving you now," he said. "Although I daresay I will be back before too long. Make yourself at home…" he chuckled dryly at this, looking around the small, cold room—a cell it was more than anything. A tiny cot pushed up against one wall—which Legolas was currently sitting on—and a small jug of water on a roughly hewn wooden table were the only things adorning the room, except for the torches on the walls. There were no windows, not even on the door. Taros knew how elves hated dark, enclosed spaces.
"Rest up, dear prince," he sneered as the door shut and the heavy lock fell into place. "I fear you shall need it before tomorrow's sun has set."
I will not believe it.
I will not believe it.
I will not believe it.
I cannot believe it.
Legolas murmured feverishly in his sleep, tossing and turning as deep unrest clouded his mind, the tendrils of a nightmare creeping around him, grabbing him, choking him till he suffocated in their fury. "Aragorn, please, tell me it isn't true—!"
Even as he slept and dreamed he could not bring himself to believe the awful truth.
Aragorn could not have betrayed him.
He would never do that.
But the Ring of Barahir, more than sufficient proof…
What did this mean?
Maybe the human really was a traitor.
No! He couldn't be. Legolas trusted him. How many times had Aragorn saved his life? Legolas couldn't count. And just how often had Legolas in turn come to the human's aid at the very last minute, when his life was about to be destroyed and all hope had been lost? Legolas had lost track long ago.
"Aragorn, no!" The Elf screamed, thrashing wildly as his dreams overtook him again. He saw visions of himself and Aragorn, still his best friend in the dream. Aragorn was at first smiling, laughing with Legolas, then suddenly the Elf was pinned onto the grass and a long knife at his throat, Aragorn its master. Without further ado Legolas saw his own throat slit, saw his own lifeless, bloody corpse left on the ground for the spiders to devour. He watched Aragorn wipe his blade cleanly on the grass and walk away, not even looking back at the body, walking completely away from his own mess and not even caring he was leaving the body of a friend behind.
"No…no…no," Legolas whispered. He could sense another being in the room even in his blind, half-conscious state, and he was sure it was Aragorn. He could almost see the human standing before him. He reached out to touch the familiar face, but all his fingers brushed as they stretched for where the elf believed the Ranger to be was…air. But Legolas still believed him to be there, and in the elf's tormented vision he was a terrible alternation between friend and foe; first a smiling, joyful young Estel, next a sadistic, sneering psychopath.
"Legolas! Come see the view from up here!" called the Aragorn he knew, beckoning to the Elf to come ascend the hill above the waterfall near Rivendell. Legolas eagerly made his way to the top and observed the water crashing down upon the rocks with delight. The birds chirped merrily, and the sun shone off the rocks and water, making it glimmer like precious jewels.
"It's beautiful, isn't it, Aragorn? Aragorn?" The prince turned in confusion when he heard no reply, and discovered the human was no longer standing beside him.
A great shove, and suddenly he was hanging off the edge of the precipice upon which he had just stood, kept from tumbling to his death only by the strong arms of the man now leering down at him, eyes glinting with a mad satisfaction, his best friend.
"A-Aragorn?" The Elf's eyes were wide with fear and uncertainty.
"You're weak, Legolas…" A soft hiss from the serpent's mouth, a horrible vicious sneer playing around the lips. "I should let go right now…save us all trouble."
"What?" Legolas whispered, unable to believe what he was hearing. He felt suddenly short of breath, like someone had plunged a jagged knife into his heart and was ripping it through his body slowly.
"Your father would be glad you died," Aragorn continued, his soft whispered words tearing the Elf to pieces. "He never wanted such a weak son. Lord Elrond would not miss you. Elladan and Elrohir would not, either. No one would mourn your death, Legolas…"
"Aragorn…you would not…?" Legolas did not finish the terrible unspoken question, his voice the slightest whisper.
"Certainly I would not either," hissed the deceiver, his grip on the prince's arms slacking, letting Legolas slide further down. "Good-bye, Legolas…"
And he let go all the way.
Legolas felt a cry tear itself from his throat as suddenly he was plunged downward into the sudden blackness. The last thing he saw was Aragorn's laughing, sneering face, waving mockingly at him as he fell to his death.
And then, suddenly, he hit cold water.
"Wake up, bloody elf!"
A rough hand seized the back of his tunic and finally woke Legolas from his nightmarish sleep, which had so seductively passed dream for reality.
Legolas sat up, breathing hard, looking around only to find a burly guard staring uncomfortably at him, an empty water pitcher in his hand, the contents of which, Legolas discovered, were now all over him. There was no cliff, no Aragorn, and he was nowhere near Imladris.
"Come on," commanded the guard. "Lord Aragorn wants you." He pulled some rope from his belt and indicated that he wanted Legolas to hold out his hands.
Disoriented and dazed as he was, there was no way he was going to submit to these people, that much was certain. He doubted he would be able to accomplish much in the means of escape, but at least he wouldn't go without a fight. He shook his head clearly at him to let him know he certainly wasn't going to comply.
"Fine, then," snapped the man, looking impatient and nervous at the same time. Legolas supposed the order to 'bring' him had probably been accompanied by a thinly-veiled threat from Aragorn to do so quickly or else. The human started forward and Legolas curled his legs beneath him, preparing to spring as soon as his target was within range.
He succeeded in knocking the human over, but he realized a little too late that this plan hadn't been very well-thought through as he tried the door and realized with dismay that it was still locked and he had nowhere to go. The human was faster than he looked, and was quickly back on his feet. In the time it took for Legolas to try the door and realize it wouldn't work the guard had regained his footing and was advancing towards the elf.
Legolas turned around quickly, hoping to still have a little space between himself and the other, only to have a large bulk immediately slam him against the door repeatedly. A large hand grabbed his hair and slammed his head against the wall, thoroughly dizzying him and making him unresisting for a few seconds.
That was all the time it took for the man to twist his arms painfully and firmly bind the elf's wrists together.
He left a little at the end to use as a lead, and yanked ungently on it to pull the elf from the room.
The fact that the human had beaten him so quickly disturbed the elf. He should have been able to put up a better fight than that. Normally he could have taken out the man in less than a minute; this time it was the other way around. He swallowed hard, realizing that he must be more disoriented from his situation than he though.
Legolas's lip curled as he was jerked forward rudely like an animal. He offered cold stares to the two other guards waiting for them outside of the room, and they in turn glared back, though Legolas was pleased to see that they looked quickly away.
"Keren, Mathos, watch him," grunted the original guard. "He might try something. I dunno…"
"Sure, Renith, sure," grinned the man to Legolas's right. "Can't have the Lord's pet get away now can we?" He leered at the bound elf and Legolas was sorely tempted to spit in his face, but he held his temper in light of the fact that he wasn't in a very good bargaining position right now.
Renith halted the company of four in front of a huge oak door a little ways down the hall. Keren and the other, Mathos, pushed the large door open and Renith shoved Legolas inside.
Legolas's heart began to race; he knew who was inside and he knew he could not afford to have any kind of breakdown. Masking his inner turmoil, he walked calmly into the room to receive whatever awaited him.
Aragorn stood by a window, his back turned to them, hands clasped behind him. Legolas's mouth tightened in bitterness at the familiarity of the scene; he had seen Aragorn in this position by the windows of both Rivendell and Mirkwood many times.
Legolas loudly and obnoxiously cleared his throat, drawing Aragorn's attention to him. The human turned and smiled widely when he saw who it was. He walked forward and came to sit in the large throne in the center of the room. He gestured lazily.
"Bring him forward," he commanded, indicating that they should bring Legolas in front of the throne.
They did so, taking no care to do it gently or considerately. When he was where Aragorn had commanded all three guards looked at him, as did Aragorn. It seemed that they were waiting for him to do something.
"Yes?" he demanded irritably. "Is there something I am unaware of?"
Aragorn reacted with an air of great surprise. "Oh, did you not know? Every time you are brought before me you are to bow, Legolas! After all, it is only be fitting that you show respect to your master. To me, that is."
Legolas's eyes blazed with fury. "Never," he spat. "You are not my master, nor have you given me any reason to pay homage to you. I will do no such thing." He stood even straighter and stared defiantly into the eyes of his captor, an act of clear disrespect and mocking.
"Fine, fine." Aragorn lazily waved a hand to his guards and immediately Legolas felt crushing pressure on his shoulders, forcing him down. Mathos kicked his knees out from behind and he crashed to the ground, unable to steady himself because of his bound wrists. A large hand pressed itself to his head, bowing it for the unwilling prisoner.
"Much better," said Aragorn approvingly. Legolas could not look up thanks to the hand forcing his head down, but fire was raging in his chest, something was roaring with fury within him. He took deep breaths, trying to calm his own anger.
He was aware that Aragorn had dismounted his throne and was now pacing around the elf in circles, eyeing him. Legolas's lip curled; he felt like something interesting being examined in the market. He had had that feeling before in the presence of men and he hated it. Edain! They were so arrogant. They thought Elves were their playthings, some exotic species that they could just enslave or torment at their will. They had no respect for the beautiful creatures, and looked upon them as lesser beings than themselves, when in fact Illúvatar had created the Elves first, not the filthy edain. Legolas remembered only too well his own enormous mistreatment by the humans, and it wasn't an experience he was about to repeat willingly. He also remembered the only human who knew of his mistreatment, who had helped him, who had penetrated his inmost defenses…Aragorn. The human he'd trusted as the brother he'd never had…the one human he thought he could trust. Who had stabbed him in the back, so to speak. He had made a mistake, he had thought that all humans weren't alike, but he silently committed himself to the final sentence that they were all the same, and none of them deserved mercy or respect, and certainly not trust.
Legolas stiffened as Aragorn neared him and forced himself not to meet Aragorn's eyes as two fingers hooked under his chin and brought it up in an attempt to force the elf to do exactly that. Legolas looked away determinedly; he refused to give the human the pleasure of seeing the pain, fear and anger within them.
"What am I going to do with you, Legolas?" The human asked softly to no one in particular. "My exquisite slave…my rare pet…"
Legolas jerked away involuntarily, those words striking something deep within him. He'd heard them before, and could not suppress the fear welling up within him at their use again. Aragorn laughed at him. Legolas flinched from the cruel sound. He had heard Aragorn laugh so many times before, but now it was a mocking, harsh noise making fun of him.
"My, my, a little nervous, are we?" Aragorn taunted. "A little…scared, Legolas? Scared…of a human…poor little Elf…"
Legolas swallowed the burning hatred rising in his throat and tried to let the words flow past him, to wash over him and not harm him, like water. But they clung to him and would not let go, and deep down inside activated the fear that he thought he'd gotten rid of a long time ago.
"What are you going to do?" he asked in a low tone, refusing to let his voice betray his tumultuous emotions. "If you are going to kill me, edain, do it." His voice was hardened and bitter.
"I can understand how you are having a difficult time accepting this, Legolas," Aragorn said, his tone soothing, ignoring the prince and seeming to sense to choked emotions behind the words. He put an arm around Legolas's shoulders, from which Legolas immediately recoiled, but even as he did so the arm tightened, clearly signifying that he should stay put, and Legolas was forced to do so. It was almost, almost like before, when Aragorn would hold Legolas, and tell him it was going to be all right and just be there for his friend. Legolas shivered, remembering those times.
So similar yet unlike now.
A hand on his hair made this distant, far-off reminiscence even more painful and real.
Legolas jerked his head away. His breath came to him in sharp hisses as he tried to calm himself, tried to get a grip on his raging emotions. Only his friend Aragorn would he allow to touch him like that. Never this cruel monster Aragorn had become.
"Don't pretend to be my friend," Legolas whispered fiercely. "Why this new façade? One where you pretend to help me, then as you hold me you stab me in the back? It would be fitting. Poetic, almost. A friend murdering an unsuspecting, loyal friend for his own gain. But no more can I can expect out of a Man."
"Typical Elven outlook," said Aragorn regretfully. He stood for a moment looking contemplative, before giving some commands to the guards in a language Legolas had never before heard. The guards snickered quietly among themselves, elbowing one another in sickening knowing.
After a moment he swept over and drew a knife. Legolas flinched instinctively as the sharp metal left its sheath, making a shhiiing! sound, but Aragorn merely sliced into his bonds and severed them with a single swift cut. Legolas looked at him uncertainly before rising to his feet, not knowing what to expect. A wave of apprehension swept over the elf. He looked to Aragorn for answers but the human ignored him and swept from the room, looking pleased with himself.
"Have your fun, but do not forget, you are not to seriously injure him," he called back over his shoulder before vanishing from sight.
Keren and Mathos approached Legolas while Renith secured the door. The two were smirking.
"We have orders to take you to the lord's chambers," said Mathos, a glint in his eye that Legolas did not like. "And if you don't cooperate, elf, we have been given permission to do what we like with you."
"Such impressive listening skills," Legolas replied dryly.
Their eyes darkened in anger, and Keren produced some metal shackles from his belt and started towards the Elf. "Come on, elf…come here…"
Legolas's eyes widened in mock consideration. "So you can use those—" he indicated with a nod of his head towards the shackles— "to bind me? Let me think…" he tilted his head to the side, staring at them thoughtfully. "…um…no."
"Fine then," said Keren, looking more pleased than he should at the elf's blatant refusal. This arrogance, Legolas decided, would have to be dealt with."I guess we'll have to do this the hard way."
"I guess so," said Legolas breezily. He wondered why Aragorn had left him with only three guards when the man knew perfectly well that the Elf would be able to dispose of such a small number with ease.
Mathos rushed at him from the front while Keren circled round him, clearly hoping to catch the elf from behind.
Legolas easily blocked the first blow aimed at his head from Mathos.
"You'll have to do better than that if you hope to take me to Aragorn within the next fortnight," he taunted them.
Growling incoherently, Keren aimed a kick at his stomach. Reaching down, Legolas was able to grab the outstretched leg and twist it hard before shoving the man backwards by the bottom of his foot. To finish the job nicely he stepped over and cleanly broke the leg at the calf.
"I am sorry I had to do that," he said regrettfully as the man wheezed on the ground, clutching his leg and glaring at the elf through pain-filled eyes.
Now Renith had joined the fight. He drew his sword and was advancing upon the Elf who was nonchalantly toying with the second human to cross him.
Legolas glanced over as the sun caught the glint of the sword. "Ah, ah," he said reprovingly. "I thought Aragorn told you not to injure me?" he said with a raised brow.
"Seriously injure," corrected Renith with a snarl.
"Well," Legolas said with the air of one doing some great thinking. "Somehow I believe he meant you were not to use any unnatural weapons on me. You see, I believe that severed limbs or pierced gullets qualify as 'serious injuries', and it is unlikely that anything less than that shall happen when cold steel such as the tool in your hand is involved."
"Huh?" Puzzled by the eloquent speech, Renith scowled deeply at the elf for speaking in such refined manner; he was unused to such finery of speech. "Fine, then, you don't want me using a sword—cooperate, and I'll put it away."
"Ah…" said Legolas, with very wide, innocent eyes, trying hard to keep his mirth off his face. "I see. If I agree to be bound, you shall replace your sword into its proper sheath."
"Aye," Renith agreed. Mathos had stopped trying to take on Legolas single-handedly; he was now standing a little behind Renith. It pleased Legolas to see the guard looking very apprehensive. He supposed that the large purple bruise forming on Mathos's left cheek might be the reason why.
"Oh, very well," Legolas sighed, the very face of innocence and compliance. "I do not wish to face your sword unarmed—come here, bind me." He held out his wrists obligingly.
"I knew you could be reasonable," grunted Renith. Legolas could easily read his eyes: this way it'll be easier to play with him, anyway. He sheathed his sword and Legolas mentally laughed at what a complete idiot he was.
Renith took the shackles from Keren, ignoring his fellow's groans of pain, and approached Legolas with them.
The second the cold metal snapped closed around Legolas's left wrist, the Elf sprung into action. Yanking his right wrist far from the left so it could not be caught in the same trap, he swung the shackles around and hit Renith directly in the face with them.
"Bloody elf!" Renith swore as the red liquid poured from his nose. It appeared to have broken, Legolas thought with satisfaction. Fumbling, the human tried the reach his sword with one hand and hold his hurting nose with the other, but the second the weapon left his sheath Legolas had knocked it from his hand. He picked it up and used the flat side to quickly knock Renith senseless. He sprinted to where Keren was sitting whimpering, and did the same to him. The man slumped over lifelessly, though Legolas knew he was not dead.
He then turned to Mathos, who was shaking, wide-eyed now that the tables had been turned and suddenly the little game had turned against him. His own sword was drawn, though he quickly discovered it was quite useless against the far more skilled elf.
"Shall we duel?" Legolas said brightly.
The 'duel' lasted for about three seconds—one second for Legolas to bound over to Mathos, one second for the elf to knock the sword from his opponent's hand, and one second to knock the guard into darkness for a few hours.
"Entirely too easy," Legolas said aloud. He retrieved the key to the shackles from Keren's pack and in doing so discovered three more pairs of shackles. He hooked the guards' hands together and used their own cuffs to bind their hands. He still had the pair they had tried to use on him, so he unlocked them and stuck them on his own belt for future use.
The door was locked, but Legolas discovered that the key to this door was also contained on Renith's belt. Pleased at what a fool the man was, he cautiously unlocked the door and peered outside.
The dark corridor was deserted.
Legolas crept down the hallway, keeping to the walls as much as he could. He came to a corner and began to creep around it, when suddenly voices sounded from the other side. Startled, the ring of keys nearly slipped from his grasp. He managed to catch them but in the process they scraped against the wall, causing the slightest of noises that nevertheless seemed to carry throughout the painfully echoey corridor.
He froze as the voices halted.
"What was that?" said one man. "I thought I heard something…"
"What was what?" snapped a second. "You're going daft, Ethin, I swear…oh! Ah, yes, of course…right away. I'll get it straightaway."
Legolas had no idea what this last bit was about, but it didn't matter. He held his breath, and, much to his relief, the voices faded and eventually disappeared.
Swallowing, Legolas noiselessly sneaked around the corner, expecting to find a deserted hall.
He walked right into Aragorn instead.
He gave a gasp of surprise and tried to run backwards, but in an instant Aragorn had sprinted forward and, seizing the Elf around the waist, had tackled him and successfully pinned him to the ground.
"I thought that might be you," growled the human, anger unmistakably written all over his face. "Don't think I didn't hear you, or at least…" he glanced down and spotted the keys in the elf's hand. "I heard them. I assume my guards are dead, then?"
"Not dead," Legolas replied tightly, angry that he'd allowed himself to be caught so quickly and also trying to shrink the fear within him that accompanied being caught. "Injured and unconscious, maybe, but not dead. I do not kill for pleasure. I am not like you."
"Save it," Aragorn said shortly. He plucked the keys from Legolas as well as the spare shackles. Flipping the Elf easily onto his stomach he grasped his hands and closed the rings around Legolas's wrists.
He stood, and pulled Legolas up as well. "Walk," he commanded, a firm hand on his shoulder like a rudder, guiding the Elf.
Legolas resented the order, but he knew he was in deep enough trouble already, so he didn't fight it.
After turning a few more corners and crossing an empty courtyard, Legolas was lead to a small collection of rooms, one of which Aragorn unlocked and pushed him into. A small entourage of tough-looking men—considerably more worthy opponents than those Legolas had just disposed of—was waiting for them.
Aragorn closed and locked the door behind them. He shoved the Elf towards the men—there were five in all—and tossed one of them the keys.
"You know where to bind him," was all he said as he sat down on a chair near the window and watched and waited.
The shackles were removed from his wrists, but not for long. In fact, the instant they had been unlocked Legolas found himself being dragged to the floor and held there. The left shackle was placed around his respective wrist, and the right was looped around one of the feet of the bed before being locked onto his other wrist.
His ankles were likewise secured, only to a permanent lamppost instead. Apprehension gnawed at him yet he hid it under a mask of cool calm. His stomach flipped when his upper tunic was ripped from his back. He had been tortured before, but that did not mean that each time he was presented with it again he did not fear it. Staring at the floor he could not see what they were doing, but he heard Aragorn say, "All right, that's fine. You may go. Wait outside."
He heard the sound of booted feet obediently exiting, and then of the door shutting.
Aragorn picked up a match and lit a candle near the bedside, a madly satisfied look on his face.
Legolas was puzzled for a moment; it was broad daylight and no extra light was required.
It cme closer to his skin and reality set in rather dully. He could feel it…the flame descended on his skin…mauling it, scorching it, kissing his flesh with a red flame of death…
He gritted his teeth against the impending pain, having no intentions of showing any pain at all.
The door opened.
Suddenly the torment stopped as quickly as it had begun.
Legolas looked up to find Aragorn glaring irritably at the man who'd dared interrupt him.
"What?" he snapped at someone Legolas could not see.
"My lord," came an apologetic man's voice. "The delegate…is here…I did not think you would want to keep him waiting, sir…"
"Fool!" The look on Aragorn's face at having been interrupted before he had even begun to torture his prisoner mde the guard shrink away. Legolas saw Aragorn throw a quick glance at his prisoner then back to the man at the door.
"Tell him I'm coming," he snapped. He stood up, putting the candle aside.
"Rest while you can," he sneered at Legolas. "I will be back."
He left with the guard.
Legolas sighed, relief that he knew would not last long sweeping through him. He had gotten lucky.
He would be left alone.
For now.
Meep. Okay, so that chapter was NEARLY the same as it was originally. Anyway. Review, please. Danke.
