Hello all, meaning my mostly silent readers: it would be great if you not only read but reviewed as well, because feedback is the author´s air and chocolate, the salt in our soup, the Aragorn to our Legolas...so I would greatly appreciate it. It´s also just nice to communicate with people who live far away but share the same interests and whom you otherwise would never have "met"...

In this chapter, things are turning from bad to worse for our friends, both of whom are having a hard time, if very differently...

Enjoy!

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Chapter 4: No Cuddling

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Aragorn was tired, and he did not want to think anymore. But his thoughts were racing nevertheless; he had been bound to four poles again, and due to the gradually increasing pain in his joints and the cold he was unable to drift off to sleep.

He could not see Legolas, who was lying a few feet away, but it was good to know he was there, if equally helpless.

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Legolas wished he could undo the tight bonds that secured his hands, but he did not dare to move. If the Orcs saw it, his disguise would be spent. He knew Aragorn was right, but it made him mad to have to keep his eyes closed for so long, and to stay limp like that. He knew he was better off than his friend, as elves did not feel the cold and also healed faster than humans. He had indeed been hit on the head quite severely a few days ago, but he hardly felt that anymore. He was tired as well, a weariness that settled in his head rather than in his bones. He hated to be this helpless, and he desperately wished to speak to Aragorn, see if he was alright, and ask him how he had found him at all.

It had been very comforting to be close to him for a short while, even if it had meant to swallow the disgusting bread and be fed like a child. He had felt that Aragorn´s hands had been shaking ever so slightly, and assumed that he must be exhausted after the day´s walk. So he had dared to speak, had whispered only one short word: "Lean."

And Aragorn, despite his weariness, had understood, and closing his eyes, had leaned forward until his forehead had touched the elf´s. Legolas had immediately sensed the distress and sorrow which troubled his friend´s mind, similar to his own but more desperate, and had tried to comfort him, had tried to make him see that there was still light as long as they did not give up hope and trust in each other.

He could feel that Aragorn was starting to calm down soon, but then an Orc had approached them and viciously kicked the Ranger´s arm: "No cuddling!", he had leered, causing the others to laugh. Aragorn had winced and barely been able to suppress a painful hiss. Legolas had nearly lost his patience, if his friend had not held him down with his good arm, putting gentle but firm pressure on his chest to tell him not to rise and shout.

They then had pulled Aragorn away from him, and Legolas hoped he had been able to find some rest meanwhile.

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Early the next morning the Orcs roused again. When they pulled Aragorn up, his knees sagged, having been immobile for too long, stiff from the cold and still weary from exhaustion. He could not help but sink against one of the Orcs, which growled: "Do not try that again, filth!"

The group´s leader joined them: "What did he do?", he demanded.

"He tried to attack me, sir!"

Aragorn looked at him, bewildered, but before he could say anything, the leader backhanded him so violently that he lost his balance and landed hard on the ground, which was spinning. His temple felt like it had been set on fire, and his ears were ringing. He felt nauseous and dizzy.

He was yanked on his feet again before he had regained his senses: "You will apologize immediately", the leader growled, his foul breath making Aragorn even more nauseous.

"I did not...attack him", Aragorn panted, not willing to accept the false accusation. Everything fell silent.

"Liar!", the leader then roared and hit him again; this time, Aragorn was being held by two other Orcs, otherwise the impact would have send him back to the ground.

"I will deal with you tonight", the Orc growled very close to his face, "you may look forward to it!"

Then Aragorn´s hands were bound and tied to the rope anew, and they headed off.

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Legolas gritted his teeth; he was on the brink of tears, and he did not think he could stand it any longer. Still, he would have to wait what that foul monster had in mind for his friend.

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Aragorn merely stumbled along; his head was still spinning and ached fiercely, affecting his sight, and he felt more blood running down his cheek. He tried not to think about what the Orc had meant, but he felt fear welling up in him nevertheless. Orcs were known for their brutality and mercilessness, and he did not wish to experience what they were capable of.

Although the day was long and and they did not halt once, it seemed to be over much faster than he had expected. As his vision remained blurred and foggy, Aragorn could not look at the sun to determine the time of day, and he was rather surprised when they finally stopped. He had been walking in a kind of stupor, ignoring the Orcs´ occasional thumps and teasing.

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Now his bonds were being taken off, and as before, two of the Orcs grasped his arms and held him between them.

The Orcs´ leader crossed his arms and looked at him: "Not so cheeky now, eh, Ranger?", he asked mockingly. Aragorn had a hard time focusing on him.

"I did not attack...him", he insisted nevertheless.

Legolas lay some feet away, but heard it clearly, and wished Aragorn had not said anything; it would only make it worse. His friend´s voice sounded strained enough already.

The Orc stared at his prisoner in disgust, then he turned to his men: "Did you hear that?", he asked. "He sticks to his lie! We will have to punish him for that!" And while the Orcs cheered at that, he nodded to the one holding Aragorn´s right arm; it was the one who had claimed to be attacked.

He grinned maliciously and jerked the arm towards him; Aragorn could feel how his shoulder was being dislocated and gritted his teeth. But the Orc did not stop at this; within seconds, he tightened his grip around the arm and broke it. Aragorn gasped audibly and paled, his knees sagging again.

The Orcs cheered even louder.

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Legolas fought hard not to jump up; he knew it would do no good, but he could not stand hearing his best friend suffer. Very cautiously, he opened one eye, assuming that the Orcs´attention would be wholly on Aragorn, and he was right. Hastily, he started to move his wrists; it hurt, but he gritted his teeth. This might be the once chance they had talked about earlier, only how he could leave here while Aragorn was being mistreated like that, he did not know.

It did not take him long to slip first one slender wrist out of the loosened knot, then the other. He had just gotten to his feet, when he heard Aragorn moan, it sounded like he was trying to suppress screams of agony. Legolas´ heart pounded so painfully that he did not even notice the unpleasant sensation of the blood returning to his legs. Tears were streaming down his cheeks freely now, he could not hold them back.

He needed a weapon. Every Orc´s attention was on Aragorn, so Legolas dared to move silently; hastily, he searched the group´s gear and packs. But he did not find any weapons. Cursing, he looked around, and then he had an idea.

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Aragorn´s breath came in ragged little gasps; the pain was too much, he could not help it. They had broken his arm in three places and kicked against his ribs repeatedly.

The Orcs´ leader regarded him with evident pleasure: "You might just have learned a lesson here", he gnarled, "but just to make sure, we will continue tomorrow..."

With that, laughing sardonically, he landed his fist in Aragorn´s stomach once more. Through the dense fog of pain and queasiness, Aragorn felt that he was being released and tossed on the ground, causing him to fall on his injured arm. It was enough to make him lose his consciousness.

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TBC