Lord of the Rings 1. Predicting Bad Weather

Disclaimer: I own nothing Tolkien created.

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**Sold Into Ruin**

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WARNING: Mentions of rape in later chapters!!! You have been warned.

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**Chapter 1 - Predicting Bad Weather**

"I suppose you're enjoying this?" Aragorn said, his voice low with anger at his bedraggled companion.

"What makes you think that, my dear Estel?" the Elf beside him laughed. Their voices could barely be heard above the roaring wind and driving rain.

"Because you always enjoy this kind of thing. Lost, in the middle of nowhere during a violent storm, after fighting Orcs for a whole month. Sometimes I think you do it on purpose just to make these trips as miserable as possible for me," Aragorn replied, his voice sulky and full of annoyance. Legolas knew he was only teasing though.

"That is utter nonsense, Estel. As if I would ever do such a thing." Legolas smiled slightly, although this was missed by the Ranger at his side, who was fighting to keep his hood up against the strong wind and rain and walk in a straight line at the same time. "Besides, we are not 'lost in the middle of nowhere'. I know exactly where we are and I am sure there is a town around here somewhere. I saw it on the map earlier." Legolas nodded off into the hazy distance but even his enhanced elvish sight was hindered by the heavy rain.

Aragorn shook his head. "With your sense of direction 'somewhere' could be on the other side of Middle Earth." Aragorn couldn't help but laugh when Legolas shot him a thunderous glare, something that could be seen even through the bad weather.

"As I recall, it was you who got us lost in the Misty Mountains that time. You even get lost in Imladris, something I had previously thought impossible, especially for one who grew up there," Legolas retorted. Aragorn instantly knew that he wasn't going to win this fight but he was certainly going to try, at least it gave them something to do during their increasingly miserable trek.

"And was it not you who led us right into that Orc lair that time? You thought it would be good shelter but it turned out to be the home of three dozen Orcs, all hungry and waiting for their next meal to drop by." Legolas took a moment to remember the incident, something that had happened nearly seven years ago, not long for an Elf but a fair time for the mortal Man.

"Well, it is not my fault that Orcs insist on living in well-sheltered places," was Legolas' rather feeble answer. "And I do believe that you had some part in that particular adventure as well. Anyway, it all turned out alright in the end, didn't it?"

"Oh, yes. We were three weeks late home, barely alive, and I believe it was raining then as well. I spent the rest of the week recovering and getting almost continuous lectures from my father. Not your finest moment, mellon nin **(my friend)**."

"I can do a great many things, Estel, but controlling the weather is not one of them," Legolas said, his smile replacing his previous mock anger. "At least we did get home in all those situations. That is something to be thankful for."

"Indeed. However, I think this time we shall be drowned before we reach home - if we ever do," Aragorn said under his breath. It was loud enough for the Elf to hear though and he shot Aragorn a playful warning look. "Especially if we continue following your direction."

"I told you, there is definitely a town around here. It cannot be much further and complaining about the weather will not change it, as well you know, Estel. Now, come on, the quicker we walk the quicker we will reach this town and be warm and dry," Legolas said cheerfully.

"That's if it even exists," Aragorn mumbled, earning himself yet another angry look from the Elf.

**

Legolas, Prince of Mirkwood, and Aragorn, heir to the Throne of Gondor, were just returning from a hunting trip. Their prey being the ever-increasing number of Orcs that roamed Middle Earth in these dark times. They had intended to be gone a month, starting out from Imladris and working their way steadily towards Mirkwood to visit Legolas' father, Thranduil, before finally returning to Imladris, most likely to recover from the numerous injuries they would sustain during their inevitably eventful travels.

This little trip was something they had been planning for some time. Elrond - Aragorn's adoptive Elvish father and Lord of Rivendell - had been happy to let them outside the borders of Imladris for some time now and this had seemed like the perfect opportunity. They had packed enough supplies to last them a couple of months, knowing their trips rarely went according to plan, and had set off with just each other for company. During their time hunting they had killed a good number of Orcs and so far the journey had been remarkably uneventful, with nothing but the odd scratch to hinder their progress. They had been enjoying their time away from their homes and over-concerned families. They both loved their respective father's dearly but to be out of their sight and in the middle of an adventure was what they loved. They liked being in each other's company and often arranged to meet up with each other despite the long distance between Mirkwood and Imladris and Legolas' increasing responsibilities as Crown Prince.

Over the past year, darkness had been steadily growing in Middle Earth and although none yet knew of the terrible danger in which their homes would later be placed they were all wary of the increasing evil. Elrond had agreed to Legolas and Aragorn going on this trip partially to help him understand exactly what they were dealing with. He knew this was a rather selfish reason but then his foster son could always take care of himself and Legolas was also a keen warrior. He knew nothing particularly terrible would happen so long as they stuck together, Legolas would ensure the Man's safety at all costs. His friendship with the human was seemingly unshakeable. Even when they had their differences they always forgave each other and their friendship was made all the stronger for its rocky patches.

Many times there had been clashes between the two of them, mostly over things that had happened in the past, things most people wouldn't understand. They had seen and done an awful lot during their time together and their combined knowledge of the outside world challenged even Elrond's. And yet despite having a rather long and exciting history behind them the two were as happy lounging in the gardens of Rivendell as they were fighting scores of Orcs or exploring undiscovered caves, something many others simply couldn't appreciate. They were, however, perfectly contented so long as they were doing something together, whether it be exploring or resting.

Aragorn was undoubtedly the more adventurous of the two, always wanting to be doing something. Even when they were supposed to be relaxing in Imladris he was climbing the trees - sometimes rather unsuccessfully, much to Legolas' amusement. Legolas had always laughed at the man's antics, often causing him to fall out of the particular tree he was climbing, which of course, only angered Aragorn further. Legolas could easily swing from branch to branch with absolutely no danger of falling. He was built to climb trees and to communicate with them, both of which he did on a regular basis. These skills naturally created a great deal of envy in Aragorn and he spent a lot of time trying to compete with his Elven friend and very often losing the battle.

The 'adventure' they were currently engrossed in, unfortunately for the Elf, didn't involve any trees, at least it hadn't for some time. This was something neither was particularly pleased about. Legolas hated being away from the trees for too long and so far they had seen nothing but vast, empty plains. Aragorn didn't like seeing the Elf the way he was when separated from the things he loved. He wanted to see his friend happy and so far this journey had made the Elf nothing but uncomfortable.

"Look at that," Legolas announced proudly, his voice almost carried away by the howling wind but still startling Aragorn from his thoughts. "The town is right up ahead," Legolas shouted triumphantly at his companion.

Aragorn stopped and looked ahead of them, he could just about make out the vague orange glow of candlelight burning in the windows of a mass of houses. Thanks to the dreary weather, Legolas' eyesight was no better than his human friend's, not something Aragorn liked very much. It was reassuring knowing his friend could see things he could not. Many times they had been in situations when the Elf had used his superior eyesight or hearing to their advantage and over the years Aragorn had come to rely on having the Elf's abilities act as a kind of early warning system.

"Legolas, that looks like a town of Men," Aragorn shouted back, knowing the Elf could hear him.

"I don't think we have much choice. It could be days before we find another place to shelter," Legolas replied.

Aragorn waited a moment before replying, "Alright, but don't say I didn't warn you." Legolas laughed and started forward again.

They had good reason for not entering towns of Men. They knew all too well how dangerous it could be in them, all sorts of reports of bad people doing bad things. Aragorn hadn't spent much time in towns of Men, having grown up amongst the Rivendell Elves and Legolas was not at all experienced in the ways of Men, probably due to the fact that his father hated them all so much. Legolas had simply never had to learn anything about them and his only exposure to the race was when he had met Aragorn, and in truth, that particular Man was not a typical example of the culture.

Entering the unknown town was not something they would normally be comfortable doing but right then they didn't have a choice. Although Legolas' prediction of drowning was unlikely to say the least, Aragorn was mortal and not immune to illnesses as the Elves were. They simply couldn't afford to stay out in this rain for too long. They didn't have any cover from attack and given their tiredness from the hike, neither were in the position to ward off an attacker anyway.

And so they, somewhat reluctantly, headed towards the dull lights in the distance. Legolas went in front, not as troubled by the driving rain as the man. Aragorn pressed on behind him through the wind. He admired the Elf's stamina; he never seemed to need rest, although even now Aragorn could see fatigue beginning to show on his fair face. After weeks without proper rest and the terrible weather that had followed them had tired them both out. Because of this, Legolas had taken many of the watches during their trip, knowing that the man needed more rest than him. Aragorn had not been keen on this but had agreed with the Elf's ever logical reasoning. However, he knew that Legolas would be equally thrilled to stay the night in a warm bed with a roof over his head, even if it was amongst unpredictable Men.

Finally, they drew nearer to the town and the first houses started to appear. Luckily, the tavern was on the outskirts of the town so the two travellers didn't have to walk through the entire settlement to get to it, something Legolas was particularly grateful for.

As soon as they reached the tavern, Legolas could sense that entering would be a bad idea. They walked up to the door and instantly heard the loud, drunken shouts of Men from inside. Aragorn looked across at his companion's face, which was almost invisible thanks to the cloak hood and the darkness of night around them. Legolas sensed Aragorn looking at him though and turned to face him.

"I think I know what you're going to say, mellon nin **(my friend)**," Aragorn said with a tired smile.

"I don't think this is such a good idea," Legolas replied, relieved at no longer having to shout. The buildings, although few, sheltered them a little from the wind and rain. "I don't believe it is safe." He looked up at the sign that was swinging backwards and forwards in the wind, its rusted fittings creaking ominously. "Something doesn't feel right."

Now, usually, Aragorn would have instantly turned away and ran very fast in the opposite direction when he heard Legolas mention that something didn't 'feel right', however, they didn't have a whole lot of choice in this instance. They knew that they couldn't carry on their perilous travels in the weather and that the rain would probably continue for the rest of the night and well into the next day. Aragorn shook his head, torn over what to do. He trusted his friend more than anything else in the world and always listened to what he said. Elves' instincts were nearly always right; they seemed to be able to sense danger, to hear it on the wind and in the trees. Aragorn could never understand it personally but he knew he should be very cautious if his friend thought there was something wrong.

Whilst Aragorn was debating his options, Legolas was staring intently up at the swinging sign, which he had just figured out said: **'The Handy Tavern'**, something which had previously been obscured by the sheer rain and the fact that the sign was practically falling to pieces.

Just as Aragorn was about to speak, the large oak door swung open and two men fell out in nothing but tattered shirts and trousers and walked, drunkenly, into the yard outside the tavern. Legolas looked questioningly over at Aragorn, who shrugged his shoulders, indicating that he had no idea what was going on. They both watched the pair circle each other and then realised what was happening.

Legolas looked over at the tavern and saw men gathered at the door and windows, cheering names that neither Legolas nor Aragorn recognised. The two men continued to circle each other and Legolas took a step back, pulling Aragorn with him. The last thing they wanted to do was get involved in a fight. The cheering grew louder when one of the men struck the other hard in the face. The hit man turned away, placing his hand against his bleeding lip then spitting blood on the ground. Legolas frowned; this wasn't something he had ever seen before, and although it was primitive, in the eyes of the Elves anyway, it was at the same time profoundly fascinating.

The man who struck first jumped up and down, his fists raised, then they began circling each other again. This time it was the second man who struck first and punched the other hard in the stomach, sending him to his knees in the mud. After a moment, and after the cheering had died down, the other got up and shouted something at his opponent. The words were carried away on the wind but Legolas guessed it wasn't anything polite. Again, they circled each other and then, rather unexpectedly, they ran towards each other, raining down blows wherever they could. The people in the windows and the doorway of the tavern cheered louder and Legolas even saw a few gold coins being exchanged. They were betting.

Legolas briefly looked to Aragorn, who was staring intently at the two figures. He then turned his attention back to the fight, which had now progressed to the inclusion of weapons. One of the men was holding a gleaming knife. This drove the crowd wild, their shouting increased and became the only thing that could be heard above the howling wind. One man swiped at the other but he managed to dodge it. They really had no technique at all, Legolas thought. The man with the knife struck again, this time catching his partner with the blade and sending him to the ground with a shriek, gripping his bleeding wound. Legolas went to move forwards to help him but Aragorn grabbed him by the arm before he could interfere.

The winner kicked the other man while he was writhing on the ground, sending him onto his stomach, his face in the mud. He kicked again and again until the man didn't move anymore. After a few seconds of silence, the victor flung his arms in the air and shouted something Legolas didn't catch. The crowd must have heard thought because they began cheering uproariously, although none of them ventured out into the rain.

The man stopped shouting and the crowd departed, going back to their drinks. The man gently kicked the body on the ground and smiled, tossing the knife in the air and allowing it to fall on the man's back. The victim made no move and Legolas and Aragorn knew he was dead. The victor walked back into the tavern but stopped when he saw Legolas and Aragorn standing just outside. Legolas only just realised that his hood had been blown back by the wind and had exposed his Elven features. He self-consciously pulled it back but the man had already noticed. He kept his eyes fixed on the piercing eyes that were inspecting him and held the gaze until the man looked away.

As he walked past them, the man shot one last glance at them and spat at Legolas' feet. The Elf cocked his head to one side, trying to understand what he had done to offend the man but by the time he went to ask him, he had already disappeared back inside.

Legolas and Aragorn stood for a moment, looking at the dead man with the symbolic knife in his back. They then turned to each other and looked at the tavern, whose door was now closed to the elements.

"And you wonder why I'm cautious about going in there?" Legolas said, gesturing to the man lying face down in the mud.

"Alright. If you honestly think we can carry on in this weather we will leave," Aragorn replied. Legolas sighed. He knew the man was right. They couldn't travel any more and this was the only place for them to stay and a makeshift sign in the window informed them there were vacancies.

"Alright, but I will not be blamed when all this goes wrong," Legolas warned jokingly, trying to lighten the atmosphere.

"Very well," Aragorn replied. "And if anything does go wrong then you can delight in saying 'I told you so' as many times as you like." Legolas laughed at this.

"That is an offer I simply cannot refuse."

With that, Aragorn opened the door to the Handy Tavern and allowed the Elf to walk in before following and closing the door to the elements. For some reason he felt like he had just sentenced them to trouble and that Legolas was going to have plenty of chances to say 'I told you so' in the near future.

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	2. The Handy Tavern

Disclaimer: I own nothing Tolkien created.

**

**Sold Into Ruin**

Warning: Rated for mentions of rape in later chapters. There's a little moderate violence in this one but nothing extreme.

**

**Chapter 2 – The Handy Tavern**

Aragorn walked through the hoards of people, looking around him cautiously for anything that might present itself as a danger to himself or his friend. It was a small place, much smaller than it looked from the outside. Although it was meant to feel homey, warm and inviting to Aragorn it just felt cramped and claustrophobic. It was also very hot inside, making it even more uncomfortable and oppressive, already he could feel his clothes drying out. This wasn't much of a comfort though, just being around all these men made him uneasy and he was certain Legolas was thinking the same thing.

He was making his way slowly towards the bar, which was right at the back of the building not the best place for them as they had to push their way through numerous drunken bodies to even get a room or get a drink. Most of the occupants were drunk, as would be expected in a tavern at that time of night. They began a loud, crude drinking song as Aragorn made his was to the bar, although it was soon forgotten as a small fight broke out in the corner. People bumped into Aragorn but he managed to stand his ground and he trusted his friend to do the same. He knew Legolas would keep up with him and that he would not allow himself to be pushed around by men, not even these drunken ones, who, although probably docile enough, made him very uneasy. He knew he shouldn't feel that way around his own kind but they were threatening to him.

Legolas was equally uncomfortable behind him. Although Aragorn, whilst making his was towards the bar, was clearing a path for him the men seemed to mould around them, closing in about him and making the room feel even more stifling. He was glad for the dryness and the heat but that was about all. The feeling that something bad was waiting for them here simply wouldn't go away, no matter how hard he tried to ignore it. Aragorn, he noticed, was also being extra cautious, no doubt due to his warning of danger. He liked the way the man blindly trusted what he said and found it increasingly difficult to believe that he was one of the same species as these drunks that were making him so uneasy.

The Elf looked around himself, taking in the images of the men filling themselves with foul-smelling drink. He could never understand why they preferred that vile liqueur to good wine. In Elven realms there was very little of the potent drink that men loved so much, they drank wine often but not enough to become severely intoxicated, which wasn't something they found at all enjoyable. After all, what was the point of drinking good wine but getting so drunk that you couldn't remember what it was like? To the race of Elves, who enjoyed the simpler things in life and had no need for such 'entertainments', this seemed a rather pointless thing to do, not to mention a waste of resources.

Legolas was trying to remain as close to Aragorn as possible, believing he had more of a chance of getting things right in this alien environment when he was with his human friend. Legolas knew he already stood out from the rest of the crowd and had no intention of getting into a situation that would get his friend and himself into trouble.

Suddenly, one of the drunken men placed his arm up as a barrier to stop Legolas from following Aragorn. The man stank of alcohol and Legolas instantly knew he was drunk; this was not going to be a pleasant encounter. Legolas stepped to one side to get past the man but he just stepped in front of him, not allowing him to move any closer to Aragorn, who had already been swallowed up by the roaring crowd. Legolas could very easily have pushed the man aside but he didn't think it was a good idea to cause a scene in this place, after all, men were fairly loyal to each other and they could certainly fight, as had been demonstrated a few moments ago outside. Legolas got the feeling that if he upset one of them he would upset all of them, something that would definitely get them either thrown out or killed, neither of which was a particularly attractive option.

Legolas stepped to the other side, still hoping to get past the man without getting into a fight. It seemed that it wouldn't be that simple though; the man stepped across, again blocking Legolas from getting past.

"Excuse me", Legolas said as politely as he could manage, stepping again. The man mirrored his movement and Legolas stopped, looking the man directly in the eyes, hoping to frighten him merely with his gaze before resorting to physical measures to remove the irritating man from his path. Legolas knew that this technique often worked with men as they had not the strength of will as the Elves, especially when it came to the fabled Prince of Mirkwood. He had inherited his father's steely blue gaze and his eyes told a lot about his inner musings. His father could make men turn and run with nothing but a well-placed glare but it was not something Legolas had had too much practice with, being of a far better temperament than his somewhat stern father. Still, he thought it was worth a try, anything to avoid a confrontation. Unfortunately for Legolas the man he was facing was not deterred by this usually effective glare and continued to stand in his way.

Legolas shifted uncomfortably on the spot whilst the man continued to stare intensely at him. As the man was trying his best to upset Legolas the Elf spotted Aragorn, now making his way back through the crowd and for the first time Legolas realised that most of the people had stopped talking and were looking at the two stood in the middle of the room, apparently about to fight. Legolas dreaded having to partake in the same spectacle as the two other men had outside but he had the feeling he would get little choice in the matter.

"Please, let's not do this," Legolas said, hoping to talk some sense into the man.

For a moment it looked like he might agree and he went to turn away before changing his mind and tipping the contents of his mug - a foul smelling alcohol - all over the front of Legolas' already sopping wet cloak. The Elf said nothing but just glared calmly at the man for a long moment. He then looked over at Aragorn, who had finally rejoined them. The man caught his eye and instantly saw the apology there. He nodded gently knowing what his friend was about to do and also knowing how much trouble it would probably get them in.

The other man meanwhile was occupied by firstly stupidly trying to drink out of his now empty mug and then laughing at Legolas and generally showing off in front of the other patrons who were also laughing uproariously.

"We really don't have to do this," Legolas said, trying one last time to persuade the man against the action he was planning on taking. The man looked at him for a moment, considering this and trying to decide whether he could realistically take Legolas on. He quickly made his decision and threw the empty mug aside and, rather quickly for a man, hit Legolas hard across the face. The man cheered when he felt the blow connect with Legolas' face. Legolas stood to his full, impressive height, which clearly frightened the man as he was suddenly very quiet. "I'm really very sorry Estel," Legolas said, smiling weakly at his friend.

"I don't think it's me you need to be apologising to," he replied, also smiling. "If I were you I'd walk away now, before you get into trouble," Aragorn advised the man, who was still cheering his minute victory over Legolas.

Legolas just nodded and suddenly hit the man, first in the face, causing blood to erupt from his nose and mouth, and then in the stomach so he doubled over in pain. The people in the crowd instantly exchanged coins, again betting on the winner and Aragorn overheard that so far almost everyone had bet on Legolas to win. This was going to be interesting, Aragorn smiled and handed the 'bookie' two gold coins. Legolas to win, it was a fairly safe bet.

The man finally recovered and went for Legolas again. The Elf, who was much swifter and lighter on his feet than any man, sidestepped him, allowing the drunken attacker to fall into an increasingly loud crowd. The man quickly regained his balance and again charged at Legolas, this time with a broken bottle in his hand. Legolas instantly saw the weapon and made sure that it was well away from him when he hit the man again, this time in the stomach. Whilst he was bent over in pain Legolas twisted this wrist and pulled the broken bottle out of his hand. He hit the man in the back so he fell forwards onto his front, crying out in paid as he did. Then Legolas place his foot on the back of the man's neck, making sure he couldn't move. He placed the bottle against the man's throat and smiled.

"This isn't playing fair, now is it?" he said, a hint of amusement in his melodic voice. He tossed the bottle aside and moved off the man. The crowd were silent for a moment before bursting into applause.

This was soon interrupted by a large man pushing his way to the front of the crowd so he could see the damage. Legolas assumed from the look of him that this was the owner of the tavern. He looked around for a moment; at the Elf, the man groaning in pain and the shards of glass from the bottle that Legolas had thrown out of the way.

"What happened here?" No one answered. "Who did this?" the man shouted, looking around himself for an answer. No one said a thing. The owner bent down and lifted the man's head up to see his face; he sighed and pushed it to the floor again when he saw the damage. "One more time. Who is responsible for this?" His voice was harsh and intimidating but Legolas was not about to be frightened by a Man. He stepped forwards.

"I am responsible for hurting him and for that I apologise. It certainly was not my intention when I came here to hurt anyone. I am merely a traveller and my friend and I were searching for somewhere to stay. We were making our way to the front when this man attacked me. I had no choice but to fight back. I offer my sincerest apologies and ask for your pardon on this matter."

Aragorn smiled as Legolas finished, leaving the whole tavern slightly in awe of the person who stood before them and in truth Aragorn couldn't blame them. Not only was Legolas a warrior and knew how to fight but he was also a skilled diplomat and often managed to talk himself out of bad situations, something that had proved very useful over the years. He spoke with authority and confidence that made it near impossible to doubt his words. He had learnt all this from his father, who had personally trained him, from a very young age, to be the perfect prince. This involved the upmost diplomacy in certain situations and Legolas had mastered it very quickly indeed and often put it to good use in his trials outside the Woodland Realm of Mirkwood. In his mind, fighting was always a last resort, apart from when it came to Orcs or other such enemies where no amount of reasoning could dissuade them from killing everything in sight.

The owner looked slightly taken aback when Legolas bowed before him. He could still see the faint glow coming from the being's body and the slightly pointed tips of his ears showed slightly when he bowed and his hood fell forwards. An Elf coming to a tavern like this was almost completely unheard of in the towns of Men so this was a great honour and an even greater surprise to the owner. He didn't even know the Elf's name but he knew he was someone of great importance from the way he spoke. Not many such articulate speeches were made in his humble tavern.

Aragorn stepped forward and also bowed to the man, hoping to increase his sense of awe and let him know that no secrets were being kept from him. He pulled back his hood and revealed his face, letting people see him. He was confident he wouldn't be recognised here, few people knew that there was an heir to the Gondorian throne and even less knew his name or would recognise the face. He knew also that Legolas could not reveal his features to the people, they would be able to accept a Man but an Elf was an entirely different matter. Ever since the War over three thousand years ago there had been a growing distrust between Men and Elves, one that was still evident all these years later.

"I too apologise. It was I who brought us here. I thought we could seek shelter in your tavern. We didn't come here with the intention of causing you any trouble." Legolas looked across at Aragorn and the man could see the faint glint of amusement flickering in the Elf's blue eyes. Legolas knew that Aragorn was never one to grovel in front of others, it took weeks of encouragement to even get him to apologise to someone that he knew let alone in front of complete strangers.

"Well…err…yes, of course. No harm done I suppose. He was a trouble-maker anyway. Deserved all the got," the owner laughed uneasily, not wanting to lose such valued customers. People who spoke like that were bound to have money he assumed, and to him money was far more important than loyalty to his regulars. "Come on now, one of you pick him up and throw him outside before he bleeds everywhere." Two people stepped forwards and picked the groaning man up off the floor. He already had a huge bruise forming on his eye and blood was pouring out of his nose and his wrist was clearly broken from where Legolas had twisted it to get the bottle away from him. The man didn't even seem to notice he was being moved.

The owner soon spoke up again; keen to get the business of the newcomers before they decided to take their custom, and their money, elsewhere.

"Now, you said you wanted to stay the night," he said, his voice full of welcoming now. "Let's get you a room, then, shall we?" He rubbed his hands together and made his way through the crowd towards the front desk.

Aragorn smiled and looked across at Legolas, who was walking calmly through the people who were clearly fascinated by him. His display of strength and speed had clearly impressed them. In truth, some of them were even a little frightened by him. They, like the owner, were certain there was something about this 'man', as they thought of him, something that not only frightened them but also reminded them of nobility. Little did they know how close to the truth they were.

"Well done, mellon nin **(my friend)**," Aragorn said quietly to Legolas.

"How much did you win?" Legolas smiled, knowing fully well that Aragorn had placed a bet on him.

"Enough," Aragorn answered, showing Legolas the coins the bookie had just handed him. Legolas merely smiled again.

Aragorn knew that Legolas hated this kind of fighting. It was one thing to fight Orcs in battle, even other evil creatures: goblins, trolls, spiders and other enemies were liable to be killed by him in battle, he could even manage to kill them face to face but he didn't like hurting his own people, or men he knew weren't evil as such. Legolas would fight anything that threatened his friends or his home, even if it meant hurting other Elves in the process but hand to hand combat with someone he had no grudge against was not something he enjoyed and he endeavoured to avoid it as much as possible.

They finally reached the bar and the man slipped behind it whilst Aragorn and Legolas waited on the other side. The men that had been previously sitting there had quickly vacated their seats when they saw Legolas coming; none of them wanting to anger him or receive the same treatment as the last man that had crossed him. Legolas looked around him and noticed how much the crowd had thinned. Being an Elf and having such a strong connection with nature and the outdoors Legolas and all Elves were able to simply 'know' the time merely by a 'feeling' and they were nearly always right. When they were in daylight they relied on the sun to tell them what time it was but mostly this was used to merely confirm their suspicions. Anyway, Legolas knew it had to be about one in the morning, late even for a tavern such as this. Legolas guessed it would be too long before people started leaving. In Elven realms parties often went on for many days and nights. However, this was clearly not a special occasion and, although he knew little about the ways of men, he guessed they would be returning to their homes soon.

The owner leaned over the bar so they wouldn't have to shout over the noise of the remaining drunken patrons.

"Now, can I get you gentlemen a drink?" he asked cheerfully.

"Thank you but no," Aragorn replied. "We only wish for a room to stay in. We have travelled a long way and are in need of rest." He decided not to elaborate too much as this might have led to questions that neither of them wanted to answer. It was definitely best for this man to know as little as possible about them, especially after Legolas' previous warning of danger.

"Ah, right." The man seemed wary of them and he had every right to be so. They had, after all, started a fight in his establishment only minutes after their arrival, something that didn't seem too rare but still, Legolas decided that he wouldn't trust them either.

"I understand you treating us with caution, and very wisely so if I might say, but I can assure you that that was just a misunderstanding. We can pay for our accommodation in advance and we will be glad to pay for any damages sustained to your establishment. I can only apologise once more for our behaviour upon arrival and attempt to persuade you that it will not happen again." Legolas slid a gold coin onto the counter to emphasise his statement and Aragorn couldn't help but be slightly surprised by his knowledge of how to deal with Men.

The owner stared at the coin for a second, debating whether or not to take it. He evidently made up his mind as he shouted for his servant to come quickly with the keys to room four. Legolas smiled over at Aragorn, who shook his head at the Elf's antics.

When the servant had disappeared out back to find the key to their room, the owner leaned over the counter and gestured for the two travellers to do the same. They did so with a confused glance at one another.

"I was just wondering why you were travelling in these parts. People such as yourselves aren't very often seen in this kind of place. Are you some kind of…" he lowered his voice to a whisper "of royalty?"

Legolas and Aragorn looked at each other, they knew better than to reveal their true identities. It had gotten them into a lot of trouble in the past and they weren't about to make the same mistake again. Suddenly, and rather unexpectedly for both men, Legolas began laughing.

"Sir, you are severely mistaken," he laughed. "I am a diplomat from Gondor and this is my apprentice. We are travelling through the major cities advising as we go. Unfortunately it is not as good as royalty but I appreciate the compliment." Aragorn could hardly believe what he was hearing. Of course, Legolas had told such stories before. In fact, both were well-practiced at it, they had had enough experience lying to their fathers, but he had never come up with anything like this before. Aragorn was usually the one who did the story-telling in these cases; still, it seemed to please the owner, who stood back in relief with a nervous laugh.

"Thank the Gods for that. I was starting to get worried. Royalty in this old place! Would never happen would it?!" he laughed. Aragorn smiled over at Legolas, revelling in the irony of it all.

"No, I suppose it wouldn't," Legolas said gently. "Now, as you can imagine, our travelling has been long and tiresome so we would much appreciate a room in which we can rest, unless it is too much trouble for you in which case we could take our custom elsewhere," Legolas said, putting the coins he was holding back into the small pouch he was carrying.

"No!" the owner exclaimed before they could turn away. "I'll go and find that idiot servant of mine and get you that room." He then went off, shouting for his servant and leaving Legolas and Aragorn at the bar surrounded by men.

They didn't notice one particular man paying them more attention than most. He sipped on his beer and looked unblinkingly at them whilst they were waiting for the owner's return. It was only when they left on their way to their room that the man put down his drink and made his way slowly to the bar.

**

**A/N: Please review and tell me what you think. I know it's been a little slow but next couple of chapters we'll really properly get into the main story.**


	3. The Calm Before The Storm

Disclaimer: I own nothing Tolkien created.

**

**Sold Into Ruin**

******

Warning: Rated for mentions of rape in later chapters.

**

**Chapter 3 – The Calm Before The Storm**

"Well, that was interesting," Aragorn said, swinging his bag onto the bed and promptly throwing himself on afterwards. "Very good work though. I had no idea you were so skilled in the manipulation of Men."

While Aragorn was chattering behind him, Legolas was looking out the window into the storm. He could see nothing due to the heavy, driving rain but he still got the strangest feeling that something – or someone – was looking back at him. He allowed the thick drapes to fall back into place, effectively sealing them from the outside world. He then walked over to the door and made sure it was locked, not wanting to be surprised during their stay. He had paid the owner several gold coins to be on the lookout for anything suspicious and to report it to him immediately and of course to not let anyone into their room. Not that he told Aragorn any of this; the man would merely conclude that the Elf was being paranoid and that they were perfectly safe. After all, no one knew who they really were, and nothing could catch them by surprise. Still, Legolas wanted to be prepared for whatever danger was waiting for them and he was sure there was something and that they would find out what it was before the end of the night.

"Legolas please sit down and relax. No one followed us here and no one knows who we really are. These men are stupid but not that stupid; they saw what you did to that man in the bar. They wouldn't dare challenge you. I think you probably frightened them all too much to even look at you the wrong way." Aragorn sat up and looked at the Elf, who was stood in the middle of the room, looking around him, apparently making sure he knew the layout just in case something happened and they had to make a hasty exit.

Although Aragorn was trying to play down this threat he couldn't help but remember the Elf's earlier warnings, he had never ignored them before and he wasn't about to start now. He sighed to himself when he looked at Legolas. There was something in his eyes that told Aragorn they had to be really careful, that he was expecting something bad to happen at any moment. Aragorn had seen that look before, often right before they were attacked.

Elves seemed to be able to sense things far better than humans or other races in Middle Earth; they could sense danger and fear amongst other things. Like their connection with nature and ability to talk to the trees, it was something that neither they nor any other race could understand nor – the latter at least – accept. Despite this lack of knowledge on the subject, Aragorn had too much experience to disregard completely what Legolas' senses told him.

The Elf walked over to the bed and carefully took his white handled knives off his belt and placed them on the bedside table. The twin blades his father had given him on his Mirkwood Guard graduation day had stayed with him constantly throughout his younger years and even now he carried them in tribute to his father. Not to mention the fact that they had gotten him out of some tricky situations in his time. He unstrapped his quiver and placed it on the floor next to the bed. This was the first time Aragorn had seen him put his weapons down since the trip started and he briefly wondered whether Legolas had known something was going to happen before they even set off from Imladris.

"What I wouldn't give to have Lady Galadriel here right now to tell us what might happen," Aragorn half-joked.

Legolas merely smiled thinly at the man and took off his damp cloak, revealing a dirty green travelling outfit underneath. "Indeed, the Lady's insight would be most helpful right now. It seems though that you will have to make do with just one Elf, and although I do not possess the gift of foresight, I will do I can." Aragorn laughed at this.

"My friend, I didn't mean to doubt your abilities." Again he only got a slight smile from his companion. He watched as Legolas sat down on the bed and couldn't help but notice the Elf's tiredness. Although Elves had more stamina and endurance than men they still needed sleep and still got tired when they did not get it. Aragorn remembered how many nights Legolas had kept watch lately. "Come, mellon nin **(my friend)**. You need rest."

Legolas laughed and nodded thoughtfully. "Estel, you never cease to amaze me." He laughed again, looking at the man with sparkling blue eyes.

"How so?" Aragorn asked curiously.

"Here we are, surrounded by men who are probably plotting right now on how to kill us and all you can think about is sleep. No doubt you will be complaining about being hungry next."

"Well, I am a little peckish," Aragorn replied, causing Legolas to laugh at the man's behaviour. Aragorn couldn't help but smile at this, seeing his friend back to his usual jokey self was good, he seemed to have lost much of his cheerfulness during their long journey. Perhaps he was just impatient to get home, after all it had been a long time since he had last seen Mirkwood and his father and although he tried to hide it Aragorn knew he sometimes got a little homesick. "Come, get some rest. Maybe nothing will happen," he reasoned.

"Maybe…" Legolas sighed distractedly. He looked over at his friend and smiled. "Perhaps you are right, Estel. Perhaps this is all just a figment of an over-tired imagination. Still, I cannot help fearing that something is going to happen but I simply cannot place what it is." He sounded frustrated but it soon passed and for the first time he just looked defeated. This concerned Aragorn more than anything else. His friend had always been optimistic and to see him so dejected and upset troubled the man.

He tried to reassure him with comforting words but he didn't know how effective they were. "You are just tired, Legolas. You will see things more clearly after a good nights' sleep."

"You are starting to sound like your father," Legolas said, causing Aragorn to look at him in horror.

"Valar forbid that should ever happen. However, if that did sound like my father then it must be good advice." Aragorn seemed rather pleased at this conclusion and the comparison was quickly forgiven.

"Good advice indeed," Legolas smiled. "You are wiser than most give you credit for, Estel."

"I shall take that as a compliment," the man replied with a sly smile.

**

Downstairs in the bar the man who had been carefully watching the two travellers earlier that night wandered over to the desk, making sure he wasn't noticed too much. Luckily he had never been here before so it was unlikely that he would be recognised by anyone. This was a place full of hope for his business venture. He had found the perfect place to search and now he had found the perfect prey, not only that but his luck was further bettered by the owner being of a rather gullible and greedy nature. This should be no problem at all. One quick word, a few lies here and there, maybe the exchange of money and possibly some threats, and it would all be over before anyone even realised what was happening. Then came the difficult part.

Thankfully for him there weren't too many people left in the bar and those that had stayed were too drunk to notice what was going on and certainly wouldn't remember it the next morning. No, the environment was perfect, everything was right, just as they had planned. He placed himself slowly on the stool next to the bar and waited patiently for the owner to come over and serve him. This was the first time he had been to the bar that night, not wanting to arouse suspicion but also wanting to keep a clear head and not have his judgement clouded by the intoxicating effects of the tavern's alcohol.

When the owner eventually leaned over and asked what he wanted, the man smiled, put on his most polite voice and started explaining his plans for the night, not the truth of course, the man couldn't know too much, that would just cause trouble.

"You see, I was meant to meet someone, well, two people actually. They said they would be coming and that I was to meet them immediately. I was, however, rather delayed so I have no idea in which room they were staying." He watched the owner intently while he considered what he was being told. He looked suspicious, not a good sign.

"What are their names?" he asked, not trusting the man now stood before him. He knew who he was talking about but the one in the hooded cloak had paid him a lot of money to keep his silence.

The man looked around him anxiously, he didn't want this to take too long but he had to be patient and it would all be worth it in the end. "I don't know, they didn't tell me. They said I'd know where to find them once I got here but like I said, this weather delayed me so much that they could be anywhere by now. Perhaps if you could just tell me who checked in last, that might be them." The man smiled, knowing he was asking a lot but he had to try all the same. "Please, you don't want me to lose my job, do you?" he laughed feebly. The owner smiled, not convinced by what he'd heard. "Please."

"Can't be that bad outside any more then," the owner said. The man looked in confusion so the owner pointed a large finger at his clothes. They were dry. He cringed that he could have overlooked such an important factor. The owner smiled at him and crossed his arms in satisfaction of proving the man wrong.

The man laughed as best he could under the circumstances. "Yes, well…Alright. I have been waiting for them but I was nervous of meeting them out here." He leaned forwards to whisper to the owner. "There could be spies everywhere." At this the owner stood up straight and glanced around the room. That was it. The man knew he could get what he wanted now he had the owner believing his lies. His plan had worked – almost – perfectly.

"They did ask me not to say anything," the owner mused.

"I think they would appreciate you disclosing their room number on this occasion. Almost as much as I would." The man slid a pouch of coins over the counter, pulling the cord open and allowing a few coins to fall out in front of the owner's eyes. "I would really, _really_ appreciate your help."

The owner hesitated for only another second before finally agreeing to the request. He told him the room number and sat back down in his chair wondering at all the money he had 'earned' that night.

The man looked at the door leading to the rooms and smiled, that had cost him very little and now he would get his reward.

It seemed to the others, positioned around the room blending in with the background, that this was a lot of trouble for just two people. However, the man's experience in these matters told him otherwise. Storming the tavern would cause too much unwanted attention and probably endanger what they came for and their bigger plan, it would also alert their prey and cause a chase, something all men wanted to avoid. Do the least amount of work for the largest possible gain was their philosophy and it seemed to work quite well. This particular man also did his homework, he had seen what one of their prey had done to the man earlier on and he had no intention of getting into a fight like that in front of the others, it was too dangerous for him, especially if he lost, to die was not of great importance but to be defeated by people below him in front of his fellow workers would be too much for him.

Planning was the key in these matters and the man in charge of this hunt always planned ahead, sending people to locations to find suitable candidates, either the very weak (easy prey) or the very strong (hard workers) and neither type had a choice. He loved his job, delighted in it even. Although he was not officially required to do it and had plenty of others who also liked the thrill of the chase nothing excited him like being able to watch his victims squirm with fear when they realised what would happen to them, that their situation was hopeless, that there was nothing they could do.

Still, the two he now had his eye on, the travellers, seemed different, not the sort you usually find in such a place. They were also good fighters, or the taller of the two was. Yes, he was the special one, the leader could feel it. He was the important one, the one who would change everything and the other was just a happy bonus but nothing more. He might have his uses later on, he might even be as strong as the other one but so far he had done nothing to prove himself except speak a few intelligent words to the owner, something that could easily be sorted out with a little light 'persuasion'.

The man smiled and signalled for his colleagues to join him. They peeled slowly away from the crowd and walked through the door leading to the stairs. No one seemed to notice their departure, most were too drunk to care and the owner was still marvelling over the large amounts of gold he had received that evening. The intruders crept silently up the stairs, not wanting to make too much noise; they didn't want to alert anyone of their presence just yet, not until they got what they came for anyway.

**

Aragorn was sat by the fire whilst Legolas was fast asleep on the bed. The Elf had been exhausted, not even his superior masking skills could disguise that. Aragorn couldn't blame him; this weather, the long walk combined with the face he had little rest over the past few weeks gave him every right to be tired and Aragorn was quite happy to let him sleep in the bed whilst he took the chair by the roaring fire.

He watched Legolas sleep for some time, pleased that the Elf was finally getting some rest. Aragorn had also insisted that he change his clothes to allow his travelling gear to dry out. Luckily, the packs they had brought from Rivendell were fairly waterproof and Legolas had packed quite a few spare clothes, just in case. At least this way they could be warm and comfortable, for the first time in what seemed to Aragorn like forever. Although he knew this was an exaggeration he couldn't help but feel overjoyed at being able to rest properly in a warm place, without having to be on the lookout for predators or attackers.

Legolas turned over in the bed, the sound rousing Aragorn from his thoughts of their adventure. The Elf's eyes were open but Aragorn knew from their glazed look that Legolas was in the land of Elven reverie. Although it frightened other mortals to see Elves sleep with their eyes open Aragorn had never been bothered by it, presumably because he had grown up around such behaviour and no longer considered it to be odd or disturbing. Aragorn could only imagine what Legolas was dreaming of but from the looks of him it was no an unpleasant dream, his serene face indicated that he was not having one of his debilitating nightmares of the past.

Although Legolas was a trained warrior and had seen a lot in his time on earth one thing stayed with him more than any other horror he had ever experienced, it had haunted him day and night for most of his young life and even now, after hundreds of years, it still caused him pain. When he was young he and his mother, Nienna, had been kidnapped by Orcs and tortured. Although a terrified Legolas had survived and made it back to the Palace, Nienna had not. The Orcs' treatment of them had not been good and, although Legolas had never shared all the details with him, Aragorn understood that it had affected him more than he sometimes let on.

It had been an incident that had changed the young prince's life and his father's so dramatically. Their peaceful idyll had been shattered by the harsh reality of the world and all its horrors had been thrust upon Legolas in the most brutal way imaginable. Thranduil had spent years trying to convince his son that his mother's death was not his fault but Legolas was not hear it. He insisted that he could have dragged her home, even though he himself had been terribly beaten and had barely made it back. Ever since that day, after seeing that level of cruelty, Legolas had blamed himself for his mother's death, even when those around him didn't and consistently told him so.

This had only been revealed to Aragorn after years of the closest friendship and Legolas had never spoken of it afterwards, not even after one of the nightmares that would leave him terrified and in need of friendship. And Aragorn had never asked, knowing Legolas' feelings on the matter and that if he needed it his friend would come to him for help. Time, though, had never healed the dreadful memories of those days in the Orc's presence and it had never been openly discussed afterwards but Aragorn, knowing the Elf better than most, knew how much he was still affected by it. Elrond also knew something about it but he had always answered Aragorn's questions on the matter with vague replies, not really telling him anything he didn't already know. Soon after Aragorn realised that it was a highly sensitive topic and didn't speak of it again, with Legolas or Elrond.

Thranduil had once mentioned his wife during Aragorn's stay in Mirkwood. Legolas had bowed his head and Aragorn had watched as a range of emotions never before seen by the man played across his face. He had considered asking Thranduil about the effects of his wife's death on his son but seeing the King's reaction to the subject he had quickly rejected that idea, knowing all too well what Thranduil could do if pushed too far. The King loved his son and wouldn't say anything against him, not even to his best friend and especially not to a Man.

At that moment, however, Legolas did not appear to be haunted by his mother's memory, for which Aragorn was extremely pleased. A being as beautiful and as pure as Legolas should not have to suffer the pain of such a memory, not when it was so personal. If anyone deserved to be happy it was that Elf. Although he was not old, in Elven terms anyway, he had been through a lot. The death of his mother, the series of attacks on his home, growing up in such a dangerous place and, more recently, the adventures with Aragorn - although these were entirely voluntary and much enjoyed on both sides – had taken their toll on Legolas over the years. Still, some of the things Legolas had been through, with and without Aragorn, made the man wonder how he always managed to stay so cheerful, for this was something the Elf had mastered long ago and he had the ability to stay cheerful in any situation, as had already been shown that night.

**

TBC…


	4. Drinks Are On Me

**Disclaimer**: I own nothing Tolkien created.

**

**Sold Into Ruin**

******

**Warning:** Mentions of rape in later chapters, nothing overly explicit. There's a bit of fighting in this chapter but it's pretty mild.

**A/N****: A few reviewers mentioned that my elvish translations ruined the pace of the story. I started writing this almost two years ago, back when I didn't have the internet for a long time so I was writing purely for myself rather than anyone else and I'm only just getting back into fanfiction so please bear with me whilst I iron out the kinks in the first few chapters, hopefully it'll soon settle down into a proper format. There's no Elvish in this chapter but in future ones all translations will be at the bottom of the story instead of within. And to 'Ariadne Evans' review, I feel like it's important to translate the Elvish to English because there are some readers out there who don't know what these words mean and a translation is necessary so they can understand and enjoy the story too, but thanks for the tip and the new translations shouldn't get in your way anymore. Glad you like the story and hope you keep reading. I like to know if there are things that are annoying you folks as well as the things you're enjoying.**

**NovaBookworm: I can only apologise for the typos. My secretary (who is tied up in my basement with only a computer, a picture of lovely Legolas and the occasional bar of chocolate to keep her going) types ridiculously quickly so there are bound to be a few mistakes along the way and although I check it thoroughly things always slip through the net as any author knows. I hope they don't get in your way too much. As for Aragorn he is very important in the story and is by no means a sidekick, although I have to admit this is a very Legolas heavy story. But I love them both (although Legolas a little more!!) Thanks for the encouragement.**

**The laughing Mann: Thanks so much. I'm really glad you like the story. Here's your update. Quick enough for ya?**

**I hope that's answered all your questions and I'll be correcting that little translation thing from now on. You live and learn, right?**

**Anyway, glad you like the story and thanks SO much for the reviews, I love getting them. Please keep it up. There's nothing nicer than hearing that people like what you're writing.**

**Now, on with the story…**

**

**Chapter 4 – Drinks Are on Me**

The men walked carefully up the stairs, trying not to make too much noise. The last thing they wanted to do was attract the attention of the other occupants staying in the tavern, or worse, prematurely alert their prey of their presence. They knew from experience that surprise was the key to a successful capture and the two lonesome travellers would certainly be surprised when half a dozen armed men burst into their room at such a late hour. All that would be needed after their capture was a smooth, swift exit, a short ride and then it would all be over for the night and they could all return home and relax with the knowledge that they had successfully completed their task. Still, the thrill of the chase was all these men were thinking about right then. The leader motioned for three of them to stay behind and cut off any avenues of escape while the other three went in for the prey.

**

Aragorn was dozing in the chair in front of the fire when Legolas awoke. He could have sworn he had heard something from outside their room and he was convinced that this time it wasn't merely his imagination. He glanced over at Aragorn sleeping at an awkward angle in the old armchair, completely undisturbed by the sound but then he had not the sense of hearing that Legolas possessed, something that rarely betrayed him, especially not in situations like this when he was already alert for danger. He sat up in bed and looked around him at the shabby room; nothing had been disturbed during his short sleep so at least he knew there were no intruders – yet.

He got up quickly and silently walked over to Aragorn. He placed his hand firmly on the man's shoulder, which woke him instantly; he was stood up straight away and looking to Legolas for an explanation. Legolas said nothing but motioned to the door to tell his companion that there was someone on the other side. He walked on perfectly silent feet back to the bed and picked up his dagger, ready for whatever might come through that door. Aragorn also grabbed his sword from its scabbard lying on the floor and held it ready for action. Although he had heard nothing out of the ordinary, Legolas was never wrong about this kind of thing and he trusted the Elf unconditionally so he just waited patiently for something to happen. It seemed that Legolas had been right about something occurring this night. It was just unfortunate that they really had no idea what it was going to be.

The stiff door handle was pushed down but was quickly replaced when the person trying to enter found it to be locked. There was a short pause while the person outside thought about what to do next. Legolas could hear him or her rummaging around inside something, although he had no idea what. There was another short silence before a key slid into the lock – someone had a key! Legolas had told the owner that he didn't want to be disturbed but he hadn't considered that someone else might have a spare key. He berated himself for not having considered such a simple possibility.

The key slowly turned then was withdrawn, again there was a short pause before the handle was pushed down and the door slowly opened. Legolas and Aragorn gripped their weapons even tighter and adopted a defensive stance, prepared to fight whatever foe came through that door.

The door finally swung open to reveal their enemy…

"I brought you some drinks, sirs. Compliments of the patron." A small man Aragorn instantly recognised as the owners assistant shuffled in backwards, pulling a drinks trolley behind him, completely oblivious to the weapons pointed at him. Aragorn lowered his sword as the harmless man turned and gave them a slightly surprised but polite grin.

"I thought I made it clear that we were not to be disturbed," Legolas said rather too sharply to disguise his sigh of relief, also lowering his knife now he perceived no immediate danger.

"Yes, well, after your _very _generous tip, sir, the landlord thought you should have your pick of our finest." The man swept his arm over the drinks trolley to show what goods he had to offer. "And he said that if there is anything else you should need you only have to summon me and I'll bring it to you directly – free of further charge, of course," he continued, although the two travellers had already lost interest in what he was saying. Both were just relieved that something worse hadn't entered intent on killing them.

"Hold on, what tip would this be?" Aragorn asked, suddenly realising that they hadn't even paid for their rooms yet.

"I took the liberty of ensuring our safety and the discretion of our hosts during our stay. I gave the owner a little something to help him keep his silence," Legolas explained quietly. Aragorn's look told him that he was definitely not happy that the Elf had kept something like this from him. Legolas sighed. "I'm sorry. I didn't think it was that important for you to know. I had no idea he'd do something like this," he said, gesturing helplessly to the waiting assistant and the trolley of beverages.

"Perhaps it would be wise to inform me of such decisions in the future so I don't nearly kill innocents offering us free drinks," the ranger bit out.

While Legolas and Aragorn were partaking in this short discussion the assistant suddenly realised something odd about the man who had attacked the other customer in the bar earlier, the slightly taller of the two, the one with the long blonde hair, the one with the pointed ears! Although the assistant had never been outside this small town he was pretty certain that no Man looked like that.

"You're a…you're a…you're not…" the assistant stammered stupidly, his eyes wide at the sight of Legolas.

Legolas looked up and noticed the man's shocked expression and for a moment couldn't imagine what it was for. Then he realised that he was no longer wearing his cloak with the hood, which had previously disguised both his identity and his race.

"Great!" Aragorn suddenly exclaimed startling both Legolas and the assistant. "At least people know who you are now!"

Legolas walked forward and placed a gentle hand on the assistant's stooped shoulder. He reached over to the table by the door and picked up a dark green velvet pouch filled with silver and gold coins. "If you were to keep this quiet and not mention our presence to anyone, I would be most grateful." Legolas' voice held a note of persuasion that Aragorn knew no person with a soul could resist. He knew Legolas had the right idea though. From what he had seen so far that night, Men would do just about anything for money. The assistant looked cautiously at the money pouch for a second then, trying not to look suspicious – which in fact only made him look more so – took the offered money and slipped it into the breast pocket of his jacket. He smiled appreciatively at the Elf and handed him a glass with a measure of amber liquor that neither Legolas nor Aragorn could identify, then picked up another one and handed it to Aragorn. He poured a different drink for himself and held it up in salute to his two new favourite wealthy customers.

Aragorn and Legolas looked apprehensively into their glasses, not really wanting to drink the liquid but knowing it was only polite to do so. Surely it was worth it if it kept the assistant's silence. They raised their glasses and Legolas downed his in one quick gulp, Aragorn tested his a little more cautiously, he knew the drinks of Men could be deceptively potent. What looked reasonably harmless could have you drunk before you knew it. Even as he sipped at it he could taste the copious amount of alcohol in it; although he had little experience in the drinks often consumed by men in such places. Over the years he had gotten used to Elven drinks, which were far more suited to his tastes. Legolas nearly fell backwards from coughing when he swallowed his foul and incredibly potent drink. Aragorn laughed at his friend's look of disgust and choked gasping. The assistant merely smiled thinly, apparently pleased that they had accepted his gift.

Before any of them could say or do anything else there came a slight creaking of a loose floorboard behind them and a gleaming steel blade suddenly appeared at the assistant's throat. The man stood stock still when he felt the sharp edge digging into his flesh; he had not been expecting this when he had delivered the drinks given to him by the men waiting out in the hall. He had not counted on becoming a hostage also. It seemed though that his part in their plan was over. The man with the knife pushed him forward and headed towards a closet on the other side of the room, not allowing Aragorn or Legolas to see his face as he did so. Even so they both got the feeling that the man behind the human shield was smiling.

Both Aragorn and Legolas immediately went towards the door, hoping it was just the one man and this had nothing to do with them. This was, of course, wishful thinking. Standing in the doorway blocking their exit were three heavy-set men, clearly intent on not letting anyone past. While the two travellers were preoccupied with discovering their fate that night, the man holding the assistant as a shield pushed him into a cupboard and quickly locked the door. The room was then filled with the muffled cries and desperate pounding of the imprisoned man. No one paid much attention to him though; they all had their own problems.

Legolas quickly glanced at the men standing by the door; they weren't going to be easy to fight. They were well-armed with everything from knives to crossbows, Legolas even saw one of them carrying a thick leather whip, although why he would need such a device the Elf could not imagine. These were no ordinary men merely searching for a fight – that much was obvious from the specialist weapons they carried. Legolas could not fathom what they wanted with either himself or Aragorn but he got the distinct feeling his question would soon be answered.

They now turned their attention to the other man, the only one who had entered the room so far. The others were clearly following his orders. Even their state of dress showed a difference in rank – he was undoubtedly the leader. He was a big man; formidable was the best way to describe him. He wore fine, deep red clothes, which clearly held some significance for them, although its importance was lost on Aragorn and Legolas. Not that it was at the top of their list of priorities right then.

"Who are you and what do you want?" Legolas asked calmly, staring into the man's cold, pale grey eyes. Those eyes were so deep Legolas found it hard keeping his own determined gaze steady. Although it seemed like they could reveal a lot about the man, they didn't. They were cold and lifeless, more like the eyes of a ghost than of a living man. Legolas had never seen eyes like that before; even though his father could stare anyone down his eyes were not like this, not completely devoid of emotion.

The man shrugged, looking briefly over at his companions before answering, "Wealth, family, health, retirement, peace on Middle Earth. What every man wants I suppose." His eyes travelled critically down the Elf, taking in every detail. Legolas had to work hard not to squirm under that gaze. Those eyes were bordering on hypnotic; the way they seemed to look into his very soul, freezing it…Legolas checked himself. He had to stay in control, and yet his mind insisted on drifting no matter how hard he tried to concentrate. Beside him Aragorn was clearly having the same trouble.

"Alright, what do you want with _us_?" Legolas rephrased, hoping this would bring more joy. "I hardly think we are equipped to offer you any of those things." His voice held steady despite his growing unease.

"Ha! Now, that is a lot simpler to answer. I want you to come with me. Come quickly, come quietly and do exactly as I say and you might just last out the night," he answered, not thinking this was an unreasonable request at all.

Legolas laughed, looking incredulously at the man in front of him. "I am afraid we cannot do that," he answered coolly. This man was starting to unnerve him, as much as he hated to admit it. There was no way he could possibly take all the men down with no weapons to hand. Even with Aragorn at his side it would be difficult if not impossible. However, it was also becoming increasingly clear that this particular man could not be bargained with or talked into submission. Diplomacy wasn't going to work. It seemed as though he had done this before and he was very good at it.

"Then I am afraid we have a bit of a problem," the man replied, his eyes twinkling in delight at the proposition of a chase. The others in his group were not so pleased; they wanted this over quickly and with the least fuss possible. They did not like their leader's reckless, violent tactics and began shifting nervously on their feet, knowing all too well what was about to happen – this was all going to end badly, just like the others. "You see," the man continued, oblivious to his companions' rebellious thoughts "I need you to come with me without fuss, which you are clearly not willing to do. That means that we will be forced to fight and I have no intention of losing. I know your moves, Elf. And I must say my man was most impressed. I'm not sure it was entirely necessary to break his nose though, poor fellow. He'll never forgive you for that."

"What makes you think we can't beat you?" Aragorn asked, trying to sound confident in front of these men, anything to distract them whilst Legolas came up with a plan. A quick glance at his friend told him it might take a while. Of course, they had been in worse situations than this but they had gotten out of those mostly on luck, which unfortunately wasn't something they seemed to be having a lot of at that particular moment.

"Well, we have weapons and you have none. We know your friend's style and you know nothing at all about us. And, oh yes, we _always _get our prize," the man replied arrogantly, his self-confidence making Aragorn cringe.

"Alright," was all he could come up with in reply. The man laughed at him, which made Aragorn wonder if they really did have a choice at winning in a fight with them.

"Good comeback, my friend," the man grinned, almost spitting out the word 'friend' despite his jovial tone. "This is, however, something very unusual for me. I came here tonight expecting to find some fairly good candidates but I must admit that an Elf would be the perfect addition to my – how can I put it? – collection." The man smiled evilly, glaring at Legolas with such malice that the Elf could barely stand to keep his eyes fixed on him. "And I'm sure you too have your strengths, sir," he addressed Aragorn, as if talking to a child that didn't want to be left out of the conversation.

"Perhaps before the nights' end you will experience my strengths first hand," Aragorn retorted, not really wanting to get into a verbal sparring match with this man, probably because he knew he would lose. He found he was unable to resist trying though.

"Perhaps," the man mused for a moment, his eyes growing dark as they roamed down Aragorn, assessing him. This seemed to lift seconds later and he smiled cheerfully again, clapping his hands together. "Now, we can't wait around for very much longer, someone's bound to notice that idiot manservant missing, so let's get this over with, shall we? We can do this the easy way, which I highly recommend by the way, or the hard way, I must admit more enjoyable for me but not so for you. Also very messy I've noticed. Still, I'm not going to influence your decision at all, it must be your choice. Either way it'll be the last thing you ever choose freely. I do recommend coming quietly though." He smiled gently, as though he was offering them a selection of fine foods rather than how they wanted to be kidnapped.

Legolas and Aragorn glanced at each other and instantly knew what their joint choice would be. Legolas turned back to the man and smiled grimly. They always chose the hard way.

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TBC…


	5. Sold Into Ruin

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing created.

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**Sold Into Ruin**

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**Warning:** Some fighting in this chapter.

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**The laughing Mann: So glad you liked it. Please keep reading and don't be afraid to review. Hope you enjoy this chapter just as much.**

**MDarKspIrIt: Thanks.**

**Medilia: And thanks.**

**Chapter 5 – Sold Into Ruin**

Legolas abruptly smashed the empty drinks glass he was still holding in his hand over the leader's head, causing the man's hands to fly up to the small shards of glass that had become embedded in his face. He screamed in agony as the remaining traces of alcohol splashed in the small cuts and worsened the pain. The distraction was exactly what Legolas wanted, offering just enough time for him to snatch his weapon from the table at his side where he had placed it upon accepting the free drink from the assistant. And his plan worked, the other men were momentarily stunned by the sudden and vicious attack, which gave enough time for Legolas to grab his weapon and make the first move.

He dived forwards, deftly stepping around the leader who was kneeling on the floor, wailing in pain and frantically brushing at his face with the sleeve of his tunic in an attempt to make the alcohol stop stinging his numerous small cuts. His men, however, were instantly engaged in battle with the Elf and Aragorn quickly joined his friend having collected his own weapon during the short distraction. Legolas fought gracefully and efficiently, keeping the men away from him and trusting Aragorn to look after himself. He knew his friend had agreed with his decision, the discreet look between them had ensured that. Not that going quietly was ever really an option for them; they would never just leave with these men without a fight.

The fight was hardly a fair one. Legolas and Aragorn had only managed to grab one weapon each and the men were fully armed and now completely recovered from their shock. It was hardly the best circumstances for the Man and Elf – not exactly what they had been expecting when they came in here for rest. Their trip had been for Orc hunting not being hunted themselves; by Men of all races. The predators had become the prey. Still, things rarely worked out as they expected, regardless of how perfectly planned their trips were. Not that they were totally out of the game just yet. Even when Legolas was not at his best he was still a formidable opponent and Aragorn could easily match his skill in battle.

Swords clashed together frequently as they parried the blows of the men, making quite a racket in the small tavern. That combined with the painful wails of the leader, still kneeling helplessly on the floor, was enough to attract the attention of several people also staying in the establishment as well as the owner, who had emerged from his money counting to see what all the commotion was about. He hastily apologised to his startled customers and urged them to return to their rooms as quickly as possible for their own safety, all the while trying to see what was going on in room four without getting in the line of fire himself. He had known he was going to regret letting those two strangers stay. He should have realised they were trouble from the moment the lead diplomat had started a fight in his bar. However, the promise of gold and the curious, startling look of the taller one had swayed his decision.

Legolas knocked another man on the head with the hilt of his knife, sending him to the floor to join two others. Although the Elf was a keen fighter these men were more than a match for him, it had taken all his strength to get two of the men on the floor – the first one had been taken down by Aragorn with the aid of a small table in the centre of the room, which now lay in pieces – and he was already beginning to tire. Usually he could fight tirelessly for hours if necessary, and he had done so in the past, but the cold and wet weather he had had to endure combined with the fact that he had gotten little rest over the past weeks seemed to adversely affect his fighting skills. He realised this would be more difficult than he first thought and was regretting his overly cocky attitude all of a sudden.

The leader was stood up now, seeming to have sufficiently recovered from the pain that had assailed him just moments before. He shouted something at his men and the one who could still stand instantly backed off, leaving Legolas and Aragorn in the centre of the room panting for breath despite the fact the fight had only been short. The man wiped blood from his mouth before spitting at Legolas' feet. They looked down disgusted, getting the distinct feeling that the man didn't like them much. The man looked up and smiled again, smoothing his hair back, his cold eyes never leaving the two figures in front of him. He suddenly started slowly clapping them. They didn't know what else to do but stare at him in bafflement.

"Well done. Very well done," he called, still applauding. "I must admit you are certainly better than I first gave you credit for." He looked down three of his men who were slowly pulling themselves up from the floor. "There was me, expecting to come in here and have everything finished within a few short minutes. But then I hadn't bargained on one of you being an immortal. Still, it is just another challenge." He reached back and took a sword from one of his men. "And I do love a challenge." He smiled coldly before lifting his sword as if daring them to come to him.

"Walk away now and we won't kill you," Aragorn offered in a low growl, trying his best to sound threatening although his voice was too weak for it to sound particularly convincing.

The men all laughed at the words, including the leader and Legolas glanced at Aragorn, who shrugged his shoulders not knowing what to make of these people. So far they knew nothing about them – not what they wanted, who they were nor where they came from. Suddenly, the leader stopped laughing, turning deadly serious and glared at his men to do the same; they instantly complied, not wanting to get into trouble with their boss. Very wise, Aragorn thought to himself.

"That is a very sound threat. Although I don't think you will be able to follow it through, my friend," the leader said, taking a step forward.

"I wouldn't bet on it," Aragorn replied. Slowly he was beginning to feel a strange chill seeping through his rapidly weakening body. At first he was worried but after thinking on it for a few seconds he realised that he had been out in the cold and rain for days on end and that was probably the cause of the cold feeling. He glanced briefly over at Legolas and noticed the Elf sway ever so slightly on his feet. At first he thought he must have imagined it for Legolas had received no injuries that he knew of but when the prince's features started to take on a faintly glazed look he knew something was seriously wrong. Legolas couldn't have been affected by the cold or the rain as Elves did not suffer from the elements as human's did.

"I always do," the man answered. His voice was beginning to waver as Aragorn tried to keep it in focus and understand the meaning of the words. When had it gotten so hard to concentrate?

It was only when Legolas fell hard on his knees, dropping his makeshift weapon in the process as his hand became lax, and fell face-down on the floor that Aragorn spoke to the man again. "What did you do to us?" he asked, his eyelids already beginning to feel too heavy to keep open.

The man laughed and reached over to the abandoned drinks trolley that the assistant had brought in only a few minutes ago. He picked up a glass and filled it with an amber liquid from one of the many bottles. He smiled down at Aragorn as he joined his friend on the floor, his body finally giving in to its sudden weakness.

"Compliments of the owner," he grinned, lifting the glass in salute. "Cheers." He took a long swig as Aragorn's vision faded into temporary darkness. They had been drugged. How could he have been so stupid? He should have known not to trust the men in the tavern. Legolas had warned him but he had not listened. He should have listened; if he had they would not be in this position. That was the last thing that went through Aragorn's mind as the last of his awareness was stripped away and replaced by darkness.

Men instantly surrounded them and although both beings were now unconscious they kept their weapons pointed at them ready to strike; they didn't know enough about Elves to be sure that the drugs worked to their full effectiveness. Nothing was taken to chance when it came to dangerous prey. Four men stepped forwards and hauled the two travellers up, part carrying them part dragging them out of the door. The leader lingered in the room after his people had gone, an impressed grin spreading over his face. That had been a good fight. No doubt they were going to be excellent workers – and a lot of trouble. But that could be remedied.

The owner, who had been loitering just outside the door whilst the fight was taking place, finally and cautiously stepped inside, surveying the damage done to room number four. There was a lot of it: broken furniture and broken glass littered the floor and blood stained the wooden floorboards. It wouldn't be easy to clean up. He turned his attention to the man who was still looking around the room with a small satisfied smile on his now marked face.

"Who is going to pay for all this?" the owner asked, trying to sound as brave as possible through his fear.

The man simply smiled at him and walked out of the room, placing a large hand on the man's shoulder as he left. "I already did," he replied, motioning to the pouch of gold the owner was clutching tightly in his chubby hand. For a moment it looked like the owner was going to run after him shouting but he apparently thought better of it and it probably saved his life that night. Interference with a capture would not be tolerated.

"Let's get out of here," the leader said impatiently as he jumped onto his large steed. Before any of them could respond he was riding off, trusting his people to follow him. They had tied Legolas and Aragorn to the reins of separate horses and had assigned riders to make sure they didn't escape and to guide the horses. Of course, they had also thoroughly bound and gagged the two hostages, just in case something did go wrong or the Elf, who they were all a little scared of, woke up prematurely from the drug.

Poisoning the drinks had been no problem at all. Their leader had merely grabbed the manservant and told him to fetch some drinks for the occupants of room four and that cost was not an issue. This not only allowed them to sneakily drug the two targets during the exchange of money but also to distract them momentarily before storming the room, allowing no room for escape. It had been a perfect plan and they had executed it perfectly. So far it had been a very good night and when the Master saw what they had brought there would be more rewards in store for them. The Master always rewarded good work.

After a few hours of brutally fast riding the men finally reached their destination and the leader pulled his horse to an abrupt halt outside a set of heavy wooden gates. He shouted up to the attendant who gave the order to open the gates. This place was a well-kept secret from most of the world. Many of the mining camps had been shut down by Denethor the newest Steward of Gondor, not something that had gone down at all well with the Master. This one though had been fortunate enough to avoid closure thanks to the high walls and secure gates. Some members of the Gondorian council knew about it but few were brave enough to mention its closure, although it was something that had been discussed a few times no one had actually gotten around to giving the order, mostly thanks to some rather unsubtle threats from the Master, who apparently had friends in very high places.

The mine, although relatively small, was still working and finding some of the most valuable jewels in Middle Earth, or at least according to its master. People worked in it day and night and unless the target was met they worked for days on end and those who didn't pull their weight were severely punished. These people were not employees or volunteers but captives, brainwashed by the men running the camp.

Now Legolas and Aragorn were captives of these same men. They were slaves.

Although very little was certain within the walls of this camp all slaves knew one thing: escape was impossible.

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	6. Dark Throne

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing Tolkien created.

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**Sold Into Ruin**

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**Thanks to every one who reviewed, I really, really appreciate it and please keep it up. I love getting them.**

**Chapter 6 – Dark Throne**

By the time they were within the strong walls of the camp Aragorn and Legolas were just beginning to come round, the drug having been timed to leave their systems perfectly. Everything was going remarkably smoothly for their captors. The leader stopped when he reached a building at the far side of the compound. He quickly dismounted and shouted something sharply at his men, who also hastily dismounted and rather roughly pulled the still-groggy captives off the horses, sending them both falling gracelessly to the ground unable to hold themselves up due to their weak limbs. The leader reached for his water flask, unscrewed it and suddenly splashed the cold water on both Legolas' and Aragorn's faces, effectively chasing away the darkness that still threatened to recall them and shocking them into a more alert state. He then called to someone inside the main building and instantly four men holding some rather solid looking chains were rushing towards them. They hauled Legolas and Aragorn roughly to their feet and one man supported each of them while the other two firmly attached heavy metal shackles around their wrists and ankles. The two chains were then clipped securely together and the two men holding the single thick chain now pulled the captives forward.

It took all of Legolas' and Aragorn's combined strength – what little of it was left after the drug's powerful effects – to keep from falling onto their faces. They held tightly onto each other and somehow maintained their balance. The men, upon seeing their struggles, began laughing cruelly at them. Clearly the proud ranger and Prince of Mirkwood were nothing more than a source of amusement to these men, which was perfectly fine by Legolas, at least while they were laughing and verbally taunting they weren't physically hurting them and it gave him time to gather his flailing senses and at least attempt to figure out where he was and what was going on.

His companion, however, was no so easily subdued and didn't take to the taunting at all well. Aragorn suddenly started pulling angrily - desperately - on his shackles and the chain, although it was clear that there was no possible means of escape from the thick restraints. This fact didn't stop Aragorn from trying though and Legolas knew he had to calm the anxious human down before he hurt himself or worse got himself killed. They had no real clue what was going on yet and until they figured it out Legolas knew they shouldn't do anything irrational. He tugged sharply on the chain to stop Aragorn's struggling. Obviously the man still wasn't thinking straight because Aragorn knew perfectly well how he should be behaving in a situation like this yet he simply couldn't seem to gain control over his actions, even though he felt Legolas' concern from beside him.

"Estel," Legolas snapped harshly, forcing the man to finally face him. He made sure there was no panic showing on his pale face or in his clear blue eyes, not wanting to encourage the man's actions or upset him even more. "Estel, stop it," he said, keeping his voice admirably steady and calm given their current circumstances. Aragorn's movements began to die down at his friend's familiar voice and his previously bleary eyes cleared a little more. He was coming out of the effects of the drug and finally beginning to think straight now he was able to see through the haze of panic.

"Legolas?" he asked somewhat hesitantly, his voice still a little confused. Legolas had never seen his friend in this kind of disoriented state before and it was frightening, not that he allowed it to show on his face. He didn't want Aragorn to know he was scared. That certainly wouldn't help ease the man's state of panic.

"Yes. It's alright, Estel but you have to stop struggling. Please. You're making it worse," he hissed, annoyance creeping into his otherwise calm voice.

Whenever they were out on an expedition Legolas always referred to Aragorn as 'Estel', the name gifted to him by his adoptive father Elrond when he had been brought by his mother to the Last Homely House of Rivendell as a baby. The prince knew all too well that someone might figure out the man's true lineage if they were to use the name given to him by his human parents. It had become second nature to the Elf when he was around other people to use his friend's other more innocuous identity. Even Legolas' own father, one of the most powerful Elven kings on Middle Earth, knew Aragorn only as Estel. To reveal his true identity could cause mountains of trouble for him and for the entire race of Men, especially if they found out that the Elves had been hiding the heir to the throne of the broken kingdom of Gondor all these years. Isildur's bloodline was widely considered broken and everyone involved were perfectly content to allow that assumption continue until the time was right for Aragorn to fulfil his destiny. The knowledge that the line still survived would undoubtedly make both Aragorn and the entire Elven race targets, something Elrond and his kin were very eager to avoid.

"Awfully good advice," the leader drawled, a smile creasing his features.

"Shut up," Legolas snapped at him, losing his patience with the man.

The leader did nothing for a moment then smiled coldly again and motioned for one of his men to come forwards. He did so without question and Legolas instantly saw the reason for him being summoned. He held in his hand a harsh-looking weapon; a large whip, bound to cause a lot of damage to the victim if used correctly. Beside him Legolas could feel Aragorn's panic building again. He forced himself to remain calm for Aragorn even though he felt far from it at that moment.

The leader snatched the whip from the man's hand and smiled over at Legolas and Aragorn. He took a confident step forward and examined the whip in his hand as though he had never seen the weapon before and was trying to figure out what to do with it. It was only a tactic to scare the Elf and truthfully it was working a little too well. Just looking at the cruel device was bringing up some bad memories and was frightening him more than he cared to admit to himself – or anyone else.

The leader came closer to them so he was face to face with Legolas. He made sure the whip was in plain sight and moved it tauntingly backwards and forwards in front of Legolas' pale face. He smiled when he saw the effect – however small - this action was having on the Elf; the look of terror on his face could be disguised but that in his eyes could not be so easily covered up.

"Does this scare you, little Elf?" he asked tauntingly, knowing fully well the effect of this question "You would do well to show better manners in front of your superiors. Just remember that you will be here for a very long time and if you want to survive you're going to have to learn a little respect." Legolas kept his eyes fixed firmly on the man's, trying not to let them stray to the whip. Aragorn was quietly watching the exchange with growing discomfort. How the Elf could allow the filthy man to speak to him in that way was beyond him. "You are going to be seeing a lot more of me in the future and my advice to you is to watch your tongue, or I might just have to cut it out." The warning in the man's voice was clear for all to hear and Legolas decided to heed it for now, not wanting to cause unnecessary trouble if he could help it. He guessed Aragorn would agree with this sensible policy so he nodded shortly at the man, never letting his gaze waver in the slightest. "Good."

The man took a few steps back then unexpectedly lashed out with the whip, catching Legolas' hand with the thick leather. The Elf could feel it easily shredding the flesh when it connected with the back of his hand and he couldn't help but cry out at the unexpected pain but quickly regained his composure and stared at the man once more. He could feel hot blood trickling from the painful wound but ignored it as the two of them tried to stare each other into submission. Finally, after what seemed like forever the leader laughed indifferently and turned away, throwing the whip back to the man he had originally gotten it from and walked slowly towards the building leaving Legolas to cling to his one small victory. The men started laughing at the two captives again; obviously having enjoyed what had just been done to Legolas and not realising the seriousness of the battle of stares the two enemies had just been engaged in. Perhaps if they had they would be defending their leader rather than teasing the Elf.

"Shut up," the leader shouted heatedly at them, spinning around on his heel as he did so and immediately there was a nervous silence. "Hurry up and bring them before the Master. I have better things to do with my time than perform for your amusement." His command left no room for argument and the sobered men jumped into action, dragging Legolas and Aragorn into the building even though very little force was needed, both had sufficiently learned their lesson. They weren't going to do anything stupid. Not yet, anyway.

They were led, still chained, through a maze of extravagantly decorated corridors lined with priceless paintings, fine furniture, precious jewels and more gold than either of them had ever seen before – quite something seeing as they had both been in Mirkwood and the king of that realm was hardly frugal. The men kept a tight rein on them, not allowing them to lag behind or get too far ahead. Neither Legolas nor Aragorn were planning an escape at that exact moment though. Aragorn was staring in amazement at the decorated corridors and wondering at how so much wealth had come to be in this otherwise dingy place. He supposed it was mostly stolen. How else would they get their hands on such valuable treasures? Legolas, instead of admiring the décor, was committing to memory every door, every window and every turn they took. He knew that if they ever needed to get out of this place, which was looking increasingly likely, they would need a detailed plan of escape. He was building a mental map as he was led through the winding corridors.

What baffled them both though was where they were going. The men had called them prisoners and although Legolas had no experience of human jails he guessed they didn't usually keep inmates in houses fit for kings. There was something going on here that Legolas didn't like. It almost scared him that there should be such a sharp contrast. Outside it had been ragged, dry and poor but this building was something completely different; filled with riches and warm and homely. It was like they had stepped into another world entirely.

As they were dragged through the building which was looking more and more like a palace with every step they took, they tried to think what they had done to deserve imprisonment, what had upset these men so much. However, they could think of nothing that could properly explain the violence displayed towards them. They got the impression that they would soon get their answers though and weren't entirely looking forward to it.

The leader fell into step beside them so he could talk in nothing more than a whisper.

"Don't try anything in there. If you even think about it I can guarantee it will be the last thing you ever do, understand? When you come before the Master you will get on your hands and knees and bow as low as possible. You will address him only as 'Master' lest you insult him and wish to be flogged." The leader's voice was harsh and demanding and Legolas could have sworn he detected just the smallest hint of fear as well, the first positive sign that this man actually had a soul beneath that hard, vacant exterior. "I assure you that he does not take kindly to people insulting him and he is not as patient as me so it would be wise for you to follow my advice."

Legolas and Aragorn glanced at each other sceptically. "Right, we'll do as you say. I'm sure that will save us," Aragorn muttered sarcastically under his breath, earning himself a sharp jerk on the chain from the guards, which almost resulted in both him and Legolas toppling over. Legolas shot him another warning look, silently telling him not to do anything stupid.

"Listen to your friend. He certainly has more sense than you."

After what seemed like an eternity of walking through corridors – Legolas had lost track a long time back, his mind still slightly foggy from the drugs - they finally came to a set of very large wooden doors. Legolas got the feeling that whoever or whatever was waiting for them through those doors was not going to be anything good. Even the leader seemed frightened of this Master, which only furthered his anxiety. One of the men went up to the doors and knocked loudly. Someone from deep within shouted for them to enter. The men checked the prisoners' binding chains once more before the doors were pulled open.

They found themselves in a large antechamber, deep red in colour. There was hardly any light; all the windows were covered in thick red velvet drapes. There were guards, all fully armed with heavy broadswords and even heavier ceremonial armour. It looked as though they were about to go into battle. Legolas took in the sight in surprise. They were all fairly old men though with very few young faces amongst them.

The leader saw Legolas looking at the guards surrounding the room and he smiled grimly, leaning over and whispering by way of explanation, "They're protection."

Legolas paused a second before cautiously speaking. "Protection from what?" he enquired, keeping his voice low to match the leader's.

"Protection from him," he answered almost nervously, nodding to another set of thick doors. Legolas looked slightly startled at this. These men, with all their weapons and power over others, needed this many guards in official plate armour to make them feel safe? That just didn't sound right to the Elf. He had met people with this much protection before and most of the time they turned out to be cowards, cowering pitifully in their homes, keeping away from danger. And yet everything he had learned about this Master suggested he was the strongest of all men, that he had no reason to fear anything, that in fact he was the one to be feared. Legolas began to wonder about this all powerful man. Surely one with so much authority, someone to be feared and indeed revered, didn't need this much protection. He glanced over at Aragorn and knew the man was thinking the same thing. He also knew that Aragorn, like him, was thinking of how impossible it would be to escape with all these guards in their way.

"It looks like they are preparing for war," Aragorn whispered so only Legolas could hear it and the Elf merely nodded back.

They finally reached the end of the chamber and were led through yet another door, again thick and reinforced with strong metal. Whoever this Master was he couldn't have been so all powerful if he needed so much protection from other mere mortals. Somehow though Legolas simply didn't think he was wholly correct in this assumption. Legolas vaguely remembered reading something in one of his father's musty old books about a human so powerful and so old that he had passed quickly into the realm of legend. The myth went that everyone who came before this human was subjected to the worst terrors imaginable and came out completely changed having not only seen their deepest past secrets but also visions of their future lives and deaths. Illusion was a powerful thing and insanity often followed. Although he was under no illusion that this 'Master' the men were so scared of was the all powerful being from his father's old stories and texts the story popped into his mind as he was led closer to the Master's lair.

When the great doors opened they revealed something far less terrifying than either Legolas or Aragorn had been expecting and they couldn't help but feel just a little bit disappointed at the anticlimax. The room they were forced to enter was dark, not so dark that it was impossible to see but just gloomy, as though no sun had ever shone in there and the overall feeling of deep despair as if no one had laughed in there for many years, which from the look of the sole occupant was not entirely impossible. The whole mood of the place was almost stiflingly sombre and Legolas felt an involuntary shudder run through him that had nothing to do with the chill in the black room. The whole place looked more like a tomb than a grand hall and seemed quite out of place with the rest of the opulent structure.

The walls were painted black, not a single splash of colour breaking up the blackness giving it the impression of being a never ending void. It reminded Legolas of the descriptions he had heard of the Halls of Mandos - the place where Elves went when they died. Not that Legolas knew for certain if the comparison was entirely accurate. There was only one person who had been to and returned from the Halls of Mandos and that was Glorfindel, Elrond's second in command in Rivendell and former Captain of the lost city of Gondolin. Glorfindel rarely spoke of his experiences, not wanting to 'fill young Elflings's minds with such dark and fatalistic thoughts.' Although Legolas suspected his silence on the subject was more because the pain of those memories were difficult for the Seneschal to recollect in polite conversation. And Legolas more than understood that. Legolas had once heard Lord Elrond speaking of the dark dreams the Captain suffered since his return, dreams that would not fade with time as other bad memories might. He had decided not to press for further details, understanding just how uncomfortable talking about such personal experiences in public could be. Still, from what he had heard, this room certainly resembled his imagining of what the Halls of Mandos looked like – never ending blackness. The inescapable void. Another chill ran through him but this time he suppressed the accompanying shudder.

There were still a few guards standing in the doorway but apart from them there was no one else in the room. Only one being sat in the centre of the room on a large stone throne. He hardly looked like the evil mastermind they were expecting. Aragorn shot a questioning look to the leader who nodded at him and pushed the both forward. Despite it looking perfectly safe – besides the unnerving darkness – they were hesitant to enter. There was something just not right about it, as though there was more waiting for them inside than they realised. Even so they knew there was nothing they could do about it right then, it was either enter the room or be violently killed by the men with the weapons. They came to the silent decision that they would take their chances in the Dark Room. At least the man didn't seem to be able to physically hurt them. He didn't have an obvious weapon on him anyway.

Taking their first step inside was more nerve-wracking than either of them could have imagined. However, despite their nervousness, nothing happened as their feet touched the black floor. Both were half expecting to simply fall. It felt akin to stepping off a cliff with an infinite drop. Aragorn let out an obvious sigh of relief, although Legolas refrained from doing the same thing however much he wanted to. They had only taken the first step. Bad things could still happen to happen. It was a surprisingly long way across the room, or at least it looked to be a long way due to the weird optical illusion.

Actually, it was only about twenty or so paces before they reached the steps leading up to the large stone throne on which sat an old man, hunched over and silent apart from his wheezy, rattling breathing. They stood before the throne watching with rapt curiosity, waiting for this all powerful Master to do or say something. It seemed ages before he finally looked up and when he did Legolas and Aragorn saw, for a fleeting moment, why this man was considered so powerful.

His face was remarkably ordinary. No different at first glance from any other elderly human. It was creased and wrinkled with a kind of sickly white colour as if he had never seen the sun in his long life. Legolas thought it looked more like crumpled parchment than skin. Aragorn was also shocked by the man's appearance. He had heard stories about extremely politically powerful men, had even met them and on occasion negotiated with them in Imladris, but they had always looked physically commanding as well and this man was anything but physically threatening. Aragorn wouldn't have been at all surprised if he couldn't even stand from that throne.

It was only when Legolas and Aragorn looked into his ancient pale blue eyes that they began to realise what made this physically weak old man so significant. He waved a withered, almost skeletal hand at the guards still standing nervously in the doorway and the two captives heard a loud creak followed by a slam as the reinforced doors were pulled closed and locked. Now they were trapped in almost complete darkness. Legolas looked around but he no longer had any idea where the door was. He turned back and realised that the old man was now staring openly at them, those creepy pale eyes seeming to search their souls as though their own eyes were nothing but windows through which he could glance through with relative ease. Legolas felt another chill run through him and he felt Aragorn shudder beside him and knew his friend was experiencing the same discomfort. This was worse than when the semi-telepathic Lady Galadriel looked into their minds. At least she was not so intrusive.

The throne was, despite there being no evident light source in the room, backlit with a harsh white light; not bright but strong enough to illuminate the throne and its sole occupant. It was eerily quiet and cold in the room; even Legolas who wasn't usually affected by the changes in temperature had to fight to keep from shivering.

Finally, the silence – not to mention the strange trance they seemed to be in – was broken when the Master started to speak…

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TBC..


	7. The Master

**Disclaimer: **I own nothing Tolkien created.

**

**Sold Into Ruin**

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**A/N: Finally, the Master is revealed… sort of…**

**Chapter 7 – The Master**

"I have been waiting for you." The voice was low, harsh and gravelly, as though it hadn't been used for a long time. And yet there was also a kind of gentle wisdom to it, like that of a shrewd yet increasingly weak man sent to deliver some prophetic message to his newly arrived and as of yet unconvinced followers. There was also a sense of incredible foreboding in his voice, like when an executioner asks for the last words of the condemned. Legolas could almost _feel_ the voice inside him, as if those simple words were stabbing through his mind and seeping into his soul. It was an odd sensation of having your spirit brutally penetrated by someone not equipped to understand the true meaning of what he sees in the recesses of the mind.

Neither Legolas nor Aragorn could respond to this comment and they got the feeling that the old man, this Master, wasn't really seeking a response. Aragorn could also sense that there was something very different about this man and although there was very little physical power there was a great deal of mental strength and, more importantly an awful lot of knowledge and perception and that was just as dangerous as any weapon he could have yielded.

The Master smiled thinly, although to Legolas and Aragorn this just made him look even more pathetic than he already did. "You are speechless." It was a blunt statement but one that they found they couldn't respond to, effectively confirming the proclamation. "That is good. You are already beginning to learn. I respect fast learners."

"Wh…who are you?" Aragorn finally found his voice, although it took a great deal of effort to do so and he couldn't help the hesitation and lack of strength in it. At least he was capable of actual speech, which was more than his friend could manage. His own mouth seemed sewn shut and his throat too constricted for words to form.

Again the old man smiled, seemingly pleased with the question put to him.

"I am that which must be yet cannot possibly be. I see all and know all and I see and know you better than any other alive, Estel, even your immortal friend here." Aragorn was startled by this, it was cryptic and yet it made a certain amount of sense, even though he didn't know exactly why. Damn, it was frustrating and the man had only spoken a few words.

"What do you want with us?" Legolas finally asked, his voice trembling very slightly despite his best efforts. Aragorn was surprised by this, Legolas was not easily intimidated and was even less likely to show it if he was. It sent a chill of fear through Aragorn's mind. If his strong Elven friend was scared they really had to worry.

"Come closer," the Master beckoned and Legolas, despite his better judgement, found himself walking right up to the throne and ascending the steps so he was stood directly in front of the old man. He had the strangest urge to kneel down and bow his head in submission but he fought it with all his might and managed to keep from dropping to the floor in some twisted display of involuntary respect. "You are stronger than you look, Elf. You possess great power of mind and spirit. And physical strength too and that is most important in this ailing world, my friend." It was only when the old man pointed to Aragorn, who was still stood at the bottom of the steps where Legolas had left him, that they realised the heavy chains which had previously bound them together were gone.

Both of them looked surprised by this and turned wordlessly to the old man for some kind of explanation. He merely smiled at them, not speaking for a few moments, leaving them to attempt to figure out the puzzle on their own but an explanation wasn't forthcoming in their still foggy minds and Legolas reasoned that there was no rational explanation so it was pointless searching for one.

"There is no need for chains or restraints in this room," the old man informed them vaguely after a few moments confused silence.

"But how did you…?" Legolas began but stopped himself. He knew he was searching for logical answers in a place where logic didn't apply and that was just plain _illogical_.

"I have no need for restraints," the man repeated, seemingly bored with this thread of conversation.

Legolas wanted to know more though and persisted despite the slight edge of irritation seeping into the Master's tone. "How do you know we won't just try and kill you? Or try to escape?"

The Master stared silently for a moment before breaking into wheezy, croaky laughter that sounded as if it hurt his chest and dry throat. "Try and kill me." Suddenly, a sharp, glinting knife materialized in front of Legolas, seeming to float in mid air. Legolas tentatively reached out for it convinced it was some kind of trick and yet when he touched it he felt the cold metal against his finger tips and knew it was not an illusion but an actual harmful weapon. He smiled coldly and with a slight hint of satisfaction. Happily accepting the man's challenge he snatched the knife out of the air and plunged it deep into the Master's chest, piercing his heart so fast Aragorn didn't have chance to even shout 'no' in warning, fearing it was a trick. The creepily serene smile did not so much as falter on the old man's wrinkled face as he looked casually down at the knife with only the intricately decorated handle protruding from his chest. "Excellent aim," he complimented coolly. The Master then smoothly pulled the knife from his chest without so much as a wince of pain and Legolas watched in fascination and horror when he saw there was nothing but pale grey ashes remaining on the blade and not a mark showed on the Master's clothes or body.

It simply wasn't possible. He had felt the knife penetrate flesh and muscle. He had purposefully aimed for a part of the Master that would ensure almost instant death – his heart – and yet the man showed not even the slightest sign of discomfort. The Elf stumbled backwards in shock and watched as the knife crumbled away in the man's hand, like it was made of nothing more than ash itself.

"Now try and escape and we'll see what happens." The man smiled politely, rubbing his gnarled hands together to rid them of the strange dust that had been the knife. His lesson had worked well; neither Elf nor Man moved an inch. Both had startled looks plastered on their faces, barely able to process what they had just seen. Legolas looked down at Aragorn who looked equally as shocked. The disturbing display had certainly persuaded them that he was something more than human. For all the lore they had read between them they had never come across anything like this. This room, the Dark Room, made them feel somehow incomplete, as though the endless darkness was probing into them, weaving through their bodies and minds and seeing things they themselves didn't even know about. They also felt as though the Dark Room, or the withered man within it, was draining who they were taking a small part of themselves with it to get lost in the endless darkness that made up the room.

"You are most curious people. You do not try and run in fear as many do and so far that has saved you. If you run into nothing you end up nowhere. But you also do not quail before me in fear." He allowed them to muse over the meaning of this for a moment, which they did with no more success than they had at deciphering anything else the old man had said so far. The Master was nothing if not cryptic. "You were brought here for a reason and yet I simply cannot what it is. Most of my visitors are so very easy to interpret, like flipping through an open book. "Even so, Kallon, the man who brought you here, chose extremely well. An immortal at my feet and I have absolutely no idea what to do with him. And a powerful immortal at that. Yes, I sense great power in both of you."

With a simple wave of his withered hand Aragorn climbed the steps so he was stood next to his Elven friend in front of the old man; he didn't even know how it happened, he just knew he had to come face to face with their captor. Now he was closer he saw what he had previously missed: the incredible, frightening depth of the Masters' eyes. Again he felt his soul being searched by those scarily pale blue eyes. The rest of the room seemed to fade into obscurity for a brief moment and his vision swam before him. The strange feeling quickly disappeared and Aragorn seemed to return to his senses, the room around him reappearing but remaining equally disorienting. It felt for a brief moment like he had been soaring through the air and then his wings had been cruelly ripped off him and he had hurtled back down to earth and cruel reality.

"And you," the man continued as if nothing had happened, "you have even greater power than your Elf-prince friend. You just don't realise it yet, _Aragorn_." The use of Aragorn's real name startled both of them although they were too transfixed to show it. They had been especially careful not to mention his birth name if front of any of their captors. "Soon you will realise your true power and your true potential. The strength the Elves have kept from you for so long will finally be restored and revealed to a waiting world and you will learn why you are their true saviour."

Aragorn stood completely still for a moment barely able to breathe. "Saviour?" he finally managed to squeeze out through his shock.

"Yes, you will save millions of innocent lives eventually. Whether it will be in this lifetime or the next is yet to be decided but things have already been set in motion and it is only a matter of time now until you realise your full potential. This conversation will prove vital later in your life when you must face a choice between your own destruction and the ending of the world."

"And which will I choose?" Aragorn asked faintly, wanting to know everything this mystical fortune teller could tell him even though he wasn't entirely convinced it was reliable.

"That is yet to be determined. Although I can guarantee by the end of your stay here you will have all the answers you will ever need in your life, yet they will not come from me nor will they be instantly recognizable. You will discover them yourself sooner or later and suddenly, when the time is right, everything you have ever wondered about yourself will all make perfect sense."

"I don't understand," Aragorn frowned in frustration.

The Master seemed angry at this admission and raised his voice as loud as he was able when he replied, "You are not here to understand only to listen." His eyes seemed to grow suddenly dark when he said this, like heavy clouds ready to drop their rain the earth were swirling within them.

Legolas and Aragorn sank back as far as they could without falling down the steep steps, afraid of the man's wrath even though they knew he couldn't physically hurt them. They got the impression he could very easily take their lives though. The man made no move but stared at them for a long moment before laughing at their frightened expressions.

"Yes, you have good reason to be afraid. But do not let it dampen your hope, Estel. That is of utmost importance. Fear is a tool and, if used and controlled properly, can aid us in all our endeavours. Fear drives us to do better, to make the most of a hopeless situation. Fear, pain, misery, these are all illusions of fragile minds and, with the right encouragement, they can all be overcome and used for the better. Illusions can't hurt you, my friends. Only the truth can. Truth and knowledge are the only two things in life we should really take note of. Once we understand and embrace those all the other, insignificant things will simply fade away, leaving perfection in its truest form."

"You mean…you?" Legolas asked hesitantly, trying to keep up with the muddled conversation. For some reason though, his mind seemed to be working slower than usual, as if the darkness were stealing his thoughts away from him before he had chance to make sense of them.

"Very good. I have been told immortals are fast learners but you really are exceeding all my expectations," he laughed with almost manic glee.

"I don't understand though. If pain and misery and everything else apart from truth and knowledge is an illusion then why are we all bound by it? Wouldn't someone have figured it out by now?" Legolas asked getting the feeling this was a stupid question but all the same desperately wanting to understand.

"How can people possibly figure out something they are completely dominated by?"

"I…"

"Allow me to demonstrate." The man gestured Legolas forward and he did so automatically, unable – and strangely unwilling - to fight the man's power over him. "Kallon hurt your hand and yet you have not complained once about the pain. Why do you suppose that is?" Legolas looked down at his previously forgotten wounded hand, still covered in dried blood, although the cut was already beginning to close up thanks to his remarkable Elven healing ability. It was true though, he hadn't felt the pain once since he had entered the Dark Room and even now it seemed to be just numb.

"I don't know…I…"

"You don't feel pain because this is a room of truth and nothing can interfere with that, not even the rather unpleasant illusion of pain." The Master held out his shaking hand for Legolas to take and he did so without question. He smiled up at the Elf and closed his eyes. He began chanting something in a language neither prisoner understood or even recognised. After about thirty seconds he opened his eyes and took his hand away. He held up Legolas' hand for them to all inspect. It was still covered in trails of blood but there was no mark underneath it. The hideous cut had completely disappeared. Legolas pulled his hand back and inspected it in amazement, flexing his fingers as if testing whether they would cause any pain, which they didn't.

Aragorn also inspected it closely but found no sign of a wound. Not even Elven healing worked that fast.

Legolas looked up at the Master in complete wonder. It was a miracle. He knew that Elrond and the other great healers of Middle Earth had the ability to close minor wounds over a period of a few hours but to do it in under a minute and with no medications was beyond even the magic of the Elves. Not even Lord Elrond or Lady Galadriel could boast such ability. It was simply impossible.

The Master smiled tiredly, as though the effort of healing Legolas' relatively small cut had drained all his energy and for a fleeting second Legolas dearly wished he could give it back even if it meant pain for himself.

"You see, you are beginning to learn," the Master said, looking over at Legolas and Aragorn, who was also impressed by the Master's display. "Now thank me. Kneel and show your gratitude."

Without even thinking what they were doing Legolas and Aragorn dropped to their knees in front of the Master. It seemed like such a natural action that neither so much as doubted what they were doing. Aragorn might have had no official title yet and was required to show respect to all above him but Legolas certainly wasn't without rank and rarely even bowed to kings and queens of the other Elven realms, all of whom he respected greatly and yet he bowed seemingly willingly to this Man. This person was more than just a withered old man sitting on a meaningless throne. He was a miracle-worker. He was about as close to a god as the two friends were ever going to get before their deaths. The man smiled again and touched their heads with his cold hands, seemingly blessing them. They both felt highly honoured to receive this gesture even though they didn't understand it – or necessarily want it.

"Now you must go. I have said all that needs to be said for now. We will not meet again." Legolas and Aragorn stood up and walked backwards down the steps, not once missing their footing. It was only when they reached the bottom that they turned and walked off into the darkness, instinctively knowing where the hidden door was.

TBC…

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	8. Shock Suggestions

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing Tolkien created.

**

**Sold Into Ruin**

******

**A/N: Yeah, I know this a tiny little chapter but they'll start getting longer from now on. Thanks to everyone who reviewed. I can't tell you how much I appreciate it.**

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**Chapter 8 – Shock Suggestions**

Somehow they both managed to stumble blindly to the door, which automatically opened for them when they reached it and they were met by two armed guards. The others were all sat around looking slightly bored with the wait they had to endure. When the two new prisoners were brought out, however, they all stood to attention and were instantly in front of Aragorn and Legolas, placing the chains and manacles back around them. The two travellers didn't even seem to notice though, remaining completely compliant. They remained in the same kind of trance as when they were in the room with the Master. It was as if they were seeing the real world through a haze, still partly trapped in the Dark Room with the withered old man revealing things about themselves that even they didn't know and the blackness leeching through them dulling their senses.

Kallon, the 'leader' as he had been known previously to both captives, waved a hand in front of their faces and clicked his fingers to check their reactions. When he got no response from either of them he turned to the others and began laughing at their state. The other guards joined him, following their boss's lead.

"Come on, we're wasting time," Kallon said abruptly, grabbing the end of the chain and pulling Legolas and Aragorn along behind him. The guards filed along beside them, no longer on such high alert. They knew most people were in this state after emerging from the Master's presence and very rarely presented any problems so they saw no reason to be cautious with the newest recruits.

As they were leading Legolas and Aragorn passively through the corridors a few of the guards began taunting their prisoners. Kallon looked slightly annoyed but allowed it to continue as it always helped boost the morale of his men, besides a little light entertainment at the expense of the slaves never hurt. Most of it was only verbal baiting anyway with only the occasional prodding of the prisoners. Some poorly tried to imitate what little Elvish they had learned from the Master, who seemed particularly interested in Elven lore, although they had never learned why he had this particular fascination.

It was only when one of the men struck out at Legolas with a heavy wooden baton that the Elf woke from his trance a little and decided to take action against the foolish guard who had physically threatened him. As he went to hit Legolas hard across the stomach with the blunt weapon the Elf reached out with a strong, manacled hand and stopped the baton from connecting. His glinting blue eyes bore into the man so much that he pulled suddenly away with a pitiful wail. The others laughed at their colleague's cowardice, shifting their taunting onto him instead. Legolas, never one to be treated in such a disrespectful manner, didn't stop there. He reached for the closest guard and pulled him towards him, hitting him as hard as he could with the solid binding metal of his handcuffs. He seemed to do this more by instinct than choice but his mind didn't object when the guard fell to the floor clutching his bleeding nose, leaving the others staring at them in shocked silence.

Kallon also stared for a moment, amazed that a mere prisoner would take such action against one of his men. He looked down at the man on the floor who was clumsily scrambling to his feet with the help of the other guards and Kallon couldn't help but smile at his men's surprise. He understood the temper of Elves when in held in forced captivity; they were easily provoked and lashed out whenever they got the chance. Kallon always thought they should be handled like horses, tying them up as tightly as possible, keeping them on a short leash and trying to push them into doing what they wanted. Then all they had to do was train and torture them until they broke and became compliant and submissive. Kallon knew that this immortal was different though, strong on the outside but weak at heart as was typical of his people. The lower race; that's what Men called Elves but Kallon knew better. He knew they were strong physically. When put under certain conditions though they became easier to tame, easier to control.

The group soon started moving again, this time with more caution and less noise. All the guards kept their hands on their weapons this time, prepared for another attack should it occur. They wouldn't trust the tall blonde being again any time soon.

Aragorn, who had witnessed the whole dramatic incident through a fuzzy fog-like haze, looked over at his friend and caught his eye. A slight smile passed between them despite their dire predicament. Already both could feel the trance beginning to lift from their minds, as if the further they went from the room and the Master the more the mysterious fog cleared.

They continued to navigate the labyrinthine corridors. Legolas found that he simply couldn't make a mental map this time no matter how hard he tried. It was as though he couldn't quite get his mind to concentrate on what it was seeing or organise the information properly. After a few attempts at memorising what he was seeing he decided to give up and concentrate on thinking of ways to get away from these crazy people obviously intent on holding them hostage.

Back in the Dark Room the Master had called Aragorn 'Aragorn', which meant he knew more about each of them than almost anyone else on Middle Earth. He had said that Legolas had great power, which was technically true. He was the sole heir to the throne of Mirkwood, one of the greatest Elven kingdoms on Middle Earth. He was second only to the King himself and was a trusted confidant of many of the world's powerful Elven leaders. If the old man knew about their true identities surely these guards also knew his status. Legolas assumed there would soon be some kind of ransom involved. Thranduil would undoubtedly pay enormous amounts of money to save his son. That was the downside of his position. Royalty had many uses to unsavoury characters: ransom, revenge, the gaining of power. Legolas had received plenty of lessons about what to do in situations such as these yet none of them seemed to fit this particular circumstance. He was certain that Elrond would feel the same about Aragorn because although only his adoptive son Elrond loved the man in the same way as his other three children. The truth of the matter was that they were worth a lot of money and that was a good motive for kidnapping.

Kallon led them into a small room just off the main corridor. The air in here wasn't quite so oppressive so Legolas and Aragorn assumed they were close to the exit of the building. Legolas found himself wishing that they were outside in the pouring rain again. Anything would beat being locked up in a dark, stifling, confining room with some spooky old man who could tell their fortunes.

They were pushed roughly to the centre of the room and the guards cautiously untied them. Neither moved, knowing there were currently a lot of swords trained on them and it would do no good to do anything stupid when they were in such a vulnerable position. Once they were free of the bonds the guards stepped back and Kallon came forward, looking firmly over them for a moment before finally speaking.

"Take your clothes off."

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TBC


	9. Dress Code

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing Tolkien created.

**

**Sold Into Ruin**

******

**A/N: Thank you so much to everyone who has reviewed. I'm glad you're enjoying it. Please keep reviewing, I love hearing from you so much.**

**Here's the next chapter for you.**

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**Chapter 9 – Dress Code**

"What?" Aragorn asked incredulously, not quite sure he'd heard the request properly. Here they were, surrounded by guards brandishing knives and swords and they were being asked to strip down. It all seemed to be happening so quickly and Aragorn couldn't even begin to understand the reasoning behind their actions. None of it made any sense at all to him. What seemed like just moments ago they were resting in the safe, protected Handy Tavern room and now they were in this strange, foreboding building with seemingly unpredictable – perhaps even psychotic - men who wanted to undress them.

"You heard me. Take off all of your clothes then place them in a nice neat pile in front of you," Kallon repeated slowly as if talking to children, making sure there was no confusion this time. "Now." The tone of his voice told them he was not going to be patient with them this time and was very close to losing his temper and that could only mean a less calm resolution to this whole bizarre situation.

Aragorn glanced over at Legolas and it seemed his companion was thinking the same thing: they couldn't simply ignore him and hope he would let them off. That certainly wasn't going to happen from the stony look that had settled in the man's eyes. Suddenly, guards were closing in menacingly around them again. One recklessly reached out to unfasten Aragorn's tunic but Estel, not about to be touched like that without permission, hit out hard at the guard's hand, very nearly breaking the bone, and he wisely took a nervous step back.

"Either you do it or we will. By force," Kallon warned from behind the safety of his barrier of guards. He understood the dangers of getting too close to these particular hostages and decided their co-operation wasn't worth his life. He certainly didn't want to be on the receiving end of their tempers. That's what the guards were for.

They advanced again but Aragorn held up his hands in surrender. "Alright, we'll do as you say," he said glancing over at his friend as he did so. It seemed that Legolas was not at all happy with his companion's decision and the fear in his eyes told Aragorn this was not going to go smoothly. "Legolas, ea na gwiil. Do as they say and it will be alright." He knew that Legolas was afraid. It was carefully hidden from reaching his pale features but it was plain to see to people who knew him that there was panic brewing in his stunning blue eyes. He also knew Legolas was thinking about what had happened all those years ago when he was just a little Elfling and had been captured by Orcs in the cave in Mirkwood. He knew something more had happened to the young Prince than people had spoken of in their idle gossiping but he had always been forced not to question Legolas' past too much and now he wished he was better informed on the subject so he would know what to say to help his friend.

"Hurry up. We don't have all day," Kallon snapped impatiently from behind his well-armed human shield.

Wait," Aragorn shouted as the guards threateningly approached a seemingly frozen Legolas. They stopped abruptly at the sharp command and looked uncertainly to their leader. Kallon nodded for them to wait while Aragorn spoke to his friend. The last thing he wanted was another fight with these people if he could at all help it. He had already seen what they, or the Elf at least, could do when provoked and he didn't want to take those kinds of chances with his life, not until he understood them better anyway. There would be plenty of time to claim dominance over them and in far worse ways than this.

Legolas was pulled gently aside by Aragorn and he immediately felt safer shielded by the man despite hating that thought. However, he had not felt fear this intense for many years. The memory of his mother's brutal death had never been so close to the surface of his mind as it was right then and he didn't even really know why. The only explanation he could think of was that it had something to do with his recent visit to the 'Master'. He was trying desperately to push the fear and memories aside, as he had always done before, telling himself that it was a completely different set of circumstances but he couldn't seem to convince himself. Aragorn's comforting didn't seem to help much either. He knew he had to pull himself together; for the man as much as anything. He had to protect Aragorn now, not just himself.

"Legolas," he heard his friend whisper in his ear so the other men couldn't hear. "I know how you're feeling but this is nothing like what happened to your mother." Legolas looked up in surprise, meeting the Ranger's comforting soft grey eyes. "Please, Legolas, if we can get out of this building we might have a chance of escape but we have to be smart about it and that means not letting them get the better of us. This is what they want. They're trying to make us fall apart. We must remain strong." Aragorn's voice held a pleading note and Legolas got the impression that there was more to this request than he was verbally saying. Aragorn knew if Legolas fought he would only get himself hurt and that would ruin all chances of escape for both of them. They were infinitely stronger together than they were apart and it would take all their combined strength to get out of this alive. "Saes."

Looking behind him at the armed guards, sense seemed to overrule irrational thought in Legolas' still slightly foggy mind. Aragorn was right, it was better he undress himself than to let them do it and he knew his friend was correct in his assumption that they would need both their strength to get out of this intact. He nodded slowly and smiled shakily as Aragorn placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. He admired the Elf more now than he ever did before. The sudden change in his usually unflappable countenance was frightening but at least he understood what they had to do now. Memories could be suppressed, for a while at least. He'd been doing well enough for the past three thousand years.

They turned back and stood tall and proud trying to show that they were not going to be pushed around by these men; that they weren't afraid. Aragorn began unbuttoning his dark coloured tunic, glancing over to see that Legolas was doing the same thing - although a little more slowly and reluctantly - with his own light green sleeping shirt. Throwing his tunic violently towards the guards, causing them to take a sudden, startled step back, Aragorn couldn't help but smile. They may have possessed good weapons and strength in numbers but at heart they were still cowards. This ignited a tiny flicker of hope in Aragorn's heart. Their weakness was fear; fear of the unknown, and more specifically of Legolas. It was the first advantage Aragorn had seen since their arrival and it brought hope to a previously hopeless situation.

He took off his black leather belt and threw it at them, allowing it to fall to the ground and skid to a stop at their feet, again causing them to jump, surprised at the sudden action. Legolas was not quite so bold in his undressing. He slowly undid his light tunic and allowed it to fall noiselessly to his feet, watching his captors carefully for any sudden movements. Although he felt as if all eyes were on him he knew that they were actually far more focused on Aragorn, who was purposefully putting on a show of completing this simple task, keeping their attention fixed on him so they didn't look at Legolas. Somehow Legolas knew this would only bring them trouble and yet he was guiltily thankful for the man's actions.

"Enough," shouted Kallon, stepping to the front of the crowd of guards. Legolas and Aragorn both stopped what they were doing and looked up at a fuming Kallon in concern.

"Are we doing something wrong?" Aragorn asked innocently. Kallon smiled cruelly and picked up the man's tunic, which had been discarded at the feet of the guards. He threw it back to Aragorn who merely looked down at it questioningly. Legolas watched in curiosity, remaining silent.

"Pick your clothes up and fold them into a neat pile in front of you as instructed," Kallon commanded coldly, staring deep into Aragorn's stormy eyes.

"I sincerely apologise, I didn't realise you wished for us to remain neat. My mistake," Aragorn answered innocently and he could tell this only angered Kallon more. He bent down and retrieved his tunic, before throwing it back at Kallon's feet. This really did make the man angry. He stormed over to one of the guards, snatched a knife from the man's belt and went straight over to Legolas, ignoring Aragorn completely. He grabbed the Elf roughly before he could even react to the attack and held the knife to his exposed throat, holding him firmly around his naked stomach. Knowing the knife was very close to his jugular Legolas kept absolutely still; afraid that even the smallest movement could kill him, which was entirely true.

Aragorn froze when Kallon grabbed his friend. He had thought that by keeping all eyes on him they would ignore his friend and leave Legolas in peace. Unfortunately his brilliant plan had backfired pretty badly. Kallon now knew exactly how to get Aragorn to obey his every command and that was just what Aragorn was going to do now. He decided very quickly that there was no way he was going to further endanger Legolas' life, certainly not over something so small. He slowly lifted his hands into the air in surrender again, as a gesture of good faith, and kept his eyes firmly fixed on Legolas and Kallon.

The Elf was desperately trying to calm himself down. The memories of his mother's death and his previous captivity – which had briefly and inexplicably bombarded him just moments before - were slowly ebbing away, allowing him to actually think rationally again. He had been in worse positions than this before and knew to get out of it he would have to remain calm and allow Kallon to take the lead. The cruel man needed him; that much was obvious from the way the old man – the Master - had been talking in the Dark Room. Kallon would not kill them, not if he wanted to stay on the Master's good side, anyway. That was their best chance of getting out of all this alive. Clearly there was very little else Aragorn and Legolas could do in this particular instance so the decided to play along for the time being. Hopefully they would get out of this little hiccup alive then they could deal with everything else. Elrond had always said that taking things one step at a time was the key to survival and this was at the forefront of their minds right then. Just get through this alive. That was all that mattered.

Aragorn cautiously picked up his clothes and placed them, neatly folded, in a pile in front of him. Not once did he take his eyes off Kallon and Legolas. Although just a few minutes before there had been a dreadful fear in Legolas' eyes now he was completely composed, the bad memories of his past apparently gone from his mind for the time being. Aragorn was glad; now they could concentrate on escaping from this place rather than keeping Legolas calm. It had frightened him to see his friend in such a state earlier. He had not seen him act that way before and the look in his eyes reminded Aragorn just how much his past still affected him, no matter how much he tried to hide it. That all seemed to have passed now. Legolas was once more back in control and Aragorn knew that Kallon was going to suffer the consequences of what he had just done to the Elf.

"There. It's done. Everything neatly folded just like you asked. Now let him go, please," Aragorn said once he had finished piling his clothes on the floor.

"No, it's not quite finished yet. You and your little friend are still clothed." Kallon smiled at Legolas, who managed to shoot him the most withering look Aragorn had ever seen come from a living being. For a brief moment he could have almost believed he was looking at King Thranduil rather than his son Legolas.

Aragorn, not wanting to push his luck, quickly and shamelessly removed the rest of his clothing. It was surprisingly cold in the room without clothing and all the eyes now focused on him made him feel suddenly exposed and incredibly self-conscious although it never showed on his face. He looked nervously over at Legolas who shot him a reassuring look filled with sympathy and thanks for what his best friend had done for him.

"Now you, immortal," Kallon snarled down at Legolas. He didn't wait for a response but began clumsily unlacing the Elf's leggings with the hand not holding the sharp knife to Legolas' throat. As Aragorn suspected Legolas did not react at all well to this. Rather amazingly, he was instantly out of Kallon's grip. The knife fell to the floor with a loud clatter that echoed through the eerily silent room. Kallon held his hand up to stop his guards approaching and bent down and picked the knife up carefully, never once taking his eyes off the Elf, who merely stood watching him, ready to defend himself again in threatened. The guards were also on high alert again, ready to attack if it looked like the Elf would gain the upper hand.

"Don't touch me," Legolas growled at the man, now standing over by Aragorn. He finished undressing himself as Aragorn had done a moment before, his head held high this time trying not to look fazed by the situation despite the fact his heart was pounding in his chest and he felt like crawling away, curling in on himself and crying until all this embarrassment and anguish went away. As hard as the proud Elf pretended to ignore and be unconcerned by the people watching him Aragorn knew he hated it. In a way it was comforting, that his fear was no longer the irrational terror of the past but it was also immensely disconcerting as Legolas was not known for being awkward or uncomfortable around anyone, no matter what his condition - or state of dress.

When both were fully undressed Kallon smiled coldly, looking them up and down, more to make them feel as uncomfortable as possible than because he was actually interested. "That wasn't so difficult now was it?" He got no reply other than steely glares from either of them but their eyes didn't dissuade him. "Now put these clothes on and we can get out of here. There's still plenty to see and do before your grand tour is over." A guard handed them each a set of thin, threadbare clothes, which were far too big for them. They dressed immediately and without protest, not wanting Kallon to suddenly change his mind and make them walk around the freezing cold place with nothing at all on. Pretty soon they were dressed in dull grey, thin shirts and trousers. Aragorn knew instantly from their condition that they were prison clothes and that they had been worn by someone else before them. They were stained with blood, sweat and dirt and other such distasteful things neither prisoner wanted to think about. On the backs of the shirts were printed numbers, written boldly in thick black paint. Legolas was 6112 and Aragorn was 6113. They had just been numbered as prisoners.

"Now, let's get out of here. This has already taken too long," Kallon said, striding out of the room, closely followed by a host of guards pushing Aragorn and Legolas ahead of them. "I suppose you'll want to see your new home. You're going to be there for a while after all."

Aragorn couldn't imagine this 'home' as being at all comfortable and if everything else they had seen so far was anything to go by they would be cold and dirty. Things were just going to get worse from now on. Aragorn didn't have to be psychic to know that.

_Translations:_

_**ea na gwill**__ – be at peace._

_**Saes – **__Please._

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	10. Fenced Off

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing Tolkien created.

**

**Sold Into Ruin**

**

**Chapter 10 – Fenced Off**

Kallon led them silently through the halls of the overly opulent building. The grey stone floor was as cold as the rest of the place felt. Kallon had not given them any shoes to put on and, not accustomed to walking around with no footwear as Hobbits often did, they were beginning to get a little uncomfortable during their long walk on the uneven, freezing flagstones. It seemed that Kallon was finally leading them out of the confining building. Neither knew whether this was a good or bad thing; certainly they had not been able to predict anything so far and they got the impression that this was going to be no different.

Aragorn was at least thankful that Kallon had decided against putting their manacles and chains back on, mumbling something about it taking too long and already being too far behind schedule. They were, however, still being held at knife point by several very aggressive looking guards. No doubt any one of them would have been more than happy to run them through with their swords with very little provocation. Legolas was trying his very best to look as though none of this was affecting him but the disturbing memories that had surfaced earlier had clearly unsettled him and he was finding it frustratingly difficult to pull himself back together. Knowing that his enemies were constantly on the look out for any weaknesses no matter how small, Legolas had managed to school his emotions admirably quickly, although no doubt Kallon had detected the momentary hesitancy. Fortunately, Aragorn had been on hand to distract Kallon's attention long enough for Legolas to master his thoughts and emotions and drive those unpleasant, haunting memories from his mind. It had, however, nearly cost them their lives. He couldn't let himself slip like that again.

Being led through the corridors like this allowed them both to assess their situation. Legolas was scanning the halls as they walked along looking for any kind of weakness in the walls - any hidden doorways - and mapping out the general positioning of anything they might later find useful. Aragorn meanwhile was checking the amount and kinds of armour and weaponry their enemy had to hand. Anything that could help them if it came to having to fight their way out, which was looking increasingly likely with every step they took.

Although they knew they would have to do something eventually they had come to the silent agreement that for now they should remain calm and not attempt an escape just yet. They needed to know more about what they were being led into before they tried to get out of it. After all, they were grossly outnumbered and out-weaponed, in fact, at that moment they had very little in their favour.

Eventually, they reached a small door exiting the building. Legolas sighed softly when he felt the daylight on his face and the cool breeze playing through his long hair when they stepped outside and despite everything that was going on he felt a little better. For the first time since their miserable journey began months ago he was glad to be outside in the fresh air. The rainstorm had cleared the air somewhat and now the sky was a perfect clear blue. A cold wind still blew right through their thin prison outfits, although Legolas took no notice of it. Legolas didn't feel the cold like Aragorn and other Men did, so he was basking in the refreshing feeling whilst Aragorn was fighting the urge to shiver and wrap his arms around himself as protection from the cold.

The other men didn't seem to take any notice of it though so Aragorn tried his best not to show his discomfort. This became increasingly difficult when they stepped fully outside onto the sodden ground. As his feet squelched through the thick mud Aragorn had to concentrate not only on where he was going but also on not slipping up, which was difficult seeing as he didn't have full use of his arms for balance. When the inevitable finally happened Legolas was at his side, helping him keep his balance with a strong hand on his arm. With the superior balance of the Elves tackling the mud was no problem at all for Legolas and when Aragorn looked down he saw the Elf was barely making any marks in the wet, muddy ground beneath him. The other men also seemed to notice this and murmurs of wonder rumbled through the group, something Legolas chose to ignore.

"Hurry up, we don't have all day," Kallon called back to both his captives and his colleagues.

After negotiating their way through the mud they were led into a large inner compound, surrounded by a high barbed wire fence that was certain to keep even a Balrog inside. At the far end of this compound stood as fairly large weathered stone building that looked as though it had seen too many years ware and was about to give up and fall down. This too was heavily protected, with a large lock on the main door and guards patrolling around the exterior of the compound it would be almost impossible to escape from once inside.

Legolas looked around him, his fear and concern growing by the second. He glanced over at Aragorn and knew instantly that he was thinking the same thing. This was certainly not something they had counted on happening. They had been expecting a dungeon of some kind, somewhere where it might be possible to form an escape plan but this was something else entirely, it was far bigger than they had anticipated.

Looking more closely at the building Legolas could see a small, glassless window in the side of it. Through that he could just make out the gaunt, pale faces of people inside and judging from the size of the building there were quite a few of them. Kallon smiled coldly at Legolas again.

"Welcome to your home for the next … eternity," he laughed. One of the guards stepped forwards and opened the heavy duty lock that was holding the compound gates closed. "I do hope you enjoy your stay. I'm sure it won't be entirely pleasant but still … Get inside." He pushed Legolas and Aragorn through the tall gates and the guard pulled the gates closed sharply before either could escape and locked it just as quickly. The now trapped pair instinctively threw themselves at the gate, a new kind of panic coursing through them. The Dark Room had been enough to unnerve both of them but the introduction to their prison completely threw them.

The guards, still scared of the newest recruits, backed away from the fence when the prisoners rattled the gates. Kallon just laughed at his colleagues' cowardice. "You two are already frightening my people. This is going to be a real challenge. And as you already know, I love a challenge." With that he walked away, his guards following closely behind, looking around at Legolas and Aragorn as they left just in case they miraculously managed to jump the fence, escape and slaughter the entire Guard. Unfortunately for Legolas and Aragorn there was little chance of that happening no matter how much they wanted it.

"What is this place?" Aragorn shouted, more to himself than Legolas. Thinking only about getting out of their prison Aragorn took a few steps back and charged at the gate, aiming his shoulder at the lock, perhaps hoping the fence was not quite as solid as it looked. It was, however, made of some metal neither had seen before and was extremely strong – impenetrable. This only reinforced Legolas' suspicions that this fortress was not going to be easy to escape from. Aragorn was still banging at the fence and lock in a vain attempt to break it. It didn't even bend under his force.

Legolas just stood back watching Aragorn shouting at the fence, as though his voice alone could disintegrate it. He had learned that it often paid off to allow his human friend to vent his anger until it had run its course and he calmed down on his own. Aragorn didn't have the same calm temperament as his Elven friend, something Legolas had had to learn to live with over the years travelling with the feisty man.

After a moment or two, Legolas' attention was drawn away from his enraged companion. Turning, he caught sight of people now spilling from the building in the compound. They came out cautiously although whether it was him or Aragorn's furious yelling at the gate that they were afraid of Legolas wasn't certain. There must have been over fifty of them; men, women and children. There was no sign of any Elves amongst them, nor any other race but human. It would have been hard to tell either way, such was their filthy appearance. Staying absolutely still so as not to frighten them any more, Legolas called back to Aragorn, trying to attract his attention. It was not easy though, he was currently in the process of banging his hand hard against the lock in an attempt to shatter it.

"Estel," he shouted again, turning abruptly to his seething friend. Again he went unheeded. "Estel, daro." This time Aragorn did halt what he was doing and spun around to face the Elf.

"What?" he bellowed, annoyed at being disturbed in his ranting.

"I do not think that is going to work," Legolas calmly informed him, noting the dangerous glint in Aragorn's stormy grey eyes.

"Really?" Aragorn drawled sarcastically. He had not yet noticed the people stood behind Legolas. He went to turn back to what he had been doing when he finally caught sight of them. They all looked absolutely terrified of him. Obviously they were not used to seeing such 'colourful' characters enter their secure enclosure. Aragorn supposed most people brought here had no illusions of escape so didn't even try.

Legolas and Aragorn stood looking at them for a moment, neither side saying or doing anything. It was clearly difficult for both peoples to understand what was going on. For Aragorn and Legolas it was the last thing they were expecting to see and for the other people there was the shock of seeing newcomers, one of whom was trying to verbally force his way through the gate and the other tall, blonde and ethereal and very clearly not human.

TBC…

**

**Thanks so much to all who reviewed. I love receiving them so please keep sending them.**

_Translations: _

_**Daro - **__Stop_


	11. Home, Sweet Home

**Disclaimer: **I own nothing Tolkien created.

**

**Sold Into Ruin**

******

**Thanks so much to everyone who has reviewed and I hope you'll all keep enjoying the story and reviewing it. Roll on chapter eleven.**

******

**Chapter 11 – Home, Sweet Home**

Aragorn and Legolas could do nothing but watch as the people emerging from the building edged closer to them. They had expected to share this compound with a few people not over fifty. It didn't seem big enough to comfortably house that many people. Some other prisoners still loitered inside the run down building, clearly nervous and afraid of the new arrivals.

The state of the people themselves was also a shock. There were young children among them, which Legolas was certainly not expecting. Not only that but most of them looked as though they had been there for years and with very little to keep them alive. Most were wearing only thin prison clothes like Legolas and Aragorn, although a few had threadbare blankets wrapped around their shoulders; mostly the women and children. They all looked pale, slightly dazed and seemingly completely entranced by the new people.

It was something else entirely that struck Legolas most though. There were about twenty women in the group and seven of them were in various stages of pregnancy. Not a single one of them looked happy about it and Legolas got the impression that it was not a voluntary – or wanted - condition. Disgusted and horrified by this new discovery Legolas looked over at Aragorn, whose eyes were fixed on the children. Aragorn noticed how the adults made sure the children were shielded from the potential new threat. The children themselves seemed more curious than nervous or scared, especially at the sight of something they had never seen before in their lives – an Elf.

Already there were quiet whisperings rumbling through the crowd. They were obviously wondering who these newcomers were and, more importantly, if they were at all dangerous. Outside the enclosure the guards were watching them through the mesh fence, clearly amused by the tentative merging of the two peoples. Legolas and Aragorn just glared angrily at them but the other people were clearly intimidated by them and not about to do anything that might end in trouble. They stopped advancing, careful not to make any unnecessary movements; it reminded Aragorn of hunting, not wanting to startle the prey before pouncing.

After a long time of simply staring at each other, one of the men from the group came forward, pushing aside a child who had been slowly creeping forward to the front in an attempt to get a better look at Aragorn and Legolas.

"Who are you?" the man asked gruffly, clearly not pleased by the newcomer's arrival.

"My name is Estel," Aragorn answered, not wanting to divulge his real birth name. "And this is Legolas," he added, pointing to his Elven friend beside him. Legolas nodded his greeting but it was returned with only a suspicious look. He decided to allow Aragorn to do the talking for the time being; they were more like to trust a human than an Elf.

"Why on earth did they put you in here? Don't they know we're already too full?" he said, seemingly blaming Aragorn and Legolas for this 'error'.

"Well, we didn't exactly get a say in the matter," Aragorn ground out. He already sensed this man was going to be trouble and decided it was best to reason with him. Not that that particular strategy had gotten them anywhere so far. "And you are?"

"That is none of your business," the shorter man snapped back. He took a threatening step forward, apparently hoping to start a fight. Whether it was a matter of dominance or something else Aragorn didn't know but he too stepped forwards, ready to take action if he needed to. They were now almost touching, face-to-face. "You think you can come in here and mess up our routine? Outsiders are not welcome here."

"I would never have guessed from your enthusiastic greeting," Aragorn growled sarcastically.

One of the women in the group stepped forwards just as Aragorn and the other man were about to come to blows.

"Jadan, that's enough," she cried out, stepping between them so they couldn't connect.

"Estel," Legolas warned, stepping in himself, not wanting Aragorn to get himself injured or to make a new enemy so soon after coming here. He rather roughly pulled Aragorn back from the man, now known as Jadan. "Come on, this won't do us any good," he hissed into an irritated Aragorn's ear.

"Oh, I don't know, Legolas. It might make me feel better," Estel growled, making no attempt to keep his voice down. Legolas kept his firm hold on Aragorn's arm, knowing he would jump right back into the fight if given the opportunity. The woman also stayed between the two.

"Damn right. Let me go," Jadan shouted at the woman, although he made no attempt to push past her. Legolas only realised why when he looked at her properly: she was heavily pregnant.

"At least you agree on something," she muttered, locking eyes first with Jadan then with Aragorn, who had by now stopped struggling to free himself from Legolas' vice-like grip.

"Estel, Jadan, we are all in the same situation here. Fighting with one another is not going to help anybody. No matter how good it makes you feel. Now, enough of this. If we have to stay together then we have to be able to look at each other without starting a fight. None of us want to be here but there is nothing we can do about it. I don't think these people will be too forthcoming in our request for a change of living quarters," Legolas said firmly. The woman smiled softly at him in appreciation, pleased that someone else was making some sense.

Legolas let go of Aragorn when he nodded to the Elf. He straightened out his shirt and smiled at Legolas, making sure his friend knew that he was calm now. The woman stepped out of the way, trusting Jadan not to do anything. This trust proved unwarranted. As soon as she stepped aside he dashed towards Aragorn, who also rushed forwards. Before anything could happen though Legolas stepped in between them, not allowing the two to clash. He grabbed Jadan's hand as it was about to hit Aragorn and twisted it around, not enough to break it but just as a warning. Jadan instantly pulled back and shouted out in pain, falling back into the crowd, who were standing watching the exchange with rapt interest.

Aragorn and Legolas stepped back away from the crowd but the woman came towards them, a warm smile on her face.

"Thank you," she said. "You're right, we are all in the same position; there's no reason why we should be fighting amongst ourselves when there are more pressing issues at hand." Legolas nodded gently. At least someone wasn't afraid of them.

"Well spoken, my Lady," Legolas complimented, not understanding why she looked so surprised. He didn't know whether it was because he was complimenting her or whether it was because he had addressed her as 'my Lady'. Either way she looked ready to screech in surprise.

"Let's go inside before this rain – or Jadan - starts up again or we'll all get thrown in the Hold."

Aragorn and Legolas looked at each other. The 'Hold'. That didn't sound good. They followed the crowd obediently into the building, taking in every inch of the compound as they went; possible weak points in the gate and fence, low points, cover, anything that might be useful later on.

Inside the building was more crowded than Legolas was expecting. It looked more like a cave than anything. A cave with benches lining the rough walls, on which were heavy chains. Not a good start. It was noisy inside, reminding Aragorn of one of the big banquets men used to hold, far too busy to be pleasurable. There were no signs of comfort inside at all. Just stark, hard stone benches and walls; not even the pregnant women, some of whom were lying down, had any semblance of comfort around them. It was also incredibly cold inside. There were a few people with thin blankets draped around their shoulders but most had huge holes in them and were covered in stains of all kinds of undesirable fluids. They didn't look like they were keeping anyone warm at all as most people were shivering. Yet they still clung tightly to them as if they were the only possessions they owned. Most looked like they hadn't eaten in weeks and had also gotten very little sleep. They were pale and drawn, almost gaunt, and were covered in mud and a strange greyish powder that smelled sickly sweet. Legolas' first thought was that it was a substitute for a bath although he quickly got off that line of thought.

The pregnant women, although looking very slightly healthier than most of the others, were crowded together, either for warmth of security. They were ghostly pale and looked too thin despite their swollen stomachs, which they clung to as though they were their only lifeline. Aragorn had seen plenty of expectant mothers while training under Lord Elrond as a healer but he had never seen anyone looking so despairing of their position before. It was as if they hated what was happening to them. He didn't want to think of how they got pregnant, although by the way they were being ignored by the men in the building it wasn't difficult to deduce that it was probably the guards that got them in that state.

Chained on the walls and benches were yet more people. For whatever reason they were not allowed to leave the crowded environment in which they were imprisoned. They were simply staring at the floor, apparently unconcerned by the newest arrivals. They looked a lot worse off than the others. Not surprising seeing as they had obviously been chained up for a long time. Blood ran from their wrists down some of their arms where the shackles were too tight and others had large painful welts on their wrists. Aragorn had an almost overpowering urge to go and release them, to end their suffering but he saw the chains were far too solid and could only be opened with a key.

The noise in the building was almost unbearable. Not the excited chatter Legolas and Aragorn were used to in their homes but the harsh cries of the tortured and pained. Legolas had seen people dying on the battlefield and Aragorn had certainly had experience of people screaming in pain during his healing training but nothing quite as dire as this. The worse thing about it was that they could do nothing. They had no power here. This was entirely new territory and both knew they were way out of their depth.

**TBC…**

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	12. Jasmine

**Disclaimer: **I own nothing Tolkien created.

**

**Sold Into Ruin**

******

**Thank you so much to everyone who has reviewed. Please keep letting me know what you think.**

**Chapter 12 ~ Jasmine**

"Hello," a small, timid voice came from behind Legolas. He spun around and looked down. There was a young boy standing behind him, dressed in the same prison clothes as everyone else, a number painted on the front and back. The child looked just as neglected as the adults; far thinner than any child – Human or Elven - Legolas had ever seen. His skin was covered in dirt but underneath it was a pale grey colour, certainly not healthy. He could not have been more than eleven years old, although his parents were nowhere in sight and none of the other adults seemed to be taking too much notice of him.

"Hello," Legolas smiled, putting his hand to his heart in a traditional Elvish greeting. The boy instantly cheered up, apparently never having been greeted so politely before and perhaps a little afraid of the strange being towering above him.

"Are you an immortal?" he asked bluntly. Legolas smiled at the child's innocent question and turned to Aragorn, who was watching the exchange in interest.

"I am an Elf - an immortal, as you call us," Legolas replied, a faint smile gracing his fair features at this name.

"You don't look so evil," the boy mused, boldly looking Legolas up and down, checking for possible danger.

"That's because I am not evil. Elves are not naturally violent beings. We live quiet and peaceful lives usually." This truth seemed to startle the child and he looked up at Legolas with a wonder the Elf had rarely seen. So far he had been greeted with only suspicion and fear yet this child showed neither. There was only a keen interest in his eyes. There was also an innocence there that Legolas had not expected to see in such a dismal place.

"Are you really immortal? 'Nothing lasts forever', that's what Jadan says," the boy continued.

"Maybe _Jadan_ is wrong," Legolas said, his smile growing broader at the child's curiosity. Aragorn laughed and the child looked suddenly angry at being challenged, crossing his arms over his chest and tapping his foot against the floor in anger.

"So, exactly how old are you?" he asked, trying not to sound overly interested. Legolas laughed again and smiled down at the child.

"How old do you think I am?" he asked.

The boy shrugged. "Eighty?" he suggested, unconvinced he was correct.

Legolas laughed at the guess. "Not even close."

"Well, how old then?" the boy asked again, getting frustrated at not being told the truth.

"I'll tell you what, you keep guessing and I'll tell you when you're getting close." Legolas smiled down at him but the boy was clearly not at all impressed. He was about to voice his displeasure when Jadan, the man who had tried to start a fight with Aragorn earlier, pushed his way through the people and positioned himself in between Legolas and the boy.

"You would be wise to leave him alone unless you wish to end up like him." He pointed to a man who was curled up in the corner, blood oozing out of numerous cuts on his hands and face. Legolas knew that chances were this had been done by one of their kidnappers rather than Jadan but still the warning was real enough and Jadan didn't look like someone who would go back on his word. He held up his hands in a sign of surrender and took a step backwards and Aragorn did the same thing not wanting another confrontation. "Wise move, immortal," he spat the last word out as though it were poison.

Thankfully, this particular confrontation was over quickly and Legolas breathed a sigh of relief. He could easily fight Jadan and win, he knew that. He had already proven a formidable opponent against Men but with so many others close by and a child in between them it was not a good idea, something Aragorn entirely agreed with now he was in a more rational state of mind. He got the impression that too many encounters with this particular man could seriously damage your health.

The woman who had earlier broken up the fight between Aragorn and Jadan now came up to them, lying a comforting hand on Legolas' shoulder to get his attention, which had wandered to watching Jadan lead the small child away from them.

"Come on, you'll need to rest before tomorrow." She led them through the crowd that parted nervously and ushered them to the far end of the building. They sat down on one of the benches and realised how hard they really were. It was difficult to believe anyone could sleep on them.

"What's happening tomorrow?" Aragorn asked, trying to get comfortable on the cold stone.

"You'll be put to work properly, unless Kallon has some higher duty for you," she said, glancing down at her swollen stomach. Aragorn and Legolas instantly caught the meaning. It made sense that the men in charge were impregnating the women, using any method to keep them under control and getting something more physical out of it too: children. Children they could bring up learning the nature of their cause. Legolas had heard of this sort of thing happening many, many years ago but never to such a degree. It was shocking to say the least.

"They'll probably want to use you for something more than hauling rocks," she continued, pointing to Legolas. "A real immortal; he wouldn't want to damage you I shouldn't think."

"Hauling rocks? So, this is a mining facility?" Aragorn asked, leaning forward. Finally beginning to understand what was happening did nothing to lift his unease. They weren't just prisoners, they were slaves.

"Mining facility? I suppose so, if that's what you want to call it. They send us down, hundreds at a time, to chip the rock off the walls and bring it above ground."

"What do they mine?" Legolas asked, wanting to find out as much as possible about this place before anything bad – or rather _worse_ – happened to them. He needed something he could use, anything that could give them an advantage.

"Mithril, precious stones, anything they can find that might have some value."

"And they use you to do it?" Legolas asked, already knowing the terrible answer.

"Why pay employees when you can force people to do it for free? Working all day, making bags of money and not having to spend anything; it's simply too good to pass up. The cheaper the slave the better. People never get rich by throwing their money away," she sighed sadly.

"That's terrible," Legolas said to himself, his blue eyes sweeping over the room, taking in the prisoners.

"And illegal. I remember when the Steward of Gondor learned about some of these places; he ordered them all to be torn down, all the people freed and compensated for their suffering. I can't imagine Gondor over-looking this one," Aragorn added, remembering when the news of these slave camps had reached Imladris. Elrond had been absolutely furious and had immediately dispatched his own soldiers to help the effected areas. It had been a small but much appreciated gesture of good faith towards the communities of Men.

"The rumour is that the Master has powerful connections within the Council of Gondor. Convincing the Steward to overlook one or two camps here and there was no difficult feat. They ignore certain aspects of what happens here…"

"And in return get a generous cut of the profits," Aragorn finished and she nodded sadly.

"That's terrible," Legolas repeated to no one in particular. He had never heard of anything like this before; his father had little interest in what happened in the world of Men, staying as far away as possible from them was all he cared about. This kind of thing simply didn't happen in the Elven realms. The Elves' regard for life was far too high for anyone to even contemplate doing anything like this. It had never really occurred to Legolas that Men should be capable of anything so awful. It was hard for any Elf to understand death as it was something with which they had very little experience, most choosing to sail West before death could claim them. Their immortality meant that they could never grow old and being immune to sickness never let death become an issue. In fact, the only ways they could die were if slain in battle or fade from a broken heart. The latter was very rare, the former unfortunately not so.

"Yes and no one can do anything about it," the woman said, looking forlornly down at her stomach.

"Haven't you ever tried to escape?" Legolas asked, seeing Aragorn wanted to know the same thing, desperately hoping she would know a way.

The woman smiled as though the question was a joke rather than a serious enquiry. "Of course there have been people who thought about escaping; truthfully we all do every day. There are even some who have tried." She pointed over to the men with their hands chained to the walls. "That's what happens if you even contemplate escape. They always know, somehow. No one has ever come back after getting caught actually trying to escape and no one has ever gotten beyond the far fences alive. I don't know what they do to you when you get caught but I can't imagine it's anything good. There have been rumours that they torture you until you confess how you managed to get as far as you did and then they simply kill you for setting a bad example."

"That's exactly right," an old man said from the bench next to them. He was chained to the wall in a very uncomfortable position; his head was hung as if he was too weak to lift it even when he spoke. His voice was gravelly like he hadn't used it in a long while – or had screamed too much. "They throw you in a cold, empty room all by yourself until you start imagining the most awful things. That'll happen without water and food, you know? Delirium, I think they call it. Then, just when you think you're about ready to end it all yourself, they pin you to a torture table and ask you all manner of questions, anything that'll give them a reason to kill you. You're so weak and delirious that you'll tell them everything you've ever done wrong in a last ditch attempt at forgiveness. But it doesn't help. They whip you and torture you and finally, after you've begged them a million times to let you die, they finally put you out of your misery and you can't pass on any secrets of escape you might have learned."

"Don't be so dramatic. You don't know anyone who has come back so how do you know what happens to them?" the woman asked, looking doubtfully at the man, whose number identified him as 6616.

"How would you know what I saw?" 6616 grumbled grumpily. "I used to work down in that place, you know? Making weapons for those vile men. Making the very weapons used to hurt us. Ironic isn't it? That I should make the tools that killed my friends. I've seen what these men can do with a metal sword. It's amazing really, the ingenuity of men when pressed into improvisation." He seemed to drift off then, mumbling something about the values of men being torn apart by an evil few.

"Just ignore him," the woman said, rolling her eyes. "He's spent too many years down in the mines. It messes with your mind after a while."

"What are the numbers for?" Legolas asked suddenly; he had heard very little of the previous conversation.

"Identification. It allows our records to be kept without having to write any names down," she answered, pointing to her number: 6931.

"It also robs people of their identity, allows them to blend into the crowd without connecting to anyone else. Diminished self awareness helps with control. They lose their sense of self and rely on their captors to give them a purpose," Aragorn added, remembering when Elrond had explained about disadvantages of using numbers in regard to patients in the healing halls of Imladris instead of names.

"Well, my name is Legolas and this is Estel and that's what we're going to be called. Our only chance of survival in this place is by remembering who we are. So long as we keep our identities we have a chance of standing up to our captors. What's your name?" he asked the woman.

She looked unsure for a moment, as though she was having a hard time recalling her real name. "Jasmine," she whispered after a few seconds' thought.

Legolas smiled gently. "Jasmine."

TBC…

**A/N: I know there's a lot of exposition in this chapter but it really was needed. Hoped you liked it and please review.**

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	13. Tall Tales

**Disclaimer: **I own nothing Tolkien created.

**

**Sold Into Ruin**

**Thanks so much to everyone who has reviewed so far and to all of those who may very well review this one. Hint, hint. Enjoy.**

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**Chapter 13 – Tall Tales**

Legolas and Aragorn sat for over an hour just watching the other people idly mill around the building, carrying items back and forth. It seemed as if they were only doing it for something with which to occupy themselves; anything to take their minds off of their dire situation. It was a strange sight; they were terribly thin – more so than anyone Legolas or Aragorn had ever seen before – and hurt and scared and yet they seemed to be doing everything in their power to bring a sense of normality back into their desolate lives. The children were running and playing outside, although there was a sturdy-looking padlock on the outside of the building door suggesting their playtime was limited and would later be securely locked in.

Legolas glanced over at the men in chains on the walls. Even they were watching the events unfolding before them, smiling weakly as the children ran past them, chasing each other. The Mirkwood Prince had seen people cope with the most tragic circumstances imaginable but he had never seen anything quite like this before. He'd never seen this amount of denial in people who had seen and experienced such suffering. He had heard of stories about prisoners of war who had coped with challenges that he didn't even want to think about and this was exactly what these people were doing in the most literal way: creating normality in an utterly abnormal situation.

"They look as though nothing at all bad is happening to them," Aragorn commented softly, interrupting Legolas' similar thoughts.

"It is amazing. To think that this is what they are used to. I suppose it becomes a part of their every-day lives. Forming a routine helps them to cope, reminds them they're…human." Legolas looked over at his companion who was watching him closely with concerned grey eyes.

"We have to get out of here," Aragorn whispered with a barely restrained sense of urgency.

"Thank you for stating the obvious," Legolas joked lamely. "Estel, we can't stay here but these men don't seem like the sort we should mess with. Look at what they have done to these people; reduced them to mere numbers on shirts, to shadows of the people they once were." Legolas lowered his voice again. "Those women, what they did to them…Estel, look what they're capable of."

Aragorn watched his Elven friend for a moment before responding. "We have been in bad situations before and we've always gotten out of them, this is no different. It might just take some work, patience and careful planning." Legolas' laugh seemed half-hearted. "We _will_ get out of here, Legolas." His friend remained unconvinced. "Remember that time we went hunting in the Mirkwood forest and we ended up trapped in a spider's lair, thanks to your terrible navigation once again. We were trapped in there for days with no food, no water and the only obvious way out was death. Remember how we clawed our way out and just when we thought we might escape the spider came back to her nest and caught us? We fought that horrible, eight-legged thing for over an hour before you eventually managed to kill it by impaling it on a near-by tree. We didn't give up then and we're not going to give up now. We had nothing to our advantage then and we still managed to get home, the same thing is going to happen this time. We'll find a way out, we always do."

Legolas took a moment to think about what Aragorn said before smiling. "It had absolutely nothing to do with my navigational skills," he said, a glint in his eye as he cast another smile over at Aragorn. The man laughed, glad to see the story of their past exploits had cheered his friend up somewhat.

It appeared that Legolas was not the only one who had been listening to Aragorn's tale. While watching Legolas, Aragorn had noticed someone else watching them from under the bench they were sitting on. The small boy who had asked then questions earlier was now watching and listening to them with rapt interest. Aragorn caught his eye and the boy shrank back into the shadows, hoping he hadn't been noticed by the new-comers. Aragorn smiled and tapped Legolas lightly on the arm. Legolas followed his friend's gaze and spotted the boy instantly.

Bending forward he smiled at the child. "Estel, I believe you have an audience. Maybe you have finally found someone who is actually interested in listening to your ridiculous stories," Legolas joked, a smile lighting his face. The boy climbed out from under the bench as Legolas said this and stood bravely in front of the pair.

"I'm sorry," the boy apologised. "Jadan doesn't usually let me listen to stories like that, only things that have happened to him." The boy laughed at this point and moved in closer to them, whispering conspiratorially, "His stories are always really boring." Legolas and Aragorn laughed at this.

"That's alright, Estel is always looking for people who are willing to listen to his ramblings," Legolas laughed, pleased to sense the mood in the room had lightened significantly since they had started talking.

"I do not ramble, Legolas. All my stories are completely true and accurate," Aragorn countered, winking at the boy.

"Except the parts about my bad navigation," Legolas cut in pointedly.

"_Especially _the parts about his bad navigation," Aragorn stressed much to the boy's amusement. "He truly is a terrible navigator. He even gets lost in his own home." Aragorn laughed as the boy tried to keep the smirk off his face, concerned about actually upsetting the intimidating Elf. When Legolas smiled gently at him he burst out laughing, much to Aragorn's amusement. "I see there is someone else who agrees with me." Legolas mock-scowled at him but couldn't help the little smile that crept across his lips at the boy's laughter. It was such a rare thing in a place like this.

"I wish I could live with the immortals. I bet they're so interesting," the boy said, gazing in unabashed awe at Legolas. The prince merely smiled.

"Well, I had a marvellous time growing up with the Elves. Of course you feel completely inadequate almost all of the time," Aragorn informed him, knowing the boy was listening intently to every word he said.

"You? Inadequate? Surely not, Estel," Legolas teased.

By now some of the other prisoners had stopped what they were doing to listen to what the Elf and Man had were saying. The pair seemed not to notice though. This was a common sight within the walls of Imladris and Mirkwood. They would often keep the guards and their families entertained for hours with their light-hearted banter. Although Thranduil and Elrond often complained about how annoying it was they dearly loved to hear it and when they didn't it was a sure sign that something was seriously wrong. It was even better when the pair were both in Rivendell and the twin sons of Elrond – Elladan and Elrohir – were around.

"You may tease as much as you like, Legolas…" Aragorn was cut off by the sound of someone noisily pushing their way through the crowd. The boy stopped smiling and turned around slowly, as though he was afraid of what he might find.

"What is going on over here? It's late," he pointed to the darkening window "and I thought I made it quite clear that you were not to speak to these people again, Arron." It was Jadan and he didn't seem too pleased that the boy – Arron – was again speaking to the new-comers. He pulled Arron behind him as he had done before and stared angrily at Legolas. Both of them stood up, knowing what was coming next. "I told you to stay away from him. Are you looking for trouble?" he snarled. Legolas and Aragorn were not in the least bit intimidated by this man. They had come across far worse characters in their travels.

"We are not doing anything wrong. Estel was just telling the boy a story," Legolas continued, not wanting any trouble but not about to back down either.

"Jadan, please," Arron began but Jadan put his hand up to silence the boy and of course it worked instantly.

"Don't come near him again," he threatened, pointing a finger towards Legolas, "especially you. One thing you should learn right now, Arron, is that immortals are not to be trusted. They will use you and hurt you. They are no-good traitors and you shouldn't trust them any more than you should trust the men who are keeping us here, do you understand?" Jadan turned back to Aragorn and Legolas. They seemed completely unconcerned at what the man had just said. He noticed that no one in the room was backing him up; they were all watching this exchange silently.

Legolas took a step forward so that he was almost touching Jadan. "You shouldn't feed children such vicious lies. He must make up his own mind about me and my race and seeing as he has only ever met one of us I hardly think he is in a position to judge. And I am almost certain that your opinion is not nearly as reliable as you lead him to believe." Legolas spoke quietly but the words seemed to resonate throughout the building they held so much power.

"What do you know about me?" Jadan challenged. "I know these people, Arron. They tell you things, they blind you with their words, and you forget who they really are, what they're truly capable of. They're dangerous and they will take advantage of you given the chance." His eyes never left Legolas'.

"I was only listening to their story, Jadan," Arron seemed nervous as he spoke and Aragorn guessed he hadn't stood up for himself like this for a long time, not that he could blame him. Jadan was an intimidating man; enough to make him nervous let alone a young child.

"What's wrong with you all?" he shouted, wheeling around to the others in the room, who had all stopped what they were doing to listen to the conversation. "They've only been here for a few minutes and you trust them over me. He's not even human. He'll twist your minds until you're so brainwashed that you can do nothing but obey him. You've all heard the stories about the immortals. They can read your mind; they get inside your head and confuse things. They're not to be trusted," Jadan yelled at the gathered crowd.

"Jadan, keep your voice down, you'll attract the guards," Jasmine warned, looking nervously towards the door.

"Maybe that's a good thing. They can clearly see what this _thing_ really is; that's why he's here. Too dangerous to be in the outside world so they brought him here to keep him out of the way of civilised people. Why else would they bring an immortal into a human mine? It's a punishment, I'd bet anything on it."

"That would be a very unwise move," Legolas said coldly.

"Silence," Jadan shouted, causing several people to step back in shock. Arron also flinched beside his guardian.

"Jadan, please don't. I won't go near them again, I promise. Please just leave them alone," the boy pleaded, tugging on Jadan's sleeve. The man ignored him, clearly intent on making an argument out of nothing. Legolas didn't know whether this was a display of dominance or something else but it was bound to cause trouble.

"No," Jadan shouted.

"We really don't have to do this, Jadan. Please, let's put this behind us. Estel and I are not here to cause trouble. We are in the same position as you, we want to get out of here as much as anyone else."

"You and your friend are nothing here. I'm in charge. I know this place better than you and these people trust me. They rely on leadership. That's how we survive: by following a routine and having someone strong to lead. You can't just come in here and change all that. You can't come here and expect to be treated like one of us." Jadan was getting almost hysterical now and Legolas had taken a startled step back, completely at a loss as to what to say next. He was not expecting this of all things; he didn't even remember mentioning leadership.

"Calm down, Jadan," Arron shouted desperately.

Just as Legolas was about to intervene, several men came running through the door, armed with swords and knives, they charged through the crowd who parted quickly as the men came running forwards. They all knew better than to get in the way of sharp, pointed objects. Legolas guessed most of them had learned that the hard way at some point in their captivity. The last person to come into the room was someone Aragorn and Legolas recognised instantly: Kallon. This did not bode well. They may have only been there for a few hours but they knew that he was trouble. And it seemed everyone else in the room knew it too. They all shrank back, the children hiding behind the protective adults.

"Nice to see you're settling in so nicely," he said, coming face to face with Aragorn and Legolas. Jadan had disappeared back into the crowd with Arron. 'Not quite as brave as he thinks he is,' Legolas thought drolly. The thought was quickly replaced, however, with a wave of sharp and unexpected pain as something hit him hard over the head. The last thing he saw was Aragorn leaning over him and shouting before blackness claimed him.

TBC…

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	14. Slippery Slopes

**Disclaimer: **I own nothing Tolkien created.

**

**Sold Into Ruin**

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**Thanks so much to everyone who reviewed. I can't tell you how much I appreciate it. Please keep reading, enjoying and reviewing the story. Here's the next chapter for you all…**

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**Chapter 14 ~ Slippery Slopes**

When Legolas came round the first thing he saw were Aragorn's concerned eyes looking down at him, closely followed by those of a teary Jasmine.

"Are you alright?" Aragorn asked as Legolas gingerly put his hand to his aching head. He felt a little blood to accompany the pain but knew it wasn't anything too serious.

"Fantastic," Legolas muttered sarcastically, which led to a bright smile appearing on his friend's face.

"That means he's alright. He couldn't be so sarcastic if he had a serious concussion," Aragorn explained to Jasmine, who was looking a little confused as to whether Legolas was seriously hurt or not. Aragorn, of course, knew exactly how to read his friend. "He's always this grumpy when he regains consciousness," the man added, laughing gently. Legolas shot him an annoyed glare before sitting up. "Slowly," Aragorn advised a lot more seriously, going to help him an earning another scathing look from the prince and wisely backing away.

"What happened?" Legolas asked when he had swung his legs over the bench so he was sitting on the edge.

"Kallon thought he would check to see how many blows it would take to knock an Elf unconscious," Aragorn explained jokingly. "I think he was a little disappointed in you, mellon nin."

"Well, send him my sincerest apologies for not meeting his expectations. He could have just asked though; that would have been more polite and less painful," Legolas smiled, rubbing his sore head.

"He didn't do any real damage. It might hurt for a while though."

"Good. I was really worried for a moment there," Legolas laughed. Although this might have seemed strange behaviour to any outsiders it was perfectly normal for the two close friends. They had made a pact when Aragorn was just a teenager that whenever one of them got hurt the other would not get too serious about it. At first they had not been able to test the conviction of their oath but as Aragorn got older and they went on more adventures it was tested to the absolute limits.

Their adventures often ended in a trip to the healing halls. Luckily both Elrond and Thranduil had gotten used to it over the years although they still reserved the right to make as much fuss over their respective sons as they deemed necessary when they returned. This, the two sons could not stop and had ceased trying a long time ago. However, Aragorn and Legolas kept to their pact whenever they were injured. They were both convinced that it helped the healing process, although Elrond insisted that was utter nonsense.

"Me too. You would be no good to me without a head," Aragorn joked, knowing it was the correct procedure for this occasion.

"I would not be much use to anyone without a head, Estel. Although your father would probably think me far more sensible."

"He would without a doubt. Can you imagine the panic though? Ada frantically searching for a cure for decapitation," Aragorn laughed, the picture now forming in his mind.

"Elrond may be the best healer on Middle Earth but I fear even he has no cure for headlessness."

"He would certainly try if it was you though."

"He most certainly would, probably at the same time as giving us a lecture about safety and the virtues of staying within Imladrian walls."

"In that case, I believe headlessness would leave you with a firm advantage."

"I would have to agree," Legolas laughed. They had had this near-identical discussion when Aragorn had returned home with a large, bloody gash on his forehead. Unfortunately, his head had still been firmly attached and he had been on the receiving end of one of Elrond's infamous 'healing hall lectures'. The Elven Lord had not been too happy at the suggestion that Aragorn would have preferred to have been without a head at that point.

"Well, at least there is no damage this time," Estel said.

"That's easy for you to say," Legolas muttered, causing his friend to smile softly again.

"I'm glad you two find this so hilarious," Jasmine interrupted before either could speak again.

"Jasmine…" Aragorn smiled but was cut off before he could complete his reassurance.

"You could have been seriously hurt and all you can do is joke about it?" she said angrily to Legolas whose smile faded somewhat at being told off by the woman.

"I'm sorry, Jasmine," Legolas said seriously. He had almost forgotten the woman was there. Of course she wouldn't be used to such frivolity over injuries. She had never experienced the ways of the two friends before so she must have thought it both disrespectful and unkind. They knew that to outsiders it seemed strange but it was their way and they needed something to hang onto in this place.

"I was worried about you. I thought you were really hurt," she said, tears falling from her eyes.

"I appreciate your concern. You should just ignore us. It's just Estel's way." Legolas smiled more kindly, placing a gentle hand on her shoulder.

"That's right, blame me," Aragorn muttered but he smiled at Jasmine to let her know he wasn't serious.

"I always do. It's just so much easier."

"Well, I suppose as long as you're alright," Jasmine said shakily, wiping her tears away with the sleeve of her shirt.

"I'm fine," Legolas assured gently.

"He's always fine. It's not like there's much to damage in there anyway." When both Legolas and Jasmine shot him a disapproving look he said "Sorry" and hung his head in mock shame.

"Next time it's your turn to get knocked out though, Estel," Legolas said, rubbing his hurting head again as though to emphasise his point.

"But you do it so well," Aragorn quickly retorted. Legolas laughed before looking to Jasmine to check their banter wasn't upsetting her again. She had a thin smile on her face though and there were no longer tears in her eyes so they assumed she was alright.

"You should both get some rest tonight. Tomorrow Kallon will put you to work and you want to be well rested for that. Trust me, you'll need every ounce of your strength," Jasmine advised before walking off to talk to the other women who were still awake.

"Sounds like good advice," Aragorn mused. Legolas nodded and got down from the bench with Aragorn watching closely to ensure he was alright. "Are you really alright?" he asked seriously now that Jasmine was gone.

"I'm fine," Legolas assured, dispelling Aragorn's concern.

"I'm sure you are but let me know if your head hurts more or you feel dizzy or nauseated," Aragorn said in his best healer's tone. Although he could be as light-hearted as Legolas when needed, Aragorn could also turn into every inch of the healer he was trained to be if necessary. Although Legolas would never admit it he actually liked this trait in the man. It made him feel safe. Of course, he would never tell Aragorn that - he'd never live it down.

**

The light of dawn woke Legolas but it was the rows of guards storming into the building which woke Aragorn and the other humans an hour or so later. They charged in without thought, purposefully making as much noise as possible.

The leader of the guards shouted to wake up the remaining prisoners. "All of you get up now and get your breakfast."

Two guards then walked in, carrying a big pot of steaming food. The prisoners instantly lined up in front of them, eagerly awaiting their food. Legolas and Aragorn did the same, guessing they might not get another chance any time soon. One guard handed them each a bowl and another spooned a foul-looking broth into them. They were handed some dirty wooden spoons and sent away. Legolas looked at the stew in disgust, stirring it around with his spoon. The meat, covered in thin gravy, looked to be deer meat but he really couldn't be sure; it was overcooked and tough and swimming in an even fouler grey-like liquid.

Although Legolas was somewhat reluctant Aragorn tucked right in, swallowing the meat as quickly as he could to disguise the taste. Legolas watched him in disgust. He didn't know how he could even put the foul concoction in his mouth.

Aragorn glanced over when he felt Legolas' sharp blue eyes on him. He swallowed the food he had in his mouth.

"Just gulp it down as quickly as possible," he advised with an amused smile. When Legolas looked like he was about to object Aragorn said, "You need to eat. You might not get another chance any time soon." Legolas nodded reluctantly before lifting the spoon to his lips. He chewed the meat and swallowed it with a grimace.

Aragorn laughed at him so Legolas snapped, "Just because you'll eat anything that's lying around." Although the retort was sharp Aragorn knew he didn't really mean anything by it.

"You know I'm not so fussy, Elf," Aragorn laughed. Legolas forced a strained smile to his lips and dared a couple more bites.

"Alright you lot. Time's up. Let's go," the head guard shouted. Everyone formed two lines, almost like an army drill and Legolas and Aragorn did the same. In a matter of minutes they were marching out of the building and towards a large door in the otherwise sheer rock – the entrance to the mine. The ground beneath their feet was slippery from the recent rains and some of the others seemed to struggle somewhat. None of them were wearing shoes, making it even more treacherous.

Legolas, however, was not at all troubled by it. He walked upright and perfectly steady, having superior balance to any human. He took a hold of Aragorn's arm when he slipped and held him upright. The man shot him a thankful look and held onto the Elf's arm to make sure he didn't fall in front of the guards. It was at times like this that Aragorn really wished he was an Elf. Legolas just walked normally whilst the others slid all over the place. They were all watching him in amazement.

However, this was just a minor challenge compared to what was to come.

TBC…

_**Translations:**_

_**Mellon nin**__ – My friend_

_**Ada **__- Dad___

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	15. Into The Mines

**Disclaimer: **I own nothing Tolkien created.

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**Sold Into Ruin**

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**Please leave a review. I appreciate them so much and might actually get around to replying to them this time. Anyway, we're finally in the mines and now the danger and torment for the guys really begins.**

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**Chapter 15 ~ Into The Mines**

Taking their first steps into the mines was something neither Legolas nor Aragorn were entirely prepared for. The guards handed a few of the men battered helmets but most went in with nothing more than the thin prison clothes they were wearing. The mines themselves were very dark at first although along the tunnel leading to the main chambers there were torches positioned along the walls to allow enough light to at least see where they were going. This didn't help a great deal though; only enough to see a couple of feet in front of them. The walls, supported by thick but rotting wooden beams that Aragorn didn't think looked at all secure, were completely black, covered in the strange shiny powder they had seen on the people in their building.

The atmosphere beneath the ground was heavy. No one said a word and only the faint sound of distant hammers hitting stone could be heard echoing through the long tunnels. It was also incredibly claustrophobic. The black walls – much like the Dark Room they had visited upon arrival – gave the illusion of stifling infinity yet at the same time closeness. Aragorn knew it was just his mind playing tricks on him but he thought that the walls appeared to be closing in on him. He concentrated on controlling his breathing until the feeling passed and he was a little calmer; still it was a frightening sensation. He glanced across at his companion and noticed the Elf was experiencing similar problems. The air was thick and stale; not surprising really given the dry, dusty quality of the air. He actually wished they were back in the cold, damp building up above, at least the air in there was breathable.

It was a well known fact that Elves hated being shut in anywhere, especially underground. One of the reasons Elves and Dwarves didn't mix well was because they were so completely different in their habitats. One race thrived underground and the other couldn't survive without sunlight and the sight of the stars after nightfall and the musical sounds nature whispered to them.

Legolas was experiencing that exact problem right then. He loved the outdoors more than anything. At home his balcony doors were never shut, his windows never closed no matter what the weather. Nature was always allowed to enter freely into his room. But in this place there was none of that freedom. No happy sounds of the birds and trees singing in harmony, no light apart from the dull orange glow given off by the sputtering torches and certainly no stars. It was a depressing place for any Elf to be trapped in and Legolas was no exception.

Even though he had only been down there for a few minutes he was already beginning to feel the walls closing in around him. He could sense the sunlight outside and yet it could not caress his skin. It was more frustrating than anything. What was far more worrying though was the fact that they were currently walking down a steadily declining slope. They were going deeper underground. Legolas had always hated caves, even before that terrible day when he and his mother had been so appallingly mistreated.

Living in Mirkwood, a palace built part way into the rock, he would have thought he might be used to it and yet in this place there were no Elves cheering and singing, no Elflings playing hide and seek in the cavernous corridors, halls and rooms, and more importantly, no escape. There was only one way out – back the way they came and that was heavily guarded. At any moment he expected the roof to cave in, all the walls to collapse inwards and bury him in a stony grave until there was no oxygen left the breathe and he slowly – and claustrophobically – suffocated to death and experienced another kind of blackness, one that was equally terrifying and just as inescapable.

He took a deep breath to calm himself. Getting worked up was not going to do him any good. He caught Aragorn looking at him, concern gleaming in his stormy grey eyes. Although his face was bathed in shadow, Legolas could see the concern on the man's features. More than that though, he could see a similar panic to what he was experiencing. The cold, unwelcome feeling of losing control.

Soon, after what seemed to Legolas like a walk into the very centre of the earth, they entered a large chamber that was still surprisingly claustrophobic despite the fact it was an awful lot lighter and bigger than the tunnel they had just walked through. Torches lit up the chamber giving it a dull orange glow. The light bounced off the jet black walls, which gleamed with sparkling crystals the likes of which neither captive had ever seen before. The roof was also black but lit with more torches. The noise was the most striking thing about this new chamber; it was loud and echoed eerily. The sound of hammers hitting stone was almost deafening. There were a lot of other people inside, increasing the stifling feeling.

"Get to work," one of the guards shouted at them. Legolas and Aragorn, now knowing what to do just stood still whilst the others walked off to adjoining sections. Some people were crafting tools, some were hacking at the black stone walls, there were also women loading rocks into wheelbarrows and children holding them steady.

Every single one of them looked utterly exhausted and downtrodden. They were all covered in the same grey, glittering powder that Aragorn now realised came from the walls themselves, dislodged by the pick-axes and other tools being used by the men banging against the walls and ceiling. These latter people were atop huge ladders reaching all the way up to the high ceiling which was supported by huge wooden beams.

"What are you standing around for, prisoners?" the guard who shouted earlier demanded, walking over to them, his weapon raised ready to strike.

"We've never been here before," Aragorn answered calmly, deciding honesty was the best policy.

"Ah, new recruits. What are your numbers?" Before Aragorn could answer, the man was reading the numbers off the fronts of their shirts. "6112 and 6113?" Aragorn nodded. "You're from the main building. Kallon's branching out, I see, trapping immortals now. Haven't had one of them for years. Last one we thought would survive for centuries; he didn't even last a month. Now, what was his name?" the guard mumbled, thinking for a moment before giving up and poking Legolas with his knife. "Doesn't matter anyhow. Right, let's have a look at you and then you can get to work."

For a guard, of which their experience had not been great so far, he was surprisingly polite although Legolas got the distinct feeling they were not at all welcome there. He had little doubt that his feelings towards this particular guard would change rather rapidly in the next few days, weeks or however long they would be stuck down in the mines – although he prayed that it would only be hours, which didn't look terribly likely.

The guard led them over to a group of men working in one of the small alcoves carved into the side of the cavern where they were forging some kind of metal into objects that Legolas guessed were either tools or weapons – or both.

"You," the guard pointed to Aragorn "stay here. You get to spend your days working metal. I'm sure that's what you're best suited for. Prisoner 4234 will show you how it's done then you're on your own for the next six hours. That's when you get you're first break."

"Six hours?" Aragorn repeated faintly in surprise.

"You got a problem with that?" the guard challenged, taking a step towards Aragorn and pressing his knife point against the man's throat. It seemed that for a moment the entire room stopped working, only to jump back into their work twice as fast as before. "Because if there's a problem then we'll have to deal with it."

"There's no problem," Aragorn said cautiously, careful of the blade.

"What was that?" the guard sneered.

"I said there's no problem, sir" Aragorn repeated through clenched teeth.

"Good." The man pulled the knife away and Aragorn breathed a silent sigh of relief. "I'm glad we understand each other. We're going to get on just fine." He walked away but turned when Legolas didn't follow. "Come on, you don't get to stay here."

"But I thought we'd…"

"What? Can't do anything yourself? This is the first time I've heard of an Elf relying on a Man." The guard laughed mockingly. "No, we're going to find you an even better job, something more in keeping with the physical ability of your _superior_ race." He walked away and Legolas went to obediently follow him.

"Be careful," Aragorn said softly as Legolas left. He hated to see his friend pulled away like that. He worried for the Elf; he knew enough about the Elven culture to understand the problems with being in captivity like this. It might have been hard for Men but for the Elf this was going to be absolute torture.

The guard led Legolas down the path through the mine, the further he went the more he could feel the earth pressing down on him from above. It felt a lot like being buried alive and he had to constantly tell himself that there was actually plenty of room above him and that the mine was completely safe. This was something he simply couldn't bring himself to completely believe though. He remembered old stories his father had told him about Elves mining underground, before the Dwarves became greedy and took over the search for jewels, and how they had been trapped underground for weeks on end sometimes with absolutely no chance of survival. Legolas tried to force these thoughts to the back of his mind, unfortunately it wasn't that easy thanks to the constant reminders all around him.

"This will be where you'll work. You get to chip the rock off the gems; such pretty hands will be perfect for the job. It's harder than your friend's but then I would imagine you're used to hard work being an immortal." The man grinned. "Have fun."

Legolas looked back the way they had come to see the guard already torturing some poor child for walking too slowly. He couldn't see Aragorn anywhere and realised they must, at some point, have turned a corner as he could no longer see the exit either. Slowly, he turned back to his assigned department. There were about seven people working around him and all looked like they had spent too much time down in the darkness. They looked tired, both from lack of proper sleep and from all the work, and their skin was pale, almost translucent.

Their skin, like everyone else's was covered in the grey glittery substance that fell from the ceiling like fine grey rain. Legolas could see himself already getting coated in the strange, clingy dust.

"Look, fellas, a new recruit. And a six number as well, from the main building. You must have done something very bad to get assigned to our little department. What was it? Theft? Escape?"

"Nothing," Legolas answered simply, somewhat offended at the accusation.

The man laughed although it sounded more like an unhealthy wheeze.

"No one gets sent here for 'nothing'. They all get nice jobs like making weapons and tools; they're the easy jobs. Cutting off rock, now that's difficult." He held out his hands and showed them to Legolas. They were covered in cuts and blisters; it was amazing that he could even hold anything let alone chat nonchalantly and continue working.

"We were only just brought here."

"We?" the man asked.

"My friend and I were taken and brought here. We don't even know where here is," Legolas explained.

The men laughed, putting down their tools and walking towards him.

"You don't know where you are?" one of them laughed. He was old and crooked, he looked to be well into his eighties, his hands were worse than the others and Legolas could see scars on his face and arms. "That's it, take a good look. This is what you'll look like in a few years time. You know how old I am? Fifty-nine. I know, I look older. That's this dust. Poisonous, it is after a while. Will fill your lungs like black soot." He coughed harshly as if to emphasise his point. "That's all dust, that is. You have all this to look forward to. Young thing that you are, might not affect you as much. Soon though, my friend, you'll be looking like this. Age creeps up on you in this place."

"I am an Elf. I don't get old," Legolas stated.

"Aha. An immortal. That's why you're down here," the man said, stroking his black-coloured beard to reveal the natural grey colour underneath the dirt and dust.

"An immortal? I've never met one before. How old are you? Do you measure by age by decades, centuries or what?" This time a younger man stepped forwards. He couldn't have been more than twenty years old but Legolas could see the same kinds of scars on him as the older man.

"I'm a lot older than any of you," Legolas said, for some reason not wanting to reveal too much about himself to these people. Although they were all in the same situation he didn't know who he could or couldn't trust yet so now was not the time to be making mistakes.

"Well, however old you are, whatever race, this place'll take it's toll on you, my friend," the old man said, glancing down at his hands before rubbing his palms on the front of his grubby trousers, taking dried bits of rough skin and blood off at the same time. Legolas looked away to keep from wincing. "We'd better get back to work," he said nervously looking worriedly over at the guards patrolling the area. "They don't come over here much, only when they've got no one else to whip."

"Whip?" Legolas repeated in disbelief.

"You really have no idea where you are, do you?" the old man laughed. "You think this is bad, just wait until you do something wrong then you'll really be in trouble. They will use any excuse to punish and they don't tolerate disobedience."

The old man smiled, as though that would somehow soften the blow for the Elf. Of course, it did no such thing. He watched the man walk away and get back to chiselling his rock. For a moment Legolas could do nothing but stare after him, not knowing what to do next or what to think of these strange people. So far everyone he had met seemed to be either aggressive or completely mad.

He was pulled from his thoughts by a light and nervous touch on his arm.

"You really shouldn't pay too much attention to him. He's all doom and gloom. I think he's been down here too long." This time it was a young man speaking, he smiled brightly as he shared this advice with the prince. Legolas nodded and smiled slightly in return, keeping his eye on the strange old man. "You'll be just fine so long as you keep your head down and do as you're told. Don't worry, I'll show you the ropes. You'll learn the proper procedure pretty fast." He tugged on Legolas' sleeve and led him over to one of the wooden tables. He then handed Legolas a whole host of tools, none of which Legolas really recognised. The young man seemed to know what he was doing though so the young Mirkwood prince decided he was the one he should follow.

"I have no idea what any of these things are," Legolas admitted with a weak laugh. The young man turned to him and smiled.

"No problem, I'll show you what to do," he said, a bright smile making its way onto his dirty face. "It's really simple. You take a rock," he picked up a black rock from the pile by his work bench and showed it to Legolas, "make sure it's secure; you don't want to break it – it comes out of your food rations."

"Food rations?" Legolas asked, not believing what he was hearing. This place was becoming worse by the second.

"You haven't gotten that far yet, then?" Legolas shook his head. "Ah, well, you'll find out soon enough. Right, after that you place the chisel on it and tap it gently with the hammer. You have to be really gentle though, the rock underneath is pretty fragile, especially the smaller ones. Then you simply put them in the barrow and you're done. Simple." He sounded almost proud at having mastered this simple technique.

Legolas smiled as the young man tossed the now clean rock into the barrow beside him. "It seems like you're quite proficient at this. You make it look so simple."

"It _is _simple. After the first few hundred you'll get used to it," the boy smiled.

"Would you two get back to work before someone catches you chatting?" the old man said gruffly, glancing nervously behind him.

TBC…

**


	16. Harsh Lessons

**Disclaimer: **I own nothing Tolkien created.

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**Sold Into Ruin**

**A/N: Thought I'd give you an extra chapter seeing as it's the Easter holidays. Next update will still be on Wednesday. **

**Thanks so much for the reviews. I very much appreciate them. Please keep them coming. Be warned there is some major Elf torture in this chapter. So, enjoy.**

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**Chapter 16 ~ Harsh Lessons**

Aragorn looked distastefully around his workplace. He had been given the rather unpleasant job of cleaning off the weapons that were being forged down the mine. He had been given a very brief and simple explanation of his job: 'Just clean the blades off with the rag, polish and shine them up. Easy.' In truth, he was rather grateful for the job. Not having to concentrate meant he could keep an eye on what was going on around him. It also allowed him to worry about what had happened to Legolas. And worry he did. The thought of them treating him badly was the worse thing he could imagine.

He wondered what Legolas was doing, whether the Elf's job was as boringly pointless as his own. He wondered how long the Elf could remain sane underground. He remembered how much Legolas hated enclosed spaces, hated being shut away from the sunlight. Although they had been involved in countless adventures involving caves and being underground, not to mention the fact that Legolas' palace was built partially beneath the earth, the fear of being buried had never left the Elf. Whether it was a fear rooted in the experience with his mother or something else Aragorn didn't know and Legolas had never discussed this particular phobia with him.

"Hey you, shine faster," one of the men said, looking over his shoulder at Aragorn who had been lost in his thoughts.

"Sorry," Aragorn mumbled back, picking up the cloth and wiping the grime off the weapon in his hands. He had briefly considered using one of these weapons to escape this place. That plan had been hastily discarded. He didn't know where Legolas was and he had no way of getting to him before he was spotted by a guard. It would have been impossible to tackle all of them on his own and save his friend without one or both of them getting injured or killed.

He also had no idea how to get out of this place. Although their journey down here had been reasonably short he couldn't remember exactly how to get out. He imagined that was one of the advantages of the black walls; they were disorientating as well as deeply depressing. Escape wouldn't be as easy as he had first hoped. It seemed that every time he was given the slightest glimmer of hope it was cruelly snatched away from him before he even had the chance to explore it.

**

Legolas was, unlike Aragorn, quite satisfied with his job. The work at least distracted him from the impending collapse of the cave. Having said that his fair, slender hands were already covered in scratches even though they had been using the long sleeves of his shirt to cover them as best he could he found it made very little difference. Every time he came into contact with a sharp surface the pain increased until he was tempted to just drop what he was holding and cradle his aching, bleeding fingers.

The old man had been in correct in saying that few guards ventured near them. Not one had even glanced their way since Legolas' arrival. He had also been talking to the younger man, although all the other slaves ignored him. Unfortunately, the man had talked about practically everything but their situation so he had learned virtually nothing about it. Although he had broached the subject several times the young man had always managed to change his negative questions into random positive comments. An admirable quality in this place but annoying nonetheless.

Legolas also took the time to examine the rocks he was holding: Mithril. He had never in his life imagined he would be mining for precious stones. It was hardly the kind of work the Elves did – let alone royalty. Mining was usually reserved for the Dwarves. He could just picture his father's utter surprise – not to mention disgust – when he told him what happened. Not so much the kidnapping but the mere fact that he had been put to work in a cave. Up until this point he hadn't even considered his father, about what he would do when his only son didn't arrive in Mirkwood. He smiled slightly when he thought of Thranduil frantically shouting orders to the Mirkwood Guard to find his son.

Thranduil was not renowned for his patience in any matter especially not that of his only son and heir. Legolas could arrive late to Rivendell and not think twice about it but when going home to Mirkwood he would always make sure he was exactly on time. Thranduil did not tolerate people being late. He had been known to chase down people who were late for appointments and lock them in his office to teach them the importance of being punctual. Thus few people were late for meetings with the king. When it came to his son though it was only ever done out of concern and never impatience.

Legolas himself had been on the receiving end of several of Thranduil's infamous lectures and they were never pleasant to endure. He used to dread being called into his father's office when he was younger. Whenever that happened he knew he had done something wrong. Thranduil had never once used physical violence against his son or any of his staff but his lectures were something everyone dreaded and thus avoided at all costs.

A thought suddenly occurred to him that hadn't before: the possibility that someone might be looking for him was like a light thrown down into the dark mines. His father, the King of Mirkwood, formidable enough to scare even the strongest opponent wouldn't just sit back and accept that his son wasn't coming back. He would sort this out; he would fight these men for Legolas' freedom. That's what his father did. He hadn't even considered this before; his father had never even come into the equation. This new hope surged through Legolas, igniting his dampened spirit. For the first time a smile crept across his dirty face. He quickly wiped it off though; the fewer people who knew about the king the better.

**

Being down the mines was utterly exhausting. Legolas' previously fair hands were filthy dirt and covered in blisters and cuts from handling the sharp tools. He tried to keep a straight face but he couldn't stop the occasional wince passing over his features, which were now absolutely covered in dust. That damned dust was so irritating. The powder made his face itch and burn; it got in his eyes, almost blinding him before he was able to blink it out. It was also incredibly hot in the mines. His mouth was so dry he doubted he could even speak. Although he didn't know how long he'd been down there but he guessed it was about eight or nine hours with only a small break for a small sip of water, which only made him feel thirstier.

The conversations between him and the young man had died down after a while and now Legolas understood why. He would have killed for a drink of fresh, cold water. He pushed the image from his mind before it could develop into a craving. Along with the increasingly uncomfortable conditions, he was beginning to feel as though the entire structure was about to collapse, intensifying his claustrophobia once more.

He glanced around, trying to convince himself that there was plenty of room and the ceiling was not about to cave in and bury him alive. It proved to be a big mistake. He caught the attention of one of the guards. It was the first time one had glared at him like that since entering the mines. There was a spark of rage in his cold eyes that made Legolas look away quickly, praying he hadn't been noticed. Even though he couldn't see him, Legolas could practically _feel_ the man stalking towards him.

Busying himself with the rock he was working on he tried to ignore the man's presence until he felt a firm tap on his shoulder. He paused in what he was doing; frozen.

"Put the tool down on the table." The man's voice was quiet against the noise in the cave and yet it was so clear to Legolas that he heard every terse syllable. He paused for a moment, hesitant about carrying out the order. For a fleeting moment he actually considered killing the man with his makeshift weapon but he knew that would only get more people hurt, even killed; not a risk he was willing to take under any circumstances.

He slowly placed the tool down on the table, knowing the thing pressed against his shoulder was a blade. He sat still, looking straight ahead, already knowing this was going to end badly. Glancing to his side when he felt the guard move he saw him peering into the crate of jewels Legolas had worked on. The guard did not look impressed.

When the guard spoke again it came as a surprise. "Prisoner 6112," the guard's hollow voice sounded, "stand up and keep your hands away from the table."

Again, Legolas hesitated in carrying out the command but wanting to avoid a confrontation he did as instructed. He got up slowly, his hands away from the table, and stood behind the bench he had been sitting on.

The guard, with his weapon still trained on Legolas, moved to his table and looked more closely at the crate. He then turned his dark eyes towards Legolas and the Elf could have sworn he saw a glimmer of glee reflected in them.

The man, clearly unimpressed, turned and shouted to another guard. The other got a firmer grip on his weapon and walked over to them. The first guard seemed pleased for a second opinion on the matter of Legolas' poor performance and smiled when the second seemed to agree with his decision.

"What do you think?" asked the first guard, smiling slightly to the other, who grinned back menacingly.

"Not good. A very bad way to start a career. I think he may need a little encouragement."

"Just what I was thinking."

"And I happen to know the perfect lesson."

"Perfect."

Another smile passed between them as Legolas watched the exchange with growing unease.

"Go fetch the equipment while I prepare the class," the first one said, clearly enjoying this. "This is my favourite lesson of all; one for you all to watch. You see, I don't think there has been nearly enough work going on here and slacking is not an option in this school. Underachievement is breaking the rules and that requires punishment. Disobedience will not be tolerated."

Legolas looked around and noticed everyone watching him with frightened interest. Others were renewing their efforts in the work, perhaps to avoid the same 'lesson' Legolas was about to receive.

Before he could even think what might be happening to him, the guard grabbed him and pushed him into the cave wall so the uneven surface pressed uncomfortably into his back. What was more uncomfortable was the knife positioned at his throat. As the guard leaned against Legolas he could feel his hot breath on his face.

"You need teaching a lesson and it's my pleasure to show you the finer points of our trade."

The second guard came behind him with something in his hand, although Legolas couldn't see what it was he guessed it wasn't good. He could tell by the way the entire room seemed to go silent at the sight and thought of what they knew was about to happen.

A cold dread spread through him. They were punishing him for turning around? No. It was something else, although he couldn't think what. Right then he had a job to think straight anyway. Giving into fear wasn't something he usually did and he was not about to start now, not in front of people who generally thought Elves to be weak creatures. Whatever this punishment was he could handle it – or so he tried to convince himself.

When he saw the whip the man passed to the first guard his heart leapt in fear. He had never seen anything like it. It was made of thick leather, split at the end into five separate strips. That, however, was only the beginning of this cruel weapon. Tied to the ends with thick leather were pieces of jagged metal, glass, wood, rock and more that could cause serious damage to the victim. That coupled with the guard's obvious strength made this a formidable weapon.

Legolas realised now that this was not a simple punishment for turning at the wrong moment, this was to make a point – to frighten.

"Turn around," the guard ordered. Legolas glanced around him, looking for something – anything – to help himself. There was no way he could get out of this though and no one else seemed particularly inclined to help him.

When he didn't turn immediately the impatient guard grabbed him by the shoulders and forced him around, pushing him face down onto the table. The man laughed at him and Legolas knew then that they were going to enjoy this. He sensed a crowd gathering around him but this offered him no comfort. The guard roughly pulled off his shirt and motioned for two other guards to come either side of him.

"Hold him down," the booming voice commanded. Legolas gave them his best glare, which only excited a chorus of laughter from behind him.

The first time the whip hit him he was too stunned to do anything. It was hard to believe that something could cause that much pain with a single strike. He could feel every bit of sharp metal digging into him only to be brutally ripped out again. He felt a warm, sticky substance trickling down his back and could picture the red blood spilling from his agonising wounds. He heard a mixture of cheers (from the guards) and cries of shock (from the prisoners). Their sympathy didn't make him feel any better though.

Before he had a chance to think on it though the whip came down again, harder this time. He gripped the edge of the table, not wanting to give them the satisfaction of hearing him cry out, begging for mercy, which was exactly what he wanted to do. It came again, quicker – and if possible harder – than last time and in a different place. The pain spread across his whole back and sides as the guards continued to strike him.

Eventually, after what seemed like forever in his pain addled mind, the agony became too much to bear and he heard himself cry out, quietly at first but then louder as the blows rained down harder. He had noticed the whip had now been changed. The first one was probably causing too much damage. He felt the harsh bite of thick leather but there was no metal or glass anymore. This didn't, unfortunately for Legolas, reduce the pain. This new whip continued ripping apart his skin. He felt his knees buckle beneath him but he was held up by the guards either side of him.

Being held up not by his own strength but by the men at his sides Legolas felt consciousness slipping away from him. So much for not giving in to their torture. He could see his father now, shaking his head at his usually strong son's weakness. Trying to get rid of that disturbing image he closed his eyes, praying the pain would stop and deep oblivion would take him.

**

Aragorn heard the commotion and stepped out of his alcove to see what was going on. All he could see though was a crowd of people – guards and prisoners from further down. Something was happening around the corner. He could hear the cheers of the guards but the shouts of disgust, people turning and walking away. Whatever was happening, it must have been bad. Just as he was about to turn away, knowing abandoning his post would only get him into trouble, he heard a shout. It took him a moment to register who it was and when it hit him he all but threw himself out of the alcove.

He was about to dash through the crowd when someone grabbed his arm to stop him. His first instinct was to pull away, figuring it was a guard. The person pulled him back though, revealing himself to be one of the men working in his section.

"What are you doing? Let me go. That's my friend." Aragorn tried to get away from him but the man held him firmly. "Let go," he shouted.

"If you get yourself hurt you'll be no good to your friend," the voice was calm, collected, as though its owner had been through this same thing thousands of times before. "Let it happen. It's for the best."

Aragorn looked into the man's eyes and saw something there that suddenly calmed him. The stranger let him go and Aragorn turned slowly away from the scene. He closed his eyes when he heard Legolas' shouts becoming louder.

TBC…

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	17. In chains

**Disclaimer: **I own nothing Tolkien created.

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**Sold Into Ruin**

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**Warning: More Elf torture in this chapter, guys.**

**A/N: I'd like to thank everyone who has reviewed. I really, really appreciate it. One day I will actually get round to thanking you all personally, I promise to try harder. If you'd prefer I didn't answer your reviews I'm now allowing anonymous reviews as well.**

**Thanks and enjoy the chapter.**

**Chapter 17 ~ In Chains**

The guards dragged a limp Legolas along the tunnels towards the exit. Aragorn dashed forwards when he saw his friend being pulled along. Legolas was still conscious but only just. His back was slick with blood, which left a wet trail in the dirt as he was dragged through the mines. His eyes were closed in pain and he looked so pale that Aragorn would have thought him dead had he not seen the faint rising and falling of his chest as he breathed shallowly. The same man who had stopped him running to help Legolas the first time now stood in front of Aragorn again, trying to block the distressing sight of the injured Elf. Aragorn stared over his shoulder, desperate to catch a glimpse of his friend and hopefully gauge the extent of his injuries.

"He needs help," Aragorn shouted as much to himself as anyone else. He knew the guards would not heed his pleas anyway. "Let me help him, please," he begged, attracting the attention of one of the guards ruthlessly dragging Legolas along behind him. The whole mine seemed to go completely still and silent as though willing the guard to say yes. Everyone seemed to hold their breath, including Aragorn.

The guard looked around him for a second, considering the offer. A cruel smile then spread across his face. "You really want to help?" Aragorn nodded earnestly. "Good, then you can clean up this mess. It'll save your friend from doing it when he wakes up," the guard said, pointing to the trail of blood on the ground. The guard laughed heartily when Aragorn angrily dived for him, looking as though he might rip him apart with his bare hands if given half a chance. For better or for worse he didn't get very far. The man who had stopped him twice before now, once more grabbed him, preventing him from attacking the guard and probably saving his life.

"Let me go," Aragorn growled, glaring daggers at the guard as he struggled in the man's firm grip.

"Unless you want to end up like your friend I suggest you keep that temper of yours in check," the guard advised, "otherwise it could have severe consequences for your companion as well as yourself."

The guard suddenly dropped Legolas roughly to the floor and Aragorn heard the Elf moan softly in pain but he didn't move. The guard placed a well-aimed kick into Legolas' side. More mumblings came from the Elf and Aragorn knew his friend could feel everything that was happening to him. The guard kicked him again and again and soon some others approached to join in the fun. Legolas could do nothing to stop this brutal attack and just laid there taking the punishment for Aragorn's slip.

"Stop," Aragorn cried desperately, starting forwards. He had seen more than enough pain bestowed upon Legolas so far during this journey but this was a step too far. "Stop. Please stop. I'll do whatever you want. I'll clean up the blood. Just don't hurt him anymore, please." The guards stopped their attack and smiled seemingly satisfied that they had caused enough hurt to both slaves.

"Do a good job, slave, or he will suffer some more. There are pails of water in the corner. Get to it." Then two guards grabbed Legolas' arms and began dragging him – now completely unconscious – out of the mines.

Aragorn watched until the guards had dragged Legolas from sight before turning away and closing his eyes against the sight of the bright red blood staining the floor. The task of cleaning it up was not exactly a pleasant one, especially when all he wanted was to go and help his friend. However, he knew the guard's threat that he would make Legolas do it himself when he regained consciousness was not an empty one.

He walked dejectedly over to the pails of water in the corner and picked one up. When he got to the blood trail he carefully tipped the water over it, trying not to watch as it swirled away. He was used to blood, having trained as a healer, but this sight churned his stomach. That this blood came from his best friend caused his eyes to fill with tears and a lump to stick in his throat. He continued to wash the blood away though, swallowing his revulsion. He received quick looks of sympathy from some of the other slaves but no one came over to offer to help him. Not that he could blame them, they were all terrified of what the guards might do to them. He could understand that. Legolas' punishment had been meant as a warning to the others as well and it had worked.

The man who had stopped him attacking the guards earlier walked over to him with another of the pails and began helping him with the blood; washing it away, leaving only a line of red-tinted water through the mine. After a few moments of looking at it with strange, morbid fascination, the man – number 2134 – put his hand on Aragorn's shoulder and led him back to the alcove to continue with their work, not wanting to attract any more attention from the guards.

"Don't stop working, they'll only punish you like your friend," he whispered. Aragorn debated for a moment whether to take the chance of getting out of the mine and running after Legolas in the hope of helping him but then common sense took over and he thought better of it. It would, after all, only cause further problems and he couldn't help Legolas if he was in the same beaten state. So, he reluctantly picked up the weapon he had been cleaning before the incident and started slowly cleaning it, inwardly fuming at the punishment his friend had been forced to endure.

**

Legolas was barely conscious as he was dragged through the mud. He could feel the fresh, cool air on his skin but it offered him no comfort, not when mud and dirt was painfully grinding and working its way into the open wounds. There was little sunlight now, although it couldn't have been night time yet; surely they couldn't have been underground that long. And yet he could feel darkness ominously pressing down on him. When he looked up to the sky it remained starless. However, he was now sure it was night although he really couldn't understand how so much time had passed in the mines. That place simply confused him.

He felt as though he were a heavy weight being dragged through endless fields, rough and uncomfortable and yet the blissful darkness of unconsciousness that was beginning to surround him again was already taking away some of the discomfort. He longed for that blackness to completely overcome him and take away the pain.

He vaguely heard a door slamming open, then had the new sensation of dry dust grinding into his back as though he had gone from swamp to desert in a matter of seconds. His mind showed him scenes of water and deserts for a moment before registering the fact that he wasn't being dragged anymore and that he was still in fact in the encampment rather than the far-reaches of Middle Earth. He heard the sound of the door slamming closed then nothing else. For a moment he drifted in between consciousnesses until the sound of the door opening again made him force his eyes open. The world was still very blurry around him though and he couldn't quite make sense of anything yet.

Standing by his side was a man he immediately recognised, then instantly wished he didn't. No amount of pain could disguise the fact that this was Kallon. Just about the last person he wanted to see right then. The man tapped his foot impatiently on the floor for a second before crouching down beside Legolas so the Elf had a clear view of him. Kallon grabbed his arms and pulled him onto his side, and although this was excruciatingly painful Legolas felt like he could breathe a little better. He refused to cry out in pain; his last experience had taught him that such an action only encouraged them to do more damage.

Kallon stared at him for a few moments with those cold, grey eyes, lacking anything resembling life or spirit. They sent a chill through Legolas and he shivered involuntarily.

"This is not a good start," Kallon sighed, mocking disappointment evident in his voice. "Not good at all. I had expected more of you, Immortal. You seem to attract trouble, don't you?" Legolas didn't answer, knowing one wasn't required.

The man stood up and walked a little away from Legolas, always staying in his line of sight, for which the Elf was grateful. He didn't like the thought of not knowing where the man was, it was extremely disconcerting. Kallon walked to the door and opened it, signalling for the guards outside to come in. They did so and shut the door behind them.

"I had hoped that your first day would go smoothly and that I would not have to take such action against you on your first shift but it seems that I have greatly underestimated you and for this I can only blame myself. I have dealt with immortals only a few times before and they have always been trouble. I really should have seen this coming." He stopped talking for a moment, looking down at Legolas again with the same look of disappointment as before. Legolas had seen that look before; in his father. "Now the question is how to punish you. What do you think would be a fitting punishment?"

Legolas said nothing, merely throwing his best hateful glare at the man.

"I would have my guards beat you but it seems that those idiots down in the mines have exhausted that option, for now anyway." Legolas muttered something under his breath. "What was that? I hope it was polite." In fact it was anything but polite. "Strange. I must admit this wasn't how I expected our relationship to work out. I thought I made my warning quite clear before when I said that you will do what you're told from now on. Disobedience will not be tolerated. Perhaps that part of your initiation wasn't quite as clear as I thought. I would hate to see anything happen to you or your friend due to your lack of understanding." The man smiled coldly. "Lock him in the chains," he ordered his guards.

The men dragged him to his feet and pulled him across the room towards the chains that held people onto the walls. Although he made a meek effort to fight, Legolas simply didn't have the strength. He allowed himself to be dragged to the bench. He winced as the men sat him up straight, pushing him back against the cold, hard wall, causing pain to shoot through him. He didn't cry out though, determined not to show any more weakness in front of them. He allowed the men to shackle him to the wall, the cold metal cuffs biting harshly into his skin, making his already cut hands hurt even more. He was stretched up so the wounds on his back were prised apart again, increasing the pain once more and causing blood to drip from them. He clenched his jaw and set a look of anger on his face. Kallon just laughed.

"Not to worry. We'll break you soon enough. I hope this has taught you a valuable lesson, one you will not forget in a hurry." He pulled a handkerchief out of his jacket pocket and wiped Legolas' face clean. The Elf leaned away from him and Kallon laughed once more. "You simply will not learn, will you? Disobedience will not be tolerated. Say it over and over again to yourself. The sooner you learn the better – for you and your friend."

TBC…

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**A/N: Well? Review and let me know what you think. Thanks.**


	18. Hands of a Healer

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing Tolkien created.

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**Sold Into Ruin**

**A/N: Hey there, and thanks to everyone who has reviewed. I finally got around to replying to your reviews (shock, horror!!!). Anyway, here's chapter 18 for you.**

**Enjoy…**

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**Chapter 18 ~ Hands of a Healer**

Aragorn worked distractedly for the next several hours, the black sparkling dust settling and sticking on his clothes and skin. The room was growing unbearably hot. He didn't know how much longer he could stand the stifling heat. The slaves had only been allowed one break during all their time down in the mine and it had only been five minutes long; hardly enough to begin to alleviate the suffering the mine caused. Aragorn had thought that Jadan had only been trying to scare them before when he had spoken of the mines with such hatred but now Aragorn realised it wasn't an exaggeration at all. As much as he hated to admit it, Jadan had been telling the truth.

His mind, although fuzzy and sluggish from the heat, noise and exhaustion, kept wandering back to Legolas. The memory of his friend being dragged down the halls as though he were no more important than the rocks they were mining kept passing through his mind. It had hurt to see Legolas in so much pain and he refused to allow his mind to travel to what might still be happening to the Elf. He knew if he did dwell on it he might not be able to resist the urge to walk out and find him.

His 'saviour', prisoner 2134, had been keeping a close eye on him, making sure he didn't do anything stupid for which Aragorn was quietly grateful. He knew that any action he took against the guards could only cause more trouble for himself and for Legolas and he now knew what these men were truly capable of when provoked. Although he didn't know what Legolas had done to deserve such punishment he guessed it couldn't have been anything too bad as they had made an agreement upon entering the encampment not to cause any trouble. Legolas wouldn't have gone back on that promise; there was no doubt about that. If that was how these men had their fun he certainly didn't want to upset them anymore.

**

2134 glanced over at the new prisoner working at his side. He had a good, strong spirit. 2134 suspected that he would be the first one to attempt an escape in a long time. He didn't know enough of the encampment and its guards to fully know the limitations of what he could do. The atrocities inflicted on his friend would have been a harsh lesson but he got the feeling that that little slip-up would not hold either of the newcomers back. He saw a spark in them that he hadn't seen in a long time in this encampment, people willing to risk everything to escape. Aragorn was going to be the one who could change everything within the camp; 2134 was certain of that.

**

A loud, shrill whistle sounded, startling both Aragorn and 2134 from their respective thoughts. A guard stood in the middle of the tunnel and shouted, "Sixes, time to go. Twos, Threes and Fours stay put."

People began moving from their work places, slowly and painfully pulling themselves to their feet and shuffling down the tunnel towards the exit. The guards stayed close to them, making sure no one made any unexpected movements. Aragorn stood up cautiously when 2134 nodded for him to go and stood up himself.

"Help your friend but don't do anything irrational," he whispered. Aragorn looked into the dark eyes for a moment, seeing something unusual there. For a split second Aragorn thought he saw something in them that might help him later on but it was gone too fast to identify it.

**

Aragorn followed the other slaves and guards dutifully and he was soon at the front of the line, not having served so many hours down the mines as the other poor souls. He tried his best not to attract attention to himself. To do so would have given the guards an excuse to single him out, to punish him as they had done Legolas. That had to be his main priority: getting to his friend and doing whatever he could to help him. If he couldn't even get to the building without being punished he would be no use to Legolas at all.

Walking out of the cave into the pale light of dawn suddenly made Aragorn's heart feel lighter than it had in days. He relished the breeze ruffling through his hair and across his face. He felt as though he had been awake for weeks and had not washed in months. It was a terrible feeling, one that he wished he could wash away with a long, hot bath. He wished he was in Rivendell right then, having one of his infamous rants with Elladan and Elrohir about the state of affairs of cities of Men. He would have even preferred to be in Mirkwood, getting dragged out of bed at dawn by over-enthusiastic Elves and sitting down to a stiff breakfast with King Thranduil and Legolas. Even the king was better than this, as much as he hated to admit it.

Just before they reached the courtyard they were joined by the women and children, looking just as exhausted as the men. Aragorn spotted Jasmine among them and smiled at her. She smiled weakly back and worked her way through the crowd towards him.

"Hello," Aragorn greeted when she reached him. He took her arm, helping her walk through the crowd towards the compound.

"Where's your friend?" Jasmine asked, looking around for Legolas; she had not seen them separately before, they were always together.

Aragorn bowed his head. "He was…punished." Jasmine looked shocked at the thought of something bad happening to Legolas and Aragorn guessed she had an idea of the way in which Legolas had been punished.

"Is he…?"

"He's alive. But they wouldn't let me near enough to help him. There was a lot of blood but he's an Elf; he's pretty resilient."

"Not that resilient," a voice came from behind them. Aragorn looked around and found that Jadan was behind them, a smile plastered on his face. "People rarely survive long after a beating like that. Puts them in bad favour with the guards, and it's all downhill from there. I wouldn't be surprised if he doesn't last out the week."

"Enough," Aragorn shouted, turning and grabbing Jadan by the shirt, nearly lifting the surprised man off the ground. "I've had enough of this. You can't talk about him like that, not when he's not even around to defend himself."

Jadan laughed coldly. "He needs a Man defending him now, does he? The lowest of the low."

Aragorn was on the verge of striking the man when Jasmine interrupted them, closely followed by the sound of a guard pushing his way through the crowd.

"Is there a problem here?" he asked just after Aragorn released Jadan.

"No problems here, sir," Jadan assured, glancing over challengingly at Aragorn as he did so. The guard watched them for a moment before nodding and walking away. Clearly he had little more respect for Jadan than he had for the rest of the prisoners. After he was gone Jadan turned to Aragorn. "Just remember that I have more influence with these people than you can imagine. You would do well not to get on the wrong side of me." With that he walked away, only glancing behind him for a second.

"Don't listen to him. He just likes to frighten to people, that's all. I'm sure Legolas is fine. He's probably waiting for you to return."

"I'm sure," Aragorn smiled, wishing he could convince himself of the truth in her words.

They were led into the '6000' compound then the gates were slammed shut behind them. Aragorn, instead of making a fuss as when they had first arrived, simply walked swiftly up to the building, praying that Legolas was in there. There was a hold-up when Aragorn came to the door. People were staring at something – or someone. Aragorn pushed his way through the crowd, shoving the shocked people aside. What he saw when he came to the front stopped him in his tracks.

Legolas was held against one of the walls, harsh chains holding his arms up with his back pressed against the rough stone. His eyes were closed, although Aragorn could see that he was still breathing shallowly, which was more than he seemed to be doing right then. His very heart seemed to freeze at the sight of his best friend in such a state. Legolas' flimsy shirt had been removed and was lying on the ground next to him. It was soaked in blood. As was the prince himself. He was pale, not the natural pale consistent with Elven race but a sickly-looking pale. His breathing was coming in short gasps as though it hurt him to breathe and he was trembling dreadfully, probably from shock.

For a moment Aragorn could do nothing but stare in horror at his friend. Everything suddenly seemed faded and dull. He heard Jasmine gasp at his side when she saw Legolas. She buried her face against his chest to escape the sight. Aragorn only held her for a second before gently pushing her away and running over to where Legolas was chained up. He looked down at him for a moment but he didn't stir under the man's gaze. Aragorn gently placed his hand on Legolas' shoulder. When he did this, blue eyes snapped open, startling Aragorn with their intensity.

"Ara…Estel?" Legolas asked haltingly, his voice hoarse with pain. He had almost called Aragorn by his birth name, not that Aragorn even noticed. Right then, all his attention was focused on Legolas' well-being. He wouldn't have noticed if Legolas had yelled his true identity to the entire encampment.

"This had better not be just an elaborate plan to get out of work," Aragorn laughed quietly, knowing this was how his friend liked to be treated in such situations; not that Aragorn had seen Legolas in such a condition before. However, keeping the humour alive was a way of keeping the Elf alive and that was all that mattered. It had worked before and Aragorn was determined that it work this time as well. Legolas laughed faintly, making Aragorn force a smile onto his face despite the fact that smiling was the last thing he felt like doing right then.

Aragorn picked up Legolas' shirt and draped it over the Elf's chest. Although it wouldn't help much Aragorn knew that he had to keep Legolas warm, not an easy thing to do in this weather and with such limited resources.

Jasmine was soon back at Aragorn's side. She had grabbed her blanket from the bench she had been sleeping on the night before last and carefully laid it over Legolas. He smiled his thanks and closed his eyes, whether from pain or for some other reason Aragorn didn't know. He just hoped whatever it was helped in some way. He took Jasmine's arm and led her away a little so Legolas couldn't hear what they were saying. It was a foolish thing to do really; Elven hearing was better than that of any Man but it was almost instinctive, as though it would be easier to deliver bad news if he didn't have to be too close to Legolas.

"I need healing supplies," Aragorn whispered.

Jasmine shook her head sadly. "There are none. They don't allow that kind of thing in here. They're luxuries."

"Luxuries?" Aragorn yelled, causing the others in the building to take a startled step backwards then look away and walk outside, as if Aragorn would simply forget their presence and not physically attack them if they were quiet enough. "How can someone's survival be considered a luxury?"

"The very fact that any of us are still alive is a luxury, Estel," she whispered. She knew all too well dangers of attracting unwanted attention. Aragorn nodded but that was not what he wanted to hear.

"Ah, so your friend's not doing so well, after all?" a voice came from the thinning crowd. This time Aragorn didn't have any trouble identifying it. Jadan was becoming a major annoyance, one that Aragorn dearly wished he could get rid of.

"One more word from you and I swear I'll make you regret it," Aragorn warned. Jadan stepped forwards but before either could make another move a weak voice interrupted them.

"Estel."

Legolas. Aragorn moved back over to him and knelt down in front of him.

"Yes?"

"Please keep your temper in check. You don't want to become involved in another fight with him. Please do not give him the satisfaction," Legolas whispered although Aragorn supposed the hushed tones were not entirely voluntary.

"I believe it is I who would gain the most satisfaction from striking him just the once," Aragorn said, turning to face Jadan who was still smirking at them with such menace that Aragorn wished he could knock that annoying…No. He had more important things to worry about than Jadan's face. Legolas. He had to help Legolas. "Alright. We shall concentrate on you for now, but if this were any other time…"

"I know, you could easily take him down," Legolas said, a mocking smile playing across his lips. Aragorn let out an offended grunt but grinned back.

"Come on, mellon nin, let's see if we can get you out of these chains," Aragorn said, reaching up and carefully taking the chains in his hands. They were too tightly fixed around Legolas' wrists and to the wall to do anything with; still Aragorn looked for weak points, anything that might allow for escape, or at least a little slack so the prince could relax a little.

"I fear they are too solid," Legolas said. Although he was trying hard to disguise it, Aragorn heard the notes of pain and desperation in the Elf's melodic voice, not that Legolas would openly admit to it. Out of pure stubbornness he would keep quiet.

"I think you are right. We shall find a way to get you out of here, don't worry," Aragorn reassured. He knew his words were lies and he also knew that Legolas knew. The chains were built for holding prisoners and that's what they did best. But then not all the other prisoners were Elves twice as powerful as Men. However, Legolas was hurt. Badly.

TBC…

**A/N: Yep, that's right folks. Legolas in chains. Aragorn completely helpless. Just how I like 'em. Thanks for reading and don't forget to leave a review.**

_**Translations: **_

_**Mellon nin **__ - My friend_

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	19. Who I Am

**Disclaimer: **I own nothing Tolkien created.

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**Sold Into Ruin**

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**Thank you so much to everyone who has reviewed. I love that you're liking this story. Please keep letting me know what you think of it, I love receiving your reviews.**

**Here's chapter 19 for you. Enjoy.**

**Chapter 19 ~ Who I Am**

After thoroughly exhausting every attempt to get Legolas out of the chains cruelly holding him to the wall, Aragorn sat down heavily on the floor in defeat. Legolas sighed wearily. He seemed to be handling his imprisonment and pain remarkably well, although Aragorn knew it was just a clever façade, hiding his inner torment. He had seen this many times with Legolas when he was injured and forced to remain in the healing halls to be treated and to recover. Elrond would be deeply concerned about his condition, launching into long speeches about safety on the road and Legolas would just brush his concern off, claiming that all he needed was a hot bath and a good nights' sleep. Most of the time he ended up spending several days recovering in the healing halls before Elrond would allow him to leave. That was just Legolas though; always trying to reassure those around him even if it cost him his own happiness and comfort.

"Estel, what on Arda are you thinking about?" Legolas asked from in front of him, noticing the strange, far-off look on the man's face. Jasmine was using Legolas' small ration of water to wet a cloth to clean off some of his wounds.

Aragorn glanced up and flashed Legolas a quick smile.

"I was just thinking of the lectures we shall receive from our fathers when we return home," Aragorn said, looking into Legolas' cloudy blue eyes – yet another bad sign of his condition.

Legolas laughed softly. He could clearly picture Thranduil summoning him immediately to his office and proceeding to give an hour-long lecture about how a prince is expected to behave. No doubt Aragorn would get the same treatment from the King. Thranduil used any excuse to shout at any Man and he seemed to take even greater pleasure when it came to Aragorn. Still, it would make no difference for as soon as the pair left Thranduil's office they would be planning their next adventure, and chances are it would be just as dangerous. There was nothing either parent could do about it. The more they punished the more danger Legolas and Aragorn got themselves into. It was a sort of rebellion for the two young friends. Thranduil and Elrond eventually gave up, allowing the two adventurers to do whatever they wanted, within reason, of course. That didn't stop the lectures though.

"I can picture Ada now, shouting at the guards to find me, already writing his speech for when we return," Legolas laughed, although his face was still marred with pain. "I dread to think what punishment he is contemplating for our return."

Jasmine started at this. "He is a cruel man, your father?" she asked, wiping more blood off Legolas' side, causing the Elf to flinch when she accidentally touched the wound. "Sorry," she apologised, pulling the cloth away. Legolas just nodded, carefully schooling his features.

"He is beyond cruel," Aragorn answered thoughtfully. "He is a great leader but he has no respect for those beneath him. They say that the Mirkwood dungeons are full of people who have upset him. He keeps them there under such awful conditions that most of them simply perish from starvation or dehydration before they can even contemplate escape or plead with the King for mercy. The people of Mirkwood claim that at night they can hear the tortured cries of his victims echoing through the dark halls, praying for absolution that they know the king will never grant. He sits on his throne of gold and mocks them, leaving them all trapped in the eternal purgatory of the Mirkwood cells." Jasmine's face displayed utter shock when Aragorn finished explaining Mirkwood to her.

After a few seconds she said, "Mirkwood sounds terrifying."

"It is," Aragorn confirmed with an enthusiastic nod. "The sun only rises for one day every year and even then it is afraid to cast its light on the dark palace. The rest of the time it is pitch black in the forest, lit only by the occasional camp fire from the Elven patrols. There are Spiders and Orcs and Goblins waiting for innocent Men and Elves to walk by, then they take them and eat them – after a few days of merciless torture that is."

"And Mirkwood's king, he allows this?" Jasmine asked. She had stopped cleaning Legolas' wounds to listen to Aragorn's description of the Elf's home and father. It amused Legolas that she had not yet picked up on the fact that the_ king_ was Legolas' father. He assumed she was too appalled at how evil Thranduil was; in Aragorn's twisted story anyway.

"Allows it? He _encourages_ it. He says it helps keep the numbers down."

"How awful. How could a leader be so…so cruel to his own people?" Jasmine exclaimed.

"He's worse than cruel! People in Mirkwood hate him but they have no choice but to obey and worship him."

Jasmine gasped. "I would hate to live in Mirkwood," she said, cringing at the mere thought. She went back to carefully cleaning Legolas' wounds. The Elf had been unusually quiet throughout Aragorn's comical description and Aragorn knew why. He was losing too much blood and they could do nothing about it, not while he remained chained up like this.

"So would I," Aragorn agreed grimly.

"So do I," Legolas said, putting a sad look on his face.

"Your poor people. I had no idea the Elven Kingdoms were so repressed."

Neither Legolas nor Aragorn could keep from laughing at this. Jasmine watched in bemusement as the two of them laughed at her, Legolas apparently forgetting his pain for the moment.

"Oh, Estel, I had no idea that was how you viewed my kingdom," Legolas said through his laughter. This time Jasmine picked up on the 'my kingdom' part. Her look of amazement just made Aragorn laugh more but Legolas sobered up, smiling gently down at Jasmine.

"I had no…that was just mean, Estel," she scowled, feigning annoyance although a smile was already forming on her face at Aragorn's antics. "Not a word of that was true, was it?" Aragorn shook his head, unable to answer properly through his laughter and Jasmine promptly threw the cloth she was using at him, getting him wet.

"I am sorry, Jasmine. I just couldn't resist."

"Mirkwood is nothing like that, is it?" she asked, teasing Aragorn more. Legolas looked on with a smile, although it was failing him as quickly as his strength was. Right then he wanted nothing more than to go to sleep, to fall into that deep, comforting blackness.

"Absolutely nothing like it. It is actually quite a nice place to live and King Thranduil is not a bad king," Aragorn confessed, ceasing his laughter.

"Thank you, Estel," Legolas said causing Aragorn to chuckle.

"Don't worry, mellon nin, I meant no insult to Mirkwood or to your father."

"That is very reassuring," Legolas said dryly.

Just then Kallon entered the building, a small smile on his face. Aragorn and Jasmine, and everyone else in the building, stood up instinctively. Legolas looked up quietly at the man. He hated his captor already and they had only been there three days. Kallon ignored everyone else and walked over to where Legolas, Jasmine and Aragorn were. The woman instantly stepped out of the way and Aragorn took the cloth she had been using to help Legolas from her, not wanting her to get into trouble.

Kallon took a moment to stare down at Legolas and Aragorn admired the Elf's own attempts to stare him down and that he didn't so much as flinch under the stony glare. Eventually, Kallon smiled and moved to sit down beside the chained Elf. Legolas' eyes never left him; he had learned fast not to trust this man. Kallon glanced down at the bowl of bloodied water at the prince's feet and a wicked smile spread across his face.

"I see you have been getting a little help in here, immortal." Legolas said nothing in return, just kept up his glare. "Who helped him?" Kallon directed the question to everyone in the building. No one said a thing. Jasmine stayed close to Aragorn, her heart pounding hard in her chest at being discovered and punished for her actions. "Whoever has been helping him, I suggest you come forward; it might help your case later if you're honest now. I do not approve of liars."

Everyone in the room stood completely silent and still, afraid to even move while Kallon and his guards were there. Aragorn could understand why. The man was unbalanced, even compared to the other guards in here. Up against him even Jadan was normal, and that was saying something.

"Who helped you? Tell me and I might be lenient in my punishment." Legolas still said nothing, keeping his glazed blue eyes on the man threatening him. Kallon then smiled and drew out a knife and quickly cut Legolas' side where a wound from the whip had just been cleaned. It must have hurt but Legolas didn't so much as blink, not wanting to give the man the satisfaction. "I will go over every single one of them and then make some nice new ones unless you tell me who helped you," Kallon shouted - it was a warning to the other slaves as well as the Elf.

Jasmine, who had been watching in silent horror, was about to step forward but Aragorn got there before her, boldly moving towards his friend.

"I helped him," he said, showing the bloodied cloth to the man as proof.

Kallon smiled and slowly stood, making sure he drew blood as he scraped the knife along Legolas' skin. The Elf didn't make a sound though. He may have been in a seemingly impossible situation but he wasn't about to show any further weakness in front of these men. This was humiliating enough for him, he wasn't about to give them anything else to use against him.

"I might have known you had something to do with it," Kallon sighed, standing in front of Aragorn with the knife held against his throat, close enough to draw blood. "I could see you two were going to be trouble from the moment I captured you. I thought you might do well in the mines but it seems that perhaps you are more trouble than you are worth. Perhaps I should just rid myself of you now." Kallon pushed the knife harder against the man's throat and Aragorn struggled not to step backwards, a sure sign of defeat. He stared into Kallon's cold, grey eyes and stood a little straighter, determined not to allow this man to intimidate him even though intimidated was exactly how he felt.

"Sir, there is trouble in the mine. They are asking for your assistance immediately," a guard said as he ran into the tense, silent room.

"Can't you see I'm busy?" he shouted, apparently not wanting any interruptions during his kill.

"The Master orders it," the guard said, walking up to Kallon. "Now."

Kallon sighed heavily and reluctantly pulled the knife away, his eyes never leaving Aragorn's. "Maybe this is a blessing. You could yet be useful to me. We shall have to wait and see whether you allow yourself to become expendable or not." Aragorn wished he could just hit the man, just once, it would make him feel so much better, but then the guards would probably kill him and Legolas and Jasmine would be on their own with these monsters. He glanced over at Legolas, who shot him a quick, subtle warning look. He was apparently thinking along the same lines as Aragorn.

"Get him down from there. He is no use to me dead," Kallon ordered, pointing at Legolas. He then stormed from the room, leaving the remaining guards to brave Aragorn's annoyed glare and unchain the unpredictable Elf.

One of the guards drew a large key from his pocket and walked cautiously over to Legolas, he had seen what the Elf had done to his fellow guards and he wasn't going to be caught out the same way. His colleagues watched with smiles on their faces at how afraid of the Elf the man was.

"Hurry up and unchain him or we'll be here all day," one of them laughed, mocking the man. Aragorn happened to think this was an entirely sensible way of approaching the prince considering what had happened to him. Although Legolas didn't look like much of a threat at that moment, Aragorn knew that he was stronger than he appeared and was more than capable of inflicting at least a little damage on the men who had trapped him. Already when Aragorn glanced at his friend there was anger in his eyes, this was probably what the guard had picked up on.

"Oh for… what's he going to do to you? Glare you to death?" another guard joked, joining his co-workers in their mocking. None of them came any closer though. It was far safer to let someone else do the dangerous task of untying the Elf and tease from afar.

If anyone could glare someone to death it was Legolas, Aragorn thought, smiling at the amusing thought of all the guards dropping dead when Legolas simply looked at them. It was like being in a room with an angry Thranduil; an unpleasant experience for anyone.

The guard, ignoring the cruel joking, carefully lifted the key and slotted it into the rusty lock, his eyes never leaving Legolas'. The lock clicked and the man pulled it off, allowing the chains to fall slightly. Legolas, unable to even sit up straight by himself, fell forward although was jerked roughly to a stop when the chains held him. The guard then moved onto his hands, carefully inserting the same key into the locks then pulling the cuffs off.

When Legolas was free he could do nothing but tumble forwards onto the floor with a thud. Aragorn went to dash forward but one of the other guards grabbed him and held him back. The guard doing the unchaining jumped backwards when the Elf fell at his feet and the other guards laughed.

One of them stepped forward with a smile on his face as the unchaining guard stepped back behind his co-workers.

"See? He's not really that scary, is he?" The man kicked Legolas on his side and heard the fallen Elf groan softly in pain. The men laughed at this, delighted at causing the prisoner more harm. They were so caught up in the fun of seeing an immortal like this, that they didn't see Legolas reaching out and wrapping his hand around the guard's leg. Legolas pulled hard and the guard went down hard on his face. His friends instantly stopped laughing and ran over to help their colleague up. This time it was Aragorn doing the laughing.

"Maybe he's a little more scary than you first thought, huh?" he said, a smile on his face.

Once the guard was up he looked down angrily at Legolas who was still lying on the floor.

"You little…" He went for Legolas but the others stopped him.

"Come on, he's not worth it." They dragged him outside and slammed the doors to the building closed, leaving everyone in silence for a moment before anyone dared to move.

TBC…

_**Translations:**_

_**Arda – **__Earth_

_**Ada – **__Dad_

_**Mellon nin **__– My friend_

_**_


	20. Enchanting Memories

**Disclaimer**: I own nothing Tolkien created.

~*~*~*~*~*~*

**Sold Into Ruin**

***~*~*~*~*~*~**

_A/N: ~ Memories are in italics in this chapter~._

**Chapter 20 ~ Enchanting Memories**

The building was silent. Since the guards' departure there had been an unusual wariness about the people inside. Aragorn couldn't decide whether it was wariness of the guards or of Legolas who had, for the first time since their arrival in the building, shown what he could really do when provoked. Violence was something these people saw every single day of their imprisonment and yet this incident seemed to have affected them more greatly than Aragorn could have imagined possible.

Maybe even after everything they had seen and been through they were still afraid of the evil that was all around them, taunting them constantly, never slackening its vice-like grip on their freedom, their very souls. Even though they had seen more death and devastation than most mortals - and immortals - would ever witness there were clearly still things that frightened them. Perhaps it was the last remaining shred of normality that they clung to with fierce commitment or maybe it was a primal instinct that no form of corruption could ever faze out. It made them feel less helpless, helped them remember that this was not how a normal life played out. It was a survival mechanism, allowing them to cope with the awfulness of what was happening to them with a practised and conditioned response: fear. They embraced it as a person in dire trouble would embrace the slightest sliver of hope.

It amazed Aragorn. So much had happened here and yet they were still shocked by the simple actions of one Elf. It could, however, be something far less complex Aragorn thought with a smile. Maybe they were just afraid of what they didn't understand and most people - even some Elves - didn't understand Elves and their curious ways. Aragorn himself remembered being afraid at times growing up in Rivendell when he was confronted by these seemingly perfect beings, which only accentuated his own flaws as a human. Although unnerving when in their thoughtful, enigmatic and ethereal state – which was so often associated with their race – they were even more complicated and frightening when you looked beyond the convincing façade of perfection and saw the complexities, emotions and flaws that were tucked safely from view of the rest of the world.

He briefly wondered whether, given time, these people would change their minds on the matter; become convinced that Elves, or 'Immortals', weren't dangerous creatures after all, just very complicated. Aragorn hoped that question would never be answered. He certainly didn't want to stick around to find out people's true opinions on the Elven race.

Back in the real world, surrounded by silent, increasingly anxious people, Aragorn was watching over Legolas. He had lost consciousness right after the confrontation with the guard and had barely stirred since. Aragorn felt strangely helpless as he sat back and watched Jasmine cleansing his wounds. She had insisted that Aragorn stand back and allow her to do the unpleasant but necessary task. 'Friends should not have to do such things', she had told him, making Legolas more comfortable underneath her blanket.

Normally, Aragorn would have been the one helping his friend, although, like Jasmine, Elrond had always insisted that he alone should treat Legolas while in Rivendell, knowing that friendships made such things a lot harder on both parties. Being a master of healing, Elrond had taught Aragorn so much about the skill. The man was almost as good as his adoptive father but the sight of such atrocities, especially against those he knew, still shocked him.

He walked over to where Jasmine was tending to Legolas. He looked paler than before and his breathing was shallow and laboured, suggesting he was still in significant pain. Aragorn briefly wondered whether Jasmine knew about Elves' extraordinary healing powers but then told himself that she had to know. She seemed slightly more educated in the ways of Elves than the others. Anyway, she would soon find out about that particular 'magic' when Legolas started to heal.

In his heart, Aragorn knew that Legolas would be alright. He was an Elf after all. And they had been in worse trouble than this - a lot worse. Despite this assurance though, Aragorn couldn't shake off the possibility that maybe his friend wouldn't be alright. He knew that Legolas had survived mainly off luck for some time and that any moment that luck could run out and they would be in major trouble. He shook his head slightly, dispelling such irrational thoughts. Their success had nothing to do with the fates and they would escape this just as they had escaped countless bad situations before.

Jasmine looked over and saw Aragorn watching them deep in thought. She smiled and stood up, leaving a piece of cloth soaked in cold water on Legolas' forehead to ease his developing fever.

"He's looking a little better," Jasmine said, keeping her voice low although she couldn't have disturbed Legolas. "I think he still needs to see one of your Elven healers though."

Aragorn walked over to Legolas and knelt beside him. He laid his hand on Legolas' forehead to check his temperature and listened to his shallow breathing for a moment then smiled, taking his hand away gently before he began speaking in soft Elvish. "Stay with me, my friend. You're not going anywhere without me, you hear? You wouldn't want to anger your father before you even set foot in Mirkwood, now would you? He would kill me if he thought I had anything to do with this. You have to be there to tell him the truth: that it was your poor navigational skills that got us into this mess in the first place." Aragorn laughed gently, knowing what the Elf's response would be if he were awake.

Legolas' breathing deepened slightly. He was no longer drifting on the edge of consciousness. Aragorn's voice had lulled him into a deep, healing sleep his body so desperately needed. Aragorn smiled, that was what he had wanted. At least in sleep his friend could heal, find the peace he couldn't find in waking.

Jasmine looked over his shoulder to see Legolas' features soften slightly. Whatever Aragorn had said to him had worked. She wished she knew how it was done. She could have used some of his calming magic right then. The incident had put her on edge again. She almost wished the man and the Elf had never come. She knew they would cause trouble, for others as well as themselves. Someone always ended up getting hurt when others tried to be rebellious. She couldn't shake the thought that eventually they would run out of the luck they had so far experienced and would find themselves being made examples of.

"I wish I could do something like that. He seems calmer already," Jasmine said when Aragorn stood.

"It's easy when you know how," he smiled.

"Maybe some day you could show me."

"Maybe some day," he said vaguely, sitting down next to his friend again, ready should his condition change at all.

Jasmine sighed, knowing she would never know his secret, or at least that it was something he couldn't teach. She felt a deep sadness at what had happened to Legolas. She somehow knew that Aragorn would have endured this punishment himself rather than see the Elf in pain. There was something about their relationship that amazed her. She had never seen one quite like it.

She had seen people form relationships here before. Seen them come in with friends but there was never anything solid about them. They all faded, or were ripped apart by the taste of cruel mortality. Friendships never endured here. She had seen so many broken people. All of them had lost something or someone close to them and it left them different people. They had never recovered and so they themselves soon became lost. Either they were killed or wished they were dead.

"Do you think he will be alright?" Jasmine asked, sitting down heavily next to Aragorn. The man looked over at his friend, a sad smile on his face.

"He has to be. We are a team." He reached over and smoothed golden hair from Legolas' pale face. Legolas did not stir. "We have always been a team."

Jasmine heard a kind of grim determination in his voice that she didn't often hear. She knew they were good friends but also something more; like brothers. From what she had seen they did work well together, one supporting the other when in trouble. Trust was the key to friendship, something the mines stripped people of. She knew it would not be so easy to strip these friends of their trust for one another.

"He is strong," Aragorn said after a few moments' silence. "Stronger than you know. He can fight this. He may not have Lord Elrond's healing hands at his disposal but he can get well again. Growing up in Mirkwood he had to recover fast. This is hardly an ideal situation but he will fight it. I know he will." There was a confidence in his voice that also flowed through his heart as he said this. He truly did believe that Legolas would get better.

After another few minutes of silence Jasmine spoke again. "Mirkwood was a hard place for him to grow up?"

"It is a hard place for anyone to grow up. What with his mother being killed when he was so young and his father spending all his time trying to keep the kingdom together, it was hard for him. The evils of Sauron relentlessly waged war on Mirkwood. He spent a lot of his time fighting in the forest; tracking down and killing Spiders and Orcs. It was an obsession of his for a while I think. This was all a long time before I was even born, of course. Lord Elrond helped him a lot to recover from…certain problems."

"Problems?"

Aragorn hesitated before answering. "That is not for me to speak of."

"Were you born in Rivendell?" Jasmine asked after another uncomfortable silence.

"No, I was taken there when I was just a baby. I lived under the care of Elrond until I joined my fellow Men in becoming a Ranger, tracking down Orcs, keeping smaller communities safe from attack. I always returned to Imladris though. It was…it _is_ my home. Nothing will ever change that." He smiled wistfully, apparently looking back on his childhood in joy.

"Then Elrond, he was sort of your foster father then?"

"Yes. He is my guardian, my instructor, my tutor. Everything a young man needed to find his way in the world. He taught me how to heal, and Glorfindel – Elrond's seneschal – taught me how to defend myself. When I left I had everything I needed to survive."

"And Legolas? When did you meet him?" Her curiosity was growing by the second. He was telling her so much but revealing so little. It was amazingly intriguing.

Aragorn laughed, although at the memory not the question. "I was very young. Probably only about five or six years old. Legolas and Thranduil came to visit Lord Elrond on a peace-keeping mission. Of course, I was not allowed to join in despite my desire to learn about everything - including Imladrian politics; something I have absolutely no interest in now, by the way." He laughed. "When Elrond told me I couldn't sit in on the negotiations I got angry and ran out into the gardens in the pouring rain. I went straight to my tree house and sat there, freezing cold but refusing to go inside just to annoy my father. Anyway, after about two hours of brooding up in the tree, with the rain falling through the gaps in the roof soaking me even more I heard this noise down below.

"To this day I have no idea what he was singing but it sounded like a Hobbit drinking song," Aragorn laughed, becoming more relaxed as he remembered this happier time. "And when I looked down, there was this golden-haired Elf pacing backwards and forwards under the tree, completely oblivious to the rain even though he only had a thin cloak on and no hood to cover him. I was a naturally curious child anyway so I had to get a better look, at least to discover who would be stupid enough to pace under a tree during a storm. So I stuck my head through the entrance and tried to see who it was. He had his back turned though and this just made me even angrier…"

_Picking up a piece of bark from the tree, Aragorn threw it down to capture the Elf's attention. When the mystery Elf heard the noise he spun around quickly, searching for the source. Glancing upwards he saw the young boy leaning out of the tree house looking curiously down at him. Then, surprisingly, the boy's striking grey eyes filled with fear and he darted back inside before Legolas could say anything. It was not difficult to guess what had happened. Legolas assumed the boy thought he was the King. People always ran from Thranduil and the younger Elf did bear a striking resemblance to his father._

_Legolas stepped closer, right beneath the entrance, which had been hastily sealed with a wooden plank._

"_Hello?" he called up, curious to know who the inquisitive boy was. "Come down from there so I can see who you are." Not the best way to greet a child but then he had little experience in such matters. Rather predictably, nothing happened and Legolas stepped closer to the tree, trying to see the boy through the small gap he had left. Twisting his head so he was able to see the figure curled up nervously in the corner, he greeted, "Hello." He met the boy's eyes for the first time and continued, "My name is Legolas. What's yours?"_

_Aragorn looked around warily for a moment before realising the Elf had said his name. Not Thranduil after all. Legolas. He searched his memory and remembered that Legolas was Thranduil's son, Prince of Mirkwood. He didn't sound like a prince. Not at all. Still, he seemed friendly enough and he was certainly persistent; he was still waiting for an answer. Aragorn briefly wondered whether he was actually allowed to disobey an order from the Prince of Mirkwood._

"_E…Estel," he finally answered nervously, not leaving his corner._

"_Estel," the Elf repeated to himself. "Elrond's adopted human son?"_

"_Yes."_

"_Ah, well, that explains a lot. Elrond mentioned something about you running away from him." There followed a few moments silence and Aragorn wondered whether Legolas would just stand there all day. "I am afraid that I do not have much patience for politics. I far prefer the outdoors." The Elf looked up to the cloudy skies for a second before refocusing his gaze on Aragorn. And what a gaze it was. The bluest eyes Aragorn had ever seen were on a pale, delicate but astonishingly handsome face; and he really was the spitting image of his father. It was no wonder people confused the two. The only difference was that his eyes were not as cold and piercing as his father's. They were warm and engaging._

"_Did Elrond send you to talk me down?" Aragorn finally asked suspiciously, crawling from his corner and moving towards the boarded entrance._

_Legolas laughed musically and the sound seemed to brighten the gardens considerably. "No. Elrond did not send me."_

"_Then what do you want?" Aragorn asked, a hint of anger entering his voice._

"_Just to escape the house for a while," Legolas answered, either not voicing or completely ignoring Aragorn's displeasure._

"_Well, there are plenty of other places in the gardens to do that so go and find somewhere else to stand." He was getting bolder._

_There was silence for a few minutes but Aragorn could still see those clear blue eyes watching him intently._

"_May I come up?" Legolas finally asked, his voice much more certain now, as though he had spent those few minutes thinking of exactly the right thing to say and how to say it._

_Aragorn's answer was far simpler and a little less calculated. "No." _

"_Why not?" Legolas asked, a little surprised by the blunt answer._

"_Because…Just go away."_

"_Very well. It is a shame though."_

_Aragorn hesitated. "What's a shame?"_

"_Excuse me?" Legolas asked innocently._

_Aragorn sighed heavily. The Elf was playing with him and he didn't like it. "I said, what is a shame?"_

"_Oh. Well, I borrowed some of that nice honey-bread and I am afraid that I cannot possibly eat it all by myself. It seems a shame to just throw it away. I hear it is the children's favourite."_

_Suddenly all thoughts of conspiracy left Aragorn's mind. He had been up in the tree long enough to have missed lunch and the mention of something sweet set his stomach rumbling. He knew full well what the Elf was doing and yet the thought of eating something so delicious was just too tempting._

"_Maybe you could pass it up to me. I would hate for you to be wasteful." Aragorn waited for an answer but none came. "Did you hear me?"_

"_Yes, I heard you. I just don't know whether I could do that." Blue eyes met grey once again. Despite being annoyed, Aragorn couldn't help but like this Elf. He was as frustrating as his father but as mischievous as his twin brothers. "If you would just let me come up you could eat this and I would be protected from the rain. It seems like a fair exchange to me."_

"_If you want shelter from the rain you should go back into the house. They have proper roofs in there." The Elf laughed softly, clearly amused by this bold young boy. "What is so funny?" Aragorn asked angrily._

"_As stubborn as your father," Legolas said, laughter lightening his voice._

"_You're definitely not staying after that," Aragorn shouted, folding his arms across his chest._

"_Very well. I had better go and tell your father where you are then. No doubt he will be worried."_

_This horrified Aragorn. When he searched for the Elf's blue eyes they were no longer there and he panicked. He dove towards the entrance and lifted the board off to find Legolas standing with a smile on his face just off to one side. He had been tricked._

"_I suppose you think that was funny?" he said angrily, swinging his legs over the entrance and sitting on the edge of the opening. The Elf merely smiled and tossed the honey bread he had been holding up to the boy. Aragorn caught it easily and opened the packet, looking at it warily for a second before taking a bite. Blue eyes watched him closely. "What?" Aragorn snapped through a mouthful of bread._

"_Nothing," the Elf said. He didn't look away though._

"_Then why are you staring?"_

"_You're very defensive," Legolas smiled at the young boy as he glared down at him._

"_And you are very annoying," he countered, knowing it was not a good retort. Legolas confirmed this by merely laughing, apparently finding the whole thing funny. "Why are you hiding out here then; if you are such a clever Elf?" Legolas smiled at this, watching the boy closely as he continued to eat the bread._

"_I like the outdoors. I believe I have already told you that."_

"_And you are King Thranduil's son?"_

_Legolas spread his arms. "Isn't it obvious?" Aragorn nodded, stifling a smile through a mouthful of bread. "Alright, my turn. Why do you never let anyone into your tree house?"_

"_I never said I never let anyone in. I'm just not letting _you_ in." Legolas turned away, although Aragorn could see that annoyingly consistent smile. "Ada is always threatening to take it down. He says it's too dangerous to be climbing trees all the time."_

"_Perhaps he's right."_

"_No," Aragorn said, shaking his head firmly. "I have never fallen out of a tree, not once. I am good at climbing trees. Elladan taught me, although he's always falling out of trees." Legolas laughed and this time Aragorn laughed with him. He was beginning to actually like this Elf._

"_Well, I am glad you are better at it than your brother otherwise your father would have good cause for concern. Both of the twins were always falling out of trees. I remember that Elladan was always the worst though."_

"_Elrohir built this for me. He said it was good practice and safer than sleeping in the trees like some Elves do. I think Ada agrees with that."_

"_I can imagine."_

_There was silence again, although this time it was more comfortable. Aragorn was beginning to warm to this Elf, after all he had brought him honey bread and he hadn't tried to talk him down from the tree house so he couldn't have been working for Elrond. Those blue eyes were almost hypnotic. Aragorn felt sad whenever they were faced in the other direction, as if they had melded into him and instantly become a part of him. _

"_You know, it really is very wet out here. Can I come up?" Legolas asked hopefully, knowing he had gained the boy's trust. He didn't know why he was so interested in the young human. He had been told so much about him and he wanted to find out what he was like for himself._

_Aragorn stared at him for a moment but Legolas didn't flinch. Finally, Aragorn scanned the garden looking for other people and scrambled back inside the tree house. Legolas smiled and leapt up himself._

"_It's nice in here. Drier." Aragorn nodded._

_They talked most of the afternoon, their conversation becoming more and more animated as they became more comfortable with each other. By the end of the afternoon they were talking freely about all manner of things, including Legolas' father, a very amusing subject. It was only when they heard Elrond calling Aragorn from below that they finally came down. From that moment they knew they would be friends, the strongest friends possible._

"And you've been friends ever since?" Jasmine asked as Aragorn finished his enchanting tale.

"It wasn't easy sometimes but we have been friends ever since that day and I will never forget the day we met. That's why he can't die. What we have is too strong. He won't give up that easily. He won't leave me."

TBC…

_**Translations:**_

_**Ada – **__Dad_

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*


	21. Renewed Urgency

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing Tolkien created.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

**Sold Into Ruin**

***~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~**

**A/N: Thanks so much to everyone who reviewed. Here's your next chapter.**

**Chapter 21 ~ Renewed Urgency**

He was in pain. That was all he really knew for certain. Although he couldn't imagine why he should be. He felt worryingly cold, but blissful warmth was slowly pushing the last dregs of a chill away from him, like a soft wind blowing away the annoying cobwebs that had wrapped themselves around his mind. He attempted to open his eyes but bright light flooded through the slits and he quickly closed them again, not willing to be assailed by the harsh light just yet.

**

Aragorn sat bolt upright when he saw a brief flash of bright blue on his friend's pale, pasty face. He had not dared sleep that night for fear Legolas might deteriorate further. Jasmine, who had fallen asleep with her head on his shoulder sometime during the long night, woke when her human pillow moved. She was instantly alert despite not having slept much that night either. Aragorn leaned closer to his Elven friend, recognising the struggle to come out of the relatively comforting darkness of unconsciousness.

"Mellon nin?" he prompted, hoping the familiar Elvish would offer some comfort. "Good morning," he smiled brightly; teasingly. Legolas seemed to respond well to this, swatting Aragorn's hand away in annoyance when it lingered over his forehead to check his temperature. "Feeling better already I see," Aragorn laughed, more out of relief than genuine amusement.

"Mmmmmm," was the only mumbled response Legolas gave. He kept his eyes closed; knowing what would happen when he came to his senses. He remembered then what had happened to make him feel so terrible in the first place and groaned quietly to himself. Elves had extraordinary healing abilities but even they couldn't heal such severe wounds over night and Legolas admitted to being more than a little disappointed at this fact.

When the pain finally hit it was oddly merciless. Not quite as bad as the night before when he had no longer been able to stand it after his confrontation with the guard. It had faded when he had fallen into blackness. Now it was bad again though. He gasped, not expecting it to be quite so unforgiving. Knowing Aragorn was beside him he stretched out his hand for the man to grasp and the ever reliable Aragorn immediately obliged, catching the prince's hand in his own larger, rougher one. Legolas trusted Aragorn. In fact, he was the only person – besides his own father - he trusted enough to be fully honest with about his pain.

When he remembered where he was, however, he pulled back and opened his eyes more cautiously this time, wary of the harsh light. He was immediately met with stormy grey, caring eyes. He smiled faintly, seeing the concern swirling in those stunning orbs. Aragorn returned the smile but it was just as insincere as the Elf's.

"I was beginning to worry about you, mellon nin."

"Have I ever let you down?" Legolas joked weakly, allowing a genuine smile to play across his face.

"How are you feeling?" Aragorn asked, wondering how truthful the answer would be.

"I have been better," Legolas answered quietly, frowning at the pain. Aragorn laughed at the reply and looked over to Jasmine, who was smiling now she knew Legolas was alright – as alright as he could possibly be anyway.

"We were genuinely worried about you last night. You developed a fever that just refused to abate for a long while," she said, allowing herself to be drawn into the weak banter going on between the two friends. For some strange reason she felt like she had been partially accepted into their elite club; that she had been allowed to see what few ever got to witness: these two strangers at their most vulnerable. One way or another both had relied on her last night; Legolas on her healing ability, limited though it was, and Aragorn on her ability to listen.

"I never give in easily, right Estel?" Legolas smiled, closing his eyes again. Although heavy with sleep at least the fuzziness in his head was clearing. He knew it would take him weeks to properly recover from this but he figured he would be up and walking in a couple of days.

"You really frightened me last night," Aragorn said, his tone suddenly changing from light banter to deadly serious. Jasmine took the hint to give the friends some privacy and wordlessly walked over to the other side of the room to exchange gossip with some of the other women. "This place, Legolas…this place is bad. We need to get out of here as soon as possible. Something is going to happen. And soon. The atmosphere is practically buzzing with expectancy and I get the feeling we are going to get caught right in the middle of it." Legolas was staring seriously at his friend. He paused for a moment then moved to get up. Aragorn helped him, keeping at a safe distance, knowing how the Elf hated to be smothered.

When he was sitting up and had caught his breath, Legolas asked what Aragorn meant.

"I can't describe it but yesterday, after what happened to you, the way you tackled that guard, something changed in these people. You could almost see it on their faces. I think that unless we get out of here soon we're going to be caught in the middle of a revolution."

"There are worse places to be," Legolas said croakily, keeping his voice low to match his friend's. Aragorn handed the Elf some water and he drank thirstily for a moment before returning his attention to Aragorn.

"There are also far better places we could be," Aragorn countered, checking around him to ensure no one was listening.

"You mean we should escape? What happened to waiting for the right moment?" Legolas asked, catching on to what Aragorn was saying.

"I don't think we have time to be choosey about this anymore. Whatever is going to happen will be bad for us, whether we're caught in the middle of a revolution, an uprising, or whether we stay here for the next twenty years and act as slaves. There is no winning in this place. The only outcome is pain and death and that is not something I personally want to experience."

"And if we get caught trying to escape? What then? Certain death. You heard what that old man said about people who get caught planning to escape. Maybe they were in too much of a hurry and that's why they got caught," Legolas whispered.

"And maybe they were waiting for the right moment instead of making the most of the chances they were given," Aragorn retorted. "We might not get another chance to plan for this. As soon as you are fit enough we should simply jump the fence and get out of this forsaken place. This revolution, or whatever it is, is none of our concern." Although unsure exactly what was going to happen, Aragorn could sense the growing unease within their enclosure; beginning with Legolas' beating in the mines.

"It is our concern now. We're involved," Legolas protested.

"Legolas, we can't do anything within these walls. We are useless in here; we have no control and no power. Once we're of here then we can come back and help the others." Legolas looked away, not yet willing to admit that his friend was right. As much as he hated to think about leaving the other innocent prisoners he knew that right then in his current state he was no use to them anyway. Attacking from the outside – and free - world made more sense than trying to bring their captors down from the inside. Right then they had no advantages and they knew it.

"Alright, we will try to escape," Legolas whispered so no one else could hear. Whether or not the old man was right about their possible punishment, escape brought with it the possibility of death and he wasn't keen for that to happen.

**

The guards came just after breakfast that morning. It was a small, unappetising meal, eaten in almost complete silence; nothing like the grand affair of breakfast in the House of Elrond or the Mirkwood Palace. Everyone was quiet, concentrating on forcing their foul-looking porridge-like food down their throats. Despite it being the most horrible thing Aragorn had ever tasted he forced himself to eat all of it, knowing it might be the last meal he'd eat in a long while and that he needed the energy the food provided for the day ahead.

Legolas ate his only because he knew he needed the strength to help him heal. Earlier that morning they had discreetly discussed escape and agreed that in a couple of days, when the timing was right, they would get out. They had not told Jasmine this, knowing it would be far riskier the more people who were involved.

Aragorn stood in line with the others in front of the doors, knowing the drill this time. Kallon had entered with his guards and looked down at Legolas, who was standing in line with his friend, his head held high even as Kallon's eyes raked down his dishevelled form. Although amazed that Legolas was on his feet he was disappointed that he wasn't yet fully recovered. He had stared, disgusted, at him for a few seconds before telling him to remain in the building, stating that Aragorn could do his share of the work. Legolas had naturally fervently protested but he was quickly calmed by Aragorn's reassurances.

**

Kallon was pacing restlessly up and down his office. His assistant stood beside him looking decidedly nervous, knowing that soon he would voice his concerns and that could only mean bad news. The man looked like he was about to speak but suddenly changed his mind. He started pacing again.

"I don't like him," he finally exploded, making the assistant jump. "He is an Immortal." Kallon's assistant shakily poured fresh tea into his master's mug. "He has the power to heal quickly, that much he has already proven and yet he displays no other kind of special ability. He worked no harder or faster in the mines than any other. In fact, he worked slower, if that's at all possible. He couldn't even stand up to the penalty." Kallon sat down heavily at his desk.

"Kallon, the Master wants to speak with you." Another House leader entered then promptly disappeared.

"What now?" he sighed, obviously annoyed at being interrupted in his pacing.

**

Aragorn stood waiting for his instructions. The day before yesterday had been a valuable learning experience, one that he wouldn't forget in a hurry. He was also looking for the man who had spoken to him before, hoping to learn more about him. He had been determined to keep him out of trouble when it came to Legolas. He might be able to help them once more. Maybe he was just waiting for the perfect moment to escape as well.

Having said that, he might just have been trying to avoid making a scene the other day and now wanted nothing more to do with Aragorn. Or he could be working for the guards; an insider. Looking for traitors and bringing them down discreetly before any damage to the whole could be done. Aragorn quickly checked himself. Notions of conspiracy were not going to help him.

He had no clue who to trust in this place. So far the only kind person he had met was Jasmine. The rest had either completely ignored him or had been less than welcoming. This man, this stranger, could be their only hope of escaping and considering Legolas' current state, Aragorn had to trust his own instincts when the Elf's were not quite up to scratch. He had no other choice. They needed all the help they could get.

Prisoner 2134 already had a head-start on finding a way to get out and that was what Aragorn needed: information. If he was going to trust anyone it might as well have been him. He made up his mind. As soon as he thought it was safe he would approach 2134. With that in mind he got to work, keeping his head down, not attracting attention. That was the best way. For the time being anyway.

**To Be Continued…**

_**Translations: **_

_**Mellon nin – **__My friend_

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	22. Baby Blues

**Disclaimer: **I own nothing Tolkien created.

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**Sold Into Ruin**

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**WARNING: Very strong issues in this chapter folks so be on your guard. You have been warned so don't complain to me. Thanks and enjoy.**

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**Chapter 22 ~ Baby Blues**

Legolas waited anxiously for Aragorn to return from the mines. When the guard had told him to stay put whilst his friend had been sent down into the mines, the prince had naturally protested, not wanting to be separated from the man if he could help it, knowing that could only spell trouble for them. This was just the time they needed to stick together. They were stronger together. He knew Aragorn could take care of himself. The man knew how to fight if necessary, how to defend himself – how to kill if the situation called for it. But even so Legolas preferred the thought of the two warriors together rather than being alone.

He sighed and closed his eyes, trying to block out the sharp pain that surrounded him, which had become more of an annoyance now than anything. He still felt a little light-headed from the blood loss and tried not to move too much as he knew it would only increase his discomfort. Aragorn and Jasmine had treated him well last night though and he could almost feel his wounds beginning to knit back together thanks to his superior Elven healing. He would still have given anything to have Elrond here to treat him and give him something for the increasing pain.

Aragorn was a brilliant healer and his years as a Ranger roaming out in the wilds had taught him to adapt quickly, to improvise with the available tools. Even so, Aragorn was far better when in a fully kitted out healing room with all the supplies he needed.

Jasmine had also been amazing that night. Legolas had not realised how knowledgeable she was about such matters. That morning, when he had told her how grateful he was and questioned her about where she had acquired her healing knowledge, she had joked that you learned something after having several children in such conditions. At that the amusement had quickly disappeared from her voice and Legolas suspected something far deeper, far darker had happened that had taught her to act quickly and calmly in such situations.

Legolas briefly drifted into a light sleep, allowing himself the rest he needed to recover. He knew what he really needed was to fall into a deep healing sleep, which would help his wounds heal far quicker but he had absolutely no intention of letting his guard down in this place. He needed to stay reasonably alert, at least until Aragorn came back, although he had no idea how long that might be.

While he was drifting in peaceful reverie he heard the door carefully open and close. Then soft footsteps trudging across the dirt floor. He pulled himself from his Elven dreams and slowly his eyes cleared. He looked up and saw Jasmine sitting on the bench near him. She was leaning forward, her left hand pressed against her swollen stomach as if in pain. Legolas sat up quietly and looked more closely. She had her eyes closed as though she were trying to listen to the child growing inside her. She didn't even seem to notice that Legolas was there, although she must have seen him when she entered. She took a deep breath and sat up straight, opening her eyes before looking over, apparently noticing Legolas for the first time.

She smiled weakly, her dark brown eyes in stark contrast to her unnaturally pale skin.

"Did I wake you? I tried to be quiet. Although you being an Immortal I suppose you would have heard no matter how quiet I tried to be, right?" She smiled again and Legolas returned the gesture.

He swung his legs off the bench and sat up, pushing the blanket aside and stretching carefully. He winced slightly when the movement pulled on his healing wounds.

"You didn't wake me. I was just resting," he reassured her. She had closed her eyes again and was breathing slowly in and out. When she heard him speak she nodded and smiled again, it was no more sincere than the first one. "Are you alright?" he asked, concern in his voice.

"Of course, I'm fine," she answered a little too quickly to be truthful. She opened her eyes and turned to him, plastering a false smile on her pale face again. When she saw his disbelief she continued. "I had a little accident in the washing room, that's all," she explained.

"What kind of accident?"

"It was nothing. I was rushing around and, you know, I am so clumsy. I didn't even see it – it was all my own fault of course, I should have been looking where I was going. Anyway I tripped over a pile of old clothes. It was nothing, just an accident." Jasmine's explanation was so rushed that Legolas had trouble keeping up with what she was saying.

"Did you hurt yourself?" he asked, prompting her, hoping she might go into further detail and tell him what had actually happened as she was obviously upset.

"Not really. It's nothing. Oh, I keep saying that, don't I?" she laughed. Legolas smiled at her.

"Did you fall forwards?" he asked, finally getting to the point that Jasmine had been working hard to avoid.

She looked down at the ground not wanting to meet those stunningly penetrating eyes that she knew were watching her as he waited for an answer. She nodded sorrowfully. "I felt light-headed so they sent me back here with some kind of vile tea." She showed him a pouch of dried grey herbs. "I think they were more concerned about the baby's survival than me. This stops premature labour."

Legolas nodded. "May I?" he asked gently, gesturing to her stomach. He stood up when she nodded her consent. He crouched in front of her and smiled reassuringly. "How do you feel now?"

She shrugged. "A little better than before. Although I haven't felt the baby move in the past few minutes, usually he keeps moving about all day," she smiled. "And there's a sharp pain, just across here." She rubbed her hand across the middle of her stomach.

Legolas gestured to her stomach with his hands again and she again nodded her consent. He gently placed his hands on her stomach and closed his eyes, a look of deep concentration spreading over his fair features. For a few seconds there was nothing but then he heard a soft thumping, like the very gentle tapping of a drum. The rhythm was regular and strong. Concentrating even harder he could _feel_ the child living within its mother. It was as though for a second he was with the unborn baby, as though he could feel everything it could feel. Right then he knew that the baby, for the time being anyway, was fine and apparently unaffected by the unexpected jolt it had gotten a few minutes ago. It was obviously far less concerned about the accident than its mother.

"What?" Jasmine asked when a smile played over the Elf's face. Her voice pulled him from his concentration and he opened his eyes, which were sparkling with joy. For a moment she couldn't pull herself out of their depths. It was only concern for her unborn child that made her break the spell. "Is there something wrong?"

Legolas reached out and took her hands, squeezing them gently. "I think everything's going to be fine," he said, smiling when a look of relief spread across Jasmine's face. "Here, feel." He placed her hand against her own stomach and softly whispered something in the most beautiful language she had ever heard. Immediately, she felt the baby move; it was like butterflies fluttering against her hand. She laughed and Legolas smiled.

"Thank goodness," she sighed, looking to the ceiling in relief. "Thank you," she said to Legolas, who nodded and released his hold on her hand.

"You are welcome."

"I know it sounds silly but if anything were to happen to this baby…"

"Of course it doesn't sound silly. She's your child; it's only natural for you to panic occasionally. Mother's prerogative." He smiled gently at her and got up to leave her with some time alone to calm down from her scare.

"I know I won't be allowed to keep this baby," she said, stopping him from leaving. He turned around at the obvious invitation and sat down next to her on the bench, ready to listen. "I know that no matter what the outcome, it will be taken away from me. Mother-child bonds just don't happen here. The children are taken away almost immediately to the Master. I don't know what he does with them or why he needs them but none of the women who have given birth here ever see their children again. There was a theory I heard when I first arrived here; that they were raising an army. Using children to build an army all of their own. It sounds a little crazy and paranoid but I am beginning to think that they could actually do it. Condition children, I mean. Bring them up to fight."

"It sounds like a terrible place to have a child," Legolas commented, glancing casually across at Jasmine, who was staring idly at the ground.

"Sometimes…I am grateful that the last two were stillborn. And don't think I don't know how terrible that sounds. What kind of mother would wish that of her own children? But I cannot bear the thought of them being born into this terrible world, where there's no hope or happiness and where they would be raised in the most awful way. As slaves."

"Even so, every child deserves a chance. This is not the entire world, Jasmine. There is beauty and goodness out there. I have seen it. More than seems possible in this miserable place."

"You forget about the outside world after a while. It's like the entire world just stops inside these walls. That's what the uniforms are for." She motioned to her number, painted on the dirty dress she was wearing. "They keep us completely separate from everything else we ever knew. There is nothing left out there for us according to these people. It could be a barren wasteland out there for all we know."

"Well, I can assure you that it is not. There are places of unimaginable beauty out there," Legolas answered.

"It's a shame it doesn't reach through these walls," Jasmine sighed.

Legolas smiled brightly at this. "Of course it reaches through these walls. It's just that it is harder to see through the eyes of those with no belief of its existence. There is beauty everywhere: in the air, in the rain, in the clouds, in the sound of the trees. Even in you and Estel and me; probably even in Jadan if you looked close enough." Jasmine laughed sharply. "And there is such great beauty in here." He placed his hand on her stomach. "This is the future and what wonders it will bring is yet to be determined but maybe she will lead a better life than you have lived in here."

"I see even greater beauty in you," Jasmine said without realising it. She gazed into Legolas' sapphire blue eyes, almost hypnotic in their beautiful fathomless clarity. He suddenly seemed less…dangerous. When he had first arrived she had thought of him as a warrior, now though she thought of him as a person to be admired and respected. His gentle chuckle brought her from her thoughts and she actually blushed, realising she had just said that aloud. "Sorry," she muttered but he just shook his head and she felt certain it wasn't the first time someone had said that to him.

Although it was difficult to see through the blood and dirt Jasmine could still picture him in all his splendour. He was stunning, without a shadow of a doubt. He would have had all the ladies swooning over him when adorned in proper clothing and when in a well-groomed state. She quickly stopped these thoughts, feeling her face growing hot again under his gaze.

"Why do you keep saying 'she'?" Jasmine asked, suddenly picking up on his use of the word.

"She? Can't you feel it? Your baby is a girl." Most Elf-maidens could sense their child when they were pregnant; whether it was distressed or happy, even whether it was male or female. Obviously, human women didn't have the same kind of connection with their unborn children.

Jasmine's face fell. A girl.

**

Aragorn watched the guards prowling along the aisles in the mine with growing unease. He couldn't help but imagine that at any moment one of them might come over and do to him what they had done to Legolas. He glanced down at the weapons waiting to be polished by his side. Although his hands hurt and were covered in sores and blisters that had not had a chance to heal since his first stint in the mines, he knew he couldn't stop. One or two of the guards carried mean-looking whips, others carried solid wooden batons and almost all of them wore swords on their belts ready to strike down anyone not meeting their quota.

Shortly after Aragorn had arrived prisoner 2134 had showed up, feet in shackles, a big bruise marring the side of his face. Unfortunately, Aragorn hadn't had a chance to speak with him yet. The man had been extremely quiet since his arrival, although the odd glance in Aragorn's direction told him that there was something he wanted to tell him. Aragorn knew patience was a virtue though. He would just have to wait for his 'informant' to tell him what he needed to do. Until then all he could do was continue to work with extreme caution and remember what had happened to Legolas when he had disobeyed orders.

**

"It can't be a girl. It can't be." Jasmine had gotten up and was pacing back and forth, a hand placed on her forehead in despair and disbelief. "You're wrong. You've got to be wrong." She turned accusingly to Legolas. "Check again," she demanded harshly, grabbing his hand and forcing it onto her swollen stomach.

"Jasmine, I thought you would be pleased that your child is healthy; that should be all that matters," Legolas said, trying to calm the distraught woman, not understanding what had upset her so much.

"You don't understand! How could you? You have never had to watch your child stolen away from you." Jasmine started pacing anxiously again.

"I…"

"You don't know what they do to young girls around here, do you? At least if it were a boy it would be treated with some small amount of respect. Put to work, yes, but that's better than…than what happens to the girls. I can't bring a daughter into this place. I just can't. I would rather it be dead than grow up like this. Like I have seen so many others brought up. Souls slowly broken down until there is no trace of humanity left into of them."

"Jasmine, please, slow down. What happens to the female children?" Legolas asked, completely confused at Jasmine's somewhat dramatic reaction. "Here, come and sit down," he offered. She took no notice of him though and continued her relentless pacing.

"They are usually taken away from the encampment. You see, the women in this compound are here for only three reasons: firstly to work, secondly to…please the men and thirdly to have more children. But they only take women from outside to do these things. For all their faults these men will not…pleasure themselves with their own offspring. Or maybe it's just the thought that slaves gave birth to them, I don't know. When a male child is born it is brought up by the leaders, taught how to work, how to fight. It is trained for a future in the camps. The female children, however, they have no use for them and so they sell them."

"Sell them to whom?" Legolas asked, the very thought of what she meant churning his stomach.

"Sold to whoever pays the highest price. Usually, it's to the outside towns. Mostly near Gondor, I think. They're sold to taverns or entertainers or – worse - brothels. To evil men who can only get their pleasure and earn their fortune by exploiting the young and innocent. The girls are used until they are considered too old – about twenty one – and then they are either killed or thrown onto the streets to make a living for themselves. You can imagine what kind of work they do."

"Doesn't Gondor know this is going on?" Legolas asked in shock. "Why doesn't the Steward do something about it?" he asked, watching Jasmine closely.

Jasmine, clearly tiring of her pacing, sat down next to Legolas. "You remember when you first arrived I told you these people had members in high places in the ruling of Gondor?" Legolas nodded slowly. "Well, if they manage to 'overlook' something as big as a slave-driven mine a few quiet taverns aren't too difficult to ignore."

"I suppose that makes sense," Legolas sighed, leaning back but then wincing when his wounds came into contact with the wall. "I still can't believe this kind of thing actually goes unnoticed by Gondor."

"Now can you see why this child can't be born? Why she's better off not coming into this world at all? I don't want her sold to some sleazy tavern where men can take whatever they want from her. I don't want her to be sold into ruin, just like the rest of us." Legolas nodded thoughtfully. "Estel is a healer, is he not?" Jasmine asked cautiously after a moment's silence.

"Yes. A very accomplished one," Legolas answered, somewhat suspiciously.

"And it seems you have some knowledge also," she continued.

"Jasmine…"

"You could do something. I will not allow this child to be born into that life. I can't imagine anything worse than this but I know she would experience it. Please. You can help me. You or Estel. You're my only hope, _her _only hope." Legolas was shaking his head firmly.

"Jasmine, I could never do that and nor could Estel. And honestly I don't think you could either."

"It would be difficult but preferable to knowing what I condemned her to by allowing her to live," Jasmine argued, a sad, almost desperate conviction in her voice.

"No," Legolas said firmly. Jasmine looked at him pleadingly once more before covering her face with her hands and crying. "Listen to me," Legolas instructed, placing a strong – although slightly trembling hand on her shoulder. "I know that so far you haven't exactly seen me at my strongest but I promise that I will never let anything happen to that child and I know Estel will share my sentiments. I will do everything I can to protect her and I will not let them have her. If they did…sell her, I would spend every moment of my life searching for her and I would find her and bring her back to you. Do you understand me?" Jasmine nodded weakly, her heart beating fast at this speech. Legolas pulled her towards him and hugged her tightly whilst her arms wrapped around him. He resisted the urge to push her away when her fingers touch a sensitive wound. This was not going to be as easy as he claimed.

**To Be Continued…**

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**A/N: I did warn you. Thanks for reading and please leave a review. **


	23. Meet Me

**Disclaimer: **I own nothing Tolkien created.

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**Sold Into Ruin**

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**Thank you so much to everyone who has reviewed. I can't believe we're nearly at 100 reviews!! That's so amazing. Don't let that put you off leaving a review though. I really appreciate your comments and honestly do try to get back to you.**

**Also thanks to everyone who has added me to their favourites or alerts lists. I'm pleased you're all (hopefully) enjoying the story so far and I promise there is a lot more to come.**

**Anyway, on with the story.**

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**Chapter 23 ~ Meet Me**

Kallon slammed the door to the Dark Room closed in anger. No one inside the antechamber faltered or even moved as the sudden, booming noise echoed off the stone walls. He stormed past the guards, his face red in abject fury elicited from his confrontation with the Master just moments before. Stupid, stupid old man. Who was he to give out orders on how to run a unit? He never even moved from his throne, never been outside the Dark Room. Kallon was the one who kept the whole operation going. Without him they would have been discovered years ago. It was he who maintained the security within the encampment. He who kept Gondor out of the way. He who brought in all the slaves. It should have been him sitting on the throne giving out the orders. He knew more about the mining operation than that witless, foolish old man.

Knocking over a passing servant girl with a swipe of his arm, Kallon strode out into the sunlight. This empire was his. His domain. No one else should even get a look in and yet here was this brainless old moron telling him what _he_ was doing wrong. Kallon knew there were spies planted amongst his workers, certain guards – certain _slaves_ - who reported back to the Master. He would find out which one of them told on him and he would kill them. No one reported him and got away with it!

Most people respected him, feared him even, but there were a few who thought they had the right to be above him. It was true that he was comparatively new to the encampment. He had only been working in the compound for four years, not nearly as long as many of the others and yet he had managed to quickly work his way up through the ranks, becoming a House leader only a year after his arrival. Some people resented it. Not many but enough to cause trouble.

He would kill the person who did it. He had never liked the Master, but he respected him, looked up to him as best he could and yet he had always felt that it should have been on that dark throne. He had done more for the compound than the Master.

Although he didn't have quite the same powers of persuasion as the Master he had other attributes. He was physically strong, mentally adept and he could look just as powerful and menacing as the Master. The rest, people would learn to accept and if they didn't he would simply eliminate them from the equation. He knew how to control people, knew how to get the best – and worst - out of them. This mine was his creation. He had shaped this encampment. The Master could say it was a group effort all he liked but it was he and he alone who made it what it was.

There was just one flaw in his longing to over-throw the Master: he was, annoyingly, scared of him, no matter how much he wished he wasn't. The Master did hold a kind of supernatural power over him. It must have been psychic power because he would not normally submit to a vulnerable old man.

He wished he could just pick up his dagger and finish it right there and then. Stroll back into that room and just stab the old man right through his weakened heart. But the Master always knew. Always knew what Kallon was going to say. Nothing could surprise him. He always knew exactly what Kallon was thinking. Oh, yes, the Master knew of Kallon's hatred for him, that's why he paralysed him every time he entered the Dark Room. That was unfair. It was cowardice.

Kallon was going to get his empire; there was no question about that. One day he would just pull out his dagger and the Master wouldn't even see it coming…

**

Aragorn glanced around tiredly, searching for his new-found friend, who had spent most of the day methodically avoiding him. He spoke to him only about matters concerning work and when he did speak it was not particularly politely. Aragorn was beginning to wonder whether he had been wrong about the other man after all. Maybe he was no different to all the others. He knew all too well that in stressful situations people found allies amongst their foes; perhaps this was just a way for Aragorn to cling onto the hope that he might have at least one ally among the innumerable foes.

"Sorry I couldn't speak to you before. I'm being watched. They think I'm up to something." The voice of his 'informant' sounded behind him and started Aragorn from his musings. Clearly he did still have an ally. Or so he hoped. "How is your friend?"

"He'll be alright. He heals fast," Aragorn answered, keeping his eyes on his work instead of the man stood next to him. "Who are you? What's your name? And don't give me some serial number."

"My name – my real name – is Torvan. I'm from Gondor and I want to help you. That's all you need to know about me for now."

"Why do you want to help me?"

"Because I want this to stop. I want all this to end right now. I have seen enough of people collapsing from exhaustion after days on non-stop labour. I am tired of watching rich men profit from the suffering of innocents. I want it to stop, but I can't do it alone. I need help and so far you and your friend are the only ones who have shown any realistic hope of escape. Most people, when they come here, lose hope, they rapidly become resigned to their fate. They become convinced there's no chance of salvation. That's why they never attempt escape.

"When I saw your friend boldly take that punishment the other day I realised that unlike the others you two have a spark of hope that might just be enough to attempt…an escape." Torvan's voice had lowered to a dramatic whisper.

"An escape? I was told it wasn't possible," Aragorn whispered. "I've seen the consequences of that kind of talk." He vividly remembered the old man bound in unrelenting chains telling them of what happened to people who attempted escape.

"No. That's precisely why others don't try it. You have to believe that it's possible. If you give up on that belief then you may as well lock yourself in chains and throw yourself in the Hold because that's what happens when you give in to them."

"Alright. Do you have a plan?" Aragorn asked, feeling an almost desperate need to believe this man.

"I think so but we can't discuss it here, it's not safe. You and your friend meet me outside after lockdown. Go to the farthest corner from the door on the left hand side. There's a loose panel where they boarded up a gap in the stone. Push it aside and you'll be able to slip out of your building. There aren't many guards around the back and it'll be dark so as long as you keep to the shadows you should be fine. I'll be waiting for you there. Then we'll talk. Do you think your Elf can make it?"

"He is not _my _Elf. And if it means a chance to escape he'll make it."

"Good."

"How do I know I can trust you? How do you know this isn't a trap?" Aragorn asked, his suspicion finally coming out.

"Because you have no other choice if you want to get out of here. You won't be able to do it yourself, you don't know enough about this place – weaknesses, guard rotations. And I can't do it alone either. I need help from someone strong and smart and you two are the only people brave enough to even show an interest and you're the only people I trust." Torvan was clearly getting agitated, apparently not wanting to continue this conversation in such a public place and with the guards circling.

"Alright." With that Torvan walked away without even looking back.

Although he didn't entirely trust Torvan, Aragorn knew that he didn't have any other choice. If he wanted to escape he needed the help of someone on the inside and Torvan was, so far, the only person who had communicated any real desire to get out.

**

By the time Aragorn was allowed out of the mine he was thoroughly exhausted. Perhaps it was because he had gotten very little rest what with Legolas' injuries, or perhaps it was the hopelessness of the situation beginning to wear him down. As he walked back with the other tired workers he wondered whether this was to be his life from now on. Every two days working forty-eight hours down in the mines until he was of no more use to the men who held him due to infirmity or old age. He pushed the dreary thought from his mind, not wanting to explore such terrible possibilities.

He entered the building to find Legolas sleeping restlessly on the bench, covered with a thin blanket. He was trembling violently and when Aragorn approached he noticed a fine sheen of sweat covering the Elf's pale face. For a moment he panicked. Thoughts of his friend suffering more pain made his stomach clench tightly. He knelt down next to the Elven prince and gently felt his forehead for a fever. He pulled back with a confused look on his face. Legolas' temperature was normal, he was a little cold but that was to be expected after such serious injuries.

Aragorn shook his shoulder gently, causing his eyes to clear and to wake with a sharp shout. His blue eyes were wide with fear. He looked quickly around him before focusing on the man.

"Estel?"

Aragorn nodded. "Are you alright? What happened?" Aragorn asked, standing as the Elf painfully sat up.

"Nothing. Just a dream. Don't worry about it," Legolas sighed, rubbing his tired eyes.

"Alright," Aragorn said uncertainly, knowing from experience not to push it.

Usually, Legolas had these dreams in Mirkwood. The palace brought back the bad memories of his childhood and of his mother. In the past his father had always been there to comfort him, even when he got older and would wake up screaming in terror. He never told anyone else of this, he had not even explained the dreams to those closest to him. The memories had been his and his alone for so long that he felt like no one else deserved to hear them.

He had forbade anyone to speak his mother's name in his presence in Mirkwood and although Thranduil had tried desperately to help Legolas come to terms with what had happened, the king could not persuade the young Elf to do so. Even now he didn't like his mother's name mentioned in anything but tribute. People respected that, even Thranduil. He understood his son's feelings on the matter and trusted Legolas to come to him for help should he need it.

Right then Legolas would have given anything to have Thranduil by his side.

**To Be Continued…**

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	24. Mirkwood

**Disclaimer: **I own nothing Tolkien created.

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**Sold Into Ruin**

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**Thanks once more to everyone who has reviewed the story. Over 100 reviews!!!! I can't believe it!!! Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!!!**

**Okay, here's the next chapter enjoy.**

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**Chapter 24 ~ Mirkwood**

King Thranduil looked out over the great forest of Mirkwood from his balcony. Legolas had been due home that morning but he had not yet arrived. Although he was only a few hours late, Thranduil couldn't help but be concerned for the welfare of his only son. It just wasn't like Legolas to be late home from his travels. He always kept to the times he told his father; if nothing else than to keep Thranduil from his inevitable worrying.

Travelling from Imladris to Mirkwood was not something new to the Crown Prince. He had done it so many times he could probably navigate the roads with his eyes closed. It was the detours that always got him and his human friend, Estel, into trouble. They insisted on exploring new routes, often deviating from their plans to go hunting and sometimes just to do a little exploring. Thranduil had come to expect that they would, at some point on their journey, get themselves into trouble but he always worried when the possibility arose that they were in real danger.

Legolas knew how to take care of himself and Estel's many years with the Rangers of the North had provided him with extensive experience in fighting and navigation. Thranduil had seen his son fighting in the many raids of Spiders and Orcs in Mirkwood and knew that he was one of the best warriors in the realm. His skill with a bow could not be matched by anyone in Mirkwood – or Middle Earth for that matter -and he was perfectly competent with his twin knives and a sword as well. It was, however, Thranduil's natural instinct to worry about his son and Legolas knew this. He almost always told his father where he was going and the exact time of his return and he always kept as close to that time as he possibly could.

Something was wrong this time though. Thranduil could feel it. He could sense something was happening to his son. Ever since his mother's death, Legolas had grown even closer to the King and Thranduil to his son. Their bond, which had been somewhat shaky before Nienna's death, was now as solid as any shared between father and son and Thranduil just _knew_ that something was wrong.

However, Legolas had been in trouble before and Thranduil had experienced this same feeling many, many times. It was nothing new and Thranduil knew it was more the over-active imagination of an overly concerned parent than anything else. And yet he could not shake the feeling off as he had done in the past. It was as though the forest in which Legolas now travelled was getting darker by the moment. Thranduil didn't share his son's ability to connect with nature but right then he could have sworn the trees were screaming out to him that something was wrong.

Thranduil sighed heavily and closed his eyes, trying to block out the thought that something terrible might have happened to his only son, the last surviving member of his family. He was, thankfully, disturbed out of his grim musings by a sharp, formal knock at the door. He turned and walked back into the Royal chambers, closing the balcony door behind him as though trying to block out the worry. He called for the person to enter and his assistant, Darin, came in, bowing before speaking.

"Your Highness, the meeting is about to start," he announced, his eyes never leaving the King's, not something most people would attempt while alone in a room with the infamously stern King of Mirkwood.

"Meeting?" Thranduil questioned vaguely, sitting down on a lush couch in the sitting room.

"The meeting with the Royal Guard about the state of Mirkwood's defences. You asked to be updated every month. I set it up for you a few days ago at your request."

"Right. I'm sorry, I had completely forgotten." Thranduil ran a hand down his face and glanced around before turning back to his advisor. "What is the state of Mirkwood's defences?"

"I would imagine the point of the meeting is to answer that question," the advisor replied curtly. He could see that something was troubling his king but knew better than to ask.

"Yes…Well, I suppose we should get going then. We wouldn't want to keep the Captain waiting, now would we?" Thranduil rose from the couch and picked up his formal over-robe, slipping it on whilst walking towards the door. The advisor opened the door for him and followed his Lord out of the room.

Thranduil swept through the halls, ignoring all the bows and 'good mornings' muttered by his subjects. His mind couldn't seem to focus on anything today. He shook his head slightly, trying to regain control of his thoughts as he entered the meeting room. Everyone at the table rose when he entered and bowed respectfully before their King. Thranduil nodded his good morning and sat down, looking immediately to the pieces of parchment that were placed before him. It made little sense to him though. The Royal Guard seemed to have a language all of their own a lot of the time and Thranduil had long ago given up trying to understand and interpret it.

"Alright, talk to me," Thranduil prompted when no one spoke up.

"Good morning, Your Highness, I appreciate that you have taken the time to listen to our views on the future security of Mirkwood," the Captain of the Guard said in his usual monthly greeting. Although he was in charge of his own people he still took orders from the king and any major changes in policy or procedure had to be approved by the king himself. That was why these meetings had been set up.

"Just get on with it. I have a string of meetings this afternoon," Thranduil said, concealing the real reason for his impatience.

"Yes, Sire. Well, we have seen an increase of Men passing through the forest to get to their home lands and while they pose no immediate threat they do hunt in our woods. They also have no idea of the dangers concealed within Mirkwood and are constantly getting themselves into trouble, meaning the Mirkwood Guard have to go and rescue them. It is a waste of our resources. It means we have to divert people from the protection of the palace to the forests."

"Yes. And?" Thranduil snapped impatiently. Right then he couldn't think of any place he'd like to be less than in this meeting room.

"We propose erecting a wall around some portions of the forest. It will improve the flow of people through Mirkwood and allow us to…"

Thranduil put up a hand to silence him. "Wait. A wall? A wall around the forest? We cannot possibly section off parts of the forest. It would not only stop Men entering Mirkwood but other people as well. Building a wall keeping people out would also breach trade agreements."

"But, sir…"

"The answer is no, Captain. Find another way to keep troublesome Men out of the forest. That is my final answer." Thranduil got up and everyone else stood in respect as he walked out of the room.

"Yes, Your Highness," the Captain said but Thranduil had already gone, his assistant following close behind.

"Your Highness, don't you think you should put a little more consideration into this? It is a sound proposal," Darin said, trying to reason with his king. Thranduil didn't even pause. He swept down the corridors, people moving out of the way, no one wanting to get in the king's path.

"I don't have time to listen to such ridiculous propositions. We can't break our trade agreements and that's final."

"My Lord, forgive me for asking but what is going on? You have never been so quick to dismiss a security concern before."

Thranduil paused and turned to his assistant. "I'm just worried about Legolas. He said he'd be home hours ago. It's not like him to be late."

"Maybe he was just delayed. You know that sometimes the forest can hold people up. Perhaps he ran into some kind of problem and it took him some time to sort it out. I'm sure there is a perfectly reasonable explanation, my Lord."

"When was the last time Legolas was late for anything? He knows how I worry. Something is wrong, I can feel it." Thranduil's voice was distant but the assistant heard a very real concern there, something he had not heard in many years.

The assistant paused, watching his king nervously; it worried him when his Lord was like this. Thranduil was not usually one to panic unnecessarily, not even about his son. Admittedly, he was a little protective over the Crown Prince; he was, after all, his only family, not to mention his only heir. Even so, Thranduil was normally more level-headed, thinking everything through carefully before coming to a decision. It wasn't like him to be so quick in voicing his concerns.

"Your Highness, what do you want to do?"

Thranduil thought for a moment. If he did anything too drastic and nothing was wrong, Legolas would only complain. However, if something terrible had happened and he did nothing he would never be able to live with himself. "Send word to Elrond in Rivendell. Ask him if they changed their plans at all. Send it quickly. I want to know what's going on."

"Yes, my Lord," Darin said, hurrying off to do his king's bidding.

Thranduil breathed a sigh of relief. He felt better now he was doing something about these strange feelings. If Legolas was in trouble Thranduil would be there to get him out of it. He wasn't about to lose his son now.

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**Okay, I know there's no Legolas or Aragorn in this chapter but I thought we should find out what's going on with the family. They'll be back next chapter though, I promise.**


	25. A Cunning Plan

**Disclaimer: **I own nothing Tolkien created.

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**Sold Into Ruin**

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**Okay, we're back in the thick of it now, folks. Back with Legolas and Aragorn after our little excursion to Mirkwood. Thanks to everyone who reviewed, I really, really appreciate it. Oh, and also thank you to the reviewer who pointed out the difference between 'Your Majesty' and 'Your Highness'. Weirdly, after I read that review I remembered that I actually knew that but had completely forgotten so thanks for jogging my terrible, terrible memory. I will try and remember it for the future.**

**Please keep letting me know what you think and enjoy the chapter.**

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**Chapter 25 ~ A Cunning Plan**

Aragorn lifted the loose panel from the wall as quietly as possible and pulled it aside. He waited for a moment, listening intently for any signs of activity from outside. The yard remained silent. Aragorn stepped through and waited for Legolas to do the same. It had not taken much persuasion for Legolas to attend this secret meeting; right then he would have done just about anything to get out of this place. Once the Elf stepped through, still wary of guards and being overheard by the other 6000 inhabitants, Aragorn replaced the panel, memorising where it was so they could get back in after their meeting.

It amazed Aragorn that no one else in the building knew about this faulty panel even though it was well hidden, especially as there had apparently been escape attempts in the past. The two friends had agreed not to involve Jasmine in their plans for the time being, knowing she would not welcome such danger and it could very well get her into trouble if she knew too much.

"When is he due to arrive?" Legolas asked, his voice lowered to a whisper.

"Soon."

"And you really trust him?"

"More so than anyone else in this place. There is just something about him. I don't think he's lying to us." Aragorn had tried to convince himself that this was true ever since speaking with the man earlier; although if truth be told he was far from convinced himself. He knew they had little hope of escaping without this man's help. He had seen how utterly ruthless the guards could be.

Aragorn looked nervously around into the darkness. Although they had been in the encampment for less than a week they were already well aware of what could happen should they be caught breaking the rules. Legolas' lesson had been harsh and it had worked.

"Good. You're here. I was worried you wouldn't show up." It was Torvan. Not even Legolas had heard the man's approach. Unusual for an Elf.

"This is Legolas," Aragorn introduced his friend to the man he had quickly grown to trust. The prince nodded his head in a reluctant greeting.

"Nice to finally meet you, Legolas. People are already speaking of your arrival although not many believe you are truly an Elf. It has been many years since we have seen one of your kind here. I hope your wounds heal quickly. I have taken such punishments before; I know how brutal the guards can be on first-timers." Legolas nodded without comment, not sure he trusted the man, although Aragorn assured him that everything was fine so for now he would play along.

"Well, we're here now so what's your plan to get us out of here?" Aragorn asked bluntly, breaking the rather tense silence.

"Guards patrol the compound in rotation all day and night but at certain times these patrols are weaker – less guards, less concentration. These are the places to aim for. I have scouted the area and the best place seems to be the forest. It is harder to track through those thick trees, more hiding places too. As far as I remember there is a track people used to use. It is probably a little over-grown by now but we will have swords so it shouldn't be a problem."

"Hold on a moment," Legolas interrupted, trying to keep up with the man's rushed escape plan. "Once we somehow get over the fence, into the forest and find this almost invisible trail with swords we have procured out of no where, where then do we go? Where does this trail lead?"

"Does it matter?" Torvan shot back sharply.

"I think it does. If we don't know where we're going then we could be wandering the forest for days and there's more chance of getting caught."

"Look…"

"No, Legolas is right. This plan of yours is far too vague. We need a better understanding of what we're doing. Do you know where the guards' weakest points are? When exactly are they at their weakest? How many weapons will they have? We need to know all of this. No surprises. That's how we escape," Aragorn said quietly.

"Alright then, what do you suggest?" Torvan asked, folding his arms.

"Reconnaissance," Legolas offered simply.

"Reconnaissance?" Torvan repeated.

"We have to know everything about the guard's movements. The more we know the better we can plan, the more chance we have of escape. The first rule of missions is preparation. It's not enough to know that there are weaknesses; we have to know exactly what those weaknesses are. No surprises," Aragorn said.

"It sounds like you have some experience in the area, my friend. I knew it was a good move to involve you. What do you suggest we do?"

"We watch."

"That's it?"

"That's all we can do for now. It's better that we wait and get as much information as we can before doing anything. The last thing we want is to get caught."

"Right. So, what now?"

"Legolas and I will try and find a weak spot in the walls and the guards. You try and find out everything you can about what weapons they have and what we'll need to get out of here," Aragorn said in a hushed voice.

"Also, find out everything you can about the Master and Kallon," Legolas added.

"Why the Master? What good is he to us?"

"I don't know," Legolas said vaguely. Torvan looked to Aragorn who nodded for him to do as Legolas asked. For some reason Torvan seemed to trust him more than Legolas.

"Alright. We will meet again in three days time with everything we have learnt." The other two nodded and snuck back through the gap in the wall.

"That went well," Legolas whispered as they returned to their sleeping places beside Jasmine. They had made a silent agreement not to tell Torvan about Jasmine just yet, not until they knew he was for real.

**

The next morning the doors to the building opened, banging loudly back against the wall and startling everyone awake. Legolas and Aragorn sat up quickly, instantly alert. The first thing that went through their minds was that what they had done last night had raised the alarm. Someone had told the guards that they had met Torvan to discuss escape. But who? Perhaps Torvan himself. Maybe it was a trap after all.

They needn't have worried though. The guards went straight to one of the men chained to the wall, pulling him roughly off the bench and dragging him, kicking and screaming outside. The doors slammed shut and locked, leaving the silent room to ponder what the poor man was going to go through that day. Everyone released a silent breath of relief at being left alone, including Legolas and Aragorn.

Jasmine leaned back against the wall and laid a protective hand on her swollen stomach. Aragorn reached up and touched her hand, giving it a gentle squeeze of reassurance. She smiled gratefully before returning her attention to the closed doors.

Just as everything was beginning to settle down a familiar voice arose from the silence: Jadan.

"That idiot deserves everything he's going to get," the man snarled, breaking the uneasy silence with just what no one wanted to hear. "They'll put him in the Hold for a few days. That'll teach him not to steal from other buildings." Jadan laughed harshly. Jasmine looked down in shame and pity for the poor man who had been dragged away.

"Have a little sympathy," she muttered under her breath. Anyone who was talking shut up when Jadan turned around sharply to look at Jasmine.

"Excuse me?" he said, a sharp tone creasing his voice.

Jasmine turned her face away and mumbled, "Nothing."

"No, you said something. Don't you think people deserve to be punished for their crimes?" He walked threateningly over to her but Aragorn and Legolas stood in front of her, knowing how unpredictable and utterly unfeeling this man was. He would have no problem hurting her and they couldn't allow that. "Move aside," Jadan warned when they remained protectively in front of her. "I said move aside."

"I can't do that," Aragorn said, staring Jadan down. He wasn't about to be intimidated by the man.

Jadan laughed softly. "You forget your place. You're new here. You don't understand the rules yet. People don't look out for one another here. You learn that after a while. So do yourself a favour and move out of my way. This is none of your business."

"In that case it's a good job we haven't been here long, isn't it? We don't know the rules yet," Legolas said, his piercing blue eyes staring firmly into Jadan's grey pair. Aragorn could tell that stare was already making Jadan uncomfortable, an effect not lost on Legolas. It was a skill he had learned from his father and he used it well.

Jadan smiled coldly and went to walk away. Legolas let his guard down for only a second and it was in that second that Jadan's fist slammed into his face, catching everyone off guard. It wasn't long before Aragorn was on the man. He threw a wild punch at him, which sent the man flying backwards. Aragorn went to hit him again but was held back by both Legolas and Jasmine.

"Mellon nin, don't. He's not worth it," Legolas said in soft Elvish. He knew that Aragorn would really hurt the man for threatening him and considering everything else that had happened that week getting into a fight with another slave was not a good idea. "Estel, daro," Legolas said when Aragorn tried to get at Jadan again.

Aragorn nodded and Legolas reluctantly released him. Jadan wiped a little blood from his nose where Aragorn's fist had connected and smiled. Thankfully, Aragorn ignored the sneer and turned away.

Legolas sat down on the bench and Aragorn knelt in front of him. Jasmine was soon at his side and she carefully wiped the blood from Legolas' nose.

"He really is stronger than he looks," Legolas laughed. Aragorn smiled but Jasmine just started crying. "Really, it is not that bad," Legolas reassured her.

"He has had worse, believe me," Aragorn said, placing his hand on her shoulder.

"It just seems you keep getting into trouble and it's all my fault," Jasmine said through her tears.

"That's not true," Legolas said. "Besides, I have to defend you if I get this kind of treatment every time. You wait until Estel gets hurt, you'll be waiting on him hand and foot for the next month. Trust me; I'm doing you a favour." She laughed and wiped her tears away on the dirty sleeve of her dress.

"I'll go and get you some water," she said, standing and disappearing into the milling crowd.

Legolas put his hand up to his face, gingerly pressing against his nose in pain.

"Are you really alright?" Aragorn asked, pulling his friend's hand away and looking at his nose. "I don't think it's broken," he assured.

"Easy for you to say," Legolas mumbled. "Damn, that hurt. Next time, it's your turn to get hit," he smiled.

"Deal," Aragorn smiled back.

**To Be Continued…**

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**Translations**

**Mellon nin **– My friend

**Daro – **Stop

**I know Jadan is just a big bully, hitting Legolas like that. Please review.**


	26. Rivendell

**Disclaimer: **I own nothing Tolkien created.

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**Sold Into Ruin**

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**Chapter 26 ~ Rivendell**

Elrohir hid behind the nearest well-concealed tree, listening intently to the woods around him. He heard the soft fall of footsteps and smiled in satisfaction from his hiding place. His prey was close now. He picked up the thick, heavy stick, which had previously dropped to the ground beside him, and positioned it carefully in his hand. The noise was getting closer, the steps light but easily recognisable to one who knew what to listen for. This was going to be a ridiculously easy victory.

The footsteps stopped for a moment, perhaps hearing something or perhaps just considering the next move to take. This didn't deter the young Elf. He gripped the stick tighter and waited patiently for his prey to move again. A smile graced his face when he heard the footsteps start up again, more confidently this time, and as soon as they were close enough he pounced…

Only to find it was nothing more than a wild rabbit. The creature immediately raced for cover at the disturbance and Elrohir sighed in frustration at his stupid mistake. He was so sure he had heard some his prey.

Before he could dwell on the matter any longer he was grabbed from behind by a pair of strong arms and dragged to the ground. Rolling quickly over and pushing his aggressor off him, he rolled again so his prey was now below him, grabbed the stick and held it to his throat.

"Surrender?" he asked in a low growl, the stick still held firmly in his hand.

The form beneath him dropped his own stick and held his hands up. "Surrender," he sighed dramatically.

The hunter, also known as Elrohir Peredhel smiled and looked down at a pair of identical brown eyes, identical brown hair and an identical smiling face. He got off his twin and stood up, holding out his hand to help his defeated brother up. Elladan brushed himself down over-dramatically, shooting his brother a playful glare.

"You know, that's the second time I've beaten you this week. You're getting a little rusty, brother," Elrohir laughed as his 'prey' picked up the wooden stick he had surrendered.

"Well, at least I wasn't afraid of a cute little bunny rabbit," the slightly elder twin teased playfully. Elrohir grabbed him by the arm and pushed him up against the nearest tree.

"You are never going to tell anyone about that," he warned, a smile playing across his face even as he growled the words.

"Well, I think I have a responsibility to inform Captain Glorfindel the next time we're in training. He always says we should discuss and conquer our fears and clearly you have one for cute, fluffy woodland animals. It really is nothing to be ashamed of, Elrohir. I used to be afraid of mice – until I reached the age of ten." His brother went for him again but Elladan slipped out of his grasp and ran off, his brother following closely behind. "Come on, Elrohir, keep up. It's nearly dinner time." He laughed and ran off faster towards the Last Homely House of Imladris. "I hear we're having stewed rabbit."

**

Elrond placed another sheet of parchment aside. He was slowly working his way through the huge pile of papers that Erestor, his Major Domo and Chief Advisor, had dumped on his desk earlier that morning. He sighed as he looked at the remaining pieces of paper then out the window to take a second to admire his home. Although most of the things on his desk could wait, Elrond knew that if he put them off another day his advisor would be panicking and there was nothing worse in Imladris than a panicking Erestor.

Picking up another paper to sign, Elrond wondered what it would be like to have to deal with all this every day. He knew that Erestor and Glorfindel, his Seneschal, did their best to help with the running of Rivendell but there were some things that his loyal staff simply couldn't do; so Elrond had to write, read and sign endless pieces of information as well as trying his best to keep the Last Homely House running smoothly.

Just as Elrond was about to slam the pen down on the desk and run from the room, screaming and tearing his hair out his twin sons threw themselves into the room in a flurry of identical arms and legs. They were so alike that even Elrond sometimes found it difficult to tell them apart. Celebrian, the boys' late mother, had always known exactly which was which from the moment they were born. None of the healers could though so they were always dressed in different colours; one red and one brown.

"What are you doing?" Elrond asked sternly, standing from his seat, feigning anger.

"Ada," Elladan began, "we can explain. It was all Elrohir's fault."

"No, Ada, it was all Elladan's fault. He pounced on me."

"He started it!"

Elrond sighed and held up his hand to stop them before a full-blown argument broke out. He enjoyed his son's comic arguments and thanked the Valar that they only ever play-fought and weren't really at each other's throats all the time. Their connection had been so strong from the moment they were born. They cried at the same time, slept at the same time. It was as if they could feel each other's feelings. If one was hurt or in pain the other would be sad. They had a connection that no one else – not even Elrond or Celebrian – could explain.

"Alright, alright. Sorry I asked," Elrond mumbled, hoping to avoid another argument. Usually he didn't mind his son's constant play fighting but today something was different; he could feel it in the air that something was wrong. They were upset about something and, although he had been trying all day, he couldn't figure out what it was, although he had a sneaky suspicion that it had something to do with his adopted son and the Prince of Mirkwood.

"Ada, is something wrong?" Elrohir asked more soberly. Always the more observant of the two, Elrond mused.

"I honestly don't know, ion nin," Elrond sighed, looking up into concerned brown eyes. "Something is wrong but I cannot place what it is. The trees call to me but they refuse to disclose what troubles them."

Elladan frowned. He had not seen his father so perplexed in a long time and it worried him. He had always known Elrond to be strong, to have all the answers but now he looked lost and it saddened and confused Elladan to see that in his father.

"Maybe they will reveal it to you in time."

"Indeed. You are right, Elladan. All will be revealed eventually." Elrond smiled at his son's reassurances. They were right, of course, anything that needed to be known would be revealed in the end but he could still not shake that annoying feeling that something was dreadfully wrong. Despite his son's reassurances he knew he couldn't wait too long to find out what it was. If Legolas and Aragorn were in trouble he needed to act. Fast.

He decided to send word to King Thranduil in Mirkwood as soon as possible, just to assure their safe arrival. It was probably just a stupid worry that would dissipate in time; but better safe than sorry. He suddenly felt like a great weight had been lifted from his shoulders. Taking positive action always made him feel like that. He just hoped his action was enough. If not he didn't know what he'd do.

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**Translations**

**Ada – **Dad

**Ion nin – **My son


	27. Search and Rescue

**Disclaimer: **I own nothing Tolkien created.

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**Sold Into Ruin**

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**Chapter 27 ~ Search And Rescue**

**One week later…**

Days seemed like weeks in the dark mines in which Aragorn and Legolas were still being held captive. The harsh treatment of the two slaves at the cruel hands of the guards did not stop and although they were not badly physically hurt again, the taunts continued to come from both the guards and a very angry Jadan, who continued to harass them, especially Legolas. The man seemed intent on making their lives hell, even more so than the guards. Both Elf and Man had kept their heads down, trying not to attract too much attention to themselves and so far it had worked fairly well.

Despite the short amount of time that had elapsed, Legolas had healed reasonably well; not as well as he if he had been under Elrond's expert care in Rivendell but well enough to ensure that he was no longer in serious danger. However, the wounds looked like they could reopen at any time and Aragorn was certain that all the work Legolas was being forced to do was not helping one bit. He could also tell that the wounds still caused him a considerable amount of pain, although Legolas didn't speak of it to Aragorn or anyone else. That, however, was how the Elf always worked; keeping his discomfort to himself. Luckily they had seen little action over the past few days, remaining on the periphery. Neither had they heard anything else from Torvan, who had remained silent; not once speaking to Aragorn even though he sent him enough confused glances and expectant looks.

They continued, however, to gather information on the guards, the weapons, anything that might be useful to their future escape attempt. It seemed a little futile but it was something to hang on to, something to focus on.

As the days wore on they became more and more convinced that escape was impossible, although it was not an easy thing to have to admit and neither would openly confess it. They knew the longer they stayed the harder escape would be.

**

Jasmine wandered over to where Aragorn and Legolas were lying on the floor. Legolas was on the verge of sleep but when Jasmine came near he abruptly woke, sensing from the dark look on her face that she was going to say something important. She sat down on the bench and looked down at her two friends sadly, as though something was terribly wrong and she didn't quite know how to say it.

"What?" Aragorn prompted after several minutes of uneasy silence.

"They took someone from one of the other Houses. They said he was planning an escape. His number…" She showed Aragorn the back of her hand on which was written a four digit number. The second he read it he connected it with a face. 2134: Torvan. "They dragged him out of his building as soon as he returned from the mines. He didn't even fuss, didn't fight; just walked away with them. And from the looks on your faces you knew something about this." She fixed her eyes on the floor, not able to meet their gazes. "Look, whatever you have to do with this, walk away from it now. Please. They suspect you," she whispered urgently. "They will take 2134 to the Hold and then torture him. Eventually, one way or another, they will get the information they want from him – true or not – and when they do, they'll come after you. They've been looking for a reason to take you there ever since you arrived. This person's only got to give away that you participated in an escape attempt and they _will_ kill you for it." Tears began running down her face but she turned away to hide them from her two friends. "I don't know what I'd do if I was left here alone again," she whispered sadly.

Jasmine wasn't a fool; she knew this kind of trust in someone could lead to eventual disaster. These two people may have looked and sounded like angels of mercy but in fact they were ticking bombs: dangerous and unpredictable. The one place you didn't want to be was with unpredictable people. Although they may have offered a glamorous view of escape – a safe home for her and her future family – all they could really give her was more trouble. And yet, despite her head screaming that these two people were bad news she simply couldn't disregard their words. Against her better judgement she trusted them, regardless of the consequences.

Aragorn went to her and put his arm around her shoulders. "That is not going to happen," he said firmly.

"You don't know that," she said a little louder. "When will you learn that you can't control things around here? You're slaves just like the rest of us. Nothing more." Now she was shouting.

Slowly, Legolas got up and sat on the opposite side of her and placed a firm hand on her other shoulder. Gently, he lifted her face up to meet his own startling blue eyes and she immediately stopped crying and stared back into those enchanting orbs.

"We have come this far," he whispered into her ear. "Nothing is going to happen to us and even if it does you won't be alone because there will always be people like us who will come in here and try to escape. You have to think about your child more than anything else and she will have more chance of living the life she deserves out of this place. We can help give you that; you and your baby."

"Trust us on this. We know what we're doing," Aragorn added.

"And if anything does happen to us just forget everything you know and nothing will happen to you. I promise that you are safe," Legolas said.

"The reason we didn't tell you about our plans was because if you get involved they might come after you and we can't let that happen. You don't know anything about this. They can't get anything out of you if you know nothing. It means you're safe," Aragorn said.

"I honestly don't think I'll ever be safe in this place," Jasmine said tearfully.

"I know," Aragorn sighed.

*~*

The next morning, Legolas was woken by strong hands pulling him up off the floor. Before he even had time to steady himself on his own two feet a fist had knocked him back to the ground. He was allowed no pause before a fist had reached out and hit him three times in the stomach before re-aiming at his face. Legolas closed his eyes but the expected blow never came. The person who had been hitting him was now lying face down on the floor with Aragorn's foot placed firmly on the back of his neck. All it would take was for the man to put his foot down and that would have been the end of the figure on the floor.

"Legolas, are you alright?" Aragorn asked him, looking briefly from his captive to his best friend.

"I think so," Legolas answered uncertainly, looking firmly to Aragorn then to the man on the floor. He hauled himself up off the floor painfully and looked at the person Aragorn was forcefully holding down with his foot. It didn't take long to recognise who it was and when he did he felt like pushing Aragorn's heel right into the back of the man's neck and ridding the encampment of one more annoyance.

"Get the hell off me," a voice growled from beneath Aragorn's foot.

"Shut up, Jadan," Aragorn shouted, moving his foot to stop Jadan squirming beneath him.

"Estel, let him up," Legolas instructed, noticing everyone around him staring. He had already brought enough attention to himself and he did not think it was wise to attract any more than was absolutely necessary, especially when it meant dealing with an already established member of the building.

"What?" Aragorn asked incredulously, not understanding Legolas' motives.

"Let him up before anyone outside realises what you're doing," Legolas whispered fiercely. Aragorn reluctantly agreed and released the troublesome man. Jadan instantly jumped to his feet, looking around self-consciously and straightening out his shirt. He cleared his throat before turning and walking into the crowd that parted nervously as he walked past them. Everyone in the room looked to Legolas and Aragorn in complete awe. Apparently no one had stood up to Jadan like that for a long time and they were quite taken aback by it.

"I'm sorry," Aragorn whispered as they sat back down on the floor with Jasmine looking on in amazement.

"No, it's alright but we have to be more cautious. He knows something," Legolas said, looking off into the direction Jadan had just run.

"What could he possibly know? There's no way he could know anything about…you know what."

"No. But apparently he suspects something is not right. You don't drag someone out of bed and beat them up for no reason." Aragorn nodded thoughtfully, suddenly more concerned about what Jadan knew – or thought he knew.

"That man's dangerous," he mumbled more to himself than to his companions.

*~*

Down in the mines Legolas continued to dutifully chip away at the stone, revealing the precious rocks underneath. Although his hands hurt more now than before he kept going, knowing the consequences of laziness all too well. He didn't want a repeat of what happened on his first day and in the past week he had learned that he had to keep his head down and do as he was told. He glanced over at one of the guards, knowing he still had to observe their behaviour for their plan.

He had been trying his best to stay calm around Aragorn, not letting him know just how difficult this was becoming for him. Being trapped down in the mine was utter torture and truth be told he was having to use every ounce of his considerable self control to keep from scratching at the walls in desperation; but thankfully he knew exactly how to fool Aragorn. He knew what the man would say if he knew the truth. He would try to make things better but there was nothing else he could do. The Elf yearned for the open forests of Mirkwood or the sounds of waterfalls in Rivendell, he would even settle for a city of Men at that moment just to feel the open air, hear the trees. What he missed most, more than the sound of the water, the sound and the feel of the trees and the feel of fresh air, were the stars.

He missed gazing at the stars, missed the sight of Earendil in the night sky. During their time in this horrid place Legolas had been outside so little. He had never been without them for so long. Thranduil's palace was partially underground but it offered some beautiful views across the forest and although partially embedded into the ground it was surprisingly light and airy. Yes, he missed the stars and he missed his home. He missed his father. Thranduil could be dominating or overprotective and strict but Legolas wanted nothing more than to be sat in a boring meeting with his father and his numerous councillors.

*~*

**Mirkwood…**

"I don't care if you have to search every last inch of every land in Middle Earth but you will find my son and if you do not I can promise that you will regret it." Thranduil marched off towards the palace. He was getting frantic now. Legolas had been missing too long. It was not like his son. On top of that a few days ago he had received a letter from Imladris asking him whether Legolas and Estel had reached Mirkwood safely. Before he had even finished reading the letter he had sent out guards looking for any sign of his son in every part of Mirkwood. They had found nothing yet and Thranduil was beginning to get frustrated.

He could picture his son being attacked by Orcs, lying in some obscure part of the great forest, terrified and alone. Or being held hostage; the kidnappers waiting long enough to make Thranduil mad with worry before asking for a ridiculously large sum of money in exchange for his son. Or it could be Spiders. They roamed all through Mirkwood and wouldn't hesitate in picking off one of the Royal Family. Then again, it could be Men, or goblins or trolls or balrogs…Thranduil stopped himself. There were no trolls or balrogs anywhere near Mirkwood and the chances that Legolas had found himself confronted with one of them were slim to say the least. This did not, however, alleviate Thranduil's concern. Although unlikely he had been crushed to death by a troll or a balrog there were still many evils out there that could easily bring an end to such a young – in Elven terms anyway – life.

Thranduil paced back and forth in the Throne Room, his anxiety over his son's safety growing by the second. If Mirkwood's guards couldn't find him, what then? Would he spend the rest of his days wondering what had become of his only son? He couldn't even consider that possibility. Legolas was all he had left. He had barely survived the death of his wife; he didn't think he could handle losing his son as well.

As if it wasn't bad enough that Legolas was his only son he was also the Crown Prince of Mirkwood and his only heir. If, Valar forbid, something happened to Legolas the Thranduillion line would be broken and Mirkwood would likely succumb to the evil of Sauron once and for all. To lose his son and heir _and _his kingdom would destroy Thranduil.

Feeling himself losing control again Thranduil took a deep breath. He needed to keep a level head no matter how difficult it was. Legolas might need his help and he needed to stay strong for his son. He had failed when Legolas' mother had died, falling into his own grief and ignoring Legolas' needs and how much he suffered at the hands of the Orcs that had hurt him and killed his beloved mother. No, this time he would remain strong.

Composing himself once more he pulled on his travelling gear – something that hadn't emerged from his closet much in recent years – and grabbed his weapons from where they were on display behind his throne. Although he had not personally used them in many years – his advisors deemed it too risky for the King to partake in battle – he had kept them well and his sword was still as sharp as the day it had been forged.

In a whirl of golden hair and green cloth he strode from the Throne Room past a few startled guards and out to the stables where he quickly saddled his horse and jumped on before the grooms could even stand to attention. Dashing out into the midst of the gathered soldiers, who were about to re-start the search for their prince, Thranduil rode to the front. His Captain immediately called for silence and the courtyard fell into a shocked silence.

"Listen up. I want every place in Mirkwood thoroughly searched. Caves, holes, trees, anywhere Legolas might hide. Remember, chances are he'll have the Man, Estel, with him so try not to shoot him if at all avoidable. Use any and all means necessary to find my son. He is your prince; bring him safely back to the palace where he belongs." This seemed to rouse the Elves to action and they started forwards at their Captain's command.

Thranduil also nudged his mount forwards.

"Your Majesty, what are you doing?" the Captain asked.

"I'm coming with you," Thranduil answered bluntly. "Move out of my way," he growled to his loyal head guard as he blocked Thranduil's horse so it couldn't move forward.

"Are you certain that is wise, my Lord? I'm not sure it would be safe for you to go out there. We have no idea what is out there. Prince Legolas could be in all kinds of danger and I do not think it wise to expose yourself to the same danger. Even if Prince Legolas is in trouble, Mirkwood still needs her King."

"Watch your tongue, Captain. Remember who you are talking about. My son is out there and I will not allow him to be…eaten by trolls or balrogs, so move out of my way right now!"

The Captain immediately backed off, the eyes of his King burning with fury during his outburst. "Forgive me, Sire," he said, bowing down to the King, a look of remorse tinged with fear on his face.

Thranduil ignored his grovelling apology and charged after the receding soldiers. He would find his son and return him to his rightful home.

*~*

Legolas and Aragorn staggered back to the building with the other slaves and sat heavily on their part of the bench as Jasmine was not back yet. However, before they could get comfortable several guards pushed their way through the crowds and made straight for the true friends. Both stood, looking nervously at the approaching guards. Before they could even think about what was happening rough hands grabbed them by the arms and dragged them through the crowds and out the door. Towards the Hold!

**To Be Continued…**

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	28. The Hold

**Disclaimer: **I own nothing Tolkien created.

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**Sold Into Ruin**

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**Chapter 28 ~ The Hold**

Although they fought with their captors, trying desperately to escape, their grips were too strong and it seemed impossible to get free of them. Very quickly after they had been dragged out of the building the nervous guards had thrown heavy ropes around them and tied them so tightly they dug into their flesh, making their wrists bleed.

Struggling did no good and although it would likely make things much worse for them they couldn't help but panic at the thought of ending up in the 'Hold' that they heard so much about. The look of sympathy on everyone's faces when they were taken away had sent a stab of fear through Legolas' heart and from the look on Aragorn's face he was feeling the same.

The guards led them into a small building. It was much smaller – about a quarter of the size of the other buildings – and its floors were covered in blood stains. It was also freezing cold inside, almost unnaturally cold; even Legolas could feel it. They were thrown roughly to the floor, their bonds prohibiting them from recovering from the fall. However, before they could even try they were being held down. Kallon stepped in front of them and smiled cruelly down at them.

"I have been waiting to do this ever since you arrived. You and your crazy ideas of freedom have really gotten on my nerves. When will you learn that you are just slaves? You have no rights here. No hope. Not one of these people believes you can do anything to change their lives. You are just _slaves_, no better than them." He paused for a second. "Let them up." The guards stepped forward and pulled them to their feet. "Take their ropes off." After a moment of hesitation they did as instructed, roughly ripping off the ropes, burning their skin. Neither of them flinched though, not wanting to show any form of weakness in front of their captors.

"Now, seeing as you simply refuse to obey my orders I feel it's time to educate you. Take their shirts off." The guards rushed forwards. They were a lot more cautious than normal, knowing fully well that these two were dangerous - some of them were still recovering from the last fight they had had with the Elf. At the look of shock and confusion on Aragorn's and Legolas' faces Kallon explained. "This place, it gets very cold at night. Particularly down in the Hold. People sometimes die down there due to the cold." He said it as though it were a good thing but Aragorn couldn't help but panic slightly at the thought.

"What have we done to deserve such punishment?" Legolas asked firmly, trying desperately to keep the panic rising in his voice.

Instead of answering, Kallon just laughed. "What makes you think you need to have done something? You, my friend, are a wonderful prize for any slave trader." He walked up to Legolas and ran a rough hand through his dirt streaked golden hair. Legolas shuddered but stood his ground, refusing to let any sign of fear break through his mask of defiance.

"Leave him alone," Aragorn growled from Legolas' side.

Kallon turned and smiled to the man in front of him. "I think your friend feels a little left out," he joked. "You, Estel are also a good slave. It almost seems a shame to waste you both. However, I cannot wait a moment longer to hear your screams. I hear Elves can heal very quickly and you have done remarkably well so far" he glanced at the red marks that still marred Legolas' otherwise perfect skin "but that will not last. I think that even the fairer race have a breaking point and some time in the next few days I will find yours, and that of your friend. And be assured that when you do _I _will be the one you scream for." He looked long and hard into Aragorn's stormy grey eyes.

Legolas wanted to do something. Anything to stop this man but he refused to lose control, knowing that hurt would also come to Aragorn if it backfired. And he couldn't risk that. To suffer this with Aragorn was bad enough but to be without his best friend would be unbearable. Having said that he would have given anything to be standing there alone, knowing his best friend was safely with his foster father in Rivendell. The thought of never seeing that beautiful place again, of never sitting with his friends exchanging stories by the light of an open fire caused his heart to constrict painfully. He would even take his father's nagging over this. His heart had never felt so torn between selfishness and selflessness.

"Check they have no weapons on them then throw them down there. Be careful. They are not as weak as they look." He smiled as the guards took both of them by the arms. Although they glared at him they did not struggle, knowing there was no getting out of this. All they could do now was hope there was some way out of this Hold and if not pray to the Valar for a miracle.

Being dragged down the dark stairs was bad enough but knowing what awaited them at the bottom was even worse. Images of torture devices in iron-barred cells came to mind. So they were mildly surprised when there was no such thing. There was a simple but heavy wooden door with a big, sturdy-looking lock.

The guards unlocked the door, being careful to keep the keys well away from the prisoners, something Aragorn couldn't help but smile at. They were afraid of him: advantage number one. One advantage wasn't much but it was enough for Aragorn to cling onto for now, enough to give him the courage to step through the door without a fight. He just hoped Legolas could summon up the same courage. For a moment, Legolas looked as though he might fight back but then seemed to think better of it and went without a fuss, following Aragorn and trying to think about anything but the black walls closing in around him.

There was another guard standing in the chamber they now entered. They both tried to ignore the slamming of the door behind them. For some reason Legolas sensed it would be a long time before they would see the outdoors again and that sent a chill through him. They were pulled to a halt in front of this new guard who inspected them silently, his eyes sweeping over them as though he could see right through them and look into their very souls. The inspection made Aragorn flinch and he felt Legolas do the same beside him. The huge guard – he was easily six-foot-eight – finally nodded, as if satisfied that they wouldn't cause him any trouble and the two guards who until now had kept firm hands on them let go and stepped back to the door, slamming it loudly behind him as though to instil more fear into their prisoners. And it worked.

This new guard did nothing for a moment whilst Aragorn and Legolas looked on quietly. For a moment they thought he was just going to leave them there but eventually he turned around and picked up something from the wooden bench behind him and turned back, grabbed their arms and literally dragged them towards another door. This new place had a smaller hatch in the top and bottom, for food and spying Aragorn guessed.

They were pulled to a stop outside the door and the guard silently handed each a jacket of some kind. He then pulled out a stick of charcoal from his top pocket and snatched Aragorn's jacket back. The man decided not to argue with the guard, guessing that he could crush him with a single blow from his enormous hand. The guard scrawled Aragorn's prisoner number – 6113 – on the front and back. He then grabbed Aragorn's arm again and turned him so his back was to the giant. He felt his arms being roughly lifted and he complied, the jacket was slipped over his arms and he was pushed back around. The guard then pulled one side of the jacket around, constricting Aragorn so tightly that he could barely breathe, then he tied it tightly at the back so it couldn't be undone and so Aragorn's upper torso was almost completely immobile. The guard then pushed Aragorn to one side and repeated the procedure on Legolas, tying his significantly tighter than the man's. He was still afraid of the Elf. And rightly so. Legolas looked like he was about to attack and it took all his willpower to restrain himself from doing so, knowing he'd probably get his head crushed if he went up against this brute.

With their upper bodies firmly secured the guard stepped back, as though proudly admiring his handiwork. He smiled slightly to himself although it didn't reach his vacant green eyes. He then turned and pulled a length of rope from the hooks behind him. Legolas and Aragorn glanced at each other, guessing what this was for. The giant guard knelt down in front of Aragorn and started winding the rope around his legs, not too tightly; apparently they still needed to walk. Once that was done he repeated it with Legolas, whose sharp blue eyes were fixed on the other side of the room.

At first Aragorn didn't know what he was looking at but when he followed the blue gaze he saw the object of the Elf's fascination. It was a human skeleton. Laid out on the table at the far end of the room, it looked like it had been there for a long time. Now he thought about it, the room smelled of death and pain and he imagined all the terrible things that might have happened in there, and all the things that might yet happen. Apparently Legolas saw the bones in more detail because a strange frown creased his features.

The mute guard pulled a big bunch of keys from his pocket and smiled at Legolas and Aragorn proudly, as though they should be impressed by his binding technique. He unlocked the door which led to the cell and pushed them into the room. Due to the guard's rough treatment they fell heavily onto the floor, not being able to steady themselves because of the bonds holding them.

The room they were now in was almost completely dark apart from a small skylight in the centre of the tall room. Its walls were made of the blackest stone and were damp, giving the room a chill that even Legolas could feel. Legolas carefully sat up and looked towards the door to see the glittering green eyes of the giant guard staring through the top hatch. He looked utterly thrilled with that he had done and Legolas wondered whether he actually took pleasure in this instead of merely blindly following orders.

By this time Aragorn had also managed to sit up although somewhat less gracefully than Legolas, who was aided by his natural balance and strength. It was at times like this that Aragorn wished he possessed more Elf-like qualities. He saw his friend's bright eyes shining faintly in the dim light and noticed for the first time a look of utter hopelessness. He wanted nothing more than to go to his friend and comfort him but right then he had enough trouble staying upright in the restricting clothing. For a moment he concentrated on drawing enough air into his lungs, not yet noticing how foul it was.

"Are you alright?" Legolas finally asked, watching Aragorn struggling to breathe.

The man smiled slightly, looking his friend firmly in the eyes. "Never better," he joked, hoping to lighten the mood a little.

"Glad to hear it. Can you get out of this thing?" Legolas asked, fearing he already knew the answer. For a while they moved inside their jackets, trying to find some kind of weakness but the clothes were made of a stiff and strong material and the giant had tied the knots tightly. After just a few moments the two tied prisoners stopped their struggling and looked around them.

For a moment the figure in the corner didn't register with them but Legolas' sharp eyesight caught sight of the moving lump in the corner, just in the shadows.

"Estel," Legolas nodded towards the thing in the corner. He could hear quiet mumblings coming from it but none of its speech made any sense to him and even less to Aragorn who could only just hear it.

"Can you walk over there?" Aragorn asked.

Legolas thought for a second before answering, "I can shuffle."

"Shuffling it is, then." Aragorn couldn't suppress a smile at the thought of the proud and elegant Prince of Mirkwood shuffling across the filthy floor, something he would never normally lower himself to doing.

So they shuffled. It took a lot more out of them than they thought possible, tiring them out because of the tight jackets restraining them. Finally though they reached the lump. It took Legolas only a second to identify the being lying beneath the holey blanket. He bent down and nudged the piece of dirty grey material off the shivering form. Although the face was pressed against the wall, as if it didn't want to see the horrors that lay on the other side, Legolas could read the number on the back of the jacket, which was identical to theirs. 2134. Torvan.

**To Be Continued…**

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**A/N: That's right, folks, we're finally in the Hold. Let the pain commence. ** Please review.


	29. Unveiling

**Disclaimer: **I own nothing Tolkien created.

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**Sold Into Ruin**

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**Thank you so much to everyone who has reviewed. I can't believe the response I'm getting for this fic. Please keep reviewing, I love hearing from you and I will try to get back to you if you leave a signed review. Thanks and enjoy chapter 29.**

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**Chapter 29 ~ Unveiling**

Legolas and Aragorn gasped when they saw Torvan huddled in the corner. Once proud and determined he had now been reduced to a bundle of shaking, nervous prey for the evil guards who delighted in tormenting innocent beings. The first thing that stood out about the form in front of them was the blood that was steadily pooling around him. Some of it had dried while more was obviously quite fresh as it was still glistening wet. The smell was almost enough to make both of them gag but they ignored it for the moment and kept their eyes on the man before them. Both were angered and saddened that a friend of theirs had been reduced to this pitiful state.

"What do you think we should do?" Aragorn asked, thinking the Elf would know the answer. However, Legolas looked to Aragorn, hoping that he, as a healer, would know the answer to that very question.

"I don't know. Torvan? Torvan, it's Legolas and Ara…Estel. Please turn around, maybe we can help you," Legolas tried not knowing what reaction he would get from the injured man. He was in the same state as them, the straight jacket fastened tightly around him, probably by the same gigantic man outside. Legolas could see there was no way for Torvan to escape from the jacket that held him. If he was hurt that would undoubtedly make it worse and far harder for Aragorn to help him.

Whilst Legolas was uttering words of comfort to get the man to turn around and look at them – or show them some sign that he could at least hear them – Aragorn noticed something rather unusual about the man; something that he had never seen in him before. Aragorn had only ever seen him in the mines and outside at night-time but in here, with no distractions, for a moment he saw it so clearly. At first he didn't know quite what to make of it. He thought perhaps he was mistaken and that there had to be another, more sensible, explanation. When he looked over at Legolas it became even more obvious. But it couldn't possibly be what he thought it was. Surely the prince would have noticed by now. Having said that, Legolas had been understandably distracted lately and had probably paid very little attention to the man. After all, he didn't entirely trust him.

Glancing once more at Torvan Aragorn turned back to Legolas.

"Legolas?" The Elf turned to him and cocked his head to one side in question; thinking perhaps that the man had come up with some kind of plan to either get them out of there or to at least help their friend. However, when he saw the look of disbelief and wonder plastered on the man's face he became concerned.

"What is it?" he asked, becoming even more nervous. Aragorn said nothing but looked back to Torvan. Legolas slowly followed his gaze and, not seeing anything out of the ordinary, turned back to Aragorn who now wore a look of vague amazement on his face. "Estel, you're starting to scare me. What is wrong?" Legolas asked impatiently, not understanding what the man was so entranced by.

"Look," Aragorn said, nudging his head towards Torvan.

"What am I looking for?" Legolas asked, glancing back to the man, who was still shivering in the corner. He didn't understand what Aragorn was getting so excited about.

"For Valar's sake, Legolas, have you gone blind? Look. See how he glows?" Aragorn smiled when Legolas whipped his head around to look at Torvan again. Sure enough, when he looked closer, Torvan did appear to have a slight glow about him, very much like Legolas himself. It was faint and weak and not at all healthy, but it was definitely there. It took a moment for it to register with Legolas what this meant but when it did he gasped in shock.

"Oh my…He can't be." Legolas stared at Torvan in wonder. There was only one race on Middle Earth that had that kind of ethereal glow: Elves. All this time Legolas had not trusted Torvan and he had been one of his own people. How could he have missed it? It was said that an Elf could always recognise one of their own race and Legolas had never been mistaken before. In his defence though, Torvan did look more like a Man than an Elf. He was glowing, yes, but only very dimly. He was built more like a human, a little thin but that was to be expected in a place like this. The only well-fed people in the encampment were the guards; the slaves looked like walking skeletons. Torvan's hair was dark and fairly short; black and filthy with dust from the mines. Legolas obviously hadn't taken much noticed of the ears so didn't know whether they were pointed or not. It wasn't something he normally checked upon meeting people, least of all when they had other things to worry about. Besides, the shoulder length hair covered them so there was no way he could have noticed, which was probably how Torvan wanted it.

"Legolas, he is an Elf," Aragorn said, stating what Legolas had already figured out.

"I didn't see it," Legolas said in wonder.

"I'm not surprised; you've had more than enough to deal with. Besides, we had no reason to suspect he was anything other than human. He never gave any indication."

"Hardly surprising considering how much they seem to dislike Elves around here," Legolas muttered, looking back at Torvan, who seemed completely oblivious to the conversation taking place about him. He shifted a little, trying in vain to get comfortable in the straight jacket.

"What do we do?" Aragorn repeated his earlier question.

Legolas thought for a moment before turning back to Torvan, who it appeared had retreated further into his corner, as though finally registering that he was no longer alone in the room.

If Legolas couldn't get through to him in the Common Tongue then maybe he would have more luck in a more familiar language.

So, in soft Sindarin he said, "Torvan, listen to my voice. It's Legolas and Estel. Please look at me." He spoke slowly and gently, hoping to comfort and instruct at the same time. He hoped his own language would get more of a reaction than the Common Tongue. "Torvan, please. Let us help you," Legolas pleaded.

"Leave…" came a muffled reply from the face now pressed against the wall.

"Excuse me?" Legolas asked, not understanding what he was saying.

"Leave me alone." The voice was stronger this time yet was now in Elvish instead of Westron. Legolas and Aragorn looked at each other. Any doubts they may have had about whether Torvan was in fact an Elf was dismissed with those three words.

"At least it is a response," Aragorn said quietly to Legolas before turning to the dark Elf again. "Torvan, we are your friends. Please let us help you. I am a healer also; perhaps there is something I can do – something _we _can do – to ease your suffering." Aragorn didn't know what he could do seeing as he was tied up but the words seemed to have some effect on Torvan who mumbled something incomprehensible and began to slowly wriggle out of his corner. Aragorn and Legolas shifted closer, not knowing what they could do but thinking it was worth a try.

Torvan managed to turn around in his skin-tight jacket and face them. Tears, old and fresh, covered his cheeks and mingled with blood and dirt from both the mines and the cell. "Estel, this is not quite the brilliant escape plan I had in mind," he laughed as best he could given his condition. "I would also love to see this magical healing power you have," he added a little sarcastically, a little pleadingly.

Aragorn smiled at this, knowing he had been caught out. "Alright, you got me. But looking at us is slightly better than staring at the wall, right?"

"Perhaps only very slightly in your case, Estel," Legolas laughed, trying to lighten the mood and again failing. Both Aragorn's and Torvan's laughs were strained and Legolas himself could only just force a smile onto his face. Not that it mattered as the light from the skylight was fading rapidly.

Legolas had a sudden desperate craving to see the stars but he couldn't get a proper view through the dirty skylight. Besides, there were more important things to attend to, like Torvan for a start. He had questions about why the Elf had not revealed himself from the beginning.

"It's alright, I know you know what I really am," Torvan rescued them when neither could think how to ask the important question.

"Why didn't you just tell us? I know it is unusual for Legolas to be so slow in such matters but, you know, extenuating circumstances." Legolas shot him a playful glare before returning his attention to Torvan.

"At first I didn't know what to make of you two. I had no idea whether you were friend or foe, so to speak. Then I wasn't sure whether to entirely trust you or not. You, my friend, are still a Man. No offence."

"None taken," Aragorn nodded curtly with a small smile.

"Do you trust us now?" Legolas asked.

"That all depends," Torvan said, looking at Legolas.

"On what?"

"On whether or not you trust me yet." Legolas looked down at the floor in embarrassment. He had known that Torvan knew he didn't trust him but back then he hadn't known he was a member of his own race. In his defence though, Torvan had done everything he could to hide the fact from them. "Don't worry. I don't blame you for not trusting me. You weren't to know."

"Well, if it's alright, I'll continue to reserve judgement for now. I'm not sure that I want to rely on anyone but myself and Estel in this place. It seems there are knives everywhere waiting to stab you in the back – figuratively and literally."

"And no one wants a knife in their back," Aragorn said with mocking wisdom.

"Estel always makes the most of even the worst situation," Legolas explained with a smile when he saw Torvan's confusion at the odd remark. "Even if his jokes are sometimes a little tactless."

"Tactless? Me? Surely not," Estel said, affronted.

"Yes you, Estel."

"At least I can navigate properly." Legolas went to hit him playfully but then remembered his hands were tied. For a moment during their playful banter he had almost forgotten their predicament and now the realisation hit him full force and the relentless claustrophobia that had plagued him down in the mines returned with a vengeance. He looked longingly up at the skylight, wishing he could glimpse the stars just once. He closed his eyes for a moment, imagining he could see the tiny pinpricks of light, the guiding star of Earendil. Torvan and Aragorn were silent whilst Legolas was doing this, both understanding how he felt. If Aragorn had been worried about his friend when they first arrived he was outright terrified of what might happen to Legolas in here.

Legolas forced his eyes open and sighed when he saw the situation had not improved any. For some strange reason he had imagined that once he opened his eyes the nightmare would be over. It hadn't worked any other day and he had hardly been expecting it to work this time either.

"It gets easier. As time goes by you learn to live without the sight of the stars and the light of the sun," Torvan said when he saw Legolas look longingly at the skylight again.

It worried Aragorn hearing an Elf talking like that. For one of the Firstborn to live comfortably without the stars was just unheard of. They loved the sight of the stars more than anything else on Arda.

"Don't worry, Legolas, you will get to see the stars again, I promise," Aragorn reassured his friend softly, knowing the words offered little comfort.

During this exchange they had forgotten all about Torvan, who had been sitting quietly in pain all this time, not wanting to interrupt the two friends. However, when he moved to get into a more comfortable position he couldn't hold back a gasp of pain and had to work to keep from falling onto his side in shock. Legolas and Aragorn spun around – as best they could – when they heard the gasp. Each berated themselves for forgetting about their newly acquired ally.

They shuffled forwards and inspected their companion from their restricted positions.

"I'm sorry, Torvan, I almost forgot," Legolas apologised sincerely. Torvan merely nodded, as though he didn't trust himself to speak.

"Try to lie down, it might be a little more comfortable and maybe I can examine you," Aragorn advised.

Torvan nodded again and tried to lower himself down gently. Failing, he fell heavily, causing him to cry out in pain. He cursed himself; he should not have moved away from the wall, he was comfortable there, in that position the pain had been slightly less. Still, if he wanted to escape with these people he would have to regain their trust. Trust was everything. How could he have been so stupid? He should have trusted Legolas in the first place. The blonde Elf had an excuse, he didn't know he was kin but Torvan had known.

Aragorn shuffled closer as Torvan tried to curl up, probably in an attempt to lessen the pain. Right then Aragorn would have given anything for a good healing hall to treat his friends. He had not forgotten the brutal treatment of Legolas earlier in the week. Making a good attempt to hide it didn't fool Aragorn. He knew the Elf was still suffering.

When he was close enough to see the dark Elf properly, Aragorn addressed him, "Torvan, uncurl yourself so I can see. You need to talk me through your wounds. Maybe I can figure out if there is anything serious…"

"There isn't. That's not how they work," he replied, staring at the man in front of him while slowly uncurling his battered body. "They hurt you enough to cause you great pain but they never go too far. Never enough to kill you. Just enough to induce the maximum amount of suffering." Aragorn flinched at that.

"Still, I trained under the Lord of Imladris; perhaps I can offer some advice." Torvan nodded his consent and Aragorn looked more closely, with Torvan guiding him through his injuries. He seemed experienced. Maybe he was a healer in the realm he had once lived in or maybe he had just been through this enough times to know the procedure well enough.

Eventually they were done and Aragorn sat and thought for a moment about what he had seen and heard. Torvan was right; all the wounds described were painful but not fatal. Aragorn told Torvan to get as close to the wall as possible, knowing that if guards were to come back Legolas and himself could at least create a barrier between them and the dark Elf. Torvan did as instructed with minimal difficulty, apparently trusting that the man knew what he was doing. Mapping out Torvan's injuries had given them another advantage: they now knew more about how their enemy acted. All they had to do was analyse it, something Legolas had been doing while Aragorn and Torvan were talking.

Once the newly-revealed Elf was as comfortable as possible, Aragorn advised him to sleep. Torvan looked sceptically at the man.

"Trust me, sleep will do you the world of good."

Surprisingly, Torvan looked over to Legolas for reassurance, like a frightened child might look to his father for approval.

"Sleep. You need the rest," Legolas told Torvan, who nodded, smiling slightly at Aragorn. "Don't worry, we'll be right here to watch over you."

"Sleep well," Aragorn smiled.

Torvan closed his eyes – unusual for an Elf but hardly surprising under the circumstances – and was instantly asleep, the calming words of the two friends having a soothing effect on him.

Legolas and Aragorn waited until they were certain Torvan was asleep then shuffled quietly away from him. Once they were out of earshot Aragorn turned to Legolas, looking in concern into the bright blue eyes sparkling ever so slightly in the darkness. They were almost the only things Aragorn could look at for the moment and Legolas knew right then that that was the man's only lifeline whilst he figured out how to say what he was thinking.

"Those injuries sounded bad. I couldn't see anything through that damned jacket but from the sounds of it, he's lucky to be alive," Aragorn said, keeping his eyes fixed on the ones of the Elf kneeling before him.

"Do you think he'll live?" Legolas asked the dreaded question. Although he didn't trust Torvan he was one of his own. The bond between Elf and Elf was strong.

"I honestly don't know. I hope so. He might know a way out of here. I know it sounds cold but he may be our only chance." Aragorn glanced over at Torvan who was now in a deep healing sleep. Aragorn hoped he would heal as quickly as Elves normally did. He would need all his strength to heal the horrific wounds inflicted by the guards. "What about you? That giant didn't hurt you, did he?" Aragorn asked, worry creasing his voice.

Legolas thought for a moment, obviously trying to pinpoint any possible wounds he might have received from the huge guard. "No, I think I'm alright. I'm not hurt. Any more than before, anyway." Legolas looked into the darkness, following the soft light of grey eyes to see where Aragorn was. "What about you?"

"I'm fine although he was far from gentle."

They sat in uneasy silence for a moment but Legolas soon became unnerved by it and spoke up.

"I suppose now we have gotten ourselves into more trouble," he mused quietly, so as not to disturb their new-found friend. "I don't suppose there's any way out of here."

"I didn't see any weaknesses earlier. Although to be honest I wasn't really looking. Maybe there is a way out of here, or something that might be useful in our escape," Aragorn whispered, not knowing who might be listening to their conversation.

"This place seems impossible. No one goes in, no one comes out. That is what this place was designed for. There used to be something similar in a house on the outskirts of Mirkwood. It was used to hold prisoners too dangerous to be kept in the dungeons. They closed it down eventually because people kept wandering in there and getting trapped. Eventually, they died from starvation or dehydration, never getting to see the light of the sun." He once more looked longingly up at the skylight. "I cannot think of a worse way to die. Mercilessly buried beneath the ground, knowing your end will come and will have no glory in it."

"Legolas, stop it. That's not going to happen to us. We will get out of here. You will see the stars again, mellon nin, I promise that and when do I ever break my promises?"

"Maybe this is one promise you will never be able to keep."

"No. We'll find a way. We always do." Aragorn wanted nothing more than to reach out and comfort his friend. He knew the effect the darkness had on the prince and knew that the brave Elf was trying to fight back the bad memories and claustrophobia that kept surfacing. "I think we should try and sleep. We can't do anything in the darkness. There's nothing more we can do tonight, anyway. Let us hope that morning will bring with it a solution, maybe we can even find a way out of these bonds."

Legolas nodded even though it went unseen in the inky blackness. With some difficulty they lay down and tried to sleep.

**To Be Continued…**

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**Translations**

**Arda – **Earth

**Mellon nin – **My friend


	30. Trapped

**Disclaimer: **I own nothing Tolkien created.

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**Sold Into Ruin**

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**Wow, you guys were really shocked about Torvan weren't you?? I never expected such a reaction. Thanks so much to everyone who reviewed so far and please feel free to leave another for this chapter. Okay, here we go…**

**Chapter 30 ~ Trapped**

Daylight streamed through the dirty skylight, dimly lighting the cell with warm sunlight. For a moment Legolas could almost have believed he was at home in Mirkwood, safe in his own rooms with his father just in the next room waiting to come to him if needed. When Legolas tried to move into a more comfortable position, however, the restricting jacket stopped him. He opened his eyes and cruel reality replaced fantasy as he took in the cell around him.

Despite having fallen to sleep a few hours earlier, it felt as though he had not slept at all. His muscles ached from being tied up all night and not being able to move and he could not quite draw enough breath to be comfortable. He glanced over at Aragorn, who remained sleeping soundly, not woken by the sunlight as the Elf was. Torvan was also still asleep, although he obviously needed it far more than either Legolas or Aragorn. Legolas was about to attempt to get up but then thought better of it. He didn't want to disturb anyone with his ungainly shuffling. Aragorn also needed the rest. He was mortal and not as resilient to long periods of staying awake as Legolas was.

Looking around, he could almost believe this place was not a place of evil at all. With the sun streaming through it looked almost cosy. He inhaled deeply – as deeply as he could with the tight jacket on – hoping to catch a scent of the outside world but there was nothing but the distasteful smell of damp.

As much as Legolas wanted to bask in the sunlight to warm his chilled body and soul it seemed somehow tainted and offered him little comfort or warmth - but still he supposed it was better than the never-ending darkness that seemed to define this place.

Legolas remained lying down, not daring to move too much. His back still hurt terribly and the increased pressure was not helping one bit and his head pounded almost unbearably.

It was some time before Aragorn finally woke and when he did it was slowly; at least before he remembered where exactly he was. He woke a lot faster once his memory returned.

"Legolas?" he mumbled gruffly, attempting to sit up as he did so.

When he had finally forced himself into a sitting position, which required a great deal of struggling and the muttering of vile curses in every tongue he knew, Aragorn looked over at Legolas who had decided to remain lying on the floor.

"Did you sleep well?" Aragorn asked. The Elf shook his head slightly, not looking at his friend. "No. Me neither." He looked over at Torvan who was still sound asleep, apparently undisturbed by both the sunlight and expletives. "At least someone got a good nights' sleep."

"His body needs time to heal, the sleep probably did him a lot of good," Legolas said softly.

Aragorn watched his friend's face for a moment. It was far too pale and drawn. It was obvious Legolas was still badly affected by his wounds. There was a pain in his eyes that had been present ever since the incident with the whip and it was clear that the wounds had not yet started healing properly. Even inside Elrond's healing halls Legolas would not yet have fully recovered and work and more beatings did not aid his recovery.

"I'm sorry, mellon nin. I know you are still in pain. I wish there was something more I could do but…"

"I know. It's not your fault. And it's not just that." Legolas sounded more forlorn now than Aragorn could ever remember.

"Legolas?"

"I just miss home, that's all. I never thought I would say this but I miss Ada fussing over me…I would give anything just to speak to him right now."

"I wish there was something more I could do to help."

Legolas smiled sadly. "I know you do," he said, looking up at Aragorn.

"We will get out of here, mellon nin. And you will see your father again. I will even sit through one of his infamous lectures without complaint." Legolas laughed softly. "Come on, see if you can get up and then we'll look for a way of getting out of this forsaken place. There has to be some weakness."

"There wasn't one in the fencing or the guarding, why should there be one here?"

"Because there is _always_ something, you just have to look for it."

"And what if there isn't one here?" Legolas asked, trying to haul himself off the floor as gracefully as possible while tied up in the tight-fitting straight jacket and with pain lacing through his body.

"There will be," Aragorn said. "There has to be," he added more quietly, although from the look on Legolas' face the Elf had heard.

After what seemed like hours of shuffling ungainly around the cell, looking for any kind of chink in the armour of the room, Legolas and Aragorn leaned tiredly against the wall. They had found absolutely nothing that could help them. The walls were built from thick, strong stone and, from the sound of them, reinforced with some kind of metal.

Torvan had still not woken even though Aragorn had, at some point, accidentally kicked him when trying to regain his balance. The Elf was too fast asleep to even notice so they had left him alone and continued their search.

"Well, what now?" Legolas asked quietly, trying to catch his breath and looking towards the heavy wooden door that was hindering their escape. "If only we could get through it."

"You haven't got a chance in the world," a quiet voice from the other side of the room informed them. Aragorn and Legolas snapped around – as fast as they could under the restricting circumstances – to face Torvan. He was lying motionless on the floor but his bright eyes were open and focused and looking seriously at the two friends.

"You're awake," Aragorn stated the obvious before ambling over to him. "How do you feel?"

"Better," Torvan smiled, attempting to sit up, which took considerably longer than expected despite Aragorn's verbal encouragement.

Finally sitting, Torvan looked over at the door. "Nothing could get through that thing. It's completely solid."

"Have you tried it?" Legolas asked tightly from the other side of the room.

Looking a little surprised at the terse question, Torvan looked over at Legolas and answered, "No, I haven't but you only need to look at it to know that you can't break it down, especially in these jackets." Legolas nodded slightly, ignoring the questioning look on Aragorn's face. "I have already looked this place over and there is no way out. Anyway, we can't do anything in these damned restraints."

"Do they put these on everyone?" Aragorn asked.

"No. No, we must be special cases. They're afraid of us. More accurately, they're afraid of Legolas." He looked over to Legolas, who was staring down at the floor. "Your behaviour when you were first brought here probably didn't help."

"Well, I never was one to sit back and get willingly kidnapped," Aragorn said, his voice dripping with tension. Torvan simply nodded, apparently not even detecting it in his tone.

"Our behaviour when we were first brought here seems perfectly normal, does it not?" Legolas spoke up.

"Of course. I didn't mean to suggest that it wasn't," Torvan answered defensively.

Legolas said nothing in response, simply turning to Aragorn, who was looking extremely confused at his attitude toward his kin. This wasn't like his friend at all. Legolas was usually polite if nothing else, very rarely did he lower himself to cheap shots and jibes.

"Torvan, can you tell us anything that might help us figure out a way to get out of this place? Whatever they're planning to do to us, they are not going to wait much longer and we need to be ready," Aragorn quickly tried to change the subject while he had the chance, not knowing what his friend was going to say next.

Before the dark-haired Elf could respond though the sound of doors opening echoed from outside. Legolas, guessing what was about to happen, quickly backed away from the door and came to kneel next to his cell-mates.

As predicted, the heavy door swung open to reveal Kallon smiling brightly at them.

"Good morning. Ah, I see you are up and about already. That was much faster than I predicted. But I do love surprises."

"Alright, before we get into the mindless small-talk again, please just tell us what you want and what you're planning to do to us," Aragorn said before Kallon could continue.

A bright smile crossed the man's face, almost as if he was genuinely amused at what Aragorn had just said. "Strong-willed people rarely last long in this place, Estel," Kallon sneered. "But I am looking forward to watching you break. All of you," he continued, looking long and hard at Legolas. It was no surprise that the man had picked out the Elf. Kallon had hated him from the moment he had set foot in the camp and now he wanted to show his dislike.

"Now, who shall I start with? Usually, I go for the weakest, which makes Estel the lucky prisoner." Before any of them had a chance to protest two guards came in and kicked Aragorn to the ground. Legolas didn't even have time to react before they were pulling Aragorn out the door after Kallon. None of them could do anything, the jackets made sure of that.

The door slammed shut on Legolas and Torvan. Without thinking, Legolas hobbled towards the door and pressed against it as hard as he could, shouting Estel's name, more to cause trouble than expecting a response.

"It's no good," Torvan stated, sliding down the wall. "That won't help anyone."

"Well, at least I'm doing something," Legolas snapped in annoyance. Torvan was silent and watched as Legolas tried in vain to push the door open with his shoulder. He knew it wouldn't work. They hadn't been able to do it earlier and nothing had changed in the last few minutes.

But something _had _changed. Aragorn was gone. His best friend had been taken by that monster. He didn't know Kallon well but he did know he was capable of terrible things. And now he had Aragorn. Legolas had only survived his torment in the mines because he was an Elf, he healed quickly. But Aragorn was mortal. He couldn't stand the same kind of punishment and Legolas couldn't stand to just sit there and do nothing. It was as much a torture for him as it was for Aragorn. And Kallon knew that.

**To Be Continued…**

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**Translations**

**Mellon nin **– My friend

**Ada – **Dad

**Yep, the torture starts properly next chapter so be prepared…**


	31. Just Answer The Question!

**Disclaimer: **I own nothing Tolkien created.

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**Sold Into Ruin**

**Warning: Some torture in this chapter**

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**A/N: Thanks to everyone who reviewed. I can't believe how many I've got. It's so cool so please keep letting me know what you think.**

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**Chapter 31 ~ Just Answer The Question!**

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Aragorn was now tied to an almost vertical stone table. Kallon and his guards, including the giant who had secured him there minutes before, were conferring quietly on the other side of the room, apparently discussing how best to break him. This frightened Aragorn. Obviously, because he didn't want to be tortured for any reason but also because he didn't even know _why_ he was being tortured. He had no information to give them, nothing to tell the evil man to get him to stop.

"Well, here we are at last," Kallon drawled. "It seems like only yesterday we picked you up in that flea-ridden tavern and you were throwing cocky retorts back at me. I bet you're wishing you were back there right now; sitting with your friend in the firelight, drinking bad wine and eating rotting food." Kallon smiled cruelly. "What? No witty rejoinder? I always thought you were the more talkative of the two. I was beginning to think I had found myself a real challenge in you, Estel."

"What do you want?" Aragorn asked, getting straight to the point. He knew everything Kallon was saying was to annoy him and it wasn't going to work, not this time.

"Oh, we'll get to that eventually," Kallon said, casually picking a dagger up from a table behind Aragorn and walking back around to where the man could see him and admiring the blade, knowing the effect it would have on his prisoner.

"Let's get to it now," Aragorn demanded. _Yes, good. Gain control of the situation, it'll be easier to ride out this situation if you're in control._

Kallon laughed, genuinely amused by what Aragorn had said. "I like that. I just hate it when prisoners merely sit there looking nervous. I admire that."

"I'm glad," Aragorn retorted sarcastically, subtly working at the thick bonds on his wrists.

"Now, now, remember who's got the knife here, Estel," Kallon chided as if to a naughty child. Aragorn smiled in mock apology. "Here's how this is going to work: you are going to tell me everything I want to know or I am going to force the answers out of you and then I'm going to work on your friend and he's already had enough of my treatment to last even an Elven lifetime, don't you think? If you thought what the guards did to him was bad wait until he's been on my torture table. By the time I've finished with you two you'll be spilling every lie you've ever told."

Although Aragorn knew he shouldn't be intimidated by this he couldn't help the cold chill that ran down his spine. Just the hypnotically threatening sound of Kallon's voice was enough to make him want to 'spill' all his secrets. Aragorn, however, was not about to give in to this man so easily. That was not how he worked. He fought evil no matter what the consequences were to himself.

"Let's get started then," Kallon said, as though he were about to prepare for a party rather than torturing people. "You know of all the sessions I have done I think I'm going to enjoy this one the most." By now Kallon was picking out potential weapons from the tray behind Aragorn. "Ah, perfect," he exclaimed, examining a long, curved knife with a serrated blade. He made sure Aragorn could see it clearly as well, knowing fully well that the threat of pain was almost as bad as the pain itself.

"What do you want to know?" Aragorn asked as calmly as he could even though his heart was beating wildly with fear.

"I want to know who was planning your escape," Kallon answered.

"What escape?" Aragorn asked innocently, although he knew Kallon wasn't fooled by it.

"Now, don't play dumb, my friend. It's beneath you," Kallon scalded. He placed the oddly curved knife against Aragorn's upper arm. The man flinched, hating himself for it because he knew it was exactly what Kallon wanted.

"I don't know about any escape," he repeated through gritted teeth. Kallon was right, this was beneath him but he'd take whatever gifts he was given.

The man merely laughed and pressed the knife deep down, wanting to see blood.

"Who orchestrated the escape? I know you had something to do with it but I also know you weren't working alone."

"Why would you assume that?" Aragorn asked as the knife dug deeper and started to twist.

"Because you and your friend are not completely stupid and any sensible person's first reaction to this place is to try and get out. Every sensible person's second reaction is to find someone to help them get out." The knife twisted around within his arm and Aragorn bit his lip to keep from crying out.

"Obviously not everyone tries or you wouldn't have any slaves left."

"No. But you and Legolas are different," Kallon explained calmly, seemingly fascinated by the significant amount blood now running freely down Aragorn's arm.

"Oh? Because he's an Elf?" The knife abruptly twisted in the other direction and Aragorn was unable to keep from shouting as the unexpected pain shot through his arm.

"No. Well, yes, but also because you fought back. No one fights me. They run. And yet you broke the trend, you fought. And you might have won too had you not fallen for that old drugging trick." For a moment, Aragorn thought he heard a hint of amazement in Kallon's cold voice.

"Sorry to be such an annoyance," Aragorn muttered. He was prevented from saying anything further when the knife was ripped out, taking a large chunk of flesh out with it. Aragorn held his breath for a moment to keep from once more shouting in pain.

"Don't get smart with me. Just answer my questions and you might get out of this with all your limbs attached. Although I make no promises."

Kallon picked something else up from the table but Aragorn couldn't see what it was. He forced himself to take deep breaths; he needed to stay calm no matter what Kallon did to him. However, the master torturer's plan was working well, he was frightened of what was coming next and he couldn't push that fear aside no matter how hard he tried.

The new device turned out to be a small metal hook. It didn't look too threatening but Aragorn knew that in the right hands almost anything could be used to inflict pain. He was proved right when Kallon jabbed the hook into Aragorn's other arm and dragged it along. Although not much had actually been done to him he was nearly in an unbearable amount of pain. Kallon knew exactly how to hurt the most with the least amount of permanent damage.

Resisting Kallon was not going to be as easy as he first thought.

*~*

Meanwhile, Legolas was pacing – as best he could – back and forth in the small Hold. Torvan was just sitting there, watching the blonde Elf. Legolas had been pacing ever since the guard had taken Aragorn away over two hours ago. A guard had called in briefly to give them 'fresh' water and a hunk of rotten, maggoty bread that apparently passed for a meal. Unfortunately despite their thirst and hunger neither prisoner could actually pick up the offerings so they merely served to taunt and nauseate them.

"Legolas, can you please stop pacing. You are making me dizzy," Torvan finally said, wriggling uncomfortably in his jacket.

"He's been gone for hours," Legolas answered, obviously distracted. He had had enough of Torvan's empty reassurances over the past couple of hours. At first they had been slightly comforting but now he was convinced the other Elf was just spitting them out to try and calm him and Legolas didn't want to be calm. He wanted to be panicky and alert. He couldn't remain calm and alert at the same time.

Besides, he couldn't just sit there and relax whilst Aragorn was being ruthlessly tortured by Kallon. He hated to think what his friend was currently enduring.

"Estel will be alright. I think he can take care of himself," Torvan sighed, getting really impatient with Legolas' constant pacing. The other Elf was really beginning to fray his nerves. He had done this with many prisoners before; seen them tortured or awaiting torture but this was different. He actually cared about these people, which was unusual for him. Detachment was usually the best way to get on in a place like this. If you had nothing, you had nothing to lose. Cynical, perhaps but necessary for survival.

"He shouldn't have to take care of himself. We take care of each other. We always have and this is not going to be any different." Legolas was really beginning to lose his patience now. It didn't help that his suffocating claustrophobia was growing by the second. Last night it had been easy to see the light at the end of the tunnel but now the restriction was frightening him. Aragorn had been there to calm him before and he trusted his friend completely. He didn't, however, trust Torvan.

He had tolerated him when Aragorn was there because the man believed that he was trustworthy and Legolas followed his friend's instincts as they were often right about such matters. Now though he was not so sure. He knew it was wrong not to trust one of his own race but there was just something about this dark haired Elf that made Legolas doubt him.

Chances were it was just paranoia, the imagination of an overwhelmed and exhausted Elf. However, he had learned long ago to trust his first instincts. Something was definitely wrong with the recently revealed Elf and he wasn't about to trust him without proper proof of his allegiance.

Legolas was pulled out of his musings when the door swung open and Aragorn, accompanied by two heavy-set guards, was flung into the room. Hitting the ground before Legolas could…not that he could have caught him even if he wanted to. He hobbled forwards anyway. The man was unconscious – and jacketless and shirtless – and was covered in welts, burns and cuts.

*~*

Leaning over Aragorn, who had been unconscious for nearly an hour, Legolas really began to worry. Although he had found it difficult he had managed to do a quick assessment of the man and found he had numerous wounds. However, there was nothing the blonde Elf could do about them and that frustrated him more than anything.

If – no, _when_ – Aragorn woke up he would be able to untie Legolas so he could help him. That was taking so long though and Legolas hated the thought of Aragorn waking to such pain and with no comfort. He knew it was selfish but he wanted nothing more than to be out of the restricting jacket – as much for his own welfare as that of his friend.

Torvan hadn't been much help either. He had just sat on the other side of the room, watching the two friends intently as though if he stared long enough he would understand everything about them. It was starting to annoy Legolas but he ignored it as best he could, trying to focus all his attention on his friend who so badly needed help he couldn't give.

**To Be Continued…**

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	32. Angels and Monsters

**Disclaimer: **I own nothing Tolkien created.

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**Sold Into Ruin**

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**A/N: I can't believe it, nearly 150 reviews!!!!!!!! That's so amazing. Thank you so much.**

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**Chapter 32 ~ Angels and Monsters**

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When Aragorn woke all he could feel was the red hot heat of pure agony striking across every inch of his tortured body. He thought he heard a familiar melodic voice calling him but it was so faint and distorted he wasn't sure whether it was real or just a figment of his pain-filled mind. However, when the voice called his name again he discerned that it was Legolas, his best friend. When the Elf's voice became more insistent, more urgent he attempted to force his eyes open and failed miserably.

*~*

"Estel, please, come back to me," Legolas gently tried to coax his friend back to the land of the conscious with nothing more than his voice.

Unexpectedly considering Legolas had been calling for the past hour, Aragorn groaned softly in pain. The blonde Elf wished he could do something to help and he swore he would as soon as he was free from the jacket.

By this time Torvan had shuffled over, apparently interested now that there was a chance of being released from his own bonds. Legolas though pointedly ignored him and kept his blue eyes fixed on the man at his knees. Every second he became a little more alert until eventually he painfully opened his eyes.

*~*

At first he couldn't see anything clearly, just a white light so blinding that he was sure it was there to entice him into another world or at the very least guide him toward peace. However, the brightness cleared after a few seconds of rapid blinking and was replaced by the dizzying image of someone leaning over him. He didn't recognise the person immediately. It was the two bright, shimmering orbs of shocking blue coupled with a dazzling flash of gold that allowed Aragorn to identify the oddly blurred figure as Legolas.

Trying to speak, Aragorn opened his mouth but nothing but a dry, strangled cough came out of it. Legolas, who looked suspiciously like an angel to Aragorn now, softly said something to him, which unfortunately just came out as garbled nonsense rather than actual words. Coughing again, Aragorn tried to roll over. Despite having no idea where he was or why he was there he still remembered at least part of his healing training and tried to get in a more comfortable position to ease the pain and thus the disorientation.

Now he was lying on his back instead of his side, he coughed once more and blinked to try and clear his vision. The dizziness was starting to get to him and he desperately wanted to see the reassuring face of his closest friend more clearly. If Legolas was with him this wouldn't be so bad.

At least that's what he thought until a flood of memories swept over him through his confusion. The shock of those memories brutally jerked him from his confusion and he was finally able to see and think clearly. Looking to his left, Aragorn gazed into Legolas' eyes, which were filled with such sadness and concern that Aragorn wanted to sit up and wrap his arms around the Elf to comfort him despite the fact he knew it would be agony to do so.

When he actually attempted this though his head swam and the previously dormant pain came back with a vengeance. He couldn't help but cry out at the force of it. Those blue eyes were his one solace and he kept focused on them as he rode out the merciless pain. Legolas would make all this right; just like he always did. But then he remembered they were both in the same predicament. Noting the prince's own tired face and tight jacket, which was stopping him helping, Aragorn felt despair well up inside him.

"Take it easy, Estel," Legolas said, sensing Aragorn's increasing panic. "It's me: Legolas. You are safe now, mellon nin."

Aragorn concentrated on that beautifully melodic voice, clinging to it as though it were his own lifeline to this plain of consciousness. He reached out to his friend, hoping for some comfort. Distress filled the azure eyes before him and Aragorn realised that the Elf was still bound and was unable to respond to his plea for physical contact.

"Sorry…" he whispered, pleased that he had finally found his voice, gravelly though it was.

"Estel, are you alright?" The Elf smiled at his own question, knowing it was a ridiculous one. The man, despite himself, smiled too.

Closing his eyes briefly against the pain but quickly re-opening them when Legolas' face disappeared, Aragorn tried to form a coherent speech in his mind.

Thankfully, Legolas stopped this fruitless endeavour and spoke instead. "Can you try to sit up? If you can untie me I can help you. I can't do anything with this on," he said, nodding down to his jacket.

Thinking this was the single most ridiculous request the Elf had ever made Aragorn was about to object when the healer in him screamed for him to do as instructed, knowing his body needed help. Nodding sharply he tried to heave himself up into a sitting position. It took a while but eventually he was able to sit up without the danger of tipping over. Legolas wished he could offer something more than encouragement but the jacket would not allow him to do anything but watch helplessly as his friend struggled to sit on his own. The thought of being out of his bonds was so nice that he momentarily forgot Aragorn's pain.

Finally sitting up and being able to focus on Legolas, Aragorn stared into bright blue eyes, which were now flooded with renewed hope. This cheered Aragorn greatly and again the pain subsided a little. Yes, Legolas was there so everything would be just fine.

"Estel, I need you to try and undo this jacket so I can help you," Legolas said slowly, making sure Aragorn understood through his. At the man's nod, Legolas shifted around so Aragorn could untie the back. Once he had done that Legolas would be able to complete the rest himself and then finally help his friend.

After long minutes of fiddling with the straps and buckles on the back of the tight jacket, Aragorn was just about ready to give up. He missed the comfort those blue eyes offered. For some reason he was fascinated by them now, more so than he had ever been before. They were without a doubt the Elf's best feature but Aragorn had never needed those eyes as much as he needed them now.

Just as he was about to give up and collapse into a crying, frustrated heap on the floor, Aragorn managed to get the final buckle undone and the jacket loosened enough for Legolas to finish the job. Quickly struggling out of the binding jacket and shrugging it off his shoulders with obvious contempt, Legolas turned back to Aragorn who was now sitting with his head bowed and was breathing heavily in pain.

Legolas lifted Aragorn's head to look at him and the man gazed into blue pools again, feeling a familiar warmth rush over him. He practically fell into Legolas' arms and the Elf held him tightly. This was not something they normally did. Legolas was always kind and friendly but Aragorn had never been as physically comfortable with his friend as he was right then. It felt good to be in the Elf's strong, firm embrace and Aragorn allowed Legolas to take all his weight as he closed his eyes and fell back into the darkness.

~*~

Legolas held Aragorn as tightly as he dared, not wanting to hurt the man further. It felt good being free of his bonds but right now he had more important things to worry about. He felt Aragorn go limp in his stiff and aching arms. He held the man for only a few seconds longer – slightly worried that his weakened arms wouldn't support him for much longer - then carefully placed him back on the ground.

Getting up and stretching his legs properly, Legolas went to the other side of the cell and picked up the blanket Torvan had previously been using and placed it gently over Aragorn. Then he turned to his fellow Elf and began untying his jacket.

Pretty soon, both Elves were free and seeing to Aragorn. The man was in bad shape but as predicted nothing life-threatening had been done to him. The first rule of torture: inflict as much pain as possible without causing any serious lasting damage to your victim. Kallon appeared to be a master at his art.

Legolas wished he had paid more attention to his tutors during healing lessons when he was young because now looking at Aragorn his mind was completely blank of any useful information. Luckily though, Torvan seemed to have at least some healing knowledge and was currently using strips of torn-up blanket to cover the more major wounds. Legolas simply watched, hating that he was sitting uselessly on the side-lines as the newcomer helped his friend. Aragorn had taken care of him after his incident in the mines and now he was powerless to do anything but watch.

Aragorn was still in deep sleep – or at least Legolas hoped it was sleep. It was so hard to tell with Men. They did not rest with their eyes open like the Elves. Torvan didn't seem too concerned about this and right then Legolas had to trust that he knew what he was doing even if he didn't trust the Elf himself.

"Will he be alright?" Legolas asked after Torvan had applied the last strip of blanket to his battered body.

"My healing skills aren't great but I've done my best. I think he'll be alright. Kallon didn't even want him completely past aid; otherwise he'd be dead already."

Legolas sighed heavily at the sight of his friend. He wished there was something he could have done to ease his pain. He would even have taken the torture himself if it meant sparing Aragorn the experience. Not that the man would have allowed that. Gently he placed another blanket, which had escaped Torvan's improvised first aid kit, back over Aragorn hoping it would keep him warm or at least offer him some comfort when he woke.

Ever since Aragorn had returned, Legolas had been waiting for Kallon to come back and take him or Torvan but in the several hours that had passed Kallon had not come. Apparently, he only liked to do one session a day. Legolas just hoped that next time they would take him instead of Aragorn. The man couldn't stand another round.

**To Be Continued…**

~*~

**Translations**

**Mellon nin – **My friend

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	33. Confessions of a Dangerous Spectre

**Disclaimer: **I own nothing Tolkien created.

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**Sold Into Ruin**

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**A/N: Ok, please don't kill me for this chapter!! Thanks to everyone who reviewed, please keep them coming. I do love getting them.**

**~*~**

**Chapter 33 ~ Confessions of a Dangerous Spectre**

**~*~**

**Imladris…**

"We have to find them. Something is terribly wrong," Elrond urgently told Glorfindel, who was currently perched on the edge of the Imladrian Lord's desk, watching him in concern.

"What could be wrong? You know Estel, he is always getting into some kind of trouble," the Seneschal replied with a wistful smile, looking down at his Lord, who was sitting in his chair staring firmly down at his paper-covered desk. "And he is with Legolas. If anyone knows how to look after himself it's the Prince of Mirkwood," the Seneschal tried to ease his Lord's obvious concern.

"I know, I know but I simply cannot shake this feeling that something's dreadfully wrong and if Thranduil is also worried then I have to pay it some attention. Just find him for me, Glorfindel. Please, if only to put my mind at ease."

The ancient Eldar stared down at Elrond for a moment with bright blue eyes before smiling. "If it will reassure you, mellon nin, then I shall ride out myself and look for him."

"Thank you. I know it's probably nothing but…" He threw his hands up in exasperation, not knowing what else to say. Again Glorfindel merely nodded knowingly. Silently he left the study, leaving Elrond alone with his dark thoughts.

~*~

**Mirkwood…**

Thranduil had given up sitting uselessly in his office and was now out searching with all the other soldiers, much to the Captain's displeasure. As hard as he tried he could not persuade the King to return to the palace and had finally given up trying.

"Anything?" Thranduil asked for the tenth time that hour.

"Nothing yet, Your Majesty. No one has reported anything either. The border guards have seen nor heard nothing of the Prince."

"I know there is something wrong. My son needs my help and we are just looking at prints in the dirt. It's not enough. Captain, _please_ find my son and bring him home to me. Please."

In all his years of working in the palace, the Captain of the Mirkwood Royal Guard had never seen his king so worried and it hurt him to see Thranduil in so much distress over his beloved son.

"My Lord, we will find him," the Captain said, placing a comforting hand on the King's arm, knowing that it was a dangerous move with the usually volatile monarch. So he was surprised when the King placed his own hand over the Captain's silently thanking him. "Please, Your Majesty, return to the palace. We will find your son for you, I promise."

"No, I have to find him. I have to know that he is alright." With that, Thranduil strode off to join the rest of the army he had summoned to find the Crown Prince. All thought this was a little strange but who were they to question their King?

~*~

Back in Kallon's cell, night came and went without any stirring from Aragorn. This both worried and pleased Legolas. Worried him because dawn was coming and still the man hadn't woken although he had stirred restlessly several times during the long night. And it pleased him because when asleep the man wasn't in any obvious pain and Legolas hated to see his best friend in any pain; a state that was becoming all too familiar to them both of late.

Torvan had fallen asleep against the wall, a small shaft of pale morning sunlight falling across his face but he did not wake. Legolas, however, could not sleep and had not been able to all night. Aragorn's injuries were not life-threatening but the thought that he would take his eyes off the man and something bad would happen frightened him too much for sleep to come even through his exhaustion.

He stroked Aragorn's hair when he muttered something incoherent in his sleep again. Looking up at the beam of light, Legolas thought once more about the world outside this cell. He missed it so much. The feel of the sun on his skin was something he was so used to in Mirkwood that now, in the dim light of the cell he had almost forgotten what it was like to lie in bed basking in the early morning sun. Instead he had gotten used to waking up on cold, hard ground with only a little light and absolutely no comfort whatsoever. It wasn't how he was used to living at all but he didn't think he could ever really get used to it.

Torvan finally woke up several hours after dawn and looked around him before finally focusing fully on Legolas and Aragorn.

"Is he not awake yet?" he asked, sounding rather annoyed at Aragorn for still being asleep.

"No, not yet," Legolas answered tersely, not liking Torvan's tone and matching it with his own.

"Well, he will in time."

"Thank you for the reassurance," Legolas ground out.

"You're welcome. I wonder whether they'll give us any food today. Sometimes they do, sometimes they don't. I suppose it depends on what exactly your friend told Kallon yesterday."

"Estel didn't tell Kallon anything," Legolas shouted, instantly regretting it when he remembered that Aragorn was still asleep next to him.

"How can you be so sure? Men put under such pressure usually tell everything. They are, of course, the weaker race. It is not entirely his fault I suppose but you cannot really expect anything else from a weak human."

"He didn't tell them anything. I know Estel, he wouldn't do that. Besides, I thought you were supposed to be his friend. He trusts you. I'm not sure he would if he knew what you truly thought about his race."

"Oh, it's nothing personal. I just know Men. It is not entirely their fault. Bad breeding, that is all."

"Well, not Estel."

"Fine. If that's what you want to believe," Torvan placated, holding his hands up in flippant surrender.

Nothing else was said for some time after that. A cold, tense silence followed, with nothing but Aragorn's heavy breathing sounding steadily in the room.

"How did they know to bring us here? What would even make them suspect us in the first place?" Legolas asked after a while; anything to break the silence, which he was beginning to fear more than anything.

"What?" Torvan answered, looking up from where he had been angrily staring at the floor.

"Why did they bring us here? I mean, Estel and I didn't give any indication of our plans to the guards or Kallon. And we didn't tell anyone else about it. So, I suppose that only leaves you."

"Me? You think that I gave Kallon and the guards your names? Told them that you were also involved in some kind of elaborate plot to escape? Well, I'm sorry to shatter your great conspiracy theory but I told them nothing. I would have nothing to gain from you two being locked up," Torvan answered defensively.

Legolas paused to think for a moment before speaking again. "They take you, lock you up, and torture you half to death and you tell them absolutely nothing? The very next moment Estel and I are being dragged down here and asked about some escape plan. You cannot tell me that all this is just a wild coincidence. You must have told them something to make them suspect us." His now cold eyes bored into Torvan, who found it almost impossible to meet his gaze for too long.

"Maybe it is just a coincidence," he answered, finally giving up the struggle and looking away, much to Legolas' satisfaction.

"I don't believe in coincidences," the prince said shortly, gazing around his small cell again, knowing the effect his words would have on Torvan.

"That is unfortunate for you." Once more silence descended before Torvan spoke again. "I didn't betray you. Maybe it was the pretty lady you have so foolishly associated yourselves with." Legolas looked up sharply in surprise. Neither he nor Aragorn had mentioned their friendship with Jasmine. "Oh yes, I know all about her. Jasmine. She used to be in the same House as me. They got her pregnant and then took her away. It's a shame really; she was such a sweet little thing at one point."

"Don't talk about her like that," Legolas snapped, no longer caring about waking Aragorn; it didn't look like the man would be disturbed any time soon anyway.

"Why not? It's the truth. She was from Gondor originally. You know what she did? She was a trader. Or the wife of a trader at any rate. Do you know what a trader is?"

"I think I can guess," Legolas snarled.

"They trade in all different kinds of products: fine fabrics, food, spices and, oh yes, slaves. Her husband, I forget his name, was one of Gondor's finest traders. He sold everything you can think of. All above board when you looked at it from the outside but if you were in the know it was something else entirely. He sold slaves at ridiculously low prices. That's why he was so popular amongst the aristocracy. I don't think Jasmine took too much notice of his dealings though, she was just into selling clothes and fabrics but his trade kept her well. They had a big house in Gondor I believe, servants aplenty and her very own farm, completely run by slaves of course.

"When she was captured, her husband was so furious that he sent out hunting parties to look for her but Kallon and his team simply picked them off one by one and then slaughtered her husband. The only good thing he ever did if you ask me. It got rid of one more slave trader in Gondor.

"Jasmine was nothing but trouble when she first arrived though. Stealing food and water and blankets from the other prisoners and even the guards. She finally made 'friends' with Kallon and his guards and traded information about the business of Gondor for extra food and water. She betrayed her own kind for extra privileges. Things went bad when she tried to escape the encampment. They caught her and made her just like all the other viable women in the encampment – pregnant. It didn't work though. She couldn't carry a child to term. I don't know why and Kallon didn't really care. He told her that unless she gave him a healthy child this time she would be rendered useless and he would kill her. That's why she's so desperate to have this baby. Self-preservation, my friend.

"But I don't suppose she told you any of this, did she?" Legolas remained silent. "No, of course she didn't. My point is, she will say and do anything to stay on the good side of the guards, including turning in anyone who attempts an escape. Everyone has a price in here, my friend, even the most angelic-looking among them."

"I don't believe you. Jasmine would never do that. She would never turn us in, even if she did know about the plan, which she didn't," Legolas said, finally speaking up and coming to Jasmine's defence.

"Of course you don't believe me. She's young, pretty and female and you don't trust me at all. It's understandable. Most people go all soft at a pair of big, blue eyes."

"Jasmine's eyes are green," Legolas replied curtly; it was a pathetic attempt at proving Torvan wrong at something.

Torvan laughed and stood up straight, stretching. "Yes, they are," he laughed coldly, looking down at Legolas.

"Why should I believe anything you say anyway? You haven't exactly been forthcoming about yourself either. It seems that everyone has their own secrets to keep."

"Yes," Torvan whispered. "Even you, Legolas."

Legolas looked up sharply, shocked at this. "What is that supposed to mean?" he asked, curious and concerned about what Torvan knew about them.

"Nothing," he said after a while. "Like you said, we all have our secrets."

"You don't know anything about me. Or Estel," Legolas said firmly.

"No, of course I don't."

"And even if you did know something, you could never prove it. Not to anyone, not even to Kallon," Legolas continued, knowing his subtle hinting was giving away more than he should. But Torvan couldn't possibly know who they really were. He obviously had once lived in an Elven realm so it was entirely possible that he knew who Legolas was. The Crown Prince of Mirkwood was hardly low profile in the Elven kingdoms. But no one ever spoke Aragorn's real name in public, not even in Rivendell so there was no way Torvan could know his true identity.

"I know that. Besides, what good would it do to give any information to Kallon? He already knows most of it." At this Torvan looked down at Legolas with dark eyes.

The Prince of Mirkwood stood up and came face to face with the dark Elf. "I don't know what you think you know, but I suggest you keep it to yourself," he threatened, his shocking blue eyes boring into Torvan's dark ones.

"And what makes you think I haven't already told Kallon everything?" Torvan smiled cruelly. "Oh yes, he knows all about you, Legolas. In fact, I think he knows a little too much about you and your friend."

Legolas was about to snap back when he thought better of it. He smiled, knowing this game all too well. "You know, you almost had me there. For a moment I actually believed you." Torvan feigned confusion. "Kallon doesn't know anything about us. If he did we wouldn't still be here. This has nothing to do with any escape plan because you never had any intention of aiding us in any kind of escape, did you? You just want Kallon to know everything about us. But the question is: why? What possible benefit can knowing our identities have to you? Kallon hurt you so you can't be working for him."

It was the oldest trick in the book. Make your opponent attack out of rage so their guard is down, something that usually led to actual results or very serious trouble. Torvan had been trying to make Legolas angry so he would give away his secret – and Aragorn's, which was infinitely worse.

"Are you sure you saw what you thought you saw?" Torvan asked and as if by magic his wounds suddenly dissolved from his body, leaving it almost completely perfect. Legolas watched in open-mouthed disbelief.

"It was all a trick?" he whispered. "What are you?"

"Do you honestly think Kallon could trap the Prince of Mirkwood and not realise it? You are famous, my friend. Of course, the man is utterly stupid. He doesn't really understand what he's got, which is fine by me. You're nothing but a tool anyway."

"Tool?"

"A Man travelling with a Prince of Elves. A human raised in Rivendell, Haven of all things good. Given an Elvish name and hidden away for years under the unflinching protection of the great and powerful Half-Elven Lord. It all seems a little suspicious, wouldn't you agree? There is something special about that man and it frustrates Kallon that no one seems to know what it is."

"So this is all about Estel?" Legolas asked, still glaring at Torvan.

"No. You really are good slaves. Kallon and the Master have little interest in you being royalty or Estel being of any significance – whatever it might be. Setting a ransom for you would do no good. Your father would never allow you to stay here and Kallon would be hunted for the rest of his life and even if Estel was of importance Kallon would have no idea what to do with him. It is just simple curiosity."

"Curiosity? You call that curiosity? Men do not kill Men out of simple curiosity," Legolas said.

"Kallon does."

"Kallon is crazy," Legolas snapped, pleased that he had managed to insult his kidnapper even if it was a little lame.

"Yes he is. Crazy but not stupid. You see, Kallon has a plan of his own. The Master is merely another obstacle to him, constantly holding him back from expanding this enterprise. Kallon knows how to make money and the Master knows how to be cautious; you cannot possibly have both in this business."

"Money? So this all comes down to profit?"

"Money makes the world go around, my friend," Torvan said, a smile crossing his face.

"And where do you fit into all this? Are you really just another of Kallon's slaves?" Legolas asked the vital question.

"Yes and no. I work with Kallon but I have far greater aspirations."

"Such as?"

"Gondor is a fallen kingdom. Overrun by Orcs and evil. Eventually it will fall and I want to be there when it does. Just imagine - hundreds of people with nowhere to go, no family, no one to miss them. Perfect slaves. When Gondor falls to darkness, which it will inevitably do in the end, I will be there to make the most of a terrible tragedy. Oh, I have no interest whatsoever in war. I actually abhor violence. All I want is to build myself a nice, cosy little empire."

"You're as crazy as Kallon. You're a war profiteer," Legolas spat.

"No. I am the person who makes everything tick over in the world. Without people like me and Kallon the company would fall to pieces."

"You're the reason it falls to pieces," Legolas growled.

"Stop this. I am going to go now. But remember that I am never far away and I will not hesitate in killing you if you get in my way, no matter how important you think you are."

With that, Torvan disappeared into thin air, as though he had never existed.

Legolas paced back and forth in the cell for many hours waiting for him to reappear but he didn't. Nor did Kallon or any of the guards come to their cell again. In fact, nothing happened until Aragorn finally woke just before dark. "Legolas?" he croaked. He looked around the cell briefly and as his senses came back to him, asked, "Where is Torvan?"

**To Be Continued…**

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**Translations**

**Mellon nin – **My friend


	34. Hear How the Angel Screams

**Disclaimer: **I own nothing Tolkien created.

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**Sold Into Ruin**

**Warning: Some torture in this chapter**

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**A/N: I can't thank you enough for reviewing. I can't believe how many I've gotten for this fic so far and I hope they continue coming. **

**~*~**

**Chapter 34 ~ Hear How the Angel Screams**

**~*~**

"A traitor?" Aragorn asked incredulously as Legolas finished his somewhat shortened account of Torvan's betrayal. "Are you certain? He helped plan the escape."

"Estel, he told me everything. He told me all about how he was working as part of their plan." Legolas didn't like telling Aragorn this. He knew that the man had pinned all his hopes on Torvan to get them out of there and now Torvan's agenda was uncovered there was no hope for the injured Ranger to cling on to.

"He doesn't know anything about us?" Aragorn asked, concerned more about his own identity than Legolas'. The Prince of Mirkwood was known throughout Middle Earth and even if he wasn't his father was and Legolas resembled Thranduil so much that it wouldn't be difficult to make the connection.

"I don't think he knows anything important. And what he does know he's not going to act upon. We are still just slaves to him, nothing more."

"He's got the Prince of Mirkwood in his net and he's not going to send ransom to your father? He really is insane. Thranduil would pay anything to see your safe return to Mirkwood. He's missing a golden opportunity."

"Yes, but if he knows anything at all about Ada, which he obviously does, then he knows that the King would pay the ransom then come back and kill them all just for revenge," Legolas smiled. There were some plus points to having an over-protective father.

"I was actually hoping he'd do that anyway," Aragorn said, laughing as well but placing his hand on his chest when his own laughter hurt his aching ribs.

They were leaning against the wall farthest from the door. In a way both were just waiting for Kallon to return. They knew he was coming eventually but the waiting was killing them. Another trick: keep your victims on edge, fearing the inevitable pain. Kallon seemed especially adept at this technique. He, and the Master for that matter, seemed to thrive on fear.

"Estel, we are going to get out of here. One way or another," Legolas broke the tense silence that had descended. "Even if my father doesn't come, there are other ways. We don't need Torvan. Like you said before, we always find our way out of these things."

"Stop! This doesn't sound like the eternally pessimistic Elf we all know and love," Aragorn joked. Once their laughter – however strained it was – had died down, the man spoke again, more sedately. "I thought you were an angel."

"What?" Legolas laughed at the unexpected words.

"When I woke up and you were the first thing I saw, I thought I was looking at an angel. I know it sounds crazy – I don't think I was in the best frame of mind at the time – but for a moment I was convinced." Legolas laughed, not mockingly but kindly in friendly understanding. He understood the need to cling onto things in dark situations and was quite happy to let Aragorn believe anything he wanted to believe, provided it didn't get them into any further trouble, which really didn't seem possible right then. "You won't tell anyone will you? That I thought you were some beautiful mythical creature?"

"Not a word," Legolas promised seriously. Some things were just meant to stay between friends and Legolas knew that if their positions were reversed Aragorn would act with the same respectful discretion. "I really wish I had the powers of an angel. I would like nothing more than to get us both out of here right now." Legolas' voice was sad and longing once again.

"I know," Aragorn sighed.

~*~

"You were too hard on the man," the Master said to Kallon, who was bound in invisible chains and kneeling defenceless on the floor before his leader. "We need him alive."

"I still think he is hiding something from me, Master. He is an important part of the puzzle. I know it. I just need a little more time to…"

"No more time. Let them out of the Hold. The man is not important. The mine is all that matters," the Master interrupted.

Kallon sighed in frustration. All his conversations with the Master went just like this. He always lost the argument. "Master, the human could still be of great value to us; far more important than a mere slave."

"We agreed that we would not ransom the Elf and we will not do anything with the Man either other than put him back down in the mines where the slaves belong. Leave them both alone."

"Let me just at least talk to the Elf, Master. He would easily give up his secrets, I am certain," Kallon pleaded, already knowing it wouldn't do any good.

"He has told you nothing so far and you nearly beat him to death last time. I need them both alive and able to move. Elves are good workers; I don't want his ability compromised."

"He has done nothing exceptional so far, Master. I don't think…"

"No, you don't think! That is your problem, Kallon, you never think of anything but the chase. Either you do as I say or get out of my camp and I'll find someone else to run your House. Understood?" the Master bellowed.

"Yes sir." Kallon knew when he had lost a fight with the Master. Nothing could change his mind once it was made up. He hated being upstaged by anyone. Kallon knew he had to do as he was told by the Master. His control over them was absolute. Or so most people thought. Kallon though knew how to manipulate this power to his advantage. Everyone had a weakness and Kallon was so very close to learning what the Master's was but he knew he had little time left. Estel was important, he just knew it.

~*~

Kallon slammed the door to the cell open and stormed in, not stopping for an instant. He grabbed the startled Legolas off the floor where he had been lightly sleeping and dragged him out the door before the Elf could put up any resistance. Aragorn didn't even have time to sit up before the door was slammed shut again with Legolas on the other side. A cold fear shot through Aragorn. He hadn't been able to tell Kallon anything and now the man was going to try extra hard to get something out of Legolas.

~*~

"Tell me what the plan is right now or I'll go back into that cell, drag your friend out and kill him – excruciatingly slowly - right in front of you," Kallon screamed at Legolas once he was strapped to the 'torture table'.

"What? I have no idea what you're even talking about," Legolas said, trying to keep the shaking from his voice.

Kallon grabbed a knife from the bench beside him and pressed its edge to Legolas' throat. "I have had enough of these lies! I want to know which one of you was planning it and exactly what you were going to do," he shouted again. The anger in his voice told Legolas that this was not going to be a pleasant exchange either way.

"I don't know anything about any escape plan," Legolas lied. It was partly true after all. No plan had really been formed but just the fact that Torvan had convinced them that there was a possibility of getting out seemed to be enough for the unstable man. Kallon was just looking for a reason to kill him; he saw it in the man's icy eyes.

"Why is this so difficult for you to understand? Just tell me the truth and I will let you go back in there with your little friend. Don't and I'll kill you and he will have no one to look after him."

"You cannot threaten me with Estel's life. I know he doesn't know anything either, and he wouldn't have me tell you anything," Legolas reasoned calmly, turning his blue gaze to Kallon.

Evidently, his icy glare, perfected with the help of his father in Mirkwood, had some effect because Kallon grabbed his face and turned it roughly away from him. Legolas smiled thinly. He was getting to the man. Kallon was intimidating but Legolas had dealt with much worse during his time in the Mirkwood Council. The man sighed heavily and removed the knife from Legolas' throat and slammed it on the bench.

"All I want to know is what you are planning to do. You are going to die here anyway, you may as well do something good before you go," Kallon reasoned, more quietly this time. He sounded more dejected than angry.

"I don't think anything about this place could be classed as 'good' and that's not much of an incentive you offer," Legolas said, turning back to the man, who was staring intently at him.

Kallon laughed and walked back over to the Elf. "I am a fair person. Really I am. I never hurt anyone who didn't deserve it. I am patient compared to the other guards. I am…"

"_You_ are a monster. What you're doing to these people is not fair. And Estel deserved nothing you did to him," Legolas interrupted angrily. It amazed him that this man, who did nothing but torture and kill, could call himself fair and patient.

"A monster? I am not the worst person in the world – or even in this camp. You should think yourself lucky that you have information I want," Kallon threatened, knowing fully well the effect this would have on Legolas.

"Except I don't have the information you want," Legolas replied, his cool façade firmly back in place. "You are wasting your time." He knew he had almost lost it a moment ago and he couldn't afford to do that again. Kallon hadn't carried out his threat against Aragorn but that didn't mean he wouldn't resort to it if provoked. Legolas wasn't about to put his injured friend in any more danger if he could at all help it.

"Alright, let's start from the beginning because I'm not sure you understand exactly what you're doing here. I know for a fact that you and Estel were planning some kind of escape. I have an informant who has given me proof. All I want to know is how you were planning to do it. That's all. Then you can both go back to the mines and life can continue as normal."

"Normal? You cannot possibly threaten to do something when the alternative is just as terrible," Legolas snapped, getting fed up of Kallon's annoying tendency to make out like everything was perfectly alright. No matter what he said, this was not normal in any sense of the word.

"I must admit that of all the people I have met in my encampment you are the most frustrating. Why won't you just do as you're told? It would make things so much easier for everyone involved."

"Because I am not going to give you what you want. I have faced worse and…"

"Worse?" Kallon interrupted with a snarl. "You seem like you belong in some big fancy palace, certainly not in the midst of such evil. I bet you have all manner of servants and such. I know you're not used to such strict conditions but you'll learn eventually. This place has a reputation for making people more…compliant. You and your friend _will_ learn. People always do in the end. You may have had worse but I can change that, I can make you scream in ways you never thought possible, then you'll spill everything you've ever done. I'll get what I want and then I'll leave you to your work. You seemed to be doing so well before," Kallon laughed as Legolas glared at him. His soft technique was not working on the man, who seemed intent on torturing no matter what he said.

Knowing that he had nothing to give, Legolas just turned his head away whilst Kallon chose another weapon from his table.

**To Be Continued…**

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**Translations**

**Ada – **Dad


	35. Ghosts of the Past

**Disclaimer: **I own nothing Tolkien created.

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**Sold Into Ruin**

**Warning:**** Some **_**more**_** torture in this chapter.**

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**A/N: Thanks to everyone who has reviewed. I appreciate all your reviews and love getting them. Enjoy chapter 35.**

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**Chapter 35 ~ Ghosts of the Past**

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Air. He needed air. His lungs burned for it, his mind screamed for it but he desperately fought the urge to open his mouth and breathe in because then he would only force water down his throat and he would certainly drown. How long had he been submerged this time? Surely it must have been for hours. In reality it couldn't have been any more than a minute but that time seemed to stretch into eternity.

His head was beginning to feel light and fuzzy again and he felt his consciousness slipping for the tenth time in the past couple of hours. He begged for the darkness to take him and his body started to give up its struggles to get free and went limp in the hands that were grasping him painfully. Just before his eyes drifted closed and his mind completely shut down he was pulled roughly upwards and out of the trough of freezing cold water.

The giant guard who had been brutally holding his head underwater now threw him to the floor and kicked him hard on the back, as if in punishment that his tunic had gotten wet during the initial struggle. Through a haze of dizziness, Legolas saw Kallon smiling happily down at him, brushing a stray droplet of water off his shirt. Despite being out of the water now, Legolas' lungs still felt like they were on fire and he found that he couldn't force them to draw in a deep enough breath to satisfy his aching body.

Kallon stepped forward when his gasping prisoner's lips started to turn blue through lack of sufficient oxygen. Although wanting to hurt Legolas, Kallon didn't want the prisoner dead. A dead slave was of no use to him. He stepped up to Legolas and grabbed his arm, hauling him up and bending him forward. With a sadistic look of glee, Kallon slammed his hand hard against Legolas' bloodied back. The Elf's eyes went wide as pain shot through him and made it even harder to draw in a breath.

Kallon continued though, growing slightly concerned as the Elf's eyes fluttered closed. "Come on, Immortal. Breathe," Kallon commanded, slamming his palm hard against Legolas' back again.

This time it did help and suddenly Legolas drew in a shaky, gasping breath that barely eased the aching pain in his chest. Once the first one was conquered though it began to get a little easier and he was suddenly heaving in lungfuls of air as best he could considering that they were filled with water and his ribs were bruised from Kallon's treatment. For a while all he could think about was how good the oxygen felt properly filling his chest. Then the coughing started; bone-rattling coughs that shook his very core and suddenly he couldn't breathe through them instead.

Kallon quickly backed away when he knew his charge was breathing again and with his prop gone, Legolas fell back to the floor with a small grunt of pain. He turned on his side in the hope of easing the fiery agony. Finally, the coughs subsided and he was able to at least attempt to breathe normally again. It was still so strained that it hurt but at least he was able to draw in some air and Kallon was giving him a little time to recover before he dunked his head back under the water. He honestly couldn't remember how many times they had been through this agonising routine in the past hours, in between the whipping and cutting that is. His body felt about ready to give up and it pleaded with him to just let go of consciousness and give it some much-needed rest. He refused to do so though, not wanting to give Kallon the satisfaction of winning this game.

Once he was satisfied that Legolas could breathe again and wasn't about to die on him, Kallon motioned to the giant guard who stepped forward and snatched Legolas' arm and dragged him towards the table again. Legolas couldn't support his own weight yet so the guard lifted him up and dropped him on the table before spreading his arms and strapping him back down. This did nothing to ease the pain in his chest but there wasn't much he could do about it as he couldn't even struggle properly anymore.

The man wasn't about to stop his torture though and he circled around to the tray of instruments to pick up his dagger, still covered in Legolas' own blood.

"Shall we get back to it now you're feeling a little more…refreshed?" he asked cordially as if they had merely taken a nice break rather than yet more torture. "Now, where were we? Ah, yes, slowly taking you apart piece by piece. Now, tell me what I want to know," Kallon demanded again as he dragged the knife down Legolas' arm once more, avoiding the cuts he had already made. Honestly, Legolas couldn't even remember the original question anymore. All he could think about was pain and concentrating on not screaming from it. "Nothing?" Kallon asked, flicking at Legolas' skin with the sharp tip of the knife. "This isn't working," he then told the giant guard.

Giving up with the knife, with which he had created numerous shallow cuts all over the pale, smooth skin, Kallon picked up a long, thick nail from the table of torture goodies he had assembled earlier and ran his finger down its ragged length, as if showing it off to his victim. This didn't intimidate Legolas though, he knew better than to show his fear of what may happen. Nothing he did could prevent it from happening so he didn't bother trying, not that he could really yet draw enough breath to respond to anything anyway.

"What do you suppose we could do with this?" Kallon said to the room, which also still consisted of a normal guard and, of course, the giant who had bound them in the straight jackets upon arrival in the Hold. "Any suggestions?" he asked Legolas, waving the solid nail before the Elf's eyes. "Perhaps coupled with this…" he pulled out a small hammer and turned it over in his other hand. At the sight of this, Legolas did actually shift nervously within his restraints and Kallon laughed at the sight.

"Ah, finally a reaction of some kind," Kallon grinned, pressing the nail's tip against Legolas' exposed chest. "It's about time. Does this scare you, Immortal?"

"You don't frighten me, Kallon. Nor does anything you threaten to do to me," Legolas finally spoke breathlessly but with determination.

"Really? Because you look scared, my friend." Legolas turned his face away, not wanting to start an argument. "Alright. Here we go. Do you have a preference?" he asked, running the nail over his skin all over his exposed body, leaving small scratches in its wake. "No? Alright, I'll choose then."

He placed the nail against the palm of Legolas' bound hand and pressed down. Sweat started to form on Legolas' body at the thought of what was going to happen next. A slight tremble rippled through him and Kallon smiled when he felt it.

"One quick hit or would you like it more slowly?" Kallon asked, pulling the nail back a little and looking questioningly at the prince almost as if he was genuinely concerned about Legolas' opinion on the matter. "I'll just choose myself then." Of course he was going to do it slowly, just to cause the maximum discomfort possible. Suddenly the nail was placed against his hand again and before he could even attempt to prevent it from happening, Kallon slammed the hammer down on the head and the nail went right through Legolas' palm.

At the searing pain that raced through Legolas' hand and shot up his arm he couldn't stop a sharp cry of pain escaping his lips. He'd never felt anything quite so intense as that and Kallon clearly wasn't done as he gave the nail a couple more light taps then grasped the head and twisted a little, moving it around inside the open wound, as if testing it. This tore another cry from Legolas' mouth and he arched off the table a little.

"Ohhh, did that hurt?" Kallon asked innocently, picking up another nail and placing it against Legolas' other arm. This time he didn't hesitate before banging on the flat head and causing the sharp tip to go into his flesh half an inch, almost coming out the other side. Now he waited a minute before tapping it again, making it go in a little deeper. He continued this until the nail was half embedded into Legolas' arm with the tip protruding from the other side – having miraculously missed the bone - then proceeded to add several more to the collection over Legolas' arms, legs and hands.

After his first cry, Legolas didn't dare make another sound. But it was almost impossibly hard. He found himself having to grit his teeth and hold his breath to keep from shouting in pain, which unfortunately did nothing to ease his burning, aching lungs. Every now and then Kallon would reach out and twist the nails already in his body, causing blood to start to leak from the small wounds.

Then came the equally agonising removal. Kallon obviously didn't like the sight of bits of metal sticking out from his prize so he suddenly gripped two of them and tugged them out, twisting as much as he could as he went. Another cry escaped Legolas at this and Kallon grinned manically as he continued this until Legolas' arms and hands were peppered with little holes, spilling blood now the plugs had been taken out.

"That was an interesting little exercise, wasn't it? I really enjoyed that. How about you?" Legolas just turned his face away to hide the pain etched onto it and swallowed to keep the nausea at bay. The guards both nodded enthusiastically, one of them turning a whip over in his hands eagerly, wanting to get a piece of the Immortal.

"What next? Or are you ready to talk yet?" Legolas said nothing, just concentrated on breathing steadily in and out. "No? Fair enough. What should we do now? The knife again? Or how about another trough session. How is your chest feeling now? Still a little tight?"

"No," Legolas ground out.

"I know. How about going back to a classic? You," he barked at the guard standing off to the side, "give me that." He snatched the whip from the guard's hand and flicked it gently at Legolas who flinched slightly despite there being no strength in it. "Right, let's get started. I wouldn't want you getting too comfortable laid there." He grinned evilly and snapped the whip hard across Legolas' exposed stomach.

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The whip bit into Legolas' bare back again. Some time ago, when his front had become too covered in bloody wounds to use, Kallon had gotten the giant guard to flip him over onto his front so he could abuse the other side. Legolas had, so far, not uttered a single sound of distress during the lashing, knowing that that was exactly what Kallon wanted from him. He had already given the man too much, he couldn't lose any more of his pride. This was no longer about discovering the escape plan; this was purely for Kallon's own enjoyment now. And he really _was_ enjoying it. Legolas could hear his laughter whenever he inadvertently flinched as the whip or dagger dug particularly cruelly into his flesh and he hated showing Kallon how much it hurt. It was becoming increasingly difficult to remain stoic though.

The whip struck again, opening up an old wound from Legolas' first beating and creating another new one. This did make Legolas cry out sharply again – and very much against his will - and immediately Kallon stopped his whipping and started laughing again.

"That, my friend, was impressive. Five whole hours of non-stop pain and not so much as a whimper from you. But everyone has a breaking point and it seems we have finally found yours. I was honestly thinking it would never come."

"What do you want?" Legolas ground out through gritted teeth.

"Absolutely nothing anymore," Kallon laughed. "You have made my day, you really have. I mean, I thought your friend was fun to play with but this was infinitely better. In fact, I don't think anything could ever top this moment."

"You really are a monster," Legolas spat, which earned him a sharp slap across the face.

"The things I could do with you," Kallon sighed to himself, stroking the red mark he had just made with his own hand on the prince's pale cheek. Legolas jerked his face away sharply but Kallon grabbed his chin and pulled him back. "Look at me," he commanded.

Legolas did so reluctantly, raising his slightly glazed eyes to meet Kallon's. "You Elves really are a beautiful race," Kallon said, again running his fingers gently down Legolas' face and fingering his long blonde hair, which was still damp from his dunking. "Such a lovely face, lovely hair and…and such pretty blue eyes." Kallon looked deep into those bright eyes, which although clouded with pain and exhaustion, glared at him angrily. "And yet also so sad and angry. Why so nervous, Legolas? Are you afraid of me? Is that it? All this time you've been trying to pretend you're something you're not. Deep down, although you don't like to admit it, you're terrified of me."

"I don't fear you," Legolas spat, wishing he could sound more convincing. Even he didn't believe his words.

Kallon chuckled to himself. "Maybe not, little Elf, but you fear what I can do to you and to your friend. I think you hate not being in control. I think you hate that I have complete power over you. I know you are of some greater importance in the outside world, your friend Estel made that quite clear. I just cannot figure out why."

Legolas frowned. Torvan had told him that both he and Kallon were all well aware of the prince's status in the world and yet now the man was claiming that he knew nothing of his royal position. He could have simply been lying, trying to get Legolas to give something about Aragorn away, but for once, he did seem genuinely sincere. Legolas, however, wasn't about to test this theory and said nothing whilst Kallon circled the table he laid on, apparently admiring his work like an artist who had just completed his masterpiece.

"Hmmm, you are an enigma. I thought Estel was intriguing but you are something else. What is it?" Kallon stared at Legolas for a moment but the prince held his gaze; the only form of power he had right then. "What? Something…dark." Kallon's eyes took on a distant look as he continued to stare at the confused Elf. It was almost as if he was staring right through him, peering into his very soul. Legolas felt a chill pass through him and he couldn't suppress a shudder at the unwelcome intrusion into his mind.

Of course, he knew this was all nonsense. Kallon couldn't look into the mind or soul. No Man possessed that ability and few Elves did either. Only the Lady Galadriel had that kind of power anymore. Elves were intuitive, yes, but so few had the ability of actual mind-reading. And yet, now Legolas got the same feeling as when the Lady of Light had looked into his mind as a child. Like cold fingers dragging slowly through the soul, probing every corner of an exposed and fragile mind.

He remembered that vulnerable feeling from when Galadriel had come to visit him after his mother's death. He could say nothing of his brutal experiences with the Orcs so Galadriel had offered to talk to him to get something out of him. He had not had to say anything aloud. With his permission, she had looked into his mind and seen all the guilt and pain he was suffering from his beloved mother's demise. And yet, what Kallon was doing now felt far more intense and intrusive. Legolas knew the man could not see into his mind or soul and yet…

Kallon finally broke the stare, causing Legolas to almost sigh in relief and Kallon to laugh. "Interesting. Very interesting," he smiled and quickly left the room, slamming the door behind him.

Legolas felt fear pulsing through him. Was Kallon just going to leave him there to bleed to death? No. That just wasn't how he worked. He couldn't afford to kill him; he needed slaves not corpses. He wondered how long Kallon would leave him there, tied to that table on his front so he could barely breathe. His wounds were numerous and deep and even though he could already feel his Elven healing abilities kicking in, he knew the wounds were serious.

If Kallon was not threatening death then why did he leave him alone? And what was so 'interesting'? Legolas had a bad feeling about this and so far his 'feelings' had all been right. Kallon was up to something and he was certain that he wouldn't like the outcome.

~*~

Aragorn paced back and forth restlessly in his cell. Although his legs ached and his wounds throbbed he simply couldn't sit still any longer. Too much information was pulsing through his mind. This place was strange. Kallon had said nothing about Torvan working with him and yet the Elf – if that's what he really was – was a traitor, apparently working for the enemy. If he was working with Kallon then why give them clues on how to escape? Entrapment, perhaps. But that made no sense either. Kallon didn't need any reason to torture them. The man didn't seem too concerned about the escape plan though. In fact, he had only mentioned it a couple of times during Aragorn's interrogation.

Torvan was as much a mystery to the friends as this place was. Kallon seemed to be the ruler but he himself was being controlled by the Master. That strange man on the dark throne, who in turn seemed to have his own master. The Master and Kallon certainly didn't seem to get along. Kallon had already admitted that he believed the Master to be a waste of time and yet he still seemed under his thrall. Did the Master have some other power that Aragorn didn't know about?

Mind control was something the odd being had already demonstrated, moving Legolas and himself as though they were nothing more than puppets on strings. Was it possible that Kallon was also a prisoner in the encampment? Not a slave to work in the mines but a slave to this higher power.

Aragorn couldn't honestly see Kallon as a slave of any kind. Yet he was obviously intimidated by the Master, coming immediately when summoned and following orders. What didn't make sense was that the Master was an old man; powerful, yes, but only of mind not of body. Kallon could easily over-power him. The guards outside the Master's doors were apparently protection for the Master, but from whom? He and Legolas couldn't do anything once inside that room so they weren't a threat. The man was all-powerful so why did he need guarding? If he had control over Kallon and all the others what was he so afraid of? Certainly not a Man and an Elf. It was hardly a fair match; like a game of wits between an ant and a Wizard.

Estel shook his head to clear it. There was too much information to process. The Master and Kallon were just part of a much bigger picture. Maybe Gondor knew something more than the men of the encampment thought. Why would they allow such an operation to continue when they saw what trouble it was causing? Besides, there were Men inside. Men generally didn't allow other Men to be captured, tortured and enslaved. For all its troubles Gondor wasn't that bad.

No, there was definitely something more going on. Kallon was a slave to the Master but perhaps the Master also received orders from his own boss.

Flaws were not generally a given to the 'Gods' so the Master was clearly not divine. He was, in fact, a prisoner himself, trapped in the Dark Room, forced to confront newcomers. But why? He had told Aragorn nothing really useful.

None of it made sense. The Master had addressed Aragorn as 'Aragorn' so he clearly knew that secret. So why did Kallon not know? If they were working together then surely the man would also have been told. It was, after all, a vitally important piece of information.

Kallon was frustrated. He had mentioned that several times between whippings. Frustrated with his work, his lack of power, respect and above all frustrated with the Master. He was fearful yet vengeful.

Aragorn continued to pace restlessly. He was still dreadfully worried about Legolas. The Elf had been gone a long time, far longer than he had. Elves were immortal and strong but they could still be killed or broken. Aragorn could only imagine what was going through Legolas' head right then…

~*~

Ironically, at that moment Legolas was thinking about Aragorn. The man had been in such a bad state when Kallon had returned him to the cell and Legolas was still worried about him. Although he and Torvan had bandaged his wounds he could still be in danger from infection. They needed Lord Elrond. He was a far better healer than any of them. Of course he knew that right then Aragorn would be worrying about him; probably thinking the exact same thing about Legolas. He knew his friend too well.

It had been over an hour since Kallon had left him. Legolas had tried his best to struggle out of the tight bonds holding him to the table but with no luck. Not that he could have escaped the room even if he had gotten free. A while back, the giant guard had come back and turned him back onto his back, a painful experience but he felt a little better now he could both breathe and see the whole room properly. He wanted to know the moment Kallon came back.

That was one of the reasons he hadn't allowed himself to fall into a healing sleep, which would allow his body to repair his wounds. He wanted to be alert, to know exactly what was going on around him. His body was the one thing he had control of at the moment and he needed to keep that, even if it meant slower healing. Besides, as long as he was awake and thinking he could keep the sharp, stinging pain at bay at least a little. Kallon certainly knew his job well. He knew exactly where to hit for the maximum amount of pain.

Taking this opportunity to look around, Legolas' attention was drawn to another torture table on the other side of the room. The skeleton remained in the same place as when they had first been brought to the Hold. Obviously, no one had any intention of moving it. Not knowing why, Legolas' gaze was drawn to this sad sight and he found he couldn't take his eyes off it.

There was nothing really spectacular about it. It looked like any other skeleton Legolas had ever seen and although his experience was somewhat limited he determined that it was a Man or Elf rather than one of the smaller races such as Hobbits or Dwarves. Yet for all its normalcy he couldn't seem to look away. To Legolas, one skeleton was much the same as another. There were no defining marks on it. The bones were dark brown in colour and apart from a few shreds of material - presumably remnants of clothing - it had nothing else on it. There was no remaining flesh. If the poor man had died in the Torture Room no smell remained of his demise and there were no clues on or around his body as to how he died, although from the very nature of the room, Legolas could make an educated guess.

The Elf continued to stare at it as though it were about to sit up and start spilling its life – and death - story. Predictably, it did no such thing and remained inanimate, as it had done since its soul's departure from this world. Briefly, Legolas wondered who he was. A prisoner perhaps. But then there were no other bodies or remains anywhere else in this room or anywhere else in the Hold that he was aware. What was so important about this one? Had they simply forgotten to remove the bones? A bad clean-up job?

Looking around again, Legolas noticed something else odd: the room was unusually clean. Not a speck of blood tainted any of the instruments (the giant had removed what Kallon had used on Legolas earlier); there was nothing on the floor that he could see and the walls were their natural stone colour. Again Legolas had little experience in this kind of thing but he guessed it was unusual. Blood got everywhere during such rigorous activities and Kallon didn't seem too worried about making a mess. As far as he could remember, the guards hadn't done any cleaning while he was in the room but it still looked pristine. In fact, except for the tools of torture hanging around the place and the skeleton in the corner it looked completely normal.

Putting this revelation aside for a moment, Legolas looked back at the mystery bones. Unsurprisingly, they hadn't moved, although Legolas got the strangest feeling that they should have. It was beginning to frustrate him, not knowing who the person was or who he had once been. He decided he would ask Kallon when he came back, if he came back. Legolas almost laughed at himself at his own thoughts. Why was he suddenly so curious over a pile of old bones? They didn't mean anything to him, except to serve as a grim reminder of his possible – probable – fate.

After another hour of watching the bones intently, Kallon finally returned but now he had someone else with him.

"So sorry to keep you waiting, Legolas," he said as though they were the best of friends meeting for afternoon tea. "I wanted you to meet someone before you returned to your cell." Stepping aside, Kallon revealed his 'friend'.

What he saw shocked Legolas more than anything he imagined ever could. Standing there, right in front of him, plain as day, was his mother.

**To Be Continued…**

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	36. Unhappy Reunions

**Disclaimer: **I own nothing Tolkien created.

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**Sold Into Ruin**

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**A/N: Thank you so, so much to everyone who's reading this. Nearly 200 reviews. Unbelievable! Thanks for reviewing and I hope you also enjoy this next chapter. No graphic nail torture in this one.**

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**Chapter 36 ~ Unhappy Reunions**

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Legolas couldn't move but it no longer had anything to do with the ropes pinning him to the table but rather the utter shock at what he saw before him. His eyes were wide, his mouth agape. His mother was standing right there. Right in front of him. And he couldn't think of a single thing to say.

But she was dead. He had_ watched_ her die. Watched her eyes go blank after she commanded him to run away and save himself. The king and his soldiers had found her body later that day, broken and violated by the Orcs. He had seen the countless tears his Kingdom had shed for their beloved queen over the years, saw how they had grieved her loss. He vividly remembered her funeral. Thousands of people, all dressed in black, watching the coffin of their queen being taking slowly towards her funeral pyre. He had watched the flames engulf the wooden vessel. He heard Elves coming up to his father, offering their sincerest condolences and the king stoically thanking them, disguising his own misery. He remembered afterwards his father telling him what happened to Elves when they died; how they went to Mandos' Halls where there was no more pain or suffering, where they could rest in peace. He remembered crying into his father's black robes until they had grown damp beneath him and how his father had cried onto his soft golden hair when they were safely out of sight of their subjects. He remembered how every night since her death he had dreamed of her lifeless body lying before him or reaching out to him. He remembered his father's tears – and learning for the first time that his strong, unmoveable father could actually cry, a revelation that terrified him – and he remembered his own endless bitter tears. He remembered all of it. And yet here she was, standing right in front of him, looking as though nothing had ever happened to her.

There wasn't a scratch on her. For a moment Legolas had trouble placing the face, he had not seen it in such a long time. The only really firm memory he had left of her was in the cave moments before he had abandoned her to save his own life. Of course, the giant oil painting hanging in his father's Throne Room was a constant reminder of her beauty but this was no oil painting. Her features were as perfect as ever. The light shining in her blue eyes was as stunning as before, her pale, flawless skin untouched by cruel Orc hands. There was no trace of pain on her angelic face, only a small, reassuring smile. Legolas remembered that smile so well. Of all the things he had forgotten, that smile stayed with him; not the shaky, false one she had used in the cave but the one that lit up her entire face and made her eyes dance.

There was no concern in her eyes as there had been on that last fateful day. Just love. Pure, unadulterated love for her son.

However, Legolas could still say nothing. Kallon had retreated into the corner of the room, watching with a smile on his face. He knew just what effect this would have on the young Prince of Mirkwood.

After swallowing several times just to make sure he still had a throat to speak with, Legolas spoke. One word, so pain-filled it would have brought tears to any person with a soul who happened to be listening. "Nana?"

The maiden's smile widened and she took a step closer to the table on which Legolas was still frozen. That beautiful smile. That bright smile. Legolas had loved to see it when he was little. He stared intently at her as if she would disappear should he blink. Yet she remained with him even when he was forced to clear the tears from his eyes.

Slowly, almost nervously, she stretched out a soft, pale hand and placed it gently on Legolas' furrowed brow. The motion seemed to break the spell and Legolas cried out his mother's name in relief, tears now flowing freely down his face as he desperately tried to free himself from the restraints.

"Hush, now Greenleaf. Do not struggle," she said softly, her voice sounding completely different to what Legolas remembered. Not that it mattered. His memory was not particularly reliable at the moment anyway. Immediately he did as instructed and was still once more. "Good." She gently stroked his blood-tinged hair and he leaned into her touch gratefully.

"Nana," Legolas said again. He couldn't think of anything else to say. Right then his whole world was focused on this one person. Everything else that was happening faded into insignificance. The person he loved so much and who had been cruelly taken away from him all those years ago was back with him. That was all that mattered in the world.

"I'm here, do not be afraid," the Queen whispered, continuing to stroke her son's hair, just as she had done when he was young. She had spent hours brushing through his soft blonde hair and he had done the same for her. It was like their private ritual every morning when they awoke. And it was just one more thing that had been taken from him by the Orcs.

"I am not afraid," he assured her, regaining some of his senses. She smiled even wider as if knowing this wasn't true.

"My beautiful child, look how you have grown. So…old."

Old? Had his mother just called him old? They had not seen each other for centuries and the only compliment she could come up with was that he was _old_? That was strange. In fact, this whole thing was strange. His mother was dead and the dead could not come back to life…

Before he could think on this anymore she spoke again. "Listen very carefully, Legolas, because I cannot stay long. I know you are suffering here, just as I suffered all those years ago, but you must try to understand that this is all for the best. Do as he says." This was an equally odd thing for her to say. He didn't even hear a touch of anger in his mother's voice when she mentioned her own fate and after everything she had suffered he would have expected just that.

"But Nana…"

"Do as you are told," she snapped, snatching her hand away from him as though in punishment for his disobedience.

There was an uncomfortable silence for a moment before the Queen of Mirkwood spoke again, her voice now back to its normal melodic tones and without a trace of her previous anger.

"Come now, ion nin tell me: what was your plan of escape? No doubt something dangerous but ingenious."

Legolas smiled, suddenly forgetting what had been said moments before. "We were going to…Wait Nana, I don't think I should…"

"Oh, Legolas, you can tell me. I won't tell another living soul," she whispered in his ear.

"Torvan told us about a gap in the far fence. We were going to escape through that. I didn't trust him though. I don't think it'll work at all. Where will we go once we're out? They have guards everywhere here, Nana. I don't think we could escape even if we tried."

"We?" the Queen questioned carefully.

"Me and Estel. Oh, of course, you haven't met Estel, have you? Well, you will Nana and you will love him. I just know you will. He is a human but that is a small flaw considering all his…"

"Estel? A human? 'Hope', what an odd name for a Man," she mused, staring out into thin air as though seeing something Legolas could not.

"He was raised by Lord Elrond in Imladris. Elrond says he is practically an Elf anyway, although he cannot climb trees nearly as well as me," Legolas laughed musically. All his pain and fear was suddenly forgotten. He felt like a little Elfling again and he knew he was talking like one but this was his precious mother. Nothing else mattered. This was a miracle. He didn't know why or how it was happening but he liked it nonetheless.

"Elrond Half-Elven?"

"Yes Nana. He is still running Imladris. I try to visit as much as I can but lately…"

"Enough, Legolas! Tell me more about Estel," her voice was cold again and Legolas startled slightly but when she looked down at him she smiled gently and he felt compelled to tell her about their time together.

"We have wonderful adventures together. He comes to Mirkwood sometimes and I go to Rivendell but lately he has been too busy with the Rangers so when we both had the opportunity we decided to go on this hunting trip. We thought it would kill some time before returning to Mirkwood. Ada will be angry but I'm sure he'll understand. He doesn't like Estel very much but then he never liked humans much anyway, did he? Anyway, he still lets Estel stay in Mirkwood, even though he says he's a bad influence…"

"Legolas, you are babbling," the queen chastised. Again she smiled, although Legolas wasn't so easily fooled this time. There was something very wrong about this – besides the fact the dead were talking to him. "Where does he come from, this Ranger?" she asked, apparently not noticing her son's doubts.

"I told you, Imladris. Lord Elrond…"

"He cannot possibly be from Elrond's line, Legolas. Elrond is an Elf, this Estel is human," she said sharply.

"Why do you want to know?" Legolas asked suspiciously.

"My dear child, I want to know who you…go around with. This Estel doesn't sound like a good influence, getting you caught up with this," she gestured around herself. 'Go around with'? That didn't sound like his mother at all, in fact, it didn't even sound Elven.

"He's…"

"Yes?"

"He's…" Legolas hesitated, closing his eyes briefly to clear his mind. "No! This won't work, Kallon. This isn't real," Legolas yelled at the man who was still standing quietly in the corner. He stepped forwards, placing a hand on the Queen's impossibly solid shoulder but she took no notice of him, not even reacting to the touch. In fact, she looked like she was frozen in time.

"Oh, it's real, Legolas. She's real. Now, be a good boy and answer her question. Where is Estel really from?"

Legolas shook his head defiantly.

"Legolas, answer the man," the Queen said firmly.

"No, this is a trick." As much as it pained him to do so, Legolas turned his face away from his mother. Kallon laughed and when Legolas turned back to his mother – his beloved mother – she was still stood before him. Now an image of her death. She looked just as she had after the Orcs had tortured her. Her eyes were blank, her face slashed by Orc claws. Her clothes were hanging off her, covered in crimson blood, both hers and that of her son. Blood was running from a gash on her head and from her nose and down her legs and a large red stain covered the front of her dress where she had been stabbed. Her face was ghostly white, her mouth open in horror; one last scream before she left this world and entered another. This was how Legolas always remembered her. This was what his constant nightmares had been about. He rarely dreamed of what happened to himself, they were almost always centred on her, looking just as she did now.

Legolas cried out in horror and turned away again. When he finally reluctantly turned back the image was gone and only Kallon was standing there, smiling at the shocked look on Legolas' face.

"Now, wasn't that a nice little reunion? I thought you might enjoy the company." He nodded to the giant guard who started undoing Legolas' bonds. The Elf couldn't have moved even if he had wanted to. When he was unstrapped the guard sat him up and then pulled him to his feet, holding his arm tightly. Kallon took his other arm and laughed. "Take him back to his cell," he ordered. As the guard walked the passive Elf past Kallon, the man grabbed his arm again and whispered in his ear, "You know what the sad thing about that was?" He paused for effect. "She was real."

Legolas turned stormy blue eyes to him before the guard dragged him struggling from the room, screaming threats at Kallon and pleas for his mother's return.

~*~

The cell door swung open and the giant guard walked in, literally dragging a kicking and screaming Legolas behind him. The Elf was covered in blood but was putting up a pretty good fight considering Aragorn had barely been able to stand up when he returned from the Torture Room. The guard, having a considerable amount of difficulty restraining the squirming Elf, threw his charge inside.

Legolas hit the floor hard but didn't miss a beat. He leapt to his feet and ran to the door, slamming full force into it as the guard had also been quick and closed it as soon as Legolas was on the ground. Instead of giving up though, Legolas pounded on the door with his bloodied fists, calling out for his mother.

Aragorn didn't know what to make of this. He had never, in all his years of friendship with the Elf, seen Legolas so utterly distraught. He walked quickly over to him and carefully placed a hand on his back in between cuts but Legolas just shrugged him off and continued shouting in Elvish.

"Nana, please come back. Nana. Come back. Come back, please, come back. Nana. Kallon, give her back to me, please." Aragorn could barely hear what the Elf was saying, he was speaking so fast.

"Legolas, what is wrong? Please, look at me. Legolas!" Aragorn pulled on Legolas' arm and got him to face him. His blue eyes were wild with fear and horror, his face deathly pale and he was trembling so badly it seemed to shake right through him. What had Kallon done to him in there? "Legolas stop. Talk to me, mellon nin."

Legolas merely shook his head, tears running down his face. "Nana, please don't…I don't want to be alone. I want Nana. Please."

Not knowing what else to do, Aragorn took Legolas and engulfed him in strong arms. The Elf immediately leaned against his friend and clung to him for support. Aragorn was not used to this at all. This was not like his friend. Legolas was usually completely impassive when it came to this subject, barely even mentioning his mother. He had never told Aragorn about her, even though he had asked when he was younger. Before, when Kallon threatened to physically disrobe him, Legolas had panicked and Aragorn had seen the first glimpse of real fear in his friend's eyes. He had never seen that before in the Elf. This though was something entirely different. Legolas was calling for his mother. Aragorn had never even heard him say her name in public before and here he was shouting for her, begging for her, in front of these enemies.

Whatever Kallon had done to him in there must have been pretty bad. Legolas had been through some terrible things but he had never reacted like this before.

"Legolas, what's wrong?"

"Nana," was all Legolas could manage in a pitiful whisper as he buried his face further into Aragorn's shoulder. The man held onto him, not knowing what else to do.

"It's alright. It's going to be alright," Aragorn reassured. At that, he felt Legolas becoming heavier against him and he guided the Elf to the floor.

Looking at his unconscious form, Aragorn cried softly, dressing his numerous wounds with a torn up blanket. He hated seeing his best friend, this being of pure goodness, in such a horrific state. Kallon would pay for this. He would pay for the injuries he had caused this beautiful creature.

Aragorn sat back against a wall and pulled Legolas up against him, ignoring the pain it caused him. This was as much for his benefit as his friend's. He needed to feel that familiar, strong presence of his friend near him. Legolas' body was warm and gentle against his and for a moment he didn't feel quite so alone.

That would all change though…

**To Be Continued…**

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

**Translations:**

**Nana – **Mum

**Ion nin **– My son

**Ada – **Dad

**Mellon nin – **My friend


	37. Commanding Visions

**Disclaimer: **I own nothing Tolkien created.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

**Sold Into Ruin**

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**A/N: WOW. I can't believe it. Nearly 200 reviews!!!!!!! You guys are amazing and I am so pleased people actually like this story. Thanks to everyone who is reading this and everyone who has left a review or added me to their favourites/ alerts. Enjoy the next chapter.**

**~*~ **

**Chapter 37 ~ Commanding Visions**

**~*~**

Kallon stormed into the 6000 building, sending its occupants running in all directions, each afraid that he might have them in mind for torture that day. But Kallon had no interest whatsoever in the ordinary prisoners. He wanted only one person.

"Jadan," he shouted and immediately Jadan emerged from amidst the crowd, standing proudly in front of his kidnapper and commander.

"Yes sir?" Jadan answered politely, standing almost to attention.

"I am going to ask you to do something for me. I want you to follow my instructions to the letter. Do you understand?"

"Yes sir."

"Good. Follow me." Kallon led Jadan outside away from the other slaves. Once out of earshot of the others, Kallon spoke again although still in low tones just in case they were overheard. "I want you to keep an eye on the Immortal and his little follower. Something is going on with them and I want to know exactly what it is they're really hiding. You will report anything significant to me immediately. Understand?"

"Yes sir."

"Do not mess this up or I'll have you beaten to within an inch of your life, got it?" Kallon threatened harshly.

"Of course, sir."

"Good. Remember keep your eyes open and your mouth shut. Tell no one about this, not even the other guards." Jadan nodded again and Kallon walked away. He had been doing this for a while; acting as Kallon's informant. He had inside information on all the activities Kallon couldn't know about inside the buildings. Of course, most people knew what Jadan did, that he was a traitor, but they couldn't do anything about it.

This was one assignment Jadan would actually like though. Bringing the Elf and Man down would be fun.

~*~

Aragorn had held Legolas tightly all night and the Elf had clung to him as though he were his only lifeline to this world. Not that Aragorn minded one bit. He knew exactly what Kallon had asked of Legolas in that torture room. He had asked about his true heritage and Legolas had not told him anything. That was why he had been so badly tortured.

Throughout the night Legolas had continued calling out softly for his mother. Once or twice he found himself in the throes of a vicious nightmare and Aragorn had simply held him tighter and tried his best to comfort him. He still didn't know exactly what Legolas had been through in that room with Kallon as the prince had not even stirred from his deep, distressed sleep.

Aragorn had treated him as best he could with his limited resources. His wounds were painful but mostly superficial – much like his own. Although Kallon seemed to have gone even further with Legolas than he had Aragorn. Maybe it was just his hatred for Elves that made him that much crueller.

It was night again before Legolas woke. It was slowly and painfully but he eventually began to stir in the man's arms. Aragorn loosened his grip again just in case Legolas wanted to bolt up – quite likely considering his earlier reaction. However, Legolas did not bolt. In fact, he didn't do much at all. He just lay there, trying to focus his eyes after his long sleep. Slowly, he looked up at Aragorn who was staring patiently down at him with concern shining in his impressive grey eyes.

"Nana?" Legolas asked in a hoarse, broken voice. He looked around the cell as if searching for her.

"Legolas, your mother is not here. You're here with me," Aragorn explained calmly, looking down sympathetically at Legolas.

Clarity dawned on Legolas a second later and he squinted up at Aragorn as though seeing him for the first time. "Estel? I thought…"

"That I was your mother?" Aragorn asked, trying not to sound too concerned.

"No," Legolas replied sadly after a moment. "I know we are close, mellon nin, but not quite that close," the Elf joked weakly and without any real humour.

"Glad to hear it. I don't think I could handle being a part of the Mirkwood Royal Family right now. Far too much responsibility." Legolas smiled softly. His eyes were now closed again and he was leaning heavily against Aragorn once more. The man held him for a moment before he sat up slowly. "How are you feeling?" Aragorn asked once the Elf had overcome his dizziness.

Legolas looked down at the cuts and gashes on his exposed arms and stomach, which had been only partially bandaged by the healer. "Good work…Lord Elrond," Legolas laughed. It earned him a playful – yet very careful – punch on the arm.

"That is the second time you've called me Elrond and it's starting to worry me," Aragorn said, willing to indulge his friend for the time being.

"I'm sorry."

After a few minutes Aragorn spoke again, knowing he had to ask the important but difficult question. "Legolas, you didn't tell Kallon anything about…"

"Of course not," Legolas snapped suddenly, clearly offended.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to imply that you would…" Aragorn stopped himself. Of course Legolas hadn't said anything. "What did they do to you?"

"Estel…" the Elf sighed.

"You came back here shouting for your mother. I have never seen you like that before, mellon nin. It frightened me. What did he do to you?" Aragorn asked again, determined to get an answer from his friend. He placed his hand gently on Legolas' arm, hoping to inspire trust. "Please talk to me, my friend. I'm only worried for you."

"He showed me…my mother; just as she was when I was little. It was so real, Estel. I mean, I know it _wasn't_ real, she was just a …well, I don't know what she was but she wasn't really there. Of that much I am certain. She looked like Nana but she wasn't. She didn't sound like her. She – _it _– was cruel and harsh. It scared me, Estel," Legolas' voice was hollow, like he was recalling a far distant and painful memory.

"I'm sorry."

"For what? There's nothing you could have done about it," Legolas said distractedly.

"I know that Kallon asked you about me. That's what he really wants to know about, not the escape plan. I mean, that doesn't matter anymore anyway. Kallon knew that as soon as he brought us here." Aragorn stopped when Legolas bowed his head and closed his eyes. Aragorn looked to his friend with concern. "Legolas, what's wrong?" Had he said something to upset the Elf?

"Estel, I am so sorry. I didn't mean to say anything and I didn't exactly tell Kallon anything specific. But when he brought out my mother…for a moment she seemed so real – I think it was some kind of hypnosis or mind-reading – and she asked me about the plan and I didn't mean to say anything but she is my mother and…"

"And what?" Aragorn asked, meeting Legolas' troubled blue eyes.

"I told him about the escape plan. I told _her_ about the escape plan. Not the details but the outline of it. I think Kallon knew about most of it already because he didn't seem too surprised. In fact, Nana…Kallon seemed more interested in you," Legolas blurted out as quickly as possible. It was heart-breaking to see any trace of hope disappearing from Aragorn's eyes.

Legolas knew that even though Torvan had betrayed them their escape plan would still have been viable. They had gathered some valuable information on guard rotations and such and Legolas had gone and told Kallon all about it. The man would triple his guard; change his patterns, which would make everything they had learned completely useless.

"I'm so sorry, Estel," Legolas said again, looking down at the ground in shame.

"Oh, Legolas," Aragorn sighed, pulling his friend close to him again. "None of that matters. There are other ways. Besides, Kallon didn't really care about the plan. That's not what this was all about, of that I am certain."

"I should never have told him anything, no matter what tricks he played on me. And it was all just a trick, wasn't it? Nana has been dead for hundreds of years, there's no way she could come back now. I told everything to an illusion. I risked our lives over something that wasn't even real."

"She was real to you," he whispered gently, feeling the Elf shuddering against him. "I know you would do anything for your mother and you are not to blame for thinking that she…"

"Was alive? You don't really believe in ghosts, do you?"

"She was your family and she was taken unfairly away from you. I know you suffer over her death, blame yourself for it even. I would have done exactly the same thing in your position," Aragorn reassured gently, holding Legolas tighter to himself.

"Why is it you seem to know so much about me when I tell you so little?" Legolas asked gently.

"Because after so many years I have learned to see right through that ridiculous Elven façade you try to keep up at all times. Every now and then it becomes just a little easier to see through and I get a quick glimpse of the real Legolas." The Elf laughed. "And Elrond told me," Aragorn added with a sly smile.

"Really? I'll have to speak to Elrond about that," Legolas mused only half-jokingly.

Soon both Elf and Man were drifting in the world of dreams again.

~*~

**Lothlorien…**

Meanwhile, leagues away from the encampment where Legolas and Aragorn suffered from their cruel torture, Lady Galadriel was staring into the silvery water of the Mirror of Galadriel. What she had seen had shaken her badly. Not just the images but the despairing emotions that accompanied them. It was rare that she should be so connected to the images she saw in the enchanted waters but this time she could relate to the images on a more personal level.

The images were indeed disturbing: the capture of the Dunedain heir and the Crown Prince of Mirkwood, the 'encampment', the slaves, the deception of Gondor. Even worse than all that though was the striking vision of the lost Elf-maiden in white. Although dull and distorted the spectre was quite obviously the late Queen of Mirkwood; Thranduil's adoring wife, Legolas' loving mother.

Of course, Galadriel knew this couldn't possibly be real. The Queen had died nearly two and a half thousand years ago. Galadriel herself had attended the funeral, had counselled the distraught Legolas through his terrible grief, she had even seen the Queen die when she connected with Legolas' tortured mind. She had watched the family grieving over the Queen's death. In fact, she had touched the cold, dead body of the Queen as she lay in state. And yet there she was, in the Mirror, looking exactly the same as Galadriel remembered her when she was alive.

What was worse was that she had appeared to Legolas. For a split second Galadriel was not looking at the proud warrior prince he had become but at the frightened little Elfling of the past, spilling all his precious secrets to a mother he had thought lost forever. It was heart-breaking to watch Legolas almost revert back to childhood; a youth that had been so cruelly taken away from him. Galadriel could only imagine the pain the prince was feeling right then; seeing his mother alive, truly believing that she was real, and then realising in a sudden and horrible moment that she was nothing but an image, a ghost of the past sent to torment him further. To say his mother's death had hit the young prince hard would have been a massive understatement. He had spent every day since her death trying to recover but all that had been destroyed in one cruel moment and his barriers – carefully and painstakingly erected over the years – had been ripped down leaving him exposed and vulnerable once more.

Although she had not seen Legolas' reactions to the incident, Galadriel could almost feel his suffering. All those nights he had dreamed of his precious mother, of how horribly she had been stolen away from him but this was even worse. She had actually touched him. He had felt her soft, warm hands on his face and Galadriel had felt them too. Almost as though the hands had stretched from the Mirror and caressed her own face. It was, for want of a better word, spooky.

Spirits of the dead could not return from Mandos' Halls. The Queen could not have been real and yet Galadriel felt her as a physical presence, much the same as she felt Legolas and Aragorn. This was just impossible. The dead were incorporeal; they no longer had any kind of physical presence in this world.

The Elven life was divided into two: the hroa, the body and the fea, the spirit. When an Elf died the hroa was left behind, it died off and became nothing more than dust. The fea, meanwhile, was sent to the Halls of Mandos where the Keeper of the Dead kept them in the Halls of Waiting. The hroa remained on Arda whilst the fea lingered in the peace of Mandos' Halls for all eternity. Once divided the two could not rejoin. Only once had such a thing happened. Glorfindel, ancient Captain of Gondolin, had been resurrected, his spirit rejoined with his body and sent back to Middle Earth.

No matter how much Galadriel tried to reason it, the Queen could not come back, not in physical or spectral form. Legolas must have also known this. After a while he had worked it out. Yet, Galadriel had felt the Prince's relief when he first saw his mother back at his side and then the utter devastation upon realising she wasn't real after all. When the Queen had died it had broken Legolas and each reminder sent him a little closer to the edge, not that he would ever tell anyone about it. In fact, only the closest people to him knew anything about it. His father and Galadriel, Celeborn and Elrond had been there whenever Legolas needed them.

Thranduil, of course, had always been there for his son. The King himself suffered greatly over his wife's death and had at first found it hard to comfort his shattered son but his sense of love and duty had won over and he had been there faithfully for Legolas ever since. But then, Legolas had been as much as a support for Thranduil as the other way around. He was, after all, the only remaining testament of the Queen's life and Thranduil had held Legolas close to him ever since, becoming almost insanely protective over his only son.

The guilt that Legolas had suffered over his mother's death – he believed he had been the reason for her death when he had left her alone with the Orcs – had only made things harder. Thranduil, although still mourning the death of his wife, had been with his son through every horrific nightmare he had suffered, every night he couldn't close his eyes because of the images of his battered and broken mother that haunted him.

And now this had all been dragged up again, brought once more to the forefront of Legolas' mind. Galadriel knew that the Prince was stronger now. He was older and more capable of taking care of himself but she also understood that, where his mother was concerned, he was still worryingly fragile.

Galadriel could only hope that he was strong enough to cope with this; to hold himself together until he had a chance to lean on his father for support. Thranduil himself was no doubt frantic with worry by now. This would be a real test for Legolas and Aragorn. The young man would learn more about Legolas than he ever had before and, whether he knew it yet or not, would need every ounce of his strength to help his friend through this.

The Lady of Light saw all of this in her Mirror. She felt all of it. Now she could only do one thing for her friends. She swept into her husband's office and related to him everything she had seen in the Mirror.

"I'll summon the Galadhrim," Celeborn said firmly, standing and striding out of the room without further question or comment. If they couldn't heal the Prince of Mirkwood's pain they could at least aid in his escape.

**To Be Continued…**

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**Translations:**

**Mellon nin – **My friend

**Arda – **Earth


	38. Spreading the Blame

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing Tolkien created.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

**Sold Into Ruin**

**~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~***

**A/N: Over 200 reviews!!!! Amazing. Thank you so much everyone who's left a review. Enjoy the next chapter.**

**~*~**

**Chapter 38 ~ Spreading the Blame**

**~*~**

Although dreams still haunted him, Legolas slept far more soundly than he had the night before. He felt Aragorn close to him, which allowed him to relax slightly, even though the man was clearly fast asleep as well. He felt safe in his friend's arms; as much as he hated to admit it he needed that close contact. The ghostly image of his mother was still at the forefront of his mind but by now he had convinced himself that she wasn't real - just like Torvan hadn't been real. He had been a spectre of some kind and that was just what his mother was: a figment of his imagination.

He tried not to dwell on it too much, knowing it would only bring back those horrific memories again. He had already given too much away to Kallon due to his unusually fragile mind; he couldn't afford to break again. For Aragorn's sake as much as his own he couldn't afford to break.

~*~

**Mirkwood…**

Thranduil dejectedly walked out of yet another cave. He didn't know why they were even bothering to search them. Legolas would have no need to hide inside Mirkwood. If he was in the Great Forest he would have already found a way to return to the palace. He knew the forest too well to get lost and Thranduil doubted very much he would have voluntarily veered off the established roads through the forest, knowing the dangers all around him, especially as he had Estel with him.

As much as he wanted to believe that his son was fine and out playing games with the man he called his friend, Thranduil simply couldn't. The image of his son's tortured face continued to race ceaselessly through his mind, each time filling him with a new determination to bring his child home safely.

That Elrond was also worried about Estel and Legolas made the king even more certain that something was seriously wrong. The Lord of Imladris had sent a letter by bird a while ago asking if the two travellers had arrived safely in Mirkwood. Correspondence between Mirkwood and Rivendell had been somewhat limited of late what with the tensions between the two kingdoms but now Thranduil wanted to be in constant contact with the Half-Elf that he usually did his very best to avoid.

Some time ago Thranduil had convinced himself that all of this was entirely Estel's fault. Whether this was true or not was irrelevant but he needed to blame someone. The man was just the most obvious and convenient choice.

~*~

**Rivendell…**

Elrond had already prepared his horse, left instructions with his advisors Glorfindel and Erestor and was all ready to leave. When he had been told the day before that Thranduil was also worried about the safety of his son he had decided to go in search of them himself. The King of Mirkwood was searching around his own forest so Elrond would take the same route Legolas and Aragorn had presumably taken from Rivendell in the hope of tracking them down. It was a long shot. The two adventurers were known for changing their plans suddenly and had left so long ago that there would be very few signs of them left on the road but Elrond was trying to remain positive.

Elladan and Elrohir had also insisted on coming along, convincing their father that the more people out looking the better and of course the Lord of Imladris could not travel alone. Besides, the twins often travelled these roads and knew it better than most. They had ventured out with Legolas and Estel on occasion and probably knew what roads the pair would take better than Elrond. The Lords of Imladris were also bringing along three of Rivendell's best guards. If his son was in trouble Elrond was going to do everything in his power to get him out of it.

There was one major drawback to this plan: it would mean they would eventually have to go to Mirkwood. Although the animosity between the two kingdoms had dulled significantly over the years the Peredhel family were hardly welcome in the Woodland Realm under normal circumstances. This time though Thranduil had been remarkably forthcoming in his invitation to help in the search, although he had sounded far more concerned about Legolas than Aragorn and Elrond got the distinct impression that he already blamed the Man for whatever was happening to his own son. However, Thranduil didn't really have a problem with Elrond personally; he did after all trust him with his son's life. Relations between the kingdoms remained strained though. Still, if there was ever a time they had to come together it was now.

"Are we ready?" Elrond asked. Elladan and Elrohir vaulted easily onto their horses as only Elves could and nodded to their father.

"Ready, my Lord," the lead guard said.

"Let's go." With that they clattered out of the courtyard.

~*~

Kallon walked into the cell again, although this time he was completely calm, no shouting or screaming. They had been waiting for this moment ever since Legolas had been returned so they weren't at all surprised. They didn't move from their spots on the floor; their wounds were still too painful for that. Kallon simply smiled and closed the door quietly behind him.

"I must admit that so far I am very impressed," he said, standing watching as Legolas and Aragorn glared up at him. "You have certainly lasted far longer than most." Still they didn't move, thinking this was yet another trick. "Oh, don't worry, you're not going back to the Torture Room today. I don't know about you but I could do with a break. That last session was just exhausting," he laughed, his eyes fixed on Legolas.

"What do you want then?" Aragorn asked, making no protest as Legolas moved away from him and leaned back against the wall so as not to appear quite so vulnerable.

Kallon laughed. "Nothing. Absolutely nothing." He smiled down at them. "In fact, I'm sending you back to your building."

"What?" Legolas said, not quite believing what he was hearing.

"Yes. You have nothing more to give me. You can both go back to your building. You will be allowed a few days to recover from your injuries before you go back down the mines." Legolas and Aragorn looked at each other; they were both waiting for the inevitable catch.

"Why?" Aragorn asked.

"Because you are no good to me as you are. I have absolutely no more use for you as anything but slaves. Now, get up." Legolas and Aragorn looked at each other again, not knowing what to expected next. It wasn't like Kallon to give something for nothing. "You don't trust me. I can't really blame you; sometimes I don't trust me either. I can assure you though you have nothing to worry about. I have all the information I need about you so you can just relax and go back to the building and use that magical healing ability you both seem to possess to recover. Now get up and go before I change my mind." Now, that sounded more like Kallon.

Legolas slowly pulled himself up off the ground, not wincing once, knowing that the man was watching his every move. Aragorn, not having Legolas' ability to keep a straight face, had a little more trouble and Legolas helped him to his feet watching the man as closely as Kallon was.

Instead of grabbing them or knocking them back down, Kallon merely went to the door and tapped on it. The door swung open and Kallon walked out, standing aside and allowing them to leave. Still going cautiously, the two friends walked out, limping slightly from their injuries.

"Take them back to House Six," Kallon instructed the giant guard waiting outside for them. "Do not harm them anymore. They're already too…" He stopped himself before he could say anything more. Legolas knew in that instant that there was something very wrong with this. He had only been there a few weeks but he already knew Kallon well enough. Nothing happened without a reason in this place and that usually meant Kallon was planning something.

However, nothing happened during the slow but short walk back to their building. The giant guard escorting them was completely silent, not making any threatening moves towards them and letting them set the pace. Legolas didn't take his eyes of him though.

The gates opened and Legolas and Aragorn walked in, knowing that any attempt to disobey might change Kallon's generous mood for the worse.

They limped back to the building, ignoring the people who had begun to gather around them, shocked to see someone returning from the Hold alive. Legolas was holding onto Aragorn's arm to support the clearly unsteady man. Although Legolas had suffered greatly in the Hold, Aragorn seemed in far worse shape.

When they reached the building and walked inside there was complete silence. Everyone seemed to have stopped, all shocked to see them. Jadan pushed his way to the front of the crowd, both angry and surprised to see them. If their situation hadn't been so bad, Legolas could have laughed at the stunned look on his face.

"What are you doing back here? Kallon…"

"Kallon let us go," Legolas snarled, hating the man just as much now as he did before.

"You…"

"Just don't," Aragorn warned, going to walk away.

Jadan took another step forward. Before it could escalate though Jasmine stepped forward, cutting in between them to prevent a fight. "Jadan, don't," she warned. Turning to Legolas and Aragorn she smiled gently, took Aragorn's hand and led them towards their bench. "Are you alright?" she asked. The crowd were still staring at them. "What are you looking at?" she snapped, sitting Aragorn down on the bench. Everyone turned away and began chatting about Legolas' and Aragorn's miraculous return.

Aragorn smiled up at Legolas and Jasmine and then looked back down at the floor.

"Let me have a look at you," Legolas said, kneeling down, successfully keeping a wince from crossing his face.

"I think you're the one who needs help, mellon nin," Aragorn said, smiling at his friend.

"You do look in worse shape, Estel," Jasmine reasoned gently. This, of course, was a complete lie. It looked as if Legolas himself was about to topple over at any minute but Aragorn did look very slightly worse for wear and was less able to bear the pain.

"You cannot possibly argue with that," Legolas laughed.

He gently removed the strips of fabric Torvan had used to bandage Aragorn's wounds and they seemed to have worked well enough because none of the wounds were bleeding, for which Legolas was very grateful. Thankfully, there was no obvious sign of infection either, which would have been disastrous as Legolas had no healing herbs to hand if Aragorn were to get sick. He carefully washed the wounds off with the ration of water they found; apparently Kallon had left it for them - this surprised Legolas but he didn't complain.

Aragorn lay completely still and watched while Legolas worked. The Elf was making a valiant effort to keep his hands steady under Aragorn's scrutiny. Jasmine was holding onto the man's hand and Aragorn squeezed it gently. Legolas glanced into Aragorn's grey eyes and he thought he saw something rather strange there when the man looked at Jasmine – a kind of coy affection for her. Ignoring it for the time being, Legolas continued to redress Aragorn's wounds.

When he was done he pulled the blanket further over Aragorn and told him to rest. The man looked as though he was about to protest but then thought better of it and turned over to sleep, knowing this rest would not last long.

Legolas knelt for a moment, watching his companion. Aragorn quickly drifted off to sleep just as Legolas thought he would. Although he tried to deny it, the man was obviously exhausted. Legolas knew he had been alert all night looking after him. Legolas felt that same tiredness himself. All the memories of his past and his mother had caught up with him that night and now he couldn't shift the image of her broken body from his mind.

In some ways, Legolas felt like the frightened Elfling he had been when he ran through the palace of Mirkwood, desperately searching for his father to inform him of his mother's capture. Only this time there was no King Thranduil there to hold him tightly, to reassure and protect him. Now he had the added responsibility of Aragorn and Jasmine. Still, as much as he tried to push his mother's face from his mind he couldn't. He had spent so many years trying to forget that day and up until now he had done reasonably well.

However, such a thing was easy in Mirkwood. People there respected him, they obeyed his orders as Crown Prince and Thranduil would do or say nothing to upset his only son. Here though he had no control over people and Kallon knew that. It wasn't so easy to erase her from his mind when the man had so blatantly thrust her forth again. Even though he knew the image hadn't been real he couldn't help that surge of joy at her initial appearance. He had been ready to accept her even though her life was an impossibility. Even now he had to remind himself that she was just an illusion.

This, of course, had all been part of Kallon's plan. He knew exactly what effect such an image would have on the Prince of Mirkwood who had suffered so terribly at the death of the person more precious to him than anyone else in the world.

Kallon also knew that it would bring up vivid memories of the physical pain Legolas had suffered during his younger years. It was often forgotten that Legolas himself had been tortured by the Orcs. His wounds had not been directly life-threatening. In fact, he had gotten off remarkably lightly considering what they had done to the Queen. Still, for an Elfling it was such a devastating thing, made all the worse by his mother's suffering.

Jasmine's gentle hand on his shoulder pulled him from his dark thoughts and he found that he had been sat there thinking for some time as people were slowly coming back into the building to sleep.

"Will you let me look at your wounds now?" she asked carefully as though he might shatter if she spoke too loudly.

Legolas smiled, more to reassure her than because he felt like it. "Yes," he said simply, not trusting himself to say anything else. "Yes, thank you."

**To Be Continued…**

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	39. Dreamlands

**Disclaimer: **I own nothing Tolkien created.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

**Sold Into Ruin**

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**A/N: Thanks so much for reviewing and please keep telling me what you think of this, I love hearing from you. A little incentive for you: it was my birthday yesterday so it would be a wonderful belated present to get a few reviews in my inbox. Thanks and enjoy the chapter.**

**~*~**

_**A/N: **__Dream sequences are in italics in this chapter._

**~*~**

**Chapter 39 ~ Dreamlands**

**~*~**

Legolas finally drifted off into a light sleep, although he had no idea what time it was. Jasmine was already fast asleep beside him – they had allowed Aragorn to stay sleeping on the bench; much to Legolas' protest, he had tried to persuade her that the man would be just fine on the floor but she had insisted the man keep his place seeing as he was injured.

Legolas had laid there on the uncomfortable floor for almost an hour after he had fallen asleep, thinking about everything he had seen and heard in the Hold. There were so many questions buzzing around his head and so few answers to go with them.

After a while of running through the dizzying array of facts, his mind had finally given into his body's screaming urge for sleep and Legolas' eyes had slipped closed, as was customary when the Elven body was in desperate need of healing as Legolas' was right then.

However, the Prince's sleep was not going to be wholly peaceful. Kallon had made sure of that in his torture room.

~*~

**Mirkwood…**

Thranduil had finally given in to the pleas of his advisors and guards and had retreated to his chambers to rest. He thought it was a ridiculous idea though and decided to just lay awake, thinking up strategies for his son's rescue until the sun rose and he could resume the search with his guards. The day, though, seemed to have caught up with him and pretty soon his eyes went blank and his breathing slowed as he drifted into a dream-filled sleep, still fully clothed in his travelling gear.

~*~

Legolas rolled over in his sleep, muttering something incoherent. Then the dreams came…

*~*

_He was standing in an empty cave. It was far too dark to really see anything. Even though there was clearly light at the entrance to the cave none of it seemed to penetrate the darkness within. When he really concentrated hard he heard a gentle whooshing, like the sound of falling water. Not knowing what else to do, he followed the sound, trusting his ears to substitute for his lack of vision. He was still afraid of what laid before him though. The sounds were leading him further into the cave, further into the darkness._

_After what seemed like hours of walking with no sign of the elusive water source, Legolas stopped and reassessed the situation. He still couldn't see anything, although he could have sworn he had seen a dim light coming from the direction in which he was heading. He went boldly towards the faint light, not knowing where it would lead him but trusting that he would know should something bad be about to happen. This light seemed friendly, like it would sooner lead him to answers than to his death. Trusting his mostly reliable instincts, he continued onwards._

_The path he was taking seemed impossibly long but he was now certain he was getting closer to the light. Strangely, the light behind him was as bright as ever despite him having taken several sharp bends in search of this new light source. Although this was impossible, Legolas reasoned that everything would be explained once he reached the new light and sound._

_In the end his patience and boldness paid off. Eventually, he not only came upon the source of light but the water as well, although now it was completely silent. It appeared that he had been correct in his initial assumptions. It was indeed a waterfall, but not as he expected. The water seemed to be flowing from the sheer rock, which glowed softly with an almost ethereal silver light. The water itself was perfectly clear, like nothing Legolas had ever seen before. It fell noiselessly into a large silver basin, which was filled to the brim with the sparkling water yet never seemed to overflow no matter how much poured into it. For a moment, Legolas was totally enraptured by this sight, as though it were almost hypnotic._

_However, the light distracted him again and he reluctantly turned away. The light was not as white as he had first thought but was made up of many different colours, some of which Legolas couldn't even put names to. The best way he could describe it was like mother of pearl; creamy, bright but not blinding, filled with numerous soft colours - peach, pink, blue, yellow - all so soft they were almost indistinguishable from the overall colour._

_It was hard to tell where exactly the light was coming from. There didn't appear to be any source within the cave and it didn't come from the waterfall, which continued to flow unnaturally silently. This, Legolas decided, was a very strange and magical place. Yes, there was great magic here, although again Legolas didn't know what its source was._

_The situation became even more confusing when he heard a soft singing. It was Elven music for certain but Legolas didn't know the song or the soft harp music that accompanied it. It was more beautiful than anything he had ever heard before and yet it sounded vaguely familiar to him. Again he didn't know where it came from and it had started so suddenly that he had no idea who could be singing it. He looked around again and confirmed there was no one else in the cave with him. This part of the cave was a little brighter than that which he had just walked through and that calmed him and he found himself feeling almost relaxed now._

"_Legolas," a voice whispered, so gently Legolas barely heard it. However, he strained to listen and heard it again. "Legolas." It was melodic, more like a musical note than a word. Although he didn't know from where it originated – just like everything else he had encountered – he walked in the direction of the pearly light, somehow knowing it would lead him to the owner of the voice._

_Upon further inspection he came across some strange, elegant markings on the sheer wall. They appeared to have been etched in either silver or mithril. There were two tall trees with leaves and beautiful blossoms on either side and what looked like a white horse in the centre. Legolas didn't recognise the insignia but then he didn't really expect to. Somehow knowing it was the right thing to do, Legolas put his hand on the silver etchings and found that not only was the wall slightly warm to the touch but that it could also be walked right through._

_The wall itself, when touched, was completely solid and yet he stepped through it as though he were some kind of phantom or spectre. Strangely unfazed by this supernatural ability, Legolas looked around him. He had apparently not only found the source of the light, which seemed to defy all laws of physics previously determined, but also the source of the water and singing. The land he now stood in was filled with laughter, just like his home had once been before the darkness and evil had smothered its beauty. This, though, was not Mirkwood, not even Greenwood the Great as it had once been called or Eryn Lasgalen as it would one day be known. This was somewhere completely new. Whether it was from his imagination or not, Legolas couldn't decide nor did he much care right then._

_He took a step forward and the grass crunched gently under his feet, the dew soaking through his thin shoes. Up above, birds sang in the bright canopy, through which the strange pearly light shone as though it were the light of the sun._

_Hearing the laughter and singing again, Legolas walked towards it, stopping to admire the stream of perfectly clear water – presumably the source of the waterfall in the cave. There were people sitting on its banks, smiling and happy, taking no notice of him whatsoever. This didn't trouble him and he continued down the path towards the singing._

_All around him were the most beautiful people he had ever seen – all Elves by the looks of them – filled with the mythical light of the stars and moon and sun and more perfect than any living creature on Arda. Although he didn't know any of them personally, a few of them smiled or waved at him as though he were an old friend returning to the fold after years in the imperfect world on the other side of the cave wall and he waved back, his heart suddenly lighter than it had been in a long time._

_Now Legolas realised that he had also changed. He was no longer in the battered, stained prison garments but in a startlingly beautiful silver tunic with grey leggings and a delicate circlet of Mithril on his head – his customary Mirkwood crown. His eyes shone bright crystalline blue and his body was bathed with the flawless light of the Eldar once more, even though that was impossible given everything he had been through in the encampment. Every other person he saw was dressed in much the same fashion, although they didn't wear crowns. Apparently, he was a prince in this place as well as in the much crueller world outside._

_Finally, Legolas reached the person singing and despite everything he had seen since his arrival, the identity of the mystery singer shocked him, even though he thought he should have expected it. It was his mother._

~*~

**Mirkwood…**

Thranduil tossed restlessly in his bed. His thoughts kept straying to Legolas and his rest was not peaceful. Dreams haunted his sleep.

*~*

_He was walking through an empty, scorched field. It was night-time but the stars were veiled by cloud or smoke, he couldn't tell which. The Mountain of Fire was in the distance, spewing red hot rock from its summit, a truly terrifying sight to behold even in the dream world. The air was hot and close and Thranduil thought he would choke on the fumes that swirled within it. He glanced around but could see very little of interest. The sky was black, as was the field on which he was standing. The remains of trees stood all around him, they appeared to have been burned to charred skeletons by the evil which obviously ruled here._

_Turning slowly around, Thranduil tried to work out where exactly he was. He had travelled far, even into Mordor itself, but he did not recognise this place, even when he tried to imagine it with trees, as it had obviously been before its destruction. The Mountain of Doom was the only landmark and it seemed out of place in this flat, barren land. He came to the conclusion that this was definitely not Mordor._

_Just when Thranduil was ready to scream in frustration at his disorientation he saw a figure on a large black horse galloping across the field towards him. The rider wore a long, black cloak, which as well as covering his body also his face. When he got to Thranduil he leapt off the horse and stood before the confused Elf. The King wanted to run but found himself paralysed and captivated by this new mysterious person. He got the feeling that this being was about to tell him something very important._

"_Welcome," it said. Its voice was inhuman, harsh and broken and yet Thranduil still did not think that it was one of Sauron's servants. "I am the Master."_

*~*

**To Be Continued…**

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**Translations**

**Arda – **Earth

~*~


	40. A Disturbing Night

**Disclaimer: **I own nothing Tolkien created.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

**Sold Into Ruin**

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_**A/N: **__Dream sequences are in italics in this chapter_

**~*~**

**A/N: Thanks so much for reviewing and for your birthday wishes, both are much appreciated. Now here's the next chapter for you.**

**~*~**

**Chapter 40 ~ A Disturbing Night**

**~*~**

_Legolas stood before the figure of his mother in stunned silence. He didn't know what to say or do. He remembered seeing her earlier in the Hold but this was different somehow. He knew this was a dream rather than a trick. He wasn't afraid this time, in fact, it all seemed perfectly logical to him now._

_Sitting down next to her, Legolas watched her in silent fascination. She continued singing as if she hadn't seen his approach and although he wanted to know why he was there and what she was he didn't want to interrupt the beautiful song._

_When she had sung the final note she looked up at him. Her beautiful face was ghostly pale; but her blue eyes were shining with love and joy, something Legolas never remembered about his mother after seeing her cold and pain-clouded eyes in the cave. Although he knew this was a dream he couldn't help but be completely enchanted by her and found himself wondering if he could just stay here forever._

_After a few moments of uncomfortable silence, Nienna spoke._

"_My little Greenleaf," her voice was more melodic than when Kallon had shown her to him earlier, again like a musical note. "It is so good to see you again. I have missed you so much." Although she spoke with much emotion her face didn't change its blank expression, as though she were carved of white stone._

"_Why am I here? And where is here?" Legolas asked, although there was no sense of urgency in his voice._

"_Is this not where you want to be?" she asked._

"_I…" Legolas didn't know quite how to respond to this. It seemed like such an odd question. This was, after all, just a dream._

"_A dream?" his mother questioned. Legolas started. She had read his mind. He didn't recall his mother ever being able to probe minds during her life. "You are afraid of me, are you not?"_

"_No, Nana. How could I be afraid of you? You raised me, made me everything I am today," Legolas protested quickly._

"_I think you confuse me with your father, Legolas. It was he who raised you, not me. And he did a fine job by the looks of you. You have grown into an intelligent young prince, just as we always hoped you would."_

"_I don't understand what this is."_

"_I know you don't and perhaps you will never fully understand but know this: you are here because I know how you suffer at the hands of those Men and I want to help you." Her voice became more urgent and for the first time she looked Legolas right in the eyes. Then he saw it. She was not real. In fact, she was almost transparent, like a ghost…_

"_How? How can you help me?" he asked gently, trying to keep the disappointment from his voice and failing miserably._

"_By giving you one important piece of advice," she answered enigmatically._

"_What advice?"_

"_Trust yourself above all else."_

_That was it? That was the only advice she could give him? He had been hoping for something a little more practical; perhaps directions on escape from the encampment or ways of manipulating their captors._

"_Do not be disheartened. This will make sense when the time is right," she said, reading his thoughts again. "You will understand all of this eventually and although it seems impossible and confusing at the moment that will pass and out of the fog of confusion will appear the clarity of truth." This definitely didn't sound like his mother._

_~*~_

_**Mirkwood…**_

"_Master? Master of what?" Thranduil asked suspiciously now utterly confused._

"_That is not important and there is no time to go into detailed explanations. Just know that I am trying to help your son."_

"_My son? How do you know Legolas?" Thranduil demanded, instinctively reaching for his sword. However, he found that he couldn't pull it from its sheath no matter how hard he tried. He looked back up to the Master, who now stood watching him, a smirk on his face._

"_You cannot harm me, King Thranduil. No one can harm me," the Master said calmly._

_In this world the Master was young, not old as he was in the 'real world'. His voice was fair and strong, not weak and broken like it had been in the Dark Room. He knew that doing this, entering someone's mind like this was risky, not just because of the side-effects such a trip brought upon him but also the chance that he might get caught doing it. The men, although they feared him, would have no problems ending his life should they discover his actions._

"_What are you and what have you got to do with Legolas?" Thranduil demanded; just because he couldn't use his weapon didn't mean he was going to be intimidated._

"_Have you not figured it out yet, Your Majesty? I am the one holding your son."_

_~*~_

_Legolas watched as his mother got up and gracefully walked to the nearest tree. She placed her hand on the large trunk and closed her eyes. Legolas got up and joined her, looking up into the full, green canopy. He marvelled at the colour of the sky, it was now the clearest blue he could imagine with not a cloud in sight and birds flying happily by singing and playing with each other in the treetops._

"_I don't understand this, Nana. This cannot be real and yet everything is so…" he stopped and reached out to touch the tree. It was definitely solid, not merely a mirage._

"_It is real because I choose it to be," she answered cryptically. She turned to him. "It is real because _you _choose it to be."_

_~*~_

_**Mirkwood…**_

"_Listen whatever you want from me, you can have it. Money, treasure, land. Anything. Just give me back my son," Thranduil pleaded with shameless desperation._

"_I do not want your money or land. In fact, I want nothing from you, King Thranduil," the Master replied coolly._

"_Then what? Why do you have my son?"_

"_Because I have no choice," the Master sighed. His time here was growing short and he didn't have the patience for so many questions._

"_What is that supposed to mean?"_

"_It means I have no choice," the Master shouted. He took a deep breath and composed himself. "It is difficult to explain."_

"_Try."_

_The Master hesitated, not knowing whether explaining all this to Legolas' father was a particularly wise idea. "Very well then. I work for the men who are holding your son. It is not for ransom; they are far too clever for that. They are holding him and Aragorn for another reason."_

"_For what 'reason'?"_

"_Please Thranduil, let me finish. These men are running a mining facility. That is why your son is being kept there. They are aware of who he really is but that is not important to them, all they care about is making a profit and to do that your son needs to work."_

"_What work?" Thranduil asked, dreading the answer._

"_Mining. Listen, for I have little time," the Master scolded. "Your son will be fine; it is not him they are really interested in at the moment. It is Aragorn."_

"_Wait a minute. Who is Aragorn?" Thranduil questioned, trying to keep up with this strange conversation._

_The Master shot him a baffled look before answering. "The heir to the ancient throne of Gondor." When Thranduil merely shrugged, the Master continued. "Estel. The Man Legolas travels with."_

"_Estel? The heir to Gondor?" Thranduil laughed. "I think you're a little confused."_

"_It is clearly you who are confused," the Master snapped. "Of course your son couldn't tell you, secrecy is paramount in these matters." The smile fell from Thranduil's face at this. It was true that the Ranger's past was shrouded in mystery, a fact that he never even tried to put right. Thranduil knew so little about the man and he had never taken the time or trouble to ask Legolas about it, trusting that his son could make the right decisions regarding his friends. Besides, Thranduil didn't like the man so had no desire to know anything more than necessary about him. That Legolas would keep something so important from him though worried Thranduil greatly._

"_I can't believe it," Thranduil murmured._

"_Do try," the Master shot back. "Trust me you will need to know as much about Kallon's intentions as you can if you're going to face him."_

"_Kallon?"_

"_The man holding your son and Aragorn. He is the most dangerous man in the whole encampment. He has already hurt your son numerous times, shown him things no one should ever have to witness and despite my insistences that he should be left alone, Kallon will do anything to get information from them." Seeing the terrified look in Thranduil's eyes, the Master continued, "Worry not, Thranduil. Your son is holding on – as is Aragorn – but for how much longer Kallon will keep them alive I do not know. Kallon knows Legolas' greatest weakness - his mother - and he will use it as much as he needs to to get what he wants."_

"_If anything happens to my son, I swear I will kill every one of you," Thranduil growled his hands clenched in fists at his sides, having to mentally restrain himself from lashing out._

"_Save your aggression for the real enemy."_

"_Tell me where my son is," Thranduil said, his patience growing dangerously thin._

"_I cannot."_

"_Why?"_

"_Just because…" The Master was suddenly cut off by something Thranduil was unaware of. "I have little time left. I must go."_

"_Wait, what is all this about? And why are you telling me all this?"_

"_I am visiting you to distract them. I am doing this to help Legolas. He is speaking with someone right now and what he finds might help bring him back from the edge of darkness on which he is so precariously balanced."_

"_What do you mean?" Thranduil asked, keeping his eyes fixed on the image of the Master, which was fading slowly from sight._

"_He is speaking to his mother."_

_The Master disappeared then and Thranduil's view of the landscape suddenly changed. Instead of seeing the barren land he himself was still standing in he found saw a beautiful, flourishing garden and in the distance he saw his son…and his wife._

_~*~_

_Legolas stared at his mother, not knowing if she was going to say anything more. After a few moments silence he decided to question her, wanting to get as much information from her as possible._

"_Nana, why am I even here? How am I here? Is this really just a dream?"_

"_Of course it is a dream. You know why you're here. I have already explained that. As for how, I confess that I am not entirely sure myself. I only know that your father is helping you somehow."_

"_Ada? What does he have to do with this?"_

"_Look." His mother pointed off into the distance. Legolas followed her finger and saw in shock that the sky was now dark and heavy and filled with angry red fire. Through the flames, Legolas saw his father, standing proud but confused, watching him. Now Legolas was utterly confused. His father hadn't been there before and yet there he was, as clear to him as his mother was. Legolas knew that Thranduil was 'real'; somehow his father was really there, although he couldn't explain how or why._

_~*~_

_Thranduil looked up into the patch of clear blue sky where his son was still standing. Legolas was now staring at him, looking as utterly bewildered by this as the king himself was._

"_What is this? It's not possible," Thranduil said to himself._

_Even though he wasn't expecting an answer to his mutter as the Master had faded away when the 'gateway' had opened, a soft voice came through the air, as though carried on the wind. "That is your son and your wife."_

"_But my wife is dead. She has been for many years. She died when Legolas was just an Elfling," Thranduil defended in a rush of facts._

"_Yes, I know. Please understand why I had to bring you here. Your son needed to talk to her, to begin to understand what all this is about. You being in this place allowed him to be there. It's complicated but necessary. Trust me."_

"_You haven't given me much cause to trust you so far," Thranduil said, not taking his eyes off his son, who seemed to be frozen in time._

"_You have to help your son. One way or another, sooner or later, Legolas is going to need you. Even if he can escape from Kallon the consequences are not going to be easy for him to bear," the Master explained wisely._

"_What do you mean?"_

"_Know this: your son has seen things, been through torture and he stays strong but this is not the end. There is more to come and Kallon will do everything in his power to break the two of them. He knows nothing else. Kallon wants nothing more than to see them suffer."_

"_Legolas," Thranduil whispered despairingly._

"_Find him and do it quickly. I cannot help you any further or they will see. You must be quick, Thranduil."_

_With that the Master disappeared completely and Thranduil was left standing alone watching his son._

_After what seemed like an eternity, the image began to waver before his eyes. Thranduil watched in horror as the scene above him changed. Legolas' elegant clothes fell from his body to reveal a ripped prison uniform, the faded number '6112' printed on either side. Legolas' exposed body was covered in cuts and bruises and his face was deathly pale and stained with tears. Although at first Thranduil thought this to be the future he suddenly realised that it was actually the present. Whatever Kallon was doing, this was the immediate effect._

_Thranduil's wife also changed. She was no longer dressed in her flowing white robes but in the dress in which she had died. It was ripped and torn, stained with blood – both Elven and Orkish – and dirt. Her face was twisted in agony, her mouth open and screaming in pain and despair. This was just how Thranduil had last seen her although she hadn't been alive at the time. She said something but he couldn't hear it. She was reaching out, for her son, Thranduil presumed._

_Before he could see what happened, the image vanished and he was back in the black, barren land._

_~*~_

_Legolas watched as the image of Thranduil changed. The King was no longer as he had just appeared or how Legolas remembered him. He was burnt, almost beyond recognition and Legolas could see flames still lapping at his tattered clothes. The King reached out his blackened hand to his son and spoke but Legolas couldn't hear the words._

_He looked over to his mother, hoping for answers but she had also changed. She was now how she had been in the cave._

"_Nana?"_

"_Legolas," she whispered. A horrific scream then burst from her lips, which were blackened with Orc blood. "Thranduil…" With that she was gone. She seemed to just fade away, like the spectre he had originally mistaken her for. He looked to where his father had been but the King had also disappeared. Everything was quiet in the garden now and Legolas suddenly felt very alone._

_~*~_

Legolas sat up suddenly, crying out softly as he exited the terrible, confusing nightmare. Everything in the building was still and quiet. Aragorn remained sleeping soundly on the bench and Jasmine was still asleep next to him. Legolas looked around the room but found nothing had changed since he had gone to sleep. The room was dark but there were no signs of the ghosts of his mother and father and he couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief at that.

He had no idea where those images came from but he knew they had more significance than any normal dream or nightmare. He remembered them with perfect clarity. Every single detail was etched into his waking memory; from the silent waterfall and the pearly light to his mother's sweet voice. Then he remembered his parents turning into hideous ghosts. His mother's image had been from the past but his father's could only have been from the future. This scared Legolas even more.

Even though he was more tired than he could ever remember being Legolas simply couldn't go back to sleep. To surrender to dreams again may bring back the terrible images of his parents and he knew he couldn't stand to see that again. So he just laid back down and tried to distract himself by watching small spiders weaving their webs across the rafters on the ceiling.

~*~

**Mirkwood…**

Thranduil sat up straight in bed. The room was pitch black and cold even for an Elf. He looked around the room, expecting the Master to be by his bed or the ghostly images of his wife and son to be staring back at him in their tortured forms but the room was as empty as when he had gone to bed.

He swung his legs over the side of the bed and stood up. For some reason he felt the urgent need for light so he quickly and somewhat shakily lit some candles and started a fire in the hearth. Although Elves were not affected by the cold, the temperature in the palace never dropped too low thanks to the hearty fires. Nevertheless, Thranduil felt a chill creeping through him that no amount of physical heat could warm.

The memory of his son and wife in such terrible states would not leave him and although it was a long time until dawn Thranduil knew he wouldn't be able to get back to sleep. He quickly decided that first thing in the morning he would increase the search. The Master hadn't given him much to go on but at least he had a name: Kallon. It wasn't much but it was enough for Thranduil.

Feeling rather restless, the King sat down at his desk and began composing a letter explaining everything he had just seen to Elrond. The Elven Lord might be able to help in the search. He was, after all, probably looking for Estel by now anyway. Thranduil made no mention of his newly acquired knowledge of Estel's true identity, realising that such sensitive information should not be written down and sent out freely across the lands. This was something for them to discuss at a later date when both their sons were safe. And they would discuss it whether Elrond liked it or not.

~*~

**Lothlorien…**

Galadriel jumped out of bed suddenly, startling her husband, Celeborn.

"What is it?" the Lord of the Golden Wood asked, lighting a candle and looking over at his wife who was now standing in the centre of the room, looking as though she had seen a ghost - or worse.

"Legolas," she whispered. "You monster," she then hissed, apparently talking to no one in particular.

Celeborn had never heard such venom in his fair wife's voice before. "My love, what is it?"

"The things he is showing Legolas…How the young Prince of Mirkwood suffers. Hurry Thranduil. Hurry to your son." Her voice was quiet but urgent and concerned Celeborn more than anything else his beloved could have said at that moment.

**To Be Continued…**

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

**Translations**

**Nana – **Mum

**Ada - **Dad


	41. Trails

**Disclaimer: **I own nothing Tolkien created.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

**Sold Into Ruin**

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**A/N: We're back in the real world now, folks. Enjoy the chapter and please review.**

**~*~**

**Chapter 41 ~ Trails**

**~*~**

**Borders of Imladris…**

"There are no signs left," Elladan said in annoyance, more to himself than to his father or brother.

Elrond answered all the same. "The weather has not been kind to us. The rain has washed away any trace that may have existed of your brother. It is no use looking for Legolas' tracks, our prince is far too careful to leave any trace of his passage behind." Elrond smiled, knowing Legolas' abilities all too well.

"Lucky for us Estel is such a heavy Man," Elrohir said, exciting laughter from his companions. He grimaced and corrected, "I didn't mean it like that. Men are not as light on their feet as Elves. If we are to find them we should look for Estel's tracks. He never was any good at covering his tracks."

Although his sons' banter could be annoying sometimes, Elrond was grateful for the lightening of the mood now, as were the guards accompanying them. The Elven Lord had been growing increasingly uneasy in the past days. His fear for Aragorn and Legolas was growing by the second and it didn't help that Thranduil was also deeply concerned. He trusted his instincts but they were sometimes clouded by the deep worry he felt for his family. Wisdom occasionally gave way to fear. That Thranduil was also worried assured Elrond that there really was something wrong. At least he knew he was on the right track. That was something.

Elrond had gotten word before they had left Rivendell that Thranduil was launching his own search in Mirkwood. Their combined plan was to cover as much ground as possible, follow the tracks of their respective sons in the hope of coming across something that would lead them to the two missing travellers. It wasn't the most sophisticated plan but right then it was all they had and Elrond was more than happy to do anything necessary to facilitate the search for his missing son.

"This is impossible," Elladan exclaimed, leaping back onto his horse when he was certain there was nothing to be found.

"Don't talk like that, Elladan," Elrohir chastised, looking nervously to their father, who was still examining the horizon. He knew how worried his father was about their foster brother and they had both vowed to stay positive for him. However, such things became difficult when they had also begun to despair of their brother's fate.

Elrond vaulted onto his horse, as did the guards, and all of them rode off in the general direction they thought Legolas and Aragorn might have taken. It was a guess but it was better than nothing.

~*~

**Mirkwood Forest…**

"We have to hurry," Thranduil shouted, leaping onto his stallion which stood patiently in front of the Captain. "We must hurry, my son needs me. Something is terribly wrong."

"Your Majesty, please slow down. We are going as fast as we can. We have formed a plan to search every inch of Mirkwood by…"

"No," Thranduil interrupted sharply, "he's not in Mirkwood. He is somewhere out there in the wilds, in the hands of Men – cruel Men. We must hurry, we have little time."

"My Lord, I don't understand. The Prince cannot be in the lands of Men," the Captain reasoned. "I cannot believe such a great warrior as Prince Legolas would fall to such a fate."

"Those were my thoughts also but I have since been enlightened as to my son's whereabouts."

"I'm sorry, my Lord, I don't understand."

"I had a dream last night. There was a strange Man clad in black robes, calling himself 'the Master'. He has my son but wants to help him. Legolas is being held in some kind of prison camp by evil Men who seek to use him as a slave and gain valuable information. I cannot allow such a fate to fall upon my son, not after everything he has suffered already at the hands of evil," Thranduil rushed out.

"A dream, My Lord?" the Captain asked incredulously. "With all due respect, Your Majesty, we can't base our tactical decisions on a dream no matter how vivid it may have been. And what information could the Prince possibly provide Men?"

"I am still the commander of this army, am I not? Now, summon the army. We ride for the lands of Men. I have no idea where this…prison is but I trust that I will be adequately guided. Either way, Legolas needs me and this is the best lead we have and I intend to follow it. As for the information the Prince possesses…it is nothing that concerns you. Hurry, I don't want my son to suffer a second longer than necessary."

The Captain, still bewildered, jumped onto his horse and started calling commands to the assembled Royal Guard. The King took his place at the front of his ranks once more, not allowing the army to carry the official banners of the King as usual. This journey, and no doubt its end, would be perilous enough without attracting unwanted attention.

~*~

Legolas and Aragorn watched as people filed dutifully out of the building. They had been dismissed when they had attempted to join the line, Kallon having ordered them to recover before they went back to work. Obviously, they were no good to him half alive. This actually annoyed them somewhat. They hated to think that Kallon considered them incapable of standing up to his punishments. They had certainly proven they could take his torture. Aragorn had at least. Legolas still felt bad for telling Kallon about the escape plan, although Aragorn had already reassured him that he had done nothing too damaging despite the fact the guards had been working during the night to seal up the well-hidden loose panel in the 6000 building so the slaves couldn't even get out of there once it was locked up.

Aragorn had tried to talk to Legolas about what happened with Kallon and his mother but the Prince had refused to say another word about it. Whenever Aragorn did bring it up, Legolas merely shrugged his shoulders, a very unusual thing for the proud and articulate Prince of Mirkwood to do, and dismissed his concerns. Aragorn knew that the prince had never spoken of his mother openly to anyone outside his family before so he wasn't overly surprised at his continued silence. He just wished there was something more he could do.

~*~

**Imladris…**

Ada, I think I've found something!" Elladan yelled, jumping from his horse, his eyes not leaving the traces on the muddy ground. He picked up a chunk of charred wood from amongst the grass. "Estel finally got sloppy; he didn't clear up a campsite properly," the older twin announced, holding up his blackened evidence for his companions to see.

"Good," Elrond exclaimed, dismounting his own horse to join his son on the ground. So far they had found so little evidence of the two travellers. Aragorn and Legolas always cleared away all traces of their camps, knowing it was too easy to be tracked by evil beings if they left any sign of their position. This was the first time they seemed to have slipped up.

Elrond glanced around, thinking about where his son might have gone. So far they had been following nothing more than their instincts, taking risks and using little-known short-cuts they thought the two friends might have taken, picking up what small clues they could find along the way.

"It was beginning to get bad," Elrond muttered to the skies, obviously referring to the weather. "They would have needed to find shelter. Legolas could have withstood the elements but Estel could not. Where would they have gone?" He walked over to his saddle bag and pulled out a map, crouching down and laying it flat on the ground. Elladan and Elrohir gathered around, looking down at the map, all trying to figure out what route they would have taken.

"There's a town a couple of leagues from here," Elrohir said, looking east and pointing it out on the map.

"It's a Human town," Elladan muttered, looking off in the same direction as his brother.

"No amount of rain would force them to go there. Estel knows better than that," the younger twin said, looking back to the map, which his father was still studying.

"I don't know. There's so little shelter here. No caves, only a few trees, not to mention the fact that there are Orcs crawling all over these lands. Maybe they had no other choice. Besides, Legolas would not allow Estel to suffer through his pride. He would have known how bad the weather was going to get and he would have known that Estel couldn't stand up to it as well as he could," Elrond reasoned, glancing up at his identical sons.

"But a town of Men? Ada, Legolas wouldn't risk it," Elladan said, sure he knew Legolas better than that.

"Maybe not but it's worth a try. We have nothing else to go on," Elrond said, rolling the map back up and looking in the direction of the town. "Come on, the quicker we do this the quicker we can get it over with."

Elladan and Elrohir looked at each other in concern while Elrond mounted his horse and gave instructions to the patiently waiting guards. Jumping onto their mounts the twins took off after their father and his guards. They got the feeling this wasn't a good idea. Towns of Men generally meant trouble. Their brother knew this but Elrond was right; maybe they didn't have any other choice.

~*~

Legolas and Aragorn slept all through the day, both needing the rest. Although they somewhat resented the fact Kallon thought they couldn't handle the work, they had to admit that the sleep would do them good, particularly Legolas.

Neither of them so much as stirred until people started filing back in that evening. Sitting up, Legolas watched the sad people intently. Somehow they looked even more dejected than ever.

When he had first seen the prisoners, Legolas had not understood how they could survive so much pain and despair. It defied the imagination of an Elf. Yet now he was beginning to understand. He understood how they had come to be like that; because that was exactly what was happening to himself and Aragorn. He looked like them, he worked like them, he even hurt like them. It was more worrying than anything else that he was beginning to resemble them. He was able to stand the pain, the emotional torture was bad but what he could not stand was the humiliation of it all. Legolas was a prince, and a proud one at that. He wasn't used to being out of control of such things.

Living his whole life as a prince gave Legolas a great social standing in Mirkwood and the other Elven realms. People respected him, loved him. Of course, he had had to earn their respect, working tirelessly with his people to ensnare their safety and comfort. The people loved him because he loved them and helped them through their own dark days, which were becoming increasingly common in these uncertain times.

Thranduil had always demanded respect. He was strong and powerful and his people loved him for it. They needed him to be strong and in complete control of the realm. But Legolas was the opposite of that – kind and caring – balancing the face of the Royal Family perfectly. Legolas knew he had to love his people, and they loved him for it. No matter what happened, he put them first. He had been taught how to deal with the public almost as soon as he was able to understand speech. Thranduil had assured that. He had personally taught him everything he would ever need to know about being a ruler and the young prince had taken it all on board as easily as anything else he had ever been taught.

So Legolas had learned from a very young age how to act around people, how to be friendly but demand respect at the same time. None of this worked with these Men, however. Kallon and the others were sometimes nervous around him, knowing from experience the power and dangerous unpredictability of the Elves, but they didn't respect him. Of course, in this place Kallon was in charge. He didn't have the same power here as Legolas had in Mirkwood but then there was always a stronger power and confidence in Royalty. Legolas' title didn't mean anything here though. In fact, hardly anyone knew about it – amongst the prisoners anyway. He guessed it would be more of a hindrance than a help in this place.

What was worrying was that Kallon seemed to know exactly how to manipulate Legolas' pride. The prince hadn't helped matters when he acted out upon arrival, not disrobing when ordered. In that moment he had given Kallon everything he needed for the future torment. It was his own fault. Unfortunately, he had also given Kallon what he needed for Aragorn, instantly showing that the man would do anything to keep his best friend safe.

Aragorn was also awakened by the people's return and he looked over to Legolas, who was sitting up watching the newcomers.

"Good morning," Aragorn mumbled through a wide yawn.

Legolas looked across at his sleepy friend and gave him a small, unconvincing smile. "I think it's evening actually," he replied dryly.

Aragorn smiled. "Legolas – an Elf – sleeping during the daylight hours?!" the man joked, showing mock shock at the revelation.

"It's not exactly a nice day, Estel. I think I prefer sleep to awareness in this place anyway."

It was true. Outside it was drizzling; a horrible, gloomy day. The people coming in were wet and miserable and the room itself was now freezing cold. This wouldn't normally affect Legolas but considering all he had been through the cold was getting to him and he couldn't help noticing that Aragorn was also shivering.

"I think I agree. It's like the weather matches our mood," Aragorn muttered to himself.

"A nice idea, Estel, but hardly likely," Legolas laughed.

"Evening," Jasmine interrupted, lowering herself down onto her part of the bench. Legolas handed her up his blanket, seeing her also shivering from cold. She nodded her thanks and wrapped it around herself. "How are you two feeling after your sleep?"

"Better," Aragorn answered, smiling gently up at her. Legolas merely nodded. "He doesn't like the rain," Aragorn explained his friend's behaviour.

"Me neither. I don't know why it has to be like this."

"The world needs rain, Jasmine," Legolas smiled.

"I know that. It just doesn't need to rain while I'm outside, that's all." At this, Legolas laughed; somewhat surprised that he still knew how to do so. Maybe all hope wasn't totally lost after all.

**To Be Continued…**

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

**Translations**

**Ada – **Dad


	42. The Handy Tavern Revisited

**Disclaimer: **I own nothing Tolkien created.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

**Sold Into Ruin**

**~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~***

**A/N: Thanks so much to everyone who has reviewed so far and everyone who is continuing to read. Enjoy the next chapter.**

**~*~**

**Chapter 42 ~ The Handy Tavern – Revisited**

**~*~**

**Two Days Later…**

Legolas and Aragorn continued their work down in the mines. One days' rest had been allowed to them after their 'confession session' with Kallon. Although it didn't seem like much, it allowed them time to begin to heal and so far their work hadn't been particularly taxing, no doubt under Kallon's orders and although they despised the man they couldn't help but feel a little grateful at the much-needed rest.

~*~

**The Handy Tavern…**

Elladan pushed the door open cautiously, not knowing quite what to expect. It was early in the morning before the sun had even risen and they had travelled all through the night, wanting to reach this place as soon as possible in hope of picking up the trail. If Legolas and Aragorn had gone anywhere in this town of Men it would be this tavern; a relative haven amidst possible dangers. Although this town looked reasonably unassuming all three Elves knew that there was often trouble lurking around the race of Men and in their eyes the Handy Tavern would be no different. They had pulled the hoods of their cloaks up to shadow their distinctive features conceal their true identities. They had no idea whether foreign travellers were well-received here or not and didn't want to take any risks. No doubt their quarry would have done the same thing in the uncertain, unknown environment. Legolas in particular would have insisted upon concealing their identity.

Aragorn would have probably blended in well in virtually any town but Legolas would quite obviously stand out amongst a crowd of Men. His fair features, slightly pointed ears and long blonde hair were all classic traits of his race and even the dimmest Man would have known he was Elf-kind had he walked in here and made no attempt to conceal his race.

Luckily for them the Tavern was pretty quiet, with only a dozen or so customers inside, most slumped over goblets of beer and wine. It was a shabby place, poorly decorated with just a few grubby tables and sturdy chairs. Only a couple of dim lamps lit the place although large, thick candles were burning on all the occupied tables. The bar was positioned right at the back of the room and to the left was a set of rather rickety looking stairs. Now the travellers looked at it they began to doubt that Legolas and Aragorn would have even considered staying here. Just by the look of the tavern, alarm bells should have warned them against lingering. The prospect that they didn't walk away suggested just how bad their situation had been when they stumbled upon the place.

The three crudely disguised Elves made their way towards the bar, seeing that the owner was polishing glasses with a rag behind it.

"Don't let them know who you are and let me do the talking," Elrond instructed quietly so only the twins could hear. They nodded, trusting that their father knew best in such matters. They had had very few dealings with Men, only meeting those who occasionally came to stay in the sanctuary of Imladris and even they tended to stay out of the way of the Elves until they moved on. Aragorn was a true brother to them but they were wise enough to understand that not all Men in the world were like Estel. He had the advantage of being not only Dunedain but also having been raised by Elves, which was reflected in his gentle temperament and good manners. However, these Men had not been raised by Elves and from the look of them they were neither well-tempered nor good-mannered.

"What can I get you, sirs?" the barman and owner asked eagerly, putting down the glass he was polishing on the bar and giving his new customers his undivided attention. He could smell money from a mile off and these people absolutely reeked of it.

"We are looking for two travellers. We think they passed through here a few weeks ago," Elrond said, leaning across the bar slightly so as not to be overheard by the other customers – although Elladan and Elrohir thought that none of them looked sober enough to care what went on around them anyway.

"They got names?" the man asked gruffly, disappointed that there would be no exchange of money in this particular transaction.

Elrond hesitated, not wanting to give their true names. He knew that both Legolas and Aragorn often gave false names in such places, neither wanting their true identities to be known. Unfortunately, the two rarely confided what these aliases were to anyone else, even their friends.

"You would have remembered them," Elrond replied diplomatically at length. "They would have been travelling for some days and come here seeking refuge, possibly during a recent storm."

"We get a lot of that round here. We are on a main road, you know? It's perfect for transporting goods of all kinds and most of them stop to refresh themselves and indulge in a little…rest," the owner grinned suggestively, startling the twins somewhat.

Elrond seemed completely unaffected by the man's words though and continued with his careful line of questioning. "They were not transporting goods."

"Can you describe them at least?" the owner asked with a sigh, clearly getting impatient and annoyed at these people now he realised that he wasn't going to be getting any money from them. More than that though, they made him extremely nervous.

"One is tall, dark hair. The other is only slightly taller. He would have kept his hood up at all times."

"Well spoken?" The barman leaned across the bar and whispered, "Elf?"

A look of shock passed over Elrond's shadowed features for a second before he recovered and answered, "Yes."

"Well, of course I remember _them_. It would be hard to forget, those two. The first thing that damned Elf did was start a fight in here. He never did pay me for the damage."

"So they were here," Elrohir said excitedly.

"Do you have any idea where they were going?" Elrond asked calmly, sending a warning look to his son.

Again the barman hesitated and narrowed his eyes. "Who wants to know?" he asked, suddenly looking suspiciously at Elrond.

"A friend."

"Funny, they said they didn't know anyone from these parts."

"I'm the man's father," Elrond said impatiently, no longer in the mood to play games with the man. "Now, tell me where they went," he shouted, slamming his hand down hard on the bar and startling the barman.

Now the owner was extremely suspicious. He wasn't an idiot, he had already worked out that these people were Elves.

"I don't think I should discuss the business of any of my customers with strangers. I've found it's bad for business," he said firmly, drawing himself up to his full height, which unfortunately was still considerably shorter than his three customers.

"Either you tell me where they went or I will personally make sure that someone from Gondor comes in here and closes you down. Now, I would imagine that would be _very_ bad for 'business', wouldn't it?" Elrond yelled, finally losing his temper with the man. This was the closest they had come to finding Aragorn and this barman was getting in their way.

"Ada, let me handle this," Elladan quickly stepped in, not wanting them to cause any more of a scene than they already were. "Look, the man who came here is my brother and I want to know where he is. We think he might be in trouble so we need to know where he was going. If you tell us I'll make it worth your while." Elladan boldly reached into Elrond's cloak pocket and pulled out a large pouch of gold coins.

The man looked at the bulging bag for a moment, obviously debating whether it was worth it. After all, last time he had accepted bribes it had ended up costing him dearly. Still, it looked like a lot of money. His mind was made up, however, when Elladan tipped some of the shining gold coins onto the counter, as though to prove their authenticity. The owner took a moment to inspect them and then smiled up at the older twin.

"Come with me," he said, swiping up the bag as soon as Elladan loosened his grip on it.

"Very well handled, ion nin," Elrond praised quietly, whilst Elrohir just looked on in mild shock at his brother's unexpected actions.

"Hannon le," Elladan grinned.

The owner led them up the creaky staircase, looking behind him to check that the silent-footed beings were still following. When he reached the top he was already out of breath but searching for his keys in his seemingly never-ending pockets. Finally, he pulled out a large bunch of thick iron keys, muttering under his breath about the height of the staircase they had just climbed.

"Ah, here we are," he exclaimed as they stopped at the room Aragorn and Legolas had occupied only briefly. "I had to patch it up the best I could after the mess they made in here. It was the best room in the whole place as well." He placed the key in the lock and turned it, opening the door for Elrond and the twins to see inside.

The first thing they saw was a man and woman in bed together. They both looked up sharply, hurriedly pulling the thin sheets up to cover themselves when the door opened. The owner sighed and walked over to the man, pulling him roughly out of bed by the arm. "Get out of here. Go on. And take her with you."

They quickly – and rather clumsily - gathered their clothes, which were scattered all over the room and the man left hurriedly, trying in vain to cover himself up with his garments, obviously embarrassed at being caught in the sordid act. The woman, however, ignored her nakedness and sauntered seductively over to Elrohir and pressed her thin body up against him. Her breath stank of cheap, potent alcohol; her face held too much thick make-up to be flattering and her body was hardly in the best physical shape.

"And is there anything I can do for you, kind sir?" she asked in what was supposed to be a seductive voice but which actually sounded hoarse and slurred. Elrohir gulped and leaned away in disgust and confusion, frantically looking to his father for help. The Elven Lord strode over, firmly took her arm and led her away from his uncomfortable son. He took her out into the corridor, reached into his pocket, pulled out a couple of gold coins and handed them to her.

"Go away, get cleaned up," he said, giving her a gentle push before walking back into the room and closing the door behind him. She stood there for a second before rushing down the stairs to by another mug of gin.

"Damned women using this place to - how can I say? - 'entertain' their male companions. Still, what can you do?" the owner laughed, not at all fazed by the disturbing scene that had just unfolded. Elrond merely shook his head sadly and looked around the room. Aragorn and Legolas really must have been desperate for shelter if they had stayed in this dump.

He walked to the window and hitched up the tattered curtains to look outside. At the clear view of the road, lit by torches through the town, he smiled. Clearly this was Legolas' choice of room. He could picture the cautious prince standing by this window, worriedly looking out for approaching danger, no doubt with Aragorn ordering him to relax.

"So what happened here?" he finally asked sternly, dropping the curtain and facing the owner again.

"Well, they came in here, soaking wet, started a fight with some man over something or other. Then they came to the bar, refused any drinks and asked for a room. Of course, I gave it to them right away. The blonde one – the Elf – now, he had money and lots of it. Spoke well, too, said he was some kind of politician from Gondor and the man travelling with him was his assistant or something."

"Why do you say he had money?" Elrond asked, glancing around again before pulling his hood down. Elladan and Elrohir followed suit, trusting their father's instincts.

For a moment the owner was too startled to speak, looking at the three dark-haired Elves in awe. "Well, he handed over gold and silver coins like nothing I have ever seen. Paid for the room fully in advance and gave me a lot more to keep their whereabouts quiet. They didn't tell me their names and to be honest, I didn't ask. I figured they were travelling secretly, you know what these politicians are like – so secretive," he chuckled, clearly trying to ease the tension between him and the strangers stood with him.

"They were not politicians," Elrond said distractedly. "Continue."

Obviously he commanded more respect now as the owner went on without a fuss. "Then they went to their room. That's when things started to get really strange. There was this other man. At first he said they were friends but he didn't know their names any more than I did so I told them nothing. He was lying of course, said he'd just come in but he was as dry as a bone and…"

"Get to the point," Elrond snapped impatiently.

"Well, you see, he gave me a lot of money. A lot of it. And I couldn't exactly refuse him. He was a big man, far bigger than me. Who am I to argue with such powerful people?"

"What happened?" Elladan asked, noticing the look of dread on his father's increasingly pale face.

"He paid me. I had no other choice."

"You told him where my son was," Elrond ground out.

The owner merely nodded nervously. Elrond turned away and walked back over to the grubby window this time because he didn't trust himself to be too near the man.

"Then what?" Elrohir asked when his father remained stoically silent.

"Well, there was all this commotion from upstairs after a while and the customers were getting agitated so I went to see what all the fuss was about and there were all these men surrounding the room with their swords drawn. When I got here they all looked like they had been to war; they were fighting with someone. I told everyone to go back to their rooms, not wanting anyone to get hurt, you know.

"Anyway, after a while the fighting stopped and the man who paid me to tell him where they were came out and behind him two others came dragging your unconscious son and his Elf friend. I asked him what happened, even tried to stop him, you know, but he just laughed at me and walked away. I wanted to follow him sir, truly I did but I had my own people to look after. I walked to the cupboard and there was my barman, locked up, unconscious inside.

"When he woke up he said that the man had paid him to give your two people some drinks, say they were compliments of me. He, being somewhat of an idiot, did so without question. He's still off work now, can't trust him anymore, you see."

"_You_ are the idiot," Elrond finally shouted, startling the man. He rushed up to him, drew his knife and pinned the man against the wall so fast that neither of the twins could stop him. They had never seen their father lose his temper like this before. "You have no idea who they were, do you? That 'Elf friend' was the Crown Prince of Mirkwood and the man was my son, Lord of Rivendell. Now tell me where the Men took them or I will see to it that you are delivered to the Prince's father and I can guarantee you he will make you seriously regret your decision."

"I…don't know. I swear, I don't know," the owner stuttered, clearly terrified.

Elrond stared at him for a moment until the man was forced to close his eyes to avoid the Elf-Lord's burning gaze. Slowly, Elrond released his grip and looked over at his stunned sons. He sighed gently, realising for the first time that his assumptions had been correct. Legolas and Aragorn were in serious trouble.

"Get out of here," Elrond sighed to the owner. Naturally, the man dashed out of the room without even questioning Elrond. It was true that when angered, the Lord of Imladris could be quite intimidating.

"Now what?" Elladan asked, breaking the slightly uneasy silence.

"I don't know," Elrond admitted.

"Do you think the drinks were poisoned?" Elrohir asked.

"They must have been. That's the only way these people would have been able to overpower both Legolas and Estel. The question is where did they take them?"

"They could be anywhere."

**To Be Continued…**

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

**Translations**

**Ada – **Dad

**Ion nin – **My son

**Hannon le – **Thank you


	43. Skeletons in your Closet

**Disclaimer: **I own nothing Tolkien created.

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**Sold Into Ruin**

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**A/N: Please, please review. I love to hear from you and if you leave a signed review, I'll try to get back to you. Thanks and enjoy the chapter.**

**~*~**

**Chapter 43 ~ Skeletons in your Closet**

**~*~**

"You two, come with me," Kallon ordered, walking from the building, obviously expecting Aragorn and Legolas to follow and knowing fully well that they would.

The two friends glanced briefly at each other before standing and following the man, knowing all too well that to disobey would be completely pointless and probably only end up causing them more pain and suffering. They had only just gotten back from the mines and apparently Kallon had wanted them to be worked hard on their first day back and they were now utterly exhausted – even though it wasn't too strenuous, or at least not as bad as it could have been. Both their bodies ached and some of their old wounds had reopened, allowing the blood to seep into their already filthy clothes. The grey powder that clung annoyingly to them didn't help much either.

They followed Kallon obediently out of the gates, where there were six guards to escort them. Obviously Kallon still didn't trust that he had broken them entirely, and Legolas couldn't really blame him for his caution. Given the chance, the Elf would have simply knocked him out and vaulted over the fence, not even bothering to look back – a fairly easy feat for an Elf but not so simple for the Man, who, on top of being mortal, was in a pretty poor physical condition. In fact, Legolas wasn't entirely convinced he could do it himself in his current state.

They were led through a maze of corridors, all of which looked familiar to them and it didn't take long for Legolas to figure out that they were being taken to see the Master again. This was a little unexpected, as last time the old man had told them that he would tell them nothing else and that they would not meet again. Still, it could be a good thing; perhaps he would heal them. This time though, Legolas was going to make sure he asked the Master some serious questions about why they had been brought to the encampment in the first place and about their purpose here now.

Finally, they reached the antechamber where the guards remained standing in full battle dress, just as they had been last time. It looked as though they were made of solid marble and planted into the floor because they were in exactly the same positions as before. Security really was strict around the Master.

As before they were pushed unceremoniously into the room and although they had experienced this before, the pitch black of the Dark Room still took a couple of minutes to get used to.

"Welcome back. And so soon after your last visit," the weak voice came, echoing through the cavernous room. Their eyes were immediately drawn to the tall, backlit throne where the Master sat. "Come." They walked forwards without even thinking. "Now, what brings you back here?" the Master asked, looking down vaguely at the two friends, almost as though he was too tired to really be bothered with them.

"Kallon sent us…" Legolas answered, staring up at the old man, who seemed even more frail than before.

"Ah yes, Kallon. Interfering old man." There was a venom in his voice that Aragorn wasn't expecting even from this strange, malevolent being, catching him somewhat off guard. "He had no business bringing you back here. I have no use for you." Legolas and Aragorn didn't know what to say. "What does he want from you exactly? He seems to have a very strong urge to get the truth out of you…Estel."

"I…"

"Don't worry, Kallon doesn't know of your true identity and that is how it will remain so long as you keep quiet. As for you, Legolas, Kallon is well aware of your true lineage. _Crown_ _Prince of Mirkwood_."

"I don't understand what he wants with Estel. Obviously you have no need for him otherwise you would have revealed his true identity to everyone already. Isn't Kallon operating under your command?" Legolas asked rather daringly.

The Master laughed. "You are growing more bold, Son of Thranduil." Legolas gasped; for some reason surprised that the Master would know of his lineage despite the fact he had already confessed his name and title were public knowledge amongst the powerful in the encampment. "Oh yes, I know all about your family, even your poor, unfortunate mother. Kallon also knows about this. How, I am not sure but he will use every bit of information he has on you to get what he wants, as you have already experienced."

"My mother…"

"I know. That was unfair and it was not under my instruction that he did so."

"You don't control Kallon?" Aragorn asked, finally joining in the conversation.

"I used to but Kallon has other plans for this place. His purpose is revenge, for what I do not know but he speaks about it often and I do not doubt him. Be careful, for when he wants something he will do anything within his power to get it. He seems rather fixated on Estel at the moment. From where his curiosity stems I do not know but do not tell him anything for it can only lead to more danger for you both."

"Why do you want to help us? You are in control of this place. All this is your fault," Legolas accused, feeling as if he was pushing his luck with the Master but unable to stop the question leaving his lips.

And rather predictably the accusation seemed to upset the Master somewhat, the air around him grew cold and the room seemed to get even darker if that was possible. Legolas, against his will, sank to the floor. Aragorn could do nothing but watch, fearing to get involved even though he was concerned for his friend.

"Do not challenge me, Elf! I am helping you only because I need you. When you cease to be of use to me then my involvement with you will end. No one here is indispensable, not even you." His voice was harsh and booming, sending shivers of fear through Legolas and Aragorn. However, the moment of darkness quickly passed and the room returned to the way it was before.

"Forgive me, Master," the words left Legolas' mouth before he could even think of them and he was certain they had been drawn from him by the powerful man.

"You are forgiven." It was as though the whole conversation was planned, right down to the 'forgiveness' part. In fact, it was turning into a pantomime rather than a discussion, with the Master acting out both sides of the argument for his own gain. Legolas and Aragorn felt like they had no control over what was being said. It was beyond manipulation, it was puppetry. "Now, ask your questions, for I know you have many."

Legolas nodded but kept quiet in case he was punished again. For some reason he felt as though his own father had just scolded him for acting like a disobedient Elfling, just like when he was younger. That was exactly how it felt to stand before the Master – like standing before a jury and knowing your every word was being scrutinised down to the smallest detail on which you would then be judged.

Luckily, Aragorn didn't seem to have the same concerns and asked the first question. "What do you want with us?"

"Ah-ha, the most obvious question coming from the Human, how terribly predictable," the Master mocked, instantly making Aragorn feel like a fool and causing his pale cheeks to blush bright red in embarrassment. "You are here because you are supposed to be here."

Aragorn sighed dramatically; causing a smile to spread across the Master's wrinkled face. "You said that you would answer our questions properly and all you give us is more riddles."

"Riddles are the only fun I have these days, Aragorn."

"Well, I'm not finding them very enjoyable," the man said sulkily.

"Estel," Legolas warned quietly, not wanting him to feel the Master's wrath as well.

However, the old man just laughed, appearing impressed at Aragorn's bluntness. "You are here, Son of Arathorn, because you have a purpose, because something must be done about this place and you and Legolas are vital in doing it."

"Doing what? An uprising?" Aragorn asked, not letting the Master off so easily.

"Uprising? No, I could have any of those idiots out there do that. Kallon and his followers would not be so easily manipulated. There are many more prisoners than there are guards and yet not one steps out of their place. What they need more than a mindless uprising is someone to instruct them in the ways of good, something they have been stripped of since being brought here, and set them back on the right path."

"So you want a leader? Why us? Why not, I don't know, Jadan or someone?"

"Jadan? That fool? He is as corrupt as they come. He works for Kallon as an employee, not a slave. A spy if you will. He is keeping an eye on you two for the guards as well. Kallon is a leader but not of good. He is out only for himself. I need someone pure of heart not someone who is completely lacking in one," the Master said.

"But why us? Why not a real leader? Someone with more experience…"

"I do not want someone with experience, young man. I want someone I can trust, someone who is not afraid to face darkness and sacrifice himself for the safety and liberation of others. You are those people."

"Wait just a minute. _Sacrifice_?" Aragorn asked, startled at the Master's choice of words.

For a moment there was silence whilst the Master stared blankly at Aragorn and for a while it seemed like the question would go unanswered. Then the Master spoke, "Yes, sacrifice."

"An odd choice of words," Aragorn mused.

"Hardly. That is what one generally calls a sacrifice," the Master answered coolly.

"You mean we…we're going to die here?" Aragorn asked, his voice low.

"There can be no peace in the world without sacrifice. And you, my friends, are the ultimate sacrifices. I know it's unfair but some things just need to be done – for the greater good." The Master didn't seem at all concerned that he had just told the two people before him that they had been brought here to die.

"So we were brought here as some kind of sacrifice to you? That's what all this has been about?" Aragorn shouted, losing what little patience he had.

"You wanted to know the truth," he answered simply, watching Aragorn with indifference. "The truth can sometimes be harder to take than a lie, can't it? Still, you deserve to know your true purpose here."

"Purpose? You brought us here to die for people we don't even know. How is any of that fair?" Aragorn asked.

"Fair? War is never fair."

"This isn't a war."

"Why, of course it is. It's a war against the guards, against Kallon, against all evil. This whole place will soon become a battle-ground and you shall lead the people."

"Soldiers choose to go to battle. They don't get snatched from their beds in the middle of the night and tortured into submission. That's not war, it's…"

"Sacrifice. Do you think everyone who goes to war chooses to do so? The warriors perhaps, but the innocents? Everyone knows it is not the soldier who suffers the most. It is the innocent people left behind to defend their meagre possessions; their crops, their children, their homes. Are they not also sacrifices of war? War is never fair. There will always be casualties on both sides and chances are that the people who are going to get hurt the most are those who stand up for what they believe in after being unwittingly thrown into dangerous situations. You are the same. You have even less choice than them. I know you want to help these people; your compassion towards Jasmine has already proven that."

Neither Legolas nor Aragorn knew what to say. The Master left no room for argument and Aragorn didn't think he could honestly deny it anyway. The Master had a point; their lives were no more important than anyone else in this place. They were all in the same boat and it was worth the sacrifice of two people for the lives of hundreds of others.

"So that's why we're here," Aragorn said dejectedly.

The Master laughed. "Don't worry, Aragorn, your fate is not yet set in stone. You may yet get out of here alive. It all depends on how good you are at over-throwing criminals."

Aragorn was silent for a moment. "So…"

"No. Let Legolas ask his question now. I know he has many too." The Master smiled almost kindly.

"I…"

"Go ahead. He's had his turn."

"Who was the skeleton in the Torture Room?" Legolas asked abruptly.

"What?" The Master hadn't been expecting that. He thought Legolas was going to ask about the strange dreams or about the reasons why they were there but all he wanted to know about was the skeleton.

"Who was the man?"

The Master laughed almost nervously. "Ask something else."

"I want to know," Legolas said, looking unflinchingly into the Master's cold eyes.

The Master paused, thinking carefully about his answer. Then, shockingly, he began to laugh. Slowly and carefully he rose from his dark throne. He had obviously not stood up in many years as he moved slowly and almost painfully, his joints creaking with the effort. Legolas immediately, and without thinking, jumped up and held the Master's frail arm as Aragorn also leapt forward and took the other. Supported by the two able-bodied people, the Master made his way carefully down the steps and stood on the black floor. For a moment it looked like he might topple over, his legs seemed too thin and shaky to support even his slight frame but as he stood up straight he seemed to regain some strength and taking a deep breath he pushed Aragorn and Legolas off.

"Of everything you could ask, why enquire about the skeleton?" the Master asked.

"Curiosity," Legolas replied with a shrug.

Again the Master laughed and strolled across the room. Although the room was pitch black the Master remained bathed in an almost ethereal light. Not like the glow of the Elves but brighter and far more eerie.

"Well, I promised you answers to all your questions so I suppose I should keep my word. That skeleton has been there for a very long time. It's always had a place and no one has ever even tried to move it. I'm not sure why. Reverence perhaps. Or fear. The guards outside are not to protect me or to keep me in, they are simply put there to scare. Tell me you didn't feel even the slightest flicker of fear when you saw them there in their full battle dress ready for war. The truth is…well you can see that I am old, or more accurately, _was_ old. In fact, I'm older then even you, my dear Elf.

"Shocking, I know. The guards outside, all dressed up in ceremonial armour, the fences, even the real guards, they're all for show. I mean, those outside could kill you in a heartbeat if you presented a threat – the ones in the buildings too – but that's not really important. Everything you see here is an illusion, created long ago by a power even greater than me. Outside they're real enough but in here everything is a figment of someone's imagination. Even me."

There was a reflective silence. "I don't understand," Legolas eventually said.

"The skeleton is me," the Master smiled grimly.

**To Be Continued…**

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	44. Questions That Need Answering

**Disclaimer: **I own nothing Tolkien created.

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**Sold Into Ruin**

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**Chapter 44 ~ Questions That Need Answering**

**~*~**

There was a deep, shocked silence in the Dark Room after the Master's startling revelation.

"But that makes no sense," Legolas said sharply after a moment thinking about what the Master had just told them.

"Of course it doesn't. I never said that my answers would make any sense to you."

"But _how_?" Aragorn asked, taking over the questioning from his friend, who was obviously struggling to make sense of what he had just heard and seemed incapable of continuing at that moment in time.

The Master laughed heartedly at this. "That, my dear Aragorn, is a mystery even to me. I'm not quite sure how it happened but it did and here I am, in all my immortal glory."

"You cannot be immortal if you are dead," Legolas pointed out, almost as though he was scraping around for something to say and had resorted to cheap quips.

"And do you think you can really die if you are dead?" the Master retaliated coldly, catching Legolas off guard with the rational answer. In a way he was right. Ghosts were technically 'immortal' because they could not actually die…again. A thousand questions were rushing through their heads right then but the Master spoke before they could voice any. "You see, long ago there were two…'forces', I suppose you could call them - one light and one dark. Essentially, they were forces of good and bad. Somehow, and don't ask me how, after my rather untimely death I was allowed to return to this plain of existence but not in corporeal form. I became this. Not a quite ghost but more a …projection of my former life.

"I came equipped with other powers normal mortals did not possess: some basic mind control, manipulation, even rudimentary healing powers. However, it seems that this power of good had a greater purpose for me and I was led to these men running their mines. I considered it my calling to stop this evil trade. However, wherever there is good there is also evil. That evil somehow informed the cruel men of my presence and this happened. I was locked away in this…prison, destined to serve them in their evil plan to create an empire where the poor were worked to death and the rich thrived on their misery; a slave empire. Of course I tried to escape as any sane person would but this room is bound by very ancient magic, far older than even this good power I speak of and an awful lot more powerful than me.

"After several failed attempts I simply stopped trying, knowing that no one brought to the mines would ever have the will to free me. That is until you."

"So this isn't about the slaves at all? It's all about getting you free from this place," Aragorn said, watching the Master suspiciously.

For a moment a shadow crossed that ancient face but it quickly disappeared when he decided to defend himself. "Of course not. To complete my task I need to be free but for that to happen the enchantment has to be broken and the only way to do that is to destroy this place."

"It's a vicious circle," Legolas mumbled.

"Yes, I can't get out to prevent the guards killing others but that's what I need to do if I want to help them. It is frustrating to say the least," he sighed and his back hunched a little as though the memories were taking their toll on his old, aching body.

"If this 'good' is so powerful as to bring you back from the dead and give you all these new gifts then why can't it just get you out of here? Surely something so powerful could break a mere enchantment," Legolas observed.

"Remember I told you that there was also a dark power?" the Master paused for effect and it quickly dawned on them what he meant.

"This evil being created the enchantment," the Elf said quietly in understanding.

"Yes. It's like two equal forces pushing up against each other. They fight constantly but neither really ever gets anywhere. Evil gets no closer but neither does the good. It's an endless invisible barrier between two equally matched forces."

"What exactly is this evil thing?" Aragorn asked, glancing over at Legolas briefly to see a look of intense concentration on his fair face.

"I do not know. One of the guards or prisoners perhaps. I've never actually seen it but I know it's here. I can feel its presence constantly." The Master shuddered slightly at this, as though this evil were not merely a thought or essence but a physical thing that was watching them.

A physical being. "Torvan?" Legolas asked gently.

"What? You mean Kallon's strange apparition?" Aragorn asked incredulously. "Legolas, he didn't seem evil, a little strange perhaps and completely insane but no where near as powerful as this…thing."

"He lures us to look for an escape so we get caught and interrogated by Kallon then reveals everything about his lies to us and then he just disappears off the face of the earth as though he never existed. That's more than 'a little strange', Estel." Legolas looked at the Master for a moment before turning back to Aragorn. "He managed to get into my mind, didn't he?"

"What do you mean?"

"Kallon has no telepathic or controlling powers, right?" Legolas asked and the Master calmly nodded in confirmation. "The only other way Kallon could have known about…about Nana was if someone had somehow entered my thoughts and created a vision of her for me. If the good power can bring the dead back in spectral form isn't it plausible that the evil could do the same thing? The Master has powers of mind control so maybe this evil being got into my head somehow and brought forth the image of my mother. That means he's in league with Kallon, which is a disturbing thought."

"A good theory but your mother was not merely an image," the Master interrupted warily, suddenly seeming rather uneasy. Legolas cocked his head to the side in question and waited for the Master to continue, dreading what he might say. "This evil being does indeed possess some form of mind control but it can also summon the dead, just as the good power can. It summoned me in spirit form and made me solid but the dead can also be projected in pure spirit form. That's what the evil did with your mother." The Master looked almost nervously at Legolas, who was stood wide-eyes before him.

Slowly, the Elf walked to the steps and sat down. "You mean that I was actually talking to my…" breaking off, he placed his head in his hands, trying to absorb all the information he was getting. It was one thing to think that those images had been fake but knowing that he had been speaking with his real mother, having dismissed her so easily – the very thought of it made him sick inside.

"She was so confused because she didn't know what was going on. She has been dead for a long time and to be thrown back into the world of the living was deeply hurtful and confusing for her. The evil also had some control over her, getting her to ask all those questions against her will," the Master explained, regret and pity filling his voice for the first time.

Aragorn walked over to his friend and placed a supportive hand on his shoulder. Legolas looked up and Aragorn was surprised to see tears in his crystal blue eyes. "So I…"

"We don't have time for this right now. When all this is over I will answer all of your questions but right now there are more important things to worry about." The Master obviously didn't want to answer any further questions about Legolas' mother and right then Legolas was too stunned to really care. His already confused mind was spinning with so many questions now but he knew there was no way he could possible voice any of them. He wasn't sure he could even speak right then.

"So this evil also sent me the dream," Legolas whispered almost to himself, not realising he had spoken aloud.

"What dream?" Aragorn asked.

"I had a dream about my mother and father the other night."

"That wasn't the evil power, Legolas. That was me. I needed you to speak to your mother, or rather my representation of your mother," the Master explained.

"You mean she was real when she was interrogating me but when she was comforting me she was just a product of your twisted design?" Legolas said, his voice shaking with barely restrained anger, which Aragorn could almost feel radiating off the Elf.

"I needed you to have strength," the Master continued. "That previous encounter with your mother shocked you badly. I didn't know what you were going to do so I created her for you to converse with. It was a risk, I'll grant that. For a moment I honestly thought I could be discovered by the Men but of course I prevailed," he said proudly as if showing off to the two friends.

"And you weren't caught?" Aragorn asked, now utterly confused.

"I used a distraction." Now his voice grew tentative, as though he knew exactly what Legolas would do at the revelation. "I used your father."

"Ada!? What did you do to him?" Legolas cried, jumping up and striding over to the Master. He didn't get very far though, as the old man stopped him in his tracks.

"I didn't do anything to him; merely entered his dreams and told him where to find you."

"You told Thranduil where to find us?" Aragorn asked in a choked voice, a broad smile crossing his face. "That's brilliant. Legolas, your father won't stand for anyone hurting you. He can rescue us."

The Master, however, was not smiling. "I'm sorry but I needed more time. I didn't tell Thranduil exactly where to come but he is searching for you and perhaps he will find you before it is too late but I doubt it."

"You lair! You've been lying to us all along…"

"Enough." With that one word Legolas fell to his knees on the hard floor, immediately silenced against his will. Aragorn merely watched in stunned silence. Their one hope of escape had just been ripped from them. In some ways Aragorn and Legolas had been relying on someone else to get them out of the mines but now that seemed unlikely. "I have answered your questions and now I will give you your instructions," the Master continued nonchalantly.

**To Be Continued…**

**Translations**

**Ada –** Dad

**Nana – **Mum

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**A/N: I know this is a short chapter and I am so, so sorry. All I can do is promise you that they will get longer in future chapters.**

**Please review and let me know what you think. Thanks for reading.**


	45. Allegiance

**Disclaimer: **I own nothing Tolkien created.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

**Sold Into Ruin**

**~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~**

**A/N: Please review and tell me what you think. Thanks to everyone who has already reviewed and all those who are still reading. It means a lot knowing people are enjoying this.**

**Right, on with the tale…**

**~*~**

**Chapter 45 ~ Allegiance**

~*~

Being led from the Dark Room again, Legolas and Aragorn were left in a sort of daze; not quite fully aware of what was going on around them. It was a strange sensation that neither could adequately explain, being so detached from reality was unnerving particularly for people who liked to always be in control of their actions. Thankfully, the guards were a little more respectful and cautious of them than last time, not speaking a foul word as they led them through the corridors and back to the building where Jasmine was waiting for them anxiously, having heard the news that they had been taken to the Master.

She was startled when a whole host of guards guided them to the benches and roughly sat them down, ignoring the muffled protests of the other prisoners. She immediately dashed over, pushing through the slaves, wanting to see that her two new friends were alright. When she reached them they were just staring blankly into nothingness. She knelt down on the floor before them and placed her hand on Aragorn's arm but she received no response.

"Estel?" she whispered, almost frightened to break the trance. She had seen this kind of thing before within the encampment. Whenever someone stayed in the Dark Room for any amount of time they came out like this; disoriented, detached and silent. "Legolas?" she said, hoping to receive some response from the more enigmatic Elf instead. He, however, looked to be in the same condition as his friend, his blue eyes dull and vacant, dashing her hopes that the Elven race might be immune to the Master's mind-games.

She sighed sadly and kept a tight hold on Aragorn's cold hand, knowing she could do nothing but wait until he awoke naturally, however long that might take.

~*~

Several long hours after their unsettling encounter with the Master, Legolas slowly woke from his trance-like state. He was leant awkwardly up against the rough wall with Aragorn sitting next to him still out of it and Jasmine waiting anxiously beside them both, gripping the man's hand.

When she saw that he had returned to his senses she sat up straight, dropping Aragorn's hand almost coyly, and looked into his clear eyes. "Thank goodness, I was so worried. I thought you'd never wake up. They kept you in that room for so long. What did he do to you? It must have been terrible to have affected you so badly."

Legolas didn't answer for a moment, first satisfying himself that Aragorn was unharmed and that he himself remained in one piece. Besides a rather foggy mind, he appeared to be undamaged by the encounter. "Actually, it turned out to be extremely enlightening," he spoke finally.

"Enlightening?" Jasmine repeated disbelievingly. Legolas simply nodded. "Well, I'm glad you're alright. You've been back here for three hours and neither of you have so much as stirred until now. I thought something bad had happened to you. I was so worried." Tears shone in her eyes as she spoke.

"I'm fine, Jasmine, and I'm sure that Estel will be when he wakes up. He always was a little slower to wake in the mornings." Jasmine shook her head at his playful dig at his friend, wishing she could be so flippant about the situation they were all in. She had come to learn that making jokes was how the two companions dealt with this kind of trouble and it seemed to work. They lightened the whole building with their presence, something usually impossible in this dark place.

"I'm glad you're alright," a small voice muttered from beside Jasmine. Although he was hidden behind the woman Legolas instantly connected the voice to Arron, the small boy they had met when they first arrived. After his confrontation with Jadan, Arron had obediently stayed away from the Elf and his companion, and rightly so. Legolas could stand up to Jadan but he didn't want the child to get hurt and apparently Arron was sensible enough to think along the same lines.

Leaning around Jasmine to see the boy, Legolas smiled kindly. Jasmine took his small hand and pulled him closer, silently assuring him that it was alright and that he shouldn't be afraid.

"Thank you, Arron," Legolas said, sitting forward and ignoring the pain and discomfort that suddenly assailed him. For a moment he had forgotten about his previous injuries. Obviously, the Master had decided against healing them, probably not wanting to draw attention to himself – make things too easy for the Elf.

"You remembered my name," the boy smiled shyly.

"Of course I did." Jasmine watched the two with affection. The Elf was good with children and she briefly wondered whether he had any of his own. Someone of his breeding and appearance couldn't possibly still be without a wife and happy family home, she thought to herself, turning her face away from him slightly when a blush crept across her cheeks. "Where is Jadan? I don't want you getting into trouble with him again."

Arron looked over his shoulder. Most of the people inside the 6000 building were sleeping, including the boy's domineering guardian. Legolas nodded when Arron looked back at him. "What happened to your face?" Arron asked with concern, pointing to the bruises Kallon had left on Legolas' face during their last 'session'.

Legolas discreetly looked to Jasmine, wordlessly asking how much Arron knew about the physical perils of this place. She shook her head gently, indicating he was almost completely ignorant of what went of outside the walls of this building – certainly concerning the torturing of prisoners. Legolas turned shocking blue eyes to Arron and smiled. "Oh, nothing serious. They will all be healed in a few more hours."

"Hours? That's fast." Arron sat down next to Legolas, looking up at him in blatant wonder.

"Elves heal much faster than humans. What takes a few days for a Man takes only a few hours for an Elf."

"Wow," Arron exclaimed. "I wish I healed that fast. I fell over whilst running a few weeks ago and my knee is still not better." He pulled up his filthy trouser leg to proudly show off the dark red scab that had formed over the relatively small wound. Legolas smiled; the child was obviously impressed with his injury and he felt a sudden wave of despair for the boy. For a moment he sounded so much like a child should and yet all around him was so completely destructive and evil. "Why do Elves heal so fast?" the boy asked, his curiosity overwhelming any anxiety he might have had over visiting the Elf.

"Because it is the will of the Vala Este," Legolas answered automatically, stating what his father had told him when he had asked that same question in his youth.

"Who?" Arron asked innocently, tilting his head in question.

Legolas looked at Jasmine in mild shock. On Middle Earth most cultures understood the Valar and worshipped them in one way or another; even if it was the evil, fallen Vala Morgoth.

"Arron was born and raised in the encampment. Children here are not taught about the Gods or their creations. They are taught to obey their commanders and nothing more."

Legolas pursed his lips together. He couldn't imagine not knowing about such things. It was cruel to deny these children the tale of their creation and he didn't know anyone who wasn't taught this story as youths. His father and numerous scholars had drilled it into him as soon as he was old enough to understand the spoken word. Of course, as prince of such a powerful realm he had had all the advantages a child could have growing up.

"You know nothing of the Valar?" he asked Arron, who simply shook his head, intrigued by this new development. "Then I shall just have to teach you," the Elf decided confidently.

"Really? You would be my…my teacher?" Arron enthused.

"If you would consent to being my student, yes." They shook hands vigorously in agreement. "Jadan…"

"I…" Arron didn't have time to say anything as a hand reached down and grabbed his collar, pulling him up and away from Legolas. Arms wrapped themselves around his slim body and he knew right away who it was.

"I thought I made it clear that you were not to come near the boy again," Jadan snarled at Legolas who had jumped to his feet.

"Jadan, please don't. We were just talking, that's all," Arron pleaded, obviously frightened of his guardian.

"Silence, child! Why can you not just leave him alone? He is not your concern. He has survived this place without your interference so far."

"Jadan," Jasmine warned, sensing a fight about to erupt.

"Keep out of this, woman," Jadan shouted violently, waking Aragorn from his reverie and startling Arron.

"Don't talk to her like that," Legolas ground out, stepping forward and pulling Jasmine behind him into Aragorn's waiting arms. All could sense what was going to happen and Legolas didn't want the woman caught in the middle.

"And how are you going to stop me?" Jadan challenged, throwing Arron to the floor and stepping up to Legolas.

"Jadan don't," the boy sobbed from the floor.

"Shut up, boy," Jadan shouted. Turning back to Legolas he said, "You think you mean anything here? Well, you don't."

"I don't want to do this again. Arron and I were merely talking, that's all."

"I don't want him talking to an _Immortal_. I don't trust your kind."

"My kind?" Legolas growled.

"Legolas," Aragorn warned from behind him, knowing that if it continued this confrontation could only end in violence. He was not worried about a fight; just that Legolas might get more badly injured than he already was. The Elf could hold his own but he was hardly in an ideal condition to do so and the man was obviously enraged enough to do some serious damage.

"This is between me and the Elf," Jadan snarled.

"Jadan…" Arron cried.

"Let's not do this. You're upsetting the boy," Legolas said, holding his hands up in a sign of surrender.

"Maybe the boy needs to be upset once in a while, it's character building."

"Don't be so cruel, Jadan," Jasmine said, holding Arron close to her whilst Aragorn protected them both.

"Shut up. You know nothing about me or the boy."

"Alright, stop this now," Aragorn shouted, knowing this confrontation was attracting the attention of some others in the room, who had been woken by the sound of shouting and were now looking cautiously over at the scene. "Jadan, back away and leave the boy alone. If he wants to stay here with us then let him."

There was a long silence after this; Legolas and Aragorn were ready for anything that Jadan might do. Past experience told them that this man could be extremely unpredictable though so they remained tense. Jasmine and Arron waited with baited breath, at any moment expecting a fight to break out. Arron clung to the woman, praying nothing would happen. He didn't want to be the cause of a fight.

However, after a few minutes Jadan took a deep breath and stepped away, smiling tensely as he did so. He turned without another word and walked back to his sleeping place. Without even looking back at them he lay down and closed his eyes, although Legolas was sure he saw a glint of pure anger in his eyes before they closed and he knew that although he may have won this small battle he had by no means won the war.

The tension in the room quickly dissipated when the threat of violence passed and most people laid back down and went to sleep with what could only be judged as disappointment. Legolas, Aragorn, Jasmine and Arron all breathed a collective sigh of relief though. They had been expecting a fight but luckily had avoided it for the time being. This was just another incident that would eventually bring them trouble. Jadan wasn't one to forgive and forget and they all knew he would take action sooner or later. Legolas and Aragorn also now knew that Jadan was working for Kallon; every bad thing he had gathered on the friends could be used against them later and this was an extremely troubling thought. However, for now the fight had been stopped and that was all that mattered.

Arron now cautiously stepped away from Jasmine, who pulled herself up from the floor with Aragorn's help. Legolas sat back down on the bench, all the energy seeming to drain from his body.

"I'm sorry," Arron said, standing in front of the Elf, head hung in shame.

"For what?" Legolas asked, opening his tired eyes and fixing them on the small child so that he couldn't avoid answering.

"For Jadan. I shouldn't have come over here. It's just that I was curious about…you. I'm sorry."

"You have nothing to be sorry for. Jadan would have confronted us eventually anyway. Besides, nothing bad happened, did it? You never have to answer to that man, Arron. He is cruel and unjust and he has no right to talk to you or anyone else in that manner," Legolas said, leaning forwards and lifting the boy's chin so he could look him in the eyes.

For long moments Arron stared into the crystal blue eyes of the prince; something few could do without turning away. Apparently though he didn't see anything threatening or intimidating in them and eventually nodded his head in understanding. Aragorn smiled at the sight. In the outside world Prince Legolas was not known for his ability to connect with children, having very little experience in the area. The few Elflings living in Mirkwood all loved him, as did all his subjects, but he rarely had time to get to know them. There was something different about Arron though. He looked upon Legolas as someone to be admired and revered, much like Aragorn did. It was a solid relationship between Man and Elf that had gotten lost over the long years of division between the two races and it was good to know that there were still some allegiances between the two.

Relations between Men and Elves had become strained after the betrayal of the Gondorian King Isildur, who took the Ring of Power from Sauron to his own death. After that fateful day there had been no trust between the two races - and unfortunately that had not changed over the years, despite the millennia that had passed. The Elves retreated to their respective kingdoms, content to live in solitude apart from the rest of the world whilst Men still sought to conquer it. Of course, Men had always been welcome in certain Elven havens such as Imladris. But long ago, in the Second Age of the Sun, they had fallen from the grace of the Valar and so the Eldar had also become cautious and as the kingdoms of Men grew they had even less contact with the unpredictable race.

But then there was this child. Brought up in the most horrific conditions and he still trusted these new people, whom he didn't even know properly yet. Of course it was only natural that he would trust an Elf more than a Man. It was not the Elves who had imprisoned him and so far Legolas posed no threat to him. In fact, he had defended him, something no one in this place had ever really done for him before. They had only ever caused him pain.

To Arron, Men were creatures of dark whilst Elves were beings of light and innocence.

Without warning, Arron jumped up and threw his arms around Legolas who, after a surprised glance down at the child, wrapped his arms around the small frame.

"Thank you," Arron whispered before pulling back. Jumping from the bench, he ran over to Aragorn and did the same thing. He was about to hug Jasmine but then decided he couldn't get his short arms around her huge stomach so he simply smiled up at her, causing the three adults to laugh.

**To Be Continued…**

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	46. Playing With Fire

**Disclaimer: **I own nothing Tolkien created.

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**Sold Into Ruin**

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**A/N: Wow, so many reviews, I'm so pleased people are still reading this. Please keep telling me what you think, I really appreciate them all.**

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**Chapter 46 ~ Playing With Fire**

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Legolas was sitting on the hard, cold ground, watching the others in the room. Arron was curled up next to him. The boy had stayed close to him all night, not wanting to be separated from the person who finally had the courage to stand up to Jadan. Aragorn had fallen asleep that night watching Arron chatting and Legolas eagerly talking about Mirkwood and his past adventures. The Elf, although slightly bewildered by the boy's endless string of comments and questions, had sat and listened and answered patiently, as intently as if he was addressing the Mirkwood Council.

Of course, the prince was not really used to such frantic attention, being better prepared to speak with visiting ambassadors than chatting with children. He took it all in his stride though, allowing the boy to talk animatedly about his dreams and ambitions outside of the encampment. It had surprised both Legolas and Aragorn that Arron could have such thoughts in a place like this. Such bright outlooks were not generally found in the compound and it was refreshing for them to hear. It made them believe that there was still hope no matter how unlikely escape seemed at the time.

After everything the Master had told them earlier a little light conversation was just what they needed. The Master had told them everything they needed to know about their being there and it had been helpful – although somewhat confusing. They had learned things they didn't even _want _to know. The revelations about Legolas' mother and her forced involvement in Kallon's and the Master's respective plans had been a shock to both Legolas and Aragorn. The man knew how all too well how much the Queen of Mirkwood had meant to Legolas and he remembered how badly his friend had reacted after his session with Kallon.

However, the prince, although deeply disturbed and concerned about this, had not fully registered its true meaning yet and this worried Aragorn. Legolas was not known for spilling his emotions to just anyone and this time was no different and yet Aragorn had expected him to be far less restrained than he had been so far. He knew that had it been his mother dangled before him then ripped away he would be inconsolable. The prince had always been more reserved about that kind of thing, of course. He didn't have the man's tendency to collapse into an irrational, trembling mess when confronted with personal problems. Even so, Aragorn would have been far less concerned if Legolas had been curled up in a tight ball sobbing himself to sleep. To the outside world the prince looked as he ever did. It would take a sharp eye to notice the slightly dulled eyes, the smile that didn't entirely ring true. Legolas remained calm and calculating as always, working through everything that had happened. Or at least Aragorn hoped that was what he was doing, although knowing Legolas he was pushing it to the back of his mind so he wouldn't have to deal with it in a place he knew wasn't safe and secure. Unfortunately, there wasn't much Aragorn could do about that.

Now though, the prince had Arron to look after and it seemed that the boy was of some comfort to him. He needed something to help him get through this, to distract him from what was going on around him.

Aragorn on the other hand, had very little to motivate him anymore. His friend was his main driving force and he would never think of sacrificing Legolas' friendship or safety just to make himself feel better. The Master had given them some incentive at least. Now they knew why they were there – some convoluted plot to free both the Master and the evil force's slaves – they had something to work towards, which was more than they had before.

The threat on their own lives was a little more disconcerting. What the Master had said did make sense. Legolas was a Prince of Mirkwood, a strong, seasoned warrior, well acquainted with the perils of Middle Earth. He cared greatly for people; his empathic nature meant he had a strong desire to help people even other races he didn't know. Aragorn was the same; he had great sympathy for the unjust suffering he knew went on in the world. He was a trained Ranger of the North, a great fighter and an even better tracker, able to make quick and – often – correct decisions on the spot. Just what the Master needed for a 'jail break'.

Despite all of this though, Aragorn still doubted the Master's 'explanation'. It made a strange kind of sense but it all seemed a little haphazard and there were still some things the Master couldn't explain away. For example, the fact that he could control people, put all kinds of thoughts into their heads and yet he was only now planning an escape. He had been there for so long and had just sat back and done nothing? He had seen plenty of people; at least one of them was bound to be strong if not stronger than Legolas and Aragorn. Also Kallon had mentioned that there had been Elves here before. If that were true why not use them? Elves were certainly stronger than Men.

No, nothing seemed to add up. They could do nothing but believe him though. They had no other allies in this place and if the Master was telling the truth and there was a great evil force at work they would need all the friends they could get in the coming fight.

One thing that they definitely believed was that Jadan was working for Kallon. The man had showed nothing but blatant hatred and distrust of the Elf ever since they had arrived and although he seemed to tolerate Aragorn they weren't exactly on friendly terms. Legolas couldn't ignore the fact that Jadan was constantly watching them. There was every possibility he was Kallon's spy. How else would Kallon know everything that happened inside? He had no special gift of foresight, even though his commander – this evil force – apparently did. It was a worrying thought that they were being so closely watched at all times.

~*~

As soon as the pale morning light streamed through the windows of the building Legolas woke from his uneasy sleep. He never could rest easily during the daylight hours and this was no exception. No sooner had he opened his eyes than guards came to wake everyone. As if on cue all the slaves stood up and got into line without even being prompted. Legolas and Aragorn followed the others, leaving Arron and Jasmine to their own devices. They knew the drill by now: don't make a fuss and don't draw attention to yourself.

On the way out of the building the slaves were handed their meagre rations: a hunk of bread covered in some kind of foul-tasting meat paste and a tin cup half full of rather murky water. They would receive the same thing at lunch with the added bonus of some kind of meat and vegetable cooked until tasteless. For dinner they got a thin, sloppy stew although no one seemed to know what it was made out of and most preferred not to ask.

Legolas took his ration from the guard, ignoring the glare he received. That was their usual greeting and both Legolas and Aragorn had grown used to it, not saying anything anymore knowing it would only mean they'd go hungry, something they just couldn't afford to do. The food was for no other purpose than to keep the slaves alive but the guards had no problem in denying them the food. Only the pregnant women got extra. Apparently the leaders were clever enough to figure out that women carrying babies needed more sustenance if the children were to come out healthy. Dead children were of no use to them. The rest of the adults were almost skeletal in appearance and to their surprise Legolas and Aragorn were starting to look that way too. There was nothing to be done about it but take what they could from the guards.

~*~

They spent the next twenty-four hours down the mines, endlessly repeating their mindless tasks until they thought they could physically do no more. However, they were not allowed to take their usual breaks this time, just forced to work in increasing fatigue and discomfort. There was a peculiar silence down in the mines today; everything seemed slightly more muted than usual. Legolas didn't know whether this was just his disturbed and exhausted imagination or whether it actually was quieter than normal. Either way it was disturbing.

When at last the bell rang for the end of the long shift everyone jumped up gratefully from their positions. The first thing Legolas did was go to search for Aragorn. The two didn't like being parted but had decided not to complain about their situation to the guards. A wise decision.

"Are you alright?" Legolas asked as the man pulled himself up tiredly from the bench he had been sitting on for hours on end.

"Just great," Aragorn grumbled sarcastically and Legolas couldn't help but smile gently as the man stretched his aching body.

Legolas looked down at the pile of shining weapons Aragorn had worked on that day. "Nice work." Aragorn merely cast him an annoyed glance before stiffly walking away and joining the queue to leave. Legolas followed with a slight smirk.

However, before he could get into the line behind his friend someone grabbed him by the shirt and pulled him backwards. His first thought was that it was Jadan but when he felt the sharp point of a sword on his back he knew instantly that it was one of the guards – a far more frightening prospect.

Aragorn immediately stepped out of line, watching closely as Legolas was shoved forwards and spun around in one ungraceful movement. The prince turned to face the guard with as much dignity as he could muster, a look of concern on his filthy face. He didn't know what he had done wrong but his eyes instantly went to the whip in the guard's hand and he couldn't suppress a shudder at the thought of what might happen next.

Upon seeing Legolas' reaction to the cruel weapon, the guard started laughing. "Oh don't worry, Immortal, no flogging for you this time."

Although this should have been a relief Legolas felt a strange air of foreboding. Something very bad was going to happen. He could feel it. He looked over his shoulder at Aragorn who was looking as confused as Legolas felt. His looking at Aragorn alerted the guard that the man was still watching.

"Get back in line, slave. I have no use for you," the guard ordered, pointing back to the queue, which was slowly beginning to move out, with his sword. "I said get back into line," he yelled when Aragorn didn't move, his grey eyes fixed nervously on his friend.

After a moment Aragorn looked questioningly at Legolas and the Elf discreetly nodded that he should do as instructed, knowing there were plenty of other guards who could kill them if he tried anything. Aragorn nodded back then reluctantly rejoined the line, constantly looking back over his shoulder until they turned the corner up the tunnel and Legolas was no longer in his sights.

"Right, follow me. You will like this next job, Immortal. It'll be much more rewarding than your other one." Legolas followed the guard, creating a mental picture of where he was going should he need to get out. Of course, this was very unlikely; he had nowhere to go even if he did run.

They went deeper into the mine. It got a lot hotter the further they went and there was a strange red glow on the walls, like that of fire. Legolas had no idea where he was going but the slaves became fewer and fewer and Legolas took this as a bad sign. There were also fewer guards, although Legolas didn't know why this seemed so significant. Maybe there was just less of a chance to escape the further down you went.

"Keep up. I don't have all day," the guard snapped at Legolas who was lagging behind a little.

Finally, they entered another chamber, much smaller than anything at the front of the mine and unbelievably hot. The heat swept over Legolas like an actual fire and the light was so intense that for a moment he had to shut his eyes against it. The guard walked boldly onwards and Legolas followed obediently, suddenly wanting to stay close to the man. Looking around him Legolas saw that the few slaves working down here were smothering themselves in water every few minutes, probably to help with the unbearable heat. Due to all the water the room was clouded with steam.

Still they went deeper. Legolas began to wonder whether they were going to walk right into the centre of the earth. This somewhat ridiculous notion was dismissed when the guard pulled open another door revealing an enormous furnace. The guard entered and Legolas reluctantly followed. The sandy ground burned the soles of his feet and he had to walk quickly to keep them from actually hurting. The heat was even more intense in this chamber and yet there was also a slight breeze blowing, making it marginally more comfortable. Legolas looked up and above the massive furnace there was a small opening, a chimney to let the smoke and steam out. It also allowed some of the heat out, thankfully.

"I brought you a new recruit. He's an Immortal so he should last longer than the other slaves." The guard shoved Legolas towards another guard, who caught him in big, gloved hands. "Good luck." With that the guard left, slamming the heavy door behind him.

The new guard pulled Legolas up straight and looked him up and down, as if inspecting him. He pulled a baton from its case on his belt and started tapping Legolas all over with it as though testing the newcomer's strength. Finally he reached Legolas' head and lifted his chin with the baton, looking briefly into startling blue eyes. However, he couldn't hold the gaze for more than a second, which pleased Legolas immensely although his face remained expressionless. The guard then moved the baton to Legolas' ear and pulled golden hair back to reveal the slightly pointed tip.

"An Immortal, eh? And a Six as well." He tapped the number on the front of Legolas' shirt before replacing his baton and walking away. "One of Kallon's lot? They make good workers." There was silence for a moment whilst the guard went around checking the furnace and Legolas was allowed a chance to glance around the room. There wasn't much to see. In fact, the room was remarkably unremarkable. "Come with me then." Legolas followed the guard back out the door. "Oh and you won't need that." The guard pointed to Legolas' filthy – and now sweat-soaked – shirt. "Gets real hot down here." He stopped at a metal pole where people had hung their shirts. Legolas reluctantly took his off and placed it on one of the hooks, feeling suddenly rather self-conscious with nothing but ragged, blood-soaked bandages to cover his wounds.

The slaves looked up as Legolas walked past. Apparently newcomers were rare here. Legolas watched them as he walked by. He saw the burn and whip marks on their backs, just like his. No one spoke though. The only sound was the almost deafening roar of the fire from the furnace. The Elf naturally made no sound as he crossed the floor and neither did the guard leading him. Although the slaves were chopping things, the action of tool hitting wood made virtually no sound, as though the very walls absorbed the noise.

"Here's your station. There's water there, drink as much as you want. It gets hot down here, we don't want you keeling over now do we?" the guard snorted with laughter. "It's simple really. Chop and drop. Chop the wood and drop it into that cart over there." Legolas looked over at the large metal cart. "You'll pick it up real quick, no doubt. Here's your axe and don't try anything stupid." The guard motioned to the other guards patrolling the area with swords, axes and whips. "You got it, Immortal?"

"Yes," Legolas nodded.

"Well, get on with it then," the guard snapped in annoyance.

Legolas turned back to his station, which was in fact merely a chunk of wood. He glanced to the side of him, hoping to catch the eye of another slave but they were all too engrossed in their work, or too busy trying to avoid him, to look up. He sighed. This was not good. The whole plan had been to stick close to Aragorn, now he felt too far away from him.

~*~

"Where do you think they took him? Surely not to the Hold again. They wouldn't do that again, right? He couldn't stand seeing what he saw last time." Aragorn was pacing restlessly up and down in front of Arron and Jasmine, who were sitting looking rather worried on the bench. The news that Legolas had been taken away from them filled them with dread, especially Arron who had only just gotten to know the Elf.

Aragorn, of course, was frantic with worry and although he kept telling himself that Legolas could take care of himself he just didn't know whether it was true. This place was full of surprises and so far none of them had been good.

The Master's words of caution ran through his head over and over. They were slaves and they were going to die in this place. But then the Master had also said that he needed them so he couldn't risk them dying too soon. It hadn't been Kallon who had taken Legolas away, although Aragorn supposed he could still have given the order from afar.

"Estel, Legolas can take care of himself. I'm sure he'll be fine," Jasmine reasoned, hearing the doubt in her own voice.

Aragorn nodded though. "He has to be. He_ has_ to be. I need him. They wouldn't do anything to him, would they? Look what the guards did to him last time. Legolas is strong but even Elves have a breaking point, although I would imagine it would take a lot."

"They won't hurt him. If they wanted to do that they would have done it in front of everyone, in front of _you_."

"What happened last time?" Arron asked. Up until now the boy had sat in worried silence.

Aragorn paused in his pacing and looked nervously at the child. "That's not relevant," he said after a moment. Arron didn't protest although he looked a little hurt at Aragorn's harshness. He calmed when Jasmine put her hand on his shoulder to comfort him.

"He will be alright. Estel, you have to sit down. You'll wear yourself out. Not to mention the floor," Jasmine said.

Looking down Aragorn replied, "At least that might lead to an escape." He cracked a smile and Jasmine laughed, hoping it would improve the tense atmosphere. It didn't.

**To Be Continued…**

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	47. A Way Out

**Disclaimer: **I own nothing Tolkien created.

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**Sold Into Ruin**

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**Chapter 47 ~ A Way Out**

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Legolas placed another freshly chopped log into the cart behind him. Although his previous job had been mind-numbingly tedious at least it hadn't involved too much movement that would make his wounds worse. This job though did just that and Legolas was sure that this was the reason he had been assigned the task by the cruel guards. His hands, already blistered and sore from hours of chipping away at the rocks were now red-raw and covered in splinters from the wood he was chopping that made their way deeper into his flesh the more he worked. The guards though were now on constant patrol and they seemed to be looking for an excuse to do some damage to the Immortal. The Elf didn't rise to the bait though and remained focused on his work.

The prisoners here were different than in any other section Legolas had been in. These pitiful slaves said nothing but concentrated hard on their work despite Legolas' attempts to strike up conversation several times he was always ignored. After a while he simply stopped trying and didn't dare disturb the unfriendly men.

At least he had the consolation of the water. He was sure that without it he would just be burned to a crisp. It seemed like there was no fresh air in here and every breath he took made his throat even more dry and sore. The others seemed not to notice the heat. They looked very slightly healthier than some of the other slaves but then they needed their strength in a place like this. It was tiring work, more so than any other job. Although there was very little movement, the heat made every small motion seem twice as difficult as it really was.

After just a few hours Legolas was utterly exhausted, especially since he had only just come off a shift in the other section. However, the relative quiet in the room allowed him time to mull over everything he had learned in the past few days. The heat though seemed to muddle everything up until it became a hazy mess inside his mind, of which he could make no sense and eventually he gave up trying.

~*~

Speeding through the forest was a challenging feat for a single rider but for half the Mirkwood army it was proving not only difficult but also very dangerous. The Captain of the Guard knew that they couldn't keep this pace up much longer. They had already risked being spotted by Orcs and Spiders and no amount of speed would save them if the evils of Dol Guldur decided to launch an attack on the vulnerable party.

Even with the threat of the forest the cavalry was a spectacular sight, particularly with the king at its front, dressed in full battle gear: armour, bow, sword and cloak. No one could have missed the king even though he travelled without the usual ceremony and banners, a very unusual thing for any procession containing the king. However, this was not about ceremony, it was about speed. Thranduil knew that wherever his son was he was in serious trouble and the king needed to reach him quickly.

Despite the reassuring army of bows, swords and well-trained warriors behind him, Thranduil couldn't help but feel that he could ride a lot faster alone. The Master had said that Legolas was being held by a formidable and dangerous force, far greater than anything he had previously faced so Thranduil guessed that he would need all the power he could get, even if that meant they had to move a little slower to actually reach their destination.

~*~

Elladan, Elrohir and Elrond, along with their accompanying guards, had just finished packing up after camping for the night. All had been loathe to stop, knowing that every second would bring him closer to Aragorn and Legolas but they were well aware that the horses, if not their riders, needed to rest at some point. So, after leagues of travelling they had reluctantly slowed to a stop and set up a rudimentary camp, just good enough for them to rest comfortably for the night.

Elrond had gotten more anxious throughout the night and although the others had rested, his mind wouldn't switch off so he ended up being on watch for most of the night. He couldn't stop thinking about what kind of trouble the two friends could be in. Aragorn was a skilled Ranger and Legolas an excellent warrior so together they should have been fine but Elrond was still so uncertain. Images of his son in trouble clouded his mind.

Finally they were able to move again, having wiped all traces of their camp away. They quickly mounted their now refreshed horses and sped off in the direction that Legolas and Aragorn had most likely been taken. There were very few human settlements anywhere else so they had chosen the most logical direction. They had absolutely no clue where they were and were still following instinct more than anything but at least they were on the move.

~*~

Legolas was concentrating so hard on what he was doing to ignore the heat that he didn't hear or see the guard coming towards him. It was only when a hand appeared on his shoulder and pushed him to his knees that he reacted, by which time it was of no use to him.

He braced himself for the punishment but none came.

"Good work."

Then the hand was gone. Legolas paused for a moment, wondering whether this was some kind of trick. When nothing happened he looked around. There was no guard behind him. He pulled himself up and dusted down his trousers. That had been odd. The last time he had been approached by a guard it had ended badly. Still, he wasn't complaining. No punishment was perfectly acceptable to him.

Knowing better than to tempt fate, Legolas got back to chopping wood. He glanced around again. There were no guards at all now. This had happened quite a lot. They only seemed to patrol around occasionally. Whenever the mood took them they entered the chamber to check on things. For a lot of the time only the man who had showed him what to do was in the room, inspecting certain materials or dozing in the chair in the corner when he thought none of his colleagues were looking. Legolas was certain he had seen him take a couple of swigs out of a bottle earlier.

The man was currently walking up and down the line of slaves, checking they were working hard enough and giving them approving nods of encouragement. He didn't take any action when they were behind, not even bothering to summon other guards. It was a lot more relaxed in this part of the mine. This seemed strange to Legolas. He had been the main source of concern amongst the xenophobic Men since his and Aragorn's arrival and yet here he was in the most relaxed part of the mine. Not that he was complaining.

Anyway, this might yet yield an opportunity to investigate further.

After a few more hours, even though he was tired from the work, Legolas swept sharp eyes around himself, taking everything in as discreetly as he could. It was a mere stroke of luck that at that exact moment the man in charge went to the slave next to Legolas and told him to stoke the furnace.

"Sir, I know I'm new here but I am eager to learn. May I?" Legolas asked, putting on his most innocently curious face.

For a second the man looked like he might object but then thought twice. The other slave looked on hopefully. Eventually, the guard nodded. "I like keen learners. Take your cart into the furnace room. And no funny business. Don't make me call a guard because you will regret it." Legolas nodded innocently.

He actually had no intention of causing trouble. This was strictly reconnaissance. He did as instructed, pushing the cart towards the furnace room with the man watching his every move closely. The man unlocked the door and Legolas went inside.

"Right, now open that door and place the wood inside. Just enough to keep the fire burning though. Too much and you'll smother it." Legolas nodded and looked around for a cloth or something to open the door with. "Well, hurry up, I haven't got all day."

Taking a deep breath Legolas gripped the handle, shocked at just how hot it was, and opened it. Immediately the heat hit him and he recoiled only briefly, knowing he couldn't blow his one chance. He began loading logs onto the flames, discreetly looking around as he did so. Scanning the room wasn't a problem; it was trying to handle the wood without crying out from the burning pain in his hands. The handle had been hot enough to burn his hand pretty badly, leaving a long red mark across his palm. If he found something useful though, it would be worth it.

As he glanced up – more to take his mind off the pain than because he thought he might find something – Legolas saw what he had been looking for. It was very high up but accessible - a small gap above the furnace to allow smoke to pour from the building. A normal man wouldn't have been able to see it but thanks to Legolas' exceptional eyesight it was clear enough. Suddenly, he had to try not to smile. Right there in front of him was his and Aragorn's escape route.

After what seemed like a painful eternity, Legolas finished with the logs. Just enough to keep the fire going but not so much as to smother it. The man nodded, impressed, and slammed the door shut with his booted foot.

Just as Legolas was about to leave the room the door slammed open and Kallon burst in, his face red with anger.

"What is going on here?" Kallon shouted at the guard, who looked suitably terrified.

"Wh…what do you mean, sir?"

"Why is he down here? This is my prisoner. I didn't give the authorisation for this so what is he doing down here?"

"I…I…I…he was just sent down here, sir. That's all I know," the man stuttered, clearly afraid of Kallon, as anyone would be if the house leader came to them in such a foul mood.

Kallon grabbed Legolas' arm and pulled him roughly towards the door. "I'll deal with you later," he shouted back at the man.

Legolas didn't fight Kallon. He knew he was being taken back to the building and that was fine by him. He had learned all he needed to know from the furnace room. He snatched his shirt from the pole as he was dragged by, a satisfied smile on his face, although he hid it when Kallon looked around at him.

His journey through the mine was swift as everyone with any sense jumped out of the way when they saw Kallon coming. Despite the fact he was being pulled along against his will, Legolas was remarkably calm. Nothing Kallon did now mattered too much. He had found everything he and Aragorn needed for their escape and it was in the perfect place. There were very few guards and the man who ran the place could be overcome with nothing more than a glare and a harsh word. Perfect.

Kallon kept ranting and raving all the way through the mines until they were outside in the fresh air when he threw Legolas to the ground. Knowing it would be foolish to do anything Legolas sat still, waiting for Kallon to walk off his rage. It didn't matter now and Legolas knew it and he also knew that Kallon knew he knew something. That was the real reason the man was so angry. That and the fact his orders had been ignored and it didn't take a genius to figure out who had given that order. The Master wanted them to get free after the big 'uprising' and he had shown Legolas exactly how to do it.

"What is it with you? No other person in this place has ever been so difficult to control." Kallon stared down at Legolas. "You never do anything I command. You blatantly ignore the guards and just when I think I have you, you do something to make everything worse. And don't think I don't know how you're doing all this. Oh yes, I am aware of your little affiliation with the Master and I can tell you now that it won't last long. I will one day be the ruler of this place and when I am I swear I will make you regret your actions."

Kallon seemed to be talking more to himself than to Legolas, as though reinforcing what he believed to be true. His words came out rushed and sounded like such nonsense that Legolas had real difficulty following their meaning. He allowed the man to rant to himself, ignoring everything he was saying and thinking about ways by which to escape this prison.

The discovery of an exit hadn't merely given him certainty that they could do it but now he also had hope. And hope in a place like this was the most powerful force. Kallon had power, yes, but nothing as strong as hope. It had been something that had been gradually eroding away in the past weeks. First the whole Torvan fiasco, then his father – which had again been dashed by the Master – but this, this was real. Nothing could take back what he had seen: his and Aragorn's salvation. It would be difficult but no longer impossible.

Finally, Kallon had calmed down sufficiently to grab Legolas' arm, heave him up and push him towards the building. The closer he got the more excited Legolas became. Telling Aragorn would be a thrill. Seeing the look of shock and relief on the man's face would be worth the pain. Legolas knew he had disappointed him in the Hold but this would redeem his weakness. Not that he believed Aragorn to be angry with him. It would, however, ease Legolas' conscience.

Kallon opened the gate and pushed Legolas through. The Elf stood there for a moment before running as fast as his tired legs would carry him back to the building. It was now day-time so the doors were wide open and people were milling around outside, either stretching their legs or breathing in the fresh air after a days' work down the confined mines.

As soon as he entered, Legolas saw Aragorn sitting with Jasmine and Arron. He rushed over, not creating too much fuss amongst the other slaves. Aragorn looked up and jumped to his feet with a broad smile when he saw his friend.

"Legolas. Thank the Valar. I didn't know what happened to you. I thought…"

"Wait, I have something to tell you. Something amazing," Legolas grinned. He could see Aragorn's face twist in confusion and he imagined that to the man he looked utterly mad.

"Hold on a minute. Are you alright? What….what happened to your hands?" Aragorn took one of Legolas' hands and inspected it with a healer's eyes. "These burns look bad. Here, sit down. I'll try and dress them with something."

In truth, Legolas had completely forgotten about his hands. When Aragorn mentioned them though, they started throbbing again. However, the thrill of knowing about his future escape had dulled the pain and to a certain extent continued to do so.

"Estel, I think I might have found our escape route. Ow!" Aragorn's fingers gently prodding his hands were starting to make them hurt.

"Sorry. What do you mean our escape? Where did they take you?" Aragorn asked, keeping his eyes fixed on the hands, which were now red and beginning to blister slightly.

"A room beyond the main chamber. It was a furnace, Estel. And it had a chimney. There was a gap in the ceiling. It would be tricky but I'm sure we could climb up and slip out the top." His voice was excited, almost childlike. Aragorn could hardly keep the smile from his face when Legolas began talking.

"Slow down. I can't keep up," he laughed.

Legolas took a deep breath and smiled at Aragorn and then at Jasmine, who was looking on with a bemused smile. "Sorry. When I left you the guard led me down this long corridor into this antechamber. There was a furnace in there. I don't know what it's there for but that doesn't really matter. They had me chopping wood for hours. And, Estel, there were so few guards in there. It must be the quietest place in the whole camp. There were other workers and an over-seer but apart from that – nothing.

"Anyway, after a while I managed to get into the furnace room and there was a chimney in the roof. Like I said, it is small but just about big enough for someone to squeeze through."

"That's how you got these burns? From the furnace?" Aragorn asked. Legolas had seen the look of concentration and mild excitement on his face when he had explained about the possible escape route. It was reassuring to have someone else think this plan might actually have some credence.

"Yes. It's hot in there but that doesn't mean it couldn't work. Estel, this could be our only way out of here." Legolas said all this in hushed tones, knowing people might be trying to listen.

"It sounds…it sounds unlikely, Legolas. For one, we would have to climb up this thing in that kind of heat. Right above a furnace, we could end up being burnt alive."

"But Estel, it's something isn't it? It's better than nothing." Legolas looked up at him with such hope and excitement that Aragorn could do nothing but nod, forcing a smile onto his face.

"Maybe you could get a better look next time you're down in the mines," Jasmine suggested. Aragorn and Legolas were surprised by this. They had been so involved in their conversation that they had completely forgotten that Jasmine and Arron were also there.

Legolas shook his head and said, "No, I don't think I'll be going back there any time soon. Kallon came down. He wasn't happy I was there. I think he knows I found something."

"If he didn't authorise it then who did?" Jasmine asked, looking at Aragorn in confusion. Kallon usually ruled all the 6000's.

"I think I have an idea," Legolas answered, shooting a knowing look towards Aragorn.

"The Master," he muttered.

"The Master sent me down there, I'm sure of it. He wanted me to find that place. He wanted to show me our escape route." Legolas' voice still held a note of excitement that shocked and pleased Jasmine and Arron no end. They had not seen him like this before and it looked good on him. Jasmine imagined that this was what he was like at home, surrounded by his friends and family, his eyes dancing with joy and pleasure. Of course, it was somewhat dulled in this place but it cheered them to see it all the same. His excitement was infectious and she liked the new feeling. It was one she hadn't experienced in such a long time.

"Why would he do that?" Jasmine asked.

"It's a long story," Aragorn said, finishing with Legolas' hands. "One that you really don't want to hear." Jasmine merely shot him a dubious look and returned her gaze to Legolas. "You really should get some rest, Legolas. You look exhausted," Aragorn said gently to his friend, putting his hand on his shoulder.

Legolas nodded and slid down the bench onto the floor. Jasmine handed him a blanket and he huddled beneath it without argument. Within minutes he was fast asleep, utterly spent after two days of non-stop labour. Aragorn smiled gently. That smile faded, however, when he saw that Legolas' eyes were closed. It was true that Elves slept with their eyes closed only when exhausted or injured. As far as Aragorn knew, Legolas was both of these things and yet it still shocked him. He was so used to seeing his friend's eyes glaze over that when closed it almost seemed unnatural, unsettling. It was the opposite for Jasmine. When she had first seen him sleep with his eyes open she had said it looked creepy; like living death. A strange notion and one that Aragorn, having grown up amongst the Elves, found difficult to understand.

"I've never seen him like that before," Jasmine whispered after a while. "He looked so happy."

"Congratulations. You just got your first glimpse of the true Legolas," Aragorn smiled.

"Do you think his plan could ever work? I mean, it seemed a little far-fetched."

"It did but you never know. Desperation can breed hope sometimes. Even the slightest chance is better than nothing."

"I hope he is right."

"Me too."

After a few more minutes silence, they both laid down, Aragorn on the floor next to Legolas and Jasmine on the bench next to the already sound asleep Arron. Jasmine spoke again, "Just so we're clear; when you make your escape, I'm coming with you. No matter what the risk, I'm coming with you."

Aragorn smiled into the growing dark. "I wouldn't have it any other way." In the darkness Jasmine's hand reached down and clutched his. He gripped back. They fell asleep this way, with a silent Arron watching them with a somewhat bemused look.

**To Be Continued…**

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**A/N: Thanks so much to everyone who's reviewed so far. Please keep them coming. I really like hearing from you all.**

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	48. Let the Games Begin

**Disclaimer: **I own nothing Tolkien created.

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**Sold Into Ruin**

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**Chapter 48 ~ Let the Games Begin**

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The morning after Legolas' revelation everyone in the building awoke as normal and waited for the guards to come and fetch them for work. This cold, misty morning was different though. Legolas and Aragorn, along with the other slaves, waited and waited, feeling the tension slowly building in the room until it was almost unbearable. Everyone was afraid of what this meant. Back-breaking work was the only thing they were used to. They knew nothing else. This unexplained inactivity was disturbing to say the least. People were beginning to shuffle nervously about the room, chatting to each other in a vain attempt to keep themselves calm despite the fact that outright panic was starting to set in.

It was strange. Legolas thought they would have been happy for a day's rest. He certainly was. Last night his wounds hadn't bothered him too much, there were far more important things happening but this morning when Aragorn had as gently as possible dragged him reluctantly into the waking world, he regretted everything he had done yesterday. His hands were stinging, aching and burning all at once over the top of the underlying throb that seemed to stretch right up his arms, although Aragorn had done a perfectly good job at treating them the day before. He was stiff all over and his muscles ached, protesting from so much hard labour.

A day's rest would indeed be most welcome but, like the others, Legolas couldn't help but think that something was amiss. An annoying tingling concern nagged at his tired mind and put him on edge, fully aware that his companion was feeling the same thing beside him. Kallon wasn't the kind of person to let his slaves rest, not when there was work to be done and money to be made.

Some people were still queued up waiting patiently to be taken into the darkness, although most had drifted away to sit or lie down in resignation, when the doors finally banged open, allowing dim sunlight and cold air to flood in. People leapt up from their places, terrified looks darted towards their captors at being caught resting. The guards appeared in the doorway, closely followed by a grinning Kallon. They were carrying platters of what probably contained more vile food and buckets of what was clearly some kind of paint with them. Now, this struck everyone as a bit odd, recognisable even through their terror. It wasn't something they had ever seen before in the encampment and no one knew quite what to make of it. Their first thought was that this was some kind of job intended for them but Kallon had an almost friendly smile on his face. This only made Legolas more uncomfortable though.

"Ladies and gentlemen – and Elf," Kallon stared pointedly at Legolas, "today, I have a very special treat for you all." He paused for dramatic effect, and it worked, everyone collectively held their breath in worried anticipation. "Think of it as a little…game." A grin spread across his face again.

"This isn't going to be good," Aragorn whispered to Legolas, who just nodded discreetly in response.

"Two colours: one white, one red." Kallon indicated to the buckets of paint the guards were holding. He nodded at them and they instantly stepped forward with tattered brushes and painted the fronts of the prisoner's shirts, being careful not to obscure their numbers. White, red, white, red, white. Legolas and Aragorn quickly and discreetly adjusted themselves so they would be on the same team. White.

Jasmine was also painted white but Arron and the other children were left out, being pushed roughly back by the brutish guards. Apparently this was not a child's game.

Jadan was painted red and he made very sure Legolas and Aragorn saw they were on opposing teams, almost proudly displaying his blood-red mark to them. There was a certain look of satisfaction on his face at the prospect of competing against the two of them in whatever task Kallon and the guards had planned.

Legolas and Aragorn edged closer to Jasmine. "What is this?" the man asked her, hoping she would have seen this before and provide some enlightenment.

"I have no idea. This has never happened before." Jasmine looked as worried as they did but further questions and discussions were halted when Kallon spoke again.

"If you could all line up: red on my left, white on my right. Quickly now." Everyone immediately shuffled to do as instructed, although there were muted mumbles of confusion and Legolas was certain Jadan purposefully trod on his foot at one point although he stoically ignored the intimidation. "Thank you. Now, if you would kindly file out into the courtyard. I can guarantee that by the end of this you'll all feel a whole lot better for the recreation." Again, that sly smile crossed his face. Something extremely bad was going to happen this day. Legolas could sense it. And apparently everyone else could feel the danger too because there was now an air of quiet terror at whatever was about to happen.

Eventually, everyone had filed outside and stood nervously in the guarded courtyard, looking about themselves and shuffling on their feet as if terrified of the stillness. Kallon stood in front of them all with a long, thin stick in his hands, which was presumably more for intimidation than anything else; although why he didn't pull out his sword Legolas didn't know. Guards were now walking up and down the ranks, silently poking the points of their swords in the backs of prisoners to keep themselves entertained while they waited.

"Alright, I know you'll enjoy this so don't ever say I never do anything for your entertainment," Kallon shouted, looking behind him as several guards assembled a make-shift ring, made from wooden posts and thick rope. "The rules of the Game are as follows. Rule number one: one guard against one prisoner – no more, no less. No interruptions or interference from either side regardless of the outcome. Rule number two: no weapons of any kind are to be used on either side. Rule number three: no quitting. The Game is over when the judge says it is over, not before. And rule number four: first one down loses."

Kallon looked down the lines at the clearly baffled prisoners. They couldn't understand what was going on. Kallon actually looked excited about it. They had never seen Kallon excited about anything. It was hardly surprising that he was though; they all knew he enjoyed pain and that was exactly what the Game was designed for, inflicting the most pain until surrender.

Although Legolas had never seen or heard of anything like this kind of sport before Aragorn knew that the pitting of one unarmed man against another was still practised in some parts of Gondor, although it was highly illegal and usually done away from the eyes of the law in underground groups where betting, drinking and violence were rife. Of course, Aragorn had never seen or experienced it personally, only heard whispered rumours.

Kallon spoke again. "Now, so long as everyone fights to the best of their ability, this should be fun. For all of us." He glanced over at Legolas and Aragorn again. They knew that for them this was going to be especially bad. Kallon had it in for them and they could tell he was going to enjoy their torment. "Let the Games begin."

The first well-muscled guard dressed in thick leather armour stepped into the improvised fighting ring, exciting thunderous applause from the other guards and shivers of terror from the prisoners. News had obviously gotten around the encampment about this and many guards had come from the other buildings to join in the fun and to offer encouragement to their colleagues. Kallon stepped back, never one to get unnecessarily in the way of danger, and called for the guard to choose an opponent from amongst the slaves, who all immediately shrank away from his piercing glare. It was hardly a fair way of doing it but then the prisoners had little choice in the matter.

The guard carefully picked a prisoner from the crowd. A man half his size and clearly not a fighter. He cowered back but the guard continued to point, not changing his mind. He knew this would be an easy victory for him and would probably make him look extremely good when he won. These guards weren't stupid – they targeted the weak rather than the ones who would give them a fair fight. When the terrified man wouldn't step forward another guard waded into the crowd and grabbed him by the arm, literally dragging him towards the ring. No matter how much the slave protested he wasn't going to get out of this.

Once there were two people in the ring Kallon shouted for the fight to begin. The guard began dancing around the man with his fists raised ready to strike. The slave watched his every move with wide, terrified eyes. Not striking, not even moving; not daring to. The guard and his colleagues seemed to find this passiveness hilariously funny and began laughing, shouting profanities and insults at him. Some even threw their rotting food at the prisoner, only making him more stiff and frightened. The guard in the ring was cruelly goading the man into action and also started shouting insults, some of which Legolas didn't even understand and Aragorn had no intention of ever explaining to him.

After almost five minutes of this dancing and heckling, Kallon shouted for the crowd to shut up. This order was obeyed instantly and cold silence fell but this didn't relax the prisoner one bit. Although the taunting had been awfully unkind now the fighting had to start. The heckling had actually proved a good distraction but now only the Game mattered and he knew there was no way he could win.

As predicted, when the guard did strike he knocked the man down in a single powerful blow. He didn't stop there though. He started brutally kicking him until he curled up into a protective ball on the floor, much to the annoyance of the other prisoners who were now shouting foul almost as loud as the guards were shouting encouragement. The guard in the ring finally stepped away, screaming at the man on the ground to stand for another round. Eventually, after a lot of encouragement he managed to pull himself to his shaky feet. Again the guard hit him but this time by some miracle he didn't lose his footing. He actually managed to dodge the next blow, causing a roar of support from the prisoners and a cry of disappointment and curses from the guards.

It was hardly an equal match but the prisoner had swiftness and speed on his side where the guard lacked. The guard did, however, have strength, power, confidence and the added bonus of not being half-starved and horribly over-worked. This was also his potential downfall. Being a guard confined to the encampment he didn't need to be particularly fit and it showed in his halting movements and strained, heavy breathing. Not enough exercise and too much good food made him over-weight and slow. Unfortunately for the prisoner this wasn't a test of speed and agility, it was primarily a test of strength and in this the guard had the upper hand.

This was proven just minutes later when, after just a few more heavy blows, the prisoner fell to the ground in a bloody, weeping mess. He held his hands up in surrender and the guard threw his arms in the air in victory. The cheers from the guards roared over the shouts of disappointment from the prisoners.

Kallon smiled faintly, clapping slowly at his small victory against his captives. Again, he glanced at Legolas and Aragorn, whose eyes were fixed unwaveringly on the man who was now being dragged from the ring by two guards. The victorious guard jumped from the ring, met with clapping and cheering from his colleagues.

"Next," the 'judge' shouted. He could hardly be considered a fair judge as he was one of the more senior guards. He was from another house but he was still a guard. Hardly fair on the slaves. However, the first fight had been simple enough. That wouldn't last long though.

The next guard chose his partner, another scrawny slave, just as frightened – if not more so now he knew what was coming - as the last one. The fight lasted a little longer this time though. The slave fought back, although rather cautiously. He, like everyone else, knew how they would suffer should they do anything wrong or harm a member of the guarding party. The guards would make them pay eventually in one way or another. Few slaves would be willing to risk that happening.

Again Legolas and Aragorn watched the unfolding scene in silence and Aragorn found he had become almost entranced by the crude fighting dance. He almost forgot after a while that Jasmine was leant up against him. He wrapped his arms around her when he felt her shiver slightly and press further against his side, whispering softly that everything was alright. Although she didn't want to see the fighting, like him she couldn't take her eyes off it. It held a kind of macabre fascination that she hated herself for indulging in.

~*~

Darkness was beginning to descend over Arda and as of yet no slave had won the challenge. Kallon looked on stoically, not flinching or moving no matter what blows were delivered against either side. This was merely light entertainment to him but for Legolas, who had been keeping a close, discreet eye on him all day, he seemed not to be enjoying it much. Or maybe he was just saving his excitement for something better later on.

The Game wasn't the only thing he had in store that night. Kallon had something else planned. The markings adorning their ragged clothing proved that. Legolas didn't know what he was planning but he knew this was all too simple for Kallon.

~*~

It was almost ten at night and dark save for the dull moonlight when Kallon finally stepped forward, stopping another fight before it could begin.

"Gentlemen," he addressed the guards, "I think a change of rules is in order. This is becoming a little too repetitive for my liking. Let's spice things up a bit."

He stepped into the centre of the ring, dragging one of the guards – the biggest and strongest yet – in with him. The slightly startled guard accepted the praise he got from his companions before Kallon shushed them all. Immediately, obedient silence fell.

"New rules. It is no longer the first to surrender who wins. It is the last one alive when the fight is over." Kallon smiled bleakly over at Legolas and Aragorn in the darkness making him look even more menacing than usual, as though he was addressing them personally. The announcement seemed to shock the guards as much as it did the prisoners. The guard currently standing in the ring with Kallon suddenly looked positively terrified at the possibility of death. "Also, no more simply choosing the weakest slave you can find. Judge will choose from now on and you had better make it entertaining. Where's the fun in an easy kill?" he asked rhetorically, patting the broad guard on the shoulder.

Kallon calmly stepped out of the ring, leaving the guard in the centre nervously awaiting his opponent. The judge took his time in deciding on the next slave contender. Finally, he picked one of the stronger men, a fairly new recruit who was not yet quite as weak and weathered as some of the others. He didn't seem at all afraid of the upcoming challenge. Either he had not yet begun to fear the guards or he thought of this as an easy way out. If he killed the guard he earned himself some amount of respect and fear and if he himself was killed then it would be a release from this terrible place.

The fight went on longer than any of the others, the prisoner revelling in the opportunity to get his own back on the establishment that has tormented him. However, again the prisoner had had little chance to hone his skills and being in such poor condition from his unfriendly treatment, tired relatively quickly. The guard eventually managed to knock him to the ground and the other guards cheered as he repeatedly kicked him in the stomach and chest, breaking multiple ribs, which punctured his lung with a sickening snap and rattle. No matter how hard the prisoner tried to recover he couldn't do anything but take the brutal punishment. Kallon, as usual, looked stoically on though Legolas could have sworn that he had a look of perverse satisfaction in his eyes as the prisoner drew his last rattling breath before succumbing to the infinite darkness of death.

On the guards' side there were cheers. On the prisoner's side there was stunned silence. The Game had just intensified dramatically. Legolas and Aragorn had been right, there was more to this than met the eye. Some parts were still a mystery but things could only get worse from here. Kallon was never one to make things pleasant and now he seemed to revel in the perverse torture of the innocents under his control.

It was well past midnight when Kallon finally ordered the lamps to be lit. Previously, for reasons unknown, he had not ordered any light and the fighters had had to manage with only the natural light of the moon for guidance. Now the ring was bathed in flickering orange light. The blood of previous contestants, of which there had been many, was clearly illuminated in the centre of the grisly ring. The bodies had been dragged out of the ring as they fell and dumped unceremoniously in a pile to one side. Apparently, none of the guards wanted to leave the fighting to properly dispose of them and Kallon didn't seem to care either way. Aragorn made sure he stayed in front of Jasmine, blocking her view of the multiple and sometimes mutilated bodies.

Earlier, Arron had joined them and Legolas had draped a protective arm around his shoulder and was also shielding his view of the dead as best he could. When the next fight started it was bathed in orange light, making the whole sickening scene seem even more gruesome and macabre. Even Legolas and Aragorn, with all their years of fighting as warriors in their respective lands, found this horrific. The sheer brutality of it was shocking. The guards showed no mercy towards the weakened prisoners. In fact, they seemed almost excited at the possibility of death.

The prisoners, meanwhile, all had looks of terrified anticipation on their gaunt, pale faces. They knew fully well that no prisoner could win against the stronger, fitter guards. The judge was mostly choosing the strongest prisoners amongst them but too many years in servitude had dulled their senses and weakened their muscles. In short, they didn't stand a chance. Everyone in the crowd was waiting nervously, terrified that they might be chosen next. Legolas and Aragorn didn't move or even flinch away from the violence though. They knew Kallon was watching them closely, just waiting to see them shrink back in terror but they weren't going to give him the satisfaction of showing even a small amount of fear.

**To Be Continued…**

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	49. Perspectives

**Disclaimer: **I own nothing Tolkien created.

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**Sold Into Ruin**

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**A/N: Whoa, nearly 300 reviews!!!! That's so amazing. Thank you to everyone who has reviewed and also to all of those still reading.**

**Thanks so much. Here is the next chapter for you. **

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**Chapter 49 ~ Perspectives**

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The contest continued – guard after guard killing the helpless slaves; hardly a surprising outcome. Everyone knew it was an uneven, unfair fight, including the contestants. When the Game had first started there had been rounds of cheering or booing but now there was just an eerie silence. Neither side was finding this fighting particularly enjoyable anymore. The fight-to-the-death matches were taking their toll on even the guards, who were growing steadily more nervous that their winning streak might soon come to an end.

So far they remained undefeated but it was only a matter of time. Jasmine was silently praying that it would happen soon. The guards needed to know the slaves could fight back, even if they couldn't necessarily win. The prisoners going into the ring now went in knowing that they would not be coming out so they did nothing to stop it. To them death meant escape.

In a twisted way, Jasmine wished Legolas or Aragorn could go into the ring. They didn't seem the type to be bested by anyone, let alone guards. They had not allowed themselves to be beaten down yet and she just knew they could win. They didn't have the same worries or weaknesses the other prisoners had. She was ashamed to think like this, that they were nothing more than a potential lesson for the guards and Kallon.

The man had been continuously staring at them for hours. In fact, his eyes had hardly left Legolas and Aragorn the whole night.

The judge pulled yet another terrified slave into the ring. He gripped onto the rope though, holding on for dear life. As hard as the strong judge tried to prise the man off the rope, he couldn't. The slave was distraught, crying and screaming. He was weak, his muscles virtually non-existent through hard labour and starvation but he was holding on so tightly it was surprising.

After a while of this – the judge trying to rip him from the rope – Kallon finally stepped forwards.

"Get into the ring," he commanded in a low voice, his arms folded across his chest. Everyone knew he was in charge and were waiting to see what he would do. The man was by now paralysed with fear. He clung to the rope, ignoring Kallon, apparently willing to accept any punishment as long as he didn't have to fight the guard in the ring, who was currently taunting him again.

Aragorn and Legolas watched sadly. Beside him, Aragorn could feel Legolas bristling to stop what was bound to happen and he had to place a hand on the Elf's arm to restrain him.

"Get into the ring now," Kallon repeated, louder this time so he could be heard over the guards. The man still didn't listen though. He was now clinging silently to the rope, tears streaming down his face. "Get into the ring and fight, you coward," Kallon shouted, his patience exhausted.

The man's continued inactivity annoyed Kallon and he strode angrily towards him. Silence fell again. Even the guards were quiet. They recognised Kallon's anger and knew it didn't bode well for any of them. On his way through he grabbed a knife from one of the guards and pointed it threateningly at the man clinging to the rope. The man still didn't move although he did let out a pathetic whimper at what he knew was coming.

"Get into the ring right now or I'll kill you right here," Kallon warned. Although his eyes were fixed on the man before him they flicked briefly over to Legolas and Aragorn, wanting to witness their reactions.

"I…I…I can't. Please."

"Get into the ring," Kallon repeated. When he got nothing more than a whimper, he nodded to one of the guards who grabbed the man by the waist and pulled as hard as he could. However, the man's strength was great in his desperation and he held on for dear life. The man managed to pull one hand from the rope but he still couldn't get the prisoner off. Kallon finally ordered him to stop, seeing they weren't getting anywhere. The man froze, one hand gripping the rope so tightly that his knuckles were white. "Let's go," Kallon said through gritted teeth. The man shook his head firmly, believing his strategy was finally working. "I'm warning you, let go." Again the man shook his head. "Let go," Kallon shouted. When nothing happened, Kallon finally lost his patience. He pressed the edge of the knife against the man's wrist and, without hesitating, slammed it down with all his strength, the thin but sharp blade cutting off the man's hand in one easy, swift movement.

This naturally sent the man reeling to the ground, clutching at the bloodied stump where his hand used to be. There was a shout of disgust from the slaves and one of joy from the guards.

Jasmine buried her head in Aragorn's shoulder to escape the sight and Legolas pulled a terrified Arron closer to him, placing his hand against the boy's head so he was pressed against his body, worried that the boy would want to look at the grisly sight.

"He can't do that," Aragorn growled. No one deserved to be treated that way.

Legolas replied coldly, "It seems he can do whatever he wants."

The man was now sitting in the centre of the ring, blood pouring from his arm at an alarming rate. The guard was circling him, like a predator circling his falling prey. One kick brought the man to the ground, another laid him flat out. The next few kicks were aimed at his stomach although the man barely seemed to notice. He looked pretty out of it, probably from the blood loss. He was no longer crying or shouting, simply curled up in a ball gripping his stump tightly and whimpering, in too much anguish to notice anything around him. The guard aimed a kick at the man's stump. This did cause a cry of pure agony to escape his lips and then the shouting and sobbing came back with vigour, causing the guards the laugh louder.

"Someone really should help him," a voice whispered in Aragorn's ear. He spun around to see Jadan, a sadistic look of glee on his face at the dying man's pain. "Poor man." He contradicted himself by clapping when the guard kicked the man's stump again. "So sad."

"You evil, good for nothing, stinking…" Jasmine shouted before being cut off when Aragorn pulled her sharply away in shock at her harsh words. Jadan merely smiled at the string of insults and mockingly blew a kiss her way. She tried to get at him again, shouting obscenities that even Aragorn didn't know. This only amused Jadan more.

"Don't," Aragorn whispered to her. "Don't lower yourself to his level."

Legolas had followed them slightly forward to get away from Jadan. Arron had his arms firmly locked around Legolas' waist and was cowering from Jadan, who raised his hand as if to strike him as he passed them by. Legolas put himself between the boy and the man without hesitation and turned back to the fighting ring. The scene hadn't improved much. The guard was shouting something to his now adoring followers despite the fact he had done very little to earn their adoration.

Jasmine was now crying noisily into Aragorn's shoulder, her hand protectively cradling her swollen belly.

"We have to stop this," Legolas whispered to Aragorn, who nodded back reluctantly.

"You have to let go, Jasmine." Gently he prised the sobbing woman off him. "Stay here with Arron," he told her kindly.

"No, Estel, please don't. They'll kill you. Please."

"No, they won't. Besides, Kallon has been waiting for this all night. We don't want to disappoint him." He walked away.

"Stay with Jasmine," Legolas instructed Arron distractedly as he pulled the small arms from around his waist. The boy just nodded numbly, allowing himself to be transferred from one safe person to another. "And whatever you do, don't look." Legolas smiled reassuringly at Arron, then looking pointedly at Jasmine. Young eyes didn't need to witness what was about to happen.

"Be careful," she whispered, taking his hand briefly. He kissed it graciously and smiled at her.

"Don't worry."

Legolas and Aragorn pushed their way through the crowd. It wasn't too difficult. Everyone was frozen in shock at what was happening in the ring. Kallon uncrossed his arms in anticipation when he saw them making their way towards him. A slight smile crossed his face. This was exactly what he wanted.

"Stop this," Aragorn said when he reached Kallon.

Kallon just smiled innocently at him. "Why? Aren't you having fun?" Another annoying smile.

"No," Aragorn growled.

Again Kallon smiled, as if feigning surprise. "But I did it all for you and your friend. I really thought you would enjoy it. You seem to like this kind of thing – unrestrained violence. That is, after all what you displayed when we first met. I thought you'd like my little game."

"Game? You think of this as sport?" Legolas interrupted, coming to stand next to Aragorn.

"Of course. What else could it be?"

"It's a massacre," Legolas stated. "This isn't sport. It's just plain cruelty, to entertain you and your…followers."

"Don't you think the slaves find it amusing?" Kallon smiled innocently.

"You…"

"Estel don't," Legolas warned when Aragorn went to pounce on Kallon.

Now everyone's attention was on Kallon and the two friends. Even the guard and prisoner in the ring were quiet. Everyone was waiting for something to happen now. It was far more exciting than watching the guards beat the prisoners all night, besides they had been waiting for something like this to happen ever since the Man and Elf had arrived. The ultimate showdown had long been looming.

"Yes Estel. Don't. You wouldn't want to get yourself into trouble again, now would you?"

"You are a monster, Kallon and you always have been." Aragorn was fuming but he was no longer trying to physically harm Kallon, he knew this would lead somewhere. That had been Kallon's plan but he wasn't going to push it too far. "This isn't fair or right; what you do to these people normally is bad enough but to use them for your own sick entertainment is inhumane."

"Entertainment? You think they enjoy this?"

"Yes," Aragorn said bluntly.

Kallon smiled. "I do all this for them." He pointed to the guards. "Something has to keep them placated otherwise they tend to turn. They find it fun – a release, if you will."

"Torture isn't fun," Legolas said.

"I suppose that all depends on your perspective."

"Perspective means nothing."

"You know what would make it fun?" Kallon raised his voice, now speaking to the whole crowd, who had gathered near them. "If we took the guards out of the equation."

"You're out of your mind," Aragorn said in exasperation.

"Perhaps. But at least I know the meaning of enjoyment. You, my dear Estel, clearly do not. Get out of the ring," he shouted to the guard and the handless prisoner still loitering in the centre.

Aragorn shot one last glare at Kallon before going to the slave and pushing the guard out of the way. He knelt in front of the man who was grasping at his heavily-bleeding hand. Aragorn prised his hand away to look at the stump. Unfortunately, he couldn't see much in the poor light. Legolas quickly joined them and handed him a cloth he had just snatched from one of the guards. Aragorn crudely but expertly bandaged the hand and finally stopped the bleeding.

By this time Kallon had joined them in the ring and was watching with amusement the scene before him.

"Do you need a hand there, Estel?" he laughed.

"Shut up," snarled Aragorn, glancing briefly up at Kallon before returning his attention to the slave whose shirt number identified him as 6788. "Come on," he said as he helped the man to his feet. He was unsteady and wobbly but he seemed determined to stand just to get out of the ring and away from the guard and his possible death.

Legolas and Aragorn jointly helped him out of the ring and handed him to one of the other slaves, who carefully took him and laid him down.

"Right. Now that is dealt with, we can continue," said Kallon. "Now, who wants to fight them?"

**To Be Continued…**

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	50. New Justice, Old Grudges

**Disclaimer: **I own nothing Tolkien created.

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**Sold Into Ruin**

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**A/N: Okay, my computer is misbehaving so I'm just trying to update whenever I can so I thought I'd do it today rather than risk not being able to do it tomorrow if that makes any sense at all. Anyway, I'll try and update as normal but please forgive me if I'm a couple of days early or late occasionally.**

**Thanks to everyone who is still reading and reviewing.**

**~*~**

**Chapter 50 ~ New Justice, Old Grudges**

~*~

**Mirkwood…**

Thranduil had ordered a camp to be set up when they stopped for the night and all around him soldiers were busily working to get it done. The king himself was looking around at the forest in concern. This place was both a blessing and a curse. A blessing because it provided them with everything they needed to survive but a curse because it was an easy place for their dark enemies to hide and expand their already vast forces. Still, no one knew this forest better than its king and ruler. Thranduil had long ago been taught how to master the deep, dark forest. Of course, this had gotten a lot more difficult when Greenwood the Great had fallen into darkness and become re-titled 'Mirkwood'.

The king had been taught by his father, Oropher, and he had passed these teachings on to Legolas when he had become old enough. He had learnt from his own father's mistakes. The ancient king of Greenwood had been a good, solid leader to the people but he had no respect for the then beautiful forest around him, choosing to treat it as an enemy even when it was pure and gentle rather than fully embracing its wonders. Thranduil had gone against this view when he was crowned king. He had used the forest to his advantage, building his new palace into the rock but close to the woods to provide protection and shelter. This became even more important upon the establishment of Dol Guldur, the evil structure of the Dark Lord Sauron.

Things had all changed then. The splendour of Greenwood gradually faded as the trees turned dark and dangerous and all the evil of Morgoth was drawn towards it. Mirkwood, as it was renamed, was no longer a place of beauty and peace but became what was essentially one giant war zone. Sauron constantly sent out his minions to attack the Elves and destroy the forest. Thranduil was forced to expand Mirkwood's defences, building high walls around his newly reinforced kingdom. Thranduil's peaceful race of Silvan Elves had had to turn into warriors just to keep their kingdom safe from harm from the very forest they depended on for life. All of this eventually led to the expansion of the traditional Mirkwood Guard.

Before, there had been an elite group of soldiers within the main Guard, a small and relatively unimportant group of well-trained, seasoned warriors who guarded the palace and the royals themselves even during the Watchful Peace. Thranduil placed them higher than any other force in Mirkwood. The members were all knighted and renamed the Mirkwood Royal Guard. The name was slightly misleading as they did not solely guard the royal family, although that was always their main objective, but they also protected Mirkwood as a whole. Standards were increased. It took many years and a lot of experience serving in the regular Guard to become a member of the Royal Guard and such a position was regarded as one of the greatest honours in Mirkwood.

Thranduil had chosen all his guards for their individual merits. Each had to be personally approved of by the king before they could be knighted and initiated. Only a handful of those would ever go on to actually guard the royal family, one of the greatest privileges. These guards held the highest ranks and got the greatest perks, including being constantly near the royals and getting to travel far across the lands representing their kingdom.

Mirkwood's guards had managed to keep the vast evil at bay, although it had cost them many lives over the years of fighting. However, every guard knew the risks when he or she signed up – it was a notoriously dangerous assignment. Each would lay down their life in service of the King, the Prince and the realm.

Right now, with their prince missing, possibly dead, this fierce loyalty was more important than ever. Thranduil knew he was asking a lot. His people were blindly following him when a methodical search of the surrounding area would be more productive and more sensible. Every one of them would follow Thranduil and his son into whatever peril. No one could defy the king. Thranduil was a fearsome character and anyone who crossed him would usually regret it.

"We are all set up, Your Majesty," the Captain bowed as he approached his king. "Should we light a fire, sir?"

Thranduil looked up to the sky. It was just starting to get dark and there was a definite chill in the air. "Yes. We are not being hunted." Mirkwood was a dangerous enough place during the day but at night, when Orcs could walk around more freely, it was even worse. "Post guards all around the camp. Let us hope a fire will keep any evil at bay this night."

With that, Thranduil walked over to the royal tent. It was bigger than the others and more extravagant inside, even if it was a little less than the king was used to in the palace. If they were travelling long distances he and Legolas would have larger tents with all the possible luxuries afforded to the royal family on the road. However, considering the speed at which they had left the palace and the urgency of the situation, what they had was perfectly adequate.

Sitting down on the small fold-up bed, Thranduil placed a hand over his tired eyes. Legolas immediately came into his mind. His son was in trouble and he could do nothing. He felt so utterly helpless. All his life he had protected Legolas, perhaps a little too much sometimes, but now he could do nothing Thranduil felt like he had failed his son. Legolas was his son, his only child. It was a father's job to protect his child at all costs and it hurt Thranduil to be sitting doing nothing whilst his son was suffering at the hands of his enemies.

Still, no army could march too long without rest and they were forced to stop to rest the horses anyway. Besides, they had no idea when they might come across this Kallon and the men holding his son captive. They needed to be well-rested and prepared. That was what Thranduil kept telling himself anyway.

~*~

Elrond, Elladan and Elrohir rode on as quickly as possible. They all knew they were pushing their horses too hard but the pressure to find Aragorn and Legolas was building by the second.

"We should take a break," Elladan finally said to his father, having to raise his voice over the pounding of hooves.

"We need to keep going as long as possible," Elrond shouted back.

Elrohir pulled his horse to a halt, closely followed by Elladan and the accompanying guards. Elrond had no choice but to stop as well.

"Elladan is right, Ada, we need to rest, even if only for a couple of hours. It is nearly dark," Elrohir told his father, who was walking his horse in nervous circles.

"This is a good place to camp, Ada. We might not find anywhere else nearby for a while. Not before dark anyway," Elladan added.

Elrond looked around, knowing his sons were right. "Alright."

Unlike Thranduil and his company in Mirkwood they had no luxuries at their disposal. Sleeping under the stars was normal for the twins and the Lord of Imladris.

"Start a fire. It should be safe, it's not like there's anyone around to see," Elrond sighed.

Within minutes the horses were fed and watered and a fire was burning brightly in their improvised camp and Elladan and Elrohir had run off to find or hunt something to eat. Elrond was by far the better hunter – being older and more experienced – but right then he was far too preoccupied with the safety of his human son to be focused enough to make a kill. He knew that every moment he waited his son was in more pain and distress.

~*~

'Distress' was a major understatement for Aragorn right then. The crowd around the ring had fallen silent again, all utterly shocked by Kallon's suggestion. Guard against prisoner – that was a little better. The prey had no choice but Kallon was offering the challenge as much to the prisoners as to the guards. No one could quite believe it. This was, after all, a fight to the death now.

"No one wants to fight them?" Kallon asked in mock surprise. He knew what he was suggesting was crazy. "You cowards," he yelled to the guards. "Someone volunteer or I'll choose one of you."

"Kallon, this isn't funny anymore," one of the more senior guards dared to say through the silence.

That just seemed to amuse Kallon further. "Why ever not? You're not afraid of them, are you?" he sneered. He knew mocking them would make them more inclined to violence if only to prove their worth. "I expected this from them" he pointed to the frightened slaves "but not from my own people. Someone volunteer. They're only prisoners."

"Estel," Legolas whispered in panic. He knew it was only a matter of time before someone stepped forward and they would have to face them.

"I know," Aragorn whispered back just as desperately.

"Well, no one? This is what I have to work with? Wimps." Kallon turned to Legolas and Aragorn. "It seems that no one wants to fight you, my friends. Anyone you want to go up against? No?"

"Kallon, please don't do this," Aragorn said, hoping he could talk some sense into the man.

"Not enjoying it? I'm just trying to make things more interesting for you."

"I'll do it," a voice came from the guards' side. Everyone looked up. "I'll fight the Elf."

Legolas looked up in shock, his sharp blue eyes scanning the crowd before them. It was the same guard he had fought in the Handy Tavern weeks ago just before their capture. The man looked a lot more threatening now though. He was completely sober for a start.

"I'll fight the Immortal. Revenge is sweet." This last part was directed only at Legolas and it was so full of malice that it sent a chill through the Elf.

"Well done. Finally, someone with a little courage." Kallon shook the guard's hand, sending a smile to Legolas at the same time. "This should be a good match."

"I've been waiting for this day," the guard told Kallon, who nodded understandingly.

"Come on, Estel, I believe we shall only be in the way here. Let's get out of their way."

"No," Aragorn said, standing protectively in front of Legolas.

Kallon looked surprised by the protest. "Move out of the way now. Let your friend defend himself for once."

"Shut up and leave him alone. Choose another of your followers to fight. Legolas will not."

"Hmmm, outside protest. I don't think that's in the rules," Kallon mused thoughtfully.

"Don't do this."

"Why not? It seems only fair. Legolas hurts him, he takes his revenge. It's justice."

"That's not justice, it's cruelty," Aragorn shouted.

Legolas put his hand on Aragorn's shoulder to stop him. The whole time he had been staring into the guard's eyes, the two silently weighing each other up. Legolas didn't want to fight – to the death or otherwise – but he was not about to let Aragorn suffer for him. Not again.

"Estel," he said quietly, "don't."

"Finally, someone is speaking some sense. I think your friend understands this place better than you do, Estel. Clearly he is the faster learner." There was mocking in Kallon's voice that made Aragorn want to throw his fist into the man's face and knock it out of him.

"Legolas, what are you talking about?" Aragorn asked in a confused voice.

"Let him do what he wants. It's not worth you getting into trouble over." Legolas' eyes were clear and bright and Aragorn knew then that he had a plan. What it was though was still a mystery to him. He nodded gently after looking into blue eyes for a moment. His own grey eyes turned to the crowd and sought Jasmine and Arron; both were looking in horror at what might happen.

Aragorn reluctantly left the ring. He didn't go too far into the crowd though, just in case Legolas needed him.

"Let the Game begin," Kallon announced once he too was clear of the ring.

The guard smiled at Legolas. He pulled his shirt off, causing a spontaneous round of applause from his colleagues, who had by now regained their voices. Legolas did nothing though. Nothing but stare into the guard's dark brown eyes.

Slowly, the guard began moving around Legolas, weighing him up. He knew how the Elf moved, he had fought him before. However, that advantage went both ways. Legolas had also fought the guard. He knew all his strengths and weaknesses. He knew how to defeat him. The Elf was by far the better fighter, both knew that. However, the guard was in better shape. He hadn't been beaten and starved over the past few weeks. Legolas was weaker than usual. But he was still an Elf, greatly superior to any Man even in a weakened state.

"I will enjoy this," the guard snarled.

Legolas just smiled back. He needed to concentrate, not exchange insults. Thankfully, the crowd was silent again. As outside the Handy Tavern, a few people were exchanging coins, undoubtedly against Legolas. That didn't matter though. He didn't need confidence from them. He had enough experience in battle to know all the moves he needed and over the past days he had learnt a lot about Men and how they fought. His hatred for them also helped. What he had seen these Men do angered him. That always helped, so long as he kept sufficiently calm to remain controlled.

"What are you waiting for?" the guard asked. He was impatient but Legolas didn't care. He wasn't going to rush into anything.

"I don't want to fight you," Legolas said calmly.

The guard laughed loudly, repeating the statement to his supporters. "Funny, because I _really_ want to fight you. And I never lose."

"That's not my experience," Legolas retorted, unable to resist.

This statement angered the guard and he charged blindly at Legolas in pure fury. However, the swift Elf merely stepped to one side – the same frustrating move he had made in the Handy Tavern. This again made the guard angry but this time he wasn't so quick to leap. Just what Legolas wanted. He couldn't move so fast too often, it hurt his back too much. Putting the guard off that tactic was just what he had wanted to achieve. Men could be easily manipulated.

"You like that move, eh?"

Legolas nodded with a lopsided smile. "Sorry, I'm not usually one to repeat." Another lie. Legolas knew what moves worked well and using them more than once was rarely a disadvantage provided they were used correctly.

"Me neither."

The guard took another swipe at Legolas with his fist but the Elf easily dodged it. The Man might have been stronger but he was also extremely clumsy; a major weakness when fighting an Elf.

"Come on. Do something. It's getting boring for the audience," Kallon shouted, sending another roar of approval through the excited crowd. The prisoners were mainly silent; an air of nervousness and tension had descended. Jasmine and Arron had joined Aragorn at the front of the crowd. He had his arm around her shoulders for reassurance. She looked far more nervous than him.

Aragorn knew Legolas could take care of himself but however this turned out it wouldn't be good.

The guard charged again. This time, however, Legolas didn't move away. He hit back at the guard. Both fists connected at the same time. The guard grabbed Legolas' shoulder and tried to push him to the ground but Legolas stood firm, raising his hands and pushing the guard off him with one easy blow. Kallon clapped enthusiastically and the guard charged again spurred on by the praise from his boss. Legolas managed to block him this time though and sent the man reeling in the opposite direction.

Luckily for Legolas, the man wasn't exactly quick. It took him a while to recover, enough time for Legolas to regain his footing and plan his next move.

Again the man charged. He was growing increasingly annoyed with the Elf. Legolas kept pushing him away to avoid a clash and this angered him further. The Elf knew that attacking in anger was rarely an advantage so he allowed the man to keep coming at him, knowing that he would eventually get his chance to attack first and that would be his winning move. It was risky but then he didn't have much choice.

**To Be Continued…**

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**Translations**

**Ada – **Dad


	51. Kill or be Killed

**Disclaimer: **I own nothing Tolkien created.

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**Sold Into Ruin**

**~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~**

**Chapter 51 ~ Kill or be Killed**

**~*~**

Taking the blows the guard rained down was beginning to tire Legolas out. It was a solid strategy but one that was hard to maintain for any length of time, especially in these conditions. However, it seemed to entertain the spectators, which kept the guard happy and repeating his actions, allowing Legolas to judge what was coming next. Legolas needed him to stay simple and not change his moves. Predictability was a massive advantage in combat.

The Elf knew how to beat the man; he had done it before even though under different circumstances. His quick moves could easily out-manoeuvre any guard if and when he decided to use them.

The guard was circling Legolas again, a smug grin on his face, believing he had the upper hand. Legolas knew better though. Patience was the key.

Aragorn was watching anxiously. It worried him to see Legolas out there with so many people against him. Although he knew how to fight this was different. He had so many people willing him to lose, any one of whom could make his life very difficult if this went the wrong way. They had been in bad situations before but Legolas had been through so much recently and although he tried to hide it Aragorn knew he had suffered both physically and emotionally.

The man struck out once again and missed. He was getting increasingly annoyed at Legolas' lack of action. There was an ugly, angry look on his face that Legolas tried to keep there. He didn't want to kill the man, no matter what he had done; a life was a life but he knew he might not have any choice. It was kill or be killed. A horrible thought but he was a reality that couldn't be avoided.

Finally, the guard got impatient again and shouted something at Legolas. It didn't make any sense to the Elf but the other guards seemed to like it. And it was just what Legolas wanted. He smiled gently. It was nearly time to make his move. Being a skilled warrior he knew exactly how he was going to take the man down. He glanced over at Aragorn who was still comforting Jasmine. The man gave him a reassuring smile, experience suggesting that Legolas was getting bored of this fight and was about to make his move.

"You're going down, Elf," the guard snarled.

Legolas nodded. The guard charged again but this time Legolas didn't move. Standing firm, the Elf hit the man straight in the face, much like he had done at the Handy Tavern. At the same time he kicked the guard's legs out from under him. He fell flat on his back, the wind knocked out of him with such force that he was too stunned to move, just as Legolas had planned. Placing his foot on the guard's chest so he couldn't move, Legolas looked over to Kallon who had been watching the whole thing intently. Now the whole place was silent; everyone waiting for the verdict from Kallon.

"Finish it," Kallon ordered, throwing a knife into the ring so it fell next to Legolas.

Legolas looked down at the man on the ground. The mad light had faded from his eyes and he was now looking fearfully up at the Elf. He knew he had lost. Beaten yet again by the superior Elf, only this time he wouldn't get a second chance.

Bending down, Legolas picked up the knife. He looked at it for a moment before moving his gaze over to Aragorn and Jasmine, who were watching him curiously to see what he was going to do next.

Aragorn nodded. "Do it. You have no other choice," Aragorn said quietly, knowing Legolas could hear him. Legolas didn't want to do it, lower himself to killing another person. It was beneath him. Taking a life was never an easy thing to do, especially for an Elf who valued it above all else.

"Kill him. You won. End it," Kallon said.

Legolas looked down into brown, scared eyes again and no longer saw the evil, mindless figure of a member of his team of captors but a real person. Frightened and very _real_. It was an unexpected feeling and made him suddenly feel very sympathetic for the man. Thoughtfully, he dropped the knife to the ground and, after removing his foot from the man's chest, kicked it back towards Kallon.

There was a gasp from the audience as he stepped back, staring at Kallon with such venom that it caused the man to shiver.

"No."

A simple answer but one that had a huge impact on Kallon. No longer looking so pleased, he stepped towards the ring. Everyone was completely silent now. Even the guards had shut up. The man on the ground stayed down but crawled towards Kallon as though he might protect him from Legolas. Sidestepping the guard Kallon came up to Legolas, who stood firm. He knew this was just intimidation and it wouldn't work on him again.

"Kill him, Legolas. That's the rules. Kill him or I'll kill you. Right here, right in front of your friends," Kallon said, pointing with a dagger to Aragorn and Jasmine, who were watching in outright horror. Aragorn knew Legolas wouldn't kill the man in cold blood, not for the entertainment of others and he also knew that was exactly what Kallon wanted him to do.

"I will not kill a man just for your sick pleasure," Legolas replied firmly.

Kallon stepped so close their noses were almost touching. "Kill him." The dagger was now at Legolas' stomach, the point digging in slightly in warning. Legolas shook his head. He would not quail in front of this man. This was his chance to show Kallon and the other guards that they couldn't scare him. "Why do you insist on disobeying me? What are you trying to prove? That you can get yourself killed by angering me?"

"I want to prove that you are nothing more than a bully and a coward and I will not be intimidated by you. I have faced worse enemies than you, Kallon." Legolas' eyes bore into Kallon's and again the man had to fight to keep from looking away. A small victory for Legolas but a victory nonetheless.

"And I have faced worse prisoners. I always get what I want and I will break you like every other slave in this miserable place. You, my friend, are no different from them in the end. Anyone can be tamed, even you. It'll just take a little more time." Kallon stared at Legolas. "Now, pick up the knife and end it." Legolas shook his head once again.

Whilst Legolas and Kallon had been arguing and everyone's attention was fixed upon them the guard had crawled his way to the edge of the ring. When he reached the roped edge, his hand touched the knife that had been discarded by Legolas. He looked down at the weapon in surprise then picked it up, immediately feeling the power it gave him. The Elf had won the fight but in the end the guard knew he could defeat him. He slowly pulled his aching body up from the ground.

He went unnoticed by the crowd, who were still entranced by the war of words still going on between Kallon and Legolas.

"Pick up the knife and end this. Now." Kallon pressed the knife closer to Legolas but the Elf remained unfazed. Threats were not going to work this time. Now was the right moment to make a stand – where everyone could see it. Just like the Master wanted.

Aragorn was watching Legolas with growing unease. He had never seen anyone properly stand up to Kallon before so he had no idea of what might happen. Jasmine had pulled away from Aragorn and was watching the exchange with interest, frightening though it was. Arron stayed close to the woman. However, newfound concern for Legolas forced him to see what was happening although he didn't want to look.

The guard was slowly edging closer to Legolas without either his or Kallon's knowledge.

"Why do you continue to disobey me? Life would be so much easier for you if you just did as you were told."

"Life? Your only purpose here is to take life away," Legolas shot back.

"What?" Kallon said, his voice low and angry.

"You heard…"

At this moment something crashed into Legolas, sending him falling off to one side. Kallon only had a second to get out of the way before he fell with Legolas. The crowd gasped when they saw what was happening. It took Legolas a little longer though. Once the stars had stopped blurring his vision he looked up and saw the guard he had just been fighting. The next thing he saw was the glint of the knife in the guard's hand.

As soon as Aragorn saw what was happening he dashed towards Legolas. Kallon though managed to stop him just in time. He had no intention of letting anyone interfere with the Game.

Legolas finally managed to get his bearings and struggled to his feet. Only half a second behind him was the guard with the knife still in his hand. The guard came at him as soon as he was on his feet and Legolas had to dart out of the way of the blade.

Kallon watched with interest as the two competitors circled each other warily. He had made sure that two guards were holding Aragorn at bay, although the man was making a great effort to get free and help his friend.

He needn't have worried though. Legolas was doing fine on his own. He had the guard in his sights and as soon as he saw a weakness he pounced. He grabbed the man's arm, twisting it violently so he had no choice but the drop the knife. It fell, clattering to the ground. Legolas kicked it out of the way so the guard couldn't get at it again.

In a second the man was back on the ground. This time though he struggled. Legolas held him firm so he couldn't escape.

Two guards from the audience ran into the ring but Kallon immediately stopped them. "No. Don't touch them. Finish him, Legolas. Do it now or he will kill you." Kallon entered the ring again and walked slowly towards the knife. He kicked it so it came to a stop at Legolas' feet but out of reach other the guard.

"Do it, you coward," the guard growled from beneath him.

Legolas looked down at him again, all his anger gone. All he saw was the weak and pathetic man, not a killer.

"You see, men. Every being has a weakness, even the Immortals. He's just like a Man. He can be overcome. Nothing to be afraid of really, are you?" Kallon's voice was quiet now but everyone could hear it. It was, of course, primarily aimed at Legolas.

The Elf's attention was fixed entirely upon Aragorn though. He was staring deep into the man's clear grey eyes. There was an equally important silent discussion going on between the two friends. In Aragorn's eyes, Legolas saw what he needed to do. With a slight nod of his head Legolas took a deep, calming breath.

"Elves, just like the rest of you, are weak. They…"

Before Kallon could even finish his sentence Legolas had released the guard, pulled him up with one hand whilst grabbing the knife with the other. In one swift motion he drew the blade across the man's neck, cutting off his air supply as blood gushed from the wound. He was dead before he even hit the ground.

Kallon had stopped his rant and was now staring at the body in surprise. He looked up at Legolas who was standing perfectly still, the knife still clasped in his hand. The whole place was completely silent. The tension was broken only when Kallon began clapping, the harsh cracks seeming to split the night air. Although slightly confused, the other guards soon joined in, faithfully following their leader even though it felt like they were betraying their fallen comrade.

Legolas looked to where Aragorn was now standing freely. Somehow he had managed to wriggle out of the grip of the two guards who were so shocked that they just allowed it and stood gaping at the Elf. His blue eyes were slightly glazed, Aragorn noticed. He dropped the bloodied knife to the ground. When he did this, his eyes darted from Aragorn over to Kallon. They were no longer misty but filled with anger.

The man was laughing and encouraging his guards to cheer. Legolas, so quickly people didn't even notice, picked up the knife and threw it at the man. It landed point down in the ground millimetres from impaling his foot. Kallon froze mid-clap when the knife came so close to him that the blade actually touched his boot. Slowly, the clapping subsided when people realised what happened.

For long moments, the two of them just stared at each other, both with the same look of hatred and anger. Aragorn and the rest of the crowd merely looked on as they stared unblinkingly at each other.

Kallon was the first to move. He slowly stepped towards Legolas, sidestepping the knife in the ground.

"Finally. It took you long enough," he said. At this Aragorn could feel Legolas bristling with anger and wondered whether he should intervene. He had no idea what was going to happen but he knew it wasn't something he wanted to be involved in. He stepped away from the guards and walked out of the ring to Jasmine and Arron, who were clinging to each other and watching the stand-off nervously.

Kallon and Legolas were still stood face to face, their noses almost touching. They just stared at each other, neither making a move.

Finally, Kallon broke the tense silence with a grin. "We need a new contender."

**To Be Continued…**

**~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~**


	52. Fight the Good Fight

**Disclaimer: **I own nothing Tolkien created.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

**Sold Into Ruin**

**~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~**

**Chapter 52 ~ Fight The Good Fight**

**~*~**

Kallon's announcement send shivers through Legolas and Aragorn as well as the rest of the prisoners and guards. It was so unexpected. They knew Kallon had big plans for this Game and truthfully it hadn't been as terrible as they thought so far. However, Kallon had a way of making everything infinitely worse in just a few small words.

"Come on then. Who's next?"

"Are you out of your mind?" Jasmine shouted from Aragorn's side. Up until now, the woman had been quiet, too absorbed in the macabre games to speak up. Now though she had regained her voice and seemed happy to use it.

Kallon spun, looking for the source of the voice. He knew it was Jasmine as soon as he laid eyes on her. The anger that twisted her face told him.

"No, I am your leader. Maybe you should do as you're told." Kallon didn't seem to have much time for Jasmine as he turned his attention back to the guards in the audience. "Come on, who wants to fight the Elf?"

When he got no response, Kallon looked over to the slaves again. He didn't seem impressed though and looked to Legolas for inspiration. All he found was anger.

"Have a preference?" he asked casually.

Legolas said nothing but continued to glare at Kallon; the one thing he knew affected the man. However, its power was starting to dwindle as the man no longer flinched away.

"Leave him alone," Jasmine's voice rang out again. Both Kallon and Legolas spun around when they heard it; Legolas in confusion, Kallon in anger.

Aragorn pulled her back from the ring out of Kallon's reach. Kallon walked away from Legolas, who was staring at Aragorn in alarm. When Kallon advanced though, Jasmine shrunk back behind Aragorn once more. Apparently she hadn't been expecting a strong reaction to her words. Kallon stepped out of the ring and up to Aragorn, who was shielding both Jasmine and Arron.

"What did you say?" Kallon growled. When he got no answer he reached behind Aragorn and grabbed Jasmine's arm, pulling her towards him. "Speak, woman!"

"I…I'm sorry," she stuttered, looking desperately to Aragorn for help.

"Let her go," Aragorn warned, knowing it was pointless.

"Let me think. No. Tell me prisoner 6913, do you not like the Games? What is it exactly you don't like? The rules?" Kallon was taunting her, trying to intimidate her and it was working well.

"No…"

"No?"

"Kallon, let her go," Aragorn said again.

Kallon shouted, "Shut up." He returned his attention to Jasmine, staring at her.

"She has done nothing wrong. Leave her alone."

"If you don't shut up I'll have one of my guards take off your pretty friend's head, understand?" Kallon yelled. "Perhaps, then, 6913, if you don't enjoy watching you can compete."

Before Aragorn could do anything, Kallon had dragged Jasmine into the ring and pushed her against Legolas who only just managed to catch her before she crashed into him. He held her tightly for a moment, making sure she had her balance, his eyes fixed on Kallon.

"Come on, slaves. Fight. Start the match," Kallon yelled at the judge who reluctantly shouted for the Games to begin. "Fight." Kallon began cheering, looking at his guards who took the hint and reluctantly joined in. "Fight, you cowards," the man screamed at them.

Legolas did nothing but hold Jasmine tightly. If Kallon really thought he would hurt the woman it would be a shock for him. If he wouldn't willingly kill the guard he wasn't likely to hurt a complete innocent.

After a few minutes of nothing happening, Kallon stopped clapping and stepped into the ring. Slowly, the cheers from the guards died down as they realised they were no longer needed.

"You know, when I saw you in that Tavern, when I saw what you did to my guards, I thought I had the perfect slave. Immortals are strong, fast, hard workers but apparently they are not too smart." He drew a dagger from its sheath but Legolas ignored it. "All I ask is that you play nicely with the other slaves but you can't even do that." He pulled Jasmine from Legolas' arms and threw her to the ground. This, Legolas allowed. It took her out of the equation, making everything much simpler. Aragorn was immediately by her side. "All I ask if for a little light entertainment every now and then and what better way to entertain than to fight? Really, 6112, you are a terrible disappointment. You don't work well, you don't fight well. So the question becomes: what use are you? Why should I keep you around?"

"Jadan," Legolas said simply.

Kallon paused in confusion before asking, "What?"

"I'll fight Jadan," Legolas confirmed.

For a while Kallon said nothing, shocked by what Legolas had just said. He hadn't expected him to make a choice. Everyone else was equally shocked, especially Aragorn who was still tending to Jasmine.

"Jadan?" Kallon asked.

"You wanted a fight, Kallon. Why not one of your own?" Legolas whispered. He knew that Kallon needed Jadan to remain his spy. However, hurting the man wouldn't be a problem since he had done nothing but cause trouble for them ever since they arrived. Besides, he needed a way out of this and Jadan was the perfect solution.

"You want to fight Jadan? That snivelling weasel? Very well, I did give you the choice. Jadan, come forward."

There were hushed whispers from the slaves as they looked around to find Jadan. The man, quite rightly, didn't seem eager to come forward. However, people were all too aware that he was a traitor to the slaves and didn't particularly feel like protecting him so it wasn't too long before someone called out his position and he was forced forwards.

When he pushed to the front of the crowd Jadan immediately tried to shrink back in but no one would let him through. At Kallon's signal he had no choice but to enter the ring. He pushed past Arron with a snarl. The look he gave Legolas and Aragorn was far worse though. If it could have killed, the two friends would be on the ever-expanding pile of bodies by now. He stepped dubiously up to Kallon. Although he attempted to look unafraid he was trembling. The once fearful, self-appointed leader of the 6000 house was now a shivering, frightened wreck and no one really remembered why they had been so afraid of him in the first place.

"Are you sure you want to fight _this_?" Kallon laughed at the man. "You wouldn't like something a little more…challenging?"

Legolas stared at Jadan a moment before answering, "No." It was simple but it chilled the heart of the poor man. Legolas had little sympathy though. He knew Jadan was Kallon's spy. The man was cruel in a place where cruelty should be contained only within the captors, not the captives. He had done nothing but make their lives a misery since they arrived.

"Very well," Kallon laughed. "Let the Games begin." He seemed to delight in saying this and Legolas got the impression he was actually doing the man a big favour by getting rid of this loose end.

On his way out of the ring, Kallon dragged Aragorn and Kallon out of the ring, not wanting them to interfere with the fight. Crossing his arms he watched the competitors intently. This was going to be a lot better than he thought.

For long moments Legolas didn't move. He just stared at Jadan, knowing he had the power to unnerve him, a valuable asset. Jadan stood nervously right on the edge of the ring, wringing his hands. He had seen Legolas fight before, he knew about the strength of the Elves. He also knew that all those taunts and jibes were fuelling the Elf's anger and it was now going to work against him. Wishing he could just turn back time, Jadan took a reluctant step forwards, becoming increasingly worried when Legolas didn't react. The Elf's stare was beginning to scare him. He had been on the receiving end of it before but now it seemed even more intense. The shocking blue eyes seemed to pierce right through him and scared him, more even than the knife lying forgotten on the ground. Right then, Jadan wished the Elf would just hurry up and use the weapon, anything to distract from that stare.

Legolas, of course, knew the effect he was having on the already frightened man. However, staring was not going to please Kallon sufficiently for his plan to work. He needed something a little more physical and the more he looked at the man in front of him the more he realised that it wasn't going to be Jadan who made the first move.

With one last quick glance at Aragorn, who was looking on nervously, Legolas made his decision. He bent down and picked up the bloodied knife and stepped forward. Jadan shrank back at this move and Legolas wondered whether he had made the right choice after all. He took another step forward, bringing the knife up ready to strike. Jadan took a physical step backwards this time, his eyes fixed on the knife in the Elf's impressively steady hand.

Legolas took another step forward, silently willing Jadan to make a move. Intimidation was over, he needed physical action, something for Kallon to delight in. _Come on, fight me_, Legolas silently urged. It had been a snap decision choosing Jadan. He needed someone just strong enough to have some impact but also someone he knew he could beat if he needed to. Maybe Jadan was just all bark and no bite but he had hoped that under pressure from Kallon and an audience Jadan would at least try. However, it wasn't the first time Legolas had made a mistake in this place and he doubted it would be the last.

On the next step Jadan seemed to shake himself out of his terrified trance. Perhaps it was the single cheer from the slave side of the audience as Legolas advanced once more, or perhaps it just hit him that he would have to fight for his life, but Jadan suddenly glared at Legolas. For a second their eyes met and an energy seemed to pass between them. Neither could understand what it was and right then they had more important things to worry about.

"Come on then, Immortal," Jadan whispered. Whether he realised Legolas could hear him or not the Elf didn't know but it was the invitation Legolas had been waiting for. Jadan rushed forwards, deftly knocking the knife from Legolas' hand and kicking it clear of the ring, something Legolas not only allowed but encouraged, knowing it would all be much simpler without sharp objects to get in the way. Jadan's next move was to slam his fist hard into Legolas' face, something the Elf didn't see coming. The blow sent him reeling backwards but he quickly recovered and turned back to Jadan.

Jadan charged at Legolas, trying to knock him off his feet but he didn't even get close as Legolas dashed out of the way just in time, his natural agility being his best bet in this match. Jadan came at him again but this time he didn't get out of the way. Fist connected with stomach as Jadan slammed against Legolas. The Elf only let this continue for a few beats before he pushed Jadan off and returned the attack, again slamming his fist into Jadan's face, causing blood to stream from a cut above his eye.

This didn't deter Jadan. In fact, it only made him angrier and he came at Legolas again, planting his own his in the Elf's face and swiftly following it with a hit to his side, which sent Legolas sideways and finally Jadan kicked the Elf's feet out from under him.

Hitting the ground caused waves of agony to pulse through his back and for a moment Legolas was unable to do anything but lie there, staring up at the blurred, starry sky. Before he could even attempt to move Jadan was on top of him, punching his face with morbid glee. Legolas quickly regained his senses though and in one strong swoop threw Jadan off him, sending the man to the ground as well. He used this time to pull himself to his feet rather than to attack again. Jadan wasn't far behind him. He jumped to his feet, wiping his cut lip with the back of his hand then spitting blood onto the ground at Legolas' feet.

Jadan came at him again, quickly and without any of his previous nervousness. It seemed that within a few punches the man had completely transformed. Legolas successfully blocked the next few attacks, which were honestly very crude anyway. However, in his already weakened state this fight was beginning to get the better of him and he didn't know how much longer he could keep up the fast movements that were, so far, keeping him relatively safe. Thankfully, he still had the slight edge over the man.

Again Jadan came at Legolas, striking his fist hard into Legolas' stomach and this time following it up with a kick at his legs. This time Legolas didn't go down but struck back at Jadan, knowing he had to keep on top of this. Successfully pushing Jadan off him gave Legolas a second to consider his next move before the man charged again. He looked over at Aragorn who was now looking completely confused. Unsurprisingly, he was unsure of what was going on. However, he caught the look in Legolas eyes and nodded gently. He needed help. The only problem was how Aragorn was going to give it.

The man knew that Legolas was only doing this to keep Jasmine and the other slaves safe. He also believed that Legolas had another agenda. It couldn't be that he simply wanted the traitor Jadan out of the way. Legolas would never kill someone for making some bad decisions. It had taken all of Legolas' strength to kill the guard and he hadn't exactly been a good person. No, Legolas wouldn't just kill for the sake of it, not even to protect Jasmine and from the look on the Elf's face now he was searching for a way out of this.

Jadan hit him again, harder this time. He seemed to be continuously hitting the same place, weakening a particular point. A technique of men, no doubt. They were tenacious if nothing else. Legolas was finding it increasingly difficult to control the man's actions. The desperate look he had cast Aragorn was going to help him but it wasn't enough. He needed to do something now. Something to keep Jadan at bay a little but also to keep Kallon sufficiently entertained so his attention didn't return to Jasmine or the other slaves. The woman had made a mistake and Kallon wasn't likely to forget it in a hurry. However, Legolas also knew that he couldn't prolong this much longer.

Aragorn looked around for something to help his friend. Legolas, of course, knew how to fight and could probably continue for as long as necessary but Aragorn hated seeing his friend in pain and he knew he needed to do something to stop it.

Jasmine had been silent throughout the fight, quiet guilt overwhelming her. Arron had also been quiet, wincing every time they exchanged blows.

Aragorn couldn't return Kallon's attention to them but he could keep it on himself. Enough for Legolas to end this fight with Jadan anyway.

Thinking quickly was thankfully something the Rangers of the North took very seriously and Aragorn was well trained in doing just that. He looked to Kallon then to the other guards in the audience who were again cheering and shouting.

That was it.

Back at the Handy Tavern when the two men had been fighting outside, Legolas and Aragorn had seen men exchanging coins. In fact, Aragorn himself had bet that Legolas would win the fight against Kallon's guard in the bar. One of the human race's many vices was gambling and these men were no different, Aragorn presumed. He was certain that gold had already been exchanged during the night.

Leaving Jasmine and Arron together, both looking equally bemused at his leaving, he walked over to Kallon. For a second the man looked like he would strike him but then he returned his attention to the fight.

"Enjoying it?" Kallon asked, his arms crossed over his chest.

Aragorn didn't answer. "You?"

Kallon laughed. "Very much. Your friend certainly knows his stuff. I am rather surprised at Jadan though. I had no idea he was so spry.

"Care to make a small wager?" Aragorn asked after a moment of watching Legolas and Jadan in the ring. He said it nonchalantly, as though it were merely an afterthought.

For a second, Kallon looked like he was about to say something. Aragorn could see him thinking though, searching for the hidden trick. Apparently he couldn't find it and turned to Aragorn with a small smile.

"What were you thinking of exactly?"

"Oh, I don't know. Half an hour of me in that ring if Legolas loses."

"And if he wins?" Kallon asked curiously, waiting to see what the wager would cost him. "Let me guess. Your freedom and that of your friend?"

"Would you?" Aragorn asked conversationally with a small smile, trying his best not to sound worried that Legolas' strength was fading fast.

"No," Kallon laughed.

"If Legolas wins we don't work for a week."

At first Kallon laughed but then seriously considered the wager. Finally, after what seemed like a lifetime, Kallon agreed. They shook hands and Aragorn hoped Kallon didn't notice the slight trembling. It was a good start but Legolas still needed more. It wasn't enough to distract just Kallon. Aragorn needed something to stop the fight, preferably without one of the two people in the ring dying. He walked away from Kallon and back to Jasmine and Arron.

"What's wrong?" Jasmine asked when she saw the concern on Aragorn's face.

"Stay here and don't move," Aragorn told her.

"Why?" Jasmine asked innocently.

"Just do it," the man snapped. He didn't blame Jasmine for what was happening but right then he didn't need to be quizzed on what he was up to when he himself didn't know. Besides, helping Legolas was more important than answering Jasmine's questions and being polite.

He walked along the front of the slave audience, keeping his eyes on Legolas, who was trying not to get thrown down again. He knew that if he went down he wouldn't be able to get up again as his back still hurt from where he had been tortured down in the mines.

Making it into the crowd of guards, Aragorn searched for a good target. He needed someone he could easily annoy. Anything to create a distraction.

**To Be Continued…**

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	53. Betting On You

**Disclaimer: **I own nothing Tolkien created.

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**Sold Into Ruin**

***~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~**

**Chapter 53 ~ Bet You'll Win**

**~*~**

Aragorn walked over to a guard who looked particularly wound up by what was happening. He tapped the man on the shoulder. The guard turned and looked at Aragorn. His hand immediately went to his sword but Aragorn held up his hands in surrender. The man watched him suspiciously for a moment before relaxing and putting his weapon away.

"What do you want?" the guard grumbled, returning his attention to the match. Legolas was finding it even more difficult now. Jadan had managed to push him to the ground once more and this time Legolas couldn't pull himself up.

"Want to bet on who'll win?" Aragorn offered, having to speak loudly above the sound of the shouting guards.

"Not with you, slave."

"Oh, come on. Legolas is bound to win against that idiot traitor." Aragorn knew this was the thing that would set the guard off and he was correct.

"What did you say?" the guard growled.

"Nothing. Just that you people are so weak. Getting beaten by a slave."

Aragorn had to duck quickly to get out of the way of the guard's fist. Instead of hitting him though, the guard accidentally punched the guard next to him and instantly regretted it. The struck guard looked over at the man and hit him back without a moment's hesitation. Within seconds a fight was breaking out in the guard side of the audience. Aragorn had already gotten well out of the way before the fight properly started and was now making his way around the ring back to Jasmine and Arron.

Meanwhile, Legolas and Jadan were still sparring in the ring and unfortunately Jadan had the upper hand. The man was once more knocking Legolas to the ground, realising it was an effective way of dealing with the Elf. While Legolas was on the ground, his back bleeding heavily again, Jadan ran out of the ring and snatched up the knife he himself had taken from the Elf at the start of the match. Before the Elf could do anything, Jadan was back next to him and had him properly pinned down again.

At that moment, they were interrupted by the loud fighting going on in the guard's side. Jadan stopped what he was doing but made sure Legolas remained out of action. He saw Aragorn walking back towards Jasmine and Arron and silently thanked the man. Aragorn, however, hadn't seen the knife and it didn't take long for Jadan to remember that he was holding it. He went to stab Legolas but the Elf raised his arms just in time to block the blow. Then Aragorn noticed what was happening and rushed into the ring to help his friend.

Jadan grabbed Legolas' arm and pushed it down. The Elf couldn't do anything about it now. Jadan raised the knife, ready to stab Legolas.

Just as the knife was about to come down, something slammed into Jadan, knocking him off Legolas. It took only a second for Legolas to realise it was Aragorn. Within seconds, Jadan was pinned to the ground and could do nothing. That didn't stop him trying though. Aragorn, knowing the man wouldn't stay still, punched him in the face several times until he stopped struggling.

Kallon was far too busy shouting at his people to stop fighting to notice what was happening in the ring.

When he was sure Jadan wasn't going anywhere, Aragorn got up, retrieved the knife and walked over to Legolas. He knelt down next to his friend, helping him painfully sit up.

"Are you alright?" he asked. He got nothing but an annoyed look. "Sorry. Stupid question."

Legolas looked over at the fighting crowd of guards. "Is that the best you can do?" Legolas said, nodding to the battle going on around him.

Aragorn shrugged. "Worked, didn't it?" he grinned.

Finally, Kallon got his people under control although there was still a lot of shouting and cursing going on amongst the guards. He spun to face the ring where Aragorn was helping a battered Legolas to his feet and Jadan was lying helpless on the ground. He strode into the ring, kicking Jadan violently as he walked past him. Coming up to Legolas and Aragorn, Kallon just stared at them. Neither side said anything.

After a few moments of this, Kallon just smiled and nodded then finally walked away from them.

"Take everyone back to the building," Kallon ordered one of his guards as he walked past.

~*~

Aragorn helped an injured Legolas as they walked back to their building. They kept well out of the way of the guards, knowing that right then Legolas wasn't their favourite person and was currently an easy target. He killed one of them. It only complicated things further for the two friends. They managed to avoid them all, shrinking back to their normal haunt on the stone benches.

It wasn't long before Jasmine, closely followed by a still-scared Arron, joined them. Jasmine didn't say anything but just stared down at Legolas, who was being looked over by Aragorn. Horror was creasing her face. Thankfully, Legolas' injuries weren't too severe although Aragorn was concerned about the state of his back.

"It wasn't your fault," Legolas said when he noticed how guilty Jasmine looked.

"I…I am so, so sorry," she whispered, tears spilling down her cheeks.

"Don't be. You didn't do anything wrong," he repeated more firmly this time. It wasn't as convincing as he would have liked as at that moment Aragorn was examining his back, which was still extremely painful.

"But I…"

"Legolas is right, Jasmine. This isn't your fault," Aragorn reiterated, looking around at the woman. "Here, sit down." He stood and led her to the seat next to Legolas, covering her with a blanket. Arron quickly joined her, looking nervously at Legolas, who smiled at him reassuringly. He weakly smiled back before leaning against Jasmine, his face buried comfortably in her dress.

Legolas stood up and repositioned himself on the floor. The building had settled down fairly quickly, people were still chattering about what had happened though. Death always attracted a lot of attention and there had been plenty of it that night. Legolas even heard his name mentioned a few times. At least he had made a lasting impression on the other prisoners. Granted, it came at a high price. Now every guard would want a piece of him. And Aragorn, which was even worse.

"How are you really feeling?" Aragorn whispered once things had calmed down even more.

Legolas looked briefly to Jasmine before whispering back, "Like a herd of Oliphaunts stampeded over my back."

"Some of your wounds have reopened but you don't appear to have done too much damage, not that I can see anyway. Elves are pretty resilient, right?" Aragorn didn't know whether this was meant to be reassuring but he said it anyway. Legolas merely nodded, looking up with complete trust at his friend. He had always relied on Aragorn in such matters. He was a future King of Gondor, a position which also held the prophecy that the King would have the magical healing hands of the Elves. However, Aragorn's skill was more down to Elrond's excellent teachings than any magic. Either way, Legolas knew that Aragorn knew what he was doing.

"Kallon was playing with us," Legolas mused so quietly Aragorn could barely hear him.

"Let him play. It doesn't matter, we won't be here much longer."

"The longer we stay here the more I doubt we will ever escape. The Master…"

"The Master can't predict the future, nor does he have any real control over us. Not outside the Dark Room anyway," Aragorn replied, wanting to instantly quell the scepticism in his friend's voice.

"No control? Estel, he is the reason we are here. Obviously he has some influence other than that he has already shown us." For a moment there was an uncomfortable silence. Unfortunately, what Legolas said was true. They only knew what the Master had told them about himself. There was no telling what was true and what was a lie. They could be dealing with anything. "He did seem a little…"

"Odd," Aragorn finished when Legolas couldn't find the word.

"Sort of like he wasn't telling us everything. I have no doubt that a great deal of what he told us was true but there was something…I can't explain it. Whatever this is about it's not what the Master claims." Aragorn nodded thoughtfully. Legolas had a valid point.

"We should get some rest. I have a feeling Kallon isn't going to be too happy with us tomorrow."

Settling down for another night in their prison, Legolas and Aragorn slept more peacefully than they would have expected.

~*~

"Keep going," Thranduil yelled at his troops. They had rested once before and King Thranduil didn't want to waste any more time. Unfortunately, his people were not of the same mind but luckily the King's orders were nearly always obeyed so they had little choice but to keep going. Thranduil's worry for his son had intensified when they had rested earlier and had continued to rise the further they went. However, as if guided by some invisible force, Thranduil went on. He didn't know where he was going but he just somehow _knew _that this was the right direction. He could only assume it was the Man – the Master – showing him the way. A frightening thought but he didn't care so long as he got to his son soon.

"Hang on, Legolas. I'm coming," he whispered to himself.

~*~

Elrond, the twins and the guards were racing onwards. Every now and then they were guided by minute clues along the way. Although they didn't know where exactly they were going, they trusted that they would find their missing family member sooner or later. Elrond just hoped it would be sooner. He just knew Aragorn was in trouble and the thought made his heart pound in fear.

He had been uncertain when he had first adopted Aragorn, not knowing whether he could accept him as a true son but what he was feeling now was exactly how he would feel if it were Elladan, Elrohir or Arwen were in trouble. Aragorn was a very real part of the Peredhel family. To lose him would tear them apart. So they rode onwards.

**To Be Continued…**

**~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~**


	54. It's Starting

**Disclaimer: **I own nothing Tolkien created.

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**Sold Into Ruin**

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**Chapter 54 ~ It's Starting**

~*~

Dawn came quickly although they had gotten very little sleep as they had come back to the building in the early hours of the morning as it was. However, the bright morning sun woke them as did the sound of the guards crashing through the door. Immediately, everyone was on their feet. This was one wake up call they couldn't ignore. Aragorn helped Legolas up – he was still stiff and sore after last night.

"Good morning, my friends," Kallon greeted cheerily. "Good news, I have decided that after your exertions last night it is only fair that you should have a day off. Where are my two champions?" Kallon looked around and found Legolas and Aragorn at the back. "Very good show. I was extremely impressed. With some of you," he said in a lower tone, looking pointedly at Jadan who was slinking amongst people trying to keep out of Kallon's sight. "Well, have a nice day." To the guards he said, "Leave the doors open. It stinks in here."

With that Kallon left. And the entire building breathed a sigh of relief. They had been expecting a rant; shouting, screaming, murder but all they got was a polite 'have a nice day'. It was most unusual for Kallon who seemed to enjoy the punishment side of his job more than anything else.

"That was…nice," Aragorn said, sitting back down on the floor.

"Maybe we really did put on a good show last night," Legolas mused, also returning to the floor and looking around at Jasmine, who had remained seated throughout Kallon's announcement.

"Not good enough. I have no doubt that Kallon will get his revenge for what we did last night. It cannot possibly be that simple."

"Pessimist," Jasmine shot at him, catching them both by surprise.

"What?" Legolas asked with a smile. He had never heard her be quite so blunt before.

"You took on the guards last night and won. You caused a riot and insulted and upset Kallon and yet here you are talking to me like nothing happened. You both still have your heads and all your limbs so if I were you I would just be pleased you managed to get through this alive and stop thinking only about the bad things."

For a moment neither Legolas or Aragorn could say anything to that. Jasmine gave a nod, satisfied that she had made her point.

"Well," Aragorn exclaimed. Legolas just smiled. "I had no idea you felt so strongly on the matter."

Jasmine nodded firmly. After a few moment's silence she said, "We have a day off. I have no idea what to do with myself."

"Make the most of it," Legolas answered. "I gather it is not often Kallon is so generous."

"No. But don't think there won't be repercussions. Nothing here goes unpunished. Every good deed is followed by a bad one. Kallon makes sure of that."

"Maybe this time it will be different," Aragorn mused doubtfully. Seeing the sceptical looks they all gave him, he added, "Or maybe not. Look, whatever Kallon is planning, whatever punishment he hands out, we will deal with it when it comes. No matter what happens or what we do or what we don't do, Kallon is going to treat us in exactly the same way. He will hurt us whether we upset him or not and if he does then we work through it, just like we always do." Aragorn's stirring speech impressed even Legolas, who smiled up at Jasmine and Arron, who were both looking completely bewildered.

"That was…inspirational," he complimented. "Your best yet, I think."

Although there was an obvious mocking tone in Legolas' voice, Aragorn seemed to delight in the comical praise. "Thank you. I thought so too." Arron laughed at this. "I have more if…"

"No, I think we have had more than enough inspirational talk from you for one day, thank you," Jasmine interrupted, knowing it would just finish with more mocking from Legolas. Aragorn shot her a false annoyed look, which was closely followed by a charming grin. "I think I will take a walk. This baby does not seem to want to keep still today." She got up, with Aragorn's help, and followed many of the others outdoors. Everyone seemed to be revelling in the day's freedom all be it rather nervously. They all knew nothing was this simple.

"Two hundred," Arron stated, startling both Legolas and Aragorn.

"Excuse me?" Legolas asked.

"Two hundred years. That's how old you are," he explained proudly, certain he had finally figured it out.

Legolas smiled. "Way off."

"Two thousand?"

"Closer, but still no."

"Two _million_ years old," the boy exclaimed. "I have got to be close with that. No one can be older than that."

"Indeed not. Now you have gone too far. You are taking backwards steps, my friend," Legolas laughed. He ruffled the boy's hair when disappointment clouded his face. "Keep trying. You will get there eventually." Legolas' praise cheered the child and he ran off to join Jasmine in the yard. "Nice speech by the way, Estel, but how much of it was true?" Legolas asked, turning to Aragorn who was watching the boy leave.

"I know. I think we need to start thinking about our…exit again."

"I agree. We have stayed here far too long without trying anything. Last night was only the beginning. Kallon will only get worse and I really don't want to stick around to find out just how terrible he can be."

"Do you think anyone has noticed our absence yet?" Aragorn asked after a moment.

"You are thinking about my father?"

"Yes. He probably sent word to Elrond when we didn't show up in Mirkwood. Someone must be looking for us by now."

"Of course they are. You know what Ada is like. He probably has all of Mirkwood in an uproar. He'll find us. Just so he can shout at you for leading me astray."

Aragorn laughed. "I think I'll continue to take my chances with Kallon then." Legolas also laughed, although only because he knew it was probably a wise decision. Aragorn and Thranduil had a great deal of respect for each other, even though the King sometimes failed to show it. But they didn't actually like each other. Thranduil wasn't keen on the race of Men anyway and seemed to blame Aragorn for all their shortcomings, even those he was far too young to remember. Legolas had tried to force them to get along but had given up when he realised there was nothing he could do to change his father's fiercely stubborn mind.

Luckily for Aragorn though, the King indulged his son's every request and forced himself to be nice to the man when Legolas was around. Although it was forced, it was better than nothing and Aragorn returned the gesture, knowing it was all he was ever going to get from the King.

"I think I should take another look at your wounds. I'm still worried about your back," Aragorn said after a moment of silence.

"It will be fine," Legolas answered absently. Aragorn could tell his thoughts had drifted to his father again. He had no doubt that Kallon's tricks had brought up a lot of old wounds for the Prince.

Ignoring Legolas, Aragorn began examining the Elf's back, noting every time he flinched. "These still don't look good. I really wish Elrond was here to look at these. He's much better at this kind of thing."

"You're doing fine, Estel," Legolas told the man seriously.

"Thank you," Aragorn whispered. "Maybe I could make some kind of cooling ointment to put on these cuts," he mused.

"No need. They will heal on their own."

"I'm surprised that anything ever heals in this place," Aragorn said bitterly.

"We'll be home soon and then you can…"

Legolas' reassurances were interrupted by a scream from outside the building. It only took a second for Aragorn and Legolas to identify the voice as Jasmine's. They jumped up but before they reached the door Arron ran in and grabbed Aragorn's arm, dragging him outside to a large huddle of people. Aragorn pushed his way through them – closely followed by Legolas and Arron – and found Jasmine kneeling on the ground, cradling her swollen stomach.

Aragorn dropped to his knees and attracted Jasmine's attention. "What is it?" he asked urgently.

"I think…I think it's coming." She looked down in alarm at her stomach.

~*~

Elladan, Elrohir and Elrond raced further towards Mirkwood. The edge of the forest was within sight now. The sparse tracks had led them in this general direction. However, before they even got near the trees the trail, now consisting of just hoof prints, veered off.

"They were taken right by Mirkwood," Elladan marvelled.

"Do you think they knew?" his brother asked, looking up at the huge, dark trees that made up the bulk of the Woodland Realm.

Elrond leapt from his horse, landing gracefully on the ground. "There doesn't look to be any sign of a struggle," he said, looking at the ground and checking for tracks or disturbances in the grass and mud. "If they had gone right by Mirkwood, Legolas would have noticed. It would have been the perfect chance for them to get free. They would have been in their element here. Legolas would have made the most of the opportunity when it was presented to him."

Elladan nodded. "What stopped them do you think?"

"It depends on what this man poisoned them with. They could still have been unconscious," Elrond replied vaguely.

"Or bound," Elrohir added.

"Or, indeed, both." Elrond glanced around again. "Come on, we should get going before the rain comes again. At least we have some proper tracks to follow now."

"Assuming these are actually the tracks of Men."

"This isn't a very popular route into Mirkwood. There are far too many Spider nests and Orc patrols around here," Elladan said, casting his memory back to the last time he had visited Mirkwood. It had been a very long time ago. He didn't particularly like the place and thankfully Legolas spent a lot of time in Imladris so he now had little cause to go there.

"For now let's assume that this is the direction they were taken. We have no other options that I can see," Elrond said, again mounting his horse.

"I agree," Elladan said, mirroring his father's action. Elrohir simply nodded, doing the same as his brother and father, although not sure about their plan of action he knew they had no other choice. It was better to do something than nothing.

~*~

"This is useless. It's taking too long," Thranduil snapped at his Captain who was examining Orc tracks on the muddy ground, assessing whether it was safe enough to continue in their current direction.

"I am sorry, Your Majesty, but we must be cautious."

"I am well aware of the dangers of the forest, Captain, but we cannot call a halt every time you spot a broken twig or we will be here for months. My son is in danger, your prince is in danger, we cannot continue to delay like this. Time is running short," Thranduil yelled.

"With all due respect, sir, you will be of no use to your son if you are dead from an Orc attack," the leader of the army spoke bluntly. He was respectful to his king but would not allow any harm to come to him. Mirkwood was a dangerous place for anyone but for the King it was exceptionally risky to go wandering around, even with the full Guard following him. No one was willing to take that kind of risk where the King was involved.

Thranduil knew there was no point in arguing with his Captain over safety measures, knowing he always knew best in things like this. "Just hurry up then," was all he could petulantly say.

"Yes, Sire," the Captain answered with a small smile. He knew the level of the King's impatience and how hard he was trying to keep in it check and he respected Thranduil even more for that.

**To Be Continued….**

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**Translations**

**Ada - **Dad


	55. Setting Standards

**Disclaimer: **I own nothing Tolkien created.

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**Sold Into Ruin**

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**Chapter 55 ~ Setting Standards**

"Do you think you can stand?" Aragorn asked, taking Jasmine's hand and standing up himself.

Jasmine shook her head. "Do I look like I can stand?" she snapped back in irritation.

Aragorn looked to Legolas who just shrugged his shoulders. "Alright, we'll help you," Aragorn said, nodding towards Legolas who stepped forwards. "Here, take Legolas' hand." She took Legolas' hand as instructed and they gently pulled her to her feet.

"I think it's coming," Jasmine said, leaning on Legolas but keeping a hold on Aragorn's hand as well.

"No, it's not," Aragorn laughed gently. "It's far too soon."

"That's easy for you to say," she snapped.

They walked Jasmine back into the building through the gathered crowd, who parted obediently. Aragorn didn't know whether it would be any easier to do this in here but he needed to be doing something. Besides, being in the building would offer her a little privacy if nothing else. Aragorn had no idea how these things worked. He assumed their captors didn't have healers of their own to deal with the births. Kallon didn't seem like a caring person; he wouldn't do anything about it. However, Aragorn had never delivered a baby on his own before. He had always been supervised by Lord Elrond or another experienced healer.

"Is the baby coming?" Arron asked excitedly, skipping along beside Aragorn.

The man looked down and smiled. "Yes," he answered, ignoring the annoyed sigh from Jasmine. "Here we are, let's get you sat down. Everything is going to be fine." Although trying to sound reassuring, Legolas could hear the slight nervousness in his friend's voice, something that didn't exactly fill him with confidence. Luckily, Jasmine was too busy worrying about the baby to take much notice of what the man was saying.

Aragorn nodded for Legolas to join him to one side, not wanting to upset Jasmine with anything he was about to say.

"Well, what now?" Legolas asked the question Aragorn really didn't want to answer. "I assume you know how to deliver a baby?"

"I…of course I do…"

"You have delivered a baby before, right?" Legolas asked cautiously.

Aragorn finally looked up at him. "Of course. Just…never alone. Elrond has always been there with me and this isn't exactly an Imladrian healing hall."

"So, what do we do?" Legolas asked again.

Aragorn paused. "Maybe you could attract the attention of one of the guards, preferably without getting into trouble, and ask them how we are supposed to handle this. And I'll…I'll go comfort Jasmine."

"Thank you very much," Legolas muttered sarcastically, turning to go and carry out the unpleasant job.

Meanwhile, Aragorn turned back to Jasmine who was still sitting on the bench. "I think it's stopped," she said hopefully, looking quite bored with it now.

Aragorn laughed gently. "You are in between contractions, that's all. I though you had already had a child," he said, being careful not to upset her.

"I have but I was nearly always unconscious. I don't remember what they did to me. I never even saw the child afterwards. I was told it was a boy though." A look of intense sadness crossed her face such as Aragorn had never seen in her before.

"I'm sorry," he whispered.

"Please don't let the same thing happen again, Estel. Please," she begged, a look of pleading in her eyes. Before, when she had spoken to Legolas, she hadn't considered she might actually be allowed to keep the child but her confidence in these people had grown so much that she knew that somehow they would get her and her child out of this place where her baby could live in safety.

"I'll do everything I can," he promised, now wishing he hadn't sent Legolas to inform the guards. He didn't want her passed over to them.

He needn't have worried though. Moments after this reassurance, Legolas was thrown back into the building and was closely followed by Kallon.

"Ah, what have we here? A baby. I have been looking forward to this."

Jasmine shrank back from Kallon, using Aragorn as a willing shield.

"Don't touch her," Aragorn warned.

"Oh don't worry. I have no intention of interfering with your exceptional medical skills, Estel. In fact, I want nothing to do with this thing. You'll receive no help from me or my guards."

"Fine by me," Aragorn glowered.

Kallon just stared at him, as though challenging him to change his mind.

"I'll leave you to it then," Kallon said, glaring at Aragorn before walking towards the door. He stopped to smile down at Legolas who simply glared back at him, trying not to be intimidated by the man. "You should lie down, my friend. You don't look so good after last night," he said, laughing as he walked out of the building and slammed the door shut behind him merely for effect.

"Are you alright?" Aragorn asked Legolas who had been rather roughly pushed into the building.

"Next time I'll look after Jasmine and you can inform Kallon of her condition," Legolas told him, shooting an annoyed smile at Aragorn, who grinned back, knowing his friend wasn't seriously hurt. Not any more than before anyway.

"Now, I'll need water, blankets…"

"…Elrond," Legolas interrupted, not entirely joking.

Aragorn cast him an angry look, mostly because he knew it was true. "Just get the water," he replied somewhat tersely.

Legolas instantly regretted saying anything, seeing the slight fear that passed through Aragorn's grey eyes. He knew his best friend was perfectly capable of delivering the baby, even if he didn't believe it himself. "Estel, I know you can do this. Just remember everything Lord Elrond taught you about a maiden's labour. He taught you everything you need to know. I have every faith in your ability and so does Jasmine." Although Aragorn wasn't entirely convinced, Legolas' reassurances gave him confidence. He trusted Legolas more than anyone in the world and if his friend trusted that he could do it then he knew he could deliver Jasmine's baby. Legolas would never lie to him about such a thing and that bolstered his confidence no end. Besides, the Elf was there and Legolas always gave him strength. The Elf could handle anything and he did have a strangely calming effect on the man.

While Aragorn was building up enough confidence to go back to Jasmine with a look that he knew what he was doing, Legolas was already collecting what they needed. He came across Jadan, who had remained in the building after everyone else had left and was huddled in a corner with a blanket over him. Legolas walked over to him and stopped, doing nothing to attract his attention.

"What?" Jadan asked bitterly.

"Are you alright?" Legolas asked, looking down sincerely at the man.

"Go away," was Jadan's reply.

"Maybe Estel could…"

"I said, go away, Immortal."

Legolas looked at him for a moment before shrugging and walking off, casting a discreet look back at Jadan, who was cradling his injured arm. He reached Aragorn, who was now looking after Jasmine again and handed him the blankets. He glanced back at Jadan but the man had buried himself miserably in his threadbare blanket once more.

"Thank you," Aragorn said, placing the proffered blanket over Jasmine. She was sitting up nervously around her and cradling her stomach as though she might be able to persuade the baby to stay inside her just a little longer. "What's wrong?" Aragorn asked when he saw Legolas looking over at Jadan.

"Do you think Jadan looks alright?" the Elf asked.

Aragorn looked over at the man huddled beneath the blanket. "He looks normal to me. As bad as ever." There was anger in the man's voice that Legolas had not been expecting.

"Estel. Do you think you could check on him? I am not exactly his favourite person right now and you are a far better healer than me."

"Legolas, I don't know if you've noticed but I'm a little busy right now. Jadan can wait."

"For Valar's sake, Estel, Jasmine isn't going anywhere and you are only on the other side of the room. Please." The look in Legolas' bright eyes was what persuaded Aragorn to go over and help Jadan despite his better judgement. "Estel, please. He's a human being just like you." Aragorn sighed and went over to help Jadan.

Standing in front of the cruel man, Aragorn pulled his blanket down. "Are you alright?" he asked the same question as Legolas and got the same answer. For a moment he looked back to Legolas, who was tending to Jasmine. The Elf gave him an encouraging nod so Aragorn turned back to Jadan. "That arm looks bad. Can I take a look?"

For a while Jadan weighed up whether he should allow Aragorn to examine him and finally gave a slight, reluctant nod. Aragorn took the arm, ignoring Jadan's protest that it hurt.

"I don't think it's broken but I should probably put it in a splint, just in case. If that's alright?"

Jadan nodded and Aragorn went off to find some wood to make a splint. It didn't take long for him to do so, trying his best to keep his eye on Jasmine as well, whose contractions were still quite far apart. Tying the splint onto Jadan's arm, Aragorn made sure the man was as comfortable as possible. It was easy to hurt him in the fighting ring or even when he was attacking Legolas and himself but when acting as a healer he couldn't intentionally harm anyone, not even the man he hated.

Although he complained, Jadan allowed Aragorn to set and splint the arm with minimal fuss. Aragorn ignored his grumblings about the fact it was his fault his arm was hurt in the first place and concentrated on getting the job done as quickly as possible.

"There, does that feel better?" Aragorn asked, standing back and admiring his work.

Jadan moved his arm up and down. "It's not very mobile," he commented. "And it still hurts."

"It's not meant to be mobile, that's the point. Immobility will allow the bone to set if it's broken or if it is fractured when the splint is off it'll feel much better," Aragorn explained through gritted teeth. He was trying to keep his temper, wanting nothing more than to knock Jadan off his bench.

"It's uncomfortable," Jadan moaned, again moving it up and down to illustrate his point. "And it hurts."

"Then I suggest you grit your teeth," Aragorn said, throwing the remaining piece of wood to the ground and walking back to Jasmine. However, he stopped and turned back to Jadan, snatching the blanket away from him. "Jasmine needs this more than you."

"That's mine," Jadan cried, shooting up from the bench and going to grab the blanket back from Aragorn. The healer was quicker though and pulled it behind his back so Jadan couldn't get at it.

"You won't die of hypothermia in the next few hours," Aragorn snapped, turning and walking back to Jasmine, who was being consoled by Legolas. "How are you?" he asked the woman, kneeling down in front of her.

"Please don't let anything happen to this baby – even if it's a girl." She looked pointedly at Legolas when she said this. Although Aragorn shot the Elf a confused look no one answered his silent question and he didn't ask again, sensing it was no longer an issue anyway. "How long will it take?" she asked, turning to Aragorn who was still staring at Legolas questioningly.

"Don't worry; some women take days to give birth. Your contractions are still far apart. It might take a while. The baby doesn't seem in too much of a hurry."

"Thank you," Jasmine muttered sarcastically. "Thank you very much."

**To Be Continued…**

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	56. The Waiting Game

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing Tolkien created.

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**Sold Into Ruin**

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**Chapter 56 ~ The Waiting Game**

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**A/N: Hey, I'm back. Hopefully the updates should be more regular now but please excuse the odd late (or early) update.**

**~*~**

Jasmine bent forward clutching her stomach as another contraction washed over her. It had been nearly an hour since they had started and they didn't seem to be getting significantly stronger and despite Aragorn's assurances that everything was progressing fine she was beginning to worry. All she could think about were her previous miscarriages. She couldn't bare it if that happened again. Over the past few weeks she had grown more attached to this child than she ever had before with any of her previous pregnancies. She was almost certain it had something to do with Legolas and Aragorn. They restored her faith in the human race – in the Elven race.

"Estel, when are they going to start getting closer together?" she asked anxiously.

"Jasmine, you need to relax and stop asking me that. You cannot force the baby out. Everything will progress at its own rate," he replied calmly. Legolas' previous reassurances had almost completely restored his confidence, which had been momentarily shattered.

"That's easy enough for you to say. I don't want to be like this for the next twelve hours, Estel. I can't."

"It might be even longer than that. I remember Elrond once treated an Elf maiden who had been in labour for four days before giving birth. Poor woman, she was shattered by the end. Of course, none of that matters once the child is born." He shot Jasmine a quick, oblivious smile before turning back to what he was doing.

"Four days," she repeated in a shocked whisper.

Legolas smiled gently at her. "Ignore him, Jasmine. Elven pregnancies are often much more prolonged than human births. I doubt very much your baby will take four days to appear." Of course, Legolas had no way of knowing if what he said was true. He didn't know a thing about human pregnancies – he didn't know much about Elven pregnancies – but right then Jasmine needed comforting and he felt that he had to do it in Aragorn's place.

"That's reassuring," she muttered, a hint of sarcasm in her voice.

~*~

Screaming, Jasmine clutched Aragorn's hand. Her contractions were still quite far apart but they were getting much stronger. This worried Aragorn slightly. He knew how quickly birthing mothers could tire, especially seeing as she wasn't in the best condition to begin with. Sleep and food deprivation would make things much more difficult.

Once the contraction had passed, Jasmine laid back, releasing Aragorn's aching hand. He reached over to the cloth Legolas had placed in cool water. He took this, wrung it out and dabbed her hot brow. She opened her eyes and smiled wearily up at him.

"I don't think I can do this much longer," Jasmine said, looking beseechingly up at Aragorn.

"I know you're tired but you have to keep going. Just think of your baby, Jasmine." He replaced the cloth and took her hand once again, giving it a reassuring squeeze. "Everything's going to be fine." He smiled gently and she returned the gesture. "It won't be long now."

"Just make sure everything goes alright. Estel, don't let anything happen to my baby, no matter what happens to me. Promise me."

"We have been through this already. I am not going to let anything happen to you or the baby, I promise." Aragorn knew this was a dangerous thing to do. The first rule of healing was to never promise anyone anything in terms of their health. Healing was unpredictable and only disappointment could come from telling someone they would be fine when you were uncertain of the final outcome.

Taking a calming breath Jasmine asked, "How is Legolas? I am worried about him." Her voice was filled with concern and Aragorn couldn't really blame her. In truth, he was worried too.

"You should think about yourself right now. Try not to worry about Legolas."

Truthfully, Aragorn was also very concerned about the Elven prince. He had ordered Legolas to get some rest a couple of hours ago and he had been sleeping soundly ever since – with his eyes closed. The prince had looked pale and unsteady earlier but he had managed to convince Aragorn that he didn't need any further medical treatment despite the fact that Aragorn had noticed fresh blood on the back of his shirt. For some reason those wounds, caused a while ago by the harsh whipping, simply refused to heal properly.

The Elven body was a truly amazing thing. It could heal small wounds completely within a day; more serious wounds took a little longer but they nearly always healed. However, Elven healing took a lot of energy and so it required plenty of good rest. That was why the healing halls were always kept in the quietest parts of the house, so people could rest and recover as quickly as possible. It also required plenty of sleep, food and warmth. The encampment – or the building within it - offered none of these things. Every time Legolas' body attempted to heal itself something happened to stop it, preventing it from closing the painful, gaping wounds on his back. Obviously these wounds caused him a lot of pain, something Aragorn frustratingly could do absolutely nothing about.

Seeing Legolas now, Aragorn found it difficult to remember him as he was before all this. Even though they had only been in the encampment for a month Aragorn couldn't remember what the outside world looked or felt like. He had almost forgotten the sound of Legolas' laugh, the sound of his own laugh. Everything cheerful they had said and done since they entered the encampment had been forced or fake. Fooling people was something Legolas was exceptionally good at, having plenty of practice in Mirkwood's court but he couldn't fool his companion.

Aragorn also knew there was something else troubling the Prince of Mirkwood. Elves thrived on the outdoors, on nature, on sunshine. Without it they became unwell. One of the few things that could kill an Elf was grief. Unfortunately, Aragorn wasn't overly familiar with Elven grief, not ever having personally experienced it and it wasn't something Elrond spoke openly about in Rivendell. In fact, it was a subject to be avoided at all costs. However, he did know that there were varying degrees.

Some Elves died quickly – those who suffered greatly. Others took a long time. Suffering serious grief was not exactly common. Elrond himself had only seen a hundred or so cases in all his long years of healing. There was another type of grief that was more common and not so often fatal, although if it went on for too long it could not only cause serious illness but lead to death. This form of grief could be caused by any number of things: the loss of someone close, a traumatic event, forced confinement.

Legolas had experienced two of these things, both trauma – being hurt so badly – and being imprisoned for nearly a month. Of course, this type of grief took a long time to manifest. However, these were extenuating circumstances. Not only had he experienced these things but he had also been subjected to the awful visions of his mother. Kallon had made his time here even worse with those.

Not that Aragorn hadn't also suffered. Of course, he had been through many of the same things but Legolas was different. Purer. He had suffered greatly in his life, not least because of the untimely death of his mother and whatever had happened to him in that cave as a child, but this was something else. Elves hated being locked up, away from the fresh air and the sunlight and the stars. So although this may have been uncomfortable for Aragorn every second was absolute torture for Legolas and there was absolutely nothing the man could do about it.

Jasmine clenched her eyes shut and reached for Aragorn's hand as another contraction hit. She could see that he was watching Legolas and regretted mentioning his condition. She knew he was worried about him and that he had been trying to hide his concern from her.

As the pain passed she took a deep breath and looked up at Aragorn.

"Lift your legs up. I should examine you, check how you're progressing." His voice was gentle, knowing this was uncomfortable for her. He had examined women in labour before so it wasn't so bad for him. He had asked everyone else to stay outside the building for a while, knowing the woman would want some privacy but knowing he would also need some room to work. The building could get pretty crowded sometimes and that was the last thing they needed.

Checking that everything was alright only took Aragorn a second. "Everything looks fine. It won't be too long now. Is there anything I can do to make you more comfortable?"

She shook her head but said, "Maybe it would help to walk around a bit." Aragorn nodded and removed the blanket covering her. He took her hands and pulled her up before she swung her legs over the side of the bench and helped her stand shakily. He took her arm and walked slowly with her around the room. "What is wrong with him?" she asked quietly as they walked past a sleeping Legolas.

Aragorn stopped and looked down at Legolas with sad eyes. "He doesn't like this place," he said cryptically.

"Who does?"

"No, it's more than that. It frightens him. Not Kallon, but this building, the mines. Elves hate being shut in, Legolas even more than most. He is a creature of the outdoors. Even Mirkwood is too restricting for him sometimes."

"Do you think one day he will take me to Mirkwood?" she asked, giving his arm a reassuring squeeze as they started walking again.

"Of course he will. He loves showing it off. It might taking a little convincing with Thranduil but I know Legolas will want you to visit. And I want you to see Imladris. It is so beautiful, Jasmine. Like nothing you have ever seen before."

"Is there anything I can do for him?" she asked, looking back.

Shaking his head Aragorn said, "No. Try not to remind him of the fact. He will be fine. He has to be fine." Aragorn's voice was so distant and yet Jasmine was so entranced by it. His voice reminded her in some way of her home although she didn't know why. Her peaceful thoughts were interrupted by a big contraction, catching her completely off guard. She doubled over in pain and Aragorn had to act fast to catch her before she fell to the floor. Screaming, she gripped his arm as he held her up.

"Alright, it's time to get you sat back down," he said seriously, taking a step forward with her. She moved with him and sat back on the bench. "Nice deep breaths," he advised, putting a blanket around her hunched shoulders. "Good. Well done."

"Something's wrong, Estel. I can feel it. Something's wrong," she gasped as the pain passed.

"Everything's fine," he said doubtfully, knowing she needed reassuring right then.

"Are you alright?" another voice came from behind Aragorn. Neither of them had been paying any attention and didn't notice when Legolas came up behind them on soft feet.

"Legolas," Aragorn exclaimed in shock. "Don't sneak up on me like that!"

"Sorry," he smiled guiltily.

"Sorry to wake you," Jasmine said, still trying to catch her breath. Looking up into his face, shock registered in her eyes. He looked…different. More tired if that was at all possible. His face was pale and his eyes slightly dull. "Are _you_ alright?"

Again he smiled gently. "I'm fine. More worried about you. How is everything?"

"Everything's fine," Aragorn answered quickly. Although he said this, he looked at Legolas, who instantly picked up on the look of concern. Everything was not fine.

**To Be Continued…**

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	57. Birth

**Disclaimer: **I own nothing Tolkien created.

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**Sold Into Ruin**

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**A/N: Hey, I am so sorry this is so late but here is the next chapter. Please bear with me. **

**Thank you to everyone who has reviewed, I am sorry I haven't had the chance to reply to them all individually.**

**~*~**

**Chapter 57 ~ Birth!**

**~*~**

"Alright, Jasmine," Aragorn said, trying to sound a lot calmer than he actually felt. "What ever you do, don't push. It isn't time yet. You understand? Don't push."

"Why not? I think it's ready to come out now," she shouted back at him in annoyance, exhibiting none of her healer's cool restraint.

"No, Jasmine. Trust me, don't push. It's too soon yet." He was examining her as best he could. It had been a long labour and already the light was beginning to fade, making it much trickier to work. Soon it would be night and he wouldn't be able to do anything properly. Things weren't going as well as he had told Jasmine. The baby, although now eager to make itself known to the world, was still not in the ideal position. Although Aragorn had tried manually manipulating it, to reposition it into a more suitable pose, it didn't seem to want to make things easy for its mother and her healer.

There was only one more thing he could do and it was dangerous for a normal person let alone a weak, tired woman in poor surrounding with no kind of medication or tools. However, if the baby didn't assume the correct position soon he would have no choice but to extract it himself. Operating on Jasmine was not something he was keen on doing here. He had little experience of it. If pushed, he could summon up the right information but he really didn't want to.

"Legolas, can I speak to you?" He took Legolas' arm and pulled him away from Jasmine, who had been gripping his hand tightly through her pain. "We'll be right over here, Jasmine. Just keep breathing like I showed you."

"It's not going well, is it?" Legolas whispered when they were far enough away.

Aragorn shook his head, looking over at Jasmine. "She's getting too tired and the baby still isn't in the right position. I don't think she can deliver naturally."

"Then what?" Legolas asked gently.

"I can get it out of her. Myself."

"What? You're going to perform surgery on her? Estel, you can't. She would never survive it. The child would never survive it. Do you even know how?"

"What other choice do I have? If I don't do something soon neither of them will make it. We have to try something. Look, there is no way she can deliver the baby in the position it's in now and I can't move it. I have to do something, Legolas, and I have to do it soon or we're going to lose them both."

Legolas looked into Aragorn's expressive grey eyes, checking that he really could do what he said he could. "Alright. What do you need me to do?"

"I need water, heat, a knife of some kind and a strong hand for her to hold through it all."

Legolas smiled and held out his hand for Aragorn to look at. "Water and heat I can do, a knife might be a possibility if we can convince the guards, but I don't know how much longer my hand can stand being crushed."

Aragorn laughed and took Legolas' hand to check on it. He was more than a little surprised to find that it was ice cold. Legolas was never cold, not even when his environment was. Laughter turned to a look of deep concern as he gazed into stunning blue eyes. For the first time he saw a deep, despairing sadness there.

"Are you alright?" he asked softly, knowing he wouldn't get an honest answer.

Legolas sharply pulled his hand away, looking away from Aragorn's gaze. "I'm fine. Just a little tired, I suppose. I'll be fine." Jasmine shouted out behind them. "We should…"

"Look at me. Hey, look at me," Aragorn commanded. "You're not going to leave me, right?"

"What? No. Estel, what is this about?" Legolas asked with a fake laugh, trying to brush off his friend's concerns.

"Just promise me you won't leave me, because I can't do this without you. I can't handle this alone."

"I'm not going anywhere." For a moment they just looked into each others eyes, as though they could see their souls. Again Jasmine shouted out, this time also sending Aragorn a curse he would never have imagined could come from such a beautiful person. "You should get back to Jasmine." Aragorn nodded and walked over to the woman, leaving Legolas to watch him in deep thought before Jasmine's cries startled him into action.

"Jasmine, listen to me, the baby is not even crowning yet and you're getting too tired. I'm going to try and help things along a little, alright? Now, don't worry. Just push when I tell you, not before." Aragorn reached for a spare blanket. "Legolas, keep her calm. I might need your help in a minute."

"Yes, sir." The Elf walked up to Jasmine and took her hand again, smiling reassuringly. She smiled back although it was understandably false. "Just squeeze my hand," he instructed a frightened Jasmine. "Don't worry; everything is going to be fine so long as you do exactly as Estel says. Trust him." As he said this though Legolas looked up at Aragorn, knowing the man needed to believe this as much as Jasmine.

"Alright, Jasmine, just hold on and don't whatever you do push." Aragorn examined her once again. Unfortunately, the baby still hadn't moved, stubbornly staying where it was comfortable. "I'm going to try and manoeuvre the baby one last time. Just hold Legolas' hand and try and keep still for me."

Jasmine kept ahold of Legolas' hand and he continued to whisper reassurances to her, both in Westron and Sindarin. She seemed more entranced by the lilting Elvish than anything. It had a calming effect on her so he continued, mostly talking nonsense, knowing she couldn't understand it anyway. He found himself uttering the same phrases Lady Galadriel and his father had whispered to him in the night when he used to wake from nightmares in terror but quickly stopped himself, not wanting to bring those dark memories back again. Now was not the time for that.

"Alright, Jasmine, you need to push now," Aragorn said, concentrating on what he was doing but shooting Jasmine a positive look.

Jasmine looked into his eyes and then pushed as hard as she could. Legolas spoke encouragements, allowing her to squeeze his hand tighter even though it was already going numb. She screamed and pushed.

"That's enough, Jasmine," Aragorn said. She collapsed back, also loosening her grip on Legolas' hand. "Well done," he smiled.

"You did really well, Jasmine," Legolas complimented, giving her shoulder a gentle squeeze.

"Just relax for a moment," Aragorn said, smiling up at Jasmine. This time though she ignored him.

"Is everything alright?" she asked, looking nervously down at Aragorn.

"Don't worry. Just rest for a moment."

"That's easy for you to say," she ground out, unimpressed by his reassurances. He just smiled gently and went back to his exam.

"Jasmine, on the next contraction I want you to push again, understand?" She nodded vigorously as though psyching herself up for the challenge ahead. "Good."

Upon the pain of the next contraction Jasmine pushed, ignoring both Aragorn's and Legolas' words of encouragement. All she could see were stars racing across her vision, blinding everything else, even Legolas' face. All she could hear were her own cries. All she could think about was pushing her baby out with all the strength she could muster. It didn't take concentration but the strength it took was shattering. She didn't even know that she was gripping Legolas' hand with surprising force.

Through the haze of tiredness and pain Jasmine heard Aragorn telling her to stop and she did so, falling back with relief. This time none of Legolas' reassurances reached her. His voice was just a peripheral droning. Now pain pinned her to the bench and drowned out all else. She was sure Aragorn had said something but she could only think about the child. Nothing else seemed to be able to penetrate her mind.

"Jasmine, you have to push again," Aragorn repeated louder when he received no answer the first time. "Jasmine? Jasmine."

"Estel, what's wrong?" Legolas asked anxiously, looking down nervously at the woman. She had her eyes closed, sweat covered her face and her breathing was laboured.

"I don't know. I can't leave this." His voice was almost desperate. "Legolas, can you check her pulse?"

Legolas did so, concentrating for a moment. "It is fast, Estel."

"Damn," Aragorn swore.

"What can I do?"

"I…I don't…"

"Estel," Legolas warned, sensing the man was losing control of the situation again. Without instructions he was useless. "Tell me what to do."

"Right. Sorry. Try and bring her around. I can't do anything if she doesn't push." Aragorn's voice had regained a little control, although he still looked nervous. With Legolas he had always been so confident but with Jasmine he was surprisingly nervous. Legolas couldn't help but think that he held some other interest in her that made him over-cautious. Of course, the man might just see her as a spark of hope in a dark place and needed to make sure she was alright. Losing such a precious thing to him could destroy any hope he had of surviving long enough to make it out of there. That was a dangerous thing to believe. Such thoughts could only end in tragedy; especially seeing as right then neither friend was sure what the outcome of this birth might be.

"Jasmine, open your eyes, you need to push now. You need to help your baby," Legolas spoke loudly, hoping to wake her from her unnatural sleep. "Jasmine." When again he got no answer, Legolas looked over to Aragorn for inspiration. He simply shook his head showing he was too busy to help. "Jasmine," Legolas said louder but still got no response. Trying another approach he leaned in close to her, looked directly at her closed eyes and whispered, "Jasmine."

"Legolas," Aragorn snapped urgently, growing impatient.

"Jasmine, please wake up," Legolas whispered again. Aragorn was about to shout at Legolas to do something again but he was shocked when Jasmine slowly and painfully opened her eyes upon the Elf's command. Legolas smiled down, trying not to show his own surprise that it had worked. "Welcome back."

"What…?" Jasmine began in confusion.

After a moment of dazedly looking around, Jasmine panicked but Legolas had been expecting that. He placed his hand on her shoulder and looked directly into her wide eyes. "Jasmine, look at me." In confusion Jasmine looked into Legolas' clear, shockingly blue eyes. "Good. Now keep looking at me. Focus on me." Legolas' lilting voice seemed to have an almost hypnotic effect on the woman and it rubbed off on Aragorn as well. Any fear or alarm he felt diminished instantly when the Elf spoke the soft words. "Now, you need to push. Take my hand." She did as instructed. Legolas looked to Aragorn for confirmation and he nodded. "Push now, Jasmine." Jasmine looked down at Aragorn in fear. "It's alright. Just hold my hand and keep your eyes on me."

"Come on, Jasmine, you need to push now," Aragorn said but instantly regretted breaking the near-hypnosis Legolas' voice incurred.

Legolas shot Aragorn an annoyed look but immediately turned his attention back to Jasmine, his eyes and face softening. "Just look at me and push. Now push, Jasmine. Look at me and stay calm." Jasmine stared into Legolas' eyes for a moment longer before squeezing his hand and pushing as hard as she could.

Her face changed from almost serene to pain- and effort-filled. She shouted out and pushed but her eyes never left Legolas'. Even when she blinked it looked as though she was afraid of losing his eyes. Aragorn had no idea how but the previously exhausted woman pushed with such force to finally give birth to her baby. In one last great push and shout Jasmine delivered her child. She fell back but Legolas gently caught her with his free arm and carefully laid her down. Still she didn't break the lock on Legolas' eyes though. He smiled gently at her and she smiled weakly back.

"Look at your baby, Jasmine," Aragorn said, holding the child up for her to see.

Legolas nodded to Jasmine and she blinked before looking over to Aragorn and her new baby. Tears filled her eyes and she reached out for her child. Aragorn cut the cord and brought the baby, wrapped in a blanket, over to Jasmine who accepted the child into her arms. "You have a beautiful baby girl," Aragorn said with a big smile.

"A girl," Jasmine whispered, looking up at Legolas in amazement. He simply smiled and stroked the girl's face with one delicate finger. "She's so beautiful," Jasmine said, tears running down her face as she looked lovingly into her daughter's face.

"She is. Jasmine, just stay relaxed, alright," Aragorn instructed. He still needed to clean everything up but Jasmine didn't care. Whereas before she had been completely entranced by Legolas' eyes, now she was enthralled by her daughter.

"I have a daughter," she whispered to herself. Her look at the door told Legolas she was worried.

"She is your daughter and she always will be," he said softly to her. Aragorn looked up briefly, not understanding why all of a sudden the two seemed to be privy to some kind of secret he didn't know anything about.

**To Be Continued…**

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	58. The Land of Nightmares

**Disclaimer: **I own nothing Tolkien created.

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**Sold Into Ruin**

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_**A/N: **__Dream sequences are in italics in this chapter._

~*~

**A/N: I am sorry that the chapters are a little more spaced apart lately. As you know I've been having some technical difficulties but I promise that, as long as I'm able, I will finish this story.**

**Thank for your patience. Also thank you for reviewing. I will try and answer them as soon as I can if you leave a signed review.**

**Okay, here is chapter 58 for you.**

**~*~ **

**Chapter 58 ~ The Land of Nightmares**

**~*~**

Whilst Aragorn had been tending to Jasmine, Legolas had constructed a makeshift crib for the newborn. It wasn't much – nothing more than a thick pile of blankets on the bench, folded to resemble a rudimentary cot. Padding it out with anything soft he could find, Legolas made sure it was good enough for a baby to lie on. He also positioned some blankets on the bench for Jasmine, enough so she too could rest easy.

"I think that's about all I can do for now," Aragorn said gently, standing up straight when Legolas returned to Jasmine's side. "You'll be fine, Jasmine. You did brilliantly."

"Thank you so much. Both of you," she said passionately, tears in her eyes.

Aragorn came to her side, taking Legolas' place, and took her hand. "You are most welcome." He looked down at the baby who was now watching Legolas with curious interest. This wasn't the first time he had seen infants react this way to the Elf. He seemed to hold an unusual attraction for them. A mere reassuring look from those sapphire eyes could calm even the most distressed baby – in fact, any distressed person. Thranduil possessed the same gift, although his calming influence was somewhat less potent than his son's and much less often used. It wasn't a common skill, even amongst the Elves. Aragorn had always found it rather disconcerting that sometimes their outright hypnotic eyes could change from angry to enthralling in a heartbeat with no warning whatsoever.

"Now you should try to get some sleep," Aragorn said softly.

Jasmine nodded in agreement, her eyes still fixed on her daughter.

"Have you thought up a name yet?" Legolas asked, breaking the silence.

Jasmine thought for a moment before sighing. "Oh I don't know. To be honest I haven't even considered it. What do you think? What names are popular in your culture?" she asked the Elf, looking to him for some inspiration.

Legolas didn't know what to say for a moment. He had never been asked anything like that before. A name suddenly – and rather unexpectedly - popped into his head but for a moment he couldn't bring himself to speak it out loud. He had not said the name in so many years that doing so now felt almost like a betrayal and his words caught in his throat and he could do nothing but stare down at the baby, his eyes awash with emotions he had not permitted himself to feel for many long years.

Eventually though he smiled. "Nienna." It was barely a whisper but at least he had managed to say it.

Aragorn looked up sharply. He didn't know much about Legolas' mother but he had heard that name before, muttered in hushed tones far from the prince's sensitive ears. Thranduil had spoken it often to Elrond in his presence but never before had he heard it from Legolas.

"Nienna?" Jasmine asked obliviously, a small smile crossing her face. "That's beautiful."

"It was my mother's name," Legolas whispered, his eyes finally moving up to meet Jasmine's.

"I think it's perfect," she said, smiling at him. "Nienna." She smiled down at her baby who gurgled happily. "And I think she likes it too," she laughed.

~*~

Jasmine had been asleep for a little while and Legolas was watching the baby for her whilst Aragorn received praise for his delivery of the child from the other slaves. The amazed Elf watched his friend dismiss the slaves' praise modestly. Legolas knew he genuinely deserved it though; he had done a good job during the delivery. Jasmine was going to be fine and the baby was perfectly well despite the complications surrounding her birth. It was the next part that was going to be difficult. Getting the baby into the world had been hard enough, keeping her healthy and safe in that world was another matter entirely, one that Legolas had already begun worrying about.

Kallon's dismissal of the child would not last long. Sooner or later he would want something from her and that would be when things would get really hard. Legolas knew that they could waste no more time thinking about escaping. They had spoken a lot of it lately but so far they had done nothing proactive. No matter what it took, they needed to do it now. Finding their escape route was only the beginning. It was getting out that was going to be the tricky part.

Looking at Jasmine's daughter now made his promise to protect her all the more poignant. Before, although he had meant it, he had said it more to reassure Jasmine but now he had something physical to protect it meant more to him than he would have thought possible.

"She looks like she's sleeping well," Aragorn said with a smile. Legolas hadn't even heard the man come up behind him. "Hardly surprising though. Jasmine did well, didn't she? And she has this beautiful thing to show for it."

"She is beautiful," Legolas agreed vaguely, his eyes and mind still on the sleeping baby.

"Nienna. It's such a nice name." Aragorn looked down at Legolas. "I don't think I've ever heard you mention it before."

"No," was all Legolas simply said, hoping not to be drawn into a long conversation about his past.

"Legolas…"

"We have to get out of here." Now Legolas turned his attention on Aragorn, his eyes like hard sapphire. "We have to leave now. Kallon will come for her. He'll use her, take her from Jasmine and sell her into slavery in Gondor. We cannot allow that, Estel. We can't wait any longer."

Aragorn looked at Legolas in concern for a moment before nodding. "Alright."

Legolas turned back to Nienna, his eyes changing from desperation to warmth in an instant. However, Aragorn knew that warmth could just as quickly change back to biting cold.

~*~

Thranduil and his Guard were now racing through the few open spaces on the borders of Mirkwood. They had been relying solely on Thranduil's instinct, which seemed to be in overdrive right then. It was like he was being drawn to his son by some kind of strange psychic force that no one could explain, least of all the king himself. This power was so strong that he continued to ignore everything else his Captain was advising and continued on his course. He didn't think he could have stopped even if he wanted to. His son was calling for him in some way and he simply couldn't ignore it.

The racing army burst through the last crop of trees into almost blinding sunlight. Thranduil pulled his horse to an abrupt halt. All of a sudden he found himself feeling rather lost. He looked around himself for a moment, trying to regain some sense of where he should be going but he couldn't get anything from the previously strong link.

"Now what, my Lord?" the Captain asked, breaking Thranduil's desperate concentration.

Thranduil looked over at his Captain before answering, "I don't know." He dismounted and his people quickly followed suit. "Search the area. Look for any signs that my son or the Men that took him have passed this way. I need something…And hurry. We don't have much time." He didn't know why but he felt a greater sense of urgency, not just for his son but over something else as well. He couldn't explain it but there was _something_ else. It seemed that there was much more at stake than just his son and his friend.

~*~

Aragorn and Legolas had gone to sleep at the same time as everyone else. Although they were still a little worried about Jasmine and the baby they found that the birth had taken a lot out of them. However, Legolas' sleep was not as peaceful as Aragorn's. In fact, it was once again full of nightmares.

*~*

_At first there was nothing. Just an incredibly deep blackness. It was like standing on the edge of a precipice with no way of turning back. The darkness was almost stifling and he found it difficult to breathe as though the only thing being drawn into his lungs was more blackness, suffocating him. He had seen darkness like this only once before: the Dark Room. There was no Master here though – just inky blackness. The room, as far as he could tell, was empty. There was a frightening sense of trouble though, one he couldn't really explain._

_Soon there approached a pinprick of light in the darkness. He didn't move towards it. He couldn't move at all. The light grew brighter but didn't get any closer. Legolas found himself entranced by it, unable to take his eyes off it. This became even more worrying when suddenly the light intensified so dramatically it almost blinded him._

_For a moment all he could see was white, even when he closed his eyes. Mercifully, the dizzying illumination eventually subsided but Legolas remained slightly dazed in its wake. He looked around but still saw nothing but white. Strangely, he thought he preferred blackness. This seemed too bleak, too…stark. Almost as though this were building up to something._

_Legolas looked around again but, like in the black room, there was nothing. After just a moment though something moved towards him. It was coming quickly but gracefully. Legolas, apparently not having his Elven eyesight in this place, couldn't see who or what it was. However, the figure was soon close enough for him to see properly. Although it was a surprise, Legolas didn't say anything or move anywhere. Standing before him, for the second time, was his mother._

"_Hello, Legolas," she said with a smile. Still Legolas couldn't move or speak. She reached up and placed her hand on her son's cheek. Like before, her hand was warm and soft and spookily real. This wasn't like when Kallon had brought her forth. Now she seemed more like his mother. "My darling son. What have they done to you?" Sympathy clouded her voice and tears filled her brilliant eyes._

_Legolas had noticed when he entered that he had been dressed in a light blue silk tunic with light blue leggings. His hair was as golden as it had always been and he was clean, not a speck of dirt in sight. He felt better too, no pain. When his mother spoke though it all came back suddenly, almost taking his breath away. He looked down and he was in the same clothes he knew he was currently sleeping in. He felt the dirt on him, felt the dried blood on his back, felt the light-headedness that seemed to follow him everywhere and also felt the almost unbearable pain race through him again._

"_Nana?" Legolas asked, his voice cracking slightly through a mixture of pain and emotion._

_Throwing caution to the wind, Legolas threw himself into his mother's welcoming embrace and poured his heart out to her. Every tear he had been holding back since his arrival spilled from him now, dampening his mother's dress. He spoke all his fears to her, all his pain. She hushed him gently, holding him close and stroking his hair just as she had done when he was young. She didn't say anything but there was no need for words. For the first time since his arrival at the encampment Legolas felt utterly safe, like he could remain in this place forever leaving behind everything in the real world._

"_My dear, sweet Legolas," Nienna finally spoke, gently pushing Legolas away from her. "Look at you." She tenderly wiped his tears away with steady, delicate fingers. "There, all better now." She smiled at him and he could do nothing but smile weakly back. This was the mother he loved and missed more than anything._

"_I am so sorry," he said, not knowing whether he would ever get another chance to say it._

"_For what?" she asked, placing her delicate hand on his arm. He took her hand and held on for dear life._

"_For…what happened to you." He knew he didn't need to elaborate further. She couldn't possibly have forgotten about what happened in the cave._

_Her bright blue eyes suddenly darkened and she removed her hand stiffly from her son's. Her whole face changed - darkened. Suddenly, she was slightly frightening to him and he wished he could move time back a couple of seconds – take back whatever he had said to upset her._

_However, the darkness quickly left her and she smiled brightly at him again. She moved forwards and hugged Legolas tightly to her. "Oh, Legolas, you know there is nothing you can say to make it better."_

_For a moment Legolas thought he had misheard her. "Excuse me?" he asked, pulling back stiffly with a frown of confusion._

_The loving smile had disappeared and now she just looked angry. "You heard me. I was dying and you did nothing. You just ran away like a frightened child, abandoning your poor mother in her time of need. They wouldn't have done what they did if you had stayed, instead of running away like a lousy little coward."_

"_Nana," Legolas whispered in disbelief._

"_Shut up! Look at what you did, Legolas. Look at what you did to your poor mother." As she spoke her beautiful façade fell from her, revealing the person Legolas remembered so well from his nightmares. Her face was full of terrible pain and anger, twisted and bitter. It was a truly frightening sight to behold. Her pure white clothes were replaced with the same bloodied, muddied dress she had been wearing when she died. Her eyes were now bloodshot and wild with pain and fury._

_She smiled at Legolas but it was no longer sweet and pleasant but a cruel snarl, baring teeth covered in blood. She reached out her hand to her son. It was bruised and dirty and covered in blood that had created vine-like patterns on her skin. For the first time, Legolas moved, taking a startled step backwards. Nienna followed him though, her arm out-stretched, her fingers desperately trying to touch him. Repulsed by her new look, Legolas continued to walk backwards. As much as he hated looking at this twisted image of his mother he found that he simply couldn't look away. She held a kind of morbid fascination for him._

"_Why didn't you help me, Legolas?" she demanded, her voice now hoarse and harsh with anger and hatred. "All you had to do was stay and help me. But you were too weak. You left me there to die, Legolas, and now look at me. Do you like seeing your mother like this? Do you?!" Her voice grew in volume, scaring Legolas even more._

_Turning sharply, preparing to run from the terrifying image, Legolas was halted abruptly by someone standing directly behind him._

"_Don't you dare turn away from your mother," Thranduil admonished sharply. _

"_Ada," Legolas exclaimed in surprise. "What…?"_

"_You heard me. Do not turn away from your mother." Thranduil didn't sound like Legolas remembered him. He was shouting, his voice filled with venom Legolas had never heard before. "The least you could do is look at her, you coward."_

"_Ada," Legolas whispered in disbelief at his father's cruel words._

"_You don't deserve to call me that." Thranduil glared down at his son, looking taller and more threatening than Legolas recalled._

_Talking to Thranduil, Legolas had almost forgotten that his mother was behind him. When she placed her almost skeletal hand on his shoulder he shivered and shrugged her off, stepping to one side so he could keep both his parents in sight. Suddenly, they came together. Thranduil pulled his wife close and kissed her blood-drenched, cold lips roughly. Legolas could do nothing but stare in growing horror at the scene. His father seemed completely unconcerned by her state._

_Pulling away from his wife, Thranduil looked over at Legolas and Nienna slowly followed his gaze. Her eyes held a kind of sick lust now as well. Before Legolas' very eyes, Thranduil changed to dirtied, torn travel wear. It was drenched with blood that was pouring from an arrow wound in his chest and from a large cut on his head. His eyes were dark like his wife's – angry even._

"_What are you staring at?" Nienna demanded Legolas sharply. "Do you not love us when we're not perfect? When we are not the image of what you want for your perfect family, we mean nothing, right? You are not just a coward but a bad son as well."_

"_No," Legolas cried, staggering back a couple of paces. "No."_

"_Be silent when your mother is speaking," Thranduil yelled bitterly. "You barely deserve to speak in our presence anyway. We should have gotten rid of you when we had the chance."_

"_I told you, Thranduil. I told you he would amount to nothing."_

"_You did. And I should have listened to you, my love."_

"_Look at what you did to us, Legolas. Look at what you did to your poor mother and father," Nienna said, taking another small step towards her son, looking down pointedly at herself and splaying her arms to prove her point._

"_You should have seen him, Nienna; running back to me after your death. Like a scared little child, he was. And then the dreams. Oh, the dreams. He woke up every night shouting and screaming, not about you but just remembering his own weak, pathetic terror. Do you know how many times I had to change the bed sheets during his youth? Like a little baby," Thranduil sneered._

"_Stop," Legolas pleaded, tears now streaming down his face. "Why are you doing this?"_

"_He doesn't even mention you anymore. He can't bear to speak your name. He wants to forget that you ever existed."_

"_That's not true," Legolas yelled suddenly._

"_Shut up," Thranduil shouted back, reaching forward and slapping his son hard across the cheek. Legolas raised his hand in disbelief as the blow connected. "You see Nienna? You see what a weak child we have raised?"_

"_I had such high hopes."_

"_Such a shame."_

"_Please don't," Legolas pleaded, walking slowly backwards. He put his hands up to cover his ears but his parent's voices continued to echo in his mind._

"_Look at us, Legolas. Look at what you have done. How can you say you love us when you are so willing to destroy us?" Thranduil's voice boomed in his head. "Look at us," the king shouted loudly, causing Legolas' eyes to snap open._

_Everything was silent now and his parents were both lying unmoving on the ground. Instantly, Legolas ran to them and upon checking their pulses he found that they were both dead. Fresh tears streamed down his face as he pulled his father's already stiff and cold body into his arms. His misery was suddenly interrupted by the shrill wailing of a baby. He looked up and saw an infant lying on the floor next to his mother. It was writhing and crying loudly. Legolas respectfully put his father back down and went to the child. Picking it up off the floor, Legolas cradled the small baby in his arms. After holding him for a moment Legolas made a shock revelation – the bright blonde hair, the stunning blue eyes - the baby was him._

_Legolas looked around sharply and found that both his mother and father were now gone completely. He looked around the room but they were no where to be seen. When he turned back, the baby had also disappeared from his arms, even though he hadn't noticed it._

_Standing, the prince walked around for a while. Nothing really happened until he came upon a door that hadn't been there before. Staring at it cautiously, Legolas turned the handle and opened the door. He walked into this new place with the belief that nothing could possibly be worse than what he had just come from. Sure enough, this was the building Legolas knew that he was currently asleep in. Standing in the far corner were Aragorn and Jasmine. The man seemed to be comforting her through her distraught cries although Legolas didn't know what had upset her. In shock at her state, he instinctively looked towards the makeshift crib on the bench that he knew he had prepared earlier. The baby was lying there but she was not moving. The room suddenly turned icy cold and Legolas knew instantly that the tiny child was dead. That was why Jasmine was so inconsolably distraught._

_Just when he didn't think things could get any stranger – or more disturbing - his attention was drawn to another figure on the floor, shrouded by a blanket. Cautiously, he walked over to the blanket and lifted up the edge with trembling hands. What he saw caused him to fall back in shock. Lying dead under the shroud was him. Cold and pale and utterly lost to the world. Looking closely, Legolas saw how he had died; Aragorn's hunting knife was piercing deep into his heart._

_Not able to look at his own dead body a second longer, Legolas went back to the child. Through its own small chest, the Elf could now see was one of his own distinctive white hunting knives. Screaming in horror, Legolas ran from the room. He ran back through the door and entered the white room. His parents were again standing there in their previous tortured states. Again, Legolas cried out and ran from the room ignoring their shouts of anger and pain._

_He soon came upon the dark room again and was suddenly afraid of the darkness. He ran but got nowhere._

_Endless running but reaching nothing. Going on forever and ever. Legolas felt truly trapped now. Panic coursed through him. He ran. Tears streamed down his face and fear raced through his pounding heart. His parent's voices continued to scream inside his head. Their battered faces dominated his thoughts. Just as he thought things couldn't possibly get any worse images of the dead child came into his mind. That disturbed Legolas far more than even the sight of his own slain corpse. He stopped and spun around, desperately searching for an exit but finding only more darkness._

_He had the strangest feeling that Nienna and Thranduil's skeletal, bloodied hands were reaching out to him in the darkness and he frantically tried to brush them off his ripped clothes. He shouted for help but his voice was lost in the blackness. He had the terrifying image that he would be permanently stuck in this place forever, frightened and mute. Forever._

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

**To Be Continued…**

**Translations**

**Nana – **Mum

**Ada – **Dad


	59. When The Stars Fall Down

**Disclaimer: **I own nothing Tolkien created.

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**Sold Into Ruin**

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**A/N: I'm so sorry this is late. Please bear with me – I'm still having computer troubles. Obviously.**

**Thanks for sticking with the story and please keep reviewing.**

**~*~**

_**A/N: **__Dream sequences are in italics in this chapter._

~*~

**Chapter 59 ~ When the Stars Fall Down**

**~*~**

"Legolas, please wake up," Aragorn repeated. He had been woken when he heard Legolas shouting and thrashing next to him. "Legolas, please." He couldn't help the desperation creeping into his voice.

"What's wrong with him?" Jasmine asked, crouching gingerly down next to Aragorn. She too had been woken by Legolas' cries.

"I don't know. Legolas, please wake up, mellon nin. Legolas." Aragorn's voice was filled with panic as he tried to summon his friend from his nightmares. "Legolas."

~*~

_Legolas was stood in the black room when small pinpricks of light suddenly appeared above him. He instantly recognised them as the stars. For a moment his fear vanished and he looked up in wonder at the familiar beauty. This emotion soon changed to terror though. With a shrill, whistling cry the stars came crashing down on top of him. As fast as he moved, he could not escape the light, which had suddenly grown unbelieving bright. It too crashed down on him._

~*~

"Legolas," Aragorn shouted at his friend one last time before trying something more drastic to wake his friend.

With a shout, Legolas sat bolt upright, sweat beading on his brow, his eyes wide with fear as they looked around the room. He seemed completely dazed and confused, not fully comprehending where he was. Aragorn grabbed his shoulders and tried to make him face him but he seemed almost frozen to the spot. "Legolas, it's alright, mellon nin. Look at me."

When Aragorn grabbed his shoulders Legolas broke out of his terror and panicked again. He thrashed out at the future King of Gondor, trying to get away from the hands holding him. All he could hear were the cries of Jasmine's baby and the terrible echo of his parent's words in his head. "No," he shouted loudly over the noise. He pushed Aragorn violently away from him and twisted around, searching for his own body under a blanket or his dead patients reaching out for him in the darkness. He saw nothing from his dream world though, only Jasmine's crying baby in her crib and the other slaves sleeping on their benches.

Following Legolas' gaze Jasmine went to Nienna, picking her up and cradling her close. Apparently, she thought that she was frightening Legolas. She had never seen the normally serene Elf in such a state and his panicked eyes scared her. Aragorn placed a hand on Legolas' shoulder. The Elf spun to look into Aragorn's sympathetic grey eyes. For just a moment he was silent but then he remembered his family's insults and he batted the man's hand away in annoyance and disgust.

"Legolas, please, it's me, Estel. Listen to me, it's alright." Legolas continued to struggle away from Aragorn as the man tried to wrap him in a comforting embrace. "Legolas, it's alright. Please calm down." Trying to avoid the Elf's flailing hands, Aragorn attempted to soothe him. "You need to calm down."

Slowly, Legolas began to calm down as Aragorn's gentle voice filtered through his panic. Although he was still desperately frightened his thrashings slowly became feebler. Aragorn pulled him close and Legolas only gently tapped at Aragorn now with his fists, all the fight going out of him, as though becoming resigned to the fact that the dream would not leave his memory no matter how much he lashed out. Aragorn pulled him close as the Elf finally sagged against him, clinging onto Aragorn tightly. The prince's sobs were slightly muffled by Aragorn's shirt but they were no less disturbing.

Jasmine looked on in silence, tears falling from her eyes, whilst Aragorn tried to comfort Legolas in the aftermath of his nightmare. Aragorn had witnessed the effects of the nightmares before but never anything like this. His friend had never been so openly terrified before.

As Legolas continued to cry pitifully against him Aragorn tried to reassure his distraught friend. "Shhh, it was just a dream. It wasn't real. It's over now." Upon hearing this, Legolas' cries intensified further, although they seemed more relieved than frightened now. Aragorn didn't know whether to be pleased or disappointed by this new sound. The prince gripped Aragorn's clothing and the man held him tightly. He hated to see Legolas like this but he wanted nothing more than to ease his friend's suffering.

Aragorn wished that Thranduil or Elrond was there to help them. Thranduil always knew how to comfort his son. Or so Elrond had said once. The Imladrian Lord himself had offered Legolas numerous reassurances. Either one of them seemed far better than him in Aragorn's mind. Still, he whispered reassurances to the Elf, allowing him to cry out his fears on him.

~*~

Thranduil suddenly stopped short in his search. The captain immediately stopped as well. He was lucky that he was close enough to support the King when he bent over, seemingly in pain.

"My Lord, what is it?" he asked, gently sitting the king down on the grass. Although it was dark the other guards came running towards them, concerned for their Lord's well-being. "Your Majesty, please talk to me. What's wrong?"

"Legolas. He needs me. We must find him. Now."

The king's voice was filled with such urgency that the captain shouted for his people to mount their horses again, an order which was obeyed instantly. Thranduil got to his feet and jumped onto his horse with a poise that the others wouldn't have thought possible a moment ago. Within seconds of the king's startling premonition they were on the move again, following Thranduil's instinct once more.

~*~

Aragorn continued to hold the trembling Elf close. Although his sobs had calmed down Aragorn could still hear his quiet cries muffled by his own shirt. Having buried his face in Aragorn's chest Legolas now held onto the man, whereas before he was satisfied just to be held. Aragorn was quite happy to oblige.

Whatever Legolas had seen in his dream must have been pretty awful for him to come to Aragorn like this. Usually, he showed no hint of how greatly his nightmares affected him, choosing to go to someone closer to him. Of course, beggars could not be choosers and right then Legolas had no one else to turn to. His fear and need for consolation and comfort outweighed any embarrassment he might have felt. Seeing as Thranduil wasn't there Legolas turned to the only person who could offer him some form of comfort in this place, whether he liked it or not.

Jasmine could do nothing but look on sadly, holding her baby tightly to her as she watched. Although her own tears had stopped by now she looked down at Legolas in concern. Aragorn glanced up at her briefly, giving her a reassuring smile. He recognised that she found it distressing to see Legolas like this rather than the strong Elf she had come to know. _He _found it distressing.

After a while longer, Legolas released Aragorn and looked up at him with tearful, crystal blue eyes.

Aragorn reached up and brushed blonde hair off Legolas' face, also wiping away the fresh tears. Lowering his head, Legolas smiled weakly. Although his cries had died down Aragorn noticed that he was still trembling slightly. He looked deep into Legolas' expressive blue eyes.

Knowing there was nothing he could say, Aragorn pulled his friend close again. Legolas simply rested his head on the man's shoulder this time. He closed his eyes and was relieved to find that the darkness was not haunted by images of his dead parents, or of Jasmine's dead baby. In alarm he sat up straight, looking directly at Nienna and Jasmine. Legolas stood somewhat shakily and Aragorn went with him, curious to see what the Elf was doing.

Legolas walked over to Jasmine, who was now obviously extremely concerned about the Elf's behaviour. He didn't pay much attention to her though, instead looking down at Nienna. The baby, upon seeing Legolas' face hovering above her, gurgled happily. Legolas smiled down at her, another tear silently escaping him, although this time of relief. Nienna was fine. He was alive. Somehow he knew that somewhere Thranduil was safe too. He didn't even want to think about his mother. He couldn't, not right then. This had already started him down a road he knew he couldn't afford to continue on.

Turning back to Aragorn, he threw his arms around him, laughing in relief. The man must have thought him mad but right then he didn't care. He rarely reacted this way to nightmares any more but he had never felt such incredible relief that it had all been in his head. Aragorn laughed softly when the Elf hugged him tightly. He hadn't expected that reaction. Having said that, he had no real point of reference so who knew what was normal for the prince?

"We're not dead," Legolas laughed into Aragorn's shoulder.

For a moment the man couldn't come up with a response. He laughed nervously. "No. We're not dead." He looked up to Jasmine and smiled in confusion. Legolas looked at Aragorn and stared into his eyes for a moment. "Are you alright?" Aragorn asked, smiling gently back.

Legolas' smile faded when he was asked this and he sat down slowly. Aragorn went with him, concern replacing amusement. Placing a hand on his forehead, Legolas stared intently down at the ground.

"Legolas?" Aragorn put his hand on Legolas' arm and the prince turned and flashed him a quick smile.

"I…" Unfortunately, Legolas couldn't find the energy to reassure Aragorn that everything was alright. All his previous relief had left him and the seriousness of the nightmare came back to him and for a moment he was amazed he could feel anything but deep despair after such a horrific vision.

"What can I do?" Aragorn asked, putting his arm around Legolas' shoulders.

Legolas shook his head. Tears began falling again, not hysterically like before, but just quietly. This seemed even more heart-breaking to Aragorn. There was a silent despair radiating from the prince now, so intense it was almost suffocating.

As Legolas tried to rid himself of the images that had haunted his dreams, Jasmine had placed Nienna back in her crib and walked over to the Elf. She gently draped a blanket over his shoulders. As Aragorn readjusted it to make the Elf more comfortable, Jasmine placed her hand on Legolas' shoulder. He looked up at her and smiled through his tears. Although it looked fake, Jasmine appreciated that he was trying. Soon though he looked back to the floor.

At this point, Arron came over. He hadn't been woken when Legolas had shouted out but now people were starting to wake, disturbed by the commotion around Legolas. Rubbing his eyes, Arron walked up to Aragorn and tapped his shoulder.

"What's going on?" he asked tiredly. Then he noticed Legolas and Jasmine. "What's wrong?"

Aragorn looked to Jasmine, still tending to Legolas. The prince didn't even look up so it was left to Aragorn to reassure the child, who was obviously concerned about his new-found friend.

"What's wrong with Legolas?" he asked again, not settling for their silence.

Aragorn turned properly to him and looked into worried eyes. "Nothing is wrong. Legolas is just…nothing is wrong. It has been a long day, why don't you go back to sleep? Everything is fine."

"Jasmine, is something wrong?" Arron asked, not believing the man. He trusted that Jasmine would tell him the truth though.

"No, Arron. It was just a bad dream, that's all. Legolas is going to be fine. Now, do as Estel says and go back to sleep. You want to be able to look after Nienna tomorrow, don't you?" She smiled gently at him.

This seemed to sway him and he nodded. He walked past Legolas not taking his eyes off him, as though he might jump up and grab him. Arron had seen plenty of pain and anguish during his life in the encampment but now he had someone he actually cared about. Legolas and Aragorn had become almost like surrogate parents to him. Seeing Legolas in pain – physical and emotional – hurt him. He walked over to the Elf and placed a small hand on Legolas' own larger one. The prince looked up with watery eyes at Arron. The boy smiled gently at Legolas, who watched him with interest.

In a small yet reassuring voice, Arron said, "It's alright, I have bad dreams too." Squeezing the Elf's hand, Arron moved back to his bed, stopping to look at the sleeping baby as he passed. Legolas, Aragorn and Jasmine watched him go in wonder.

Legolas glanced over at Aragorn who smiled in confusion at the boy. The man moved back to Legolas and replaced his hand on his shoulder.

"Is there anything I can do?" he repeated his earlier question, hoping Legolas would have regained enough control to tell him what he could do to help. All he received though was a small shake of the head.

Legolas smiled weakly up at his friend. "Thank you, Estel, but no." Sighing he looked over to Jasmine who shot him a reassuring smile. Legolas' attention then turned back to Nienna who was now sleeping peacefully. She seemed to have become distressed earlier when Legolas had been so distraught. The baby and the Elf had bonded almost instantly. It was almost as though Nienna had felt Legolas' pain and had, to some extent, shared it. This both amazed and worried Jasmine. However, as Legolas settled, so did Nienna and right then Jasmine wasn't in the position to disturb either of them for an explanation of something that was probably utter nonsense.

"Do you think you could go back to sleep?" Aragorn asked, rubbing his hand up and down Legolas' arm.

Legolas smiled again, although it was solely for Aragorn's benefit. "Probably not but I'll try."

Aragorn heard the fear in his friend's voice and wished he knew how to alleviate it. He wished he knew what Thranduil said to his son when he woke to find him like this. He wished he knew the kind of wisdom Elrond imparted when Legolas came to him for advice on the matter. However, as much as he loved and respected his friend he couldn't find the words. They all seemed so empty, liable to cause more harm than good. It didn't help that he could offer him no hope. There was no light at the end of the tunnel for them now. Escape was a fantasy they indulged simply to keep themselves sane but in reality it was unlikely. This was a frightening place for anyone to be – completely without hope – but for Legolas right then it must have been utterly devastating. Not that Aragorn would ever voice his fears to Legolas anyway. He didn't know why they suddenly came into such sharp relief.

All he knew was that right then he would have given anything to be in the presence of King Thranduil – a foolish wish for Aragorn to have. Thranduil and Elrond were the only two people who really understood what Legolas had been through that day and now, when he needed them most, they were so far out of reach.

Unfortunately for Aragorn, he had no idea what had happened in that cave and he had no idea how Legolas usually reacted to these dreams, although from what he had seen it wasn't well. Still, he had to try something. Legolas was his best friend and he believed he knew him well enough to help him now; even if he didn't know anything else about his previous troubles they had been friends for many years. That had to count for something.

"Why don't you lie down? You might feel a little better."

Legolas nodded. "You should go back to sleep too. You have no idea when you might get the chance again." Typical Legolas, Aragorn mused, always thinking about others before himself. "I am sorry to have woken you." Although he was entirely sincere Aragorn noticed the intense sadness that choked his voice.

"Don't be silly. I am just worried about you."

Legolas laughed humourlessly. "I know you are, mellon nin."

"Try and rest."

Legolas lay down, handing the blanket back to Jasmine, knowing it belonged to her, and pushing it away when she stubbornly attempted to give it back. Aragorn sat down next to him and took ahold of his hand. He half expected to be pushed away but surprisingly Legolas allowed it. He didn't close his eyes though. He just looked out into space, not in traditional Elven reverie but rather in deep thought – or trying to avoid meeting Aragorn's eyes.

"You should get some rest," Aragorn told Jasmine who was still watching them. She nodded and turned to go. First though she handed the blanket back to Aragorn, who took it with a smile when he saw the warning on her face should he dare to refuse. Gently he placed it over Legolas, who closed his eyes in exasperation but didn't protest.

"Goodnight," Jasmine said as she walked away to her bench, checking on Nienna as she went past. In an instant she was asleep. Everyone else had also settled back down, thankfully. The last thing Legolas needed was an audience. Unfortunately, Aragorn was in no position to prevent it. He also knew that Legolas hated the dark after these episodes. One night in Rivendell he had peeked through a gap in the door to see his father sitting by a sleeping Legolas with all the lamps lit, not something normally did. Luckily, the guards sometimes lit the torches outside in the courtyard and light shone through the windows and cracks in the walls, allowing for some small amount of light in the building. An annoyance for some, Aragorn was immensely grateful for it.

Legolas had again opened his eyes but was staring into nothingness again. Aragorn knew he was thinking of his nightmare again, not a good thing. However, the man guessed there was little he could do to prevent this. He couldn't change the Elf's thoughts, although he would have given anything he had ever owned for his friend to have one night of peace right then. No material possession, however marvellous, could help the Elf though. Only reassurance and friendship could do that now and Aragorn had plenty of that to hand out.

Reaching down, Aragorn brushed Legolas' hair out of his face and smiled down into crystalline blue eyes. He continued stroking Legolas' blonde hair, hoping to mirror the kind of thing his father would do. It seemed to calm Legolas a little although Aragorn was rather dismayed when more tears slipped from his eyes. Hushing him, Aragorn continued stroking his hair. Although it didn't make him sleep, Legolas did finally look up into stormy grey eyes.

Aragorn knew, whether Legolas went to sleep or not, that this was going to be a long night.

**Translations**

**Mellon nin – **My friend


	60. Repercussions

**Disclaimer: **I own nothing Tolkien created.

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**Sold Into Ruin**

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**Chapter 60 ~ Repercussions**

~*~

Dawn came but the building remained eerily silent. Everyone was still reeling from the fact that they had had yesterday off and they were all waiting for the repercussions to hit. The air of tension still didn't stop people sleeping though. They took advantage of every second's rest they could get. Aragorn, despite his vow to look after Legolas, had fallen asleep hours ago, exhausted after his work with Jasmine the day before. She was also fast asleep, exhausted from her labours.

Sunlight streaming through the cracks in the building walls woke Aragorn. He looked around himself for a moment, confusion creasing his features. He rubbed his hand over his tired eyes. Suddenly he remembered Legolas. He looked sharply down at his side and saw the Elf, in exactly the same position as when Aragorn had succumbed to sleep. His eyes remained open but not in peaceful Elven reverie. Blinking at Aragorn, he made no other move, although his blue eyes bore intensely into Aragorn's.

Aragorn smiled gently down at Legolas. Again the Elf only blinked tiredly at his friend, not even bothering to return the gesture, something that worried Aragorn greatly. Even when Legolas was badly injured he kept up the pretence that everything was alright. It was an old tradition between them. Aragorn didn't say anything though. There was nothing he could say to ease Legolas' suffering and both of them knew it. He reached down and stroked Legolas' hair back from his face. His friend still didn't move, as if oblivious to the touch.

What worried Aragorn more than Legolas' silence was that his deathly pale skin was freezing cold. Aragorn had never felt an Elf that cold before and it was frightening. He pulled the blanket up over Legolas' chest, tucking it around him in an attempt to keep him warm. Legolas again blinked but said nothing.

"Better?" Aragorn smiled, putting his hand on Legolas' arm. He was rewarded with a slight nod. Although not much, Aragorn was immensely pleased with this. "Good." He watched Legolas for a moment, concern plainly showing on his face. "Did you get any sleep at all last night?" Legolas shook his head again, his eyes not meeting Aragorn's as if in embarrassment at the confession.

People were just beginning to stir by now, early as usual. Aragorn glanced up at them only briefly before turning his attention back to Legolas.

"Do you feel a little better this morning?" he asked, knowing it was a really stupid question but wanting to keep speaking to the Elf, desperately frightened that he was losing his closest friend. Aragorn had no idea what Legolas was usually like after his nightmares but this didn't seem right. Elves were never this dejected, not Legolas anyway. He always had such a lust for life and even when he was down he pretended he wasn't, especially in front of Aragorn. This was just so unnatural for him. It scared Aragorn. He had never been outright scared by Legolas before but right then he wanted nothing more than to scream for his father's help, advice, anything to aid him in looking after his best friend.

The only answer he got to his question was another small shake of the head. "Is there anything I can do to help you?" he asked, hoping he might get a more useful answer than last night. Right then Legolas was the only one who understood the effects of these episodes and Aragorn could really have used this guidance right then, although he knew that was too much to ask.

Another shake of the head.

Before Aragorn could ask another fruitless question, Jasmine came up behind him and tapped him gently on the shoulder. He looked around and smiled weakly at her. "How are you this morning?" he asked, quickly giving her a visual assessment.

"A little tired, still aching absolutely everywhere and completely overwhelmed that I have a beautiful baby daughter. Other than that, I'm fine." She smiled broadly at him.

"Um, good," he said somewhat unsurely. "And Nienna?" he asked, looking over at the baby asleep in her crib.

Jasmine smiled looking over at her baby. "She seems to be sleeping well at least. I don't think she has suffered too much after yesterday, no more than her mother at least. Maybe later you could check her over, make sure she's alright?"

"Of course I will. And I will check you over too. It might take a while for you to fully heal. It was quite a traumatic birth."

"You don't need to remind me," she scoffed.

"You did really well yesterday, Jasmine," Aragorn praised sincerely.

"And I have to thank you for this beautiful gift, Estel. You have me the most wonderful…How can I ever thank you enough?"

Aragorn smiled shyly. "Just doing my job. I'm pleased everything went well."

She nodded, shooting him a thankful look that no amount of words could express. Looking over his shoulder to Legolas, she asked softly, "How is he?"

Aragorn sadly followed her gaze. "I don't know." He stroked Legolas' hair again and the Elf closed his eyes, not for long though. "I'm not sure what to do. What I wouldn't give to have Elrond here right now."

"Is there anything I can do to help?"

Aragorn shook his head, gently stroking Legolas' forehead and was again startled to find him so cold. "Maybe you could find him another blanket? He's freezing."

Jasmine nodded and retrieved two blankets from her own bed, bringing that back to Legolas. Sitting on the opposite side to Aragorn, she placed the blankets over him. Once she was finished, she reached over and rubbed her hand over his cheek. Even though she had seen sick people before even she was shocked by how cold he was. It was almost like death. She didn't know Legolas but from Aragorn's reaction this was more troubling than she believed.

"It's not normal for him to be this cold, is it?" she asked, looking up at Aragorn.

"No. Elves have a sort of in-built system to keep themselves warm. Even in the snow they don't feel the cold and their bodies don't normally get chilled either. He is still recovering from his wounds but I don't think they would affect him like this. I have no idea what to do."

"You'll figure it out, Estel," she assured, certain of his ability. They just looked at each other for a moment before Aragorn returned his gaze almost guiltily to Legolas.

"Legolas, mellon nin. Please talk to me. Tell me what I can do to help you." Legolas just blinked slowly up at him. "Do you want some water? Food? Are you still cold?" Aragorn rubbed his hand up and down Legolas' arm, hoping to provoke a response but received nothing. "Legolas come on; you have to tell me what to do. I'm a little lost here." Again he got nothing. Looking desperately down at Legolas he said, "Legolas, please, you're scaring me." His desperation was growing by the second and he wasn't ashamed of letting Legolas know that.

"What's the matter with him?" Jasmine asked quietly.

"I'm not sure. Legolas please look at me." Although Legolas didn't verbally respond he looked directly into Aragorn's eyes. This shocked the man greatly. He had not expected any response at all. "Please tell me what I can do. I want to help you but I need to know how." The sadness in Legolas' eyes was even more terrifying than the silence. "Please, Legolas."

Leaning forward, Aragorn listened carefully so he could hear what Legolas said. It was faint and broken but still easily understood.

One simple, heart-breaking word. "Ada."

It nearly broke Aragorn's soul to hear his friend's broken request. He looked desperately up at Jasmine.

"What did he say?" Jasmine asked, not understanding the Sindarin language.

"He asked for his father," Aragorn replied sadly. He quickly looked back to Legolas. The Elf was looking beseechingly up at him, as though he could somehow magically conjure Thranduil from thin air.

"Your father can't…I can't…" Aragorn didn't remember ever being so tongue-tied around his friend. He just didn't know how to answer. "I'm sorry. You'll have to manage with just me. I'm sorry," Aragorn could only sadly whisper the last part as though afraid of disappointing his friend somehow.

Legolas smiled very gently at him. "You'll do fine," he whispered, his voice weak.

Aragorn smiled, pleased Legolas had at least some reaction to him now. It wasn't much but it caused hope to swell in Aragorn's heart. He took Legolas' hand and squeezed it tightly. "So what can I do?" he asked again, hoping to get some kind of constructive answer this time.

The reaction he got was not what he expected and dashed any hope he might have had.

"Nothing."

"Nothing? Legolas…"

"Estel please," Legolas said. "There is nothing you can do. I don't know how to…"

"I'm sorry," Aragorn said and Legolas just smiled weakly at him again. "You'll let me know if there's anything…" Legolas nodded. "I wish I could help you, Legolas."

"I know you do."

Looking into Legolas' eyes again, Aragorn found none of the comfort he had found previously in those bright blue orbs, he already missed that. When he had been brought back from the Torture Room, Aragorn had relied on those eyes to give him strength, to focus him on the world and block out the pain. Now he found none of that. He found only deep and terrifying coldness. Ever since he met Legolas under the tree-house those eyes had mesmerised him but now they only frightened him. It was like a deep, penetrating coldness that chilled Aragorn's heart.

"You should try and get some rest," Aragorn said and let go of Legolas' hand and pulling the blankets around him once more. He was still far too cold. Legolas nodded and closed his eyes. Aragorn knew he wouldn't sleep but as long as he was resting that was good enough.

Standing, he went to look at Nienna. Jasmine followed him, casting a sad look back at Legolas, who shifted slightly under his blankets. Watching Aragorn looking over the baby, Jasmine couldn't help but smile. Nienna also seemed pleased as she gurgled happily when Aragorn stroked her face with his finger. Removing the blankets he looked her over.

"She's perfect," he declared when he was finished.

"She is?" Jasmine smiled.

"Considering what a difficult time she had when she was born she has come out of it remarkably well." He smiled over at Jasmine, who was still looking a little worried. "She's going to be fine. You did really well." Nienna, as if on cue, began crying. "Although I think she might be a little hungry."

Jasmine bent down and picked Nienna up. She did not settle so quickly this time though, she just continued crying, knowing exactly what she wanted and not about to give up until she got it. Jasmine smiled at Aragorn and went over to the bench to feed Nienna.

Aragorn allowed Jasmine her privacy and went back to Legolas. The Elf still had his eyes closed but Aragorn knew he wasn't really sleeping. He appreciated that he was trying to please him though. It meant there was still some part of Legolas in there, despite the cold, empty eyes. Before Aragorn could say anything the doors burst open and guards poured in, closely followed by Kallon.

"Good morning, people. I hope you all enjoyed your day of rest, now you have to make up the time. Get in line. All of you," he looked towards Legolas and Aragorn at this point. "Get up." Kallon turned from Aragorn, who was shielding Legolas as best he could and looked to Jasmine. She had pulled her baby close to her, turning away from Kallon. "And what have we here? A little baby?" Jasmine pulled further back. "Oh, don't worry, I don't want it. You can keep the filth." He stepped closer to her. "For now anyway."

Turning back to the people queued up at the door, Kallon clapped his eyes together. "Good. All ready to go to see." He looked to Legolas and Aragorn who had not moved. "And here we go again. I don't have the patience for this today, boys."

"Please, he is not well," Aragorn said, looking down at Legolas and using himself as a barrier between the two.

"Awww," Kallon mocked. "I don't care. Get him up or I'll just have to beat him until he can stand."

Although that made no sense, Aragorn knew he wasn't kidding. This was just Kallon's twisted sense of thinking. He already hated Legolas and right then Aragorn didn't want to give him any more reasons to hurt him. He didn't think the Elf could take it, although he didn't know whether he could manage another day down in the mines either. However, they had more chance of surviving the further away from Kallon they were and the mines were definitely the safer option.

"Do I have to give you a hand?" Kallon threatened, pulling his knife from its sheath.

"No," Aragorn said quickly. He turned his back on Kallon, who sighed and turned to shout once more at the prisoners. "Legolas, come on you need to get up." Legolas had been listening to everything and sighed when Aragorn encouraged him. "I know, mellon nin, but trust me, it's for the best." Legolas nodded and pushed the blankets off him. Aragorn helped his friend to sit up. The Elf looked tired and pale and Aragorn wanted nothing more than to leave him to rest but he knew this really was for the best. Kallon would hurt him even more if they disobeyed him.

Aragorn helped Legolas to his feet. The Elf was extremely unsteady but he managed to stand. Closing his eyes, against the pain or tiredness, Legolas stood leaning slightly on Aragorn.

"Come, come, you both have a long day ahead," Kallon said impatiently.

"Please let him stay here. He is no good to you like this," Aragorn said, making sure he kept Legolas upright as the Elf was having trouble doing so himself.

"Oh I'm sure I can find him something to do," the man answered, coming closer and staring Legolas directly in the eyes. Legolas didn't say anything but held Kallon's gaze. Nothing could stop that stare and Aragorn guessed it was even more powerful now. Kallon also seemed to think so as he quickly turned away, barking orders at the guards to get things moving.

"Keep your head down today, alright?" Aragorn said quietly to Legolas. He didn't really need to say it. Legolas was thinking the same thing. "Legolas are you sure…?"

"I don't think I have much choice," Legolas answered tiredly. Aragorn nodded and they began walking towards the end of the line. "Estel, be careful today. Jasmine needs you to be alright."

Aragorn laughed gently. "I tell you to be careful and you throw it right back at me. Don't worry about me today, worry about yourself. When we get back I'm going to sort out your wounds. And no arguments. I'm afraid I have been rather distracted in the past few days."

"Just be careful. Please. Nienna needs you. _I _need you."

"Come on, slaves. We are already behind," Kallon shouted back at Aragorn and Legolas. When he looked at them Legolas stood a little straighter, ignoring Aragorn's protests, and walked forwards, a lot more steady than he had been a few minutes ago. It was all just bravado though. Aragorn could see the exhaustion hidden behind that mask.

**Translations**

**Ada – **Dad

**Mellon nin – **My friend

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

**A/N: Yay, Kallon's back. See, I hadn't forgotten him. Please review and let me know what you think.**

**Thanks to everyone who has reviewed so far. I can't believe how many there are already.**


	61. Nice

**Disclaimer: **I own nothing Tolkien created.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

**Sold Into Ruin**

**~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~***

**Chapter 61 ~ 'Nice'**

**~*~**

Legolas and Aragorn kept well behind everyone but not far enough to attract Kallon's attention again. Although Aragorn had tried to offer help to Legolas, he had refused. Aragorn could certainly understand why. Showing any weakness in this place was dangerous, especially for Legolas at the moment. They couldn't afford anyone else getting hurt. Kallon kept away from them as though Legolas scared him, a small victory but a victory nonetheless. The Elf kept his eyes on him though, as though his stare could keep the man at bay. Scarily, it seemed to work.

Walking through the tunnel, down into the darkness, Legolas again hesitated. Kallon stopped at the tunnel entrance. He didn't go down into the mines unless he had no other choice. He ushered the slaves onwards though. When Legolas and Aragorn neared the entrance he grinned cruelly at them.

"Have fun." This time he did stare directly at Legolas but it didn't last long. He seemed angry but he still couldn't stand up to that stare and pushed Legolas forwards slightly. "Move."

They did as instructed, not wanting to give Kallon an excuse to hurt them. Going into the darkness was worse for Legolas this time. It reminded him too much of his nightmare. For some reason he could almost feel those stars falling down on top of him again. Looking upwards he saw only the flickering orange light of the torches.

"Legolas, it's alright," Aragorn whispered, sensing the Elf's unease. Legolas gripped Aragorn's arm for support as he continued to look nervously up at the ceiling. "Legolas, look at me." Turning the Elf towards him, Aragorn looked him right in the eyes. "It's alright. Legolas, please. I know this is hard but…"

"I know," Legolas sighed shakily, trying to calm himself.

"Come on," Aragorn prompted when a guard headed towards them menacingly. "Just get through today. I'm going to get us out of here, I promise."

"Estel, don't do anything irrational, alright? Not even for me. Don't get yourself into trouble."

Aragorn smiled at the Elf's concern as they started walking again. "Don't worry about me. Just be careful."

"You," a guard called to Aragorn, "back to your original post." Looking to Legolas, the guard said, "You're to go back to the boiler room. It seems Kallon likes you. Wants to save those pretty little hands of yours, I'll wager. Now get moving." The guard pointed his whip at them and they immediately went in the directions they were told to, knowing what the cruel weapon could do.

~*~

Thranduil spurred his horse on faster. His sense of urgency was growing by the second. He could sense his son was in trouble. Somehow he just _knew _something was very wrong now. Before, he had felt afraid but now he was outright terrified. He felt a deep coldness within himself, a gap where there had once been the warmth of his son. It was more than frightening. Feeling rather light-headed at the sensation, Thranduil urged his mount on even faster. Even though he was running flat out, his horse seemed to sense the urgency that radiated from the king and pushed himself even harder.

~*~

Legolas was pulled through the boiler room. He knew something bad was coming this time. He also knew that he couldn't do any more investigating into the escape route. Kallon would have warned the guards about him, they would be on the lookout for anything unusual, prepared for whatever he might be planning. He wasn't stupid though, he wasn't going to try anything when they were on high alert. Getting caught was not in his best interests.

The same guard that had instructed him last time walked over to him rather cautiously. No doubt he was still reeling from Kallon's previous outburst.

"You had better not try anything this time, Immortal. I was kind to you once, it won't happen again. You can cut and shovel more wood. At least you're good for something."

Legolas did as instructed, picking up the proffered axe. He couldn't try anything even if he wanted to; he was having enough trouble even keeping on his feet at that moment. Lifting the axe proved a lot harder than the other day. Bringing it down was more painful than he remembered as well. He had been suffering last time but now it was agony to bring down the axe hard on the wood. However, he knew guards were watching him closely and, not wanting a repeat of the other days' fiasco, he did his job. For how long he could keep it up was another matter but for now he had to take Aragorn's advice and keep his head down, doing everything he was told.

~*~

Aragorn was taken to his normal workstation, polishing more weapons. Although not the most stimulating job it kept him out of the way of the guards for which he was grateful. His hands quickly blistered as they had done previously. His mind, although occasionally drifting, managed to mostly keep on the tedious job. He knew thinking about Legolas' condition would only cause him more misery so he pushed it out of his mind for the time being.

Today's work seemed harder than before. He had no one to talk to, no allies to gain. Last time he had managed to get himself and his best friend tortured so maybe it was for the best. Torvan wouldn't trick him again, nor would anyone else. He had learnt his lesson: never trust anyone. They had not gained much from Torvan but they had learned that what Jadan had said upon their arrival was true. Everyone was out for their own safety. There was no allegiance here. It was up to the individuals to keep themselves alive.

The Master may have had some grand plans for them but right then Aragorn's mind was focused on only one thing: getting Legolas better. The man might not have known what to do to help the Elf but he knew his friend better than almost anyone else on Middle Earth. He understood Legolas and Legolas trusted him. That had to count for something. Not a lot but it had to be enough to get them out of the encampment alive.

Without Legolas Aragorn knew they couldn't escape. He had all the right tools to get them out. His sense of intuition was second to none. Aragorn had learned that the hard way. Looking back on that fateful night they were captured, he couldn't help but wonder how things could have turned out differently if he had only listened to his friend. Legolas had warned him time and time again. Something was going to happen. But he had been so intent upon ensuring his own comfort that he had forgotten his pledge to heed whatever Legolas said. What he couldn't understand was why. Why had he not listened to Legolas? He had always relied so heavily on the Elf's uncanny ability to sense danger. Every other time he had acted to prevent any harm coming to them and yet he had allowed this to happen by ignoring his own and his friend's instincts.

He couldn't help but wonder whether the Master was right. That their being there really was part of some great plan organised by powers beyond their comprehension. It was a frightening prospect that their fates were already laid out before them. It wasn't like their story – told by the Master – had a happy ending for them. They were to take part in some great revolution. That could only bring them more pain, not exactly something Aragorn wanted to encourage.

~*~

Eight hours into their shift – and nearing the end according to a conversation he had overheard from the guards – Aragorn's hands were covered in scratches from the tools and cuts from the weapons he was cleaning. Although it hurt him, he kept going. He had seen what happened to slackers and he wasn't about to promote that kind of punishment. He kept glancing up, trying to spot Legolas. He hoped the Elf might be given his original job back but when he snuck a peek around the corner the Elf was nowhere in sight.

~*~

Legolas was still chopping wood. Although slow and painful, he managed to keep going. His wounds had reopened. He could feel the blood trickling down his back, the salt of his sweat aggravating them even more. The heat of the room was so intense that a few times he had to check that he himself wasn't on fire.

Somehow though, he managed to keep up with his delivery of wood, making sure the bins were always full when the slave came around to collect them. He got a few annoyed looks from the guard who had first assigned him but the guards mostly kept out of his way. They didn't seem to like the heat any more than the slaves did. It was both annoying and pleasing to Legolas. At least he didn't have guards breathing down his neck.

"You," the guard shouted, walking over to him. Legolas put his axe down and turned tiredly to face him. "Come with me." Looking blearily around him, Legolas followed the guard. He was being led back to the furnace room. Not somewhere he really wanted to go but he couldn't find the energy to protest. "You remember how to do this?" he asked about loading the wood into the furnace. Legolas nodded. "Good. Get going. You can work in here until the end of your shift." The door was slammed closed and Legolas was left alone.

He immediately began piling wood onto the fire. Glancing up he saw their possible escape route, almost taunting him, but he turned sadly away from it. There was no way he could escape now. Besides the fact he could hardly walk, he had too much to lose: Aragorn, Jasmine, Arron and the added complication of baby Nienna.

After another hour or so the guard came back in and was shocked to find Legolas had finished.

"Well, we have been working fast," he commented. Legolas said nothing. "Well done." The guard glanced into the fire. "You missed one though," he said, pointing to a small log by the incinerator. Legolas nodded again and bent down to do as he was told, not wanting an argument over something so small. Before he could touch the log though, the guard's foot had slammed him to the floor. As his foot dug into Legolas' back he could do nothing. "I hate people who try to look good in front of me, slave. And I hate you most of all. It was all your fault I was disciplined. All this is your fault, you stupid Immortal. Kallon should have killed you when he had the chance." At this the guard took a deep breath. "I, however, am never one to go against my master's wishes. He said not to kill you and I won't. But losing your hands won't kill you, I don't think."

Before Legolas' tired mind could even process this threat the guard had pulled him up, grabbed his hands and shoved them into the fire, holding onto Legolas' arms so he couldn't move. He cried out in pain as the fire lapped cruelly at his skin. He could almost feel his sensitive skin blistering and burning away.

His shouts of pain had attracted attention from the other guards. Although one stood at the door laughing another strode into the room and pushed the torturing guard roughly away from Legolas.

"What are you doing?" he demanded as Legolas pulled his hands from the fire and collapsed on the ground in shock, trying to dust the smouldering embers off his skin. "Kallon said not to kill him and I haven't."

"You idiot. You might not want him but he is no use to anyone else without hands." The guard then walked over and grabbed Legolas, pulling him roughly to his feet. Blinding pain made him pliable and he couldn't have fought even if he had wanted to. The guard cast a quick glance at Legolas' hands, which were black and blistered, and sighed. "Now he is no good for anything. What use is a slave that can't work?" He pulled Legolas towards the door. "Kallon will hear about this."

As he was pulled along the corridor, Legolas wondered why he could feel so little in his hands now. It could have been shock but it seemed something worse. Something far more worrying was happening to him. He wanted Aragorn. Thankfully, Aragorn was just where he was going. The guard threw him against the man, who dropped what he was doing just in time to catch the Elf.

"Take him back to your building and sort out his hands. You're some kind of healer, right?"

"Yes but…" Aragorn started.

He was cut off. "Then I suggest you heal him and hope he can still use his hands." He pointed to another guard, who had been watching in disgust. "You go with them."

Aragorn led Legolas back through the mines, trying his best to keep the Elf on his feet as he stumbled along beside him. They were ushered forwards by the impatient guard and Aragorn didn't dare challenge him. He needed to help Legolas, not get himself thrown back down in the Hold – or worse. Once they were out in daylight – what little of it was left – Aragorn sped up even more, wanting to get Legolas to the building before the guard changed his mind and marched them back. The guard unlocked the doors and pushed them both inside.

Only Jasmine and her baby were still in there. Kallon had said that a baby would slow things down. Arron, though, had been sent back down the mines, although Aragorn had not seen him. When they entered and the guard slammed the door shut, Legolas could do nothing but collapse against Aragorn. The man gently lowered him to the floor, not having enough grip to hold him up any longer.

Jasmine had noticed their arrival and had jumped up from her seat when Legolas collapsed. She ran over to them, her eyes wide with fright.

"What happened?" she asked urgently as Aragorn crouched down next to Legolas. Although the Elf was still conscious he wasn't entirely lucid. He seemed to be in shock.

"Help me get him to a bench," Aragorn said, ignoring Jasmine's question. "Legolas, can you try and stand?" He pulled Legolas up as gently as he could. "Can you stand up?" he repeated when he received no answer. Legolas nodded his head and Aragorn helped him to his feet. He wasn't as strong as he claimed though and he collapsed back onto Aragorn with a cry.

"Sorry," Legolas mumbled, his voice slurred slightly.

"It's alright, mellon nin, don't worry."

Supporting Legolas, Aragorn headed towards the benches, towards Jasmine's pile of blankets. Legolas, who would normally have protested at Jasmine giving up her seat, just stumbled alongside Aragorn, trying to keep his burning hands in front of him. Aragorn sat Legolas down on the blankets and Jasmine immediately grabbed a blanket and draped it carefully over his shoulders.

"I need water," Aragorn instructed curtly and Jasmine handed him her own ration of water. While she was doing that, Aragorn searched around for some clean cloths to bandage Legolas' hands with. He knew the danger wasn't in the actual burns; it was the infection that might follow. They had already been exposed for too long. Finding an old rag, he sighed. It wasn't really good enough but it was all he had.

He hurried back to Legolas, who just sat there, staring at his blistered hands. Jasmine was rubbing his shoulder but he seemed oblivious.

"Sit back, Legolas," Aragorn said gently. He looked like he was about to pass out and Aragorn didn't want him falling forwards onto his hands. When Legolas shook his head sadly, Aragorn paused, remembering his previous wounds. "Alright, sit forward for a moment. Excuse me, Jasmine." Coming to the other side of his friend, Aragorn gently lifted his shirt and looked at his back. Many of his wounds had reopened and although most weren't bleeding they must have been causing the prince a great deal of pain.

Sighing sadly, Aragorn lowered the shirt and moved in front of Legolas again. "I'm going to clean and bandage your hands then I'm going to look at your back, alright?" Legolas nodded, his eyes fixed on the floor. "Just hold on, mellon nin."

Soaking the cloth in the water Jasmine provided, Aragorn gently picked up Legolas' right hand. The Elf winced and tried to pull away. Aragorn kept ahold of him though. "I know this might hurt but you need to keep still, alright?" Receiving no answer, Aragorn took his hand again and carefully wrapped it in the bandage, although Legolas tried to pull away he did manage to keep remarkably still. Having examined the hand, Aragorn found it to be covered in black dust, not exactly hygienic. The bandage was more to just keep it clean for the time being. He took up Legolas' left hand and looked closer. He picked up another piece of cloth and very carefully began dabbing at the wound with water. Thankfully, the burns weren't very bad, although they obviously hurt.

Looking into Legolas' bright blue eyes, which were now firmly fixed on the floor, Aragorn couldn't help but feel sorry for him. He knew he shouldn't be thinking like that. Legolas would kill him if he knew. He had treated some horrific wounds in his time but the smallest scratch on his friend filled him with more sympathy than a whole healing room full of patients.

When the burn was reasonably clean, Aragorn threw the cloth angrily to the ground, causing Jasmine to look up in surprise. He then bound the other hand in clean cloth. Legolas didn't do or say anything, not even when Aragorn threw another rag down on the ground.

All his anger was gone though when he took up Legolas' right hand again. He carefully pulled off the wet cloth that was clinging cruelly to the burn. Legolas hissed in pain but didn't try to remove his hand. Aragorn repeated the same process as the other hand and soon both were bandaged. When he had finished, the man looked at the Elf for a moment before sadly placing his head in his hands. This was not his friend. Legolas was not like this; dejected and depressed. Not that Aragorn could blame him for it, he had suffered through enough. They both had.

Aragorn's morose thoughts were interrupted when he felt a light hand on his shoulder. He looked up to see Legolas looking directly at him. The force of his eyes nearly knocked Aragorn to the ground. They now seemed full of pity for him, and full of apology, although for what Aragorn didn't know. For a moment he could do nothing but stare into those fathomless blue eyes.

When he could no longer hold the gaze of his injured friend, Aragorn smiled gently.

"Let's take a look at your back," his voice was soft, betraying none of the anger he had felt before. Legolas' comforting eyes had taken care of that. It had also driven some of the pity out of him. Now he was thinking more like a healer than a friend and that was exactly what Legolas needed right then. "It might be easier if you lay down on the floor. Jasmine, maybe you could put some blankets down here, make it more comfortable." Legolas smiled at his friend's thoughtfulness.

Jasmine did as instructed, piling the blankets up as best she could. Her gaze occasionally drifted to Nienna, who had only just woken up. Although she wasn't making any noise yet, Jasmine knew that in a moment she would be screaming for food.

Aragorn knew exactly what she was thinking. "Go and see to Nienna. I can manage."

Jasmine looked at Legolas for a moment, obviously undecided whether Aragorn really could manage on his own.

It was Legolas himself who put her mind at ease. "Go on. Your daughter needs your attention," he said, his voice as gentle as ever. It took a sharp ear to notice the pain, emotional as well as physical, which was carefully hidden there. "Go ahead."

She nodded and went over to Nienna in her crib, turning and saying, "I'll be right over there if you need me," as she went.

"Thank you," Legolas smiled. This seemed to fully reassure Jasmine and she picked her baby out of the crib, held her close and walked to the other side of the room.

Aragorn smiled at them, a smile that the ever-observant Legolas picked up on and when Aragorn turned back he was smiling despite everything that was happening.

"What?" Aragorn asked instantly, knowing that look well.

"You."

"Me?"

"You and Jasmine," Legolas elaborated slightly, knowing Aragorn understood what he meant.

"What about us?" Legolas shot him a disbelieving look. He was not going to be fooled by Aragorn's feigned ignorance. Aragorn sighed, knowing exactly what he thought about Jasmine. "She is very…nice."

"Nice?" Legolas laughed.

"Yes, nice."

"Nice."

**To Be Continued…**

**~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~**

**Translations**

**Mellon nin – **My friend


	62. A Friend's Healing Hands

**Disclaimer: **I own nothing Tolkien created.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

**Sold Into Ruin**

**~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~***

**A/N: Thank you to everyone who had reviewed. I appreciate it so much.**

**Anyway, here's another chapter for you. Enjoy it.**

**~*~**

**Chapter 62 ~ A Friend's Healing Hands**

**~*~**

Realising Aragorn was not going to elaborate any further on his feelings for Jasmine, Legolas nodded. "Alright."

"Alright? Inquisition over?"

"Completely," Legolas assured with a definite nod.

"Good." Aragorn looked up and smiled shyly. Now the prince's face was no longer cheerful, it was marred with pain. For a moment Aragorn had almost forgotten what he was doing. He had just experienced a little part of the old Legolas and he had been drawn gratefully into their usual banter. He also knew that Legolas had done it just for him, trying to keep him focused. "Alright, enough talk. Let's take a look at you now."

Legolas nodded so Aragorn stood and took Legolas' arm. "Do you think you can stand now?" he asked carefully. Legolas nodded again. "Slowly." Aragorn kept his hand on Legolas' arm for support and the Elf unconsciously leaned on him. It was only a few steps to the blankets that Jasmine had laid out and Legolas sat down on them gingerly. Aragorn supported him, knowing the Elf couldn't put his hands down on the ground to steady himself. Once he was down, Aragorn knelt next to him.

"Take your shirt off and lie on your side, it'll be easier for me to examine you that way."

Legolas nodded obediently and removed his shirt as carefully as he could. Aragorn helped him with this task as he couldn't use his hands properly. Once that was done he laid down slowly. Aragorn came to his side so he could speak to Legolas and inform him of what he needed.

"Just try and keep still if you can. I'll be as gentle as I can." Aragorn moved to Legolas' back. Seeing the deep cuts was still shocking to Aragorn but he swallowed his sympathy for the time being, knowing he had to remain professional for Legolas' sake. He gently started cleaning the wounds, working on the worst ones first. Legolas gasped as cold water touched his sensitive wounds but forced himself to keep as still as possible.

"Sorry. If you want me to stop, just say so."

Legolas nodded stiffly so Aragorn continued. The wounds were luckily no longer bleeding but they were still red and clearly extremely painful. Cleaning away the blood was Aragorn's first priority. He couldn't even see the actual wounds as they were still covered in dried blood and black dust from the mines. Although it obviously hurt, Legolas didn't ask Aragorn to stop. Every now and then the man looked up from what he was doing, checking that his friend was alright. He couldn't help but be protective over him now. He needed Legolas to pull through this and in some selfish way he needed Legolas to say that he was doing the right thing, even though it was painful to endure. The Elf offered no such reassurance though and Aragorn couldn't help but feel a little disappointed.

Once he could actually see the wounds, Aragorn sat back slightly, shocked at the sight. Even though he had seen them once before, he had forgotten just how cruel these men could be. It was a sharp reminder of what a horrible place this really was. "Are you alright?" Aragorn asked in concern. His friend had said very little since he started and it was worrying.

"I'm alright," Legolas answered falsely, prompting Aragorn to keep going. The man understood that Legolas just wanted this over with as quickly as possible.

"What did they make you do in that room?" Aragorn asked, carefully tearing up another relatively clean cloth to act as a bandage. He just wanted to hear Legolas speak rather than to actually learn what happened.

"Chopping wood," Legolas answered simply, unable to elaborate.

"Well, it hasn't done your back any good," he said, stating the obvious.

"Now you really do sound like Elrond. It's like he's right here with us," Legolas laughed gently. Aragorn could see that he was gripping the blanket beneath him in pain despite the flippant remark. The Elf was certainly a master at pretence.

"You're being unkind again, Legolas," Aragorn shot back jokingly. His attention was fixed on what he was doing but he wanted to keep Legolas as relaxed as possible and the playful banter was the best way of doing that without a healing hall and lots of medication. "Lord Elrond would never be so forgiving."

"True. I am not looking forward to having to explain all this to him."

"Indeed. I think I shall go hide in the tree-house whilst you take care of that," Aragorn said, placing a bandage on his back and pressing down. He heard and felt Legolas wince but continued, knowing it was for the best.

"Aren't you a little old to be hiding out in that place?"

"You're never too old for a tree-house. Besides, Elrohir built that for me. It will be there for many more centuries, I'm sure."

"Nothing Elrohir builds lasts that long, Estel, you know that. I'm surprised it has not fallen down already. One strong gust of wind should have destroyed it years ago."

"Perhaps he has enchanted it then," Aragorn laughed.

"He is Lady Galadriel's grandson," Legolas mused, bordering on serious.

"I guess that explains everything then."

"Who is Lady Galar…?" Jasmine asked. At some point she had joined them although neither of them could place the precise moment of her arrival.

"Galadriel," Aragorn corrected with a small smile. "She is the Queen of the Golden Wood of Lothlorien. She is Elrond's mother-in-law."

"She is very beautiful and very powerful," Legolas elaborated, not moving, knowing how much it would hurt if he did. Although his voice was reasonably steady, Aragorn could feel the tension in his body. Jasmine had also noticed him gripping the blankets.

"She is thought to be a witch to many Dwarves, I hear. Her power alone protects the Golden Wood from evil. It is a wondrous place, Jasmine," Aragorn said, briefly looking up at the woman.

"Another place for me to visit when we get out of here," she smiled to Legolas.

The Elf smiled weakly. "I am afraid my father is not on the best terms with the Lorien Elves, although we have always been welcome there. Perhaps Estel should take you. Or Elladan and Elrohir, or Arwen."

"Who?" Jasmine asked, not recognising the names.

"Elladan and Elrohir are my brothers and Arwen is my sister. I grew up with them in Rivendell. They are like my real family," Aragorn explained.

"They sound wonderful," she smiled. "I can't wait to meet them." Jasmine could see the pain on Legolas' face now he had nothing to concentrate on, so she asked, "Do you have any brothers and sisters?"

Legolas shook his head, not trusting his voice for a moment. "No." Not exactly the in-depth conversation Jasmine had been hoping for.

Aragorn was busy applying more bandages in an attempt to make Legolas more comfortable. He didn't know how well it was working though. Jasmine was trying her best to help but Aragorn could sense his friend's pain.

"I'm nearly finished, Legolas. I'm sorry if it hurts." Legolas didn't respond, not knowing how to answer without upsetting his friend.

Jasmine gave up trying to console Legolas with words and placed her hand on his arm instead. He closed his eyes to block out the pain. Jasmine didn't mention this to Aragorn as he was concentrating on getting the job done as quickly as possible and she didn't want to interrupt that.

Finally, Aragorn finished bandaging. He put his things down and wiped his hands on the left over rags. He heard Legolas sigh in relief now that it was over. The Elf slowly sat up, allowing Aragorn to help him. Carefully, Jasmine pulled her blanket over his shoulders when he was sat up straight.

"Now you should try and get some rest," Aragorn said, looking into Legolas' tired, slightly glazed blue eyes. He nodded gently.

"Thank you, Estel," Legolas said, forcing a smile onto his deathly pale face.

Aragorn smiled back, a little more successfully than Legolas. "You're welcome. Come on." Aragorn stood up and helped Legolas stand, although he was very unsteady. "Come and lie down for a little while, until Kallon comes back."

"I'm alright, Estel," Legolas said, still leaning heavily on his friend for support. He clearly wasn't alright but Aragorn nodded anyway. Legolas looked down at Aragorn's own hands for a second before stopping in his tracks. "Your hands," he muttered in concern.

Aragorn looked down, turning over his blistered and cut hands and inspecting them. "It's nothing. Just from polishing weapons all day long." His looked sincerely at his friend. "I'm fine. You concentrate on yourself, alright?"

"Let Jasmine have a look at those," Legolas said as they started walking again.

Aragorn carefully sat Legolas down on the bench where Jasmine had placed the blankets. He rearranged them quickly with one hand; making sure it was as comfortable as possible for his friend. "Lie down on your side, it'll be more comfortable for you," Aragorn instructed softly. Legolas did as he was told, slowly lying down with Aragorn's help. When he was as comfortable as he could be, Aragorn placed a blanket over him, tucking it around the slim frame.

Legolas closed his eyes only briefly before looking up at Aragorn.

"You need to rest now, even if only for a little while, alright?" Aragorn said soothingly.

"I'm sorry, Estel," Legolas said sleepily.

Aragorn just smiled, crouching down so they were level. "You have nothing to apologise for. Just get better, that is all that matters." Legolas nodded wearily. "Sleep now, while you have the chance. I'll be right here if you need me."

"I don't want to dream about them again," Legolas murmured quietly.

"About who?"

"Nana and Ada."

"Is that what you dreamt of last night? Your mother and father?" Aragorn asked carefully.

"Yes…and no. They were…" He stopped himself, not able to continue.

Aragorn immediately noticed his discomfort. "It's alright, mellon nin, you don't have to explain to me. If you want we can talk about this later. For now you have to get some sleep. I'll be right here with you if you need me. Nothing will happen to you, I promise." Aragorn's gentle voice was lulling Legolas into sleep. Slowly, his eyes closed and he was drawn into the world of Elven dreams.

When Aragorn was certain the Elf was asleep he stood up and walked carefully away, not wanting to undo all his good work. He crept over to Jasmine, who was rocking Nienna gently in her arms. She smiled at him but he didn't even bother to respond in kind. He sat down heavily next to her, watching the baby.

"Do you think he'll be alright?" Jasmine asked in a whisper.

Aragorn didn't answer immediately, looking over to his sleeping friend. "I honestly don't know," he answered unsurely. It wasn't exactly the confidence-inspiring answer she had been hoping for. "I don't know anymore."

"You can't lose hope now, Estel," she said, placing her delicate hand on his arm.

"I'm trying, Jasmine but I…I've just never seen him like this. I'm not sure I know what to do."

"What you have been doing all along," she suggested softly.

"I'm not sure that's going to be enough for very much longer."

"I think he looks better when you're around him. I think you give him strength and that is more powerful than any piece of medical knowledge you have. If anything is going to get him through, it's that. I don't know exactly what is happening to him but if anyone can stop it, it's you."

"I'm not sure even I can stop what he's going through right now."

"Then try something else. If you give up on him, he has nothing."

"That's what I'm afraid of."

**To Be Continued…**

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**Translations**

**Ada – **Dad

**Nana – **Mum

**Mellon nin – **My friend


	63. I Won't Break

**Disclaimer: **I own nothing Tolkien created.

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**Sold Into Ruin**

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**A/N: 400 reviews, amazing. Thank you all so, so much. Here's the next chapter for you. Please forgive any typos or mistakes. I haven't really had time to check it through properly.**

**Thank you and enjoy the story.**

***~***

**Chapter 63 ~ I Won't Break**

**~*~**

It was morning when people began filing back in from the mines, looking as depressed and exhausted as ever. Aragorn looked tiredly up at them but soon returned his attention to Legolas when he was sure nothing bad was happening. The Elven prince had been sleeping fairly soundly since Aragorn had treated his wounds. He had stirred a couple of times but Aragorn had been able to coax him back into sleep.

However, when the clattering from the other slaves began, Legolas' eyes opened slowly to the noise. He turned his head towards Aragorn but the man didn't notice. He was looking mournfully down at the ground, his eyes focused on something that Legolas couldn't see. Although his eyesight was slightly blurred, Legolas could see tears in the man's eyes and he couldn't help but feel guilty. Somehow he knew that Aragorn was upset because of him. He knew exactly how much it hurt Aragorn to see him like this and he hated hurting his friend more than anything. He wanted to speak to him, to reassure him but every time he tried his throat just constricted. He honestly didn't trust his voice to be steady if he spoke anyway.

Looking at Aragorn now, Legolas wondered how the man always managed to appear so in control. When Legolas was with Aragorn he felt such strength but now he saw an empty shell of a man and that was terrifying. As much as he hated to admit it, he needed Aragorn to be the usual strong person right then. Something in him knew he simply couldn't survive this on his own. He not only wanted Aragorn with him, he _needed_ him.

Legolas felt so much in despair right then, he could almost feel his heart…He stopped himself before he put too much thought into the matter.

The pain was absolutely relentless; it was all he could do not to curl up and scream from it. However, that was hardly an option; he needed to stay strong for Aragorn. He had already let him down once, he had told Kallon about their escape plan, he couldn't lose all face in front of his friend. Not that Aragorn would have minded. The man always wanted the best for Legolas and the Elf knew that if that was what he needed to do then Aragorn would have helped him through it without judgement.

Being in the encampment though made Legolas put on his brave face and smile. Even if Aragorn would be supportive he knew that Kallon and Jadan wouldn't. Besides, he needed to stay strong for Arron, the boy needed a stable figure in his life now and he had taken quite a shine to Legolas. He couldn't afford to let the boy down. Despite his bravado, however, Legolas had to work hard to achieve that kind of strength and it was utterly exhausting. Even as he was thinking about this, Legolas tried to lull himself back to sleep. Unfortunately for him it didn't happen. This lowered the Elf's spirits even further and he couldn't help the tears that slipped down his cheeks.

At this point Aragorn looked up, almost as though he had sensed Legolas looking at him. He sat up straight, startled that Legolas was awake. A smile brightened his face before it dropped when he noticed that Legolas was crying. The prince smiled slightly, hoping to disguise the fact he was crying, when he noticed Aragorn watching him.

Aragorn stood up with a frown and walked over to Legolas, crouching down in front of him. He reached his hand up and gently wiped Legolas' tears away. The Elf went to curl up slightly but, remembering what he was just thinking, straightened out, forcing another weak smile onto his pale face.

"It's alright," Aragorn whispered under his breath, putting a hand gently on Legolas' shoulder. The man knew exactly what he was thinking. Legolas just nodded but didn't change his position, his eyes flicking across to Jasmine, who was rocking Nienna gently in her arms. "How are you feeling?" Aragorn asked gently. Legolas just nodded unconvincingly, more tears slipping from his eyes despite his best efforts to stop them. It told Aragorn everything he needed to know though. "Are you still in pain?" he asked.

Legolas just nodded his head, his eyes leaving Aragorn's in what the man thought was either embarrassment or shame.

Aragorn looked concerned at this and placed a hand on Legolas' forehead. "You have a slight fever. Are you still cold?" Legolas nodded, closing his eyes. "It's alright," Aragorn reassured, his voice kind and gentle. Legolas opened his eyes and Aragorn was staggered by the sadness he saw there. "You're staying right here with me, do you hear me?" He received no answer, which worried him greatly. Before, Legolas had just brushed off his concerns. "Legolas, you need to be strong for just a little while longer. I know you are suffering, mellon nin, but I need you to stay here with me. Your father needs you to be alright." Again he received no answer. "Legolas?" Aragorn stared into dull blue eyes.

"Legolas, you're awake," Jasmine exclaimed before Aragorn could say anything further.

"Hello, Jasmine," Legolas said weakly, smiling up at the woman.

"I was so worried. Are you feeling any better?" Her voice was so full of joy at seeing her new friend alright that Legolas didn't have the heart to tell her the truth.

"Yes thank you," he lied, glancing briefly at Aragorn as he did so.

"Good. Nienna was worried too. She hasn't settled since you…She's much happier now though. You calm her, I think." She smiled brightly.

"How are you and Nienna?" Legolas asked, his voice a lot weaker than he would have liked, a fact he knew Aragorn also picked up on.

"We're good," Jasmine answered.

Legolas tried to sit up to better see the baby but he didn't get very far. Aragorn pushed him gently back down. "Stay laid down, it's more comfortable." When Legolas pushed against him, Aragorn said in a firmer voice, "Legolas, just stay still for a while. Please." Legolas did as he was told as Aragorn replaced the blankets around him. Legolas was rather shocked when his head started to spin from the effort of trying to sit up. He looked desperately at Aragorn, tears pooling in his bright blue eyes.

"Legolas?" Jasmine asked, concern evident in her voice.

Aragorn was still looking to the Elf. He knew that Legolas would never tell him anything in front of the woman. "Jasmine, can you just give us a moment, please?" he asked diplomatically, not wanting to upset Jasmine but wanting some time alone with Legolas. She could tell there was something wrong, something neither Legolas nor Aragorn was telling her. She made a mental note to find out what it was.

"Sure. Of course. I'll just…." She walked away, leaving Aragorn and Legolas alone, going over to comfort Arron, who was also worried about the Elf.

"I'm sorry," Legolas said, despair clouding his voice.

"You don't have to apologise," Aragorn smiled, putting a hand on Legolas' shoulder again, hoping to offer his friend some support.

"I just…" Legolas couldn't finish so he looked away from his friend.

"It's alright." Aragorn wished he could say something more constructive but he had no idea of what he could say to Legolas. There was nothing he could say to make this right and they both knew it.

"I don't know if I can…"

"Hey, yes you can. Legolas, I know this is hard but you have to keep going. As soon as I can I'll get you to your father but for now you'll have to make do with me."

"I need him here," Legolas choked, his voice filled with pain.

"I know and if I could do it, you know I would but…"

"It's alright, Estel. I know there's nothing you can do. I'm sorry. It's just I…I'm so tired." None of the desperation had gone and now it was in his eyes as well as he looked pleadingly up at Aragorn.

"I know, mellon nin. I wish there was something I could do."

Legolas sighed, trying desperately to keep his cool. He couldn't break down here, not now. Aragorn needed him to stay strong. He choked down the sobs that were threatening to over-come him. Aragorn saw this and moved in closer, shielding him from the others in the building who were looking over and chattering excitedly, obviously catching up on the latest gossip about the two friends. Aragorn knew this was the last thing Legolas needed to be going around the building so he placed himself in their view, giving his friend a little privacy. The man found himself holding back tears as he watched Legolas fight hard for control. Having never seen or suffered from grief himself, Aragorn could never understand what Legolas was feeling and he knew this. He could only guess as to what Legolas was going through and it was not a nice thought.

He carefully pulled Legolas towards him and the Elf buried his face in the man's shirt. He knew this was not the way to keep control. By allowing himself to relax into Aragorn he was allowing his emotions to surface and that was not what he wanted right then. He pulled back and Aragorn gently wiped another tear from his cheek.

"It's alright, I'm here," Aragorn whispered, staying close to Legolas as the Elf took slow, deep breaths to calm himself. "Are you going to be alright?" he asked, more to comfort Legolas than in expectation of an answer. Legolas nodded gently. "If there is anything I can do…" Again Legolas nodded, this time accompanied by a smile. "You tell me if you feel…any worse." Legolas laughed gently. "I know it can't get much worse." Aragorn smiled. "I'm serious though."

"I promise," Legolas whispered.

"Good. Now, try and get some more sleep. The more rest you get the quicker you will heal."

Legolas nodded. "You should sleep too. You look tired," the Elf said, his gaze turning stern as he spoke.

"I will. You have to concentrate on yourself now, though."

"How can I worry about myself if I'm worrying about you?" Legolas retaliated.

"Then, if it will help you, I will get some sleep," Aragorn smiled. "Come on, rest now." Legolas nodded and closed his eyes. "Are you comfortable enough?" he asked quietly.

"Yes. As comfortable as I can be, thank you," Legolas said, a small laugh rippling through his voice.

"Good," Aragorn smiled even though Legolas couldn't see him.

Aragorn waited for a while to be sure Legolas was asleep before he walked back over to Jasmine and Arron.

"How is he?" Jasmine asked when Aragorn was sat down next to her.

"I don't know," Aragorn answered, looking over at his sleeping friend, wondering how long his peace would last this time. "I think we need to get him out of here and soon. I'm not sure how much longer he can last in this place. I need to get him home soon, or I don't know what will happen…"

"What do you think is wrong?" Jasmine asked.

Aragorn was about to answer when he saw Arron also listening to him. "I'll talk to you later," he said, nodding gently to the young boy. She nodded and he turned back to face her. "How are you?"

"Fine. Surprisingly good actually." She smiled at Nienna. "Although I don't think it has much to do with your healing, I hate to say."

"I think Nienna is good medicine for anyone," Aragorn confirmed, knowing the baby gave Jasmine the hope and purpose to keep going. It certainly was better than anything Aragorn could ever do medically. He dreaded the thought that for some reason Nienna would be taken away from them. Right then none of them were in the position to do anything about it. Aragorn had to stay safe to help Legolas. He had no one else, he needed someone to pull him through this and Aragorn was his only chance, unless Thranduil miraculously appeared in the next few days, but Aragorn wasn't holding his breath on that happening.

**Translations**

**Mellon nin – **My friend

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	64. Searching For Answers

**Disclaimer: **I own nothing Tolkien created.

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**Sold Into Ruin**

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**Chapter 64 ~ Searching For Answers**

**~*~**

Elrond and the twins were watering their horses by a river. The steeds were tired and Elrond had been pushing them overly hard; it was about time they rested for a while. Although they were eager to get going they understood that even the best horses needed a break eventually. This was frustrating. All of them wanted to find Aragorn. Their sense of urgency was reaching its peak. They had found no more tracks and were going on instinct once again. However, instinct was not evidence and it could be wrong. For all they knew they were heading in completely the wrong direction.

Besides, they had no idea whether Thranduil had already caught up with them and rescued them or whether Legolas and Aragorn – ever resourceful – had already escaped in which case all of this was a massive waste of their time. Elrond couldn't just give up his search on the off chance that one of those things had happened though. He had to be certain.

Another, far more terrifying thought briefly crossed his mind although he tried not to dwell too much on it. Aragorn might already be dead. Elrond knew his son would fight until the bitter end. The people who took him might have already disposed of the two friends at the first sign of trouble – realising they were more trouble than they were worth.

The thought struck terror into Elrond's heart and he quickly dismissed it. He knew Aragorn could take care of himself, and so could Legolas for that matter. If anyone was going to survive capture it was those two. Aragorn was a trained Ranger and Legolas was a great warrior and the best archer in Mirkwood, if not Middle Earth. Together they were a formidable force. However, poison worked the same no matter how well you wielded a sword. That was what was even more frightening – that they might not be able to fight back.

~*~

Whilst both parents were desperately searching for their respective sons and Legolas and Aragorn were fighting to stay alive, Kallon was pacing his office, searching for inspiration. He had tried being cruel. He had even tried being indifferent but none of it worked. The two friends were still…friendly – with everyone. They were just two people; insignificant and expendable like all the other slaves and yet they simply refused to follow orders. They had been there for over a month now. A month was usually enough to break a new slave in. In fact, it didn't often take that long.

To some extent he could understand the Elf. They were, after all, more resilient than the Human race. He also had dealt with Elves before and had to kill most of them. They were more often more trouble than they were worth. This one was different though. He had strength but also something else. Kallon couldn't explain it.

Pacing was not healthy. He knew that but he couldn't help it. He had to keep moving, keep the inspiration flowing.

"Pacing is not healthy." Not a voice in his head this time. Kallon spun around to find a familiar face watching him from the desk. "How many times do I have to remind you of that?" There was a smile on his face, although Kallon couldn't think of a reason for smiling right now.

"Now what?" Kallon asked in annoyance, turning back around to look out the window. It was dark and grey outside as usual. It was always dark and grey in these parts.

"You tell me."

"Come on, Torvan, I've tried everything. Torture – mental and physical – working them to death and nothing works. I'm running out of ideas."

"Then think again," Torvan said, standing from the edge of Kallon's desk and folding his arms as the man turned to face him.

"Why don't you do some of the planning for a change?" Kallon snapped. In an instant he was forced down onto his knees by some invisible force. No matter how he fought it, he couldn't get up and eventually stopped trying, looking in defeat up to Torvan.

"Finished?" Kallon nodded and Torvan allowed him to stand. Kallon brushed down his clothes. "Now, about the Man. Try something else."

"What else can I do? I've tortured him, hurt his friend, threatened him, belittled him and he hasn't told me a thing. That's if he even has anything to tell. How do we know this secret of his…?"

"Would you shut up and stop complaining? Working on his friend is helping. The Man is losing hope and that will break him. He will tell us everything once the Elf is out of the way."

"Then I should just slit his throat and be done with it," Kallon said, a smile crossing his face at the mere thought.

"No. Killing him outright will only make Estel angrier. We cannot afford a rebellion right now. Believe me, seeing an Elf die from grief is good enough. Without the Elf, Estel will lose hope. Once that happens he'll be ours," Torvan explained slowly.

"I don't get this. We have two princes in our possession. Why don't we just send a ransom to King Thranduil in Mirkwood and another to Elrond in Rivendell? Imagine what they'll pay for the safety of their future monarchs. We would never have to work here again. I could retire and you could…"

"Silence," Torvan's voice boomed and Kallon immediately obeyed. "Thranduil is no fool. He'd sooner kill us than give any money, even when it comes to his precious son. As for Estel, Elrond has too many connections with Gondor. Besides, this isn't about the money. Not for me anyway. Oh, don't worry, Kallon, you'll get your share of the treasure when this is over, treasure beyond your wildest dreams. For now though, we need the Man alive and for the Elf to go slowly.

"And the Master?"

Torvan paused, considering his answer carefully. "The Master is…insignificant. His downfall will come soon enough. And when it does all this will belong to me. Until then, you must continue to do my bidding."

"What do you want me to do?"

"Whatever you have to to convince the Man to tell us everything. Remember, patience is the key, my friend. Good things come to those who wait."

"Yes, my Lord. But what about the Master?"

Torvan looked out the window. "Don't worry about him."

"Should I keep them away from him?"

"No, he can't do anything to them. Trapped in his little black box, he's as helpless as me. Let him talk to them all he wants. It's not like he can change anything now." Torvan smiled before suddenly disappearing. When Kallon looked over his shoulder to ask another question the Elf was gone. Kallon sighed. His real master was so cryptic sometimes.

Still, giving him free reign over what to do with Aragorn and Legolas had cheered him a little. It wasn't exactly a secret that he wanted the Elf dead but he had restrained himself so far. Not only on the Master's orders but because Torvan instructed it. That was what really mattered after all. Even though he couldn't physically kill the Elf, his job was to break Aragorn and to do that he could play with the Elf all he liked. It would only be a matter of time before he died and Kallon had heard that Elven grief was fun to watch. He was a patient enough man and he could wait in expectation of the death of Legolas and the treasures that followed in the wake of Estel's confession about himself. It would all be worth it in the end.

~*~

Aragorn was sleeping more peacefully than he would have expected given where he was and what was going on around him. He was still deeply worried about Legolas but Jasmine had managed to persuade him that he also needed rest. Also, Legolas was very firm about Aragorn taking care of himself even when he was ill and Aragorn knew the Elf would be able to spot his obvious exhaustion easily and that would only lead to a lecture to rival Elrond's. Aragorn knew better than that.

Jasmine and Nienna were also asleep, despite Jasmine's assurances that she would look after Legolas whilst Aragorn slept. In fact, most people in the building were sleeping now. Arron, however, remained awake. He was sat on the ground, legs crossed, in front of Legolas. He was watching the pale face intently. Not really knowing what he was hoping to see, Arron stared, almost as though he couldn't take his eyes off the being. It was strange. He was drawn to Legolas, somehow knowing that with him he would be safe.

Fortunately, he hadn't had to test his theory yet. There was something inexplicably reassuring about the Immortal. Arron had never known his real father. Being born in the encampment, he didn't even know who his mother was. Growing up without any real parents in a place where everyone craved comfort and protection was hard. Up until now though, Arron had no idea what it felt like to have someone care for him. Jadan protected him but there was no love between them, only a sense of duty. And it wasn't like Jadan was the best role model.

Legolas and Estel could take care of themselves and to Arron that was what a father did: protect. In a way, Arron wished Legolas would just hold him close like a real father would do but he knew that wouldn't happen. He himself was in trouble now and this hurt Arron to see. However, there was nothing the little boy could do to help the sick Elf. It wasn't like he was a healer like Estel and he knew nothing about Elves – besides the apparent lies Jadan had fed him.

This confused Arron greatly. Almost everything he knew had been taught by Jadan and now he knew nothing the man had told him could be trusted. How was he supposed to distinguish between what was true and what was lies? He had briefly thought that Legolas could teach him. The Elf was obviously well-educated. That didn't mean he would accept the challenge. Arron had no clue what it was like outside the encampment. Jasmine had always said that this place changed people, mostly for the worse and Legolas could be completely different in the outside world. That was a frightening prospect – that the one person he actually trusted might not be who he thought he was.

"What are you thinking about?" a soft voice interrupted Arron's worrying thoughts. He immediately looked up to see Legolas' bright blue eyes looking at him questioningly.

"You scared me," Arron whispered with a smile. "You're awake."

"Very observant of you," Legolas laughed. Although he was awake, he didn't move knowing it would only cause him pain and he didn't want Arron to witness that. He swore he could already see distress in the boy's eyes. "What are you doing up?" Although it was light outside – early afternoon, Legolas guessed – the boy had been working throughout the night. This was probably his only chance of rest.

"I couldn't sleep," Arron answered simply, looking to the ground to avoid Legolas' probing eyes. As much as he admired the Elf, Arron could have sworn those eyes could look into his very soul. If they weren't as warm as they were, Arron would have been afraid.

"Hmmm," Legolas said in equal simplicity. His eyes drifted over to Aragorn.

Arron, who noticed this, asked, "Do you want me to wake him up for you?"

"No. Let him sleep. He needs it," Legolas answered, although his voice sounded distant. Arron put this down to tiredness and moved on.

"Jasmine's asleep too," he said to break the slightly uneasy silence.

"So I see."

"And Nienna. She was crying earlier but I managed to calm her down. Jasmine says I can baby-sit sometimes. She says I have a gift for looking after her." Legolas nodded with a smile, sense beginning to return to his eyes as the fog cleared from his mind. "Estel said maybe I should train to be a healer like him. He said he'd teach me some things when we get out of here."

"If you have Estel as a tutor you will become an exceptional healer if you apply yourself to the task."

"Is that his job outside?"

"Sort of. He is a Ranger. He guards the borderlands, keeps people safe. He trained as a healer under his foster father, who is a very great Elven healer."

"From your country?" Arron asked, suddenly excited. He shuffled a little closer to Legolas, who couldn't hide his smile at the boy's curiosity.

"No. Estel grew up in Imladris – Rivendell. It's an Elven refuge."

"Is it nice?"

"It's the most beautiful place on Arda, Arron. You will love it. It is full of magnificent buildings, small streams and waterfalls and the most beautiful gardens. I spent many years there when I was not needed at home."

"Is it a long way from here?"

"I don't know. It seems like it sometimes. But once you have been there, a part of Imladris always stays with you. It's a sanctuary of the mind as much as the body. It is said that upon entering its borders you immediately begin to heal. It has a calming effect on people."

"Do you think one day I could go there?" Arron asked in wonder.

Legolas smiled at his enthusiasm. "One day I will take you there," he said.

"And your home? I want to see that too."

"Mirkwood?"

"Mirkwood. That doesn't sound so nice," Arron said with obvious distain.

"No, sometimes it's not. It has been through some bad times of late. It has grown dark and dangerous." Legolas could see that he was not exactly selling his homeland. "It has its good points too though. It has some wonderful forests and a beautiful palace, to rival even the palaces of old. King Oropher had it modelled on the ancient palace of Menegroth, the Thousand Caves – the palace of the King of the Sindar." Legolas could see that although Arron was enthralled by what he was saying, he had no idea what he was talking about. "I don't suppose you know about the Sindar, do you?"

"No. Were they Elves?"

"Yes, some of the first Elves. They lived and left Middle Earth many years ago."

"Before you were born?"

"Long before. King Thingol was one of the first Elves to walk on Middle Earth."

"So you're not that old," Arron asked innocently.

"Not quite that old, no."

"Four thousand years?" he continued his guessing game.

"No, but you're getting awfully close."

"Just tell me, please," Arron pleaded. Legolas just smiled back and shook his head gently. "I told you how old I am. It's only fair that you should do the same."

"Nice try," Legolas laughed gently, concealing the momentary flash of pain that threatened to cross his face.

"Fine. Are you married?"

"Excuse me?" Legolas asked in shock at the abrupt question.

"You won't tell me how old you are so you may as well be honest about this. Are you married?" Arron repeated, not settling for anything less than an honest answer. Legolas had no choice but to reply.

"No, I'm not married."

"Do you have children?" he asked innocently.

Legolas was even more surprised by this but then he remembered that Arron had very little experience of how the family unit worked in the outside world. "No, I have no children and no wife," he said.

"Why not?"

"Excuse me?"

"Why don't you have your own family?"

Legolas was taken aback by this. It was a good question and unfortunately there was no good answer. "I don't know. I have just never really found the time."

"You are immortal, you have all the time in the world," Arron stated.

"I suppose you're right."

"Jadan said he had a family. A wife and two daughters. They died though."

"Died? He told you that?"

"Yes, it was years ago though. He doesn't speak about it much. It upsets him, I think. I think that's why he wanted to look after me. He said I reminded him of his own children – although I don't think I look like a girl."

"I don't think that's what he meant," Legolas said softly, his eyes finding Jadan sleeping on his usual bench and suddenly seeing the man in a whole new light. It seemed that everyone had their own secrets in this place and Jadan was no exception and there really was no reason why he should be. He was, after all, human. Even bad people could have a family. Maybe he wasn't always as he was now. Legolas found it hard to picture Jadan, the man who had caused everyone so much grief, at home with his wife and two girls. He didn't seem the type. Still, the encampment changed people, embittered them to life. Legolas assumed it had been Kallon or another of the guards who had killed Jadan's family.

"Does Estel have a family?" Arron continued, not noticing the sad expression on Legolas' face at the thought of Jadan's dead family.

"No. He is away from home a lot," Legolas said, retuning his attention to the boy in front of him.

"I think he likes Jasmine," Arron stated matter-of-factly.

Legolas laughed. "Oh really? And what makes you think that?"

"You can tell."

"How?"

"I just _know_," Arron insisted. Legolas just smiled. Maybe the boy had a point.

**Translations**

**Arda - **Earth


	65. Tortured Ghosts

**Disclaimer: **I own nothing Tolkien created.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

**Sold Into Ruin**

***~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~**

**A/N: Thank you so much to everyone who has reviewed. I'm sorry the updates are so erratic. Please be patient and stick with this.**

**Thanks.**

**~*~**

**Chapter 65 ~ Tortured Ghosts**

**~*~**

Arron was still looking up at Legolas. This would have disconcerted most other people but not the Elf. He was more than used to people staring at him. It was quite a normal thing to endure when you were a member of the royal family and constantly in the public eye. They were all used to people looking at them. Being of a certain status meant that people were often curious and were rarely subtle in their observations. Besides, Legolas had come against far worse than a small boy. He understood that Arron had never met an Elf before and found the experience completely fascinating so Legolas was more than happy to accommodate his curiosity.

"You know, if you have a question you can just ask me. You are unlikely to find the answer hidden in my face," Legolas whispered so as not to wake anyone. It had been quiet for a while now and Legolas was reluctant to disturb it.

"You're nothing like Jadan said you would be," Arron finally admitted, also keeping his voice low to match Legolas'.

"I doubt that Jadan has had much experience with Elves," Legolas answered, trying to keep the bitterness from his voice.

"More than most people," Arron muttered under his breath, apparently unaware that Legolas' enhanced Elven hearing meant he could catch every word said.

"What do you mean by that?" Legolas asked. Jadan had never mentioned knowing any other Elves despite showing nothing but contempt for the Elven race in general - and Legolas in particular.

Although Arron looked slightly startled by Legolas' sense of hearing he awkwardly shuffled closer, afraid other people would hear him too. Legolas indulged him and kept the smile from his face. "Didn't I mention it before? He said that it was the Elves who killed his family. He didn't say who they were but just that Elves were not to be trusted."

The Elf frowned distastefully at this new development. "Who would do something like that?" Legolas asked himself.

"I don't know but he always talks about Immortals as though they're all murderers. But they're not, right?" Arron's youthful innocence startled Legolas.

"Of course they're not. Whatever happened to Jadan's family was terrible but he is generalising. Not…"

"Gener-what?" Arron interrupted, not understanding the word.

"He is labelling all Elves murderers without knowing them all. We are normally a peaceful race. I cannot think why anyone would want to hurt Jadan's family."

"It's sad though, isn't it?" Arron said, looking sadly up at Legolas.

"Yes, it is." Legolas sounded distracted, not really concentrating on what he was saying but now looking at Jadan in a whole new light. Before he had seen a bully and traitor but now he saw a sad, lonely man who had lost everything he had ever cared about. Legolas knew all too well what that felt like. Not just in real life – the death of his mother – but also in his dreams, those terrifying nightmares in which he was all alone, without either mother or father, the only two people he really loved.

"Are you alright?" Arron asked, looking into Legolas' face.

Legolas smiled gently, attempting to look a little more reassuring for the boy. He wasn't alright though. Despite the fact that the pain had dulled slightly he knew it was just due to inactivity. He felt both hot and cold at the same time and was shaking slightly even beneath his blankets. He head felt fuzzy and light and truth be told, he was finding it more than a little difficult to properly participate in the conversation; his mind was working slower than usual and had an annoying tendency to wander off subject no matter how hard he tried to concentrate. There was also a strange coldness _inside_ him, as though his heart was pumping ice-cold blood around his already vulnerable body. He quickly dismissed this last part, thinking it must have something to do with his wounds. If not…well, that was something he would just have to deal with later if it became necessary. There was no point in worrying about things he could do absolutely nothing about.

"I'm fine, Arron, thank you. You really should try and get some sleep though."

"But…"

"Go and get some sleep. You need it to keep your strength up."

Arron nodded and stood up almost reluctantly, walking over to Jasmine and settling down beside her. Legolas watched him go with interest. The boy seemed so naïve but at the same time so knowledgeable about the world he had been born into. It was an odd thing to watch such a young child in a position that would have destroyed most people, thriving within the compound. It made Legolas wonder what he would have turned out like had he been born within these walls. Life was made up of innumerable experiences, good and bad. Change those and the entire person changes, for better or for worse.

Legolas found it difficult to comprehend how something so good could come from such a terrible place that seemed otherwise devoid of anything even resembling happiness. To know that even through the toxic poison of this place life could, if encouraged, flourish and grow into something not unlike the outside world. Apparently human nature triumphed through even in the darkest times and contrary to Thranduil's opinion it was not always a bad thing, something Aragorn had proven to Legolas many years ago.

The room was still silent, its occupants all in the land of dreams, which was exactly where Legolas wished he was right then. However, even when he closed his eyes, sleep refused to claim him. He found this strange considering he could never remember feeling so exhausted in his life – which was really saying something – and also terribly frustrating. He would have thought his injured body would have craved sleep, not stubbornly rejected it. He sighed and opened his eyes, only to be confronted with a terrifyingly familiar face – Torvan.

"Hello there. Did you miss me?" the 'Elf' standing over Legolas asked with a crooked smile. The real Elf immediately sat up quickly in surprise and only a second later deeply regretted it. He doubled over in pain, causing Torvan to smile slightly at the sight. Legolas ignored this, breathing slowly in and out before sitting up properly. "Feeling better now?" Torvan laughed.

"What do you want?" Legolas hissed angrily, still keeping his voice low.

"You're so hostile all of a sudden. Why are you angry with me? You're not still annoyed about that mother thing, are you? Really, I didn't think the 'perfect' Firstborn were supposed to hold grudges like that."

Legolas knew that Torvan was trying to bait him into saying something of importance but he simply couldn't ignore it. "I have good reason to hold a grudge, I think," he ground out.

"Yes, but how well it worked. I had no idea your mother was quite so beautiful and so very _young_. I am impressed. I assume you got your good looks from your mother rather than your father. Although your temperament is from your father's side of the family, no doubt – hot-headed and impatient." Legolas glared at him. Torvan laughed. "I must admit though, I like your mother far better than you, or my version of her at least. I could have fun with that. But then, I am never one to touch damaged goods and you can't get much more damaged than that."

"Shut up," Legolas shouted. He stopped himself before he said anything more and looked around to check he hadn't woken anyone. "You know nothing about my mother," he growled.

"Oh, I know _everything_ about your mother; all the little details. You would be amazed at how much the dead will talk given the right…encouragement. And it didn't take much, I can assure you. Your mother gave everything up in just minutes."

"You're lying," Legolas spat, not believing what he was hearing. Of course, nothing Torvan was saying was true; it was just another way of tormenting him. Torvan couldn't commune with the dead any more than Legolas himself could.

"Oh, I'm sorry. She did say that you wouldn't be able to handle the truth and you should always trust the word of a mother."

"Whatever you want, take it from me. Leave my mother out of this."

"But what I took from your mother I cannot take from you," Torvan sneered. "She was good, too. I can see your father's attraction to her."

This sent Legolas completely over the edge. He leapt towards Torvan but instead of impacting with him as expected he fell right through the incorporeal form and fell to the ground with a sharp cry of pain. Torvan looked down, laughing at the prince. "Remember, my friend, that you and Estel are completely expendable, so unless you want to join sweet mummy dearest in eternal oblivion, I suggest you do everything you're told or I will be forced to take something more from your mother. And if you think what Kallon did to you was bad, know that I can do much, much worse."

"You touch her and I swear I will kill you," Legolas yelled.

Torvan laughed. "You can certainly try, my friend." He turned to go but then turned back and spread his arms wide. "By the way, do you like my costume? I thought I would keep it. I quite like looking like an Immortal."

Legolas said nothing but glared up at Torvan. He was disappointed to find that his stare had no effect on the being and he turned away slowly. Legolas dipped his head, not even attempting to get up. He could tell his legs wouldn't support him anyway and it would only cause more pain to try.

Luckily at this moment, Aragorn woke up. He looked around blearily for a moment, screwing his eyes up against the sunlight. He glanced around for what had disturbed him and immediately saw Legolas lying on the floor.

"Legolas," he exclaimed, jumping up and running over to his friend. He knelt down next to him, putting his hand on his friend's arm to help him up. "Are you alright? What happened?"

"He was here, Estel," Legolas gasped, looking up at Aragorn with tear-filled eyes.

"Who was here?"

"Torvan."

Aragorn looked around the room, searching for the intruder. "Are you sure?"

"Of course I'm sure," Legolas snapped in frustration.

"What did he want?" Aragorn asked, checking his friend for further injuries.

"I don't know. He didn't really say if he wanted anything," the prince admitted, realising that apart from the cruel jibes Torvan had said nothing indicating why he had taken the trouble to appear before him and Legolas had not had enough wits about him to enquire.

Aragorn nodded gently. "Alright, let's get you up. Do you think you can stand?"

"Yes." Legolas sat up slowly with Aragorn's help. He went to stand, with Aragorn holding onto his arm to help his balance but his legs couldn't hold him up and fell back against his friend.

The man managed to catch him in time and held him tightly. "Legolas? What's wrong?" he asked. This severe reaction was not normal even with such severe wounds. "Legolas."

"I don't know. I'm just…dizzy," Legolas answered quietly, trying to clear his head.

"Come and sit down. Here." Aragorn helped him to the bench and sat him carefully down. "Legolas, is there something you're not telling me?" he asked in concern when Legolas lowered his head into his hands.

"I'm just a little light-headed, that's all."

Aragorn frowned, pulling Legolas' hands away and replacing them with his own hand, checking his temperature. "You don't have a fever." Although this should have been a comfort he would have preferred it to the coldness that seemed to be radiating from Legolas' thin body. What was equally disturbing was the sadness in his eyes. It broke Aragorn's heart to see it. "Legolas, what am I missing here?" he asked gently, not wanting to alarm the Elf if he truly had no idea what was going on.

Legolas answered quietly. "I don't know." He looked up into Aragorn's stormy grey eyes and was shocked to see a hint of fear in them. "But I think you do."

"Legolas…"

"No, I don't want…It's probably best I don't know." Aragorn nodded thoughtfully. He understood Legolas' thinking and he was probably right. The Elf had enough to deal with without this as well. It wasn't vital that he know he was fading. It wasn't like there was really anything he could do about it right then. He needed his home and his father – that would make everything alright, Aragorn assumed. "Then it is nothing good," the prince smiled weakly.

"No."

There was silence again before Legolas spoke softly. "Estel?"

"Yes," Aragorn prompted when Legolas didn't immediately continue.

"It isn't possible to…commune with the dead, right?"

The question caught Aragorn completely off guard and he wasn't sure how to answer it. Legolas was a logical person. This wasn't the type of nonsense he would normally engage in and he certainly wasn't superstitious. "No," he answered simply. "Why do you ask?"

"And even if you could, commune with the dead I mean, they couldn't be harmed – physically – right? Because they have no physical body, do they?"

"Legolas, what is this about?"

"But a living person, no matter who they are, couldn't harm a dead person, right?"

"No. Even if ghosts were real they would be incorporeal. You cannot physically harm something that does not possess the capacity to be harmed." Aragorn watched his friend in concern as he nodded his head. Aragorn assumed this discussion was more for reassurance, confirmation of his own beliefs, rather than actual curiosity. "What is this about?"

"Just something Torvan said."

"What did he say?"

Legolas sighed, not really wanting to reveal what had been said between the two of them but knowing also that Aragorn had a right to know. It did, after all concern him. "He said that if we – if _I_ – didn't co-operate he would hurt Nana. He said he had already hurt her – physically. I know it's not possible, Estel, but…"

"I understand."

"No, you don't. What if he can really do it? What if he can really hurt her?"

"He can't, Legolas," Aragorn reassured.

"You don't know that for sure," Legolas said, his voice now slightly choked.

"Shhh. Yes, I do. The living cannot communicate with the dead or touch or feel or harm the dead," Aragorn said, taking his friend's hand carefully. "Listen, I know that everything Torvan and the Master have shown you seems real and you know that I would stop it if I could, but you have to understand that it's all just an illusion, a trick. Torvan told you those things to upset you and it worked – and rightly so. I didn't know Nienna but…"

"Please don't say her name," Legolas whispered tearfully.

Aragorn continued when Legolas met his eyes. "Torvan is playing with us. You can't believe anything he says. His only purpose is to hurt you."

"I know that," Legolas said softly, dropping his gaze almost in shame.

"I'm so sorry, mellon nin, I know how much this is hurting you." Aragorn stood up slowly. "Come, you need to rest now."

"I can't sleep."

"Try. You have to try."

Legolas nodded sadly, allowing Aragorn to help him to lie down on his side. He did have to try. That was all any of them could do. Try.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

**Translations**

**Nana – **Mum

**Mellon nin – **My friend


	66. All Tied Up

**Disclaimer: **I own nothing Tolkien created.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

**Sold Into Ruin**

***~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~**

**A/N: Thanks to everyone who has reviewed. I appreciate it. Here's the next chapter for you. Enjoy.**

**~*~**

**Chapter 66 ~ All Tied Up**

**~*~**

Aragorn and Legolas were just looking at each other, there was something they wanted to say but neither was going to break the comfortable silence. Legolas was lying down attempting to go to sleep but every time he closed his eyes his body seemed to jar him awake. Right then though he was just content just looking into Aragorn's stormy grey eyes. He had always seen them as stormy, like the ocean during a gale. Now, looking into them he saw a different kind of peace, one that did him more good than all the medicine in the world.

"We're going to be alright," Aragorn said after a while, reluctantly breaking the silence.

"I know," Legolas whispered back.

"We'll find a way out of this."

"I know," Legolas repeated in an equally quiet voice, although his gaze had become more intense in the past few seconds.

"We have to." Aragorn's voice carried none of the certainty any more.

"We will," Legolas reassured. Their roles had suddenly been swapped. Before it had been Aragorn comforting Legolas but now it was the elder friend who had to do the reassuring. He placed his bandaged hands on Aragorn's shoulders and repeated, "We will."

"Do you like her?" Aragorn asked, completely shifting the topic.

"Who?"

"Jasmine. What do you think of her? You're usually a very good judge of character."

"I think she is a very strong woman. She seems to cope well in here and that has to count for something."

"No, I don't mean like that. I meant if I were to…you know…"

"Estel, it has been a really long day, you'll have to spell it out to me."

"Oh for Valar's sake! Do you think, when we get out of here, I should maybe take her to Imladris with me so we could, you know, go on a date?" Aragorn took a deep breath and looked to his friend who had a whimsical smile on his far too pale face.

"Thank goodness you have finally given into it," Legolas laughed.

"What do you mean?"

"Are you the only person in the whole encampment who couldn't recognise that you like Jasmine? Even Arron figured it out before you. Really, Estel, you are the least observant person I have ever met!"

"So that's a 'yes' then?"

"Of course it's a yes. She is a very nice woman and you two obviously have some kind of attraction, although what she sees in you, I don't know," he smiled as Aragorn frowned at the playful tease. "I know she will love Imladris and I know Lord Elrond will approve."

"You really think so?" Aragorn asked uncertainly.

"Of course."

"And you think she will say yes?"

"How could she not? You are her saviour after all. She worships you, Estel."

"Don't exaggerate."

"I'm not. Anyway, it doesn't take a good character to see that you two will make a good couple, you only have to have eyes." Aragorn laughed at Legolas, this sounded more like his old friend. "Besides, who could say no to such a dashing young man?" the prince laughed.

Aragorn also laughed. "Flatterer."

"Seriously though, I think it's a wonderful idea," Legolas said, his voice now completely sincere.

"Thank you," Aragorn said gratefully. For a moment their comic banter, which had been slowly diminishing lately, had returned and it had made them both feel mildly less afraid and depressed. Legolas had always been good at giving advice and he was usually right about what he said, as he had earlier proven in the Handy Tavern. Matters of love were just one of the many things they spoke of, the younger Aragorn seeking advice from the considerably more experienced Elf. It was Legolas who had warned him about certain people in Gondor who claimed to be his friends when he had visited, his identity still concealed even from him, and the Elf had been correct.

It had also been Legolas who had sought him out and counselled him when Elrond had told him about his true identity and his almost certain fate to be King of Gondor. The young man had run off into the surrounding forest and it had been Legolas who found him sat under a tree, thinking of running away from who he was. Legolas' wise words had been all that kept him in Imladris and, whether they would turn out to be true or not, had reassured him. It was also Legolas who had taught him the meaning of being in power. Visits to Mirkwood, seeing how the king and his crown prince worked wonders with their people, had inspired Aragorn and lifted some of his fear.

Legolas was like his light at the end of the tunnel. His words never failed to reassure him, even if he knew they were false, for he had solid confidence in Legolas himself. The prince was always so sure of himself and that was a great comfort to a confused young man in desperate need of guidance. Elrond offered him that and so did the twins to a certain extent but in Legolas he saw an innocence and truthfulness that he couldn't always find in the others. Of course, Legolas was a diplomat, years of training had taught him how to speak well to get just what he wanted from a difficult situation but Aragorn still believed in him and that meant more than anything.

That was one of the reasons it hurt to see Legolas so unresponsive. He needed the support and advice of his friend now more than ever and although he knew it was selfish he wished that Legolas would just snap out of it and speak some words of wisdom and comfort to him. He had done so when Jasmine was having her baby and when he had tried to hit Jadan after he attacked them. Now though, he offered few comforting words and Aragorn understood why. How could you speak hope to others when you yourself have none? The thought that Legolas, a being of purity and light, had lost hope hurt Aragorn more than any weapon his enemy could use against him.

~*~

Aragorn was in deep sleep and Legolas was drifting between sleep and wakefulness, only hearing muffled snippets of what was going on around him and not really registering their meaning. People were milling around chattering in hushed voices, although more out of habit than to keep from disturbing anyone. Jasmine was sat next to Legolas on the bench with Nienna in her arms. She made sure the baby didn't disturb the prince though.

The calm was abruptly disturbed when the doors burst open. Everyone but Legolas jumped to their feet, ready to follow any orders given out. They ignored the prisoners though and went straight towards Aragorn and Legolas. Aragorn, thinking they were coming to hurt the Elf again, stood defensively in front of his friend as the Elf slowly and painfully sat up. The guards surprised them both by seizing Aragorn by the arms and dragging him towards the doors.

The man, having no time to react, went along with them, shooting a worried look back at Legolas who was watching the scene in horror. He pushed the blankets back and shakily stood up, ignoring Jasmine's pleas for him to sit back down. As Legolas walked unsteadily towards the open doors through which the guards had just dragged Aragorn, Jasmine handed Nienna to Arron and ran to Legolas, taking his arm to help him.

Meanwhile, Aragorn had returned to his senses and was struggling with his guards. They held firm though, dragging him towards Kallon, who had erected a post in the centre of the courtyard. The guards came to a halt in front of Kallon as Aragorn still struggled.

"Now, relax. This will only be more painful if you struggle," Kallon said in an annoyingly cheerful voice.

"What is this about?" Aragorn growled, calming slightly.

"This is about control. You may or may not have noticed that I like to be in control and this is a new method of mine. I thought it up this morning and who better to try it on than you, my dear Estel? After all the trouble you have caused me you deserve it more than anyone else. Tie him up," he ordered the guards.

"Get off me," Aragorn shouted, now violently fighting to get away from the guards.

Kallon looked towards the building and smiled. "Uh, Estel." Aragorn stopped struggling for a moment to listen to what Kallon had to say. "How can I put this? It's either you or him," he said, pointing towards the doorway and Legolas, who was leaning against the door frame watching the scene with wide eyes. "I wonder how long he could survive out here in your place." Kallon smiled, knowing his plan would work perfectly. He had found Aragorn's weakness and he intended to exploit it as best he could.

Legolas watched Kallon for a moment then turned to Aragorn. The man shook his head, knowing exactly what the Elf was thinking. He ignored him though and took a step forward. "No, Legolas. Stay there," he called to his friend before turning back to Kallon. "Leave him alone. Whatever you want to do, do it to me. Please, leave me alone."

Kallon smiled gently. "Then stand next to the post and allow the guards to tie you up," he instructed. Aragorn nodded and did as he was told. He wouldn't risk anything happening to Legolas, even though he knew the Elf would gladly take the punishment for him. In a minute he was secured to the wooden post, his hands and feet tied so he couldn't get free. Although the ropes weren't extremely tight they still dug into his already sore wrists. "Good. Now, stay here and be quiet."

Before Legolas and Aragorn could do anything a guard came over and slammed his fist into Aragorn's face. Blood spilled from Aragorn's nose but the guard was relentless. He hit Aragorn again. The man, of course, could do nothing but take it. He wriggled his wrists in the bonds but there was nothing he could do to stop the guard who had moved on to punching his sides. Glancing towards the building, Aragorn saw Legolas slowly and cautiously walking towards them.

"Legolas, no!" Aragorn shouted, stopping his friend coming any closer. Legolas stopped abruptly, obeying his friend's hasty command. Kalong turned to him and smiled cruelly. Legolas had to use all his willpower to stop from rushing over and personally knocking the smirk off the man's face. However, Aragorn was in a position where he couldn't defend himself and Legolas was in no real condition to fight anyone. To challenge Kallon now would only hurt Aragorn more and Legolas couldn't allow that to happen.

Jasmine was standing by Legolas and now she turned to him and placed a hand on her arm. He looked towards her and placed his arm around her, pulling her close. She buried her face in his shirt, not able to look at the scene Kallon was allowing them to see. Legolas, however, could not take his eyes off his friend. He wanted so much to go over and help Aragorn but the man would not allow it and deep down Legolas knew he was right.

The guard stepped away from Aragorn when Kallon gave the signal. The man was leaned against the ropes, not having the strength to stand up unassisted after his beating. Kallon ordered the guards to stand back and walked over to his prisoner.

"One day you will learn," he said bitterly, kicking Aragorn in the leg. The man looked up at Kallon and then spat at his feet. Kallon just jumped back and smiled. "Now, now, that is not very good manners. You know, I would love to see how Legolas copes with this. But then I rather liked seeing him all worried, don't you?" Kallon taunted, knowing it would annoy Aragorn.

However, it was Legolas who responded. "If you have something to say, come and say it to my face, you coward," the Elf shouted. Kallon looked slightly startled that Legolas had even heard him. He had been speaking quite softly and directly to Aragorn. Then he remembered Elven hearing.

He turned away from Aragorn and stalked towards Legolas, who pulled Jasmine from him and stood in front of her, a feeble form of protection. His eyes never left Kallon's and now they were bright with hatred and anger.

"You, Immortal, are nothing of consequence. Look at your little friend. See how I have power over him and over you, over every single person in this building, this entire camp. You believe the Master is bad? You haven't even seen real evil yet."

"I think I have. You do not even come close to the horrors I have seen in this world, Kallon and I know that they always fall to good."

"That may be, but how many people have to die in the process? Perhaps Estel will be one of them. That is yet to be decided."

"You…"

"I would stop right there before I tie not only you but all your other friends next to him," Kallon warned, stepping closer.

"Try it," Legolas growled.

Kallon smiled but instead of answering he slammed his fist into Legolas' face. Not being prepared for the blow, Legolas fell to the ground with a cry. He had landed on his back and waves of fire-like pain coursed through his body. He instantly rolled onto his side in an attempt to ease the agony. Kallon laughed at him. "Not much of an opponent." Legolas glared at him through his pain and vaguely heard Aragorn warning him against any further action. Not that he could have done anything anyway.

As Kallon walked away towards the gates, Jasmine knelt down next to Legolas, asking if he was alright. He nodded although at that moment all he could see were stars of pain racing in front of his eyes. He ignored it and stood up. Jasmine helped him, watching him closely with concerned eyes.

The gates had been locked and Kallon and the guards had already left. Legolas stumbled over to Aragorn. The man looked up in concern, although only just clinging onto consciousness himself, he was dreadfully concerned about Legolas. The Elf stood in front of him, his eyes now clearer. He smiled weakly at Aragorn and the man returned the gesture.

Legolas took the sleeve of his shirt and wiped the blood from Aragorn's face. Jasmine turned and ran to get something to help Aragorn.

"I am fine, mellon nin," Aragorn said to comfort his friend. Legolas nodded and moved behind Aragorn, taking the rope in his hands, ignoring the pain his hands caused him. "Legolas, don't," Aragorn warned, knowing the burns must still hurt him greatly. Legolas though ignored him and tried to undo the ropes around Aragorn's hands. Concentration was etched on his face alone with the pain. Although Aragorn couldn't see he knew it was there.

Jasmine returned with a cloth and water. She wiped the cloth over Aragorn's face to remove the blood, apparently not even noticing Legolas.

As hard as he was trying, Legolas couldn't untie the stubborn knots. His hands were burning again and tears were forming in his eyes from frustration as well as pain. The ropes were tied in tight, complicated knots. The only way he would be able to get them off was to cut them. However, that would be impossible without a knife and no doubt that was Kallon's intention. Legolas was still trying to get his friend free despite this.

"Legolas," Aragorn said again, turning his head. Legolas ignored him though and continued struggling with the ropes. Aragorn knew they were too tight to undo and that Legolas wouldn't stop trying. He could also imagine how much it hurt him to do so. "Legolas, please stop." Again, Legolas ignored him. "Jasmine, stop him," he said urgently to the woman who was watching Legolas sadly.

"Legolas," Jasmine said softly, walking over to him and taking his bandaged hands in her own and pulling him gently away. He offered no resistance but looked at her with watery blue eyes.

Eyes downcast he went back to Aragorn.

"It's alright, mellon nin," Aragorn reassured with a sigh. Legolas nodded gently. He lowered himself to the ground and bowed his head. "It's alright," Aragorn whispered, more to reassure himself this time but also knowing Legolas could hear him. Jasmine just watched them sadly.

Someone else was also watching. Kallon smiled and crept back into his hut. His plan was working perfectly. Torvan would be so pleased.

**To Be Continued….**

**~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~***

**Translations**

**Mellon nin – **My friend


	67. Everything You Deserve

**Disclaimer: **I own nothing Tolkien created.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

**Sold Into Ruin**

***~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~**

**Thank you to everyone who reviewed. I very much appreciate it. I am so pleased with the response this story has gotten since I first posted, it has been amazing. Honestly, I never expected it. **

**I would just like to mention that 'Sold Into Ruin' is a long story. I won't tell you how long exactly otherwise you'll be expecting the end. I really hope this doesn't put all of you off. But at least now you have been warned.**

**I hope you enjoy the next chapter. Thanks.**

**~*~ **

**Chapter 67 ~ Everything You Deserve**

**~*~**

Thranduil and his troop entered a denser part of the forest. There was absolutely no sign of where his son had been and he was once more just following his instincts. Something was drawing him in this direction and he followed, for some reason trusting this new feeling despite the fact that on occasion, when he thought rationally about it, the sensation actually scared him. He could almost feel his son in some way even though he couldn't even begin to explain it. He did know that this had nothing to do with the Master person he had spoken to. This was different, more personal, more familiar. This was Legolas drawing him in.

Unfortunately, the feeling drawing him closer to his son was not necessarily a good one. It was a dark kind of feeling, desperate almost. Something was making his son's soul cry out to his father across the planes of consciousness and he didn't want to think too hard on what it was. Before it had just been a nagging feeling in the back of his mind but now it had grown very strong, calling to him, plaguing his every moment. Now it was pulling him onwards, almost as though it were becoming a physical force that he couldn't fight any longer.

As much as he hated the feeling that his son was in trouble he was almost glad of it. Although he knew Legolas was in pain he also knew that he was alive and that gave him the smallest glimmer of hope.

Thranduil rather suddenly pulled his horse to a halt, looking around, finding himself in the physical forest rather than the strange thoughts he had fallen into.

"My Lord?" his captain said, stopping beside the king. "Is something wrong?"

"I…I don't know." Thranduil looked around, trying to figure out where he was supposed to go next. "I think we should camp here for the night. It looks like rain," he said, looking up to the darkening sky. He knew his people were already tired, their journey had been long and hard and he also knew they didn't entirely trust that he knew where he was going.

They were a long way from the palace now. Thranduil wasn't entirely sure where they were. He was pretty sure they were in the realms of Men and this troubled him. He had never trusted Men. They were unpredictable, untrustworthy and generally dangerous.

What Thranduil and his people didn't know was that they were surprisingly close to their lost prince. In fact, no more than an hour's ride away. However, needing to keep his small army sated he allowed for some rest. Perhaps if he had known just how much trouble his son was really in he would have pushed them further.

~*~

It was just beginning to rain when Arron wandered over to Jasmine. He had left Nienna in the building with another woman they both trusted.

"Arron, you should be inside. It's cold out here," Jasmine said, standing and greeting Arron. She and Legolas had been sitting on the ground near Aragorn. Legolas didn't bother to stand but he did look up sadly at Arron. The boy seemed terrified by that distressed look but didn't dare say anything to either Legolas or Aragorn. "Go back inside. It's alright, Estel is fine." She smiled down at him and he looked up at her with trusting eyes. He nodded uncertainly and went to leave.

Once Arron was safely out of the way, Jasmine wandered around the yard. Sitting in the same position for too long was not easy for her. She liked to be on the move, be doing something. By just sitting there she felt completely useless. At least this way she could feel useless standing up.

"You should go inside too," Aragorn said to Legolas, who had been disturbingly quiet ever since he had failed to untie his friend from his bonds. "It'll be getting dark soon. You need to rest. Those wounds won't heal unless you…"

"I'm not leaving you," Legolas spoke for the first time in hours, looking up at Aragorn with such startling intensity that the man couldn't think of what to say to convince him. He merely nodded and looked sadly down at the ground. Never mind Legolas or Arron being cold, he was freezing. The temperature had dropped dramatically since the clouds had come over and Aragorn could already feel the cold rain beginning to fall. Legolas didn't seem to notice the cold or the rain, although from recent experience and healing training, Aragorn knew he must feel it.

It was Jasmine, not Legolas, who spotted Aragorn's shivering first. "Are you cold?" she asked gently, placing her warm palm on Aragorn's face. He smiled and nodded, not about to lie.

"I'll get you a blanket," Legolas said, jumping to his feet rather too quickly for Aragorn's liking and walked off in the direction of the building. Aragorn was going to shout that it was alright but the Elf made remarkable progress across the yard, all things considered, and Aragorn decided that he was walking away from something else and it was best to just leave him.

"Do you think I should go after him?" Jasmine asked.

Aragorn watched the Elf go. "No. Leave him to himself for a few moments."

"I'm worried about him," she said softly, looking at the building.

"Me too," Aragorn agreed. Jasmine looked back to him and smiled softly.

"He can take care of himself though, right?"

"He can. He'll be fine. I know he will." Aragorn sounded like he was trying to convince himself more than Jasmine and the woman knew that. She said nothing though, allowing him to look at her instead. Although Legolas' eyes were deep and soul-searching, as though they could see right through you, Aragorn's own grey eyes were strangely calming. They held a kind of strong self-knowledge, like he knew exactly what to do even when the rest of him betrayed his unease. Jasmine had been hypnotised by Legolas' startling blue eyes but she was naturally comforted by the two pools of grey she now gazed into.

When they became aware that they were staring at each other they looked down in embarrassment with equally bashful smiles. There was definitely something between them. A spark. A connection. A chemistry. Neither could explain it and neither would openly speak about it but it was there. It offered them both hope and comfort.

Jasmine sighed softly for no reason. However, before Aragorn could say anything, she had forgotten her shyness and leaned forward, pressing her lips against Aragorn's. For an instant, Aragorn didn't know what to do. He just stood there in surprise. Then as her kiss became more passionate, he returned it. Although it was only a few seconds long it was deep and loving. Aragorn had never felt anything quite like it before. Of course, he had kissed women but not like that. He had never experienced that connection before. It took away all his discomfort.

When Jasmine looked shyly down at the ground he smiled at her, catching her eyes with his. The look that passed between them said more than any words they could have chosen. She smiled back - grinned back, actually. She wanted to do that since they met. There had been something between them from the very beginning but this was the first time they had allowed themselves to indulge in the pleasure of intimate contact.

~*~

While Aragorn and Jasmine were indulging their passions outside Legolas was in the building searching for a spare blanket. He ignored the pitiful stares people gave him, not really knowing whether it was because of his own pain or the fact that Aragorn was hurt. He didn't need sympathies right then. He needed to help Aragorn. This was the only thing that kept him on his feet. Aragorn had helped him when he was hurt and now it was time to return the favour, no matter how hard on him it was.

He grabbed a blanket from Jasmine's bench. Most of them had been stolen already. People didn't wait around when there was something to steal. Before he left he walked over to Arron and Nienna. The boy looked up at the Elf and smiled. Legolas smiled back and sat down next to him. He gently stroked Nienna's cheek and the baby gurgled happily. It was strange that something so innocent, so beautiful, could come out of a place of such fear and pain. It saddened Legolas to think that soon Nienna would experience the same things as they were right then, or worse, he thrown into the brothels of Gondor until old age. He couldn't let that happen.

Arron leaned against Legolas' arm tiredly.

"It will be alright, Arron," Legolas said reassuringly.

"Jadan always said that I was born to work here. That it was our duty as slaves."

"Jadan was wrong. No one has to work here and you won't always have to. Jadan sees this place through a mist. He seeks to make the bad good, fooling himself into believing that this is how he should have to live. You shouldn't believe anything he tells you," Legolas replied, looking off into the distance.

"It's hard not to," Arron said, looking up at the Elf.

"I know," Legolas whispered, looking into Arron's innocent eyes. "I have to get this to Estel." Legolas stood up and walked away. However, before he could get to the door Jadan stood in front of him, blocking his path. "Excuse me." Legolas went to walk around Jadan but the man moved in front of him again. Legolas sighed and moved again and again Jadan walked into his path. "Excuse me," Legolas ground out.

"You know, I am getting really tired of you keep doing this," Jadan said.

Legolas sighed. "What?"

"Oh, you know. Everything about you. You are a menace. You create disorder. But more than any of that, you annoy me."

"What do you want?" Legolas asked.

"I hate you," Jadan growled out, completely ignoring Legolas' question.

Legolas sighed and went to move again. However, Jadan didn't let him pass. "Please move." Jadan just smiled and took a step closer to Legolas. The Elf knew this was just intimidation but he didn't have time for it. Jadan was trying to annoy him and it was working. "Get out of the way," Legolas shouted. Although Jadan flinched he didn't move. People were starting to look towards them, curious to see what the Elf and Man were arguing about now. "Move," Legolas shouted, this time pushing Jadan out of the way and striding past him.

Jadan, however, didn't give up. "Kallon told me about your mother." This stopped Legolas dead in his tracks and the whole room went silent, picking up on the tension. They all sensed that had been a step too far.

"What?" he ground out, turning around to face Jadan.

"Oh yes. He told me all about what happened when you were little. The cave. The Orcs. How you screamed and screamed to daddy about the Orc's rough hands. He spared no details. He said that little Legolas still cries to Daddy every night after nasty nightmares. He told me how you abandoned your mother while she laid dying, then led your father right to her, showing him how much she suffered. Kallon even showed me that night. How the Orcs tortured you, hurt you, _defiled_ you."

"Shut up," Legolas snapped angrily.

"Ah, so it is all true. How you can't stand to speak your mother's name because of your guilt. Not letting anyone else speak it. Your father knows how guilty you are. You mother certainly knew it. Sitting in the Halls of Mandos thinking constantly about how her son – her only child – betrayed her. Run away. Left her helpless and dying. Left her at the mercy of the Orcs."

"Shut up," Legolas whispered with tears in his eyes.

"And now it's going to happen all over again. To Estel. He is out there all alone at the mercy of these evil Men and here you are running away. Trying to get away from the pain and suffering. Nothing has changed." Jadan walked over to Legolas again so their noses were almost touching. "You killed her and now you're going to kill your best friend. And all because you are a stinking coward," Jadan whispered with such venom that Legolas almost believed he knew what he was talking about.

"That's not true," he whispered fiercely.

"Oh but it is. You thought that everything Kallon showed you in the Torture Room was false but you were wrong. Your mother really does think that, even though she might not speak it. How could she not? You left her all alone. How could she ever forgive you for that? She must hate you so much for what you did. Those nightmares you have are her way of telling you how much she hates you. Her pathetic, weak, snivelling excuse for a son."

"No," Legolas shouted, knocking Jadan to the floor in one easy blow. "You are lying. You know nothing about my…"

"I know everything about your mother. A part of you knows that what I'm saying is true," Jadan laughed.

Legolas though was fed up with Jadan and kicked him back to the ground when he tried to stand up. He bent down and grabbed him by the shirt. "Who told you what happened in the cave? Kallon couldn't know that. Did the Master tell you? Answer me," he shouted at the frightened Jadan.

"Master? He knows nothing. Kallon will be the new leader. It is all part of the plan," Jadan answered as best he could through Legolas' tight grip.

"What does that mean? What plan?" Legolas asked, trying to control the anger building inside him.

Jadan didn't answer though, knowing he had already said too much. "You'll never stop it, no matter what the Master tells you. Kallon has far greater forces on his side."

"What does that mean?" Legolas repeated. Jadan just laughed so Legolas hit him again. And again. "You…"

"I what?" Jadan asked with a bitter laugh. "It wasn't me who left my mother to die all alone and in pain, now was he? Maybe it is time you stopped blaming everyone but yourself."

This pushed Legolas over the edge. He grabbed Jadan's already injured arm and twisted it until it snapped. Jadan screamed in pain and anger. He slammed his fist into the man's face again until blood poured from his nose and a cut beneath his eye. Then he pushed him to the ground and kicked him hard again. Jadan finally lost consciousness and went limp on the floor. Legolas stood up slowly and stiffly, taking the blanket with him. No one in the building moved. Legolas walked towards the door and slammed it behind him.

There were mumbles of satisfaction and wonder at what they had just seen before people dispersed, going back to whatever conversations they were previously having and completely ignoring Jadan who was still unconscious on the floor. His attitude had made him many enemies in the building and no one was about to help the man now. They had all found it difficult enough not to cheer the Immortal when he had started beating him. Only fear kept them from actually helping him.

Legolas walked up to Aragorn and Jasmine, who were now standing apart. Legolas was instantly struck by the lighter atmosphere between them and could only wonder at what had passed. He ignored it when Aragorn smiled at him. He draped the blanket across the man then, without a word, walked away so he was behind Aragorn. The man sent a confused look to Jasmine, who was watching him.

"Legolas?" Aragorn called to his friend but Legolas didn't answer and continued walking towards the fence. Once he was there he leant his forehead against the metal and paused for a moment. Then he slowly slid down until he was kneeling in the soil, his head pressed against the cool metal. Tears fell from his eyes but they were silent, not wanting Aragorn to see him in this state.

Jasmine was watching him and when he slid to the floor she dived forwards, running as best she could towards him.

When she reached him, she knelt down next to him and looked into his eyes. When she saw the tears she placed a hand on his arm. He just shook his head, closing his eyes at the same time. She took the hint and removed her hand. She didn't stand up though, wanting to be close to him.

"Legolas?" Aragorn called again, concern in his voice.

Legolas sighed deeply and lifted his head. He didn't turn but assured, "I'm fine, Estel."

It couldn't have sounded very convincing as the next thing Aragorn said was, "Jasmine," hoping she would offer him the truth.

"Everything's fine," she shouted back. She didn't like lying to him but she could hardly interfere now. Legolas obviously didn't want Aragorn to worry about him. He could do nothing and Aragorn decided to leave them, not speaking again. Of course, he knew something was wrong. He could sense it.

"Go back to Estel," Legolas finally said in a quiet voice.

"But…"

"It's alright, Jasmine. Go back to Estel," he repeated, a little more firmly this time. Jasmine didn't argue with him but stood up and made her way back to Aragorn.

Legolas closed his eyes, allowing himself to think of what happened that night for the first time in hundreds of years.

**To Be Continued…**

**~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~**


	68. Memories A Mother's Sacrifice

**Disclaimer**: I own nothing Tolkien created.

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**Sold Into Ruin**

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**Warning:**** Some mentions of rape in this chapter. You have been warned.**

_**A/N: Memories are in italics in this chapter.**_

~*~

**Chapter 68 ~ A Mother's Sacrifice – Memories, Part 1**

_**~*~**_

_As Orcs continued to storm the Mirkwood Palace, Nienna and her young son Legolas hid in a locked room as far from the fighting as possible. Thranduil had ordered them both to go there just minutes after he had learned of the sudden, unexpected attack. The young crown prince was now curled up in his mother's lap trembling at the noises coming from the other side of the thick wooden door. Nienna was whispering reassurances to her frightened son but Legolas seemed too distracted by the shouts from outside to concentrate on her. Moments ago something had begun banging on the door. Luckily, this particular room, commonly referred to as the palace 'panic room', had a steel reinforced door. Nothing short of an explosion could break through those doors and thankfully the Orcs possessed no such weaponry. Despite this, their blows were disturbing to both mother and child._

_King Thranduil had reassured them that they would be fine so long as they stayed put. He had told them that he would join them soon but so far he had not even checked on them, obviously too busy defending the palace himself. Nienna pushed the possibility that her husband might have fallen in battle from her mind. She needed to stay strong for her son and falling apart over her husband's possible fate would not help. Holding Legolas closer to her, she gently started to sing his favourite nursery rhyme in a gentle voice. The young Elfling was terribly frightened, shaking gently in his mother's lap. The song did seem to calm him a little though so Nienna continued, trying hard to keep the panic out of her own voice; she knew that Legolas would easily pick up on it if it was too obvious._

_However, her soft, calming singing stopped suddenly when the bolt on this so-called impenetrable door finally buckled under the strain and a host of Orcs burst through. Nienna and Legolas jumped up quickly, the mother pulling her son protectively behind her to shield him from the monsters snarling at them. She grabbed the nearest heavy object – an old abandoned Elven helmet – to defend herself with. Slamming the steel helmet over the head of the Orc nearest to them she took the opening provided and pulled her terrified son along with her; she rushed through the disorganised rabble of Orcs, swinging her makeshift weapon as she went with brutality that betrayed her protectiveness towards the smaller Elf at her side._

_Holding tightly onto her child's shaking hand Nienna pulled Legolas through the halls as fast as she could. Some of the Orcs were still following them and she could hear them pounding along behind them, although the Elves were certainly swifter on their feet than the shuffling creatures of evil._

"_Come, Legolas, we must leave the palace. It is far too dangerous to stay here any longer," Nienna urged, pulling Legolas along behind her._

"_But…Ada…" Legolas whimpered, trying his best to keep up with her pace._

"_Your Ada will find us, little one. He'll know what happened and come for us but we cannot stay here."_

_She headed straight for the nearest exit, having to dodge the occasional fallen statue or small fire. To see her home in such a state was terrible but right then her only thought was for the safety of her son. Legolas was all that mattered. Possessions could be replaced but a family member could never._

_The side doors out of the palace had been smashed wide open and Nienna raced through them without hesitation. She knew that Thranduil would be worried about them when he realised they were gone but all she could think about was getting away from the danger in the palace, of getting her son safe._

_Dashing across the courtyard, Nienna dodged nimbly in and out of fighting Mirkwood soldiers and Orcs. They were all so busy that no one even noticed the Queen and Crown Prince racing past them. She dragged Legolas into the dark forest, hoping to find sanctuary there. They were both adept at running through the trees – even Legolas at his young age was used to the forest. With both parents having such a strong connection to the trees and nature all around them it was hardly surprising that he felt more at home outdoors than he did inside._

_She tried to take the most winding route through the tall trees as possible, hoping to confuse the Orcs and lose them before they got too close again._

"_Nana," Legolas gasped suddenly and she felt a weak tug on her hand._

_Of course Legolas was struggling; any Elfling would when asked to keep this brutal pace up for an extended period of time. She couldn't let him rest though no matter how much she hated to see him struggle. They needed to keep going. They needed to get away from the Orcs. "Come on, Legolas," she encouraged but he just shook his head, pulling at her hand again as his little chest heaved to draw in enough oxygen. Hearing the pounding of Orc feet drawing closer, Nienna scooped her son up into her arms and set off again._

_A few minutes later, when she chanced a swift glance over her shoulder, she saw the Orcs closing in on them and panic raced through her again. They couldn't outrun them. Making a snap decision that could either save them or doom them, she ducked under a low branch and ran into a deep cave, praying to the Valar that there was nothing dangerous lurking inside._

"_We must be quiet now, Legolas," she breathed so only he could hear, pulling her child onto her lap again and holding him close to her chest to keep him calm. Legolas nodded against her, his breathing heavy through both exertion and terror._

_Nienna had been hoping that the Orcs would not have seen her dive gracelessly into the cave and would carry on their path through the forest but it seemed they had also picked up on her scent as they stopped right outside the cave. Yellow eyes glowed in the darkness of the cave as the monsters approached blocking the entrance and trapping them inside. Nienna scrambled to her feet, pulling her frightened son deeper into the cave with her._

"_Nice little she-Elf," the nearest Orc growled, holding up its scimitar for them both to see. Nienna could have cursed for not thinking to pick up a weapon on her way out of the palace. Now she was completely defenceless against the creatures of darkness and there was nothing she could do. She couldn't even run anymore. She barely had time to feel guilt pulsing through her before the Orcs were on top of them again. They easily knocked a startled Nienna to the ground and dragged Legolas away._

_The young prince naturally struggled, writhing in the vice-like grip that held him and crying out for his mother. By separating the two Elves, the Orcs had finally gained control. Sort of. While Legolas' feeble struggles died down after a moment or two, Nienna's did not. She hit out at her captors with her fists and feet, shouting and swearing at them to let her child go, causing as much trouble as she could in the hope that she could get free long enough to reach Legolas. She continued to hit out as the Orcs shoved her to the ground and tried desperately to control her actions. Although she had a mother's strength fighting for her child, the Orcs' hold on her was too strong and she couldn't get loose no matter how hard she fought. And then she felt a sharp pain race through her skull then the world went dark._

_Legolas could do nothing but watch helplessly as a pair of huge Orcs dragged his mother's now limp form to the other side of the cave out of the way. A cold terror swept through him, almost paralysing him as he thought that his precious mother was now completely at the mercy of the cruel and unyielding Orcs. Almost as an afterthought he realised that so was he._

_~*~_

_It was dark outside when Nienna finally came round. For a moment she couldn't quite remember where she was or how she had gotten there. The ground beneath her was cold and damp and the air she was able to draw into her lungs was stale and musty. From the corner of her eye she saw the glinting of steel weapons the Orcs had laid to rest in the corner. The beasts themselves were standing in the corner, speaking in growling voices a language that Nienna couldn't understand but still recognised as Orkish. All of this seemed strangely distant to her, as if she was removed from the place, unable to process exactly where she was and what was happening around her. Only the heart-wrenchingly familiar sound of her son crying softly brought her back to reality and cleared her foggy mind._

_After regaining her senses she realised that Legolas was laid right next to her, his head resting on her stomach and his face buried into her dirty gown as if to hide from this new and frightening world around him. His sobbing was quiet but all too disturbing for the Queen of Mirkwood. Any sound of distress from her child was terrible to hear. _

_Slowly, she raised her hand and placed it on his golden head. She was immediately met with two startling blue eyes in the darkness and she could see immediately that they were glistening with fresh tears. When he realised she was awake again, he sat up then threw his arms around her neck and held on as tightly as he could, his small body trembling slightly. She sat up carefully, having to hide her wince, and took him in her arms, holding onto him tightly, whispering gentle reassurances._

"_Keep quiet you scum," one of the Orcs shouted when it heard Nienna soothing Legolas._

_Instead of shouting back at them Nienna pulled Legolas into her lap. When she did she felt something dampen her dress slightly, clearly from Legolas' leggings. At first she ignored it; Legolas was clearly terrified and it was not surprising that he had wet himself. However, something seemed wrong to her. She ran her hand over her damp lap and in the dim light could just make out the glistening of bright red blood on her fingers. That the Orcs were the product of pure evil was no secret but Nienna simply could not conceive of the sheer depravity it would take to perform such an horrific act on one so young. It certainly couldn't have been for pleasure, merely to torture the young Elfling, which made it all the more repulsive to the Queen of Mirkwood._

_What worried her more than the pain her son was experiencing was the fact that Elves, when suffering severe grief, could die. Although this kind of thing was extremely uncommon the few Elves who had suffered it died within a week. This terrified Nienna and she held her son even closer to her._

"_It's alright, sweetheart, we'll find a way out of this. I promise everything will be fine," she whispered softly in his ear._

"_It hurts," he cried back although fortunately his clearly distraught voice was muffled by her clothing so the Orcs couldn't complain about the noise._

"_I know it does, ion nin. Just hold on." Her voice betrayed her fear for her son and she hoped that Legolas wouldn't pick up on it. His frightened, pain-filled whimpers broke her heart to hear. She couldn't bear to see her son in pain and his cries tore her in two. Although Thranduil was strict with him, she could never deny him anything. He was her miracle, her only child. When he had been born she had been so elated that every scrap of pain had disappeared. After a difficult pregnancy that had meant weeks stuck in bed she was relieved when the night finally came when she was able to give birth to her first child. Then, after a long and painful labour, Legolas had been born. Although very weak and in great pain, when she had looked into those big blue eyes it all disappeared and it had all been worth it._

_Now her precious son was in the worst kind of pain possible and it killed her to stand by helpless. She continued to softly whisper reassurances and hold him tightly. She kept him as warm as she could, rubbing at his arms and down his back in an attempt to reassure and warm him. He continued to cry on her, holding her back equally tightly._

_After a little while he lifted his head and looked at his mother, his cheeks slightly flushed. "I'm sorry, Nana," he whispered, embarrassment marring his already broken voice._

"_For what?" she whispered back. She saw him look down in the dark at his lap. She then felt a fresh warmth dampen her lap and understood why he was upset. "Oh, it's alright, ion nin. Don't worry." She smiled gently, hoping to reassure him that it was alright._

"_I'm sorry," he whispered again sadly, burying his head again in his mother's chest._

"_Shhh. Shhh, it's alright." She rocked him when he started crying again. Continuing her comforting she began singing an old Mirkwood nursery rhyme. Although she had not sang this song for many years it was the only thing she could think of right then to calm her son. It seemed to work though. Slowly, Legolas' sobs calmed down and he leaned heavily against his mother, taking in every note she softly sang, letting the beautiful tune wash over him._

_It didn't take long for Legolas to fall asleep. This pleased Nienna, she didn't want her son to suffer any longer than necessary. She did, however, vow to remain awake, not just to protect him from the Orcs but to make sure that he spent the night safe from his own grief._

_When the sun rose, the Orcs came over to Nienna and stamped their feet hard to wake her up. Despite her promise to remain awake she had drifted off in the middle of the night from her own exhaustion. Both Nienna and Legolas were woken by the noise. Nienna stood up to face the Orcs and quickly pulled her son behind her._

"_Nice little Elves," one of the Orcs growled. It grinned a horrible grin and then hit Nienna in the face hard enough to knock her to the ground with a grunt of pain. Legolas screamed in terror and went to run to his mother but another Orc grabbed him and snarled, "No, no, little Elf. Stay where you are unless you want a repeat of yesterday." It smiled horribly at him and shrank back._

"_Leave him alone," Nienna screamed at the Orc but it silenced her by hitting her hard first in the stomach and then in the face, causing a cut from which blood seemed to stream out. Legolas kept himself from crying out for her again for which she was grateful._

"_Be quiet, Elf," one Orc sneered and Nienna did as she was told. Usually, she would have fought back but now she didn't dare risk her son's life. Nothing was worth that._

_The first Orc turned his attentions away from Legolas and towards Nienna, for which the queen was very grateful. However, she had little time to think about her luck before another Orc hit her from behind, pushing her to the ground to land on her face in the dirt. As she was slammed down on the ground a foot placed itself on her back so she couldn't get up no matter how much she squirmed. As one Orc was holding her down another began kicking her sides. She heard Legolas whimpering in the background but forced it from her mind, knowing she couldn't think about him right now. As long as he was safe and it kept the attention focused on her she was happy to take the punishment. Her son was all that mattered._

_She did not utter a word as the Orcs beat her, taking it in turns and causing as much damage as they could with their heavy boots and sharp claws. When, after what seemed like hours, they finally stopped and retreated back to the darker part of the cave, Nienna could do nothing but lie there gasping in air. She could feel blood trickling down her face and from numerous cuts all over her body where the Orc's claws had cut through her flesh. She could also feel several broken ribs and possibly a couple of fractures to her limbs._

_For a while she just laid there. It was only when she felt a tentative hand being laid on her back that she forced herself to lift her head. She saw two beautiful but terrified eyes, staring back at her sadly. Although she wanted nothing more than to just lie there, knowing movement could only bring pain, she forced herself up. Her son needed to see that she was alright. Once she was sat up she smiled gently at Legolas, although it didn't seem to comfort him. However, she wasn't surprised; she could taste blood in her mouth and knew that the smile looked terribly fake. She cursed herself for only frightening him more._

"_It's alright, Legolas," she said gently, opening her arms to him. He didn't look convinced though and hesitated in coming to her. "It's alright," she encouraged again and this time he did as she asked, coming to her and throwing his arms around her as gently as he could in his desperation to be close to her. He was more than aware that his mother must be in pain and tried not to hurt her if possible._

_She held him tightly to her and found that the pain lessened when he was near. He was her strength._

"_Nana," Legolas whispered, more to reassure himself that she was still there than to gain her attention._

"_Don't worry, Legolas," she whispered back. "Your Ada will notice we are missing soon and he will come. He will find us soon. We just have to be strong until he gets here. He will come for us soon." Although she said this with confidence she couldn't really fully believe it herself and she was certain from the tenseness in her son that he didn't believe it either. Somehow, Nienna knew that she wouldn't be leaving this cave. She was, however, determined that Legolas was going to. The only thing she could think about was that her son had to escape from this and she would do everything in her power to make sure he made it through this._

_She had to trust that Thranduil would eventually find them but it could be days before, in the confusion of the Mirkwood Palace in the wake of the attack, anyone noticed them missing. By then it could be too late for both her and Legolas._

_~*~_

_Daylight gave way to darkness and Legolas was sleeping soundly near Nienna. The Queen of Mirkwood had been cleaning her wounds as best she could, checking herself over for any serious injuries. She was disturbed from tending her wounds by the Orcs coming over again. Looking into their terrible eyes she knew what was coming. Legolas was too young and could offer them nothing other than the chance to torture and torment but she could give them something that Legolas could never. Besides, if she didn't they might go after Legolas again and she couldn't risk that._

"_Take what you want from me," she said firmly. "But please, don't hurt my son again, I beg of you. Please."_

_They seemed to consider this for a moment before the lead Orc nodded and pointed with its sharp claw to the back of the cave. She nodded and stood up quietly so as not to disturb Legolas. She couldn't help the tears that fell from her eyes as they slammed her to the ground, couldn't stop the whimpers as they forced themselves upon her time and time again throughout the painfully long night. The only consolation she had was that they were reasonably quiet in their actions and she managed to keep more or less silent so Legolas remained in the peaceful world of Elven dreams._

_When the sun came up they let her go, although for some reason they bound her hands together this time, and she went back to Legolas. Sitting down painfully next to him she couldn't help the tears that spilled from her eyes as she thought about their situation. She picked Legolas up, not caring now whether she woke him and pulled him into her arms, hugging him as tightly as she could. Legolas, of course, was woken by this. At first he was a little surprised but he hugged her back, sensing her despair._

"_I love you so much, ion nin," Nienna said lovingly, her words made more poignant by the tone and sadness of her voice._

"_I love you too, Nana," Legolas whispered._

"_Ahh, how sweet," one of the Orcs teased._

"_Please let us go," Legolas begged, turning from his mother slightly._

"_Legolas, we have to be quiet now," Nienna said to her son, her heart beating wildly at the thought of him attracting too much attention to himself and her._

"_Let you go? Why would we do that when there is so much fun to be had?"_

"_Don't listen to him, he doesn't know what he is talking about. Please, he is just an Elfling. Please," Nienna begged, trying to take the attention away from Legolas at least._

"_Let you go?" the Orc repeated._

_It stepped forward and knocked Legolas from Nienna's arms, sending her onto her back at the same time. The Orcs then began beating both Elfling and mother at the same time. Legolas cried out but Nienna stayed quiet, not about to show any more weakness. Legolas, though had no such restraint. He screamed and cried for his mother and father as cruel Orc hands dug into his flesh, tearing and ripping it open. He could feel the pain every time they touched him and it terrified him so much that he could do nothing but cry out hysterically. Unfortunately, Nienna was having enough trouble of her own and was unable to even console her son._

_When finally the Orcs had stopped both Nienna and Legolas lay limply on the ground. For a while they stayed this way, both through deep fear and pain. Then Legolas got up and painfully crawled towards his mother. He looked down at her for a moment before placing his hand on the large pool of blood that was forming on her chest. She winced and looked over to her son. An Orc claw had dug in deeply and stabbed her. Already weak from her other wounds she could do nothing but watch her son crying softly in distress at her condition._

"_Nana," he cried, no longer caring whether the Orcs heard him or not._

"_Ion nin." She smiled gently at him. "Legolas, you have to go now. Go back to the palace and find your father."_

"_Not without you," Legolas whispered, sensing this was a matter of great secrecy._

"_I don't think I can make it," Nienna whispered back, blinking away tears. "You have to go now, Legolas, while the sun is still up. You know the way home?" He nodded around his sobs. "Then you have to go now."_

"_I can't," Legolas cried, leaning against his mother again and hugging her tightly. She held him for a moment before pushing him up. She knew now that she wouldn't make it out of here._

"_Yes, you can. Go now."_

"_No," Legolas cried._

"_Yes, while you have the chance. Run to the palace and don't look back. Find your father and stay with him, you hear? Do not come back here."_

"_I'll bring him here, Nana. I'll show him the way. I promise I'll find you again."_

_Nienna nodded. "You know that I love you so much, don't you? You know that I will always be with you, no matter what happens?"_

"_I love you too, Nana," Legolas cried softly. He kissed her on her wet cheek, somehow knowing he would never see her again despite her promise. He so desperately wanted to stay with her but he couldn't ignore her instructions. She was, after all, his mother._

"_Run now, Legolas. Run and don't look back." She looked over to check that the Orcs were still distracted. "Go now."_

_~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*_

_**To Be Continued…**_


	69. Memories Earth Shattering News

**Disclaimer**: I own nothing Tolkien created.

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**Sold Into Ruin**

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**Warning:**** Some vague mentions of rape in this chapter. You have been warned.**

_**A/N: Memories are in italics in this chapter.**_

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**A/N: Thanks for reviewing and for continuing to read this story. I can't believe I've blown past the 500 review mark. It's amazing. Thank you so much and please keep reading. Enjoy the chapter. **

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**Chapter 69 ~ Earth-shattering News, Memories, part 2**

**~*~**

_Slipping silently from the cave with one final sad look back at his mother, Legolas stepped out into the sunlight and, as quickly but quietly as possible, took off into the vast and suddenly intensely frightening and threatening forest. Luckily, Nienna's regular trips to explore the forest that was their home meant that the young Elfling knew his way around the wooded areas fairly well. Unfortunately this didn't seem to do him much good right now. He had absolutely no sense of where he was in relation to the palace and the once exciting and interesting place suddenly seemed all too intimidating now he was without the guidance and protection of an adult. All he could do was run blindly away from the cave, desperately trying to put as much distance between himself and the Orcs as possible._

_Mercifully, his sense soon returned to him and he vaguely recalled his mother telling him to return to the palace and alert his father of what was happening. Although he still had little idea where he was, he trusted what the trees were calmly whispering to him and followed his own instincts in the hope that they were once again accurate and sure enough he soon came upon the familiar, much-used path to the palace. Now that he had some idea of where to go, he ran as fast as his tired little legs could carry him, ignoring the intense pain that coursed through his trembling body as he struggled to put one foot in front of the other without tripping over and wasting even more valuable time. He could still feel blood seeping from the wounds all over his body but took little notice of it. He could still run fast and that was all that mattered to him right then: following his mother's instructions despite the fact terror threatened to completely paralyse him._

_Although sorely tempted to look behind him to check he wasn't being followed, Legolas dared not. He was terrified that if he glanced back he would find the three Orcs pounding after him, their hands still dripping with his own and his mother's fresh blood. No, he would not falter now. He couldn't. He had to get back to the palace and tell his father where his mother was. That was the only way he could save her. He knew with absolute certainty that Thranduil would sort this out. He would make everything better. That's what dads and kings did, make things better, and Thranduil had the good fortune to be both a father and a ruling monarch. He always knew what to do in a crisis. If he could just reach Thranduil before the Orcs realised he was missing and began hurting his mother again then everything would be just fine. Somewhere deep inside him he knew this was impossible and that his mother was already dead. He could feel it. Almost like a huge part of him had been roughly ripped from him and all that remained in her place was an empty and cold space, something a child should never have to experience._

_Tears streamed down his face as he dashed past a forest of blurry green. His home had never before seemed so far away but Legolas stubbornly kept going, refusing his shattered body the rest it craved. He ignored the burning pain that was growing increasingly unbearable in his leg muscles and kept his pace, ever frightened that the Orcs, having finished with his beloved mother, would come after him and continue their cruel punishment of him before he could reach the safety of his father. All he could think about was getting to Thranduil. He had never needed his father more than he did right then and the thought that for some reason he wouldn't reach him nearly threw him off balance again._

_Finally, after what seemed to Legolas suspiciously like forever, the great palace of King Thranduil came into view. He raced through the great double gates, which stood open but guarded, and ran across the courtyard, ignoring the shouts of the few Elven army personnel who were still cleaning up the battered courtyard. He threw open the door to the palace and continued running down the corridors, having to dodge the odd broken piece of furniture or shattered vase that lay on the floor in the wake of the Orc attack that had started this whole terrible nightmare. He had walked this route a hundred times during his life but for a moment he almost forgot where he was going. All he could see were the Orcs surrounding his mother who lay in a pool of her own blood as she drew her last gurgling breaths._

_Nearly crying out in frustration, he slowed down briefly to get his bearings and steady his wobbling legs but then continued onwards through the long halls, down the great staircase and finally towards the throne room. Along the way, he noticed the devastation caused to his home in his absence. Paintings were lying scratched and broken on the floor, there were chips in the walls where weapons had been hacked against them and several doors were broken down, splintered by Orc weapons. Thankfully though none of the foul creatures remained in the palace. Thranduil and his army had clearly finally conquered the Orc army and driven them out of the palace, as they had done many times before in the history of Mirkwood._

_Nobody really took a lot of notice of Legolas as he dashed past. In fact, they would have had a hard time recognising their beloved prince beneath all the dirt, blood and grime that covered his once beautiful clothes and face. They didn't matter to him though. All he wanted in the world right then was his father. No one else mattered now; just his dad, the one who would put everything right._

_After navigating the labyrinth of corridors that made up most of Mirkwood's palace, Legolas reached the familiar throne room. He knew his father would be in there. He was always working after an attack and the Orc raid would have him talking business for weeks. Usually, Legolas would not have been allowed to walk right into this room unaccompanied but considering the circumstances he decided it was acceptable to break the rules and brave his father's anger on his disobedient actions._

_He threw the door open before the guards could halt him and was relieved to find that Thranduil was indeed in this room talking to a group of advisors. They appeared to be deep in conversation but all of them looked up when Legolas burst loudly in, followed by the two guards who had been at the door, guarding the room._

"_Legolas, where have you been? I was getting worried about you; I've had people out searching for you. What on earth happened to your clothes?" Thranduil asked, shoving the papers he was holding into his advisor's hands and stepping forward with a smile on his face. He didn't appear to have noticed either the blood on his clothes or his son's terrified expression._

_For the longest moment, Legolas simply couldn't move. All that running to find Thranduil and now he had actually reached his father he couldn't move. However, Thranduil calling his name again, this time with more evident concern, broke the strange daze and Legolas ran towards him and all but threw himself into his father's embrace. Thranduil caught him although looked rather surprised at the unprecedented display of affection in front of the advisors. Although father and son were relatively close they rarely showed this kind of affection in front of their subjects, that area was usually left to Nienna. Speaking of…_

"_Where is your mother?" Thranduil asked, looking towards the doors. He would have expected Nienna to follow her son through with an apology for interrupting him but the doorway remained empty. When Legolas burst into tears at the simple question and clung tighter to Thranduil the king asked, "Legolas, what is wrong?" The frightened Elfling couldn't answer yet though, he was simply crying too hard to be able to form actual words. "You are shaking," the king commented softly, kneeling down on the floor and wrapping his arms properly and tightly around his trembling child. "Fetch a blanket and summon a healer at once," he barked at one of the guards. "Legolas, ion nin, what's wrong, what happened?" Thranduil asked again, more gently, rubbing his son's back._

_This time Legolas moved back slightly from his father and looked up into bright blue eyes so similar to his own._

_Then he remembered his mission. He had to tell Thranduil about his mother so he could go and rescue her. He had to be quick as well before the Orcs noticed he was missing. If only he could make his voice work._

_When the images of his battered mother flooded his mind he managed to speak. "Nana and I ran away. There were Orcs and they were chasing us and we ran into the forest but we couldn't lose them so we hid in a cave but they found us and they hurt Nana. But she told me to run because she couldn't come with me and she didn't want them to hurt me again and she told me to find you and bring you to her. She said that you could help and that I was to find you and I did, Ada. I didn't want to leave but she forced me to. She said it was the only way. You have to come, Ada. You have to come and help her."_

_During his long and frantic speech, a blanket had been gently draped over the prince's shoulders and a healer had entered and was now stood quietly in the far corner waiting for the king's signal to come forward but Legolas didn't even notice. His eyes were fixed on his father's face._

"_Alright, slow down, ion nin," Thranduil said, placing his hands lightly on his son's shaking shoulders. "Where exactly is this cave?" The king's voice was slow and steady but everyone in the room could hear the pangs of barely contained panic that ran subtly through it._

"_By the large oak near the river," Legolas answered confidently, rather surprised that he knew that after his frantic run through the forest._

"_And your mother is still there?" Thranduil asked. "With Orcs?"_

"_Yes, Ada."_

"_And what about you, ion nin? Are you hurt?" Thranduil moved his hand to his son's filthy cheek, stroking it gently with his thumb and looking deeply into his son's eyes. However, those bright pools soon drifted away to the floor. Thranduil followed his gaze and saw that a small trickle of bright red blood had run down Legolas' legs and pooled on the grey, stone floor. Not knowing quite how to comfort Legolas, Thranduil settled for throwing his arms around his son and held him tightly for a moment. Legolas allowed himself to be held but didn't return the hug but instead merely stood quietly and unmoving against his father. He had done what he had set out to do. He had told his father what had happened. Thranduil would deal with everything now. _

_Finally, the king pulled back, stroking Legolas' blonde hair gently and spoke to the healer, "See to the prince. He is hurt. Give whatever treatment is necessary and _do not _leave him alone. You two," he said to the guards, "get together a search party. We are going to that cave to find Nienna. Make sure everyone is fully armed and ready to face whatever may be holding my wife." The guards bowed and hurried out to carry out the king's orders. Thranduil then turned back to his son and said in a much softer voice, "Legolas, I want you to go with the healer, let him see to your wounds. I will find your mother and bring her back, alright? You did well, ion nin."_

_Legolas nodded almost numbly and his father offered him a small, reassuring smile then leant forward and kissed him on the forehead before standing and striding out the door with his guards tailing him dutifully._

_The healer slowly approached Legolas and knelt down where his father had just been crouching. "Come, my Lord, let us get you cleaned up, shall we?" Again, Legolas nodded wearily, reaching his arms out to be picked up as he would have done when he was younger. The healer smiled softly at the silent request and carefully picked his prince up and Legolas clung tightly to his neck and buried his face in the healer's tunic. Being carried through the corridors to the healing halls Legolas could hear a lot of commotion around but none of it made any sense to him. That cold void in his heart was growing deeper and spreading throughout his body making him feel increasingly numb. Although he should have felt that everything would be alright now he had told his father what happened, he simply couldn't get rid of the feeling that he had failed her somehow._

_Finally, they reached the royal healing hall, far grander and more private than the public halls, which at that moment were full of victims of the Orc raid anyway. The healer gently placed his prince down on the bed and Legolas released him, instantly lying down on the large bed and curling into a protective ball, his arms wrapped tightly around himself._

"_I will run you a bath, Your Highness. That will make you feel better. Once we have cleared away all that mud at least we'll be able to see you properly," the healer called from the bathroom as he set the water running. He smiled when he entered the room and saw Legolas curled up tightly on the bed. Although the crisp white sheets were now stained with blood and dirt, the healer didn't seem to mind too much for which Legolas was grateful. The last thing he needed now was for someone to shout at him to remove his shoes before climbing on the furniture, which was usually the case after he came indoors from playing all day. "Here, shall we remove those dirty clothes?" he asked, sitting on the edge of the bed next to the Elfling._

_Legolas nodded and sat up, pulling his dirty tunic off as he did so. The healer took it but just threw it on the floor. Apparently, adults could get away with that much more than children could. Taking a moment to examine the bruises and cuts on Legolas' arms and torso, the healer smiled gently, pulling Legolas' dirty blonde hair out of his face. "There, better already," he said. Legolas already liked this healer. He comforted him somehow. "Did you bang your head at all?" Legolas carefully shook his head. He didn't think he had anyway. "Good, then nothing has gotten scrambled in there." Legolas smiled gently when the healer lightly tapped his fingers on his head. "Now, shall we get you into that bath?"_

_Legolas carefully climbed down onto the floor and walked with the healer into the bathroom where a hot bath was waiting for him. He removed his belt with shaking hands and went to remove his leggings before remembering the healer was also there and the kinds of injuries he had sustained from the Orcs. Unfazed by this reluctance, the healer simply closed the door, leaving it slightly ajar so as not to trap the prince, and knelt down in front of the young Elfling._

"_It's alright, Legolas," he said in the gentlest voice Legolas had ever heard from anyone. "You take as much time as you like." Nodding and lowering his head to hide the faint blush of embarrassment that tinged his cheeks, the prince slowly unbuttoned his leggings and slid them painfully down his aching legs. Once he had stepped out of the ripped clothing, the healer said, "I'm just going to take a quick look at your legs. If you want to me to stop just say." The healer carefully checked him over, noting how Legolas shrank back under the scrutiny this time. He smiled gently, uttering reassurances as he looked the young Elf over. Finally, he smiled up at Legolas and said, "Come on, let's get you into that water before it gets cold." With the healer's help, Legolas climbed gingerly into the bath and slid down into the warm, aromatic water. The healer picked up his discarded clothes and threw them straight into the bin. They were far too ripped and dirty to ever wear again anyway. "Feeling a little better now?" Legolas nodded and the healer smiled kindly, retrieving a flannel and a bar of soap from the cupboard. He went back to the bath, perched on the edge and rolled up the sleeves of his tunic. Dipping the flannel and soap into the water, he lathered it up and began gently cleaning Legolas' skin, being careful no to hurt him as he went._

_For a long while they were both silent, the healer wanting to sit back and wait for his prince to initiate conversation if he wanted to. Legolas, never one to enjoy uncomfortable silence for too long, eventually spoke. However, it was not what the healer hoped._

"_I think Nana's dead," he said softly, looking down into the now slightly murky water. _

_For a moment the startled healer didn't know what to say. "What makes you say that?" he asked softly, keeping his eyes on the prince should he look up at him._

"_I just know," Legolas said again, swirling his hand around in the water as if to distract himself. "A feeling," he added after a moment's thought._

"_The king has gone to look for her. I am sure he will bring her back to you safely," the healer said, trying to sound convincing. In all honesty, one injured queen against three fully armed and very angry Orcs was not good odds and he knew there was every chance that the Queen of Mirkwood was indeed already dead. However, that was not the kind of thing you said to her only child in his time of need. "You got back," he added, hoping to incite some hope into the downtrodden child._

"_I did," Legolas whispered. It was not much but it effectively ended the conversation._

_After a little while longer the prince was fully cleaned of all the blood and grime covering him and the healer suggested he got out. Legolas did as he was asked and stood up, allowing the healer to put a warm, thick towel around him once he had done so. Once he was out of the bath the healer began gently rubbing him down, handing him a bath robe to put on once he was dry enough. Legolas was then led back into the bedroom where clean bed sheets had been made up and some hot soup put on the bedside table for him._

"_Now, shall we have another look at your wounds; try and make you a little more comfortable?" The healer removed Legolas' robe and the prince didn't bother to protest despite his embarrassment and discomfort. He thought it better to get this over and done with quickly. Better it be done before his father came back, then he could spend as much time as possible with him. In fact, he decided that he never wanted to leave Thranduil's side again. He blocked the healer out of his mind as he thoroughly but gently examined him, speaking softly the whole time about nothing in particular to soothe his patient. Thinking about their family plans to visit Imladris next year, Legolas was able to get his mind off of everything that had happened in the past days. However, his previous enthusiasm for this holiday seemed to have worn off and his mind soon came back to his mother._

_Eventually, once the healer had seem to all his wounds – some far more painful than others – Legolas was guided back over to the bed, sat down and handed the hot soup. It was his favourite but he couldn't bring himself to enjoy it as he once had. He ate it only because he was told to and because he knew he was really hungry even if he didn't particularly feel like eating right then. The healer continued to watch him intently as though this food might result in the sprouting of an extra head or two. He didn't seem too disappointed that this bizarre expectation didn't occur and he took the nearly-empty bowl off of Legolas when he had finished._

"_Try and get some sleep now, my Prince. No doubt the king will come and find you as soon as he returns." Legolas nodded and nestled under the warm, clean covers he was so familiar with, pulling them right up to his nose so only his eyes and the top of his damp head were exposed to the much darker and more dangerous world. "Sleep well. I shall be right here if you should need me at all," the healer said, sitting back in a chair he had positioned by the bed._

_Legolas closed his eyes and allowed his mind to slowly drift off. Although he didn't think he would be able to, awareness soon left him and he melted into the pleasant world of Elven dreams, his eyes opening and taking on the vacant stare associated with Elven sleep. Little did he know that this would be the last truly peaceful night's sleep he would ever get. His mind had not yet processed the true horror of what had happened to him, nor did he fully understand a lot of what had gone on yet, not like he would in his older years when it would all become painfully clear and terribly distressing for him. However, for now, his sleep was filled with the dreams of every normal young Elfling and it was far more welcomed than the reality of the waking world._

_How dramatically this would all change though._

_~*~*~*~*~_

_Thranduil slipped silently into the healing room where he had been told his son was staying for the time being. The healer who had been sitting with him while he slept for the past three hours stood up immediately and walked over to the king, bowing respectfully in greeting. Thranduil said nothing but stared with sad eyes at his son._

"_How is he?" Thranduil asked eventually._

"_Understandably shaken, a little dehydrated but mercifully his wounds are not immediately life-threatening, mostly only a few bumps and bruises." Here the healer paused, not knowing whether he should continue with his description of the prince's wounds._

"_And the other…damage?" Thranduil prompted the reluctant healer._

"_My Lord…"_

"_Just tell me if he'll survive it," Thranduil interrupted, not sure if he could bear to hear all of it._

"_Yes, my Lord, I believe he will - with the right help." The healer followed his Lord's gaze over to his son. "He has been sleeping fairly soundly for nearly three hours. He was anxious for your arrival though, sire." Again, the healer paused before asking his next question. "And the queen, my Lord?"_

_Thranduil swallowed thickly and took a deep breath before answering. "My wife is dead," he whispered, sadness marring his hoarse voice. The healer was even more surprised to see tears running down the proud face. In all his years in the king's service he had never seen his Lord so much as speak of his pain let alone openly cry. "I don't know how to tell him."_

"_I think he already knows, my Lord."_

"_What?" Thranduil asked sharply, turning his eyes to the healer who was watching Legolas._

_The healer turned to him when he spoke though. "Before, he said he believed Queen Nienna to be dead. He did not say how he knew just that he could feel it."_

"_Do you think I should wait until he wakes on his own?" Thranduil asked, wiping his tears away with his hand._

"_I think that Prince Legolas deserves to know the truth as soon as possible. It would not be fair to keep him waiting after all he's been through. The uncertainty is as bad as the truth sometimes, Your Majesty." Thranduil nodded thoughtfully at the advice, again looking towards the sleeping figure snuggled beneath his sheets. "I think the gentle approach would be best though."_

"_I don't suppose you would…"_

"_Such things should come from you, sire. Prince Legolas came to you for help, you are his father and he trusts you. It is only right that it should be you who is with him at such a difficult time."_

"_What do I say?" Thranduil asked, his voice filled with desperation._

_The healer put a hand on the king's arm and Thranduil turned to him. "You tell him the truth, although I suggest sparing him all the unpleasant details. I think he's seen enough horror to haunt him until the end of his days," the healer said wisely and Thranduil nodded in agreement of that statement. "I'll leave you alone, sire."_

"_See to it that we are not disturbed," Thranduil ordered firmly before the healer left the room. He nodded and closed the door softly behind him._

_Thranduil looked down at his son for a moment before taking another deep breath and stepping forwards on silent feet. He had never been as afraid as he was in that moment. His precious son…Ever since Legolas was born Thranduil had devoted his life to protecting him, had done everything within his considerable power to keep him safe not just from the physical perils of the world but also the stress of dealing with a dangerous kingdom. Now, to have to break such horrible news to his only close family member left Thranduil felt as though he had failed miserably at his task. He sat down on the bed and reached out to stroke Legolas' soft hair. He couldn't help but think that this was the last moment his son would ever believe he still had a mother and be even remotely happy in the world. This brought tears to Thranduil's eyes again and he had to take a minute to stop them before he could actually speak._

_Gently, he pulled the sheets away from Legolas' face and placed his hand on the Elfling's shoulder. "Legolas," he called softly. "Legolas."_

_Bright blue eyes, almost identical to his father's, cleared and focused on Thranduil. "Ada," Legolas croaked out, sitting up and rubbing at his tired eyes, still sore from his previous tears._

"_Ion nin, I have some…bad news, about your mother." Legolas' face was sad as he waited for his father to speak again. "She…" He stopped, not knowing exactly how to tell his wide-eyed son the news. Although Legolas apparently already knew what had happened to his mother Thranduil had to say it, no matter how much he didn't want to make it seem real. "Your mother is…Legolas, she is dead," he squeezed out of his throat, his eyes fixed on those of his son._

_Legolas actually looked genuinely shocked at this statement, as though it came completely out of the blue and he had no clue how it could have happened. He said nothing but continued to look at his father, who was again openly crying._

"_She is gone, Legolas. Do you understand, sweetheart?" Thranduil asked gently, placing a hand on the prince's now pale cheek. "The Orcs…"_

"_Don't," Legolas interrupted sharply. "I know what they did," he whispered, looking down at the cover, not able to keep his gaze fixed on his father any longer. He didn't like seeing his father like this. It was unnerving. Thranduil was supposed to be strong. He was supposed to get to the cave and save his nana, his beloved naneth. That was how things worked. He would get into trouble and Thranduil would sort it out. That was what adas did. He didn't know it but tears fell from his eyes and rolled down his cheeks. "I'm so sorry, Ada. She told me to leave her. I should have…"_

"_No, this was not your fault, Legolas. It's nobody's fault." Although Legolas nodded, it was accompanied by a heartbreaking half-sob, half-hiccup. "Come here, sweetheart," Thranduil said, pulling his son into a comforting hug that helped him as much as it did Legolas. As though everything he had been through in the past day just came flooding back to him Legolas clung to his father tightly, crying into his robes. Thranduil held him and stroked his hair, just like Nienna had done. Although Thranduil was whispering nonsensical reassurances, Legolas knew that he was crying also._

_They sat there for most of the day, holding one another tightly. Thranduil had ordered that no one disturb them and no one did and he wanted nothing more than to stay here forever. He knew though that he had a kingdom to console. By now, the news of Nienna's death would have spread throughout the kingdom of Mirkwood and people would be awaiting the details, wanting to mourn their beloved queen._

_For now though, Thranduil could do nothing but hold onto his son as though he were the last thing in the entire world that meant anything at all._

_~*~_

_The memory of telling his kingdom about the demise of their beloved queen would remain scorched into Thranduil's mind until the end of his days on Middle Earth. His people had naturally been devastated by the news and Thranduil had found himself for the first time in his reign completely lost for any words of comfort. His advisors had stood next him mutely; unsure of what exactly their role was in comforting the distraught people and Thranduil had been left mainly alone._

_Merely holding himself together as he spoke to them had been hard enough. The first words of sympathy from one of his council members had threatened to ruthlessly blast through the tentative wall he had built up around his emotions. Fighting against the tears that pricked at his eyes, desperate not to fall apart in front of his subjects, had been exhausting and it was with great relief that he had retreated back to his rooms where if he needed to he could fall apart in private._

_After looking in on his son, who remained sleeping soundly in his own bed once more, Thranduil went to his own rooms, not bothering to light the lamps – the darkness was strangely reassuring. As he peeled off his clothes and let them fall carelessly onto the floor, tears streaked down his face and his breath came in shuddering gasps. He quickly pulled on his nightclothes and slipped gratefully under the sheets pulling them right up over his head. Cocooned in his bed, alone in the dark, Thranduil finally let the barriers down and allowed himself to grieve in private for his lost wife._

_Emptiness made his heart ache, the pain so strong that it seemed almost painful. He reached up to his chest and clutched at his nightshirt above his heart as if this would somehow keep it from breaking completely or at the very least relieve the terrible throbbing that now resided there._

_As he lay there, surrounded by crisp, white sheets that just a few hours ago his wife had shared with him, Thranduil heard his bedroom door hesitantly open. The very last thing he wanted right now was to have to deal with any more people. He wasn't sure he could take much more._

_Whoever it was clearly was loitering in the doorway and Thranduil found that the thought of being watched was even worse than being confronted by a mourner._

"_Go away!" he yelled angrily from beneath the sheets, his voice cracking horribly in the middle - so much for pretence. _

"_I…" a small voice said but Thranduil was not about to listen to any further sympathy or instruction. Didn't they understand that his wife had died and that he just wanted to mourn alone?_

"_Go away! Get out!" he shouted angrily._

_Whoever it was still hesitated but Thranduil heard them take a step backwards, obviously retreating. "Yes, Ada," a small, hurt voice said so softly that Thranduil barely caught the words. He recognised the voice though._

_Whipping the sheets off his face, Thranduil twisted in bed to look at the door just in time to see his son pulling the door shut behind him. "Ion nin," he called and Legolas paused in the doorway, clearly ill at ease having just been shouted at for no apparent reason. Thranduil sat up properly and forced a smile onto his face to soften the blow he had just delivered to his child. "I'm sorry, sweetheart," he said shakily, trying to pull himself together now he had to face his son. Legolas merely hung his head and remained firmly planted in the doorway, clearly upset and disconcerted by his father's reaction to him. Holding out his hand, Thranduil encouraged, "Come here."_

_Slowly, Legolas made his way over to his father, climbing up onto the bed and slipping into his father's waiting arms. Suddenly, the king felt more peaceful. He still had his son and that had to count for something. He clutched his young Elfling to his chest and Legolas laid his head against his broad shoulder, allowing his father to hold him close for now._

_Tears ran down Thranduil's face, although he managed to keep his cries at bay for the sake of his son, dampening Legolas' golden hair. Legolas didn't seem to mind this unusual display of emotion though as he squirmed on his father's lap to get into a more comfortable position and leaned in close to comfort his father. Really, Thranduil thought it should be the opposite way round. He should be looking after his son. On top of everything else, Legolas didn't need this._

_Getting a grip on his emotions suddenly seemed a lot easier with Legolas in close proximity and after a while he managed to stop his tears completely and his breathing slowly evened out._

_Finally, Thranduil looked down at the small child curled up in his lap. "Could you not sleep, ion nin?" he asked in an admirably steady voice. Legolas shook his head, his tired, red-rimmed eyes moving up to meet his father's. "Me neither. How about we just sit for a while, maybe we'll start to feel more tired later on," Thranduil smiled kindly down at his son._

"_Alright," Legolas all but whispered. After a moment though he shifted in his father's arms and snuggled down. With a heavy sigh, Thranduil leaned back against the headboard and reached down to pull the covers back up over himself, this time covering his son as well. Now, with Legolas' slight but reassuring weight atop him, Thranduil found himself far more able to deal with the reality of what was happening. As long as he had his son near him then surely things could not be so terrible._

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_**To Be Continued…**_

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_**Ada – **__Dad_

_**Nana – **__Mum_

_**Naneth – **__Mother_

_**Ion nin – **__My son._


	70. Memories The Worst Day of my Life

**Disclaimer**: I own nothing Tolkien created.

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**Sold Into Ruin**

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_**A/N: Memories are in italics in this chapter.**_

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**A/N: Thank you so much to everyone who is still reading this and everyone who has added me to their favourites or alerts lists. And, of course, thanks to everyone who had reviewed so far.**

**This is the last memory chapter then we're back into the story proper.**

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**Chapter 70 ~ The Worst Day Of My Life ~ Memories, Part 3**

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_The day of Nienna's funeral was a grim one for all the Elves in Mirkwood. The sky was grey and overcast as though it wanted to weep for the loss of one of the Firstborn but couldn't quite bring itself to let go. All of Mirkwood was unusually quiet. No one wanted to disturb the sense of mourning that seemed to seep into every inch of the great palace. Even the footsteps of the servants were quieter than normal on the stone flags. There was none of the normal singing or happy chatter in the corridors. Only the bare minimum of the staff were actually going about their normal duties today, the rest were either helping with the funeral arrangements or queuing to pay their respects to the late Queen of Mirkwood._

_As Thranduil quietly got dressed for the day ahead he couldn't help the tears that slipped from his eyes when he thought about what he and his son would have to face later in the day. To distract himself he concentrated on getting his collar perfect, knowing that every eye would be on him today. Not that his appearance really mattered to him. He had far more important things to worry about. _

_Taking a deep, calming breath to master his emotions, he turned around to look at his son. Legolas was laid on his side on Thranduil's large double bed, the mussed sheets spread all around him but only partially covering his small body – just enough to keep him warm. _

_Thranduil had been woken from his sleep that night, as he had been every night since Nienna's death, by the sound of his son's terrified screaming. He had found the young prince cowering in bed, sat on wet sheets, tears streaming down his face and sobs racking his body. Thranduil had cleaned him up, changed the bed-sheets and held him tightly, hoping to offer enough comfort to allow him to rest but, like every other night, Legolas had not been able to sleep alone so Thranduil had relented and taken him to his own room where he had comforted the frightened young Elfling until he had finally drifted into a restless, nightmare-ridden sleep._

_Now, though, he was deeply asleep, seemingly comforted by the meagre sunlight filtering through the curtains and his father's presence nearby. Thranduil was loathe to wake him up while he was peaceful. Legolas had gotten so little sleep since his mother's death, often waking several times a night, either because of the pain his wounds still caused him or the horrific nightmares of his mother's demise at the hands of the Orcs. Thranduil was still rather uncertain about what exactly these dreams consisted of as Legolas refused to speak of them but he could tell from the cries that they were bad._

_Walking over to the bed, Thranduil sat down next to his sleeping son. He gently stroked the soft, blonde hair back from Legolas' forehead, being careful not to wake him suddenly. It pained him to see his son like this. Ever since Thranduil had told him of his mother's death – of which had already known but simply refused to believe – Legolas had been unusually quiet, barely speaking to anyone. He sat around in his room, playing quietly with his toys or sat in bed or on his father's lap whilst Thranduil read to him. Not even his friends from the schoolroom had been able to tempt him to leave the sanctuary of his father's presence despite the fact he had been reassured that it was safe outside the palace so long as he stayed with his guards. This new clinginess was strange to Thranduil for although father and son got on we enough, Legolas had always been so independent, never really relying on him as he did now._

_This worried Thranduil greatly. Legolas was not usually like this. Before his capture he had been so excitable and out-going, just like every other young Elfling. Seeing him so sad and dejected made Thranduil's heart painfully constrict. Of course, it was not just his mother who had suffered. Legolas had also been cruelly treated by the Orcs. He would not speak of this to his father either and Thranduil wasn't even sure if his son fully understood what happened to him._

_This was the day Thranduil had been dreading most of all. The funeral of Nienna was going to be a large event with many people wishing to pay their respects. Although Thranduil wanted only to be with his son and his wife that day he knew that the people of Mirkwood had as much right to say goodbye to their queen as he did. He did wish he could spare Legolas the pain of having to stand in front of his mother's coffin and publically say goodbye. So far the prince had shown little desire to attend the service all and Thranduil would have allowed him to stay away if it had not been for Elrond of Rivendell's advice that his son should have a last chance to say his farewells to his mother._

_Sighing, Thranduil kissed Legolas gently on his golden crown and said his name. It was already well past eleven and the funeral was at noon. He still had to get Legolas dressed. Despair welled up inside him again as he looked down at his still sleeping son. "Legolas," he called again a little louder. This time Legolas did wake up, although it was slowly. He flung his arm across his eyes before squinting up at his father who was now holding his hand to reassure him he wasn't alone._

"_Ada?" he asked tiredly._

_Thranduil instantly regretted waking him. His son was obviously exhausted, having not slept properly for nearly a week._

"_Sorry to wake you, ion nin but it's almost time. You have to get ready," Thranduil said, stroking his son's ruffled blonde hair out of his face. Legolas sighed and looked away. "I know you don't want to go but you need to be there today. Come on, it'll only last a few hours then you can come back here and get some sleep, hmm? Legolas nodded slowly and sat up in bed. He reached up for his father who hugged him tightly. He never remembered his son being so affectionate towards him but he liked the thought that he was offering some form of comfort, no matter how small. "Let's get this over with, shall we?" Thranduil lifted his son out of the bed and Legolas clung to him, his legs wrapped around the king's waist and his arms around Thranduil's strong neck as the king opened the door and carried Legolas to the next room to get dressed._

_All his clothes had been put out for him the night before and while Legolas got washed in the bathroom; Thranduil took the black formal clothes off the hangers and placed them out on the bed. Legolas entered the room wrapped up in a towel and got dressed quickly while Thranduil unlocked the case in which the prince's golden state crown was kept. It was a splendid thing that only came out of its box very occasionally. Usually the prince wore a small circlet of silver for official banquets and every day princely tasks but this was for very special occasions._

_Both Thranduil's and Legolas' clothes were deep black and made of the highest quality fabric only afforded to the royal family. Thranduil robes were, naturally, stately and made of the finest materials, his tunic elegantly embroidered with black and gold flowers and leaves. Legolas' was much the same style although far less grand. He wore a black, high-collared tunic over a light grey shirt and grey leggings. Over both of those was a long black cloak embroidered with the emblem of the Mirkwood Royal family. The king, of course, wore his highly prized delicate golden crown atop his head, it was very highly thought of in Mirkwood and was usually kept locked up in the vaults beneath the palace for safety._

_Once they were both dressed, Thranduil took his son's hand and led him out of the room, moving gracefully down the corridor. There were people lining the halls to greet their king and offer their condolences to their royal family. Thranduil nodded appreciatively to them as he swept past. Legolas let his father take care of all this, gripping his hand tightly as he jogged to keep up with the king._

_Just before they reached the Great Hall where Nienna's body had been carefully laid out in state – and had been since early that morning to accommodate for the huge crowds wishing to pay their respects – Legolas tugged on his father's hand._

_Thranduil immediately stopped and knelt down in front of his son. "I know you don't want to do this, ion nin, but you don't have to be in there long. Just stay right next to me alright? You don't have to talk to anyone, let me worry about all of that." Legolas nodded silently. "It will be alright, I promise." Thranduil placed a kiss on his son's pale forehead then stood up and straightened his tunic out and took his son's hand. "Ready?" he asked. Legolas nodded and Thranduil led him up to the large double doors where two guards, both dressed in black versions of their usual Mirkwood uniform and stood to attention, opened the doors for their Lords._

_The Great Hall was surprisingly quiet and cold when they entered. Everyone looked up upon seeing their king. There was a long line, reaching all the way down the corridor and out the front entrance to the palace, coming up to the queen one by one to pay their last respects. Many people briefly knelt before the coffin and shed their tears as they prayed. One or two placed bunches of fresh flowers beside the coffin and there were many more floral displays placed around the hall. The queen herself was placed on a platform in an open white coffin as was tradition so people could see her one last time. Her wounds were well covered with makeup or by her white clothing._

_She was wearing a white silk dress with light silver trim. Her legs were covered with a white sheet embroidered with the silver emblem of the House of Mirkwood. Her hands, which were folded peacefully across her stomach, held a bouquet of white lilies and a smaller bunch of daisies, which Legolas had picked himself the day before. A thin white veil covered her now peaceful face. It seemed like she was merely asleep to those who approached her._

_As the king approached the coffin with Legolas at his side, clinging onto his hand tightly, people bowed their heads sadly. Thranduil noticed that most of them had tears staining their faces. He did not really acknowledge them but looked down at his son whose wide eyes were taking in the overwhelming scene around him. Thranduil gave his hand another gentle squeeze to let him know he wasn't in this alone and blue eyes turned up to look at his father._

_Slowly they approached the coffin. Legolas was getting more and more fidgety and Thranduil could sense that he really didn't want to have to do this. They climbed up the step onto the platform and everyone else immediately stepped down, keeping their eyes averted in respect. Thranduil and Legolas stepped up to the coffin and Thranduil looked down at his beloved wife. She looked so much better than the last time he had seen her, for which he was extremely grateful. He placed his hand on hers and squeezed it gently. Although it was cold it offered him a strange kind of comfort. He leant forwards and removed her veil, something no other person in Mirkwood was allowed to do, and kissed her gently on the lips. He heard several strangled cries from the mourners when he did this but chose to ignore them. He replaced the veil and smiled, wiping away a tear that spilled over whilst his face was turned away from the people in the Great Hall._

"_Goodbye, my love," he whispered softly. He then took a step back and turned to Legolas. The Elfling looked positively terrified at the thought of actually seeing his mother again. Thranduil knelt down in front of him so they could speak privately. "We can do this together," he said gently, catching his son's eyes, which were now gleaming with tears. Standing, he said softly, "Come on, ion nin." Together they stepped up to the coffin again._

"_Nana?" Legolas whispered, looking at his mother and marvelling at the fact that she looked no different to the last time he had seen her alive and well before the Orc attack. When he uttered the word more distressed cries issued from the crowd, followed by a harsh shushing from the attendants who were trying their best to keep order and dignity to the proceedings._

"_Silence," Thranduil commanded his people and his booming voice immediately put a halt to the whispers. This was hard enough for his son without people making it even more difficult with their misplaced sympathies._

_Cautiously, Legolas reached out his hand, thinking this was the proper procedure as it was what Thranduil had done. He looked up to his father almost despairingly and Thranduil laid his hand gently on Legolas' shoulder._

"_It's alright, sweetheart. You don't have to touch her if you don't want," Thranduil said gently. Legolas nodded and turned around, burying his head in the king's robes with a soft cry. Thranduil pulled him close and whispered softly to him, not caring about the hundreds of people watching them. "Shhh. Come on." He led Legolas down the steps, ignoring the condolences and brushing away the hands that attempted to touch his son; that was the last thing Legolas needed._

_It was still far too early to leave though. They had to stay until the actual cremation, at least another hour away. Thranduil led Legolas up the stone steps to his throne. He sat down and immediately pulled Legolas up onto his lap, hugging him close as the crying Elfling clung onto him. Legolas buried his face in his father's robes trying to block out the other people in the room and concentrating instead on his father's gentle reassurances and the rhythmic rocking._

_People continued to file past the queen, although the attendants were hurrying things along now the king and prince were in the hall. Many people had come earlier in the day; these were merely the stragglers, although they were allowed to continue as they had mostly been waiting many hours to see their queen one last time._

_~*~_

_Legolas was sitting in his father's lap, holding tightly onto the king's arm which was wrapped around his waist, as he watched numerous people pass him by. Most of them he didn't know. He did recognise a few faces of servants around the palace and a couple of guards but he couldn't put names to any of the faces. The only real comfort he took was that his father was still there with him. Thankfully, no one was allowed to approach the throne whilst the queen lay in state and no one came up to him to ask awkward questions._

_Finally, the last person had passed by and Thranduil stood up, carefully placing Legolas on his feet as he did so. Taking his hand again, Thranduil led Legolas back down the steps and through the corridors until they came to the exit. Legolas was led, with a rather large entourage and his mother's coffin, towards the funeral pyre. He kept close to his father, trusting that Thranduil would not completely abandon him now. On their way through they saw Lady Galadriel and Lord Celeborn stood at the front of the crowd. The Lady of Lothlorien smiled sadly down at him but did not speak. Legolas also spotted Lord Elrond with his two twin sons and young daughter._

_When they reached the funeral pyre, the coffin was placed carefully on top by the six Royal Guards. Thranduil turned to Legolas and knelt down in front of him._

"_Ion nin, I need you to stay with Lord Celeborn for a moment, alright? I'll be right back, I promise." Legolas nodded reluctantly so Thranduil offered him a small smile and stood up, walking him over to Celeborn and Galadriel. The tall, blonde and frighteningly official-looking Lord of Lorien took Legolas' hand from Thranduil's and smiled kindly down at him._

_Thranduil then nodded his thanks to the Lord and Lady and turned back to the gathered crowd._

"_Today we say goodbye to one who was greatly loved throughout Mirkwood and her allied kingdoms. Queen Nienna did so much for all of us. Her kindness and beauty was legendary amongst our people and she will be greatly missed by all. Her untimely death has hurt us all and no doubt we shall suffer from her absence for many Ages. However, we must remember that even in the wake of her passing, life must continue for us. We must carry on as a united kingdom, no matter how impossible this might seem right now. Nienna, a beloved wife and a devoted mother, we honour you this day."_

_With those words Thranduil took the torch from a guard and set alight the pyre. The coffin and Nienna were soon shrouded in thick smoke, then fire. Legolas, although not wanting to watch, could not take his eyes off the flames. He heard Galadriel at his side whispering to him but he took no notice to her melodic voice. It was only when Thranduil rejoined them that he looked up. Tears were running down his father's previously stoically proud face. Immediately, Legolas let go of Celeborn's hand and walked over to his father, taking his large hand in his own small one. Thranduil looked down and picked Legolas up, holding him tightly as his son cried against him._

_~*~_

_By now people were starting to disperse. This was going to be the hardest part of the day, when Thranduil would have to actually deal with the hundreds of personal condolences. He spared Legolas from them, snapping in annoyance at anyone who asked the prince questions or tried to reach out and touch him. Legolas stayed close to Thranduil, holding onto his hand tightly and leaning against his leg whenever someone approached him. Every now and then someone would lean down to attempt to hug the prince but Thranduil would always pull Legolas protectively behind him before sending away the offending party with a harsh word. Legolas was glad his father stayed with him, he was worried that he would be left alone to deal at the mercy of well-wishers and mourners._

_Although Thranduil took the brunt of the sympathies from the other Elves, it didn't stop people staring at the young prince. As Legolas clung onto his father tightly he saw people watching him closely analyzing his every movement. Behind the backs of the royals Legolas could hear their whispers, always saddened._

'_Poor little thing…', 'You know he ran away from those monsters, right into his daddy's arms.' '…Practically catatonic when he reached the palace…', '…little mite lost his mother and now has to deal with this…so unfair.' '…hasn't slept properly since…the most terrible nightmares…and wakes up screaming for his Nana.'_

_Trying to ignore these remarks was harder than it looked and Legolas suddenly desperately wished he was back in the palace, hiding away in his rooms where he wouldn't have to deal with any of this. He rather suspected that his father was thinking the same thing but the king remained pleasant to his subjects, accepting their condolences with grace and seemingly sincere thanks. The prince was pretty sure that his father did indeed hear the occasional comment directed toward his son as whenever people started chattering again, Thranduil's hand strayed to Legolas' back, holding him even closer._

_Finally, after hours of meeting with people Legolas had never seen before, someone came over who he did recognise: Elrond and his children. _

"_Thranduil," Elrond said softly as he approached, his twin sons trailing behind him, clearly not at all amused at being dragged out into the rain. One of them – Legolas couldn't distinguish which – carried Elrond's daughter, Arwen, in his arms although the child was fast asleep. How nice it looked to be sleeping peacefully, wrapped in familiar, protective arms, Legolas thought. Elrond reached out and shook Thranduil's free hand firmly. "I am so very sorry for your loss, Your Majesty," he said and Legolas thought that he actually sounded sincere – unlike many of the others who had just wanted to see how the family were coping to add to the gossip they could provide to their friends._

"_Thank you, my friend," Thranduil smiled bleakly back. Releasing Elrond's hand, Thranduil moved Legolas forward so he was no longer hiding behind him but standing in front of the Lord of Imladris. "Legolas, you remember Lord Elrond and his sons from Rivendell?"_

"_Yes," Legolas said softly, glancing only briefly up at the tall, dark-haired Elf before letting his eyes drift back down to the grass._

"_Hello, Legolas," Elrond smiled down at him although he made no move to reach out and touch him, for which Legolas was grateful. It was bad enough that people he knew had been trying to do that all day without having relative strangers trying it as well._

"_Say hello," Thranduil encouraged, squeezing Legolas' shoulders gently. Instead of doing as he was told, Legolas shyly retreated back to Thranduil's leg, burying his face in his father's cloak to hide from these new people. "I am sorry. He's…" the king started to explain._

_Elrond merely shook his head. "No, please, it's quite understandable under the circumstances. All this must be rather overwhelming."_

"_For all of us," Thranduil agreed, laying his hand on top of Legolas' head as if to assure himself that the young Elfling was still there._

"_King Thranduil," Lady Galadriel's voice broke the silence that had descended between them as she walked gracefully over to the small gathered party, her husband Celeborn walking a step behind her. Legolas actually glanced up to see her approach and couldn't help but feel comforted by her presence. Unlike everyone else, she wore her usual white gown, a light in the darkness of black mourning. Showing none of Elrond's practiced propriety; Galadriel pulled Thranduil into a kind hug, holding him close. "I cannot tell you how…terribly this has affected the whole of Lothlorien. All of my realm mourns the death of your wife and queen."_

"_I appreciate that," Thranduil smiled, pulling back slightly. "And I know Nienna would have also."_

"_If there is anything you need you have but to say the word, mellon nin," Celeborn offered, briefly shaking Thranduil's hand. _

"_Thank you, Lord Celeborn." Looking quickly around the green Thranduil saw that most people had now dispersed going on to the wake to be held in the Great Hall, which mercifully the royals weren't required to attend. "Would you all care to join me in my rooms for some tea? It has been a long day and I could certainly use the reprieve."_

"_That sounds delightful," Galadriel smiled immediately, speaking for all the gathered friends._

_Grateful that he wouldn't have to be alone for a little while longer, Thranduil gestured for his guests to proceed towards the doors. As he went to follow them though Legolas' hand fisted around his cloak stopped him moving forward and he looked down to find his son planted to the ground, now staring blankly at the burning funeral pyre._

_Dropping delicately down onto one knee before the Elfling and pulling Legolas' small body close to him, Thranduil hugged him tightly. "Are you alright, ion nin?" he asked in a whisper so the guards still standing to attention around the fire didn't hear. Legolas nodded uncertainly so Thranduil pulled back, brushing a stray lock of golden hair from Legolas' pale face. "We can stay for a little while longer if you'd like." Uncertain, almost frightened blue eyes flicked up to meet his father's but then returned to look at the fire. From that rather vague look, Thranduil got the gist of what his son was thinking. He followed his son's watery gaze. "Go and take a moment to say goodbye to your mother, ion nin. Go on, it's alright."_

_As a silver tear ran down Legolas cheek he nodded softly, stepping out of his father's embrace. _

"_Stand back," Thranduil barked at the guards surrounding the raging fire. They instantly snapped even tighter to attention and took a step backwards to give their prince some space. Still kneeling on the wet grass, Thranduil watched as his small son approached the fire, keeping at a safe distance, and bent down to pick up one of the white daisies that had been left in a ring around the pyre as an offering to the queen. For a moment, Legolas just twirled the delicate flower in his small trembling fingers, his eyes never once leaving the flames. However, a minute later he started shaking harder as sobs wracked his thin frame. Although Thranduil wanted to go forwards and wrap his arms around his precious son he knew he had no right to interfere in Legolas' grieving and that his son needed to do this on his own no matter how agonising it was to watch._

_Legolas slowly lifted his shaking hand and threw the white flower into the fire, watching as it incinerated in the red hot flames that were devouring his mother as well. Tears flowed freely down his face as he watched the fire for a while. When he thought he could no longer look into the bright heat, he turned slowly and walked with his head hung back to his father who held his arms open for him. Moving gratefully into the embrace, Legolas leaned against the warmth of his father._

_Thranduil closed his eyes, letting one tear escape, as he held his child close to his chest and stroked Legolas' damp golden hair back. He hated that his precious child was suffering so deeply and that there was absolutely nothing he could do._

"_It's alright, ion nin. Shall we go back inside, get warm and dry?" Thranduil asked softly once he was certain his voice wouldn't tremble when he spoke. Legolas nodded but made no move to step away so Thranduil pulled him into his arms and easily stood up, letting Legolas wrap his arms around his neck and his legs around his waist, his head resting on the king of Mirkwood's broad shoulder._

_Thranduil walked steadily past his waiting guests who had all paused at the door to wait for the king. Elrond offered him a small smile as he opened the door to let him carry Legolas through but Thranduil paid him no attention, right now Legolas was all that mattered in the world. When Galadriel caught them up she attempted to reach out and touch the young Elf but Thranduil pulled back defensively. She didn't seem too fazed by this blunt action and merely stepped back next to her husband as they walked down the corridor._

_When they entered Thranduil's chambers, the king placed his son carefully down on the floor and reached down to remove the crown on top of the golden head, handing it to his waiting assistant, who immediately took it and Thranduil's own back down to the vaults where they would be stored._

"_Can I change now, Ada?" Legolas' small voice asked once Thranduil had ordered a servant to bring them all some lunch._

_Noticing Legolas' beseeching gaze directed up at him, Thranduil motioned for the others to take their seats on the couches and once more knelt down before his son. "Of course you can. You did really well today, Legolas. I am very proud of you," he said softly, placing a kiss on the prince's forehead. "Now go and get changed out of those formal clothes then you can come in and have something to eat. After that, I think a nap is in order, don't you?" he smiled gently, not missing how Legolas flinched at the possibility of more forced sleep. However, the Elfling nodded and moved away from his father into his bedroom, closing the door behind him so he could change in private._

_For a moment Thranduil remained on his knees, looking at the bedroom door sadly. He had guests to attend to though so he forced himself to concentrate on this final duty as king and stood up to join his friends in the main lounge._

"_How is Legolas handling all this?" Elrond asked carefully once the king had settled into his armchair by the fire._

_Casting another glance at the closed bedroom door, Thranduil sighed. "Not too well, I'm afraid. He has been so…withdrawn ever since…you know. He has been having the most horrific nightmares every time he attempts to sleep and ends up waking up screaming almost every night," the king confided in a low voice so Legolas wouldn't hear them through the door._

"_Seeing someone he loved die is bound to be hard on him, especially given how he suffered at the Orc's hands also," Celeborn said, bouncing his small granddaughter Arwen on his knee. "His reaction is expected, is it not?"_

"_I suppose so," Thranduil agreed, sipping at his tea but ignoring the food, he had no appetite anyway. "I just never know what to say to him anymore. Everything I try to comfort him seems so inadequate."_

"_Just give him some time, mellon nin," Galadriel advised softly._

"_I know. I just hate seeing him like this. It's so unlike him."_

"_And what about you, mellon nin? How are you coping with all this?" Elrond asked rather carefully, knowing this was dangerous territory with the proud king._

"_I am trying my best, Elrond. I have Legolas, that is enough comfort for me," Thranduil said softly with a small smile._

"_And the prince is recovering well from his…wounds?" the Lord of Imladris continued. Like many others he had heard the rumours about what had happened to the prince in the cave although he had no reliable details._

"_So his healers tell me. He won't talk to me about it, although I have asked. The only time he says anything related to his experience in the cave is to let me know when it hurts…" Thranduil cut himself off as tears pricked his eyes and his voice fractured. "I'm sorry. Forgive me," he continued, taking a steadying breath. Galadriel merely smiled kindly, placing her hand delicately on his leg in support. "Perhaps, Elrond, you could take a look at him. I think he trusts you a little more than some of the other healers around here. He might talk to you."_

"_If that's what you want, of course I will," Elrond agreed readily although he wasn't sure how much success he would have. If Legolas trusted _him _more than the other healers it didn't say much for his openness, especially considering his earlier reaction to him._

"_Thank you. I worry about him more now than ever before."_

"_It is only natural for a parent to fear for their child after an ordeal like this," Elrond said understandingly, his eyes going to his twin sons who were perched on the windowsill looking out at the forest of Mirkwood with a worrying amount of morbid interest._

"_Where is he?" Thranduil muttered to himself, twisting in his chair to look over at Legolas' bedroom door. It didn't take this long to get changed into a new set of clothes. "Legolas?" he called out. When he didn't get a response, he placed his cup on the table and stood up, saying, "Excuse me," to his guests._

_He walked up to the door and tapped lightly on it. "Legolas, are you changed?" Still not getting an answer, Thranduil knocked again then pushed the door open. What he saw very nearly broke his heart. Legolas was still in his thick dress clothes, although he had managed to remove his damp cloak, laid curled up and sound asleep on the bed. Thranduil stepped inside and closed the door behind him so the others' chatter wouldn't disturb his son. With a smile, Thranduil gently took Legolas' still booted foot in his hand and easily untied the laces before sliding the shoe off of Legolas' small foot, being careful not to unnecessarily wake him. Once the Elfling was barefoot, Thranduil unfolded the blanket at the bottom of the bed and carefully laid it over the sleeping prince._

_This small action disturbed Legolas and he opened bleary blue eyes to look up at his father. "Ada?" he asked sleepily, lifting his hand to rub at his tired eyes. When he realised where he was and that he had dozed off in the middle of his task, he quickly apologised. "Sorry."_

_Thranduil smiled gently and sat down on the bed beside his son. "Don't be sorry," he said kindly, stroking Legolas' hair back. "You can sleep now if you want." Although a flash of guilt passed over Legolas' face he nodded wearily. He was so tired all of a sudden that he honestly didn't think he'd be able to keep his eyes open all through lunch and he didn't particularly want to make a fool of himself in front of all those new people._

"_Alright, ion nin. Let me close these drapes for you," Thranduil said, standing and striding over to the windows, making sure there were no draughts that might chill his vulnerable son and closing the thick drapes closed so the room was sufficiently darkened. "There you go," Thranduil smiled, sitting back down on the bed and smoothing over his son's hair. "You just get some sleep now, alright?"_

"_Ada?" Legolas asked softly, looking up at his father with sleepy eyes._

"_Yes, Legolas?"_

"_I miss Nana," Legolas breathed out shakily._

_Thranduil sighed softly, continuing to stroke Legolas' hair soothingly. "So do I, sweetheart."_

"_Ada?" Legolas asked around a large yawn, his eyes already starting to fall closed again._

"_Yes?"_

"_I love you."_

_Thranduil smiled and bent down to kiss his son's cool forehead tenderly. "I love you too," he said back, tears gathering in his own eyes. "Sleep, ion nin. Go to sleep," he whispered. The small encouragement was all Legolas needed and his eyes finally fell shut, his small body relaxing against the warm, soft bed._

_For a while, Thranduil continued to sit there stroking golden hair and watching his child rest peacefully. He placed another gentle kiss on Legolas' forehead before standing up and going to the door. Although he wanted to sit there all day and watch his baby sleep he knew he had other things to attend to this day and they had to come first no matter what he wanted._

_Stepping back into the lounge, Thranduil pulled the door closed carefully so as not to wake Legolas. The young Elf needed all the sleep he could get._

"_Is everything alright, Thranduil?" Galadriel asked as Thranduil rejoined the group._

_The king nodded, taking his seat. "He's fast asleep. I thought it best not to disturb him for a while. After these past few days he's thoroughly worn out."_

"_I think that's for the best. Let him sleep while he can," Elrond agreed kindly, smiling at Thranduil's thoughtful decision._

_After that, all of them lowered their voices considerably in concern over waking the sleeping Prince of Mirkwood. He did, after all, deserve what small amount of peace he could get these days._


	71. Discovery

**Disclaimer: **I own nothing Tolkien created.

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**Sold Into Ruin**

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**A/N: Ok, after that brief break we're back to the present in the encampment. Enjoy the chapter.**

**~*~**

**Chapter 71 ~ Discovery**

**~*~**

As the sun descended once more on the encampment, Legolas stiffly got to his feet and started walking around the courtyard again simply because he was growing increasingly restless. It felt strange now – just hours ago he had allowed himself to think about what had happened in his youth and had found that it was both liberating and deeply frightening. Those memories had been so carefully locked away in his head for a reason. Somewhere now, deep inside his soul he felt different. He felt sadder than he had in a long time and not just because of his current predicament, although that did not help matters much. The truth of his own precarious situation he could deal with but it was his mother – his family…that was another story entirely. He shuddered at the thought of having to deal with all this again. Already he was trying to ruthlessly bury the memories deep in his subconscious where they could safely remain trapped and out of the way of his normal life.

Many years ago, when he had feared that he would simply fall apart after that terrible event, he had sworn to himself that he would never allow this to affect him again. His mother's death had shaken him to his very core and deep down he knew that dwelling on that fact would ruin him and, infinitely worse, destroy what little was left of his family. He just couldn't risk it.

However, right now there were more important things to worry about than his troubled past. Aragorn for instance. Legolas looked up at the man to find that he still had his head bowed and his eyes closed tightly against the fading light. Their pathetic attempts at banter in the past couple of hours had died down pretty quickly and now a sense of terrible desperation seemed to blanket them all again. Somehow Legolas knew that Aragorn could feel something had changed in him. It felt like he was emitting some strange, depressing aura that was also affecting everyone around him. Even Jasmine had given up trying to lighten the mood and had gone inside the building to check on Arron and Nienna.

Legolas sighed heavily and lowered his head again. This was going to be a long night.

~*~

Elrond, Elladan, Elrohir and their guards came to a stop when they came across a flurry of hoof prints in the mud. They were currently on the edge of a dense forest although none of them had any idea where exactly they were – they had long ago given up on trying to pinpoint their position on the map. Elrond decided to follow the prints, hoping the trail would lead them somewhere useful. Right then he would have given anything for just one solid lead. This was undoubtedly the most frustrating tracking they had ever been involved in and their lack of success was beginning to grate on his nerves.

Just as the trees were beginning to thin out again, the small party were suddenly surrounded, at least twenty separate arrows aimed right at them through the dense foliage. Of course, the Rivendell Elves knew better than to try anything that would surely get them killed so Elrond calmly held his hands up in surrender. However, a moment later the arrows were all lowered and an Elf strode out of the trees, placed his hand over his heart and bowed in a traditional friendly Elvish greeting. Still somewhat surprised, Elrond mirrored the motion from atop his horse.

"Forgive us, Lord Elrond," the Elf said as the archers appeared from the trees all around them.

Then Elrond noticed their uniforms and his eyes widened. "Is King Thranduil with you?" he asked abruptly, now confidently dismounting. His sons cast relieved looks at each other and followed their father's actions.

"He is, my Lord. Follow me please, I'll take you to him immediately," the Captain bowed and was instantly walking through the trees and towards Thranduil's tent, ordering his soldiers to care for the Imladrian horses. He led them quickly into the tent, announcing their arrival to a startled Thranduil who looked up from where he was sitting on his make-shift bed. He leapt to his feet when he saw Elrond standing in the doorway.

"It is good we share the same thoughts, my Lord Thranduil," Elrond smiled bleakly when the king didn't speak. He stepped forward and bowed slightly to the startled King of Mirkwood.

"Elrond…What are you…?"

"Looking for my son – and yours," Elrond said when Thranduil couldn't seem to finish his sentence.

"Right, of course. And have you…have you had any luck?" the king asked haltingly, fearing the answer.

"Not yet, no. There were some trails along the way from Imladris but they all tapered off. We have just been guessing the route for quite a while now and it brought us to you."

Thranduil nodded so Elrond assumed that he had been using much the same haphazard technique. He had rather hoped that the king would have had something a little more solid to go on but the lack of hope in Thranduil's eyes made him realise that he was as unsure as Elrond himself was.

"May we speak in private, Lord Elrond?" the king asked, his gaze flitting back to where Elladan and Elrohir stood behind their father.

"Yes, of course." Elrond turned to face his sons and said softly, "Why don't you two go and get something to eat and drink? I'll find you later."

"Yes, Ada," the twins both nodded, bowing briefly to the king and then stepping out of the tent quietly to give their father and the king some time alone to discuss their predicament.

"Please, sit," Thranduil finally said, gesturing to the bed and pouring his guest a glass of water. Elrond took the glass with a nod of thanks and waited for the king to speak. Thranduil slowly sank down to sit on the bed and went back to staring at the ground for a moment, as if trying to work out what to say.

"I know this might sound a little…well, completely crazy, but you have to believe me," Thranduil said strongly, finally looking up to meet Elrond's eyes imploringly. The Elven Lord nodded so he continued. "A few nights ago I had a dream about Legolas. A man who called himself 'The Master' told me that he had my son and yours and was holding them in some kind of mining facility, using them as slaves.

"I know what you are thinking; that these are the worried ramblings of a frightened parent but it was so real and I just know that Legolas is in danger. I can feel it, Elrond. Something terrible is happening to him and we have to find him before it's too late because in all honesty I don't know how much longer he'll be able to survive in there." As he rushed through this statement, Thranduil's voice grew almost hysterical and tears shone in his eyes. Elrond had never known the king to grow upset about anything other than his son. Legolas was his life and everyone knew that.

"I believe you," Elrond said simply after a moments' thought. "I may also be crazy but I too can feel that there is something very wrong with Estel. Perhaps we should call it 'parental intuition' – for lack of a better explanation," he smiled grimly.

"We have to find them," Thranduil said quietly, placing his head in his hands.

Taking in the pale, drawn face of the mighty King of Mirkwood, Elrond asked softly, "Are you alright, mellon nin?"

Thranduil sighed heavily and raised his head to look up at the healer with sad eyes. "I'm fine. Just a little tired, that's all. I'm so worried about him, Elrond. I cannot lose him now. Not after everything…" Thranduil stopped himself before he could lose his cool again. "He is all I have left and I just can't help but feel that he is out there somewhere and he needs me and I can't get to him. I know that Aragorn is in trouble too and I want to help him but…Legolas just doesn't deserve this on top of everything else he has had to deal with."

Elrond had frozen where he sat, his eyes wide and staring in shock at the king. "What did you just say?" he demanded, his voice trembling slightly.

"I said that after everything he has been through…"

"No. No, before that…You said 'Aragorn'. Thranduil, how do you know that name?"

"Oh. The Master – the man I saw in my dream – he told me that Estel's real name was Aragorn and that he is heir to the lost throne of Gondor." Thranduil smiled softly at the open look of shock covering Elrond's features. "And I assume from the look on your face that it wasn't just parental concern influencing my dreams."

Elrond slowly got to his feet. "No."

"I swear to you, Elrond, I will not share my knowledge of this with anyone – not even Legolas if you so wish it. You have my word that this will not leave this tent. After all, both you and Legolas kept this from me so the secrecy surrounding his identity must be important to you both somehow. Therefore it is not my place to interfere." Thranduil frowned when Elrond didn't reply. "I know that you and I haven't always been allies and my indifference towards Estel is…"

"It's not that. I trust you to keep this to yourself. It's just…if what you saw in your dream was real, which it obviously was as there is no other way you could possibly know Estel's…secret, then what you and I feel about our sons is also real, which means we probably have little time left."

"So, what do we do now?" Thranduil asked, glad to have someone who could offer advice as he was rapidly running out of ideas.

"Well, we can't do anything until dawn. At first light I think we should continue along this path. So far you and your dreams are the only lead we have and I am willing to put a little faith in that for now. Until morning I suggest we all get some sleep." Elrond stood up, placing his glass down on the ground. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I should go and update my sons. They are anxious for news of their brother."

~*~

Seeing the stars peeking out through fleeting breaks in the clouds cheered Legolas somewhat.

Somehow Aragorn had managed to drift off into a light sleep where he stood but Legolas could not do the same. Although still in physical pain, it was more the memories that pained and haunted him now, making him afraid of what he might see in his dreams if he allowed himself to sleep. His body didn't seem to be craving as much rest as he thought it should be at this point, allowing him to stay far more alert than he expected. This worried him slightly. Every other time he had been severely injured the familiar tiredness would settle in, eventually forcing him into a deep sleep that allowed his body to heal itself much faster. Of course, he knew it was far too dangerous to do that here. It didn't really concern him that much anyway. He wanted to stay awake, wanted to remain alert. Besides, someone needed to stay with Aragorn.

He sighed softly to himself, once more strolling silently around the dark yard. The guards had left the doors to the building unlocked that night but people stayed inside anyway, relishing the peace while they could. However, now being alone with his thoughts troubled Legolas. He couldn't allow his mind to drift to his mother again. That had been a mistake in the first place and he couldn't let it happen once more. Even a few short moments of memories made him crave his father's presence.

He knew fully well that Thranduil's continued support during his childhood had been paramount in helping him survive his ordeal. He would not have lived through it if Thranduil had pushed him away. He had clung to his father fiercely in those first few weeks. The one good thing that had come out of that terrible incident was that he and his father had grown closer. Previously, Thranduil had always been so engrossed in his work around the kingdom that he had found it difficult to spend a lot of time with his son, leaving much of the parenting up to his wife. But after Nienna's death, Legolas had come to him more often and he had come to accept his primary role as parent rather than king.

It had not been easy - endless nights of crying, his constant need for contact and reassurance, the utter terror that haunted his waking hours. Trying to calm a distraught Elfling whilst simultaneously running a kingdom smoothly had taken its toll on Thranduil at times. He had come to believe that he had to put his son first though, a concept he had never fully grasped before Nienna's death.

A clingy Legolas had relied so much on the strength of his father when he was young. Although his dependency had naturally diminished as he entered his adult years, Legolas had always gone to Thranduil when he needed comfort despite never being able to fully explain himself to his father. Thranduil knew all too well that his only son still suffered greatly with the memories of that fateful day and he had been more than willing to cater to his son's increased needs. It didn't matter how old his son got or how well he appeared to be doing, there was always a deep melancholy around the young prince. Most people would never notice it when Legolas put his mask of indifference up but Thranduil always sensed it within him. Sometimes it was as though one small misstep could send his son over the edge.

Legolas had never allowed this to happen though. He buried the memories and tried to shut Nienna from his heart so it couldn't hurt him anymore. Had he not the memories would have torn him to pieces. Legolas knew that this wasn't the best way to deal with his grief. Thranduil also knew this but he could not bring himself to force Legolas to face what had happened. The prince had never fully revealed to Thranduil what exactly had happened in that cave. He had told Elrond bits and pieces and of course Galadriel had a good idea but he never spoke openly about it.

Over the years Thranduil had spoken to some of the best minds in the Elven realms about how he should deal with his son. All had agreed that time was all they could give him. Legolas would come to one of them when he was ready. That day had still not come though and they remained reluctant to push him too far.

Time moved on and Legolas grew older and stronger. Venturing further away from Mirkwood allowed him to bury the past even deeper but it was always at risk of breaking through the strong barriers he put up around his grief. Sometimes, between bouts of nightmares, he could almost believe that it had not happened or that he had indeed fully recovered. Then something would happen – a nightmare of a memory – and the illusion would be shattered and Legolas would suffer all over again.

Although he had never allowed himself to fully remember what happened, it was always with him, like he knew it but couldn't quite bring himself to actually picture it. That came in his nightmares.

He had suffered the terrible dreams ever since he had found out about his mother's death from his father. Sometimes they were vague distortions of what had happened, other times they were shockingly real, right down to the smell of the blood and his mother's muffled cries. After a while though, they had changed. In many ways it was worse. They stopped being so real and instead became horrific mockeries of his mother and what the Orcs had done to her. These were infinitely more disturbing, more frightening. For although they were not wholly real there was a streak of what happened running through them and it seemed to be highlighted more in these than the completely realistic dreams.

After Nienna's death, Legolas had not left his father's side for weeks. He knew how hard his mother's death had hit his father as well and he felt guilty for making things worse for the king. When he had tentatively voiced these concerns, his father had shushed him, telling him that no matter what he'd always be there for him. That conversation had been at the forefront of his mind for a long time. However, as he got older, Legolas realised that he couldn't lean on Thranduil forever, no matter how much he wanted to remain in that comfort zone. He had trained with the Mirkwood Guard, a requirement for the future king, and had been sent on numerous missions into the forest to rid it of Orcs and Giant Spiders. This had brought him a great deal of pleasure, taking revenge on those monsters that had stolen away his childhood.

Truth be known, he still couldn't stand the sight of Orcs. They reminded him of what had happened and that wasn't always helpful in battle. They did provide their own kind of therapy though. Taking his anger out on them helped more than he would have thought possible. It didn't 'cure' him - that was impossible. No matter how many Orcs he killed it was never enough; he always wanted to kill more. Revenge was not an easy thing to live with and in truth he could never hope to achieve it because it would never be enough to avenge his mother's death. Nothing could make right what they had put wrong no matter how hard he tried. This was, in fact, a deeply depressing thought, that he would suffer for the rest of his eternal life.

Only his father kept him sane. The king needed him to be strong. Before, it had been fairly easy to do. Now, in the encampment, it seemed nearly impossible. Although he had tried to deny it to himself and Aragorn, he was slipping. He had managed to prevent it when at home but in here there was no support, nothing he could cling to. He needed his father and unfortunately, Aragorn was a poor substitute no matter how hard he tried. It didn't help that the Master and Kallon both knew exactly how to torture him now. He was trying hard to keep himself focused but it was difficult when there was nothing to grasp hold of anymore. He knew that Aragorn wanted him to say something to keep them both hopeful but he couldn't find the words like he used to be able to.

Aragorn had to be his priority now. The one thing that was keeping him from falling into despair in their prison was the man who now needed help. Once they were out of here…well, he couldn't think about that right now.

~*~

Mirkwood's guards dutifully patrolled the perimeter of their king's camp. They were always on high alert when outside the confines of Mirkwood's stronghold. Their job was to protect the king, even when the whole royal family was falling into desperation. The king's welfare was the most important thing at any time. Although they were often given additional orders to protect the crown prince over the king they could never sacrifice Thranduil for Legolas no matter what. That was why this mission was especially strange for them. To search for the prince was perfectly acceptable. Any one of them would have gladly given their lives for the king's only son but having their ruling monarch with them made things so much more complicated. Their guard had to be constantly up. Unfortunately this meant that they were mostly distracted from the actual search.

The trees gradually began to clear a little and the guards slowed their steps. Their mission was to try to figure out where exactly they were as well as checking the area was secure. Their search stopped suddenly though when they heard the soft murmur of voices in the distance. In absolute silence they all drew their arrows and crept quietly forwards.

Coming to the edge of the trees, the captain stopped and raised his hand to halt the other guards. Just a few feet in front of them two men in uniform were strolling around the perimeter of a high metal fence. The Captain of the Mirkwood Royal Guard motioned for his people to remain on alert but not to fire their arrows without authorisation. He walked slowly around to get a better look at what they were dealing with, keeping his eyes on the men at all times. Luckily, being humans they couldn't pick up the soft footsteps of the Elves just feet away from them. It also helped that the Mirkwood Guard spent years training and fighting in the forest so were completely used to working in unison with nature around them.

"I want to examine this further," the captain said in a voice so low that even the sharpest human ears couldn't pick it up. The other Elves all nodded and took up cover positions.

The captain crept through the forest, at last taking his eyes off the guards safe in the knowledge that he was well covered by his soldiers. His attention turned to the fence the men were patrolling. He had never seen anything like it. The high, seemingly impenetrable fence surrounded several huge buildings and what looked like a tunnel leading beneath the ground. He briefly remembered the king mentioning that their prince was being kept in some kind of mining facility by men. Thranduil's 'intuition' had led them to this very spot. Surely all this couldn't simply be coincidence.

Beyond the fence, the Elf's sharp eyes caught sight of dozens of Men milling around, all in the same uniform and all bearing weapons of some kind. Although the captain couldn't see any evidence of prisoners he had seen enough to convince him that this was what they had been searching for. Once more scanning the place with his eyes, the captain headed back towards his guards. Just as he returned to their side though, he heard something rustling behind them. He and the others turned just in time to see the human thrust his long sword into the chest of one of the Elven guards. Before the stricken Elf even breathed his last the man had three arrows sticking out of him.

"We have to get out of here now," the captain hissed urgently.

"But, sir, what about…?" one of his guards protested quietly.

"We'll come back later," he replied sadly, looking down at his fallen colleague. As his soldiers filed out of the clearing and disappeared back into the trees, the captain bent and ripped the insignia off the man's sleeve. It had the number 2000 printed on it. Although this didn't mean anything to the Elf, he thought it might hold some significance and so he stuffed it into his pocket and turned to follow his guards to fade into the trees. No one in the encampment ever saw or heard them.

* * *

**To Be Continued...**


	72. Signs

**Disclaimer: **I own nothing Tolkien created.

* * *

**Sold Into Ruin**

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**A/N: Thank you to everyone who reviewed the last chapter, I very much appreciated your responses and I do try to reply to each of them.**

**Enjoy chapter 72!!**

**~*~**

**Chapter 72 ~ Signs**

**~*~**

The skies finally opened and rain pounded down onto the encampment. Aragorn was instantly woken by the cold water showering him and he looked up to the sky darkly as if it might somehow apologise for waking him up. When he realised that this was extremely unlikely to happen he sighed and looked down to Legolas, who was stood near him, his eyes closed tight and his face to the heavens. Elves did not mind the rain. They rejoiced in all aspects of the nature around them, even the things Men considered annoyances. However, considering everything that had happened to the prince lately, Aragorn was a little concerned about him being out in the cold rain for too long.

As if sensing being watched, blue eyes turned to the man and Aragorn smiled gently to his friend.

"More rain," he said, stating the obvious and then cursing himself for saying something so utterly unneeded and stupid.

"More rain," Legolas merely echoed, his voice tired but free of annoyance. He stepped closer to the man who was wriggling slightly in the confines of his restraints, hoping to take some of the strain off his body. The pounding rain didn't exactly help the pain his wounds caused him although his body was starting to grow a little numb from the cold, which was probably a good thing. Legolas didn't seem to mind any of this though. In fact, he looked positively pleased at the change in the weather.

"How are you feeling?" Aragorn asked, although he knew he wouldn't get an honest answer. Still, it helped distract him so it was worth a try.

"Better," Legolas answered quickly and for a moment Aragorn could actually believe it. Legolas did look a little better than the last time he saw him. He knew, however, that the weather would not do his body any good. At that moment he was extremely vulnerable and his wounds could so easily become infected and the prince simply wouldn't be able to handle that added complication.

"You should go back inside before you freeze to death out here," the man advised seriously.

"Elves don't suffer from the cold, Estel," Legolas reminded him with a short laugh.

"Not normally but your condition is hardly normal. Go back inside, mellon nin." His voice was gentle, knowing this was hard for his friend. Instead of arguing as he normally would have, Legolas merely nodded meekly.

"You'll be alright out here all on your own?" he asked in concern, looking deep into Aragorn's eyes.

The man couldn't hold Legolas' stare for long so he looked towards the building instead. "I'll be fine. Get inside before you get too cold." He turned his face back to Legolas in time to see him nod and walk away. Aragorn had been bracing himself for an argument. To see Legolas submit so easily was disheartening. As the door to the building closed behind Legolas, Aragorn bowed his head again. Although he was concerned for Legolas, he was also worried for himself. This kind of weather, although he had experienced it many, many times before, was not the kind of thing Men should be exposed to for too long. They were susceptible to the chills and illnesses that Elves were immune to. However, being a Ranger he had had to brave this kind of weather before so he was quite used to it. He had never been in quite this situation before though.

~*~

Legolas wandered slowly into the building, silently pleased to be sheltered from the weather. The rain had hurt his back more than he would ever admit to Aragorn. He stepped over the people sleeping on the floor, his footfalls not making any sound. He found his empty position on the floor and sat down gingerly. He closed his eyes against the pain and sighed gently. This was getting harder. The chill that ran through his body causing him to shiver confirmed this thought.

A hand on his shoulder forced him to open his eyes. He turned and saw Jasmine looking down at him.

"Are you alright?" she whispered so as not to disturb the others who were sleeping.

He smiled falsely at her and nodded. "Fine."

"You should try and get some sleep," she said.

"Yes, Estel," he laughed teasingly. He heard her laugh too, although it seemed more than a little strained.

"Sorry. Do you want to sleep up here? It'll be more comfortable."

"No, I'm fine, thank you. You get some rest yourself." Jasmine nodded and did as he said, wrapping a blanket around herself and lying down. In seconds she was asleep. It took Legolas a little longer though. Memories plagued him and he didn't know if he could trust himself to sleep without being haunted by his past. Before, he had been merely been concerned about feeling these things, now he was outright terrified of what he might see in his dreams. He had never been in this kind of situation before. There had always been some grounding for him and now he was all alone and he knew he couldn't allow himself to let go now.

Eventually though darkness claimed him. Although he was afraid he couldn't stop his eyes from closing, rather unnaturally, and his mind drifting off into deep oblivion.

~*~

"Your Majesty," the captain pulled back the tent flaps to reveal his king asleep on the low bed. Upon hearing his captain's voice though, Thranduil was instantly sat up and forcing himself towards alertness. "Forgive me, Your Majesty," he apologised when he realised he must have woken the king.

"It's fine. What is wrong?" Thranduil asked, swinging his legs over the edge of the bed and facing his captain.

"I think we may have found where Prince Legolas is being kept."

"What?" Thranduil asked, standing suddenly, all his attention now devoted to the Elf standing before him.

"There is some kind of camp just through the forest. It seemed to be made up of a number of buildings holding prisoners. It is possible Prince Legolas is being kept there although I didn't see him. There was also some kind of mine, it looked active."

"You found him?" Thranduil breathed in amazement, hope brightening his eyes.

"We do not know for certain, my Lord. We did run into a man in the forest. We managed to dispose of him but it might not be too long before he's discovered."

"Then we need to move quickly. Assemble the guards. We have to find Legolas, before it is too late," Thranduil said, his voice carrying an edge of urgency beneath the excitement.

"Your Majesty, we have to consider that…"

"What?" Thranduil challenged, having an idea what the captain was about to suggest.

"We have to consider the possibility that we are already too late to help the prince."

For a moment, Thranduil couldn't speak; he just stared at the captain in shock. "Legolas is your prince and therefore still your commanding officer. The next time you even suggest that we give up on him I will have you thrown into the dungeons beneath Mirkwood for the rest of your life. Is that understood?" Thranduil's eyes bore into the captain's until the Elf had to look away for fear that if he looked any longer a part of his soul would be ripped from him and be caught forever in the swirling depths of the king's striking blue eyes. Thranduil had not often scared him before but when he wanted to, the king could paralyse someone with his stare.

"Yes, Your Majesty," the captain said, bowing in apology to his king.

"We will wait for dawn and then scout out the camp. Then we are going to find my son. Is that clear?" Thranduil said, his voice full of his normal regal authority.

"Yes, Sire."

"Good. Now, go and find Lord Elrond and give him the news."

With a respectful bow, the Captain of the Mirkwood Guard retreated from the royal tent. He couldn't help breathing a sigh of relief when he was outside in the fresh air. He had forgotten how intense his king could be sometimes. It only proved that he was more worried about his son than he was letting on. In all honesty, the captain couldn't help but think that maybe they were already too late. Not that he would ever admit that to Thranduil again. He wouldn't have the nerve.

~*~

One of the 6000 guards was making a routine patrol of the woods. One of the other guards had said that they had heard rustling in the trees and when they had informed Kallon he had commanded that one of his own people check it out. This particular guard was fed up of following the man; he seemed to cause nothing but trouble and he was certain that Kallon's agenda was different to that of the Master. However, he still wasn't going to disobey him. The guard had seen what Kallon was capable of when it came to disobedience.

The guard tried his best to search the forest floor thoroughly but it was too dark to see much of anything. The moon was shrouded by the trees and only just filtered through the dense leaves now the rain had subsided a little. However, the guard's search came to an abrupt halt when he tripped over something and fell hard to the ground. It didn't take him a second to get back on his feet though. At first he thought he had simply tripped over a branch or tree root but when he looked closer a familiar shape came into focus. When the moonlight grew a little stronger, the guard saw a flash of gold. He looked even closer and saw a perfect, pale face staring lifelessly back at him.

With a sharp cry, the guard stumbled backwards.

"Help!" he shouted into the woods. "I've found something. Help!" the guard yelled loudly to alert the others who were searching nearby.

He stayed well away from the body though. For some reason it looked like it could just sit up and attack him at any moment. Caution was definitely called for.

~*~

The lead guard in charge of the search walked proudly behind the body that was being dragged into the main building by two other 6000's. When they reached the waiting Kallon they let go and the body fell limply onto the floor at the leader's feet.

"What is this?" Kallon asked, as though he had never seen a dead body before.

"We found him in the woods along with one of our own dead," the search leader said.

Kallon bent down and examined the back of the body. He picked distastefully at the clothing. "Turn him over," he commanded, giving the body a sharp kick as if he needed to illustrate his point. When the body was lying on its back Kallon pulled the hair away from the pale face and instantly recognised him as an Elf. The pointed ears confirmed his initial observation. Slowly, he stood up straight, kicking the body hard as he said, "Get rid of that. And then search the woods again for intruders. I want everyone on alert and put extra guards on the 6000 building. If there is one out there, there are likely to be more. I don't want any more surprises." He stared at the body as it was pulled away from him. "Find the other Elf's clothes," he ordered another guard. Then he went back to his desk and sat down slowly, deep in thought.

For such a long time he had been expecting something like this and he was amazed that it had taken the King of Mirkwood so long. He knew fully well there was no way he could ransom the Elven prisoner off, he would be killed before he could even set his hands on the gold. So there was only one solution. One that he had wanted to do for ages and something he would enjoy immensely.

He had to kill Legolas.

**To Be Continued…**


	73. Killing You Softly

**Disclaimer: **I own nothing Tolkien created.

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**Sold Into Ruin**

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**A/N: Thank you to everyone who has reviewed or added me to their favourites/alerts lists or anyone who is just reading. I appreciate it and hope you'll continue to enjoy the story.**

**~*~**

**Chapter 73 ~ Killing You Softly**

**~*~**

"My Lord, I believe we have been discovered," Kallon spoke with soft urgency – tainted with a little bit of excitement that he tried to hide - to Torvan who was lounging in Kallon's desk chair whilst the man paced up and down the length of his office. When he received no similarly concerned answer from Torvan he spun on his heels and asked angrily, "Did you hear what I just said? Torvan, we found an Elf in the forest." He threw the Elven tunic he'd been holding in his hand at the Elven apparition, who caught it effortlessly but still said nothing. "Legolas' tunic," Kallon explained seriously. "And this one," he picked up another almost identical tunic and held it up to show Torvan, "is the one we took from the dead body in the woods."

"Interesting," Torvan said flippantly only glancing down once at the green tunic he held in his hand.

"Interesting?" Kallon spat out in incredulous annoyance. "Are you blind? They are nearly identical. Look. They bear exactly the same motif and they're exactly the same colour. This here is the emblem of the Mirkwood Guard. You've heard of them, right? The very best trained and most feared army this side of the Misty Mountains. The Guard who would lay their lives on the line in the protection of their royal family, one of which we just so happen to have locked up in one of our buildings." Still Torvan said nothing. "Are you not even a little worried that in a few hours we are all likely to be slaughtered in our sleep by very annoyed Elves?" Kallon shouted angrily, throwing the tunic he was holding to the floor in his rage.

"No, I am not worried," Torvan finally simply replied, standing up calmly and staring unflinchingly into Kallon's eyes. "I do not sleep and nor can I die so what have I to fear?" the Elf smiled almost pleasantly. Kallon watched him in stunned disgust. "You, however, are liable to die if attacked by the most fearsome warriors this side of the Misty Mountains so I suggest that you do something about it as quickly as possible. I would hate for all this to have been for nothing."

"That's it? That's your advice? Hope they don't attack and if they do just…lie down and die?" Kallon yelled, now fully recovered from his shock.

"What else do you suggest?"

"Get rid of the prince before they realise we have him. We can pretend we never had him in the first place, they'll never know any different," Kallon stated eagerly, pleased that he could at last present a reasonable excuse for killing the Elf.

"And you honestly think that will help?" Torvan asked in a mocking tone. "Even if you do kill the prince you still have Estel to worry about. The Mirkwood Guard knows him as well."

"Then we kill him too," Kallon said, his excitement growing at the prospect.

"Great, and then everyone else who has come into contact with Legolas and Estel," Torvan sneered sarcastically. "That meddlesome woman to start with. She wouldn't hesitate in telling Thranduil and his guard what we did to their precious prince. And, of course, the boy. Followed by everyone else they have poisoned with their ridiculous idealism. And even if by some miracle that did work, it wouldn't change the fact that what we're doing here is against Gondorian law. Thranduil may not hold much sway over Men but Estel's father does. What about him? Elrond of Rivendell would only need to say the word to the Steward and every guard in Gondor would be here in a matter of days to set everyone free and kill the perpetrators, namely, you, then raze the place to the ground."

"Then what am I supposed to do?" Kallon asked, his mounting frustration allowing him to speak more frankly to his master than he would normally have done.

"Nothing."

"Nothing?" Kallon repeated in amazement. "You may be impervious to harm but I am not. I am mortal. Thranduil can kill me and everyone else in this encampment if he wants. 'Nothing' is not good enough."

"Who are you to tell me what to do?" Torvan suddenly yelled, rising to his full impressive height and seeming to turn the entire room a dark black colour. "You chose my side. You are under my command. Is that clear?" Torvan shouted. Although mostly calm and serene, Torvan could change in an instant – as he had just proven – to the unstable and outright terrifying opposite. When he got like this it reminded Kallon very much of the Master; deep and dark and scary. Not the kind of person you would want to ally yourself with.

"I am sorry," Kallon said, bowing his head in shame.

Torvan's spectral growth ceased and he returned to his normal Elven form, although now he seemed darker than he did before. He walked up to Kallon and placed a surprisingly delicate but freezing cold hand on Kallon's shoulder. "I understand your concerns but this is for the best. Do not concern yourself with the future, that is decided by far more potent powers than yourself. Your only concern should be with completing your task. Our plan is almost complete. When Legolas falls, Estel will be ours. For now, that is all that is important. We will deal with Thranduil and his people when the time comes. He won't be a problem once Legolas is dead. Kill the son and the father will fall."

With that, Torvan disappeared right in front of Kallon's eyes. It never ceased to amaze Kallon how he could do that. Still, Torvan was his boss and he would so as commanded. He walked over to the desk and picked up the tunic, discarded by Torvan, and inspected it closely.

Shaking his head, Kallon realised that it wouldn't happen quickly enough. He needed to end this now. If Thranduil was coming to get them, which he obviously was, he needed to kill Legolas now. Then Estel would be completely at their mercy. Once that happened, Kallon wouldn't need Torvan anymore, or the Master. All he needed to do was get that Elf out of the way. That was going to be the difficult part. Legolas seemed almost too resilient – even for an Elf. However, he knew he just needed the right trigger. After that, Estel and the future would be his.

~*~

Dawn woke Aragorn. When he opened his eyes he was greeted by Jasmine, holding a cup of water out to him.

"Good morning," she smiled brightly.

"Is it?" he answered, showing none of her previous cheerfulness.

"Are you thirsty? I brought you some water." He nodded and she put the cup to his lips and tipped it slightly so he could drink.

When he had had enough, he pulled back slightly and she obediently removed the cup, quickly downing the remainder herself. "Where is Legolas?" he asked, looking around as though the Elf would just magically appear.

"He was fast asleep this morning when I got up. He looked so exhausted last night so I thought it best to just leave him for a while," she sighed, deeply concerned about the Elf.

"Good idea." Aragorn's own worry had grown throughout the night but it was a small comfort that he was at least getting some rest now, which was probably what he needed more than anything right then. "And what about you? Are you alright after…what happened yesterday?" he asked cautiously.

"Fine. Better than fine, actually. I…it was really nice," she muttered shyly. "Don't you think?"

"Absolutely," Aragorn agreed enthusiastically. "Actually, I was thinking if it's not too fast and if you want to, maybe you and Nienna could…come and live with me in Imladris. I mean, you'll need somewhere to stay when we get out of here and I just thought that you might like to see Rivendell and meet my father, he really isn't as stern as people always make out and I know that he will like you and Legolas said that it was a good idea and they say you should always trust an Elf and…"

"Estel, you are babbling," Jasmine laughed gently, cutting him off before he passed out from lack of oxygen. "I would love to see Imladris and meet your father. And I think Legolas is very wise and that we should not disregard his advice." Although she laughed at him she was secretly relieved. Ever since they had been speaking of the possibility of escaping she had been worried about what she would do afterwards.

She had been taken from her home so long ago that she had no idea whether it was even still there after so many years. From that day on she had lived in the encampment with the men who had captured her. She had no real experience of the outside world no matter how much she wanted to be in it. That Estel was willing to take her in meant a lot to her and it relieved her fears that she might be left alone to tend to Nienna, a job that she had to admit she was not entirely prepared for. Estel was strong and dependable. He knew how to take care of himself and that made her feel infinitely better about all this.

"Great. Wonderful," Aragorn grinned. Although he knew he shouldn't be feeling overwhelming happiness in their current situation, he couldn't help the smile that seemed right then as though it would never fade. She laughed at his happiness.

However, his smile quickly fell from his face when he heard footsteps coming towards their building. He turned his head and saw Kallon, along with a host of guards, marching purposefully towards them.

"Go back inside," he told Jasmine seriously. She nodded and ran back into the building, away from the possible trouble Kallon was about to cause Aragorn.

Kallon merely smiled at Aragorn, striding right past him. "Sleep well?" he taunted, ignoring Aragorn's piercing gaze. He continued towards the building and walked inside. All movement immediately ceased and everyone's attention turned to Kallon. Legolas was sat up, his hand on Jasmine's arm, trying to soothe her after she had run into the building to shake him awake and tell him what was happening with Aragorn. Kallon completely ignored all the other people in the building and fixed his stare on Legolas. The Elf refused to look away though, staring back with equal hatred and intensity. Slowly, he stood up, ignoring the fact that Jasmine was still gripping onto his arm.

"Outside," Kallon growled in a low, dangerous voice.

Immediately, Legolas took a step forward, easily disentangling Jasmine's arm from his own when she tried to hold him back. He walked through the nervous, scared looking people, who all parted to let him pass. For now Kallon had no interest in them and they didn't want to change that if they could help it.

When Legolas reached Kallon, the man pointed to the doors, gesturing for him to go through the open doors and outside. Once more he obeyed immediately. He knew something bad was coming and although he didn't know what exactly he wasn't going to chance risking his own or Aragorn's life further. When he got outside he saw Aragorn still tied to the post so obviously Kallon wasn't planning anything with him, for which Legolas was extremely grateful. He couldn't watch his best friend get hurt again.

"So here we are again," Kallon said, although there was no annoyance or mockery in his voice this time. He just sounded…dejected, which seemed to worry Legolas even more than if he had been yelling.

"What do you want?" Legolas asked cautiously. Really, he was too tired for any more of Kallon's games.

"I want absolutely nothing more from you, _Prince of Mirkwood_." Legolas looked up sharply at the stressed title. Of course, he knew that the Master, Torvan and Kallon knew all about his heritage but they had never openly discussed it. "Oh, yes, we know all about you, Legolas. I know that your father is Thranduil, King of Mirkwood, and I know that somehow he has managed to track you down."

"What?" Legolas asked, his eyes lighting up for the briefest second before he realised that if it was Kallon and not Thranduil who stood here then nothing good had come from Thranduil's searching.

"Oh, yes, he was here," Kallon grinned cruelly.

"Was?" Legolas asked in a choked voice, his heart beating wildly in his chest at the mere thought of what Kallon might say next.

"I just had no idea that the mighty King of Mirkwood could be so utterly - how can I put it? – stupid. I mean, there he was, camped just outside the encampment, just sitting and waiting for us to find him and his pathetic guards."

"No," Legolas breathed.

"Oh yes, Legolas. Daddy really did try his very best to save you but it just wasn't good enough. He failed to rescue you, just as you failed to rescue your mother all those years ago."

"You're lying!" Legolas accused fiercely, tears forming in his eyes at the mere thought of his father being dead.

"Really?" Kallon smiled, snatching a blood-stained Mirkwood-green tunic from one of his guards. He held it up for Legolas to see, making certain the Mirkwood emblem was clearly visible, before throwing it at a stunned Legolas' feet. The prince's eyes followed the movement down, simply unable to look away. Legolas could do nothing but stare down at the offending item helplessly. He could think of nothing to say through his shock and outright terror. Blood pounded in his ears and his legs suddenly grew weak beneath him. "Daddy didn't even fight back. Would you like to know exactly how it happened?" Legolas obviously didn't answer but Kallon replied anyway. "An arrow, right through his heart. It went right the way through and came out the other side. Would it help you to know that he didn't suffer?"

"No," Legolas whispered, rejecting the claim that his father was dead rather than answering Kallon's cold question.

"Good because he did," Kallon laughed. "Oh, he suffered greatly before he died. It was a slow, lingering death at our hands. You know, I don't think you really deserve to have parents at all. You only bring them pain and death. Well, at least you have… No, wait, you don't have anyone now, do you? There's no one left."

"Shut up! Leave him alone," Aragorn shouted, having recovered enough from his shock to force the words out. Someone needed to say something, Legolas was rendered completely speechless. The man was, of course, close enough to hear every word that Kallon said and close enough to see the utter devastation on Legolas' face when he heard the man's cruel words.

"You keep out of this. It's none of your business," Kallon shouted back. "Tell me, Legolas, what happens to Elves when they have nothing left? Surely you cannot go on living, not without your beloved father." Legolas let out a half-whimper, half-sob despite himself and this seemed to cheer Kallon greatly. "I know, it hurts, doesn't it? It feels like your heart is being ripped out of your chest and thrown in the dirt and left for the birds to feast on. I understand that feeling, Legolas. My own father died when I was young. Although at least that wasn't my fault." By now tears were flowing freely down Legolas' face as he continued to stare at the increasingly blurred tunic. Although he tried to block out Kallon's cruel words, they pierced through him, reaching his very core. "You're all alone now with no one to save you. You have no one left in the world. Just you, all alone. Sad and alone."

"Please, leave him alone," Aragorn cried desperately. Although he didn't even particularly like the Mirkwood King, seeing Legolas like this was heart-breaking, particularly considering everything else that was happening.

"You Estel…you have helped a great deal. Telling us all about Thranduil's battle strategy - that information came in very handy when we went after him."

Legolas' head snapped towards Aragorn and the man was almost bowled over by the pain that was swirling within those sapphire eyes. The Elven prince looked questioningly towards Aragorn, although there was obvious betrayal there as well.

"That's not true," Aragorn yelled. "It's not true, Legolas. I told him nothing," Aragorn repeated more quietly this time.

"Come on, Estel. It was only fair. Legolas told me about your escape plan, it's only right that you should do something against him. Evens the odds somewhat, don't you think, Legolas?"

Legolas' eyes were still fixed disbelievingly on Aragorn though. He couldn't answer Kallon through his all-encompassing grief.

"Legolas, mellon nin, don't listen to him. I told him nothing about you or your father. You have to believe me. You know I would never do that to you," Aragorn pleaded desperately. Although he wanted to believe that Legolas thought him incapable of such a thing, those eyes were so full of pain and anger and confusion that he felt the need to fervently deny everything Kallon said. "He's lying, Legolas. Please, you have to trust me."

"Trust him? Wasn't he the one who got you into this in the first place? If only he had listened to you back in that tavern. Right now you could be back at home with your father. Both of you could be alive and well. And yet you are here in my captivity with nothing left. Nothing at all."

"Legolas, please…"

"Oh come on. You don't really think that I, a simple soldier, could take down the great and powerful King of Mirkwood without some kind of insider knowledge of what he is capable of. And who else would know the king's strategy half as well as your most trusted friend Estel?" Kallon laughed at the scene before him, one that he himself had created and was now revelling in.

"Legolas, don't listen to him. He's lying to you," Aragorn shouted, tears in his own eyes now. "You know he's lying to you."

"Estel…" Legolas whispered weakly, his voice broken by grief.

"Legolas, please you have to believe me," Aragorn desperately pleaded.

"Of course he doesn't believe you. Why should he? Wasn't it you who brought Torvan into the fold? Wasn't it you who started the rivalry with Jadan? You. You. You. You are responsible for everything bad that has happened to him. I mean, look. He wouldn't even be here if it wasn't for you." Kallon wandered over to Aragorn and looked deep into his eyes. "And now you have helped take away the one thing he has ever loved in the world." At these cruel words, Legolas let out a stricken cry and fell to his knees, as if his legs could no longer support the weight of his grief.

"No," Aragorn cried out. "Legolas, please. Leave him alone."

"Your wish is my command," Kallon bowed mockingly. "Never mind Legolas, we all have to go some time," the man said, kicking dust towards Legolas as he walked away, shouting back at his guards. "Untie the man. I have no further use for either of them."

As the gates were slammed closed behind the guards and Kallon, there was a bright smile on the man's face. That had gone far better than he had ever expected it to. He had successfully vilified Legolas' only remaining ally and broken his spirit all in one go. Perfect. When he stepped back into his office though, the smile lingered until he noticed Torvan lounging in his chair.

"What are you so happy about? I thought you were panicking about your imminent death," the Elf said nonchalantly.

"You wanted the Elf dead and the man broken and that's what you have," Kallon said happily, sitting in the chair opposite and smiling at Torvan.

The apparition sat up straight and looked disbelievingly at Kallon. "Legolas is dead?"

"He soon will be," Kallon smiled.

"How? How did you do it so quickly without slitting his throat?"

"You just have to know which buttons to press," the man answered cryptically.

"Good. Then everything is set. Now all we need is time."

"Time," Kallon repeated in agreement.

**To Be Continued…**

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**A/N: Yes, please form an orderly queue to kill Kallon…**

**Thanks for reading and please leave a review. Thanks…**


	74. Falling Angel

**Disclaimer: **I own nothing Tolkien created.

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**Sold Into Ruin**

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**A/N: Wow, you guys really want Kallon dead. I loved your fun suggestions on how to kill him. Hopefully, someone will also think of one of them should the time come.**

**Thanks to everyone who's reading and leaving a review. Enjoy chapter 74.**

**~*~**

**Chapter 74 ~ Falling Angel**

**~*~**

The very second the guard cut Aragorn's ropes he rushed over to Legolas, who was still knelt on the ground staring blankly at the bloodied tunic. Skidding to a halt on his knees, Aragorn placed a trembling hand on Legolas' slumped shoulder. The Elf didn't so much as acknowledge him. Aragorn could do nothing but watch as tears continued to fall from the prince's grief-clouded eyes. The man found that he was at a complete loss at how to help his friend. What could he possibly say to make this right? Nothing would sound right in the wake of Kallon's cold words.

In the doorway of the building a group of slaves had gathered to watch the commotion but now their interest had turned into sadness. Jasmine and Arron were stood at the front of the group, the former cradling Nienna in her arms and the latter clinging onto her dress. Half of the slaves watching them were rather bewildered at their own reaction to what had just occurred. Why should they care what happened to these two trouble-makers? They had no real interest in them. It was each for his own in this place, it always had been and yet now they were actually concerned about the Elf and his companion. Even Jadan was standing silently, watching the scene with interest.

They had all heard what Kallon had said to the prince and Estel. Most were shocked that there was actual royalty in their midst and they hadn't known a thing about it. Others were merely amazed at how low Kallon would stoop to get what he wanted. For the first time since the arrival of the two friends they seemed somehow…split. They had apparently betrayed each other and that treachery had led to the death of a family member. Almost all of them know what that felt like. The captives brought to the encampment who couldn't be made useful were executed, often in front of their loved ones to make them more pliable, to break their spirits. And now it appeared that Kallon had finally been allowed by the Master to use this technique on the two strangers.

All of Aragorn's attention right then was focused on his friend. He could almost feel the grief radiating off Legolas in waves and it seemed to seep into him as he thought of what Legolas must be feeling right then.

"Legolas," Aragorn said softly. Although he was expecting to be ignored, Legolas turned tear-filled eyes to him and Aragorn almost wished that he hadn't prompted the action. Never before had be been afraid to see what was hidden behind that careful mask Legolas kept up but now he was outright terrified of what he might find. "I…I'm so sorry, mellon nin," he breathed.

Legolas kept his eyes, which were now as cold as ice, fixed on Aragorn, who was looking to the ground in shame. "I know," the prince whispered softly.

This made Aragorn raise his gaze to meet Legolas'. For a moment they simply stared into each other's eyes and Aragorn was surprised to find that holding the Elf's gaze was not as difficult as he expected it to be. For a moment he couldn't understand why but then he saw it. There was no resentment there, only pure grief. Kallon had told Legolas that he had betrayed him, that it was his fault that Thranduil was dead and yet Aragorn didn't sense any anger towards him and it baffled him.

"Legolas, I didn't…I would never…I never told…Legolas, all those things Kallon said about me were lies. I swear on my life that I never told him anything about your father," he said quickly, knowing he would lose the nerve if he waited any longer.

Honestly, he expected something after that. Anger, tears. He got none of those things though.

Legolas held his gaze unwaveringly and simple said, "I know." Amazed, Aragorn smiled gently but wasn't surprised that Legolas could not return the gesture. His eyes seemed glued to Aragorn's and the man was forced to look away again, unable to hold the gaze. In a bid to avoid having to look up again, Aragorn reached over to pick up the bloodied tunic. He was stopped, however, when Legolas sharply ordered, "Don't."

"Sorry. I am so sorry. I know there's nothing I can say to make…" Aragorn whispered helplessly. The prince merely shook his head slowly. "Legolas?"

"I'm alright," Legolas whispered softly, although those two words were filled with so much grief that they were hard for Aragorn to listen to. "I'm alright," he repeated, although this time it came out more like a sob and he bent forward, picking up the tunic with rigid fingers and clutching it to his chest. Aragorn knew fully well there was nothing he could possibly say to make the prince feel better so lacking in words he did the next best thing and wrapped his arms around Legolas and held him as tightly as he could.

When he felt Aragorn's closeness, Legolas all but collapsed into his arms, clutching at the man's tunic and crying loudly into the wet fabric. As though the very heavens shared in his agony, it started raining again, making everything seem suddenly even bleaker than before. As Legolas cried hard against Aragorn, he was bombarded with memories of the past. He saw his mother lying in her white coffin surrounded by mourners, his strong father's grief-stricken face assuring him that everything would be fine. Thranduil had been the only thing that had gotten him through that terrible time, had been the only constant in his life, and now he was gone. Now he had no one to lean on for support, no one to comfort him, no one to understand the terrible aftermath of his mother's demise. He was all alone, just as Kallon had said.

Aragorn held his friend close and gently stroked his damp hair as he cried. Tears of grief fell from his own eyes. He felt Thranduil's death as though it were a member of his own family; not because he was close to the Elven King but because in the wake of his death he could feel Legolas also slipping away, as though every last bit of joy and happiness the prince had been clinging to was now being cried out of him. Losing Legolas would like losing a part of himself. His friend was almost as close to him as his adopted family.

A few of the slaves who had been observing them had by now returned to their beds whilst others remained loitering near-by as if waiting to see if there would be any more drama this day. Some of the more sympathetic ones though could not tear themselves away from the sight of Legolas and Estel sat on the ground crying together. One of those people was Jasmine. Tears blurred her vision as she watched the strong Elf fall apart in his friend's arms. Another such observer was Jadan. For the first time since she had known him he looked regretful, sad even. He was staring at Legolas, sobbing brokenly into his friend's chest, with what looked like pain. Jasmine walked over to the man and placed her hand reluctantly on his shoulder. He turned sharply to look at her for a moment before walking back into the building, shooting one last sorrowful look back at Legolas before he left.

Legolas' mind simply refused to work properly. It was as though everything had been so scrambled and mixed up that no one thought was recognisable any more. He could vaguely sense Aragorn close to him, could feel himself holding tightly onto the man as if he would fall apart completely should he pull away. He could feel rain and cold. Other than that he couldn't work out what was going on. He couldn't latch onto any one thing. He could hear himself crying and wanted to stop but he couldn't think straight enough to actually make it happen. He could feel himself growing colder and he wanted to go inside and get warm but he knew for a fact that he wouldn't be able to move.

He frantically searched for something for his mind to hold onto but he kept coming back to the image of his father, something that caused him too much pain to concentrate on. So he focused on Aragorn. On the man's gentle hands working through his hair, just like his mother had done when… His mother was an even worse topic to think of than his father. He whimpered under his breath and held onto Aragorn even tighter; trying to bury himself into the one thing he could really feel. When he did this, he heard Aragorn whisper something but he couldn't seem to translate the words as he normally could have.

Aragorn didn't know what else to do. He felt completely useless. There was nothing he could do to help Legolas now. There was nothing he could say to make it better so he began whispering reassurances in the Common Tongue and then in Elvish, hoping to offer some comfort.

Due to his complete confusion as to what to do, he was surprised when someone else took the next step for him. He didn't see anyone approach but he felt someone carefully place a blanket carefully around Legolas' trembling shoulders. Aragorn looked up, expecting to see Jasmine or even Arron but instead he was surprised to see Jadan looking down sympathetically at them. Now was not the time to question or argue though so Aragorn merely nodded his thanks before returning his attention to his distraught friend. Jadan nodded back though and then placed another blanket – his own, no doubt – over Aragorn's shoulders to protect against the cold and rain. Again the man looked shocked at this but nodded his thanks, not breaking his chain of reassurances to Legolas.

Slowly, Legolas' senses were beginning to return to him, although this wasn't necessarily a good thing. He felt someone placing a blanket around his shoulders, which reminded him of the pain his wounds were still causing him. Now though these seemed rather dim in comparison. He allowed his father to return to the forefront of his mind and cried harder as the images assaulted him.

"Ada," he whispered so quietly that not even Aragorn could hear it. Once he had said it though he couldn't stop himself saying it again. "Ada." This time, Aragorn did hear and tried to comfort him once more by rubbing his arm gently. "No," Legolas said loud enough for Jadan to hear this time. "No," he cried, as though denying everything he had just been told by Kallon.

"It's alright," Aragorn assured clearly, although the effort to keep his voice from cracking was almost too much.

"Ada. No. Please no," Legolas cried, his fingers gripping Aragorn's wet shirt. "Estel? Please no." For a minute or two, Legolas could do nothing but repeat this last part over and over again, as though in doing so he could change the fact that his father was really gone. "No, Estel, please."

"It's alright. I'm here. I'm right here," Aragorn whispered, stroking Legolas' hair again to prove his point.

"No! Ada, no. I can't…Please no." Legolas seemed to get more and more distraught the more he spoke. By saying it, although firmly denying what happened, he was making it more real for himself and he found that he couldn't stop the words flowing from his lips. "Estel, please," he whimpered despairingly.

"Shh, it's alright. I'm here."

"I'm so sorry, Ada. I'm sorry."

"Legolas, this is not your fault. There was nothing you could have done," Aragorn said softly, not liking that Legolas was already placing the blame on himself for his father's death. Legolas merely cried harder at the comforting words. "I'm here," Aragorn repeated again, not knowing what else to say.

"I can't…" Legolas cried.

For a moment Aragorn raised his face towards the heavens, hoping it might offer some inspiration as to how to help his friend. Nothing came though and he was forced to answer himself. "I know," he whispered brokenly. "I know."

"I'm sorry," Legolas breathed, calming down slightly now. "I'm so sorry."

"Shhhh, it's alright," Aragorn reassured.

For a long time they sat there on the ground, Legolas crying noisily into Aragorn's shirt, holding on as though he were his last anchor to this world. Jadan stood faithfully by their side and was soon joined by Jasmine. Neither of them said anything though. They could think of nothing suitable. Also the silence was so deep that it seemed that if they spoke everything around them would shatter into a thousand pieces.

When Legolas started trembling from the cold, Aragorn started to grow even more concerned than he was already. He raised his hand and placed the back against Legolas' wet cheek and was unsurprised to find it freezing cold. He wrapped the blanket tighter around the shaking Elf in an attempt to keep him warm.

"You are freezing, we should get you inside, it might be a little warmer in the dry," Aragorn said gently. Legolas gave no response, nor did he attempt to move. "Legolas?" The prince though could do nothing but whimper. "I know," Aragorn soothed softly, stroking his hand down wet, golden hair. "Come on, let's see if we can get you warm. Come on." As he said this, Legolas nodded very gently, not really wanting to move from his position but knowing that Aragorn was right. There was a deep chill running through, although he couldn't help but think that it had nothing to do with the weather.

"Alright," Aragorn said when Legolas was parted from him. The Elf kept his head hung but Aragorn could see he was still crying. "Come on, Legolas, I need you to stay with me, alright? I can't do this on my own. Please hold on for just a little while longer. For me." Legolas didn't respond and Aragorn looked up worryingly at Jasmine. "Let's get you inside and warm you up," he said, pulling the Elf's blanket tighter around him. Legolas ignored him and made no attempt to take the blanket himself. In his hand he still clutched the bloodied green tunic belonging to his father; his last link to his lost family.

Slowly, Aragorn helped Legolas get to his feet. Although the Elf stood up he was terribly unsteady. Aragorn kept ahold of his arm, worried he might fall without help. Usually, Legolas would have protested against this, insisting that he could walk himself. This time he said nothing though. His head remained bowed and he kept silent.

They had only taken a few steps forward before Legolas' legs grew weak beneath him once more. He fell against Aragorn with a weak cry. The man easily caught him and paused for a moment. As Legolas regained his footing Jadan appeared at his other side and gently wrapped his own arm around that of the prince's, taking some of his weight. Aragorn looked across with sad, appreciative eyes but didn't say anything. Together they walked with Legolas towards the doors of the building. Legolas had his head on Aragorn's shoulder as he walked and was still watching the ground. He was certain that without the help of the two men he would not have made it to the building.

When they slowly walked into the building all the slaves looked up and the building fell silent. Legolas didn't even acknowledge them. He kept his head on Aragorn's shoulder and his face to the ground. Jasmine walked ahead of them and arranged the blankets she had been sleeping on for him to lay down on. Carefully, as though he might break, Aragorn and Jadan sat Legolas down on the bench. Without hesitation, Legolas laid down and curled up, just as he had done when he returned from the cave over two and a half thousand years ago.

Aragorn crouched down in front of him so they were eye level. "You cannot lie on a wet blanket," he said softly. "Let's get you out of those wet clothes and into something warm." He knew this was impossible though. They had nothing warm. However, Legolas was vulnerable right then and the last thing he needed right then was to get sick. The only response he got was more tears. "Jasmine," he turned to the woman, who was stood patiently behind him, "perhaps you could get me some water and a clean cloth."

"Yes, of course," she said quietly, immediately going off to complete her task.

"We need to get him out of these wet clothes before he freezes to death," Aragorn told Jadan. The man nodded. Just a few minutes ago he had hated these people but now something had changed. No one deserved to go through what Legolas had just gone through. Right then, Jadan was prepared to do just about anything to help the Elf he had previously despised.

Turning around, Jadan was confronted with a group of the '6000' slaves watching him, Aragorn and Legolas. Apparently, they were all stunned by the sudden change in the building bully.

"What are you all looking at? Why don't you all go outside and give him some privacy for goodness sake?" he said firmly. Even though he was displaying an uncharacteristically tender side, he still held some sway over the slaves and with gentle murmurs they began filing out of the building.

"Impressive," Aragorn praised.

"Thank you. What do you need?"

"Lord Elrond and a well-equipped healing hall," Aragorn replied sarcastically.

"I can't do that but we have blankets," Jadan said, perfectly straight-faced.

"That'll have to do. Can you close those doors? I really don't think he needs an audience right now." Jadan nodded and walked to the other side of the room, slamming the doors on the people still peering inside. Turning back to the Elf, Aragorn gently said, "Legolas, we're going to get you out of those wet clothes and get you warm, alright?"

"Ada?" Legolas whispered in reply.

"I know, mellon nin."

"What does 'Ada' mean?" Jadan asked as he rejoined them.

Aragorn paused for a moment before looking up to Jadan sadly. "Dad," he answered simply. Jadan looked down at Legolas with sad eyes.

"Ada," Legolas repeated, as though it were the only thing he could say.

"Let's just get you out of those clothes," Aragorn said again, pulling himself from his thoughts. He pulled Legolas' blanket off him and threw it on the floor. Legolas shivered violently and closed his eyes. "No, Legolas. Stay with me. Please stay with me." Legolas opened his eyes and looked at Aragorn in what appeared to be confusion. "That's it. I need you to stay here, alright?" Legolas nodded slightly, although Aragorn wasn't sure he really knew what he was agreeing to. Such a thing could already be out of his control.

By now, Jasmine had returned with the water. She handed it to Jadan, who took it with a sharp nod of thanks.

"Legolas, can you sit up?" Slowly, Legolas did as instructed, with Aragorn helping him. Aragorn gently took the tunic from between his cold fingers and undid the buttons of Legolas' wet shirt. The Elf just sat there, neither helping nor hindering. Aragorn pulled one sleeve from his arm whilst Jadan came to his other side and mirrored his actions. Aragorn took a moment to examine Legolas' back. Although the make-shift bandages were wet they were still in place and the man decided it was best to leave them alone for the time being. He didn't know that Legolas could handle that kind of pain right then.

"Jasmine, can you pass me a blanket, please?" Jasmine dutifully handed a blanket to Aragorn. "Would you mind giving us a minute while we…" He nodded towards Legolas.

"Of course. Sorry. I'll be just outside if you need me." She picked up Nienna and walked out the doors, closing them carefully behind her.

"Legolas, I need you to stand up for me, alright? I'm going to take your trousers off," Aragorn said gently. "Here." He pulled the blanket around Legolas' shaking shoulders and wrapped it tightly around him. Legolas made no move to hold onto it so Jadan clasped the front in his hand so it was wrapped around him tightly. "Can you stand up?" Legolas did so and Aragorn carefully removed his wet trousers, a task with which Legolas actually helped with. Jadan respectfully kept his eyes diverted, knowing it would make Legolas uncomfortable. "Alright. You can lay back down now." Legolas did as he was told and Aragorn and Jadan piled the blankets on top of him in an attempt to get him warm.

"I'll hang these up somewhere to dry," Jadan said, picking up the wet clothes.

"You can open the doors and let everyone back in now. But close them afterwards, it might keep some warmth in." Jadan nodded and went off to complete his tasks. "Are you still with me?" Aragorn asked Legolas when they were alone. The Elf looked up at him but didn't answer. "Of course you are. You would only get lost if you tried to go anywhere without me. You need me to navigate, remember?" Aragorn smiled but received nothing back from Legolas. "It's alright; you don't have to speak if you don't want to. Just stay here with me. Understand?" Legolas nodded softly. "Are you a little warmer?" Another small nod. This was good. This was what Aragorn wanted.

Jadan rejoined them. "How is he?"

Aragorn walked Jadan and Jasmine, who had also returned, away from Legolas so he couldn't hear them. "I need to get him out of here as soon as possible. He won't survive if he stays here much longer."

"He's dying?" Jasmine asked, startled. She had known it was bad but she didn't think his life was in real danger.

"When Elves lose something close to them their grief can consume them until they finally succumb. Usually it takes a long time in the case of personal loss but Legolas has been suffering for a while and these conditions are not helping."

"He has been dying for a while?" she asked in horror.

"I had no idea," Jadan confessed softly, looking over to Legolas.

"Elves just aren't designed for these conditions. He's been trying to hold on but I'm not sure he really wants to anymore. He has nothing left."

"He has you," Jasmine offered, placing her hand on his arm.

"I'm not sure that's enough anymore."

"Then what can we do?" Jadan asked.

"Get him out of here as soon as possible. Other than that I'm not sure there is anything we can do but try and keep him with us as long as possible."

"Is there nothing else you can do? Something medical, maybe?" Jasmine asked hopefully.

"There is no cure for grief other than the return of the one they grieve for and you can imagine how many times that happens. Maybe if I can get him to my father he can pull him back." Aragorn looked towards Legolas. "I hope."

**To Be Continued…**


	75. Holding On

**Disclaimer: **I own nothing Tolkien created.

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**Sold Into Ruin**

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**Chapter 75 ~ Holding On**

**~*~**

Kallon had apparently decided that he had no use for the '6000' slaves down in the mines that day. He had not returned since earlier that morning and as usual people were making the most of their time off; most of them sleeping soundly on the ground. Several were chatting to each other, probably about what they had seen and heard about the mysterious Elf amongst them. A prince. They were all still a little shocked at that. Kallon mostly took low profile people, people no one would ever notice were missing. Without a doubt Legolas held the highest relative rank in the building, possibly the whole encampment and yet this thought brought none of them much comfort. They all realised that if Kallon could do something so cruel to someone who could actually challenge him given the chance then he could do just about anything to the rest of them.

Throughout the morning, Aragorn had been keeping a close eye on his Elven friend and the more he watched, the more his concern grew. For several hours, Legolas had appeared to be in some kind of shock, muttering his father's name occasionally. No matter how many blankets they piled on top of him his skin remained icy cold to touch and he shivered uncontrollably. A while back he and Jadan had carefully redressed him in his now much drier clothes and although he had allowed them to do so, Legolas had not made any attempt to help them in the task. It was like he just didn't care anymore.

By now Jadan and Jasmine were also watching him. The man in particular seemed suddenly very worried about the Elven prisoner revealed to be a prince of his kind. And yet despite this new found concern, Aragorn couldn't bring himself to entirely trust the man. Up until now, Jadan had showed no signs of wanting anything to do with the two friends – and in fact had hated Legolas vehemently. Aragorn knew that impressive titles like 'Prince' changed people. The prospect of fame and riches changed even the best of Men. Aragorn had witnessed first hand over the years how people tended to flock around the prince, both at home and abroad.

When Aragorn had first been told by Lord Elrond about his own royal heritage to Gondor Legolas had been the one to warn him about such people. Leeches who locked onto people from whom they thought they could gain something valuable. One of the downsides to being royalty was that you could never be absolutely certain who your real friends were. Aragorn had found that out once when he had visited Mirkwood for the Summer Festival at Legolas' invitation. Elves Legolas had never even met before threw their daughters at him in the hope he would accept them as a partner and thus gain greater status in court. Aragorn had been amazed at what he had seen and had taken the Elf's warnings even more seriously after that particular display.

However, Aragorn supposed this was hardly the time to even attempt such blatant political wrangling and Jadan didn't really have anything to gain from aligning himself with the prince as none of them had anything left to give. Knowing Jadan as he did though, Aragorn could well believe that this was all some kind of a trick, which unfortunately he could do very little about. Besides, he couldn't really accuse Jadan of anything without proof, which he did not have.

Sighing, Aragorn looked towards Legolas again. He was still staring blankly into space. Aragorn raised his hand and placed it tenderly on the Elf's forehead finding it was still freezing cold. Turning properly to Legolas, he pulled the blankets further up around him, hoping to offer some warmth even though he knew it was pointless - this was not a natural cold, this was something far worse.

"Why don't you try and get some sleep?" he said gently to his friend. Legolas blinked slowly at him but didn't even attempt an answer. "Legolas, can you hear me, mellon nin? Legolas?" Aragorn sighed heavily again. He had tried this a couple of times before and gotten nothing in response but he had been hoping that Legolas might take more notice of him now he had settled down a little. Leaning closer, Aragorn gently brushed Legolas' slightly damp hair back from his deathly pale face. Still, the Elf made no attempt to move, seemingly ignoring his friend. "Legolas, come on, I know you're in there somewhere."

"How is he?" Jadan asked, stepping closer to the two friends. He could tell Aragorn was desperately worried about the Elf and this was confirmed when the man looked over at him and shook his head sadly. "May I try?" Although this surprised Aragorn slightly he nodded and stood, moving aside so Jadan could take his place.

Jadan knelt down on the floor and stared into the prince's dull eyes for a long minute. He had never been able to do this before but now those eyes were so empty that he had no real cause to be nervous or frightened of what he might see any more.

"So, come on then, Elf, how come you didn't tell me you were royalty? I would have bowed or something," Jadan laughed although like Aragorn he received nothing in response. "Alright, no comedy." For a moment he had to gather his thoughts before he could come up with something to say. "You know, Estel is really worried about you. Don't you think you owe it to him to answer his queries? He's only trying to help, you know. The funny thing is that he can't do a thing so instead he has to sit here and watch you die. Is that what you want?" Although he still didn't get a verbal reply this did at least elicit some reaction; tears began to fall from Legolas' eyes again. "I didn't think so. Now, how about answering Estel?" Legolas went to open his mouth but found that he couldn't force any words out. Jadan sighed in disappointment. "I never took you for a coward," he spat unexpectedly.

"Jadan," Aragorn warned quietly.

"No, Estel. He deserves to know what he is really acting like. It's only fair. It's only right that he knows how much he is disappointing everyone around him. I mean, he's an Elf, I thought they were meant to be superior to us mere mortals. And yet here he is, just giving up, just like a weak human would do." Aragorn went to warn him again when Legolas' tears became heavier but Jadan just held up a hand to silence him.

"Who knew you were a prince as well? You certainly fooled all of us. I can see it now; looking back all the signs were there. You wouldn't even be able to tell anymore though. I mean, look at you. You're meant to be taking charge; that's sort of your job, isn't it? Looking after your people and your friends is your duty, right? But I suppose Estel can take care of himself. He can fight off all the guards by himself. He can face Kallon and the Master alone. I mean, who really needs an Elf on their side? I always said your kind were useless. I guess you're just proving me right…again."

"Jadan," Aragorn cautioned again, more sharply this time.

"Oh come on, Estel. Look at him. That is what you have pinned all your hopes on. This whimpering, pathetic…"

"Jadan!"

"…piece of…"

"Jadan," Aragorn shouted loudly.

"Look what happens when he's put in the line of fire. If he's like this just facing Kallon what will he be like up against our real enemies? You're better off without him, trust me."

"Stop it, Jadan," Aragorn said, seeing how distressed the prince was becoming at the man's cruel words.

"What good is he to you like this anyway? Even if he does snap out of this he doesn't trust you anymore. You killed his father, after all. Why should he help you? He obviously blames you for his loss. Why else would he refuse to talk to you?"

"Alright, that's enough," Aragorn ground out in annoyance.

"You're supposed to be the strong one, aren't you? That's the whole point of you being here. You think you're nothing without your dad? Wait until you're really all alone with no Estel to back you up either. Better you than him though, right? Then you can hide away and not face the truth: that you're all alone in the world. You might still have Estel though. If you really do want him to stay with you then pull yourself together and stop being so damned frustrating. You might just regain his respect because without him you're nothing."

"That is enough!" Aragorn shouted, grabbing Jadan's arm and yanking him away from Legolas, who was crying even harder now in the wake of Jadan's unkind words. "For Valar's sake, can't you see he is upset enough? He doesn't need to be yelled at by you. He can't take this right now. I thought I made it clear that it only takes one small thing to…."

"Estel," a strangled voice called, interrupting Aragorn mid-sentence. He quickly looked towards Legolas, who was sat up slightly, one of his bandaged hands stretched out towards the two Men. "Estel," he said again, his voice cracking in the middle.

Without hesitation, Aragorn abandoned chastising Jadan and went to his friend, taking his hand gently and kneeling down before him. "Lie back down," he instructed softly.

"I'm sorry," Legolas cried despairingly. "I'm so sorry. I don't blame you, Estel. Please don't go. Please don't leave me all alone. I need you. Please."

"I'm not going anywhere," Aragorn swore, stroking blonde hair out of Legolas' lively, blue eyes.

"I'll try to hold on, Estel. I promise I'll try."

Aragorn moved to sit on the bench and carefully pulled Legolas close to him. Immediately, Legolas buried his face in Aragorn's shirt and held on as tightly as he could given his current state. "That is all I ask. And I will always be here to help you. You are not alone, understand?" He felt Legolas nod against him.

"I need him, Estel. I need him here," Legolas cried, the sound muffled by the fabric pressed to his face.

"I know. I know you do. But I need you to be strong for just a little while longer. I need you to stay here with me, alright? I can't so this alone."

"I'll try, Estel, I promise."

"I know you will and I'll be right here to help you."

"It hurts so much, Estel," Legolas sobbed into Aragorn's shirt.

Tears formed in Aragorn's eyes and he held Legolas closer to him. "I know it does, mellon nin. As soon as we get out of here we'll see about making it stop but I'm going to need your help because I can't do it by myself." He felt Legolas nod again and he gently stroked his damp hair, sensing that this action calmed him somewhat. Right then Aragorn needed to use every trick he could think of to keep his friend with him. Even if Legolas was willing to try and fight his grief it still might not be enough.

"It hurts so much," Legolas repeated, more to himself this time.

"Shhh, shh, I know. But I'm still here with you, Legolas, and I'm not going anywhere. You just hold onto that, alright?" Another nod accompanied by another sharp cry of agony. "Alright." Aragorn looked up to Jadan who was now waiting off to one side, watching the scene rather proudly. Aragorn wasn't convinced of his methods but the man seemed happy with the outcome. At least it had brought a little hope back to both Legolas and their chances of escape.

When Legolas suddenly gripped Aragorn even tighter, he muttered, "Sorry," as though apologising for his current state and for not being able to fully control what he needed.

"Shhh. You hold on as tightly as you like. I don't care what you do so long as you stay with me, alright?" Legolas' crying intensified further and Aragorn started stroking his hair again. "Alright, I've got you. I've got you."

~*~

Legolas was drifting in blissful twilight sleep – neither fully asleep nor fully alert. He heard Aragorn, Jasmine and Jadan talking but couldn't quite comprehend the words being spoken. He was still lying against Aragorn, wrapped up in as many blankets as possible and they did actually help a little now. Although not fully warm, he could at least feel a little heat now rather than just the mind-numbing coldness he had felt before.

Earlier, he had been willing that cold to overwhelm him but now he was actively fighting against it. He found it much more tiring than he thought it would be. He thought he heard Aragorn asking him something but he couldn't find the energy to figure out what the man wanted or how to answer him so he just lay quietly. He felt Aragorn rub his hand up and down his arm in an attempt to keep him warm. He was at least a little more comfortable now. Aragorn gave him the strength to keep fighting. He felt protected in the arms of his friend.

Normally, he would never have allowed such close contact - it just wasn't him - but right then though he felt so alone, so afraid, that he needed Aragorn near him. Knowing that the man would catch him should he fall allowed him to relax a little and not worry so much about what was going on around him.

The aching sense of loneliness he had felt just a few minutes ago had also faded somewhat. He tried to put his father out of his mind but the more he tried to do so the more his father's face came to mind. That face that he would never see again. Now he no family left at all.

For a race that was regarded as 'immortal', death came as such a surprise to the Firstborn and made it all the harder to understand and deal with on the rare occasion that it did happen. It was terrifying to Legolas that he would never be reunited with his parents, even if he sailed West to the Undying Lands. Knowing they were waiting for him in Aman would have made the separation difficult but tolerable but this complete and eternal absence was impossible and horrifying to comprehend.

He felt himself beginning to shiver again and he tried to bury even closer to Aragorn. The man also felt Legolas' trembling and held him tighter, rubbing his arm again. He heard reassurances but couldn't make the individual words out.

When his shaking finally subsided again his father's face instantly came back to mind. Then another thought struck him, one that he had not even considered before: he was king of Mirkwood. He was responsible for an entire kingdom. Although he thought this would make him even more anxious it actually made him even more determined to beat this affliction. He had a legacy to continue. His father's legacy remained and he was destined to fulfil it. Of course he didn't want to be king. That was his father's birthright. But if he had to, he would rise to the occasion.

~*~

"Will he be alright now?" Jasmine asked Aragorn quietly so as not to disturb the prince.

"Well, what Jadan said certainly made him pay attention even if it was a bit unorthodox. I just hope it was enough to get him through this. No more harsh words though."

"Understood," Jadan promised with a small smile.

"What next? I mean, he can't stay like that forever, right?" Jasmine said, looking sadly down at Legolas.

The Elf was leaned up against Aragorn, swathed in blankets up to his neck. Aragorn had left his arm wrapped around him, hoping to offer some warmth and comfort. He was awake but only just. His eyes were blank but not in restful Elven reverie. Jasmine was sure he couldn't really understand what was being said around him. Tears fell occasionally from his eyes but they were no longer accompanied by the heart-breaking sobs they had heard earlier, for which she was very grateful, she didn't know if she could stand to hear them much longer. Aragorn seemed to have a good effect on him though. Both Jasmine and Jadan were amazed at how much Legolas seemed to trust him despite the fact that Kallon had blamed the man for Thranduil's death.

"No, we need to move quickly now. Jadan may have bought us some time but not much."

"So what are we supposed to do? If there's no cure then there's nothing we can do," Jasmine said, suddenly despairing of the situation even more.

"There is one thing we could do," Jadan said. The other two looked to him but Legolas remained obliviously staring blankly. "Get out of here."

"You mean escape?" Jasmine breathed, worried that someone might overhear them despite the fact most people were either wandering outside or lazing in their respective sleeping places.

"Well, whatever we do we have to do it quickly. He's not going to last long in this state."

Suddenly, Legolas started shivering violently again. Aragorn looked down and hugged him tighter when he felt Legolas cling to him again. He began once more rubbing his arm and the shivering abated a little. When a slight whimper left the prince, Aragorn used his free hand to brush away a lock of hair that had fallen over his pale face away. Legolas didn't seem to even notice but Aragorn sensed that he was at least a little aware of what was going on around him than he had been before.

"Alright, mellon nin, I've got you. It's alright. Just hold on, Legolas." Again, Aragorn wasn't sure whether Legolas could really hear him or not but he kept muttering reassurances anyway. "Come on. Hold onto me. That's it. I know you can hear me in there. You could never fool me, you know that."

Jadan and Jasmine waited patiently while Aragorn continued to comfort Legolas until the prince finally settled down again, still lying close to Aragorn. The man looked up at the other two. That episode had proven his point. They needed to move fast because although they had persuaded Legolas to fight he couldn't keep it up forever in this place. In Mirkwood or Imladris he might stand a chance but Aragorn knew he couldn't help Legolas in this encampment.

"I need to think," Jadan muttered to Aragorn. "I'll be outside if you need me." With that he walked away, not giving any further explanation.

When he was sure he was gone, Jasmine turned to Aragorn with a look of amazement. "What's gotten into him? He's so…nice."

"I must admit it's a little disconcerting," Aragorn agreed. "Not that I'm complaining. I'd rather have him like this than trying to beat us all into the ground."

"I suppose so."

"Right."

"Right," Jasmine said before laughing at herself. "This is a little awkward."

"You noticed that too?" he laughed back softly so he didn't jostle Legolas.

"Should we be talking about this in front of…?" Jasmine gestured towards Legolas, whose eyes were still disturbingly blank.

"You're right. This isn't the time to be discussing this. There are far more important things to worry about right now."

"Right. We'll talk about it later."

"Right."

"Good."

"Excellent."

"Very articulate, Estel," a small voice interrupted their uncomfortable one word answers.

Both looked down to Legolas who was watching Jasmine with an almost frightening intensity. "Ah, so now you decide to impart your wisdom, mellon nin," Aragorn laughed gently. When he got no response from Legolas again, he prompted, "Where have you been?" It was said lightly, like he was just making conversation but he was actually genuinely worried about the answer.

"Thinking. Wandering," Legolas said softly, almost as though he was starting to drift off again.

Aragorn though decided to take advantage of the opportunity. "How are you feeling? A little better?" He got no response. "Legolas? Are you still with me?" A very gentle nod of affirmation from Legolas made Aragorn smile softly. "Good."

"Cold," Legolas said simply, not moving from beside Aragorn and shivering as if to illustrate his point.

"I know, mellon nin." He rubbed Legolas' arm again. "Better?" he asked after a minute. Legolas nodded but Aragorn just laughed gently. "Liar." He knew fully well that nothing could help that kind of cold. He appreciated that Legolas was trying though. That was more like his friend.

"Do you want me to give you some time alone?" Jasmine asked, feeling like she was intruding upon this personal moment. It was Legolas not Aragorn who stopped her from leaving. He shook his head gently so she sat down on the bench on his other side. Carefully, she laid her hand on Legolas' shoulder but he didn't react to her so Aragorn offered her a small smile.

"Why don't you try to get some sleep?" Aragorn suggested, stroking Legolas' hair again. The prince blinked slowly but didn't answer. "Legolas, do you think you could go to sleep for a while? You'll feel a lot better afterwards. I realise it's a pretty poor solution but…"

"Tired," Legolas murmured groggily.

"That's why you should get some sleep," Aragorn pointed out.

"Can't…"

"Why not, mellon nin?" Aragorn asked gently, not wanting to push his obviously confused friend too much. "Legolas?" He got no answer but looked down to see Legolas still awake but with tears of despair running down his face again. "Shhh, it's alright." The last thing he wanted to do was upset Legolas any further. It was worrying that something so small could upset him like this but Aragorn supposed it was fairly normal given his condition. What little Aragorn knew about Elven grief told him that this was an Elf's most vulnerable time. It was normal for Legolas to be like this right now.

"I won't let anything happen to you," Aragorn assured.

"I don't want to fall," Legolas said rather cryptically, his voice full of pain and despair.

"You won't fall. I'll be right here. I won't let you leave me. Legolas? Come on, try and get some rest, hmmm?" Another small defiant shake of the head made Aragorn look down. "Legolas, you're exhausted, you can't go on like this. At least try and get a little sleep. I promise you'll feel better when you wake. Jasmine, Jadan and I will all be here, we won't let anything happen to you; you have my word. Mellon nin?" This time he received a very small nod. "Alright. Try and sleep, even if only for a little while." Legolas went to move away from Aragorn but the pain in his back and heaviness of his heart forced him to remain still. "Don't try and move. You can stay where you are," Aragorn reassured gently.

"What about you?" Legolas asked, although Aragorn could already hear the tiredness in his voice.

"Don't worry about me, mellon nin. You just rest now. It's alright. Go to sleep," Aragorn whispered, knowing Legolas could still hear him. He saw Legolas' eyes slowly drifting closed and whispered, "That's it. Go to sleep." After a moment, Legolas slumped even further against Aragorn and the man held tightly onto him, hoping to offer enough support for Legolas to at least rest for a few hours.

"I've got it!" Jadan exclaimed, running back into the building. He was instantly shushed by Jasmine and Aragorn who looked down to find that Legolas, who had been so reluctant just now, was fast asleep. After all his hard work, Aragorn didn't want him disturbed. "Sorry," Jadan mumbled as he walked over to him. "I have a plan."

"Not now. We'll discuss it when he wakes up," Aragorn whispered and Jadan nodded in reluctant agreement. A group of women, chattering in the corner of the building suddenly started chuckling loudly, drawing Aragorn's attention. "You think you could use your influence to keep them quiet? I really don't want him waking up any time soon. He's exhausted."

"No problem." Jadan strode over to the women and spoke quietly to them for a moment before they all fell completely silent.

"What did you say to them?" Aragorn asked when Jadan returned.

"That if they weren't quiet P_rince _Legolas would throw them in the Mirkwood dungeons." Aragorn smiled at this.

Jadan perched down next to Jasmine, who had shifted closer to Legolas and still had her hand on his shoulder. He seemed to appreciate the extra comfort as he sighed softly in his sleep. Aragorn could only hope that Legolas didn't have another of his terrible nightmares during his much-needed rest for without a doubt such a set-back now would send him over the edge.

Still, for now, the young prince was safe and peaceful and that was all that mattered to Aragorn right then.

~*~

**Translation**

**Mellon nin – my friend**


	76. Still With Me

**Disclaimer: **I own nothing Tolkien created.

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**Sold Into Ruin**

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**A/N: Wow, this story has just blasted past the 600 review mark. That is amazing and thank you so much to everyone who has reviewed and all of you who are still reading.**

**I hope you'll all keep reading as the story continues.**

**So here is chapter 76 for you. Hope you all enjoy it.**

**Happy New Year to you all and I'll see you in 2010!!!**

**~*~**

**Chapter 76 ~ Still With Me**

**~*~**

Whilst Legolas was suffering over the apparent demise of his beloved father, the King of Mirkwood, accompanied by a small part of the Mirkwood Guard and Elrond's followers, were scouting the area around their hastily set up campsite.

However, before they could even get in close enough to see the buildings in the encampment, they spotted one of the human guards. Instantly, they halted their progress, not wanting to alert anyone to their presence. With one route cut off to them, they slowly and carefully made their way around, hoping to catch sight of the encampment from a different angle. No matter which way they turned though there were guards patrolling, blocking their way in. Obviously someone had detected their presence in the forest or at least suspected it. The element of surprise, on which they had been relying, had just disappeared.

~*~

Legolas laid, lost deep in the land of Elven dreams, against Aragorn. The man still held onto him tightly, somehow sensing that should he loosen his grip, his friend would either awaken or – infinitely worse – _not_ wake. He had been asleep for almost three hours. Once or twice it looked like he might wake up but with a series of soft reassurances from Aragorn, Jadan and Jasmine they had managed to keep him asleep.

Despite the fact that Aragorn knew Legolas needed this kind of proper sleep to help him heal he was also desperately worried that he might not be able to get Legolas conscious again. He had already had to persuade himself not to wake the Elf several times. Every now and then Legolas muttered something in his sleep, usually his father's name or, more surprisingly, his mother's, indicating that he was still, at the very least, well. However, these were not particularly distressed utterings so Aragorn left him alone, letting him rest while he had the chance.

Legolas continued to hold onto Aragorn even during his sleep, as though the man were his only anchor to the real world. Aragorn felt him shivering every now and then but hoped he couldn't feel that bone-deep cold in his sleep.

~*~

In his deep sleep, Legolas was once more haunted by his chilling past. They were not striking images as they had been before but rather merely the ghosts of memories, haunting his periphery vision no matter how much he tried to push them away. His father flickered in and out of focus as though he was fading from the memories. In one moment he was as Legolas remembered him and the next he was covered in blood just like in his previous nightmare featuring his parents. Luckily, none of these dreams ever had the chance to become fully formed. They lurked on the edge of his mind, taunting him but never making themselves fully known.

One thing that remained constant no matter how his dream changed was Kallon throwing the bloodied tunic at his feet. He didn't recall what the man had said - he wasn't sure if he would be able to remember that even if he was awake and trying. Only the tunic stuck in his memory. It was undoubtedly a disturbing image but not the worst he had seen over the years, both in real life and in nightmares. He couldn't understand why he was seeing it so clearly now. Certainly, it was the symbol of the terrible truth that his father had been murdered by the cruel leader of the 6000 building but it didn't make sense that that fairly mundane detail was what his mind was focusing on. The tunic was, in fact, remarkably normal other than the blood that covered it.

Sleep, however, did not last forever – rather unfortunately for Legolas. Slowly, consciousness began to return to him. He felt Aragorn's hand resting on his arm. He was still leaned up against the man and for a while he felt warm and safe next to him. This feeling did not last long though. Deep, aching pain crept into his thoughts and he heard himself groan softly. Aragorn hushed him, almost desperately willing him to return to sleep. It was not to be though. The fogginess cleared from his mind and slowly he opened his eyes.

It was dark in the building and everyone was asleep. He hadn't realised he had slept so long. Ignoring Aragorn's suggestions of returning to sleep, Legolas attempted to sit up. This was quickly halted when pain coursed through his back and his head began to swim dizzyingly. He still felt that relentless cold pulsing through him almost painfully, like being stabbed with hundreds of shards of ice all over. Not even the blankets that were still wrapped around him could stop that feeling.

"How are you feeling?" Aragorn asked when he had given up on trying to entice his friend back to sleep.

"Cold," Legolas croaked.

"But you're still here," Aragorn smiled, stating the blindingly obvious, much to Legolas' amusement. "That's good." Legolas nodded gently but made no other attempt to move, knowing it would be just too painful for the time being. Aragorn kept chatting to him but he couldn't really find the strength to even listen. Soon, and against his will, he felt himself drifting into sleep again. Pretty soon his world became black and comforting once more.

Aragorn looked down and smiled when he saw Legolas had fallen asleep once more. He stopped talking and gently stroked the blonde hair.

"I told you that my conversational skills were second to none," he laughed gently, turning to Jasmine, who smiled back at him brightly.

~*~

It was daylight that woke Legolas for the second time. He had been bombarded with the same image all night long: the tunic, blood-drenched and ripped. His father had not been in his dreams this time, nor had his mother. They seemed not to want to make an appearance for which he was grateful. Seeing his dead mother and father in his dreams would not make anything any easier.

Sunlight, brighter than it had ever been before in the encampment, stung his eyes as he forced them open. Thankfully, the sun added a little much-needed warmth to the usually cold building and he felt the chill on his skin thawing very slightly. He glanced up at Aragorn who was once more looking down at him with a smile on his face, as were Jasmine and Jadan.

"What? What's wrong?" Legolas asked in a soft, croaky voice, thinking the smiles could only mean that they were trying to cover something up.

"Nothing's wrong," Aragorn assured him. "We're just pleased you're awake, that's all."

"Why?"

"Just because," Jasmine smiled. Now Legolas looked properly, they were all clearly fake smiles.

He realised what they were trying to do. "You don't have to pretend everything is fine," he told them and quickly the smiles faded.

"We're just worried about you, mellon nin," Aragorn said.

"I know."

"Well, you're talking, that's a good sign. And you're not shivering as much anymore." Whilst Aragorn continued to list everything good about the change in the Elf's condition, which wasn't all that much really, Legolas' eyes were fixed on one thing. For a moment he couldn't understand what the fascination was. It didn't fill him with the same dread as it had before and in his dreams. In fact, he was more curious than afraid now.

Ignoring Aragorn's exclamation of surprise, he sat up. Right then he felt no pain and the tiredness and coldness he had felt before had been replaced with just a small flicker of hope, something he hadn't felt for a long time. Aragorn and Jadan took his arms to steady him and asked him what he was doing but Legolas shrugged them off. He got off the bench and knelt on the floor, sensing that Aragorn had already joined him.

He picked up the tunic previously discarded by Aragorn and examined it closely. The last time he had looked at it, his eyes had been so filled with tears and his mind so sluggish that he had not noticed the blazingly obvious.

There were so many things wrong with it and as he looked closer, wonder and happiness filled him, warming him more effectively than even a roaring fire would have. He turned it over in his hands, a smile coming to his face as he did so. He was so wrapped up in what he was seeing that only Aragorn's voice could bring him back to the present. He turned to the man, still grasping the tunic in his hand, and smiled brightly. Aragorn was obviously completely mystified as to his friend's sudden change of mood. He was even more surprised when Legolas threw his arms around the man and hugged him tightly, laughing almost hysterically at the same time.

Jadan and Jasmine looked to Aragorn for some kind of explanation but the man just shrugged in confusion. He couldn't help smiling through when he heard Legolas laughing. A few hours ago he never thought he'd hear it again.

"What is it?" he asked Legolas when the Elf finally parted from him.

"Look," he said, thrusting the bloodied tunic towards the still confused man.

"What am I supposed to be looking at? There's nothing there, Legolas," Aragorn said, amusement fast turning to concern.

"Oh, for Valar's sake, Estel. Look! It's not Ada's."

"What? Legolas, I know you want to believe that but…"

"No, Estel. Look at the colour. When was the last time you saw my father wear this shade of green? He never wears it because his uniform is gilded in gold and he had them all personally done by the royal tailor but he insisted the fabric be in a different colour so he had to have a different one to the Guard."

"So? It's filthy; you can barely even see the colour anymore."

"Alright, then look at the emblem."

"What about the emblem?" Jadan asked, as eager to know what this was all about as Aragorn was.

"This here," Legolas held it up, pointing with a shaking finger to the gold, stitched motif on the front of the tunic, "is the emblem of the Royal Guard."

"So? Your father is the king, he would wear royal clothes."

"No. Only a true royal guard can wear the emblem of the Royal Guard. My father is not actually a member of the army even though he is technically their commander. He wouldn't wear this style."

"Legolas, he was searching for you, he probably just threw on the first thing he could find," Aragorn reasoned, becoming increasingly concerned about his friend. He knew that his friend was desperately searching for some hope through his misery and although he understood that need he also knew it was a dangerous thing to indulge in, especially in Legolas' condition.

"When was the last time you saw my father just 'throw something on'? He wouldn't. You know Ada, no matter where he goes he has to look the part. Besides, he has his own uniform. If he left the palace for a mission of some kind he would wear that. For him to wear a guard's outfit would be like, I don't know, some kind of slight in his eyes. Besides, these are given only to the guards themselves. And even if he did pick up one of theirs he would never wear it if it didn't have the Royal insignia on it. This is not the emblem of the Mirkwood Royal Family therefore it cannot possibly be my father's."

"Legolas…" Aragorn said gently, about to reject the Elf's claims again as softly as he could.

"Estel, I know you think I'm making this up to try and deny to myself what happened but you can't reject the evidence. This is not Thranduil's tunic."

"I'm sorry about what happened, Legolas, but you can't…" Jasmine began.

She was cut off though when Jadan spoke. "Wait a moment." He took the tunic from Legolas who allowed him to do so rather reluctantly. "Kallon said that he shot the King of Mirkwood through the chest, right?" He received nods from all around. "Look at the blood stain. Unless Thranduil's heart suddenly moved to his stomach, that couldn't have happened. This blood is far too low down to be a chest wound." All of them, except Legolas, who was already convinced, looked more closely at the tunic. Jadan was right. The blood was in the wrong place.

"I…" Aragorn shook his head in amazement as he started to see what Legolas had.

"That means that your father is alive…" Jadan started.

"And if Kallon has a Royal Guard tunic then there is someone from Mirkwood here, and chances are they're looking for me," Legolas said excitedly. The feeling of heart-breaking sadness seemed to have lifted from him and although he still felt bitterly cold in his heart, warmth was beginning to seep into his mind, allowing him to think more clearly. This was not necessarily a good thing though. Pain accompanied thought but Legolas ruthlessly pushed it to the back of his newly animated mind. The only thing he could concentrate on right then was the fact that his father was alive and most likely well.

"This is wonderful," Jasmine grinned, coming and sitting down next to Legolas.

"If this is true," Aragorn mused, "then we need to work on finding our way out of here or at least be prepared to leave if Thranduil and his Guard come in to get us." He couldn't help the smile that crossed his own face at this thought. Finally, they actually had a chance of getting out. A realistic chance. Thranduil was not someone who gave up easily and if he thought Legolas was in danger, which he obviously did, he would fight to the end to help him. The fact that Legolas was Aragorn's best friend and so earned him a get out of jail free card was just plain fortunate.

"You remember that I said I had an idea earlier?" Jadan prompted. "I think maybe it is time to put it into action. That is provided I have your permission to join you two in your escape." Aragorn had never heard Jadan sound hopeful before and he was surprised the man could even feel such a thing.

"Of course," he answered solemnly.

Jadan nodded and stood up, walking away with a spring in his step and shooting a smile back at the three friends.

"Alright, now he is scaring me," Jasmine said, smiling happily at Legolas and Aragorn. They all felt the same: this was so unlike Jadan. The man had seemed determined to bring them all down when they first arrived in the encampment. That he had changed so suddenly and so dramatically was more than a little unnerving and although they all wanted to believe that the change was genuine, his past exploits to foil their plans cast a shadow of doubt over his new-found loyalty to them. In short, none of them unequivocally trusted him - least of all Legolas, who was really quite stunned by the sudden change. He barely remembered anything about the last few hours and was unaware of Jadan's unfaltering kindness to him, or his successful attempt to bring him out of his grief created stupor.

He looked to Aragorn in slight confusion but the man just smiled and said, "I'll explain later. For now you should get some more rest."

"Estel…." Legolas started to protest.

Aragorn cut him off. "I know you're happy about your father but you still need to rest. You are not healed yet." Legolas went to speak again but once more Aragorn stopped him. "Legolas," he warned. As much as Legolas wanted to prove his friend wrong he knew that Aragorn was right, he was still tired, although now adrenaline coursed through him, and his wounds still hurt him more than he was letting on. So he reluctantly nodded his agreement. "Good."

Once Legolas was settled, Aragorn and Jasmine left him to sleep. Now he had some kind of hope to cling on to no matter how small it was, Aragorn was no longer so reluctant to leave him alone.

"This is great," Jasmine enthused when they were far enough away so as not to disturb Legolas. Aragorn smiled weakly, not what she had been expecting. "This _is _great, right? I mean, Legolas will be alright now."

"He's not out of the woods yet," Aragorn answered. "But it's a start." This seemed to please Jasmine much more and she smiled sweetly up at him. They kissed briefly but pulled themselves apart before it could escalate.

"I should go and check on Nienna," she said.

"Yes, and I should just stand over there." Aragorn blushed and walked away, he didn't see Jasmine smile behind him. He did feel her eyes on him though and he had to work hard not to look back.

**To Be Continued…**


	77. Warnings

**Disclaimer: **I own nothing Tolkien created.

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**Sold Into Ruin**

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**A/N: Because you didn't get an extra Christmas update I thought I'd post early this week.**

**Thank you to everyone who reviewed the last chapter. Please leave a review for this one and please enjoy Chapter 77.**

**~*~**

**Chapter 77 ~ Warnings**

**~*~**

Thranduil and his company, including Elrond and his people, edged cautiously through the thick forest, their swords drawn and ready for a possible attack, being careful not to make any noise that might alert the encampment guards of their presence. Thranduil's heart was beating wildly at the thought of being just a few metres from his son. He knew they still had to be careful though. Whoever was holding them had complete power, in other words they could dispose of Legolas and Aragorn whenever they wanted. That was a terrifying thought for both parents and one they had drummed into the guards when they had set out.

Thranduil's plan of action had not gone down well with his Royal Guard. Find Legolas and get him out no matter what. Thranduil had made them all swear on their lives that they would do everything they possibly could to get his son out of the encampment unharmed. The fact that this order had been given was not the problem. The problem was that Thranduil was also joining the mission to liberate the prince. That meant that their oath forced them to – for a moment, at least – abandon their king in favour of their prince.

Although the crown prince of Mirkwood was indeed royalty and any one of the Royal Guard would lay their lives on the line to help him, he was still secondary to the king. Their main priority was to keep Thranduil safe. Despite their uncertain promise to their ruling monarch they could not place Legolas' life before Thranduil's. Thranduil had to come first.

The rules of the Royal Guard were set in stone. They could not deviate from them no matter what the king said at the time. There were ways of getting around it but it took a long time to change such commands. When Thranduil had created the Royal Guard for the protection of his family as well as his people, he had set out a series of laws for them. A kind of sacred code from which they could not deviate. When a royal guard was sworn in, they swore on a blood oath to protect the king himself above all others. These rules were written because in times of crisis guards may be left to temporarily rule the kingdom for whatever reason. For example, if the king was incapacitated for any reason, the Guard's priority turned to the next highest ranking member of the royal family – in this case Legolas.

However, if the king was alive and well and capable of ruling the kingdom, the Guard had to protect him above all else, even their own safety. The code was designed so that no one could easily change it. If someone else came into power and wanted to disband the Royal Guard for any reason the rules would not permit it and the Guard must continue regardless of the consequences to themselves. Also, the ruling monarch could not change the rules on a whim. If, for any reason the king was to order the Royal Guard to do something against what the code ordered them to do they had to stick to the stated rules. That was the whole point.

That was why this mission was so worrying for the captain. He was an experienced guard, having been in the regular Mirkwood Army many years before being promoted to the highest serving rank. He also knew the king well, having guarded him personally for hundreds of years. He was allowing this only because of the king's worry for his son and because he loved Legolas so greatly. Although guards never made friends with those they were guarding – relationships often led to mistakes – the Captain greatly respected both the king and prince.

Thranduil's undying love for his son made the Captain force himself to bend the rules slightly for his king. His devotion to his fragile young son inspired the Captain to be lenient. Although both Legolas and Thranduil had tried to conceal the truth the Captain was well aware of the pain Nienna's death had caused the two royals. He was also aware that Legolas suffered more than most. Others called the prince disrespectful to his mother, never mentioning her name seemed like a betrayal to some of them but the captain only saw the deep grief that the young prince managed with great difficulty to keep hidden from people who didn't know better.

The king's bizarre and frankly worrying reaction to Legolas' imprisonment was another concerning factor. Deep down, the Captain was terrified that if Legolas died in the encampment Thranduil would suffer too greatly from his loss. The father would soon fade away without his son with him. That was the loophole the Captain needed. If they left Legolas to die then the king would also be in danger. Their job was to keep Thranduil alive and right then the only way of doing that was to save Legolas.

Having so much experience in warfare the Captain knew that it wouldn't be as easy as they were expecting. These people had Legolas for a reason. Whether or not their original plan was to hold him to ransom if they openly stormed the keep the Men could very well do just that. The Captain also knew that Thranduil would pay or give _anything _for Legolas' safety.

Either way, this was not going to be easy and the Captain could only hope that Legolas had made some allies inside and was ready to move quickly to escape.

~*~

While Thranduil and his party were thinking up plausible ways of getting in and out of the encampment with their heads still attached and while Aragorn was watching Legolas sleep in the building inside said encampment, Jadan was chatting to one of the guards through the fence. A few people were watching him but this wasn't a particularly unusual sight. Jadan had been known to make friends with some of the less strict guards. It was a little disconcerting to now see it though, especially considering he had recently formed a tenuous relationship with Legolas and Estel, who he had previously been intent on destroying.

Of course, no one would ever mention what they saw. They were all too afraid of Jadan and of the guards themselves. Besides, they held no loyalty to the two newest recruits of the encampment. It was each for his own in this place. That had always been the rule and that wasn't going to change now.

No matter how much anybody wanted to deny it though, something had changed. It was as though the very air around them had sucked up the two friends' hope and with every breeze that blew it swept across everyone else. It was almost infectious. Hope was something they had all denied themselves for so long. There was no such thing in this place of imprisonment and torture and yet that was what they felt now. Hope. It was a strange feeling, particularly for ones who had been there for a long time. They had never felt it before. Not that they could remember anyway.

Learning of Legolas' true identity had also been a good change amongst them. A prince. He had stood right beside them and they hadn't even noticed. This was good though. That was exactly what they needed. A leader. Someone who was used to ruling people and the prince – they weren't entirely sure where he was prince of – was perfect. It surprised them slightly that he hadn't already done more. They could only assume that something else was being planned and that although they had no actual part in it, in the long run it would benefit them all.

Jadan had been a good person to cling to for a time. Strong, stern and trust-worthy. But soon his strength turned into malice and his sternness became madness and people began to realise that nothing good could come of following a man like that. He had greatly fallen in their expectations since Legolas and Estel had arrived and even though he was trying to redeem himself that distrust could not easily be undone.

The people in the encampment were like sheep. They followed their leader no matter what because they had nothing else to cling on to. Even if that meant certain death they would do as Legolas asked. He was their new light at the end of the tunnel. Jadan had waited and waited, doing nothing of significance other than to benefit from others suffering but the people saw these two in a different light. They were loyal and caring, more so than any of the men in the encampment. They had befriended people and had withstood all of Kallon's cruel tactics. Yes, they were the right people to follow now.

Not that Jadan didn't still have the same influence over them. He was what they had relied on for years that couldn't vanish in a couple of months. For all his wrong-doings and sharp cruelty Jadan was still their human leader. His word had been almost like law, so much as such things were allowed in the encampment, and people followed that law to the letter, even if it meant doing things that were morally questionable.

~*~

When Jadan had finished talking to the guard he returned to the building to find Aragorn sleeping on the flood near Legolas. He considered waking him and telling him what he had just found out but he changed his mind. The man must have been tired after staying up all night with Legolas.

Just as he was about to leave the building again, Jasmine stepped in his path and he stopped before her.

"Jasmine," he greeted with a smile.

"Don't play sweet with me. Whatever it is you are planning you had better not hurt them because if you do I swear I will kill you myself." Any pleasantries she may have exhibited in the past were missing from her voice when she said those words.

"What are you talking about?" he asked with what appeared to be genuine confusion and innocence.

"You know exactly what I'm talking about. This sudden and inexplicable change, you suddenly becoming best pals with your two most hated prisoners. I'm not stupid, Jadan. They don't know you like I do. They always like to see the best in people."

"And you always see the worst," he accused.

"Always." Blunt and true. "Now, I don't know what you're up to but it does seem a little convenient that as soon as you hear of Legolas' status you suddenly have a change of heart and become their devoted ally. If you're playing them you should know that you're going to lose because they are so much smarter than you, Jadan."

"You think this is a game?"

"I think you're playing it like one," she whispered harshly so as not to alert anyone else of their conversation.

"I know they are planning an escape, Jasmine, if I was working on the other side don't you think I would be running out to tell Kallon that they're trying to get out and that the King of Mirkwood is not dead and is currently planning to break his son out of his prison? Wouldn't that be a more sensible thing for me to do if I really did want to betray them?"

"If you're not working with Kallon then why the sudden change of heart? You're not a good man, Jadan. You never were. You cannot expect me to believe you're doing this out of the kindness of your heart or because you suddenly feel sorry for a lonely old Elf."

"Would it shock you greatly to hear that I actually want to get out of this place? You honestly think I like it here? That I would stop my own escape attempt?" he asked incredulously.

"I wouldn't put it past you."

"Well, you are seriously mistaken."

"I hope so, Jadan, because I think so far Estel has been cutting you a lot of slack and if he finds out that you were working against him he won't be so easily won over."

"And you'd know all about that, wouldn't you?" Jadan growled in retort.

"What?" Jasmine snapped back.

"Oh, come on - these two new people, all full of brave new ideas and ideals of freedom and you latch right on to them. _That_ is convenient."

"_You're_ lecturing _me_ about using people? You would sell your own family if you thought you could get a good enough price for them."

"Then you obviously know nothing about me," Jadan snapped back, turning away from Jasmine and ending the confrontation before he said something he would regret.

"I really hope I'm wrong about this, Jadan," she said as he left. Instead of looking back and searching for a good enough retort he carried on walking away. What she had said was true, he did have a reputation for being a bad guy in the encampment but people changed. He couldn't understand why she couldn't see that.

**~*~**

**To Be Continued…**

**~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~***


	78. Return To Dreamland

**Disclaimer: **I own nothing Tolkien created.

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**Sold Into Ruin**

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**Chapter 78 ~ Return to Dreamland**

**~*~**

Whilst Jadan and Jasmine were busy arguing over which of them could truly be trusted, and Aragorn was deeply asleep, Legolas was drifting in that strange in between place once more. Amidst the darkness of his half-sleep a light, so bright that it momentarily overwhelmed him, blazed.

_He found himself in the same cave as before, with the sound of running water and the strange, almost luminescent walls. Before, this had been a mysterious place but now it felt much more frightening. Although the last time he had entered this place he had found his reassuring mother, now, after everything that had happened, he was afraid he might instead see something much more disturbing. He walked in almost complete darkness despite his apprehensions. It was almost as if some invisible force was pushing him along towards the light at the end of the room tunnel._

_Finally, he came to the waterfall, now silent rather than giving off the magical noise as before. Slowly, as he had done before, he stepped through the silver rock near the waterfall and emerged, tingling, on the other side. It took him a moment to gain his bearings again. He found himself in the same place as before, the same haunting singing coming from just beyond the trees this time. He instinctively recognised his mother's voice, although this time it seemed a lot sadder than it had previously._

_He continued forward despite this worrying new development. Now things began to differ from last time more greatly. Last time he had been in this odd dreamland he had changed back into his usual clothes and out of the horrid prison rags but this time his stained, bloodied shirt and trousers remained the same. There wasn't anyone else there anymore either. Before, people had been milling around, smiling happily at Legolas as he had passed them by. There was no happy face to greet him this time._

_However, when he started to look closer up at the still and silent trees, he saw gnarled faces staring down at him in anger, their eyes bright yellow and dangerous-looking. They were all hunched and slinking and Legolas got the impression that they didn't approve of the intruder and were willing to do anything to be rid of him. He turned his eyes away from them, worried that by looking at them directly he might excite their need to attack and defend their territory._

_The further he walked into this place of deep sadness, the colder it got. The once bright green trees seemed to fade right before Legolas' eyes and turned into a dying, withered brown colour. The grass died beneath his feet as though he himself had brought some kind of poison into this dreamy realm. Dark clouds began to form in the sky above him although no rain fell from them. Thunder rumbled in the distance and the air was thick and charged with some kind of powerful and frightening energy. With every roar-like rumble, the creatures in the trees retreated a little further, as though afraid of what the angry-looking clouds might unleash upon them._

_Legolas kept walking though, afraid of what might happen should he pause even for a moment. He was only looking for one thing: his mother. This was the place she had been waiting for him last time and now he desperately wanted to see her again in the hope she might offer him some comfort however small. Something moved close by and he caught the movement out the corner of his eye but when he turned around sharply to look at it, nothing was there. Something moved on his other side but when he turned it had disappeared as the one before had done. His fast walk now broke into a desperate run._

_After a while, much longer than before, he reached the tree his mother had been sitting under last time. Now it was empty though. The tree itself was withered and charred as though it had been struck by lightning in some ancient time and had never managed to blossom again. Legolas came to a halt at the foot of the tree and took in the scene around him properly. Those dark creatures that had been writhing at the edges of his vision were now in full view and they were truly hideous._

_They resembled people but they were merely twisted monstrosities as far as Legolas was concerned. The naked, pale bodies writhed on their bellies as most of them were limbless and unable to do anything but shuffle inelegantly forward. Crawling pitifully on their bellies, they cried out horrific, bone-chilling cries, almost as though they needed to share their abject misery with any unsuspecting passer-by. Legolas took a step back towards the tree but something cold touched his neck and he recoiled with a cry when a cold, fleshy, squishy hand reached out for him again. It was as though the charged energy from the oncoming storm was drawing all these creatures out, like worms appeared when it rained. There were also things still up in the trees, singing dreadful songs that Legolas thought he half-recognised but that it pained him to listen to. Beneath his bare feet, the earth seemed to grow soft, as though it were attempting to swallow him up._

_Suddenly, Legolas wished he hadn't followed the light into this place that before had brought him some kind of peace. However, he felt that it was too dangerous to now turn back. Besides, he still had to find his mother. Torvan's previous threat that he would hurt Nienna even in her death was now at the forefront of his mind. This was no place to be stranded alone._

_So Legolas continued. He walked forwards cautiously, aware of all the horrors surrounding him. Although they all stayed a fair distance from him, he didn't want to chance it that they wouldn't hurt him. The last thing he wanted was to be mauled by of the awful creatures in this dream world. He kept to the dirt path he had used before, afraid that if he wandered away from it, he might inadvertently walked into some dreadful lair filled with disgusting entities wanting to rip him to shreds with their sharp teeth._

_Eventually – mercifully – he found what he was looking for. She was sat cross-legged by the river, which was dark and murky. Her singing was sad and her clothes were blackened but not bloodied like they had been in the cave all those years ago. She didn't turn around when Legolas slowly approached but continued to sing with even more desperation, as though she were an ancient siren trying to lure the good people of this dreamland to her._

_Legolas stood behind her, watching and listening to her sadly until she finally realised someone was there and turned around. Her face was stained with tears and her eyes were dark and concerned. She had stopped singing now and Legolas almost missed the melancholy sound for now all he could hear was the crying and increasing amount of snarling from the monstrous creatures behind him. Slowly, he crouched down next to her._

"_My beautiful son; you should not be here. It is far too dangerous." Her voice was steady but seemed as though it were coming from everything else around him rather than her. The words and movement of her mouth did not seem to match up, which gave all this a softer dream-like quality than the one he had so far experienced._

"_I had very little choice in the matter, Nana," he answered in an equally soft voice, although more to keep from alerting the monsters in his presence than to keep the peace._

"_I suppose not," she sighed sadly, turning her face back to the murky river._

"_What happened here?" Legolas asked, looking around at the growing darkness._

"_I don't know. I suppose it has always been like this – underneath everything."_

"_Underneath everything?" he repeated in confusion._

"_Everything has a mask, Legolas, something to hide behind when things get difficult. Even you have one, ion nin. In time masks disintegrate though. And when they do, often something so much more terrible and frightening is revealed."_

"_You mean that this is what this place truly looks like and what I saw last time was just an…illusion?"_

"_Of course," she answered, turning to him once more, her eyes seeming to possess the storm, almost as if it were being absorbed into her soul. "Life is the ultimate illusion, Legolas. We just have to look past it sometimes."_

"_And you? Are you an illusion too? Is this another of Kallon's tricks?" Legolas asked, looking around as though the man might appear amongst the hideous creatures around them._

"_No, Legolas. No tricks."_

"_But this isn't real."_

"_Of course it's not."_

"_This is the work of the Master then? The last time I saw him he told me that he had planted this image in my head – and the image of my father."_

"_This is not the Master's doing either," she said vaguely._

"_Then who?"_

"_The _friend _you call Torvan. See how he changes everything? Whatever good there is in any world he will corrupt."_

"_Torvan is not my friend," Legolas stated vehemently, then added, "He did all of this? How can one person cause so much trouble?"_

"_He has done nothing spectacular, Legolas. Only what anyone could do if they put their mind to it."_

"_And them?" Legolas asked, nodding nervously to the beings creeping in the trees and slithering across the ground toward them. They seemed to be almost attracted to the two Elves sitting by the filthy river, but they also seemed to be growing cautious about coming closer, almost as if they were more frightened of Legolas and Nienna than they were of the others around them. Legolas didn't want to have to test his theory if he could help it though._

"_Pay no attention to them. They will not harm you. They are far too consumed by their own misery to be concerned about us."_

"_What happened to them? Why are they like that?" Legolas pursued, eager to know who they were and why they were in his dream world._

"_Grief consumes people, Legolas. Look at what they have to live in. Sometimes people adapt to their surroundings in the most surprising and shocking ways. That is all they have done – adapted."_

"_But they are monsters, not people."_

"_Who are we to condemn those less fortunate than ourselves? This is a hard place and they must find a way to live or they will not survive the horror."_

"_Grief and necessity did this to them? How can such things cause actual physical pain?" Legolas mused in a soft voice._

_For a long while, Nienna didn't answer, she just looked at her son with sadness. Legolas soon felt her hand on his shoulder and he turned his eyes away from the strange beings. "My dear son, you are not like them. You are stronger than they can ever be. You have your father; that is the most important thing now."_

_Before Legolas could answer, someone called his name from behind him. The prince leapt to his feet at the familiar voice and was stunned to find Aragorn standing a few feet away. The man didn't get the chance to say anything further before the creatures all rushed towards him and Legolas and threw themselves upon the two friends. Legolas felt their bodies brushing against his in what was turning into a sickening fight for survival. They seemed content for the time being to simply fight with each other although they still swamped the strangers in their world. Legolas tried to fight his way out and he presumed that Aragorn was doing the same thing. When he looked up to his mother, she merely smiled gently, as though what was happening was a good thing._

_Just when Legolas felt the first monster about to bite into him there was a huge, loud bang, like an enormous rumble of explosive thunder, coupled with the brightest flash of lightning Legolas had ever seen. Nothing else happened for a moment until the world went completely dark and Legolas was roughly jarred out of his dream._

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Legolas and Aragorn woke simultaneously, both with a shout, attracting the attention of both Jasmine and Jadan both of whom came running over from opposite sides of the building. Aragorn immediately looked up at Legolas to find the Elf staring down at him.

"What's wrong? Legolas, are you alright?" Jasmine asked urgently, sitting down next to Legolas and looking at him in concern. "Legolas?" she pressed when she got no answer. Legolas was just staring at Aragorn though.

"Did you…?"

"Yes," Aragorn answered, knowing exactly what Legolas was going to ask.

"Then we just…?"

"Yes." They had shared a dream. Legolas had seen Aragorn and Aragorn had seen Legolas. That was definitely not normal. Never before had they actually shared a dream, certainly Aragorn could not know anything quite so personal about the inner workings of Legolas' mind. Aragorn had no reason to be in the dream; it had been something between Legolas and Nienna, who Aragorn had never even met.

"But how?" Legolas breathed. He could still feel the cold, damp hands grabbing at him, trying to tear and bite at him. He could feel their dank breath on his face, their glassy eyes wild with some kind of primitive rage. He remembered seeing his mother's smile, almost as if she was pleased at what was happening, like Legolas as achieved something great by being attacked by the disfigured beings who had previously been content in slithering and crawling through the trees.

"I have no idea," Aragorn answered, as confused by all this as Legolas. He looked towards his friend and frowned. Legolas was pale and Aragorn could see him trembling again. "Mellon nin, are you alright?" Legolas looked down at Aragorn and the man again grew concerned. He realised that this was exactly what Legolas didn't need – more reminders of his mother and everything else that had happened.

"Here, drink this," Aragorn encouraged, handing Legolas a cup of water. "That's it. Are you alright?" Legolas nodded gently after drinking the water. Reality, for a moment at least, had seemed dimmed in the aftermath of the dream, as though a part of that dark and rotting world had carried through twilight into the real world. Now that was beginning to fade slightly and reality was starting to pierce through the dream. "It was just a dream," Aragorn reinforced, although truth be told, he was as disturbed as Legolas at what had happened. He, however, was not balancing perilously on the edge of despair as Legolas was.

"It just felt so…" Legolas stopped himself.

"I know but it wasn't." Legolas nodded. "I would suggest going back to sleep but I don't think that's possible, right?" Legolas smiled down at him. He didn't want to go back into that world again. It had been bad enough the last time. He had no idea what other revelations his mother might have in store for him if he went back into that terrible place.

"Well, if you're not sleeping you may as well do something useful. Tell us about this Royal Guard of yours. What will they do when they get in here? If we know how they'll attack this place then we can be ready for when they do come," Jadan said bluntly.

Legolas hesitated in answering and looked to Aragorn. He didn't want to give all the secrets of the Mirkwood Royal Guard away; especially to someone they did not entirely trust. The Guard's procedure was kept between them and the royal family. No one outside the circle knew anything of their ways or how they executed their plans. For others to know escape routes and the moves employed by the Guard would mean all those things would be compromised and rendered useless. They were guarding the most important people in the kingdom; after all, they couldn't afford mistakes or weaknesses.

"Jadan is right, we need to be ready," Aragorn reasoned softly.

"Alright, but none of this ever leaves this building, understand?" Legolas said seriously, his eyes boring into Jadan's. The man nodded somewhat reluctantly. The deep emotions and warning in Legolas' eyes had returned since he had woken and Jadan found it hard to hold the gaze for too long anymore.

"They won't come in here," Legolas said simply.

"What?" Aragorn, Jadan and Jasmine exclaimed simultaneously.

"What do you mean?" Aragorn asked more calmly. Even he had no idea what official procedures were. Being in league with Mirkwood's prince didn't afford him any special rights to their private security plans. He had been told by Thranduil once that it was his duty to protect Legolas at all costs and that if anything happened he was to get the Elven Prince as far away from danger as possible. Other than that, Aragorn was in the dark.

"There are rules – a code. It's like an oath all guards have to take when they join the Royal Guard. The Guard's main – or rather their only – priority is to protect the king. They can't break that rule, even if Ada orders it."

"So?" Jadan asked, not fully understanding.

"So Ada must be here as well. They wouldn't attempt to break into the encampment because they need to protect the king and Ada couldn't do it alone."

"But you're their prince. Surely, they have to look after you as well," Jasmine protested.

"Yes but the king being the ruling monarch has to come first in their eyes."

"Great, so one of the most fearsome armies on Middle Earth is right next to us but completely useless," Jadan exclaimed angrily.

"Only so long as we're in here," Aragorn mused quietly, making them all look up at him. "Once we're outside, the Guard can do whatever they want, right?" Aragorn asked Legolas.

"I suppose so. If I come to them for help – or get within sight of my father – they can't really turn me away," Legolas said tiredly. All this talk was more tiring than he thought it would be although he couldn't understand why; Thranduil was alive and there was no reason he should be feeling this way still but there was still a slight coldness inside him, almost lying dormant waiting to resurface at any moment. The pain in his back was also getting worse, although it should have been starting to heal by now. Aragorn seemed to notice this as well. He shot a sympathetic look up to Legolas and the Elf smiled back sadly.

"That's perfect then," Jadan now enthused. All this optimistic talk was brightening his mood greatly. However, there was always something to bring everyone down. "How, though? How exactly are we supposed to get out of here without alerting Kallon or any of the other guards?"

No one answered this straight away, thinking hard about their predicament. Much to the surprise of everyone, it was Legolas who answered.

"I know a way out." They all turned to face him. "That furnace room."

"The what?" Jadan asked.

"The furnace room down in the mines. Just above the actual furnace is a small opening, like a chimney, that leads up through the rock – sort of like a ventilation system. But it's small. If one of us could fit through they could climb up and open the gates then let everyone else out."

"Climb through a tiny hole in the rock, above a thousand-degree furnace, then go out amongst all the guards and unlock doors with keys we don't possess. Sounds simple," Jadan muttered sarcastically.

"Sounds near impossible," Jasmine corrected sadly, clearly deflated at the lack of a proper escape plan.

Legolas was only looking at one person though – Aragorn. The man had a small smile on his lips as he said, "Sounds perfect." Legolas mirrored the smile. They had a plan, no matter how impossible it might sound; it was at least a plan.


	79. Watched From Afar

**Disclaimer: **I own nothing Tolkien created.

* * *

**Sold Into Ruin**

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**A/N: Thanks so much to everyone who has reviewed and everyone who is still reading this story. **

**Here is chapter 79 for you, so enjoy.**

**~*~**

**Chapter 79 ~ Watched From Afar**

**~*~**

Legolas couldn't sleep even though Aragorn had encouraged him several times to do so. Instead he had persuaded the man to accompany him outside for a brief walk in the yard, fed up of being shut indoors. He walked around the large yard with a blanket wrapped loosely around his shoulders and Aragorn closely shadowing him. Although he wouldn't admit it, Legolas was rather glad for this because he felt that at any moment he could topple over. His back was hurting him even more, his whole body felt disturbingly weak and he had to work hard to disguise the shivering that rippled through his damaged frame.

The trees of the forest surrounding the encampment that had previously been silent, were now speaking again in their wispy language but no matter how hard he tried, Legolas could not properly decipher what they were saying. They were all speaking over each other almost as if they wanted to scream out what they were trying to say but couldn't bare to make too much noise in this terrible place. This didn't frustrate Legolas as much as he thought it should though. He knew that he couldn't offer them reassurance in their current state and so long as the Men were living and working amongst them that was how they would remain.

It was an out-of-place flash of gold rather than the trees' cries that drew Legolas' attention back towards the forest. His excellent eyesight could pick out the shape of someone in the trees even though they were a fair distance away. At first he thought of the encampment guards but then he saw a lighter shade of matt green amidst the forest, followed by another quick flash of identical green. They were silent even to his perfect hearing so he knew immediately that they were not mortals but Elves. And there was only one group of Elves Legolas knew of who wore uniforms of that colour – the Mirkwood Guard.

Legolas' eyes suddenly lit up and a bright smile involuntarily crossed his lips. Aragorn was immediately asking him what was wrong but Legolas didn't answer because he suddenly caught a glimpse of a face moving amongst the shapes. A face he knew better than any other in the world. A face he had honestly never thought he would see again. His father. Thranduil was just a few feet away from him; so close and yet so far. Through the trees, Thranduil also saw Legolas. Saw his blue eyes and his too-thin frame. Legolas saw the king make to dash forward only to be restrained by a dark-haired Elf, unmistakably Elrond. Of course the Elven healer would be here as well, searching for Aragorn.

The movement Thranduil had caused in the trees had attracted the attention of one of the patrolling human guards nearby. Immediately, shouts issued from the men and Legolas saw his father and the Mirkwood Guard retreating back into the trees once more. However, by now the humans were running towards the forest with their weapons drawn, having clearly realised that something was seriously out of place in their wood.

Without even thinking about what he was doing, Legolas quickly looked around and spotted the building behind him. Fearing for his father and knowing that he had to cause some kind of distraction to draw the guards' attention Legolas threw the blanket from around his shoulders and ran to the building. He leapt up, easily grabbing the edge of the roof and pulled himself up, a lot less gracefully than he would have done normally. Hauling himself up and ignoring Aragorn's stunned shouts of protest, Legolas carefully gained his footing on the slippery roof, earning himself the full attention of the guards. Hearing the commotion from the yard they all turned from the forest and raced towards the building to offer their assistance, just as Legolas had intended. A renegade prisoner was far more troublesome than phantoms in the forest.

"Legolas, what are you doing? Get down from there," Aragorn called up, having no idea what Legolas was playing at. Jadan and Jasmine also rushed over to see what all the commotion was about. Jasmine gasped when she saw what Legolas was doing.

"Ada, stay out there. We'll come to you," Legolas shouted in Elvish so none of the Men could understand what he was saying. He knew his father and the Guard would hear him, even from that distance and above all the noise of the encampment. Aragorn also understood the Elven words and turned around to face the forest in surprise. He couldn't see anything, of course, just trees. Looking back to Legolas he finally understood what was going on.

The guards struggled with the keys to get the gates open but finally burst through. They swarmed inside, their weapons raised, and ran towards the building on top of which Legolas was still standing. He may have saved his father from discovery but now he realised just how much trouble he had gotten himself into.

Just as the first guard was about to climb clumsily up the building, Aragorn grabbed him, pulled him down and immediately planted powerful punch on his nose. In an instant more guards were swarming over him but Jadan came to his rescue, knocking more guards off him and fighting back as best he could. Meanwhile, Legolas nimbly jumped down from the roof although landed rather awkwardly and fell onto his back, making him cry out loudly in pain. It was barely heard above the noise of the fight though.

After only a few minutes of brutal fighting, in which both Aragorn and Jadan were bloodied and bruised, the brawl wound down and Legolas was hauled to his feet by two strong guards to stand by Aragorn and Jadan who were being restrained by several nervous guards.

Kallon didn't take long to get from the mines to the 6000 building. He surveyed the damage and then looked to the several culprits the guards were holding. They had dragged some other men in the building away and were holding them as though they had also been a part of the fight – probably to make it look like the odds were stacked against them, hence their losing control. Kallon stared at them all without any indication of what he was thinking. Then suddenly, he pulled out a knife and stuck it in one of the innocent men's necks. Everyone recoiled in shock as the man dropped to the flood, gurgling pitifully in the last moments before his death.

Kallon stood in the middle of the line of people and wiped his knife clean on the jacket of one of his guards.

"Who started this?" he demanded, his eyes instinctively going towards Aragorn and Legolas, who was being held up by the guard. He received no answer though. "Who started this?" he shouted again.

"It was him, sir. The one…" one of the guards started to say.

"Shut up," Kallon bellowed, causing an almost unearthly silence to descend on the whole courtyard. "I didn't ask you. Now, tell me who started this," he shouted at the prisoners. Again, no one responded and Kallon walked menacingly up and down the line of men. Without warning he stuck his knife into another man's throat. "Tell me who did this or I swear I will slaughter every single one of you," he yelled, his eyes wide with anger and his voice almost out of control.

Still the yard was silent. No one was going to betray either Legolas or Aragorn to this Man now.

"Fine," Kallon spat angrily, striding over to Jasmine and grabbing her by the arm. He roughly pulled her towards the men before throwing her to the ground. He grabbed her by the throat and held the knife to her exposed neck threateningly.

As the dagger dug into her flesh, Aragorn went to step forwards to confess. Before he could though, a small voice beside him spoke up quietly.

"I did." Aragorn's head snapped around to see Legolas, now standing as straight as he could and staring into Kallon's wild eyes. The knife had only made a small cut on Jasmine's neck and he stopped when he heard Legolas speak. A wicked smile crossed his face and he removed the knife and threw Jasmine to the ground again.

"I might have known," Kallon growled as he strode forward to a nervous-looking Legolas.

"No!" Aragorn shouted when he saw the raised dagger.

"Shut up," Kallon shouted back. As he walked past, he hit Aragorn hard in the stomach, causing the man to bend forward in pain.

Kallon finally came face to face with Legolas. For a moment he just stared into Legolas' tired blue eyes, as though trying to intimidate him. It didn't work though. Legolas had gotten used to that glare and it no longer affected him. He also knew that his own practiced glare didn't worry Kallon anymore either.

"I should kill you for this," the man said, holding the blade to Legolas' neck as he had done Jasmine's. Legolas just stood there though, not willing to show the man the fear he felt. "Would you like that, Immortal?" The prince didn't answer, not rising to the bait.

"Please leave him alone," Jasmine whimpered to Kallon. She was still on the ground, watching the scene in horror.

"It's alright, Jasmine," Legolas called weakly, his eyes not straying from Kallon's.

"Oh, it's far from alright, Your Highness," Kallon sneered, pressing the knife down onto Legolas' dirty skin.

Legolas closed his eyes but before anything else could happen, a familiar voice interrupted Kallon.

"What is going on here?" Although Legolas had his eyes closed he knew who it was who had interrupted them. It was Torvan. "Kallon, put the knife down," the 'Elf' commanded and Kallon immediately obeyed. With the knife away from his throat, Legolas opened his eyes. Kallon looked thoroughly disappointed at not being able to follow through with his threats. "Why are you holding a knife to the prince's throat?" Torvan asked, stepping forward and standing in front of them both.

"I…I…He started a riot," Kallon stuttered nervously. Legolas had never seen him truly nervous before. It was a satisfying feeling even if he did despise Torvan as well.

"And what good is a dead slave?" Torvan asked, as though he were teaching a child an important lesson. Kallon didn't answer. He just looked down to the ground, appearing ashamed of his actions. "He is worth nothing with a knife through his neck so tidy this up and do it quickly. You are wasting my time." With that Torvan disappeared, leaving everyone a little stunned and confused. Most couldn't understand why this strange Elf held so much power over their worst tormentor.

There was silence for a moment before Kallon turned angrily around and smiled at Legolas. The Elf knew something was coming but when Kallon raised his fist and slammed it into Legolas' face he was not ready for it. He fell backwards, hitting the ground with a yelp. Kallon didn't stop though. He kicked Legolas in his side, forcing him to roll over. Aragorn went to move forward but his two guards restrained him. Kallon kept mercilessly kicking Legolas until the Elf could do nothing but lay there and take it.

"Leave him alone," Aragorn shouted, tears in his eyes at what Kallon was doing.

Much to his surprise, Kallon stopped what he was doing, breathing heavily in exertion. "You are as bad as him," he growled, nodding down at Legolas, who was lying on the ground, only half conscious. "Everything was fine until you two came along and now you're ruining everything." Without warning, Kallon slammed his already bruised fist into Aragorn's face. Luckily, the man had been expecting it and managed to keep his balance even without his guards' support.

"Sorry to disappoint," Aragorn muttered mockingly. He was beyond being cautious with Kallon now.

"Oh you will be." Kallon hit Aragorn again and again until his face was covered in blood and eventually he fell to the ground to join Legolas, who was watching the scene with muted horror. Finally, Kallon spat on Aragorn and Legolas and turned to leave. "You will regret this day," he warned before striding angrily out of the gate, shouting at his guards to follow.

Once the guards were gone, Jasmine pulled herself up from the ground and walked over to Aragorn, who was still kneeling on the ground trying to wipe blood from his nose. She touched a cut directly above his eyes and he winced slightly.

"I'm so sorry," she said, tears in her eyes at the thought of what had happened.

"Estel," Jadan called from beside him.

"Legolas," Aragorn breathed. He had almost forgotten about the prince. He struggled up and knelt down next to Legolas, who was half sitting up. "Are you alright?" Legolas nodded. "Here, come on let's get you inside, shall we?" Another nod. Surprisingly, though, Legolas didn't seem as dejected as he had the last time and Aragorn knew it was because Thranduil was near-by.

"He's here, Estel," Legolas said through the pain, confirming Aragorn's suspicion. "I told you he would come for me, didn't I?"

"Yes, you did," Aragorn said, trying to keep the Elf on his feet. Legolas might have felt happy but that didn't mean his wounds disappeared. Unfortunately, it would take a lot more than that. It also didn't mean that his grief would instantly disappear despite the fact he felt like it had right then. Aragorn knew that such an affliction was unpredictable and could spring up at any moment no matter how well the person seemed to have recovered. The fact that Legolas was still shivering slightly confirmed this. The prince wasn't out of the woods yet. Far from it. This was only the beginning.

~*~

"I thought you said he would be dead soon," Torvan raged in Kallon's office. The man was sat in the chair next to his desk, practically ignoring the Elven figure before him.

"He was supposed to be," Kallon answered vaguely.

"Well, he certainly is active for a dead person. In my experience corpses don't usually jump up on top of buildings and make such a fuss but then I can't die so I don't suppose I have much practical experience in the matter," Torvan shouted.

"I guess not."

"You're taking this remarkably well."

"I am," Kallon smiled.

"What is wrong with you?" Torvan yelled. "You promised me that the Elf would be dead and yet he is not. Thranduil is out there somewhere with goodness knows how many of the Mirkwood Guard behind him, not to mention Elrond who has a great deal of power inside Gondor and could bring us down with a single word. And you, you are just sitting there like nothing in the world can harm you."

"Isn't it amazing how things can turn so quickly? I am always looking to other people and then you ask me to do this one little thing. Kill Legolas. You want it done properly, slowly. I think we should just stab him through the heart but no, you wanted to be all theatrical about it when we could have just ended it quickly and cut his head off."

"You have no right to talk to me like this," Torvan growled, the room darkening as it had done before.

"Maybe not but I'm working on it." With that, Kallon stood up and left the office before Torvan could even challenge him.

**To Be Continued…**


	80. Careful What You Wish For

**Disclaimer: **I own nothing Tolkien created.

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**Sold Into Ruin**

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**Chapter 80 ~ Careful What You Wish For**

**~*~**

Jadan thanked the guard he was speaking to and strolled nonchalantly across the courtyard. He had just done a deal with the young jailor. It was risky, he knew, but he had to do something risky to get what they needed. This was the closest they would ever get to escaping. The concept was at least possible now that they had outside support. King Thranduil may not have been able to do anything whilst they remained on the inside but he could certainly help when they got out. It helped that right then Jadan was in with the king's only and precious son. Perfect.

The two friends trusted him and he could use that to his advantage. He may have been in with the guards and a one-time informant to Kallon but he wanted to escape this prison as much as the next person. And Legolas would be his ticket out of the encampment. What he would do on the outside was still unclear but at least he would now have the choice. Besides, being in with the prince of Mirkwood could only bring him good fortune. Plus, they seemed competent enough to pull this off without him getting too involved.

Despite his newly discovered loyalty to Legolas, Aragorn and Jasmine, the possibility of turning them all in to Kallon was sometimes almost overwhelming. It would certainly serve him well in the encampment. Either way he was taking a huge risk. If Kallon found out that he was essentially committing treason he wouldn't hesitate in getting rid of him. However, he was also certain that Legolas and Aragorn wouldn't make his life easy if he betrayed them. He would have no chance of ever getting out of the encampment if he sided with Kallon. At least with Legolas and Aragorn he had a slim chance. He also knew that they really needed him for their particular plan to work. No one else had made friends with one of the guards.

Preparations had been made and that was a good enough start. Now all they needed was the perfect moment. That would be the hard part. Night time was the obvious answer. There were less guards wandering around at night and they were not as alert as during the day. However, that carried its own risks. The encampment was covered with traps in the woods outside and the forest was teeming with wolves and other evil creatures, as most of Middle Earth was now.

Not that Thranduil and the Mirkwood Guard were in the picture though, that wasn't so much of a problem. After years of fighting off the evils of Mirkwood, a few overgrown dogs shouldn't present too much of a problem for the forest warriors.

The window of opportunity would not be open very long though. Thranduil would not be able to stay in the woods for any amount of time and Legolas himself was still fading. They needed to act within the next few days or they would never be able to pull it off.

Jadan returned to Legolas and Aragorn who were now both sat up, Aragorn apparently fussing over Legolas' wounds whilst the Elf kept insisting that he was alright. He was clearly far from alright though. He looked tired and beyond pale. In truth, Jadan had been growing more and more concerned about whether he would make it out of the encampment with them, which was a dangerous proposition seeing as Aragorn would not go if Legolas wouldn't and they needed Aragorn more than anything.

"Where have you been?" Aragorn asked flippantly as Jadan approached although he didn't really seem too concerned about the answer.

"Just making some arrangements," Jadan answered, deciding not to elaborate on his dealings with the friendly guard. "Estel, we need to talk. Outside."

Aragorn knew instantly that Jadan wanted to discuss their escape plan and he nodded thoughtfully. "I'll meet you out there in a moment. Let me just finish this," he said, nodding to Legolas who rolled his eyes behind the man's back.

Jadan nodded and walked away, looking suspiciously around him as he went through the doors. Aragorn was concentrating on Legolas again but the Elf's eyes were watching Jadan leave. "Estel, are you sure he is truly trust-worthy?"

"What, Jadan? Of course not but he was kind to you when you were…well, you know. We don't have much choice in the matter. We need him and if we told him that he couldn't come with us he would turn us in to Kallon and then nothing would happen except we would be locked up in the Hold again. Don't worry, I'll be keeping a close eye on him," Aragorn assured, although he was obviously distracted by Legolas' wounds. "These aren't healing as well as I would like."

"They're not healing as well as I would like," Legolas said in a soft voice. "Estel, be careful. Please. I can't help but think that he is up to something."

"People do change," Aragorn reasoned, looking up to Legolas' face.

"Not over-night."

"Don't worry, mellon nin, I'll be careful. When have I ever ignored your instincts?" Legolas glared at him. "Alright, apart from this, when have I ever ignored your instincts?"

"I'm serious, Estel," Legolas voice was deadly serious and held a note of authority that made Aragorn really take notice.

"I know." In truth he still wasn't entirely sure about Jadan either. However, Legolas' suspicions were rarely wrong as he had proven several times in the past months. Jadan was their only way out of here. By befriending him – to a point anyway – they had condemned themselves to having him at their side, no matter how untrustworthy he might have seemed. Aragorn knew that they were playing a dangerous game with Jadan and he honestly didn't know who would win in the end. It was certainly going to be a risky showdown.

"I should go and speak with him," Aragorn said when he handed Legolas back his tunic and helped him on with it.

"I'll come with you," Legolas offered and went to stand. Aragorn didn't miss the wince of pain that crossed Legolas' face when he did so and he guided the Elf back down.

"No, you stay here and rest. If we're going to try something we'll need you at your peak and for that you need to be well-rested. No arguments," he added firmly when Legolas was about to protest. "Rest, mellon nin. Regain some of your strength and hopefully this time next week you'll be sleeping in a nice warm bed."

"Here's hoping," Legolas smiled softly.

With that, Aragorn left, going to find Jadan out in the courtyard where he was waiting surprisingly patiently.

"I've got some good news. I have a friend on the inside who is providing us with certain things we might need," Jadan started when they were sure they wouldn't be overheard.

"That's good but it's not what you dragged me out here for," Aragorn said, knowing there was an ulterior motive here.

Jadan looked to the ground, trying to decide how best to phrase his next point. He looked up into Aragorn's eyes and somehow knew the man was watching his every move carefully. "It's about Legolas."

"Ah."

"This is not going to be easy. If we use his escape route it'll mean a lot of climbing and a lot of running and probably a fair deal of fighting too. If he is not up to that then he shouldn't even attempt it."

"Jadan…"

"Estel, I know it sounds unfair but if he falls he'll take us all down with him. He wouldn't want that, now would he? If he is going to be a liability…"

"He won't be," Aragorn stated firmly.

"How can you know that for certain? He can barely sit up straight right now and this is going to be even more difficult than anything you have attempted in here before."

"Legolas is the only one who knows exactly where the exit is. Without him we'll be searching far too long and have more chance of getting caught. We need him – End of story," Aragorn stated, leaving no room for argument.

That didn't stop Jadan trying though. "He can give us directions and we can come back for him later with the full force of the Mirkwood Royal Guard backing us up. That way we can all be guaranteed safe passage. It's more practical, Estel, and it would put a lot less strain on Legolas," Jadan argued as quickly as he could, knowing Aragorn was going to object at any moment.

"Did it cross your mind that we might actually need Legolas?" Aragorn asked flatly. "Without him do you honestly think that Thranduil would offer us any help? He would sooner shoot all of us than allow us time to explain why we left his only son inside the place while we used his information to facilitate an escape. Plus the fact that the second we leave Kallon is going to go after everything remotely linked to us and that means Legolas if we leave him behind.

"Believe me, Jadan; you don't want to be on the wrong side of King Thranduil. And Kallon will surely kill Legolas when he finds us missing and then we'll have nothing to keep the king's rage at bay."

"And if he falls behind or gets himself killed then Thranduil will be even angrier and probably chop both our heads off," Jadan countered.

"Jadan, Legolas is coming with us. That is non-negotiable."

"Estel, please…"

"No, Jadan, I am not going to leave him behind. Legolas is my best friend and I will not leave him in this place a second longer than necessary."

"We are, at some point, going to have to fight. You cannot honestly say that he can do that in his state."

"I'll do what I have to," Legolas' voice came from beside them. Neither of the men had seen or heard the Elf approach but he had obviously heard every word of their discussion.

"I know you want to believe that but can you seriously hold a sword right now because if you can't you'll be no good to any of us and probably end up getting us all killed," Jadan ranted, gesturing wildly as if that would somehow convince the other two that he was right. Legolas merely nodded slowly before pulling back then slamming his fist hard into Jadan's face, causing blood to erupt from his nose. "Ow! What was that for?" Jadan shouted, holding his hand to his face in pain.

"I'll do what I need to. You have my word," Legolas said calmly.

"I think you have our answer, Jadan," Aragorn said, himself somewhat surprised at the Elf's sudden and strong proof of his ability.

"Fine but if this fails we'll know who to blame," Jadan said sulkily. "I think you broke my nose," he then whined.

"Sorry," Legolas said with no hint of regret.

"Here, let me take a look at that," Aragorn offered, gently feeling the man's bloodied nose for breaks.

"I think he broke it," Jadan repeated.

"Nonsense, you're fine. Well, now all that is cleared up shall we get going?"

~*~*~*~*~*

A guard crept through the mines, trying not to draw too much attention to himself. He approached the boiler room and nodded to another guard as they passed. It wasn't unusual for people to be walking around this area. The guard stepped into the small antechamber and went straight to the hooks on the wall. Hanging up on these was a set of keys. The guard reached up and took them, quickly hiding them in his pocket just as the head of the section appeared.

"What are you doing down here?"

"Nothing, just following orders," the guard replied quickly, a hint of nervousness in his voice that the other guard must surely have detected. "You know what Kallon is like."

"Hmmm. Well, just do what you're supposed to and get out of here. You 6000s always make the place look so untidy."

"Yes sir," the guard said before walking away quickly, thankful that the other guard hadn't noticed the missing set of keys yet.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"Did you see him? He's alive, Elrond, he's alive. All that worrying and he's still with us. I knew he would be, I could feel him still fighting," Thranduil was saying enthusiastically back at their camp, which was now being patrolled by all the Mirkwood Guard except the Captain who was now staying firmly at his Lord's side. "Now all we have to do is get him out. He'll come to us and we have to help him."

"Your Majesty, I don't think we should get carried away just yet. Prince Legolas may still be in great danger. Those guards didn't look too pleased at his little display," the Captain warned, not afraid to speak his mind now that Elrond was there to back him up. The healer was always more sensible about such things.

"Absolutely right," Elrond confirmed the captain's suspicions. "We must be ready for whatever your son is planning but we must also be extremely cautious. We cannot risk failing this."

"We need a plan," Elladan mused.

"Yes, we do," his twin agreed.

"Any ideas then?" Elrond asked with a proud smile. His sons always thought alike.

"We go in there and kill as many of those evil, cruel Men as possible," Thranduil suggested with anger and disgust dripping from his voice at the mere thought of the monsters who took his son.

"That is not advisable, Your Majesty," the captain said. "Firstly, we do not have enough people here to fight the whole encampment and those men will certainly be on high alert for us now. Secondly, we don't want to interfere with any plans Prince Legolas might have formed."

"That may be but he is my son and your prince. We have to do something," Thranduil said angrily, he had still not forgiven the captain for almost giving up on his son.

"Prince Legolas is a great warrior – as is the Ranger – if we go charging in there blindly whilst they are trying to get out we may put them in more danger. We could end up causing more harm than good."

"He is right, Thranduil. Legolas is not stupid; if he knows you're out here then he'll try and escape by himself rather than put you in unnecessary danger. We should wait and be ready to take action when Legolas needs us," Elrond interrupted before the argument could continue. Thranduil was obviously worried about his son and was clearly not thinking straight. The Captain of the Mirkwood Guard was thinking far more clearly and had the added advantage of experience. However, not even he could stand up to the King of Mirkwood alone.

"Fine. We'll do it your way," Thranduil begrudgingly agreed.

"Good, then we wait," Elrond said, causing silence to descend on the camp.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

**To Be Continued….**


	81. The Plan

**Disclaimer: **I own nothing Tolkien created.

* * *

**Sold Into Ruin**

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**Chapter 81 ~ The Plan**

**~*~**

"Alright. Here's the plan," Jadan whispered to Aragorn, Legolas, Jasmine and Arron, who was as usual holding onto Nienna. It was dark inside the building and they were all huddled in a corner, planning their escape while it was quiet. They couldn't risk being overheard. "Firstly, we do this at night, there are fewer guards and they are a lot less alert. We can use the cover of shadows, although that won't be so easy down in the mines." They all nodded in agreement.

"How will we see where we're going?" Arron asked Jadan in a whisper. The man didn't answer. He had not wanted the boy involved at all, claiming that a child would just slow down their progress. He had been even more annoyed when Aragorn and Legolas had insisted that Jasmine and Nienna also come along. Aragorn was not going to leave them behind and although he knew the dangers they faced, Legolas had to agree with him. Anyone even remotely connected to them would come into Kallon's line of fire as soon as they were discovered missing, which they doubted would take long.

"You just keep ahold of my hand all the time and you won't get lost," Legolas answered when he realised that Jadan was ignoring the question. The boy nodded somewhat nervously and Legolas placed his hand reassuringly on Arron's shoulder. He was clearly nervous about all this, all of them were. They all knew the consequences if they failed. Whatever luck they had been living on so far might well be gone by the time Kallon realised what they had done. In short, they would all be killed for this attempt.

"Good, now we've established that it will be dark at night, we'll have to dodge a fair few guards, maybe even take some out – all without being noticed."

"No problem," Legolas said simply.

At Jadan's look of confusion, Aragorn explained, "He can sneak up on pretty much anything if he wants. Trust me, no Man could hear him coming."

"So Legolas will disable any guards that are in our way and then we make straight for the mines."

"And how are we supposed to get past _those_ guards?" Jasmine asked. "The tunnel into the mine is crawling with them, we would never get past them. And there are far too many for even Legolas to take out no matter how quiet he was."

"Any ideas?" Jadan asked.

Everyone was silent for a while before Aragorn made an uncertain suggestion, "You have friends amongst the guards, right?" he asked Jadan. The man nodded. "Well, they have a healing hall in the encampment, don't they? If you can get me the right ingredients I could probably make up some kind of sleeping powder. All we would have to do is blow it into their faces and they should fall right over. If nothing else it'll cause enough distraction to take them out."

"A sleeping powder?" Jadan asked incredulously.

"You remember, Legolas? Like Elrond used to keep in that wooden box on the top shelf of the medicine cabinet? For years I wanted to know what was in there and it was a great disappointment when Elrond showed it to me and it turned out to be a simple, boring sleeping powder and then he drilled into me exactly how to make it as punishment for my curiosity. It is pretty effective stuff, especially on humans."

"Alright, so we use Estel's magic powder," Jadan said, almost mockingly.

"Just get me the ingredients and I will make it work," Aragorn replied, trying his best to ignore the obvious insult of his abilities. He looked to Legolas, whose eyes warned him not to cause trouble right now.

"Right, now we're inside the mines. I have arranged for one of my contacts to leave us some weapons in one of the alcoves. No one will notice them and we'll be able to grab them quickly then make our way to the furnace room."

"Wait a minute. How trust-worthy is this guards?" Aragorn asked, stopping Jadan before he could continue.

"As trust-worthy as they come. Look, a few years back I told him something about a prisoner's actions, he told Kallon and got a really good promotion out of it. He owes me. He won't betray me," Jadan said defensively.

"How do you know he won't go straight to Kallon?" Legolas pressed in a soft voice.

"Because he is scared stiff of what that man might do to him. Trust me, he won't take a chance that he's wrong. He'll have the weapons there by tomorrow night." No one seemed to share Jadan's confidence but there was little they could do about it right now. "So we'll have our weapons and I am pretty sure that once we're in the mines we're going to need them. Even at night there are a fair few guards, although probably no more than we can handle. I suggest fighting from the front entrance. None of them can be allowed to get out and inform Kallon of our attempt."

"Good idea," Aragorn praised, trying to make up for his earlier anger.

"Once we have gotten rid of as many guards as possible we need to make our way to the furnace room where this…supposed exit is. I would imagine that it come out the top of the mine and onto the plateau. After that we can get over the fence and into the woods. By this time, Kallon will probably have figured out what's going on, along with every other guard in the compound so we'll need to be quick."

"No problem. Once we're outside the fence my Guard will be able to take them on," Legolas said, pleased that they were actually forming a working plan. "We should get into the trees. The men won't follow us there if we have the Guard fighting with us."

"Remember that we are not all Elves, mellon nin," Aragorn smiled softly.

"Sorry. But you will all need to keep out of the Guard's way, especially you three. Ada won't know who you are."

"Right, so everyone try to keep behind Legolas when we are out of the compound," Jadan said cheerfully.

"He's not kidding, Jadan," Aragorn said seriously. "Thranduil won't hesitate in killing anything that looks like an enemy and unfortunately that means you, Jasmine and Arron. Be careful to stay out of the Guard's way and, more importantly, out of Thranduil's."

"Ada will have a camp somewhere nearby, we should head for that," Legolas continued. He knew his father's strategies better than anyone. "He will come to me because he knows that the Guard will follow, offering us better protection."

"And what if daddy dearest decides to just kill us Men?" Jadan asked sharply.

"Let me worry about Ada," Legolas reassured. "He won't hurt you in my company, I can assure you of that."

"And if you fall behind on the way out?" the man asked bitterly.

"Jadan," Aragorn warned in a low voice. "If you don't want _me _to break your nose, I suggest you stop talking like that."

"No, Estel, he's right. You should have a back-up plan. If I don't make it…follow Estel and find Elrond. He in alliance with my father, you'll be safe enough around him."

"Right, but that won't happen," Aragorn said, staring firmly at Legolas, as though challenging him to contradict his prediction.

"Of course not." Although he said it, he couldn't convince himself or any of the others that it was the truth. They were taking an enormous risk relying on someone who, truthfully, could barely walk at times. However, this was the plan and they needed Legolas.

"Great. So, we're out of the compound and in the relative safety of Thranduil's camp, surrounded by guards who hopefully won't be intent on decapitating us with their very sharp swords. We're home and dry," Jadan said, all malice and bitterness gone from his voice. The prospect of freedom really did bring out the best in him.

"That's actually not a bad plan, Jadan," Aragorn genuinely praised. It was certainly a lot more detailed than the traitor Torvan's vague ideas.

"Thank you very much," Jadan grinned happily in the darkness and once again Legolas was over-come with a great sense of distrust for the man. Still, he had risked a lot for them and Aragorn has informed him that he had been very kind when he had been unwell so he had no choice. Now though it seemed that Aragorn himself was having doubts and Jasmine clearly didn't like the man. As for Arron, he was outright terrified of him. Still, they all had every right to distrust him.

"I have a question," Jasmine whispered.

"What?" Aragorn and Jadan asked together, causing both Jasmine and Legolas to shush them.

"Alright, so we're going to escape the compound through the mines, knocking out the guards with this mystery powder, right?"

"Right," Jadan and Aragorn said, again together, earning them another shushing.

"Well, that's all very well but how are we going to get out of _this _building after dark? The doors are always locked, not to mention the gates. And there's also a lock on the furnace room door, right?"

None of them answered this. The one flaw in their plan was the very first hurdle. Without being able to even get out of the building they couldn't go any further. All the rest was academic unless they could think of a way of opening the doors and gates.

"Jadan, do you have another guard you could ask for the key?" Aragorn asked.

"I don't know. Maybe. I'll ask around."

"You do that. For now, everyone get some rest. We're doing this tomorrow night," Aragorn said.

"Tomorrow?" Jadan asked in shock.

"We have to move quickly or Thranduil might take his Guard right back to Mirkwood."

"Great. One day to come up with a solution. No problem," Jadan muttered sarcastically.

"Think of it as a challenge," Aragorn advised cheerfully, partly because he knew it would annoy Jadan.

~*~

"All you have to do is grab the gate key off of one of the more senior guards and hand it to me," Jadan whispered through the fence. "Come on, what's the worst that can happen? No one will ever know it was you who helped me and your debt will be clear."

"I don't know," the guard mused, not sure whether this would just get him into too much trouble.

"Have you got the money you owe me?" Jadan hissed harshly. This particular guard had made a big bet with Jadan a while back and had then claimed not to have the money to pay for it. Not being able to do much about it, Jadan had agreed that when he needed a favour – extra food or a few more blankets – the guard would provide them and their debt would be paid. However, this was a big favour he was asking. The guard had already agreed to provide the medical ingredients Aragorn had asked for and three guard's uniforms that were lying about in the guard house but keys to the doors of the prison blocks was another thing entirely. He knew just how much trouble that could get him into.

"No, I don't have the money," the guard sighed. Although there was often a relationship between guard and prisoner Jadan had made some friends – and enemies – amongst the guards over time and, although they hated to admit it, some of them were even a little afraid of him. He had connections to Kallon and he was not a person you crossed. That was why this particular guard was having such a hard time deciding what to do. Either way he knew that he would get into some kind of trouble. He had to choose the lesser of two evils. "Alright, fine. I'll get you the keys but don't go setting anyone free or I'll tell Kallon exactly what you asked for."

"And I'll tell Kallon that you gave them to me and that you're illegally gambling with prisoners. That's against the law in here, isn't it?" Jadan asked slyly, easily getting his point across. The guard mumbled unintelligently and wandered off, muttering that his debt was paid and that he would probably lose his head for his treachery.

Jadan smiled. He had gotten what he wanted. That night they would escape and it would all be over. All they had to do was get through the next twelve hours without getting into trouble. He had been pleased that Kallon had not taken everyone down into the mines with him today. He had thankfully left Legolas, Aragorn, Jasmine, Arron and himself. It would have completely ruined their plan if he had.

Inside the building Legolas and Aragorn were talking quietly. Jasmine was feeding Nienna in the corner and Arron was sitting cross-legged drawing in the dusty floor with a stick. Jadan sighed. This was not going to be easy.

"Morning," Jadan said as he approached Legolas and Aragorn. Both looked up and Jadan sat down next to them. "All ready for tonight?" he asked, rubbing his hands together in what looked like excitement.

"I suppose so," Legolas said quietly. It looked as though Jadan had interrupted something. Neither friend seemed particularly pleased to see him.

"Nice to see we're both so enthusiastic."

"Jadan, do you mind?" Aragorn asked, although it was more a rather unsubtle hint that he should leave.

Nodding his head, Jadan said, "Fine. I'll just go and take a walk around the compound shall I? I'll leave you both to it." He obviously wasn't pleased about being so firmly dismissed.

"Thank you," Aragorn said, although he didn't seem thankful at all.

"You are being rude to your friend," Legolas said, his head still hung, not wanting to look into his friend's eyes for fear of what he might see.

"You are my friend, not Jadan."

"Aragorn…"

"Estel," the man corrected quickly, both alarmed and surprised that Legolas had forgotten this simple rule. In truth the Elf looked just as shocked. He had always called Aragorn 'Estel' in this place.

"Sorry, Estel," Legolas repeated the name as if saying it would help him remember to use it in the future.

"Legolas, I know that you have been through a lot…"

"We all have," Legolas interrupted, not wanting all the negative attention to fall upon himself.

"It's been different for you though. But this is nearly over now. Soon we'll be out of this place," Aragorn reassured gently, sensing there was something more to this than Legolas was letting on. The Elf had been unusually quiet ever since they had met last night and discussed in full their escape plan. It all seemed very real now, whereas before it had all been just an idea carrying no real risk. Or at least not as much risk, he could hardly discount the whole 'Hold' episode. That was the frightening thing – that if they failed it would undoubtably mean death. For Aragorn, this was a concern, for Legolas it was outright terrifying. Not so much because he feared death, which he did, but because he almost welcomed it at this point.

How did he know that when coming face to face with a guard he wouldn't simply lay down his weapon and let the encounter play out, regardless of the consequences to himself, or to Aragorn? The very fact that this thought was on his mind was troubling enough but that he truly believed it to be real was another matter altogether.

Having nowhere else to turn to, Legolas laid all these thoughts out to Aragorn. The man watched him closely as he spoke and although Legolas did not look directly at him he could feel the sympathy and concern coming from him. He hated to admit all this to his best friend, especially at a time like this but he had to tell someone in case he really did do something irrational. Aragorn was the only one he could talk to now. And although he didn't like to admit any weakness on his part he felt like he needed to tell someone lest he go mad.

Aragorn was silent for a moment before he sighed and placed a gentle hand on Legolas' arm. Although no words were said, Legolas felt he needed to look at Aragorn and when he did he was met with concerned grey eyes.

"I won't let you go. Not now. Not after everything. Trust me, my friend, everything will be fine," Aragorn said carefully, knowing that this conversation was one of the most important he would ever have in his life, certainly with Legolas, anyway. "Come on, mellon nin, I know you can do this. I wouldn't have told Jadan that you could if I didn't believe it myself."

"I'm sorry, Estel. I didn't want to let you down," Legolas said, his eyes drifting away from Aragorn's again.

"You didn't let me down, Legolas. And don't be sorry. We are going to do this. Together. You and me, as it has always been and when we get out of here we shall endure your father's lecture together as well," Aragorn joked.

"I am not that committed, Estel," Legolas laughed half-heartedly.

Aragorn smiled. "Well, we'll discuss that when we come to it. But know I am not planning to face your father's wrath alone." Although Aragorn was trying to make light of the situation he knew that it was a dangerous one to be in. He couldn't be with Legolas all the time during their escape. He needed to trust him and right then he was still undecided. "Don't worry, mellon nin, everything will be alright. I promise. With any luck, this time tomorrow we'll both be out of here."

"I can't wait," Legolas smiled.

"I know. Try and get some rest now. Tonight is going to be a long night." Legolas nodded, not having the energy or inclination to dispute what Aragorn said. "I am going to do some damage control with Jadan. I believe our new friend is feeling a little left out of everything."

"That would explain the pacing," Legolas quipped. Jadan had indeed been pacing back and forth in front of the building door all the while Legolas and Aragorn had been speaking and he looked pretty annoyed. "Estel, promise me you'll be careful tonight. I still don't trust him," Legolas added seriously.

"I will be. Don't worry about me, mellon nin. Once we're out of here we'll never have to see him again."

"I can't wait," Legolas repeated with a small laugh.

"Me either." With that, Aragorn stood up and went over to Jadan whilst Legolas slowly laid down, hoping to get a little sleep before nightfall. Never mind the fact that he was unsure of his emotional and psychological state, but he was even more unsure of his physical state. Tonight was going to be harder than any of them could have anticipated and as much as Legolas longed to believe he could partake in the plan he knew it would be more difficult than he was letting on to Aragorn and Jadan. His back still hurt him more than he admitted and his head pounded in an annoying way. He was tired, both in mind and body and he couldn't pinpoint one part of his body that didn't ache, including his heart, which remained heavy despite the realisation that Thranduil was alive and close by. He was tired and yet when he laid down he felt restless, so he watched Aragorn walk away with Jadan and began familiarising himself with their plan. He would need every bit of knowledge they had acquired for this to work.

Aragorn and Jadan, meanwhile, were strolling across the yard, talking in hushed tones so no one could hear them.

"I'm still not convinced that Legolas will be able to hold up tonight," Jadan said, "especially with Jasmine and her little brat with us as well."

"Her little brat?" Aragorn ground out.

"Sorry. But you see my point. Jasmine can't fight and I doubt very much the child can wield a sword. As for Arron…the boy is far too timid to fight against anything. That leaves you, me and Legolas. And one of us isn't exactly reliable."

"Jadan, we are not going to go through this again. We all need to get out of here. I am not leaving Legolas behind. End of discussion."

"Fine – just so long as the Elf can hold a weapon and get up the chimney."

"He can."

"It doesn't look like he can do much of anything right now."

"Jadan, don't worry, by tonight he will be ready. Now, can we talk about something else?" This officially ended the line of questioning and Jadan nodded slowly.

"I'm getting your ingredients soon. As soon as my guard comes through you can get started on that potion of yours. It shouldn't be too much longer."

"Good. It seems that everything is ready then."

"Yes. Oh, and I sorted out our other little problem. One of the guards is getting the keys for us - an easy way out of the building. We'll have to be quick and quiet but it should work without too much fuss."

"Excellent. You know, Jadan, I am really impressed with everything you have done. Not just with the escape but with Legolas as well. I'm not sure I could have brought him out of that state without your help," Aragorn said slowly even though he didn't like to admit it but he felt obliged to thank Jadan in case everything went wrong that night. "I really thought I had lost him there for a moment and you managed to bring him back to me. I just wanted to thank you for that."

"You…You're welcome, I suppose," Jadan said with nervous embarrassment. "I couldn't very well let him die, could I?"

"I know, but you didn't have to do what you did and although he won't say it, he's thankful too. Legolas is just…I don't know…far too proud sometimes. He means well though."

"You two really are good friends, aren't you?"

"We always have been. I don't know what I would have done if I had lost him, I really don't."

"I think your friend is a lot stronger than you give him credit for," Jadan suggested wisely. It was the first time Aragorn had heard an actual compliment from the man on Legolas' behalf.

"I suppose you're right. I just worry about him, that's all. This thing with his mother is bringing back some bad memories for him. He has never spoken of it before but he suffers sometimes, no matter what Elrond or Thranduil try to convince me."

"Well, we'll soon all be out of here and the Elf will be someone else's problem," Jadan said, his tones suddenly changing from kind to severe. This kind of change worried Aragorn. People who could change so quickly could rarely be trusted in his eyes.

**To Be Continued…**

**~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~***


	82. Shadows In The Night

**Disclaimer: **I own nothing Tolkien created.

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**Sold Into Ruin**

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**A/N: I spoil you with all these updates. **

**Thanks to everyone who has reviewed. Please keep them coming, I love hearing from you all.**

**Enjoy chapter 82.**

**~*~**

**Chapter 82 ~ Shadows In The Night**

**~*~**

As darkness began to descend on the encampment everyone seemed to grow inexplicably nervous. Even those who didn't know about the planned escape that night could sense the air of expectation. Legolas was still sleeping soundly beneath his threadbare blanket and Aragorn and Jasmine were sat close to him. They were discreetly watching the grim, hopeless faces of the other slaves as dusk descended. Jadan walked casually in just ahead of the two guards who came to lock the doors. The man immediately strolled over to Aragorn and looked down at Legolas in what appeared to be disappointment.

"Shouldn't you wake him?" he asked grumpily.

"Shush. Not yet. Let him sleep until it is time," Aragorn whispered, glancing over at Legolas with sad eyes. The Elf was utterly exhausted and in truth Aragorn was reluctant to wake him at all. However, letting him keep sleeping all night was not really an option now.

"Fine but don't blame me if he messes the whole thing up," Jadan grouched bitterly.

"Would you keep your voice down," Jasmine hissed harshly.

"Don't worry; I'm not going to disturb your precious Elf."

"No? Well, how about everyone else?" Jasmine muttered sarcastically, nodding her head towards a few others in the building, who were now looking at them. Jadan looked slightly annoyed and appropriately sorry for his actions and sat down on the bench next to Aragorn. "When are we going to do this then?" Jasmine asked in a whisper.

"As soon as everyone's settled down. About midnight," Aragorn answered equally as quietly.

"Great," she said, the nervousness creeping into her voice.

"Don't worry, everything will be fine," Aragorn reassured surprisingly convincingly. "If something does go wrong just take Arron and Nienna and run, don't worry about any of us, you just go. Do you understand?" Although it sounded as though it were a simple reassurance, Jasmine understood that it was a very firm instruction and she nodded gently. Tonight was going to be extremely dangerous and she had to be extra careful with Nienna. She also knew, however, that Aragorn and Legolas would make sure they were safe, even though the Elf looked far from able to fight in order to defend himself or anyone else.

~*~

At just gone midnight, when everyone else in the 6000 building was sound asleep, Jadan crept across the building and pulled the loose wooden plank away from the wall. In the little dip were hidden three guards uniforms and four small packets of white powder, which Aragorn had made up as soon as he had gotten it from the guard friend of Jadan's. Also stashed there was a large key to the gate. The guard he had blackmailed had come through at the last moment and they now had everything they needed to pull their plan off. As well as the requested things, Jadan had a knife hidden in the dip, which he took and slipped into his belt, covering it with his shirt so no one else could see it. He wasn't about to tell Aragorn or Legolas about it. This was his insurance in case the two friends tried anything against him.

Whilst Jadan was collecting their things, Aragorn leant down next to a sleeping Legolas. His friend had been fast asleep for just a few hours and truthfully Aragorn was loath to wake him. Legolas still looked utterly exhausted and certainly needed the rest. However, they couldn't leave him behind no matter how peaceful he now looked or how much Aragorn wanted him to rest. They needed him tonight.

Very gently, Aragorn placed a hand on Legolas' cheek and wasn't surprised to find it far too cold for comfort. He sighed and laid his hand on Legolas' shoulder, calling his name softly and shaking him very gently. Legolas murmured something that Aragorn didn't catch before he started to slowly wake.

"I'm sorry to wake you, mellon nin but it's time to go," Aragorn whispered as he watched Legolas fight against sleep for a moment. After a while Legolas sat up and Aragorn, of course, lingered close to him just in case he needed assistance. "How are you feeling?" the man whispered once Legolas was sat up. He saw Legolas smile weakly in the darkness but knew it was faked. The Elf was nervous about this. He could sense it in him. In truth, Aragorn was nervous as well. Anything could go wrong, and knowing their luck, would go wrong.

Jadan rejoined them and handed Aragorn the bags of powder. The man quickly checked them as best he could in the darkness then stuffed them in the pocket of his shirt.

"Everyone ready?" Jadan asked, looking to Jasmine who cradled the still sleeping Nienna in her arms. Both she and Arron looked anxious and Jadan realised that they were going to have major trouble tonight. Legolas was stood up by now and he looked extremely unsteady. Aragorn and Jadan seemed to be the only two really ready for combat. He just hoped it wouldn't come to that.

"Ready," Aragorn replied, looking to Legolas who simply nodded.

"Right. Everyone remember the plan?" Everyone nodded. "Good, let's go."

Quietly, they went to the loose panel and Jadan slipped out first, sending a silent prayer to the Valar that this would work and they wouldn't be taken down at the first hurdle. The others held their breath as Jadan stepped out, listening intently for any sound that they were about to be spotted by the guards. However, the less patrolled side of the yard remained clear of guards and Jadan hissed that it was alright for the others to follow. Jasmine went next, moving slowly and watching Nienna closely for any distress. Surprisingly, Jadan held out his hand to steady her as she stepped out into the yard. He then guided her to the shadowed part of the building so any passing guards wouldn't immediately spot her.

Aragorn let Arron go next and he managed it easily given that he was smaller than the others. Then Aragorn motioned for Legolas to go, wanting to keep a close eye on the Elf should anything go wrong.

"Here goes nothing," Legolas whispered as he ducked through the gap.

Aragorn followed closely behind and soon they were all pressed against the outside of the building in the shadows, hearts beating fiercely at the fact they had just completed the first – and easiest – stage of their plan.

"Challenge one: complete," Jadan whispered with a small, satisfied smile.

"Don't get ahead of yourself," Aragorn warned him quietly, going to step away and head towards the gate but Jadan grabbed his sleeve and pulled him back. "What are you doing?"

From the small bag he was carrying, Jadan produced three guard's tunics and handed one each to Legolas and Aragorn. "They might help disguise us a little from afar, even if they only cause a distraction, it's something." Quietly, they put the tunics on over their prison shirts and all were surprised by how comparatively comfortable they were. This was how the guards lived whilst they suffered in their filthy rags. The new clothes seemed to especially help Legolas, who immediately felt a little warmer in the relatively thick tunic.

"Alright, enough stalling, let's get out of here. Legolas, you go on ahead so you can disable any guards along the way," Jadan whispered as they walked quickly towards the gates. Legolas nodded when they reached the gates so Jadan retrieved the key from his pocket and slipped it into the lock, praying that it would turn properly and that he had not been deceived. Mercifully, the lock clicked open and Jadan was able to pull the gate open fairly noiselessly.

"Be careful, mellon nin. We'll be right behind you," Aragorn whispered in Elvish to the prince, who nodded and with a small, reassuring smile, slipped through the gates and disappeared soundlessly into the darkness. The others followed him, Jadan locking the gate behind them so it wouldn't be so obvious that something was wrong when the guards came by to check. Every second would count this night.

Amazingly, they crossed the plain and reached the mines without incident and were met at the top of the slope down into the earth by Legolas. They had stepped over two dead guards at the entrance, their necks efficiently twisted before a yell could even cross their minds. Aragorn shot the Elf a grateful look and placed a hand on his shoulder. That was the second part over. Legolas' face, although hard to read, suggested that this had not been a particularly easy task for him, even though he knew each of the guards deserved their deaths. They were, however, just men and he was not used to killing men.

Next, though, came the real challenge: the mines.

Before they entered the downward sloping tunnel, Jadan pulled aside a rock on the ground at the top of the slope to reveal that it hid a long groove in the wall. Inside this groove were several weapons. He handed Aragorn a rugged sword and a small, almost completely blunt dagger, which he accepted begrudgingly. He gave Jasmine and Arron a small knife each just in case they needed to defend themselves alone at any point. Both took them cautiously. Jadan then handed Legolas a chipped a dull sword and went to give him a dagger as well. However, the Elf had spotted something more to his taste, a bow and quite a large quiver of arrows. It seemed that Jadan was going to keep those for himself though.

Legolas rejected the dagger with a firm shake of his head. "I'll use that," he said, pointing to the bow and arrows lying on the ground.

"That's mine," Jadan protested, pushing the dagger towards Legolas for him to accept. The Elf wasn't about to give in though, he knew his strengths and needed to exploit them right then. "You can't even shoot it," Jadan said, motioning to the Elf's bandaged hands. Legolas looked down at them and, upon realising that Jadan was correct that he couldn't fire with the bandages on, he began unwinding them.

"Legolas don't," Aragorn whispered urgently but Legolas pulled the wrappings off, wincing when the cloth pulled at his burnt skin. He then pulled the other off, biting his lip to keep from crying out at the pain. Aragorn reached for him and grabbed his wrists. The hands had not healed well at all, the Elf's healing powers clearly still not working their magic, and were now slightly bleeding due to the Elf's rough handling of them. However, there was nothing Aragorn could do about that right now so in the darkness he shot Legolas an obviously annoyed look and let go of his wrists.

"You still can't use a bow," Jadan muttered, not that impressed with the display.

Stubbornly, Legolas bent down and picked up the bow and a shoddily made arrow. Before Jadan could even consider about protesting against this, Legolas had strung the arrow and pulled the string back. And before Jadan could take a step back there was a perfectly-aimed arrow just millimetres from Jadan's foot. The man took a startled step backwards when he saw the arrow and looked up in wonder at Legolas, who already had another arrow strung and ready to fire. He hadn't even seen the Elf reach for it. When he looked over at Aragorn, the man was just smiling knowingly. That was the Legolas he knew.

"Fine, you can use the bow," Jadan conceded, his voice full of bitterness and wonder. He bent down and picked up the arrow, which was stuck firmly in the ground. "Nice shot," he complimented, handing the arrow back to Legolas, who had by now strapped the quiver to his back.

"What do you mean? I missed. I was aiming for the other foot," Legolas said simply without humour before turning away, leaving a decidedly startled Jadan to look after him in both wonder and concern. He couldn't tell whether the Elf was being serious or not. He hoped the latter.

Although Legolas had made that look effortless, it had actually hurt him a great deal. His hands were burning and stinging. It had also hurt his back, which hadn't had so much strain put on it in the past few months. Although he could work a bow in his sleep if he needed to, he found that pulling back the string had been harder work than he remembered. He didn't mention any of this, of course, although he was sure Aragorn would have noticed something was wrong. His aim had remained pretty much perfect so he held the bow tightly, trying in vain to ignore the pain that coursed through his battered body.

Once Jadan had gathered up all the spare weapons, arming himself with a sword and two daggers, they continued towards the mines. They all held their weapons tightly, ready for a guard to jump out at them from the darkness as they descended into the mines. Their feet seemed to stomp on the wet ground and echo all around – all except Legolas, who remained completely silent. Jadan had to keep looking behind him to check the Elf was still with them.

Just around the first corner, they finally ran into trouble. A guard nearly bumped right into them. For a moment, the guard didn't look at all startled, only really seeing their clothes. It was Arron who drew his attention. Before he could call for help though, Jadan's knife slashed across his throat, silencing him instantly. Aragorn grabbed the guard's body before it could hit the ground and, together with Jadan, dragged him to a small alcove where they could stash him so he wouldn't be immediately noticed.

As they had been doing that, Arron had grabbed hold of Legolas' arm and was holding on tightly. He was clearly startled by the killing.

Once that gruesome task was complete they walked onwards, more cautiously this time. As they continued torches started to line the tunnel and this only disconcerted them further. So far they had been relying on the darkness to conceal them some but now they all felt far too exposed.

Again, Legolas started to feel the walls closing in about him and was nearly overwhelmed by the strange sensation of being buried alive beneath the soil. This time he didn't show his fear though, as Arron was looking up at him with frightened eyes. The boy needed to know that everything was alright and was looking to Legolas to take care of him. He just hoped he could do the child's expectations justice.

They didn't encounter any more guards along the way and managed to navigate the tunnel remarkably quickly. When they eventually did meet a guard he barely had time to register them before Aragorn had blown the sleeping powder into his face and he was rendered unconscious. The man caught the guard before he slammed to the floor and lowered him down gently. The powder would knock him out for several hours so they didn't have to worry about him waking any time soon. Aragorn propped him up against the wall and they continued downwards. The tunnel soon began to brighten further as they got closer to the main structure. They all held their weapons close and prepared to face whatever was about to happen.

When the assault did come, it came quickly. The first person to see them was one of the slaves. He immediately shouted the alarm, much to Jadan's disapproval, and all the guards in the vicinity turned to face the intruders. For a moment, there was an eerie silence as the two sides measured each other up. It was the bemused guards who made the first move. One of them unsheathed his sword and charged forward. He didn't get very far, however. One of Legolas' arrows had already pierced his neck and the guard fell useless to the floor.

Instantly, the other guards were charging at them. Then the real fighting began.

Legolas did a remarkably good job of taking out a fair few guards with his well-aimed missiles. It came with a price though, his hands bled where the sharp wood dug into his burnt flesh and every time he fired he had to work hard to keep from crying out. This proved more difficult the more he fired. The pain unfortunately also affected his aim. One arrow completely missed its target and slammed into the stone wall. Thankfully, though, by luck more than skill Legolas thought, most of the arrows hit something.

This was not something Legolas was used to. He was widely considered to be one of the best archers in Middle Earth. He hadn't missed a target since he was an Elfling, being personally taught by the Captain of the Mirkwood Guard. He had won every archery competition he had entered without exception and had been the pride of the King's army when out on duty. He had never been in the position of not being able to do his very best and it was somewhat disconcerting. Still, his friends now depended on him and so he continued, trying his best to keep on target and not throw the bow to the ground in pain. The steady stream of arrows certainly kept the guards at bay long enough for Aragorn and Jadan to prepare themselves for the imminent onslaught.

After firing for some time, Legolas reached behind him to retrieve another arrow but was met with only thin air. He was out of ammunition. Without hesitation he discarded the bow and grabbed the battered sword Jadan had given him. Stepping back into line with the two Men, he held the sword tightly, trying to get a good enough grip, which was difficult due to the slippery blood that coated his hands. He sensed Aragorn glance down at his hands but ignored it and continued to look straight forward to the guards who were nervously coming out from their shelters, where they had dived when Legolas started firing at them. There were still a significant number left and every one of them was well armed.

"I'll admit that was pretty impressive," Jadan said to Legolas as they waited for the attack. Legolas merely nodded, knowing this was likely the only compliment he was going to get from Jadan tonight.

Now, however, they couldn't rely on Legolas' excellent aim to save them. Now, came the hard bit where all had to fight.

"Whatever happens keep yourselves safe," Aragorn instructed Jasmine and Arron, who both nodded nervously. Jadan then handed them the key to the gate back into their compound.

"If anything happens to us, run back to the building and pretend you had nothing to do with any of this. Kallon will never be able to prove that you did. And get rid of the key once you get back inside," Jadan said, his eyes never leaving his opponents. They did drift across when he felt both Legolas and Aragorn watching him and he was confronted with quite bemused looks. "Well, you don't want them to get into trouble, do you?" he asked in annoyance, as though embarrassed at being caught actually being nice to someone.

"Make for the furnace room as soon as you can. Good luck everyone," Aragorn said, seconds before the first guard built up the courage to run forwards, his sword drawn and ready to attack the rebelling slaves.

The guard clashed with Aragorn and the man was soon fighting with him with practised ease. A mere second later the other guards charged forwards, all their weapons raised and slammed into Legolas and Jadan. The fight immediately began. Three armed slaves against dozens of well-prepared guards. Aragorn managed to kill the first guard after knocking his sword out of his hand and was instantly confronted with another, equally determined to take the man's head off.

Jadan was also fighting several guards at once as viciously as he could. Unfortunately, he had little experience in trained combat, a fact he had failed to mention to his companions. Even so, he was not doing bad, dispatching both the guards relatively quickly. They were soon replaced by more and the battle raged on.

Out of all of them, Legolas seemed to be doing the best. Despite everything that had happened, he was holding his own on this small battleground. For a while he fought alone but when Aragorn had edged close enough they took on their classic formation. The two of them standing up to their enemies, keeping both sides covered and killing in the most efficient way they could. Together they were infinitely stronger than when they were apart, something that didn't go unnoticed by the guards. Upon seeing this they worked hard to separate the Man and Elf. It wasn't that easy though.

Legolas and Aragorn were used to fighting a great number of enemies and they knew exactly how to keep together whilst everyone around them was trying to pull them apart. They also knew that while the attackers were trying to part them they were distracted and this was a definite advantage. Perhaps the only one they had right now. Jadan also seemed to notice this strategy and steered Jasmine and Arron into their centre whilst he joined them in their attack on the guards.

Unfortunately the surprise part of their plan had now faded. The guards had recovered from their shock and were now fighting back with everything they had. It seemed as though the three fighting slaves were little match for the numerous guards but by some miracle Jadan, Legolas and Aragorn managed to hold the guards away from the exit. That was their main goal, to keep the guards from alerting Kallon or anyone else to their escape plan.

Despite the fact that they were starved and injured, the three managed to keep the many at bay. They fought with an almost unnatural ferocity. All knew that it was Men they were killing but they had no choice. They had to keep these guards contained within the mines. Kallon couldn't know about any of this. If he did, their plan would be ruined.

After what seemed to be an exhausting eternity, the remaining guards started to retreat further back into the mine, as though they sensed that Jadan, Legolas and Aragorn were not going to give up. The dusty ground was covered in blood, mostly that of the guards but also some of the three prisoners. This was not the only blood that was to be shed during their difficult escape though.

**To Be Continued…**


	83. Converging Forces and Costly Mistakes

**Disclaimer: **I own nothing Tolkien created.

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**Sold Into Ruin**

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**Chapter 83 ~ Converging Forces and Costly Mistakes**

**~*~**

Thranduil paced nervously up and down his tent whilst Elrond, Elladan and Elrohir watched him in equally nervous silence. In truth, the king's pacing was only making the situation worse. They allowed him to continue only because they all understood how worried about Legolas he was. For a moment it looked as though he was going to sit down and there was a collective sigh of relief, only to be replaced by a sigh of disappointment when he changed his mind and started pacing again.

"He is not as strong as he makes out sometimes," Thranduil said suddenly, startling them all. He had barely said a word since they had returned from their recon mission.

"Legolas is not a child. He knows what he's doing," Elrond reassured. And he knew he was correct. Legolas could handle himself well. However, he could not deny that this was a somewhat unique situation.

"But he is still a child, Elrond. My child."

"Of course. All I am saying is that whatever he is planning he can handle it himself. And pacing back and forth until you dig a hole deep enough to bury us all into the earth will not help him. Unless, of course, you plan on tunnelling your way in." Although Elrond joked, it was said kindly. Out of concern for his friend, not in mockery.

"I have to do something, Elrond. Doing nothing is driving me mad," Thranduil said, a hint of despair creeping into his voice despite himself.

"And your pacing is driving _us_ mad," Elladan said under his breath. Unfortunately, the other three in the room also heard this. Elrohir and Elrond shot him a disapproving look whilst Thranduil looked just plain angry at the obvious dig.

"If you must do something then get some rest. Legolas would not want you to inflict anything he is going through on yourself," Elrond said gently, trying to repair the damage Elladan had unknowingly done with his sharp comment. "We will leave you to get some sleep. You look tired, mellon nin." Elrond rose from his seat and his sons followed suit.

"I will not rest until my son can rest with me," Thranduil answered defiantly before they could leave. "If it were one of yours you would say the same thing. You cannot deny that."

Elrond looked understandingly at Thranduil before saying, "It is one of my sons out there, Thranduil, and I will not rest until he is back with me either." It was not a grand gesture but both of them understood it even if Elladan and Elrohir didn't. They couldn't understand the fear either father was going through right then. No one but a father could. And even though both incarcerated sons were adults now the worry did not lessen for their parents.

Before anyone could say anything else, Thranduil's captain, closely followed by Elrond's own guards entered the tent.

"My Lord," the captain addressed the king with a bow. "We just spotted three figures exiting one of the buildings. I believe that whatever the prince is planning has been set into motion."

For a moment, Thranduil couldn't say anything. The deciding moment had arrived. When he finally did recover his voice, it was not as firm as he would have liked.

"Then we must do everything we can to aid them. Did you see where they went?"

"Towards what we presume is the mining complex," the captain answered quickly, sensing there was no time for sugar-coating anything for his king.

"There is obviously some kind of exit there. Position archers in the trees and make sure they are aware that my son is the priority. Do whatever you have to ensure his safety. That is an order, Captain," Thranduil said firmly before he could object. "Kill any man who gets in your way but be careful not to harm my son. Or Elrond's," he added, more as an afterthought.

"Tell the other guards to join with King Thranduil's men. Do as they ask of you and try your best to bring Estel back safely," Elrond said, his voice calmer than Thranduil's. Beneath his calm exterior though Elrond's panic was growing by the second. He had not admitted to Thranduil that he was terribly worried about Estel. The man was in just as much danger as Legolas and yet somehow he felt that in the end everything would be alright. Or at least he hoped it would be alright.

~*~

A portion of the Galadhrim, led by Haldir, Galadriel and Celeborn marched forwards with practiced efficiency. As soon as Galadriel had seen what happened to Legolas, with his mother and his captivity, she had informed Celeborn and together they had gathered the Galadhrim and they immediately set off in the right direction. Galadriel knew somehow where Legolas was. The Mirror had not given her a location but its magic seemed to guide her through some mystical power that she was not consciously aware of.

Their journey had been untroubled by Orcs or any other creature and now they were drawing near according to the Lady of Light. She sensed a renewed urgency, which grew with every step they took. Wherever Legolas was it was not a pleasant place and she knew she had to work quickly if she was going to save his life.

~*~

Thranduil, Elrond, the twins and the Mirkwood Royal Guard had placed themselves in the trees and bushes, well hidden from the encampment before them. They watched closely, all tense and waiting for something to happen. Thranduil just hoped that when the two friends did make their move he would recognise it quickly enough to be of help. He couldn't think about what would happen if he was too slow.

~*~

Legolas, Jadan, Jasmine, Arron and Aragorn fought their way through the remaining guards, all the time keeping any from getting near the exit. However, any advantage of surprise they had had was by now long gone and they had to rely on their sharp senses and superior fighting skills. Aragorn was doing a remarkable job of protecting Jasmine, positioning himself in front of her and Nienna, who had started screaming just moments after the fighting started.

Arron stayed as close to Legolas as possible, just as the Elf had instructed before they left the relative safety of their building. He was obviously terrified at what was going on around him. His eyes were wide with fear and amazement. Several times, Jasmine had to grab his shirt and pull him away from Legolas' side when he looked as though he was getting in the way of the Elf.

They were trying to edge in the general direction of the furnace room but it was proving difficult. There were more guards there than they had anticipated. They came up behind them, catching even Legolas by surprise. It was only Jadan's quick reflexes that saved Jasmine and Nienna when a guard went to plunge his knife in the woman's back. Now they were again divided. Legolas and Jadan were trying to clear the way to get to the furnace room whilst Aragorn was taking care of those guards still behind them. The unarmed members of the party cowered in the centre of the three fighters. Jasmine did not want to risk any harm coming to her baby and none of the others challenged that. Aragorn was just trying his best to protect both her and Legolas.

After what seemed like endless hours of fighting, Jadan leaned over to Legolas and shouted, "I have to get the key. Try to hold them off." He didn't wait for an answer though.

He stepped out of the main fight, keeping his sword raised just in case one of the guards broke off to stop him. He missed Legolas' sceptical look as he did so. Fighting these guards under these circumstances was difficult enough with Jadan's help. However, he had little time to question the man and was forced to defend their escape path alone.

Meanwhile, Jadan slammed his sword into the guard who challenged him and continued his path towards a small hook on the wall where a guard had hidden the key to the furnace room. He scrabbled to reach it but found that the hook was too high for him to reach. Shouting angrily, he stabbed at another guard who charged towards him. He jumped up to get the key but he still couldn't reach it. He had not realised the hooks were so high up and wondered why the guard had not mentioned this hitch when Jadan had given him his instructions.

He spun around and found Legolas in the surrounding chaos. The Elf was slightly taller than himself and he shouted to gain his attention. The noise of the battle prevented even Legolas' sharp hearing to pick this shout up. Jadan stepped forward a little, lowering his sword as he shouted Legolas' name again.

This time the Elf did hear him and spun around to face him. Legolas' face registered shock as soon as he turned to Jadan and the man froze. He wanted to look behind him to see what the Elf was looking at but found that he couldn't move. His legs wouldn't work and his head seemed locked into place, staring at the Elf before him. It seemed as though for a moment time stood still. The battle seemed to move in slow motion, sword strokes seeming to take forever to hit their targets.

In the same bizarre slow motion, Jadan saw Legolas reach for his bow, which was slung over his shoulder. Then he ducked out of sight, returning not a second later with a fully armed weapon in his hands. Without a moment's hesitation he fired, blood sprayed off the string, both from Legolas' hands and the arrow, which had obviously already found a previous target.

That was when everything sped up for Jadan. With the arrow flying towards him at an amazing pace he had only a second to throw himself out of its path before it slammed into the head of the attacking guard. The man stopped what he was doing, his sword raised, ready to strike. For a moment he didn't move, as though held up by strings attached to the ceiling. However, those strings soon snapped and he fell to the ground, glassy-eyed and motionless. Jadan stared at him for a long moment before heaving himself off the ground. Legolas was still fighting in the battle, seemingly uninterested as to whether his arrow had hit its target or not. Jadan was just amazed that he was still alive.

Quickly recovering himself, he made his way towards Legolas. The Elf was a little taller than him so would be able to reach the key with less difficulty.

"Go grab the key. It's on the highest hook, I can't reach," Jadan yelled above the noise. For so few people, the battle seemed unusually noisy and violent. "I'll hold them off." Legolas nodded and allowed Jadan to take his place. He went over to the place Jadan had just occupied and reached up. With a painful wince he grabbed the key from its hook and held it tightly in his hand, ignoring the pain the action caused.

He hurried back towards Jadan, his sword raised, and handed him the key. Jadan smiled and shouted to Aragorn that they had reached their target. Aragorn nodded and quickly killed the last few guards in his way with renewed vigour. With no one left to fight, they ran towards the furnace room. Every now and then a guard popped up but they were easy to dispatch. It came as such a surprise to them that none of them had enough time to put up a fight.

Finally, they reached the door and Jadan slotted the key into the lock whilst the others kept their weapons ready in case they were ambushed. With any luck, no one outside the mines would hear what happened. They could only hope that none of the guards managed to get out and alert Kallon. It would all be over if that happened.

The key didn't seem to want to turn in the lock though.

"What's taking so long?" Aragorn asked, worried about another ambush.

"It won't turn," Jadan shouted.

"What?!"

"They key won't turn," the man repeated, twisting the key in the lock even harder, hoping pure strength might have some effect on it. Still nothing happened.

"Let me try," Aragorn said, pushing Jadan out of the way and taking the key. He tried to turn it but like Jadan had said, the door would not budge. "Damn it, are you sure this is the right key?" Aragorn asked, removing it from the lock and showing it to Jadan to inspect.

"I don't know. I thought…"

"Great," Jasmine shouted, her anger boiling over whilst everyone else tried to keep their temper. Anger wasn't going to help them now.

"Maybe it's back there," Jadan suggested. "Maybe there is more than one key."

"Well that's not very helpful," Jasmine said, not even trying to keep her voice down. She was cradling the now screaming Nienna, who was just making everything harder.

"Alright, I'll go back and check the hooks. If there is another key I'll go and find it," Aragorn said, handing the useless key to Jadan. He shot Legolas a sad look, as though he knew that this was a suicide mission should it go wrong. One person couldn't fight off the guards should they attack again. He placed a hand on Legolas' shoulder when he saw the Elf's blue eyes fixed on his own. He smiled gently and turned to go.

When he went to go though someone grabbed his arm and he turned to find Legolas holding onto his arm, stopping him from leaving.

"Let me go," Legolas said calmly, his eyes never leaving Aragorn's.

Aragorn's face registered shock then disbelief that his friend would even suggest such a thing. "No, Legolas. You can't. I can do this. I'll be alright," the man reassured.

"They need you more than they need me," Legolas argued softly.

"No."

"Estel, Jasmine and Nienna need someone to take care of them on the way out and you are far more capable than me in that matter. They need someone reliable to protect them. I'll grab the key and I'll be right back." Legolas' voice was so much calmer than Aragorn thought possible in such a situation. He spent only seconds weighing up the possibilities. He realised that as hard as it was to let his friend go it was the right choice. Legolas was right. Aragorn did need to stay with Jasmine and Nienna. Legolas wouldn't be much use to them when it came to fighting.

"Be careful," Aragorn warned, looking directly into Legolas' deep blue eyes.

Legolas nodded and gripped his sword tighter. Without another word, Legolas walked away towards the battle ground. For some reason he sensed this would not be as easy as he had reassured Aragorn.

**To Be Continued…**

**~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~**


	84. Reckless Rescues and the Keys to Freedom

**Disclaimer: **I own nothing Tolkien created.

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**Sold Into Ruin**

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**Chapter 84 ~ Reckless Rescues and the Keys to Freedom **

**~*~**

Legolas stepped over the bodies of the dead guards. He made his way slowly towards the hooks, his eyes flicking from left to right, checking for any guards that may still be alive. The mines were strangely quiet now. Legolas didn't know where all the other slaves had gone – probably hidden away somewhere, worried that they might somehow get caught up in the battle. He made his way towards where the keys were supposedly hidden.

When he reached them he reached up and felt for another key. He found one and grabbed it, holding it tightly in his hand. It was the very slight rustle behind him that alerted Legolas to the presence of the guard. He snapped around, raising his sword at the same time. The guard also raised his sword and stared at Legolas in shocked disbelief for a long moment.

"I suppose you think this is clever, Immortal? Well, believe me, you'll regret this." Legolas' eyes flicked towards the corridor that led to the furnace room. "Oh, have some friends waiting for you, do you? Well, we'll just see how they'll manage without you." The guard charged towards Legolas, his weapon poised to strike. Legolas was ready for the attack though and parried the blow fairly easily. He ignored the pain and the fact that the blood was making the sword in his hand slippery.

The guard attacked again and Legolas blocked the blow. He struck the next time, sending the guard falling to the floor. Before the man could get up, Legolas did a quick search of the bodies and found an intact arrow. He slipped the key through it and grabbed his bow. Running somewhat awkwardly towards the corridor, he strung the arrow with the key attached. He knew that if there was one guard there were soon going to be more and the sound of cries from the entrance signalled that someone outside was sending in reinforcements just as they had feared. He had to keep them at bay, at least long enough for Aragorn, Jadan, Jasmine, Arron and Nienna to escape into the more secure furnace room.

Once he was in sight of the furnace room door, Legolas pulled the string back and, without a second thought, fired. The arrow hit the door perfectly, embedding itself deep into the wood but not so far that Aragorn would be unable to easily pull it out. The others had been facing the door and Aragorn swung around when the arrow hit. He saw Legolas, who quickly dived back into the main structure, ready to fight off the guards. There were quite a few now, all armed with swords, daggers and whips.

Legolas took a deep breath. This was for his best friend. He had to remember that.

~*~*~

Aragorn snapped around just in time to see Legolas before the Elf ran back down the corridor and out of sight. He turned back to the arrow in confusion before seeing the key hastily attached to it. He reached for the arrow and pulled it from the wood, taking off the key before discarding the missile. For a moment he couldn't figure out why Legolas would have done it. Then he heard a shout coming from the entrance. It wasn't his friend's voice. It was a Man. Someone had alerted the other guards. And now Legolas was out there all alone fighting them.

Now he had a decision to make. Should he stay with Jasmine and the others and see to it that they got out safely or should he go to help his friend and risk not getting out at all? It was one of those questions that he felt should have needed a great deal of time to mull over. He had no such time right now though and so he did the only thing he could think of. He handed the key to Jadan and started walking away.

"What are you doing?" Jasmine demanded, grabbing his arm to keep him from leaving.

"I have to help Legolas," Aragorn said, his voice determined. He stared down at her with sharp grey eyes. "I can't leave him out there all alone." To Jadan this didn't seem an adequate explanation for what was obviously madness on Aragorn's part. To Jasmine, however, it seemed a perfectly good reason for possible death. She nodded slowly and understandingly. Aragorn turned to Jadan and said, "Leave the door unlocked. Wait a while and if we don't get there soon go on without us. Lock the door behind you and get out of this place. Jadan, I am trusting you to look after them. Don't let me down." Although his words were stern it was the look in his eyes that made Jadan nod his consent.

Without another word, Aragorn ran back towards the main entrance whilst Jadan led the others into the furnace room.

When Aragorn reached the main entrance part of the mine what he found was utter chaos. Legolas was nowhere to be seen but the men were obviously fighting something. Then he heard the whoosh of an arrow and saw a man go down close to him. Not even thinking what he was doing, Aragorn jumped into the fray, fighting away as many guards as he could in order to reach his friend. He didn't see Kallon among them but guessed it wouldn't be too long before the man made an appearance.

It didn't take long for Aragorn to work his way towards Legolas. The Elf was fighting with a sword but the man could see that he was also armed with his bow and some arrows, which he had presumably stolen off one of the other guards. Aragorn called his name and Legolas' eyes flicked towards him briefly before turning back to his fighting opponent. How the Elf managed to keep so many men at bay was beyond Aragorn but he quickly made his way to his side to offer his help.

"I'll keep them off you if you think you can use that thing," Aragorn said, fighting against his own guards now. Legolas glanced across and dropped his sword without hesitation. In seconds it was replaced with his bow, notched with an arrow. As always, the arrow hit its target perfectly. It was followed by another and another.

However good Aragorn's fighting skills and Legolas' archery, they couldn't fight off every one of the guards. It wasn't possible and both knew it.

"We need to get to the furnace room and away from these guards," Aragorn said quietly, knowing that Legolas could hear him. "Start clearing a path along the corridor." He saw Legolas nod sharply and immediately arrows began hitting the men in their way.

Moving together, Legolas continued shooting people out of the way and Aragorn keeping guards away from the Elf as he cleared a path. Arrows flew quickly through the crowds, every single one embedding itself into one of the enemy. They moved together with such fluidity that the guards had very little chance to get past them. However, that was soon to change.

It all happened so fast. Aragorn was so busy concentrating on what was happening in front of him that he let his guard down behind him. He felt the stinging before he even knew the knife was inside him. He stopped short, abandoning his fight to defend Legolas. He couldn't do anything much right then anyway. Legolas also stopped short when he sensed his friend was no longer beside him. He turned around, arrow still strung. Aragorn raised his head to look at his friend and their eyes connected for just a second before Aragorn looked down and then fell to his knees amidst the chaos.

Legolas dropped the arrow and ran to his friend, fighting off any guards that came too close to him. He knelt down next to Aragorn, knowing it was a dangerous thing to do. He didn't have any time to dwell on what had happened though. He hauled Aragorn to his feet and allowed the man to lean on him. He felt Aragorn's hand grabbing at his shoulder as Legolas almost dragged him through the throng of guards. He grabbed Aragorn's sword from his hand and tried his best to fight off the guards that threatened him as they walked – or in Aragorn's case, stumbled – towards the furnace room.

Working hard to keep Aragorn on his feet and trying to keep the guards at bay was not easy, especially considering everything that had happened to Legolas but somehow he managed to drag Aragorn to the furnace room without getting impaled himself. It was not easy but eventually they managed to reach the door and nearly slammed into it. Legolas let a still shocked Aragorn slide to the ground whilst he slit the throat of a guard who got too close. He reached to open the door but found it locked. He tried it again and still it would not open. Jadan.

Legolas looked down at Aragorn, whose face was creased with pain as he looked out at the guards who were now making their way down the corridor towards them. Legolas looked around him then, trying to think of a way out of this alive. Realising he needed some time to think, Legolas took ahold of his bow and snapped an arrow from his newly acquired quiver. Shooting at the nearest guard, he quickly calculated that even if he had an unlimited supply of arrows, which he didn't, he couldn't possibly fight them all off, not without Aragorn's help and the man seemed to be out of action at the moment.

He glanced at the door, wondering whether there could be a way of breaking it down. It was far too solid though and he wasn't at his best right then. Panic began to flood through him as he fired another arrow at the approaching guards.

~*~

"What are you doing?" Jasmine asked as she watched Jadan lock the furnace room door. He didn't answer her though. "I said what are you doing?" she repeated in a shout this time.

"You heard what Estel said. We need to get out of here and he can't help us."

"You don't know that. Locking the door, you may as well sentence them to death," she shouted, not relenting.

"And if we don't lock the door we're sentencing ourselves to death," Jadan countered, tucking the key into his bag.

"But, Estel…"

"Do you honestly think they can fight off an entire army? Because that is what Kallon will send to stop them. If you want to go out there then go right ahead but I'm getting out of here while I have the chance. Come on, Arron." The boy didn't move though and Jadan turned around to face him again before holding out his hand and saying, "Come on," again, this time with more force. Arron simply took a step backwards and took hold of Jasmine's free hand. "Fine, stay here. See if I care. I'm certainly not going to stand around and wait for Kallon's army to break down that door."

"Fine," Jasmine said to his back as he walked away, searching for the exit above the actual furnace. She then turned back to the door. Maybe Jadan was right. What chance did they really have against Kallon's entire force? Still, she couldn't bring herself to walk away from these people. They were her saviours. She couldn't just abandon them now. So she waited.

~*~

Legolas' continuous firing was taking its toll on the oncoming army and they had retreated slightly, suddenly afraid of this immortal whom they had heard so much about. They knew that it was only a matter of time before the Elf ran out of arrows, then they would be able to capture them and return them to where they rightfully belonged.

Right then though, capture was the last thing on Legolas' mind. In fact, Legolas' only thought was how he was going to get through the door without a key. Perhaps he could pick the lock but with what? It wasn't as though he had a great deal of experience in such things and neither did Aragorn, not that the man was of much use right then anyway. He seemed to still be in shock and as much as Legolas wanted to tend to him he had more important things to worry about right then so he left the man staring wide-eyed at the retreating army.

Looking around himself for something with which to break down the door, Legolas' concern turned into despair. His firing couldn't last much longer. Just as he realised that he was down to his last few arrows, he caught sight of something glinting in the corner. He focused on it and sighed in relief as he saw the axe. Used to chop the wood to fuel the furnace it would be perfect for breaking the door and might just facilitate their escape. He rushed over to it, still keeping his eyes trained on any would-be attackers.

Dropping his guard for a moment, he snatched up the axe and returned to Aragorn.

"Estel, here, take this." Legolas handed him the bow, notched with an arrow ready to shoot. "If any of them come near, shoot them." Aragorn nodded, seeming to come out of his shocked state a little. Perfect timing, as usual, Legolas thought. With Aragorn covering him, Legolas turned to the door and, taking a deep breath, pulled the axe back and brought it down heavily on the door. Much to his and Aragorn's relief the wood splintered. Obviously it wasn't as strong as they had first supposed.

This time Legolas aimed for the lock and brought the axe down hard again. He felt something give but the door didn't open. He hit it again and the same thing happened. He nearly shouted in frustration as he heard Aragorn fire and arrow and heard the sound of footsteps coming down the corridor. He hit the door again and heard something else break but still it wouldn't open. Taking a brief rest, Legolas handed Aragorn another arrow and saw the man stand up shakily. He took aim and fired, hitting his mark as surely as if Legolas had fired it. Although the man was not quite as accurate he was perfectly competent at using the weapon. He had never even attempted to match Legolas as he knew he would always end up looking bad. Still, he didn't need to be perfect now; all they needed was to keep the men at bay a little longer.

~*~

Inside the furnace room, Jasmine was staring at the door. Seconds ago, something had hit it and sent splinters flying into the room. She had dived out of the way, covering both her daughter and Arron from the tiny missiles. She had no idea who was attempting to break through the door and not trusting that it was anything good, she made the decision to leave.

She headed, with Arron at her side, to the furnace. It was hotter than she thought possible and she wondered whether this was really safe for her baby. However, she had little choice as something again hit the door, this time nearer the lock. She ushered Arron onto the ladder but the boy recoiled when he touched the hot metal. She placed her hand against it and felt it almost burn her skin. How had Jadan made it up in this heat?

Thinking quickly, she ripped a strip of material from her shirt, she handed it to Arron. "Wrap this around your hand," was her hasty instruction and the boy did so without question. He understood the urgency of the situation. When he was done she handed him another piece and he did the same with the other hand. Once his hands were protected, she urged him to climb onto the ladder and he did so, still wincing at the heat.

Before she could get onto the ladder herself, she was pulled back roughly by someone. With a shout, she fell to the floor, trying her best not to fall on her baby. She barely had time to recognise that she was on the ground before she was yanked up. She shouted, not even knowing who her attacker was.

"What is a slave doing down here without supervision? Trying to escape are we? That is very naughty of you." It was a man's voice and he then threw her to the ground where she could finally look up at him. He was the head guard of this section – the same man who had plunged Legolas' hands in the super-heated furnace. "I'll have to teach you a lesson." For the first time she noticed that he held an axe in his hands, just like the only Legolas was currently slamming against the hefty door.

She shuffled backwards, away from him, as best she could. It was not easy whilst trying to hold onto a screaming Nienna at the same time. He held the axe firmly and she was in no doubt that he would use it without hesitation. However, she had little going for her right then. She couldn't fight back with Nienna and Arron so close by – she was not going to put them in danger.

He smiled cruelly at her before bringing the axe down. She managed to just slide out of the way and the axe slammed into the ground. He pulled it out and held it above his head, ready to strike again. There was a kind of manic look in his eyes that Jasmine had never seen in a man before, not even in the slightly deranged guards that regularly patrolled the encampment. He struck again and this time she only just managed to pull herself out of the way before the axe struck the ground.

The guard wasn't about to give up though. He raised for the killing strike, not going to be put off this time. Before he could bring the axe down on a terrified Jasmine something suddenly hit him from behind. He swung around to find Arron standing behind him, holding a length of sturdy wood in his hands, ready to hit him again. The guard cocked his head in surprise and then smiled. If he couldn't have the woman then he was quite content with killing the young boy instead. He raised the axe and an even greater smile crossed his face when he thought of finally getting to kill something. Just as he swung down though he felt Jasmine throw herself at him and they fell to the ground, the axe falling from his hand at the same time.

Jasmine had now armed herself with the knife Jadan had given her and was no longer burdened with the baby, who had been wrapped up and placed on the ground and safe distance away. The guard quickly pulling himself together and reached for his axe. Despite Jasmine's attempts to stop him he managed to reach it and got to his feet. She now sat on the ground, holding the knife, with an axe blade at her throat. For a moment there was a silent pause, neither of them daring to move as though afraid it would break the tense atmosphere and spark off something. Soon though, a smile crossed his face and he pulled the axe back a little. She knew there was no getting out of this one.

Just as he was about to strike there was a loud crash and the door fell from its hinges. Before anyone inside had time to react, the guard had an axe sticking out his back. His eyes went wide and a trickle of blood spilled from his mouth before his entire body went limp and he crumpled to the floor. Jasmine looked up to find the source of her rescue and saw Aragorn and Legolas stumbling through the door.

Legolas had finally managed to break the door down and as soon as he had he'd seen Jasmine being threatened. Having a perfectly good weapon to hand, he had thrown the axe without hesitation and like always it hit its mark perfectly. He had broken into a run before Jasmine even had time to mutter a thank you. Aragorn rushed over to her and helped her to her feet. Her first job was to grab Nienna, then look to Arron. Legolas was already next to the boy though, hurrying him towards the ladder.

"How did you…?" she began.

Aragorn interrupted, "No time to explain. Go." He pushed her towards the ladder and she quickly grasped ahold of the first rung. Ignoring the heat, she began to climb. Arron was in front of her and he seemed to understand the urgency as he climbed as quickly as possible. The rungs were quite far apart but he could just about stretch to reach them.

It was unnaturally hot in the shaft that surrounded the ladder and a thick smoke hung in the air almost choking them. Arron's eye stung and watered but he felt Jasmine behind him so he continued up the ladder, trying his best to see what lay in front of him.

Legolas went next and Aragorn took up the rear, well aware that there were several guards right beneath him. In one hand he held his sword, which he had recovered before they entered the furnace room. Legolas climbed ahead of him, as close to Jasmine as he could. If the fighting was hard for the Elf then this was torture. It was like hell in that shaft. He was climbing using only one hand, probably not the best idea seeing as his hands were much weaker than usual. Blood made them slippery and the pain was almost unbearable. Every time he wrapped his fingers around the next rung up he had the almost uncontrollable urge to let go. He knew he couldn't do that though, not only would he fall but he would also fall on Aragorn, knocking him off.

Aragorn was also having a difficult time but he ignored the sharp pain in his side and pressed on, keeping as close as he could to Legolas. He could sense the Elf's pain from here and guessed that the heat and exertion weren't helping his injuries at all. However, he knew he could do nothing but keep quiet so he concentrated on pulling himself up the high ladder and getting out of here.

~*~

**To Be Continued….**


	85. Luck Or Something Else?

**Disclaimer: **I own nothing Tolkien created.

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**Sold Into Ruin**

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**A/N: We just blasted right past the 700 review mark. That's so amazing. Thanks so much to everyone who is continuing to read and review this story. I appreciate every one of them.**

**Enjoy the next chapter.**

**~*~**

**Chapter 85 ~ Luck – Or Something Else?**

**~*~**

From his vantage point outside the encampment fence, Thranduil and the others saw the guards pouring from the buildings and flocking towards the mines. All were armed and moved with a kind of frightening purpose. Nothing was going to stop them in their advance.

"I assume this is your doing, Legolas," Thranduil whispered to himself, ignoring the strange looks he got from Elrond and the twins at his side. To everyone else, he called, "Get ready to move as soon as you spot my son."

This was what they had all been waiting for but now an air of nervousness has descended on the group. This was it. If anyone messed up now they could well lose their respective family members. That thought caused every one of the guards and royal family to pay extra attention to what was going on around them. They couldn't afford to make a mistake now. It could cost Legolas and Aragorn their lives.

~*~

"My Lord?" A guard slammed into Kallon's room, waking him in an instant.

"What is it?" the man demanded, lowering the knife that had immediately been picked up from under his pillow when he was startled awake. "I thought I told you not to wake me up unless there was a genuine emergency. Well, is there an emergency? I don't see any fire, do you?" Kallon's voice was thick with sarcasm, anger and sleep - not a terribly good combination.

"I think this would be classed as an emergency, sir. Some of the prisoners have escaped their building – _your_ building."

At this, Kallon sat up straight in bed, all hint of tiredness gone from his now perfectly alert eyes. "What?!"

"Some prisoners have escaped from your building, sir."

"Which prisoners?" Kallon growled as he threw the sheets back.

"Um, I think it's the Immortal and his companion. There were some others as well but I don't know who…" the guard was cut off as Kallon shoved past him, grabbing his weapon belt on the way out, and slamming the door behind him.

Outside, guards were already beginning to pour from the houses and prisoners were watching wide-eyed from the windows of their buildings, eager to see what all the commotion was about. Kallon rushed over to the other gathered house leaders and appraised the situation.

"What's going on here? Have you caught them yet?" he asked, his voice low and angry.

"No. We sent a team in but they haven't returned. We haven't heard anything," one guard answered boldly.

"We're preparing more teams but we have to make everything safe first," added another.

"I don't care if it's safe or not, send them in. I want the prisoners recaptured right now," Kallon ordered.

"But don't you think we should wait until…?"

"No, I don't think we should wait. Now send your teams in before they get away," he shouted.

The two guards paused for a moment, looking at Kallon with sceptical eyes. After a long silence, one said, "Why don't you send your team in? It was your prisoners who managed to escape your building." It was a bold move and if Kallon hadn't have been so concerned that his most valuable prizes were currently escaping his clutches; he would have killed the guard where he stood. However, he simply moved away, sending both guards a scathing look as he left.

~*~

Climbing a smouldering ladder whilst trying to keep your weapon in use was not an easy thing to do, as Aragorn and Legolas were starting to discover. At first it had not been a problem, not needing their swords, but now there were guards pursuing them so they had to be ready for when they finally caught up. Although they were all climbing as quickly as possible, it was never going to be fast enough to get out of the guard's way.

Aragorn was having the most trouble, being last in line on the ladder. Although he wanted to shout at Legolas to move faster he knew the Elf couldn't go any quicker than Jasmine in front of him. The guards were quickly gaining on them and Aragorn now realised they wouldn't reach the top in time. He called up to Legolas and the Elf looked down. He saw how close the guards were getting and muttered something under his breath and although Aragorn didn't catch it, he guessed it was roughly the same expletive he had in mind.

"Arron, try to move a little faster," Legolas called up to the boy. He didn't want to pressure the child but they really needed to speed up if they wanted to get out of this alive. By now Kallon would probably know what they were attempting, in which case they had very little time.

Although they sped up slightly, it wasn't enough. This was confirmed when Aragorn felt something snag on his trouser leg. Looking down he saw a guard clinging to him. The guard tried to drag him down and Aragorn had to grab the ladder tightly to keep from falling. He called up to Legolas for help and again the Elf looked down in concern. He couldn't reach the guard with his sword and neither could Aragorn. If he didn't do something fast his friend would fall to his death.

Not knowing what else to do, Legolas positioned his sword on the ladder so it wouldn't fall off and reached for his bow. Even one-handed and in a confined space, it only took him a few seconds to have an arrow strung. He knew this was a risk. If he missed he might hit Aragorn. The man also knew there was no other option though and his eyes silently told Legolas to get on with it.

"Do not move," Legolas instructed Aragorn in soft Elvish and the man instantly stopped his struggling.

Taking aim whilst trying to balance on a hot ladder was not easy. However, Legolas pulled the string back and released the arrow. A little surprisingly, it missed, sailing down to the furnace below. Aragorn looked up in shock – he had never seen Legolas miss before. Legolas looked equally stunned and the guard, now aware that he was being targeted, shouted the alert to the others. In his shock though he had released Aragorn's trouser leg and before he could even register panic, one of Legolas' arrows had lodged itself into his shoulder. Crying out in pain, the guard fell, knocking one of his comrades off at the same time.

"Lucky," Aragorn smiled as they continued to climb. It had been lucky. Legolas hated the fact that he had missed. He could have cost his friend his life.

He had little time to dwell on this matter though, already more guards were approaching Aragorn and from then on it wouldn't be so easy to get rid of them. Legolas only had one arrow left, not enough to take out all the guards in the shaft. No one could be _that_ lucky. The only option they had was to climb and pray that no one thought to attack them again.

Such a thing was not to be though. As soon as one guard fell, the others seemed to come at them with even more ferocity. They grabbed at Aragorn's legs, trying to pull him down. The man was finding it more and more difficult to kick them off. They couldn't keep this up forever. They were still a fair way from the top and although they were going as fast as they could, it wasn't fast enough. Legolas seemed to recognise this as well but he knew they couldn't do much about it. The shaft was far too confined to fight and they could barely see the guards approaching through the smoke. In fact, right then they were all having enough trouble even seeing the next rung on the ladder.

~*~

Kallon entered the main chamber with his team – the same people who had captured Legolas and Estel in the beginning. He looked down at the numerous dead guards lying motionless on the ground but he didn't even flinch at the grisly sight. They didn't matter. All that mattered now was finding the Man and the Immortal and bringing them back to their building, where they belonged. If it came to it though, he would take Estel over Legolas. The Elf was no longer important to him and this was the perfect opportunity to kill him without raising suspicion amongst his rulers. It could simply be self-defence. Torvan couldn't punish him for that.

He marched forward, coldly stepping over the dead and ignoring the living slaves who were still cowering. They wouldn't cause him any trouble. Unlike the other two, they knew their place. Estel would soon learn his though. Then everything was fall into place. Just as he had planned all along.

Kallon followed the trail of destruction until he reached the furnace room. He might have known. He had sensed that the Elf had known something when the guard had sent him into that room. Not that it mattered now. He smiled down at the dead guard who had made the initial mistake, now impaled on his own weapon. That was fate. Glorious fate.

There were two guards waiting by the red-hot furnace, looking up into the shaft. They stepped back when Kallon stood next to them. Both knew better than to get in his way.

"They went up there, sir. We sent men in after them."

"So I see," Kallon smiled, looking to the burnt body of the guard Legolas had shot at, who was now lying limply on top of the furnace. He then looked up the shaft, considering what they might be planning. When he recalled the layout, he understood perfectly. "Clever. Very clever," he muttered to himself, ignoring the slightly odd looks he got from the others. "Set up a perimeter around the fence and get some people on the plateau on top of the mine, that's where they'll come out. Be ready to bring them in. Kill the Elf if you have to but I want the man alive."

~*~

Arron continued to climb even though it was starting to hurt his hands. Finally he could see the top. He reached up but in his excitement to be free he missed the last rung. Just as he was about to fall, someone reached down and grabbed his hand. Arron wriggled about, trying to get free, thinking one of the guards was trying to pull him out. Once he was clear though, arms wrapped around him and again he panicked. Unexpectedly, the arms let him go and he spun around. Through the haze still left by the stinging smoke, Arron looked up and saw Jadan smiling down at him.

Jadan moved back to the hole and reached down to help Jasmine up. She looked suspiciously up at him but allowed him to help her, knowing it wasn't safe inside the chimney, especially with Nienna. Coughing, she went to Arron, checking he was alright. Both Nienna and Arron seemed to be fine though despite the fact the smoke hadn't done them any good and both were coughing. Jadan was now helping Legolas, who was trying his best to pull himself out.

Once Legolas was out of the hole he could do nothing but collapse onto the ground. Jasmine rushed over to him and placed a hand on his back as he coughed violently. He nodded that he was alright – although he clearly was not – so Jasmine backed off.

After taking only a few seconds to recover himself, Legolas dragged himself up and went over to help Jadan with Aragorn. The man was grasping hold of the ladder with one hand and holding onto Jadan's arm with the other. At first Legolas couldn't understand why but then he saw the guard below was holding his leg and trying to pull him down. Legolas dived forwards and held onto his arm with Jadan. Together they pulled him but the guard was holding on tightly and Legolas saw that he was holding a knife, ready to stab the man. Looking around, Legolas snatched up his bow. It hadn't worked before but he had to try something.

Drawing back the string, Legolas looked down at Aragorn and the man understood that something was happening. Taking his arm more carefully than he usually would do, Legolas took one last steadying breath and loosed the arrow. To Aragorn's relief, it slammed into the guard's head just inches away from his own leg. The hand immediately loosened on Aragorn and Legolas and Jadan helped pull the man free.

Now they were all on the plateau above the mines and were able to take a moment to recover themselves. However, the guards were close behind them and Jadan and Jasmine pulled an exhausted Aragorn and Legolas to their feet and together they hurried across the top of the mine.

Just as they were drawing near the fence, they looked down to find the entire place surrounded by guards, just waiting for them to scale the fence.

**To Be Continued…**


	86. Looking Down On Salvation

**Disclaimer: **I own nothing Tolkien created.

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**Sold Into Ruin**

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**Chapter 86 ~ Looking Down on Salvation**

**~*~**

As Aragorn and Legolas looked down at the hundreds of guards standing with their swords all drawn, their blood ran cold. They had expected some resistance but nothing like this. Kallon really was pulling out all the stops to prevent them from escaping. He wasn't going to let his prized prisoners go without a fight. Right then, looking at the masses of guards and weapons that they faced, Legolas and Aragorn weren't sure this was a fight they could win.

Legolas looked over at the forest longingly. He hated to think that he might die in this prison. He couldn't think of anything worse than dying in captivity. Closing his eyes, he tried to think how they could get out of this. They needed a plan. His mind just wouldn't work right then though. Panic and despair were clouding his judgement and when he opened his eyes and looked over at Aragorn he knew the man was having the same problem. They had three good fighters against Kallon's hundreds. This wasn't two people fighting in a ring. This was war and none of the potential escapees were up to that right then.

Legolas looked again towards the trees, searching for inspiration. For a moment he could see nothing but hazy green, then amongst the trees he saw a white light. It was still faint but he knew his eyes weren't playing tricks on him. Really concentrating he could just about make out the outline of a banner. A banner he was extremely familiar with. A smile graced his face and he looked to Aragorn. The man looked a little baffled by Legolas' expression, not having the eyesight Legolas possessed.

"What?" the man asked when he saw the smile on Legolas' face. "What is it?"

"Our salvation," Legolas grinned. Once more he faced the forest and spoke loudly in his own tongue, "Ada, if you're out there we need you now."

"Like he can hear that," Jadan mumbled sarcastically, defeat also entering his voice.

"He can hear me," Legolas replied confidently. "We head for the trees, get as far away as we can. My father and the guards can keep us safe as long as we need. Come on."

"Jasmine, are you alright?" Aragorn asked kindly. He had not forgotten about her and Nienna.

"I'm alright. Just a little…you know. I think Nienna's alright. She has stopped screaming, at least."

"Don't worry, we'll be out of here soon and I'll have my father take a proper look at her and you." His voice was gentle and he placed a soft hand on her cheek reassuringly.

Whilst Aragorn was comforting Jasmine, Legolas was kneeling down next to Arron. "You have been very brave but I need you to be strong a little longer." He handed the boy a sharp dagger and Arron took it nervously. "If any guards threaten you use this and get out of their way, alright? If you get into any trouble run as far away as you possibly can. If you make it to the forest without us, search for the Elves. They look just like me and if you tell them you are a friend of mine they will take care of you. Do you understand?"

"Yes."

"Good," Legolas smiled kindly. He knew that Arron was frightened by all this but there wasn't much he could do about that right then. He needed to concentrate on getting them all out of the encampment alive.

"You do realise we are all going to die," Jadan interrupted their words. He was wiping his sword dirty on his trousers and looking down at the gathering guards.

"Ever optimistic, Jadan," Aragorn quipped dryly.

"Just realistic, friend."

"Well, we have no other choice – unless you can think of another way out." Legolas received no answer of course so muttered, "I didn't think so."

"Well, we're three against three hundred. Plus Kallon is out to destroy both of you and neither of you are exactly battle-worthy."

"We can both hold swords, that's all that matters," Aragorn said sternly, not about to be told he couldn't handle the guards, not when they had gotten so far already. "We can do this. Right, Legolas?"

The Elf took a moment to answer but said, "Yes." It was simple and a complete lie but it was all Aragorn really needed.

"See? All we have to do is go over the fence and get out of this wretched place. Simple."

"Hmmm, simple," Jadan said sceptically.

"If you want to stay up here until the guards get you then feel free but we are climbing that fence and getting out of here. Join us or not, it's entirely up to you." Aragorn stared into Jadan's eyes long and hard before the man nodded. "Good. Let's go. Arron, Jasmine, stay close."

Without another word they hurried across the plateau towards the fence. The moment they moved the guards below mirrored their movement, all looking on in confusion at what these people were attempting. Legolas' and Aragorn's sights were set on only one thing: the fence. They knew the guards wouldn't mount an attack on top of the mining facility. They would attack in the forest where they believed they had the greatest advantage. However, the guards didn't know about the Lothlorien reinforcements or about Thranduil and the Mirkwood Royal Guard. It was still not an entirely equal battle but it was certainly better odds than three against hundreds.

Although they weren't anticipating an attack just yet, the prisoners kept their weapons raised just in case Kallon tried something stupid. The man was notoriously unpredictable after all and they wanted to be prepared for every possibility. Through the crowds below, Legolas picked out Kallon and their eyes locked. There was such coldness and anger in the man's eyes that Legolas actually shivered. He knew that he wanted only one thing now: to kill them. Anything else he got was just a bonus. Legolas saw Kallon spot Jadan and saw surprise cross his face. Of all people, he hadn't been expecting his ally to be helping the two friends. There was also a flash of betrayal in Kallon's eyes. Jadan had been his informant and upon seeing him with the man and Elf he knew that he had betrayed all his secrets. If any prisoner was going to plan an escape with real chance of working it was Jadan. He had inside knowledge and not just about Kallon, but about the entire encampment.

Jadan's betrayal was just a minor problem though. It didn't make Kallon any less confident of winning this fight.

The prisoners made their way swiftly to the fence. It was bizarre; they felt like they were the only living things in the encampment. Torches cast a strange orange glow across the ground, lighting up the figures in the otherwise dark night but everyone seemed frozen, as though time had stopped. There was a huge amount of tension in the air, like the electric charge clinging to the air just before a huge thunderstorm. Both sides knew something was going to happen – it was just a matter of when.

Finally, they reached the fence, without incident although none of them lowered their weapons or their guard. Aragorn helped Jasmine grasp ahold of the wire of the fence.

"When you reach the other side run," he whispered. "We'll be right behind you." She nodded nervously and, using her one free hand, began pulling herself up the high fence. Legolas lifted Arron up and he climbed next to her, repeating to himself not to look down.

"You next," Jadan nodded to Legolas. The Elf looked to Aragorn who nodded that it was alright and climbed easily onto the fence, stifling a cry as his burning hands wrapped around the cold wire. After just a second to recover he started climbing. If climbing the ladder had been hard then this was even worse. The wire was quite sharp and dug into his hands, causing them to start bleeding again and the strain didn't do his back any good either. However, he gritted his teeth and climbed upwards, quickly catching up to Jasmine and Arron and encouraging them the best he could.

Aragorn and Jadan were close behind and followed swiftly so they were soon all climbing more-or-less together. The fence wasn't high from the plateau and they reached the top fairly quickly, just as they had hoped. Legolas vaulted over the top and helped the others. This was the hardest part because they knew that the second their feet touched the ground they would be easy prey. Legolas just hoped that help was indeed out there somewhere. He hoped his father was watching this whole thing.

~*~

Thranduil was, in fact, watching, holding his breath and praying to any of the Valar that might be listening that his son would be alright. Although they had a relatively good view, Thranduil still wasn't exactly sure what they would have to face later. He could see Legolas though. This was the first time he had seen his son closely and the sight now shocked him. Legolas was wearing dirty rags that were absolutely covered in dried blood. He was filthy from head to foot and looked a little unsteady as he climbed to the top of the fence. There was a stiffness in his movements that was just unnatural for an Elf, particularly for Legolas who had always been so sure-footed.

There were other people with him too. One he immediately recognised as Estel. The others he didn't know but one was just a child and he could make out another as a woman. Thranduil had no idea who these people were but he guessed they were friends or at least allies of Legolas as he was helping them climb the high fence.

"Be ready," he told his guards as he watched Legolas and the others begin to climb down the other side of the fence. He saw guards inside the encampment readying their weapons in anticipation of setting foot on the ground. This was not going to be easy. Even with the Royal Guard they were outnumbered.

Beside him, Elrond unsheathed his sword and his twin sons followed suit.

"Your only objective is to get Legolas and Estel out of there alive," Thranduil reminded the Guard as he himself unsheathed his sword. He had not used it in many years but it now felt right in his hands. There was a need for vengeance burning inside of him now that easily wiped away any qualms he might have had for killing Men. They had hurt him son and therefore they deserved to be punished. He had to take a deep breath to keep from losing his temper and plunging prematurely into the encampment to help his son. He had to remind himself that one wrong move could make things worse for Legolas right then.

~*~

The very second Jasmine's feet touched the ground she turned and ran from the encampment and the guards were far behind. Seeing Jasmine's predicament, Legolas leapt the last few feet from the fence and grabbed his sword. He ran in front of one guard who had his weapon raised ready to stab Jasmine and blocked the blow just before it fell upon its target. There was no need for perfect swordplay anymore. He just plunged his weapon into the man's stomach and didn't even wait to check he was dead before moving on to the next guard – a risky strategy certainly but he knew he had no other choice if they wanted to get out of this alive.

"Run," he yelled to Jasmine when she turned to watch him, obviously worried for his safety. "Run," he repeated when she again hesitated. This time she followed the instruction and, with Arron now at her side, she turned and ran into the forest, dodging any guards who got in her way.

As Jasmine disappeared into the trees, Aragorn and Jadan came to Legolas' side to face the on-coming guards. It was an awesome sight and one that they had not been fully prepared for. Looking at the approaching army they seemed to just become a mass of weapons because that was all the two friends could concentrate on. Hundreds upon hundreds of weapons stood before them, every one of them forged by the prisoners to spill their blood.

Sending each other one last look, Legolas and Aragorn moved forward to face their attackers with Jadan not far behind. Now they knew they couldn't get out of this alive. Before, they had a hope but this was beyond anything they could have imagined.

So they clashed with the guards in this final battle from which they were certain they would not return.

**~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~**

**To Be Continued….**


	87. Finding I Can't Go On

**Disclaimer: **I own nothing Tolkien created.

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**Sold Into Ruin**

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**A/N: Thanks so much for all the reviews. Please keep them coming, I love getting them. Enjoy Chapter 87.**

**~*~**

**Chapter 87 ~ Finding I Can't Go On**

**~*~**

Legolas dodged another sword as it came flying towards him. They had only been fighting for a few minutes but already he was growing tired. Whatever energy he had possessed before the escape was rapidly dissipating and he was now finding it hard to even stand upright. Every time he blocked a blow it seemed as though he had to force himself just to raise his sword. Worse than any of that was that he knew that despite all his efforts he couldn't keep this up much longer.

The realisation was made all the worse by the fact that Aragorn and Jadan were having no such problems. Whereas he was tiring, they seemed to be getting more efficient at killing their enemies. Adrenaline coursed through their bodies, allowing them to keep up their high level of fighting ability for longer. However, Legolas' body was beyond that. Although his mind was willing to continue, his physical self just couldn't fight anymore.

Forcing himself to block another sword, his own weapon felt unnaturally heavy in his hand and he found it hard to shove his enemy away. Before he could even think about it, another sword came at him and this time he simply moved out of the way. He wasn't quite quick enough though and the blade bit into his arm, causing blood to flood out of the wound and his hand to release his own weapon.

The guards immediately saw their opportunity and didn't miss a step. It took only a punch to the face to send Legolas to his knees. From only a couple of paces away, Aragorn watched in horror as another guard came up behind Legolas, his sword raised to deliver the killing blow. Legolas was too exhausted to do anything other than close his eyes and wait for eternal oblivion. The battle raged on around him and in the distance he could hear Aragorn shouting his name but it didn't matter anymore. He couldn't do anything about it anyway so why bother?

Everything that had happened over the last thirty-three days had finally overwhelmed the Elf. Although he wanted to fight back he couldn't; he simply didn't have enough energy anymore. What was more terrifying than that though was that he wasn't even bothered about it. He saw it only as an escape from the horrors of this place. He knew this was selfish but he didn't care.

~*~

Minutes before Legolas' sad realisation that this was the end, Jasmine and Arron were running through the woods, still being chased by a few guards. They were not far behind despite their attempts to get some distance. Now they were just a few feet behind them and Jasmine was beginning to tire and she felt Arron doing the same. They had to keep running though. For Nienna.

So they raced onwards, looking over their shoulders every few seconds to see how close the guards were getting. They were never far behind though. When Jasmine was looking behind her and not paying much attention to where she was going, she slammed into something – or rather, someone. Without much thought, she assumed it was a guard and pulled away, desperately trying to shield her baby from the danger.

These arms were not harsh like those of the guards but soft and gentle. In fact, they seemed remarkably familiar. Ceasing her struggling, Jasmine looked up and was surprised at what she saw.

It was an Elf. Tall and blonde, with the sharpest blue eyes Jasmine had ever seen. She heard the whoosh of an arrow from behind her and turned to see the guards with arrows sticking out of them. Turning back to the Elf who had now let go of her she tried to think where she had seen him before. Then something else caught her eye. The Elves who had shot the guards were wearing the same colours as the tunic Kallon had given to Legolas.

"Mirkwood?" she asked in a small voice. The Elf looked down at her with a frown. That was where she had seen him before – in Legolas. He looked remarkably like her friend. Putting two and two together took a lot longer than it normally would have but it soon dawned on her. "King Thranduil?" she asked gently, taking a tentative step back when she remembered everything Legolas and Aragorn had said about Thranduil and the Mirkwood Guard who still had their weapons trained on her.

"How did you know that?" Thranduil asked, his voice cold unlike Legolas' melodious tones. His eyes were the same, frosty and cold whereas Legolas' danced with a kind of light that brought happiness to everyone who looked into them whereas Thranduil's were dark and suspicious. She felt them boring into her in a way that she had never experienced before. One word to describe that gaze: intense. More so even than Legolas' penetrating gaze.

"I'm a friend of your son, Legolas," she said carefully, sensing the distrust he felt towards her.

"Legolas?"

"Yes. We were in the same building. He helped me escape. And he helped Arron." She guided a frightened-looking Arron forwards. "You don't believe me," she murmured, disappointment in her voice.

"You have given me no reason to," she said, matter-of-factly. She found it hard to believe that he had brought up the kind, selfless Elf she knew.

"Um, alright. He was travelling with a human called Estel. He is Prince of Mirkwood and he looks a lot like you. He is kind and selfless and completely willing to give up his life for his friends." Thranduil still didn't look convinced, his cold eyes staring unblinking at her. She racked her brains for something to prove that she really did know Legolas. She searched for something that the Elf would only tell his friends. "Nienna," she suddenly blurted out, causing the older Elf to physically flinch.

"What?" he asked darkly.

"Nienna was the name of his mother and he suggested it for my baby," she blurted, sensing she had over-stepped the mark. However, the Elf's face softened as he realised she was telling the truth. He knew that Legolas would never mention the name of his mother to anyone he didn't trust, he hardly spoke about her to his friends.

"And you are?"

"My name is Jasmine."

At this point another Elf stepped forward, this one with dark brown hair but no less stunning to her than Thranduil. He was closely followed by two other Elves who looked identical in every way. "If you know Legolas then you also know my son, Estel. Tell me, how is he?"

"You're Elrond?" she gasped in disbelief. She hadn't imagined he'd look anything like that.

"Yes," he smiled kindly. "Pleased to meet you, Jasmine." He shook her hand with such kindness that she couldn't keep the smile off her face at the touch. "And this is your daughter?" He pulled back the blanket from Nienna's face and smiled down. The baby gurgled gently just as she had done whenever Legolas spoke to her. "May I?" He saw her reluctance but didn't seem offended by it. "It's alright. I'm a healer. I won't hurt her, you have my word." She nodded and handed Nienna to the Elf who took her gently in his arms. "Hmm, I assume this is my son's handiwork. It looks like he did a good job," he said softly, pulling her blanket back around her.

"The best."

Whilst this was going on, Thranduil was obviously getting a little bored of it all. He didn't seem to have the patience of Elrond. "Elrond, we must hurry," he stated, taking a step towards the healer.

"Oh, Legolas!" Jasmine exclaimed suddenly, she had almost forgotten about her friends for a moment. "He and Estel and Jadan are still outside the encampment I think. There were so many guards."

"My son, is he alright?" Thranduil asked, for the first time displaying emotion in his voice.

"I…think he really needs you, sir. You should go to them quickly and take your army with you." She had barely finished speaking before he was rushing off, his guards following close behind.

Elrond was a little slower. He handed the baby back to Jasmine and said, "Jasmine, this is my son Elrohir, I want you to stay with him, he'll keep you safe. Elrohir, take them back to our camp and see to their injuries. Don't let anything happen to them, ion nin." Elrohir nodded and gently took Jasmine's arm with a smile as kind as his father's. In Elvish Elrond added, "And be careful." With that, Elrond and his other son dashed into the woods after Thranduil and Jasmine followed a fully armed and alert Elrohir into the forest and hopefully towards safety.

~*~

Legolas kept his eyes closed. He could hear the battle raging around him but he didn't care. He found it hard to even keep on his knees and had to work hard to keep from falling forwards.

The blow he had been expecting never came though and he heard the swish of an arrow shooting past him, killing the guard in front of him and he opened his eyes when he heard someone call his name. He saw his father running towards him, his sword raised. Then he sensed movement behind him and guessed it was his executioner. He saw his father throw his sword but he didn't move, knowing Thranduil would never do anything to harm him. He was right, the sword flew perfectly over his head, impaling the guard and killing him instantly.

Legolas' and Thranduil's eyes locked for a moment before Legolas finally succumbed to his exhaustion and fell forward. Thranduil's face dropped and he rushed forward, falling onto his knees next to his son.

"Legolas," Thranduil said gently, slipping his arm under his son and easing him up to sit in the mud.

"Ada?" Legolas asked, looking up to his father who was holding him up.

"Shh, it's me, ion nin," Thranduil assured, looking his son over. "It's alright." He pulled Legolas into a hug and he gratefully leaned against him, revealed to finally be with his father. They couldn't sit there for more than a minute though. The battle wasn't about to stop for them and Thranduil recognised how dangerous it was to just sit there in the middle of it. "Can you stand up?" he asked gently, pulling back from his son and grabbing his sword at the same time. Legolas nodded tiredly. He would do anything for his father so he hauled himself to his feet with Thranduil's help. The king briefly took in Legolas' appearance, finishing on his burnt and bloody hands. "What on earth did they do to you?" he asked softly, tears forming in his eyes. Legolas just looked passively down at his hand, reminded once more of the pain in them.

He didn't have time to answer his father before the inevitable happened and they were attacked again. Thranduil immediately placed himself in between Legolas and the enemy and began fighting with him whilst Legolas reached down to pick up his own sword, which had been previously discarded in the mud, gritting his teeth against the pain. He moved next to his father and the guard didn't stand a chance, he was dead in a second, as was the next.

Legolas caught sight of Aragorn and Jadan, still fighting together and told Thranduil to head towards him. The king nodded and they moved slowly towards them.

"Getting my son into trouble as usual, I see, Estel," Thranduil shot towards Aragorn. The man was too busy to reply though and Thranduil quickly looked over to the man to see the wound he had previously suffered. How on earth the two friends were still standing was beyond him.

"Are you alright, Legolas?" Aragorn shouted to his friend who was fighting, rather poorly, with another guard.

"Great," Legolas called back sarcastically. Thranduil was at his side in an instant, taking the pressure off Legolas, who stumbled slightly as he was allowed to take a slight break.

"We have to get out of here," Thranduil stated the obvious.

"Wait, where did Jasmine go?" Aragorn asked in panic, looking around him while he had the chance.

"Is that the woman you were with?" Thranduil asked.

"Yes. Have you seen her?"

"She's safe. She's with Elrohir – or Elladan, I can't tell the difference."

"Ada, did she have a young boy with her?" Legolas asked, taking his father's arm.

"He is safe as well. They ran right into us. Come on, let's get out of here." It wasn't going to be that easy though because while they had been concentrating on keeping the enemies away from them, the remaining guards had formed a solid line blocking them from the forest. The other guards ran to join them, leaving Legolas, Aragorn, Jadan, Thranduil and the Mirkwood Royal Guard standing amongst the dead bodies.

In the centre of the line was Kallon. His eyes were fixed on Legolas' but flicked occasionally to Aragorn's as well. He smiled at them and spread his arms as if showing off his impressive army. The escapees had not made much of a dent in Kallon's slave army. The Mirkwood Guard still had their arrows pointed at the row of guards but there was no way they could take them all out.

"Just give it up, friends. I've won. Now give up peacefully and I will be merciful. You know that I can hurt you if I want." He was theatrical as ever. "Come on, it's over. You can't beat me."

"Want to bet?" Jadan shouted back defiantly.

"Shut up, you traitor. You, I will not be merciful with. Just ask Legolas how much pain I can cause and I swear all of you will feel every bit of it if you don't surrender right now!" Kallon yelled, clearly not liking being disobeyed.

"What do you think you are?!" Thranduil shouted back, his voice authoritative as ever. "What makes you think we're going to surrender to you?"

"And I suppose you would be King Thranduil? Legolas' daddy? My mistake, Legolas. I could have sworn he was dead. Such a pity. I liked watching you like that. It suits you."

"You'll pay for everything you have done to my son, I promise you that," Thranduil growled, finding it hard to keep from charging at the cruel man before him.

"Ada, don't," Legolas said meekly.

"That is good advice," Kallon said.

"You keep your mouth shut," Thranduil spat cruelly.

"Ada, please don't," Legolas pleaded, knowing that it was dangerous to push Kallon too far. He knew better than any how volatile Kallon could be.

"Seriously, my Lord, don't," Aragorn backed Legolas up, knowing that two people with such fiery tempers could only erupt and cause trouble. Two such volatile people would be a truly great match. However, neither Legolas or Aragorn wanted to watch that particular confrontation. Not knowing who would win would be torture for Legolas in particular. He had fought Kallon and knew just how dangerous the man could be. Not that Thranduil would be likely to lose. He could undoubtedly beat Kallon to death for hurting his son, not necessarily the best move right then.

"Let's not do this, Kallon. Just let us go," Jadan said, no longer afraid of Kallon.

"You know me better than that. You are slaves – workers. Nothing more, nothing less. Now be a good boy and put your weapons down."

Jadan looked over to the Mirkwood Royal Guard, who remained armed, in disappointment. "Oh, I'm terribly sorry, they don't belong to me. You'll have to ask Thranduil about that," Jadan mocked, knowing that was the best way to annoy Kallon. He knew exactly what buttons to press to annoy the man. It was a dangerous move but he had no choice. Things couldn't possibly get any worse.

"I'm not surrendering to you," Thranduil said firmly. He was another one who was able to stand up to Kallon.

"Why on earth not? Your son did," Kallon retorted bitterly. Thranduil glanced over to Legolas, who remained standing tiredly by his side. "Oh yes, that's right. You would have been so proud at how easily he gave up. How he spilled every little secret as I struck him time and time again. How quickly he divulged all your secrets and those of your wife." Legolas shook his head, tears forming in his eyes again as he felt cold spreading through him again and his legs beginning to turn to jelly. "It's amazing how easy it was to turn the proud, warrior Prince of Mirkwood into a trembling quivering wreck. You should have seen him on my torture table, how easily he gave into it all. How he screamed and cried…"

Aragorn and Jadan could see the Elven guards pulling back their bow strings a little further in anger at what was being said about their prince. People who insulted their beloved prince were enemies of Mirkwood, simple as that. Even so, Thranduil held up his hand to stop them firing prematurely.

"Don't believe anything he tells you," Aragorn advised coldly, speaking as much to Kallon as Thranduil.

"Oh, don't worry, I won't."

Kallon was ignoring all this though and looking directly at Legolas who was staring coolly back at him.

"Lower your weapons," he instructed. The Mirkwood Guard turned to him in surprise then looked to their king but Thranduil didn't have an explanation either. "Lower your weapons," Legolas shouted again. Thranduil nodded for them to do as they were told and they reluctantly lowered their arrows.

"Extremely good decision, my prince," Kallon said, smiling as if he had won that small battle. "I always figured you to be the more sensible out of the two."

"Does he never shut up?" Thranduil asked his son.

It was Jadan who replied with a sarcastic, "No." The king smiled, he liked this man.

Kallon stepped forwards, no longer as cautious now that he didn't have Elven weapons trained on him. "Like father like son," he said and came to stand in front of Legolas. "Both as cocky as one another." Unexpectedly, Kallon slammed his fist into Legolas' face, sending the already unsteady Elf to the ground.

Without thought, Thranduil took a step forward. "Leave my son alone," he shouted, about to launch himself at the man who dared lay a hand on his only child.

"I would watch that temper if I were you," Kallon warned, directing Thranduil's attention to the many guards who had come forward and were now pointing their weapons at him.

"Ada, please don't," Legolas said, trying to stem the blood from his nose. Thranduil nodded reluctantly and tried to bend down to help his son up.

"No, leave him. Let him sit in the dirt like the slave he is," Kallon said cruelly, knowing it was the best way to get the king wound up. Legolas, Aragorn and Jadan recognised this – Kallon was just looking for an excuse to kill him and if anyone was going to give him one it would be notoriously impatient and proud king of Mirkwood. They knew this was exactly what Kallon wanted and that giving in to him would be a sign that he had won.

"Ada, just do as he says. Trust me," Legolas said this last part in soft Elvish and his father nodded gently, sensing his son had some kind of plan.

"Don't speak that nonsense here or I'll rip your tongues out. Fun for me but not so much for you. Take them all to the Hold," Kallon ordered, shooting Legolas a sly look. "See how long they can last this time."

**To Be Continued…**


	88. Everything And Nothing

**Disclaimer: **I own nothing Tolkien created.

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**Sold Into Ruin**

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**Chapter 88 ~ Everything And Nothing **

**~*~**

Kallon had ordered Legolas, Thranduil, Jadan, Aragorn, Elrond and Elladan to be locked up in the Hold but the Mirkwood Guard were being held in another empty building. The guards had roughly taken away anything they carried, meaning none of them had any weapons and Legolas and Aragorn knew just how impossible it was to escape. Only pain came from this place. Thankfully, they hadn't been put back into the straight jackets.

Despite this small mercy, Aragorn, Legolas and Jadan were not about to sit back and take the imprisonment again. They banged on the door, Jadan screaming obscenities at Kallon and any other guard who might be within hearing distance. Thranduil, Elrond and Elladan couldn't really appreciate why they were all acting like this. They thought they had gotten off considerably lightly. They had never been in this place before though and didn't know just how terrible it could be.

Worried that Legolas was going to hurt himself even more, Thranduil went over to the three prisoners and placed one hand on Legolas' shoulder and one hand on Aragorn's arm to stop the man banging on the door and cursing Kallon.

"Come and sit down. This is not doing anyone any good," Thranduil told them both gently.

"It's making me feel better," Jadan said under his breath as he continued pounding on the door with his fist.

"You don't understand," Aragorn shouted harshly at the king. "You don't know what they do to you in here."

Legolas was just silent, taking his father's advice more because he didn't have the energy to object than because he agreed. "Estel," he said gently, looking deep into his friend's panicked eyes.

"Have you forgotten what happened last time?"

"Of course not, but Ada's right. This won't help. Don't provoke him," Legolas said calmly. Aragorn looked to his slightly confused father and nodded his surrender.

"You two are unbelievable. You're just giving up?" Jadan snarled, not about to be talked down from his rage.

"No but we couldn't break through the door last time so it's not likely to break this time either," Aragorn said tiredly, now suddenly the voice of reason.

"Well, if it's all the same to you, I'll keep trying. This was all your fault anyway."

"How so?" Legolas asked, getting a little fed up with the man.

"This was all your idea, wasn't it? Get out of the encampment and into the woods and daddy will take it from there. A fine job you did there, sir," Jadan shouted sarcastically at a somewhat startled Thranduil. The king certainly wasn't used to being talked to like that.

"Don't blame him for this. He had nothing to do with it. And as I recall, you were the inspiration behind the master plan. It this is anyone's fault it's yours."

"You were the one who was supposed to be able to sneak up on the guards. That worked really well, didn't it?"

"Oh shut up, Jadan," Aragorn said, coming to the defence of his friend.

"And your part of the plan didn't work so well either, Estel. Who do you suppose alerted Kallon to the face that we were missing in the first place? Obviously sleeping beauty wasn't in the land of dreams after all."

"I wasn't the one who abandoned a defenceless woman and two small children to save his own pathetic life," Aragorn spat back.

"Oh they were fine. You were right behind them."

"Yes, just close enough to watch a guard try to decapitate her with his axe," Legolas shouted. He had wanted to say all these things for a very long time and now they no longer needed Jadan he was free to do just that. "And how convenient that the guards showed up just after you left."

"He has a point," Aragorn added suspiciously, taking a threatening step forward.

"Yes and my master plan to get myself locked down in the Hold with you morons has worked perfectly. I'm not exactly benefitting from this, you know."

"You are the only one here who has worked with Kallon against us," Legolas reasoned.

"I should have left you to die," Jadan said flatly.

"Say that again," Aragorn growled, stepping right up to Jadan threateningly.

"Alright, that's enough," Elrond said, breaking the argument up before it came to blows.

"You don't know what he is, Ada," Aragorn said as he allowed himself to be pulled away from Jadan by his father. "He betrayed us."

"Be that as it may, we are all in the same boat now, Estel," Elrond reasoned diplomatically. "I don't know what's going on here but fighting amongst ourselves is not going to get us out of here. So all three of you just calm down." Aragorn nodded slowly and Elrond let him go, trusting that the man wasn't going to hit anything or anyone. He skulked off into a corner, sinking to the ground and took a deep breath to calm himself. Elrond went to him and began looking him over, checking on the wound he had suffered during their escape from the mines.

"Come and sit down, ion nin," Thranduil said gently to his own son, leading him to the other corner at the far end of the room. Legolas followed obediently, not about to argue with his father. "Here, sit down." Thranduil helped Legolas sit down and watched as he flinched when he tried to lean back against the wall. Instead he leaned forwards, sending Thranduil a small, apologetic smile. The king merely smiled back, humouring his son for the time being. He then removed his tunic, revealing the classic dark green Mirkwood shirt beneath, and placed it over Legolas' shoulders, hoping to offer some warmth or at least a little comfort. Again, his son merely smiled.

Thranduil looked deep into his son's eyes despite Legolas' best efforts to avoid his gaze. "Look at me," he said gently. He didn't like what he saw in those blue eyes. There was a strange distance in them that unsettled Thranduil. He recognised that look; it was the same expression Legolas had had when his mother had died, after he had told his father what had happened in that cave: broken and shattered. Legolas couldn't stand his father's gaze for too long and looked over to Aragorn instead.

Without saying anything else Thranduil carefully wrapped his arms around his son. Legolas leaned against him, holding him back, but didn't allow himself to fully let go and blinking back the persistent tears that stung his eyes. They weren't out of danger yet and he couldn't afford to break down just yet. It was so tempting to just give in then but he forced himself to keep his cool as his father held him. He had missed that embrace so much. He had honestly thought that he would never get to feel it again after Kallon had told him that Thranduil was dead.

He pulled back from Thranduil and the king smiled at him. "Elrond, Legolas is hurt," the king said, interrupting the healer's assessment of his own son.

"I'm alright, Ada," Legolas reassured tiredly, trying to force a smile onto his face and failing miserably.

"No, he's not," Aragorn objected quickly. "I have attempted to treat his wounds but they have hardly healed at all. And he's in a lot of pain," the man added pointedly, ignoring Legolas' annoyed look.

Elrond watched his son carefully for a moment, gauging exactly how serious Aragorn thought this really was. The look in his son's eyes told him everything he needed to know and he stood up. "Alright, let's take a look at you then," he said, kneeling down next to Legolas. He went to reach for Legolas' shirt but surprisingly the younger Elf flinched away from him. Elrond pulled back with a frown. "It's alright, I just want to make sure you're alright, that's all. I'll try not to hurt you too much, I promise."

Legolas nodded slightly nervously and allowed Elrond to remove his shirt. The healer was gently, his hands light so as not to cause Legolas any unnecessary pain. To say that Elrond was startled by what he saw would have been a massive understatement. He had figured that Legolas would be a little battered and bruised but he certainly hadn't imagined anything quite so bad. The whip marks were now once again red and inflamed with blood seeping through the filthy bandages. Bruises covered his body and there were red whip marks across his stomach and chest, although they were nowhere near as bad as the ones on his back. Elrond's attention was also drawn to his hands, which were bloodied and inflamed due to his fighting with both sword and bow, not to mention the burns that blistered his skin.

"Oh, Legolas, what have they done to you?" Thranduil gasped, shocked at the sight.

Elrond and Thranduil couldn't imagine how Legolas had even survived this. Worse was to come though when Elrond placed his hand over one of the bruises on Legolas' stomach. His skin was freezing cold. He lifted his hand to Legolas' forehead as though to check he hadn't been mistaken at the temperature. Legolas seemed to notice his concern and smiled thinly. By this time, of course, Thranduil also knew Elrond had found something bad.

"Well?" he asked impatiently.

Elrond paused for a moment, not really knowing how to reassure Thranduil without lying to him. "I'm afraid there's not much I can do in here. I promise that as soon as we get to safety I'll make this better." This was said as much to Legolas as to Thranduil and Elrond was saddened by the look of devastation in the prince's eyes. He was obviously expecting Elrond to do something to help him and he was disappointed that nothing could be done.

Silence fell then. Aragorn watched his father closely as he helped Legolas back on with his tatty shirt, apologising when he winced in pain. Despite Elrond not being able to do anything for him right then Legolas suddenly felt much safer knowing the Elven Lord was with them. And, of course, the added comfort of his father, who he now looked to. The king smiled gently and placed a hand on Legolas' shoulder in reassurance. He saw his son take a deep breath as though trying to ready himself for the next few hours.

"And are you hurt…?" Elrond looked to Jadan.

"….Jadan," the man finished for him. "And no. I'm fine." The man was clearly still angry at Legolas and Aragorn for accusing him of setting all this up. Not that either of them cared. Jadan could be as angry at them as he wanted. It made no difference now. They no longer needed him.

"Good. Well, seeing as we're all stuck in here perhaps you would like to explain to us exactly what's going on and who we're dealing with. I'm afraid we're all rather in the dark here."

Legolas and Aragorn looked at each other, not knowing just how much to reveal to their respective fathers. After all, knowledge was a dangerous thing in this place.

Thranduil seemed to pick up on this reluctance and reassured Legolas, "It's alright, ion nin, you can tell us." Again the two friends looked at each other and came to the silent agreement that Thranduil, Elrond and Elladan had the right to know what was really going on.

So they told their families everything. From the Handy Tavern to the Master in the unsettling Dark Room. Then the mines, the Hold, Torvan, their torture, the skeleton, Jasmine and her baby Nienna, the fight between the prisoners and the guards, Kallon's relentless torture of them and finally of their escape plan. They missed out some things though. Legolas made no mention of what he had seen in the torture room or anything he had seen in his dreams. They also didn't mention anything about Legolas' grief for the moment. Aragorn realised it wasn't something Legolas wanted to share with everyone and the Elf made no mention of it so neither of them said anything. Surprisingly, neither did Jadan, who seemed content to just allow the two friends to explain everything.

"That's everything?" Elrond asked.

"Could there be anymore?" Elladan questioned somewhat sarcastically.

Thranduil just looked in shock about the whole thing and he stared at a rather uncomfortable Legolas. "I had no idea," he whispered sadly.

"You couldn't have known, Thranduil," Aragorn said quietly.

"Of course not. It's not your fault, Ada," Legolas added, smiling gently at his father, who still didn't look convinced.

"You say there's no way out of here?" Elrond asked, looking around the Hold. Both Legolas and Aragorn shook their heads sadly. They had already tried to get out of there with no success. They very much doubted that anything had changed in the last few days. "Then I suppose we should just wait." Elrond sat down on the ground next to Legolas and Thranduil.

"Don't worry, Kallon won't keep us down here for long. He'll want to gloat before long," Jadan said, leaning against the wall but not sitting with the others. "He likes to bask in the glory of his successes."

"And what do you know about this Master person? Is he human?" Thranduil asked, sensing this was something very important, especially seeing as he himself had been near the Master before, even if it was only in a dream.

"We don't know very much about him, other than he sits in the Dark Room in the guise of an old man," Aragorn answered. He was pleased they were actually having a conversation about this, something he and Legolas had never really done. They had tossed ideas around but had never really tried to come up with a fool-proof explanation for the Master or what he had done to them. Strangely, they had never felt the need to question it until that moment.

"He has the ability to control minds, to an even greater degree than Lady Galadriel herself," Legolas added. "And he has the power to heal." Legolas remembered how he had been cut and with a simple touch the Master had closed the cut far faster than even the best Elven healing worked.

"Oh and he absolutely loves to speak in riddles," Aragorn said as an afterthought. It was true; they had hardly understood anything the Master had told them although he made it seem like they should have.

"Well, that doesn't help us much," Elladan said under his breath. "If only we could talk to him ourselves…"

"No!" Legolas and Aragorn said together, startling the others in the Hold.

"Believe me, you want nothing to do with him," Aragorn said, a shiver running through him as he thought of that room with its strange illuminated throne. Even Kallon was scared of the Master. That had to mean something.

"There was one other thing," Legolas said with quiet reluctance, looking to Aragorn. "Torvan."

"Who?" Jadan asked, sitting up straight. He had never known Torvan.

"When we were first considering an escape there was a man down in the mines who approached Estel. He said his name was Torvan and that he could help us. We met him behind the 6000 building and began planning. Anyway, when we were thrown in the Hold we met him again, this time though we thought he was an Elf. When Estel left he revealed that he was working for Kallon and then he just disappeared. We never really found out what he was but he appeared to me again not long ago. It might not be important but I think he is a big player in this place in one way or another."

**To Be Continued…**


	89. Sadly Silent Memories

**Disclaimer: **I own nothing Tolkien created.

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**Sold Into Ruin**

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_A/N: Memories are in italics in this chapter_

~*~

**Chapter 89 ~ Sadly Silent Memories**

**~*~**

"I told you all this would work out. Didn't I tell you?" Kallon enthused to Torvan who was sitting, as usual when he was in this office, at the man's desk looking anything but happy. "Now not only do we have Estel and Legolas but we also have the Lord of Rivendell and the King of Mirkwood – two of the most powerful people in the Elven realms. And we have control over all of them now. Plus, we have the Mirkwood Royal Guard under our control as well. What could be better? Would you show a little enthusiasm?" Kallon yelled at the stoic Torvan.

"What would you have me say? Congratulations on your great success?" the Elven figure drawled

"That might be a good start, closely followed by 'thank you for all your terribly hard work'. But I suppose that's too much to ask from you."

"Yes, it is. And you will get nothing from me until all this works itself out. Now, go and release the king and his friends." Torvan stood up and went to walk out the door, even though Kallon supposed he could have just disappeared.

Kallon stopped him though with the incredulous exclamation, "What? You want me to just let them go? I just captured them."

"Keep Legolas and Estel and release all the others. Escort them off the premises and warn them that if they ever come back we'll kill the two sons. Then go and check in with the Master. He's getting suspicious in your absence."

"You mean that you never had any intention of keeping Thranduil or Elrond here? All this was for nothing? We can _use_ them," Kallon shouted angrily.

"How exactly can we use them?" Torvan answered in his deep, booming voice. "If you thought Legolas was hard to handle imagine how much more difficult Thranduil will be. And Elrond and his son are no good to us either. They are nothing more than a liability right now."

"But if we let them go they'll just return with an even greater force to destroy us."

"That is going to happen anyway. Thranduil is no fool. He would have told his advisors and commanders his intentions before he set out and when he doesn't return on schedule the remainder of the Mirkwood Guard – 'the most fearsome army on Middle Earth,' as you once so eloquently put it – will come storming in here, grab their king and slaughter every single one of us. Then we lose _everything_ we have gained over the years. At least this way we'll get to keep the main players. Estel is all that matters now and the Immortal provides the perfect leverage to control Mirkwood." Torvan lowered his voice now. "Trust me on this. Let them go." He placed a cold hand on Kallon's shoulder. "You have been a loyal servant. Do not disobey me now."

Kallon nodded reluctantly; even though he didn't entirely understand what Torvan's plan was it was his job to follow orders. Walking towards the Dark Room he began considering that maybe he was on the wrong side after all. So far Torvan had given him nothing to go on other than that he needed Estel for some deeper purpose. Being in the dark was not something he was used to. Not that he would ever go back to the Master's allegiance. All trust in that being had long since dissolved. However, the plan had always been to use both the Master and Torvan as a means to an end. After all, they were both merely pawns in a bigger game, one that Kallon himself hoped to be a major part of one day. At the moment though, he didn't even know what the rules were, only that the two slaves he had captured from that grotty little inn had a big part to play in it. Yes, Torvan and the Master were inconsequential. Kallon just had to figure out who the real main player in this was. Once he had done that he would have no further need for either of them.

Stepping into the room with the armoured guards in it, Kallon discreetly felt for the dagger kept hidden in his belt. Of course, the Master always knew it was there but he never mentioned it, even though he had already addressed the issue of Kallon entering the Dark Room with other weapons. He didn't know the reason behind this but the weapon made him feel ever so slightly safer around the unpredictable being.

As he stepped into the Dark Room, Kallon felt the familiar disquiet he experienced every time he entered that place. Although momentarily disoriented he walked towards the grey figure on the backlit throne.

"What now, Kallon? What have you done wrong that I must now correct?" the Master asked in a low, weary voice, keeping his head bowed and otherwise ignoring the man's presence.

"I came to inform you that King Thranduil and Lord Elrond are here. They have come to rescue Legolas and Estel and have been captured and detained."

"What have you done with them?"

"They are locked up in the Hold, Master. They cannot escape," Kallon said, feeling the familiar unconscious urge to drop to his knees. Of course, he fought it even though he knew fighting was futile. There was no way he could fight against the Master's will no matter how hard he tried. It was far stronger than him, stronger than any of them under his command.

"Indeed?" The Master stiffly stood up and walked waveringly over to Kallon who finally succumbed to the urge to kneel. "Tell me, do you honestly think that such people can be contained within these thin walls? We are no longer dealing with the younger sons of greater kings, Kallon. These people are the real power. We cannot keep them here for long without severe consequences."

"But, Master, we have power now. Imagine how much knowledge we could gain from the great kings of the Elven realms, from Elrond of Rivendell alone. He knows things about the lands of Men than we couldn't gain from anywhere else. They are even more valuable than the other two."

"No!" the Master's voice boomed through the Dark Room and it seemed to dim even further. Kallon shrank back in fear, hating his reaction to the Master. "Thranduil and Elrond are too powerful for this place. I chose the two sons because they were impressionable and easy to control, because they did not have either the power or resources to bring us down. Thranduil and Elrond have both and therefore are nothing but a liability. Get rid of them."

"I will release them," Kallon said, finally standing quietly.

"No. They will inform others of our operation. Thranduil will not let go of his son easily. Kill them all but keep Estel. He is the only important thing now. Go to it now. Do this correctly and you might just redeem yourself. Disappoint me again and you will share their fate."

The room turned pitch black and Kallon found himself at the door although he had not taken a single step forward. He slammed the doors open, ignoring the guards in the antechamber. He stormed through the main building, shoving past people in his anger. Entering the Hold, he slammed the door shut and leaned against the wall to catch his breath. The Master just infuriated him so much. He had done everything he had been asked to do, even though it had been against his better judgement. He had worked so hard on Legolas and Estel and he got no praise for it. And now he was to kill the Elf, the one thing Torvan and he disagreed on. It was just a matter of choosing sides. Which one was more annoying to him, Torvan or the Master?

~*~

"Well, Estel, you have really outdone yourself this time," Elladan said, pressing his hand against the heavy wooden door, as though he could figure out exactly how thick the door was and whether it was possible to somehow unlock it. His touch offered no inspiration though and he let his hand fall with a heavy sigh.

"Thank you," Aragorn muttered sarcastically, leaning back against the cold wall and shutting his eyes. Elrond smiled and placed a hand on his shoulder, silently telling Estel that his brother meant no offence. Aragorn nodded but made no attempt to move or address his brother. He was too tired and feeling too miserable to worry about biting back at his brother. His side hurt from the wound and he was getting more tired as every moment passed.

After a few minutes, Elrond realised that the Man had dozed off leant up against the wall, apparently able to rest now he was with people he knew could protect him. Elrond smiled gently with a small shake of the head, gesturing to Elladan not to wake him. His son obviously needed rest given everything that had happened to him recently and now seemed like as good a time as any, it wasn't like they were going anywhere any time soon, not unless Elladan's glare really did burn right through the thick wooden door.

Sleep did not come as easily for Legolas even though he felt just as miserable as his human friend. He was sitting next to his father, slightly away from the wall, gazing sadly up at the skylight longingly. Morning was just beginning to show and a pale grey light was filtering into the Hold, bringing with it a reassuring, familiar freshness. Thranduil was sitting with his back against the wall watching his son in silence. Legolas said nothing about it but he felt his father's gaze on him. Anyone else would have been intimidated by that steely stare but not Legolas. He had learned to find solace in those eyes. Others called them lifeless and stone-cold but when Legolas looked into them he saw what they could not, he saw his father. Although he hid it well, everything Thranduil felt was behind those cool blue eyes.

Thranduil's gaze drifted from his son to Aragorn and he saw Elrond gently stroking his unkempt hair as he slept, apparently in the hope of offering a little comfort to his injured foster son – as well as reassuring himself that his son was at last safely within his sight again. Thranduil wished that kind of parental gesture would come so easily to him right then. Just as when his wife had died, Thranduil couldn't think of anything to say to his son.

Over the years he had never had to address the subject of Nienna, at Legolas' request. Secretly, he had been thankful for this because after watching Legolas at the funeral he never wanted to see that kind of pain in his son's eyes again and the best way to do that was to ignore the fact that he was hurting. He knew this was hardly the most healthy way to deal with his son's grief but he couldn't bring himself to do anything more and it wasn't like Legolas ever protested.

Having said all that, Thranduil would have spoken to his son if he had wished it. He himself had never forced Legolas to keep silent about Nienna. He could never tell Legolas not to be sad about his mother's death. However, Legolas had avoided the topic entirely and Thranduil had obliged him.

Now though everything had changed. Thranduil knew a little of what his son had seen – after the Master had conjured up the image of Nienna in the gardens. But more than that he could feel his son's grief, a grief that could only be caused by the loss of his mother. As always, words didn't come easily and he found himself staring at his son wishing Legolas would just snap out of it so he wouldn't have to broach the subject. A terrible thing to wish of Legolas but he couldn't help it.

Carefully, and somewhat reluctantly, Thranduil leant forwards and placed his hands gently on Legolas' shoulders. The younger Elf looked down from the skylight and turned tired eyes towards his father who smiled sympathetically.

"Legolas, why don't you try and get some sleep? You look exhausted," the king whispered softly, brushing his son's hair from his forehead.

Legolas hesitated for a while, his eyes sweeping to the ground to avoid his father as memories of his recent experience with grief and nightmares flashed through his mind. His father was right, he _was_ exhausted, more so than he had ever felt before. However, the last thing he wanted to do right then was fall back into that all-consuming blackness again, not with the threat that he might not easily wake. They still needed to get out of the encampment, not an easy task under the best of circumstances. He would be no good to them immobile or unconscious.

"I'd rather not," he whispered, telling his father everything he needed to know with one sad look. Thranduil nodded understandingly.

"Ion nin," Thranduil breathed. "Come here." Gently, he pulled Legolas towards him, leaning back against the wall with his son leaning against him, so he could at least rest easy without quite so much pain. Legolas rested his head on his father's shoulder. Despite his best efforts, tears slipped silently from his eyes but he quickly wiped them away on his sleeve, hoping his father wouldn't notice. Thranduil carefully placed his arms around his son, making sure he didn't hurt him as he did so, and rested his chin on the top of Legolas' head, lovingly stroking his son's dirty golden hair. "Sh, sh, shh, it's alright. It's alright," Thranduil whispered. Legolas turned his face towards the king, burying his face into his father's shirt to hide his tears from the others in the cell. "It's alright," the king whispered again, placing a gentle kiss on Legolas' hair and stroking it back. Legolas moved closer to his father, almost curling up against him, allowing the king to envelop him in his arms.

Thranduil just held him close as his son's choked sobs were muffled by his tunic. "I've got you, sweetheart," the king whispered, planting a kiss on Legolas' hair. "Shh."

Elrond and Elladan glanced over to them but quickly turned back away. Neither would say anything, they knew all too well that Legolas was in pain and that he needed his father to help him through this.

Thranduil had never been so relieved to be near his son. Just days ago he had thought he'd lost Legolas for good and yet here he was, lying in his arms, just as he had done when he was child.

~*~

_**Mirkwood…20 Years After Nienna's Death…**_

_King Thranduil sat at the main dining table in the feasting hall. It was dark and deserted now but just a few short hours ago it had been the site of laughter and celebration. Thranduil looked down into his wine glass and swirled the strong red liquor around, wondering if it might give him some kind of insight. Unfortunately, and rather predictably, it remained unmoved by the king's silent pleas._

_Things seemed to be just stuck in the royal household at the moment. Mirkwood itself had moved on, more through necessity than anything and yet something still wasn't right. Besides the obvious, the palace, particularly the royal apartments, seemed quiet and deserted, filled with tragic memories, shadows of a once merry and pleasant place. It had been over twenty years since the queen's death and life continued on the surface. Beneath the shiny façade though was turmoil. It was as though he and Legolas just couldn't shake the relentless sadness that seemed to cling to both themselves and the palace. That sadness seemed to be ingrained into the very walls of their splendid home._

_There were reminders of the late queen everywhere. In every room was a painting of her, or one of her dresses, or a chair at the kitchen table where she always sat to eat lunch, or one of her favourite books. Sometimes Thranduil would pull her things out of the drawer of her old dresser and trail his fingers across them, trying to remember how Nienna used to hold them. He kept everything that had belonged to her, although the bulk of it was down in the vaults now. Her dresses still hung, untouched, in the closet. Her brush and hand mirror still laid on top of the dresser. Her picture still hung in his room, although now it was hanging at the back of his own large closet so it didn't upset Legolas._

_Legolas himself had been getting worse rather than better. His nightmares continued and yet still he refused to speak of them or of what had happened that day with his mother. Thranduil didn't know whether it was just grief or embarrassment or something much deeper that prevented Legolas from telling him everything. Although Thranduil desperately wanted to help his son, Legolas flat out refused to speak of it and in the past few years had out-right banned anyone from speaking Nienna's name around him, as though the mere mention of her caused him terrible pain. _

_Thranduil didn't know whether to indulge his son's needs or stop it before it escalated into something greater. Unfortunately, Thranduil no longer had anyone to turn to for advice. Nienna always knew what to say to cheer her son up when he was miserable but Thranduil always felt uncomfortable, especially now Legolas was getting older. He wasn't a little Elfling anymore but growing into a fine Elf like his father. Thranduil smiled and took another sip of his drink, wincing when he realised the glass was nearly empty._

_Drowning his sorrows wasn't going to solve this problem. If there was a solution, which he was beginning to seriously doubt, it wouldn't be at the bottom of a wine glass, although it seemed a much more appealing course of action than comforting Legolas. He had been meaning to talk to his son for some time but every time he tried something stopped him. In truth, he was afraid that Legolas might turn against him if he mentioned his mother. He didn't want to pressure him but he felt as though something needed to be done or they would stay that way forever and that definitely wasn't healthy._

_His son had become such an enigma lately. He couldn't work out what was going on in his head and honestly he didn't know whether he really wanted to know._

_Sighing, he topped up his glass from his glass from the half-empty decanter on the table in front of him and took a long drink._

"_You're up late," voice remarked from the door, startling him from his dark thoughts. Thranduil pulled the glass from his lips and looked up at the person who had entered without his knowledge._

"_Legolas." He hadn't even heard him open the doors. "I couldn't sleep," he said by way of explanation, as though he almost felt guilty for being there._

"_I hear it is a little difficult if you don't actually go to bed," Legolas replied, walking to the table and standing a few seats from his father, who watched him closely._

"_Indeed," Thranduil smiled, placing his glass down on the table in front of him._

"_I came looking for you."_

"_Are you alright?" Thranduil asked, suddenly alarmed. Legolas nodded, his eyes going distant for a moment. Thranduil knew that look. "Another nightmare?" he asked carefully. Another nod. "Do you want to talk about it?" He had asked this question almost every night and he always got the same answer: 'No'. Tonight was no different._

"_Is that wise, Ada?" Legolas gestured to the wine glass clutched in Thranduil's hands. "I thought you were meeting with the Council tomorrow."_

_Thranduil smiled slightly. "I know. I never want to see you doing this," he said, taking the glass and downing the last of the liquor, keeping his eyes fixed on his son._

"_Do as I say, not as I do?"_

"_Precisely."_

_Thranduil took a moment to look his son over and once more he was startled by Legolas' dishevelled appearance. He had looked the same every night for the next ten years – exhausted, down-trodden. Thranduil knew he suffered more than he let on. He also knew that Legolas didn't tell him every time he had a nightmare anymore. One night, a few months back, he had heard the familiar cry from his son's room and had expected a knock on his door but he received none. Worried, he had gotten out of bed and quietly opened Legolas' door. He had seen his son sitting in bed, hugging himself tightly, tears streaming down his face and wracked with silenced sobs. All the lamps were lit and Thranduil had noticed something glinting on his son's bedside table. It was a dagger. Legolas had obviously used it for protection although he had not told his father about it. Not wanting to startle his son, Thranduil hadn't said anything and had slipped out of the room, leaving his only child to his grief._

_Thranduil had wondered over that night, about why Legolas had not come to him. At first he thought it was just an anomaly, a one off, but every so often he would hear the same thing and he would creep into his son's bedroom door and see him doing the same thing at night. He couldn't understand it. Legolas had always come to him for reassurance, ever since he was small, after that first dreadful night after his mother's death and his own torment. This was one of many things that Thranduil knew he had to talk to his son about but found he couldn't._

_Maybe he had put it off long enough._

"_Ada?" Legolas asked, waving his hand in front of Thranduil's vacant face. The king was pulled from his thoughts and looked across to find Legolas stood next to him. "What were you thinking about?" the young prince asked with a smile._

"_Just thinking."_

"_Never a good thing," Legolas laughed lightly. Pretence – his son had become good at that._

"_Legolas, sit down for a moment, I want to talk to you," Thranduil told his child almost nervously._

"_It's late. I'm going back to bed," Legolas replied almost coldly. Thranduil knew that this was just an avoidance tactic. Of course, Legolas wouldn't go back to bed right away, he probably wouldn't go back to sleep that night at all. He knew something bad was coming, that he would be asked questions he didn't want to answer. His son was clever but this had gone on long enough._

"_This won't take long. Sit down," Thranduil commanded, waving to the chair beside him. Thranduil knew Legolas would be less likely to refuse him if he commanded as a king rather than asked as a father. As predicted, Legolas sat, although he defensively placed a chair in between them, almost as though he was afraid of what he knew was coming. For a moment, Thranduil couldn't think of what to say and he looked nervously from his expectant son to his wine and glass and back again._

"_I'm fine, Ada," came the almost conditioned response from Legolas._

_Thranduil nodded gently. He had been expecting that. It was the only response he ever got to that question. "Right. Except that you're not fine, are you?" he asked softly, looking up to his son, whose bright blue eyes drifted to the table in what Thranduil supposed was embarrassment. "Legolas, I want to ask you something and I don't want you to lie to me or feel embarrassed about telling me the truth, understand?" Legolas nodded but didn't lift his gaze from the table. "Why don't you come to me anymore after you've had a nightmare?"_

_Legolas shrugged but immediately sensed that this wasn't a good enough response for his father so he added a short, "No reason."_

"_Are the nightmares becoming less frequent?" Legolas nodded immediately, looking towards his father. This seemed like a good escape route, it was written all over his tired face. "Then what gets you so upset at night?"_

"_What do you mean?"_

"_A couple of times I've seen you in your room crying." Legolas turned away, not wanting to look at his father any longer. "Legolas, you don't have to be ashamed. I just want to understand, that's all. I don't want to make you feel uncomfortable. You can talk to me, you know that."_

"_I…It was nothing," Legolas whispered, hoping this would suffice._

"_Nothing? Legolas…"_

"_Ada, please."_

"_I just don't want you to be too embarrassed to come to me, that's all. You're my son, you know. I would never begrudge you…"_

"_I know."_

"_Then talk to me. Tell me why you didn't want me with you." Legolas didn't say anything but directed his attention to the richly decorated throne at the far side of the room, where Thranduil had been sat just that evening. "Alright then, will you tell me why you keep a dagger by the side of your bed?"_

_Legolas' head snapped around to face his father. He obviously had no idea that Thranduil knew. "How did you…Have you been looking around my room?" Legolas accused harshly._

"_Of course not. I told you, I saw you…"_

"_You had not right to spy on me," Legolas shouted angrily._

"_Calm down," Thranduil warned. "I was not spying. I was worried about you." Thranduil watched silently as a range of unreadable emotions passed across his face. "I'm not angry with you. I just want to know what you're afraid of because I might be able to help," the king said gently, hoping to encourage his son to explain it to him. They had already gotten farther than ever before; Legolas was still in the room with him. Usually he just ran off._

"_You can't," Legolas whispered._

"_What, can't help you?" Legolas shook his head. "Why not?"_

"_Because…" Thranduil waited patiently. "I don't know."_

"_Legolas…"_

"_Ada, don't. Please." Tears choked Legolas' voice and pooled in his eyes._

"_We have to talk about this eventually, Legolas. This can't continue."_

"_What?"_

"This_. The constant nightmares, the wandering halls at night, the crying in your room every night. Legolas, this isn't healthy, we need to deal with this and the sooner the better. I know you don't want to talk about what happened but it might help if you…"_

"_No!" Legolas yelled, startling Thranduil somewhat. Legolas shot out of his chair and Thranduil stood with him._

"_Legolas, don't walk away from me. I'm only trying to help you." Thranduil grabbed his son's arm to stop him from leaving but Legolas snatched his arm away quickly._

"_Well, you can't," he shouted back, thankfully staying in the room with his father rather than running out of the room as expected. "You can't help me this time, Ada. There's nothing you can do. You couldn't possibly understand."_

"_Try me. Alright, so maybe I won't understand but I will listen. I know it's not a miracle cure but it is better than nothing." Thranduil walked over to his son and looked down at him, making sure they made eye-contact, hoping it might inspire some trust. "Look at me, ion nin." Legolas slowly looked up, tears running down his face. "I am your father, Legolas; nothing you tell me will ever leave this room. You know I could never be angry at you for anything and you have no need to feel embarrassed. I just want to help you. I don't want you to go through this alone anymore."_

"_I know I'm not alone, Ada," Legolas whispered._

"_Then you know you can trust me."_

_Thranduil watched Legolas carefully as his son seemed to consider what to say. When Legolas did finally speak it was carefully and quietly, as though he didn't entirely trust himself to do so without faltering._

"_I know you want to help but you can't make this better, Ada. There's nothing you can do and nothing I could tell you that would change what is happening. I'm sorry if you want something more from me but I can't…" Legolas trailed off sadly. Thranduil just looked at his son for a moment before nodding slowly._

"_Alright," Thranduil said, his voice cracking slightly at his son's admission. "Alright." He couldn't think of anything else to say. "If you ever want to tell me anything, ever, all you have to do is come to me at any time. And about anything, not just this. You can always talk to me about anything. You know that, right?" Legolas nodded slowly, wiping the tears from his cheeks with the back of his hand. Thranduil wrapped his arm around his son and held him close. He was pleased when Legolas held him back, glad for the familiar comfort his father offered._

"_I didn't want to worry you anymore," Legolas said suddenly, pulling away from Thranduil._

"_What?"_

"_Those nights, I didn't want to disturb you. That is why I didn't come to you as usual."_

_Thranduil sighed gently and hugged Legolas again. "You can come to me any time, Legolas, no matter what I am doing or where I am. I would rather you wake me up than sit in your room suffering in silence, alright?" Legolas nodded against his father's shoulder. "Now, we should get you back to bed. Then I have to think about braving this meeting. I fear avoidance won't work on this one." He put his arm around his son's shoulders and together they walked out of the empty dining hall._

_Despite this talk, Legolas had never explained to him about Nienna's death or about his dreams. Although he still went to his father from then on, he made a conscious effort not to worry him._


	90. The Cavalry's Here

**Disclaimer: **I own nothing Tolkien created.

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**Sold Into Ruin**

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**A/N: Thank you so much to everyone who has reviewed. 773 reviews is just amazing and I love hearing from you all.**

**Enjoy chapter 90.**

_A/N: Memories are in italics in this chapter_

~*~

**Chapter 90 ~ The Cavalry's Here**

**~*~**

Aragorn was currently deeply asleep and Legolas was just starting to doze off resting against Thranduil's warm chest after a lot of encouragement from his father, whom he still held onto tightly, when the large door suddenly burst open with enough force to make the thick walls tremble and wake the two friends from their sleep. Without hesitation, an angry-looking Kallon strode across the room and ripped Legolas from Thranduil's arms before the king could even react.

The prince let out a surprised yelp but was silenced when a dagger was pressed to his throat. Although his legs were tired and felt like they were about to give way any second, Legolas forced himself to remain standing lest the dagger slice through his exposed neck.

"I have had enough of you," Kallon yelled, pressing the dagger so close to Legolas' throat that it drew a small line of blood.

"No, please don't hurt him," Thranduil begged, slowly getting to his feet and taking a cautious step forward. He stopped suddenly though when Kallon pressed the blade even closer, causing Legolas to wince in pain. "Please, I'll give you anything you want, just don't hurt him, please." Despite his best efforts, Thranduil's voice cracked as he pleaded with the man not to harm his son. Legolas just watched his father closely, silently warning him not to push his luck.

"Let's all calm down and talk about this rationally," Elrond reasoned, being very careful what he said. He wasn't about to put the Prince of Mirkwood in any further danger, if that were at all possible.

"No, I am afraid I'm not a very rational person, Lord Elrond. Your son can vouch for that, I think," Kallon said, turning the knife around as a warning that he was still in control of this situation and wasn't going to be dissuaded by Elrond's words. Of course, the Elven Lord got the message and went quiet, merely watching how things unfolded. "Now, you are going to tell me everything you know about _that_ Man." He pointed the tip of the blade towards Estel who was watching all this in silent horror. He looked up at Kallon and then to Legolas, taking in everything that was happening, which was basically his worst nightmare. The thing that both of them had always dreaded was finally happening – they had to make the decision between certain death and telling someone the truth about Aragorn's true heritage.

On the occasions they had discussed this, they had always come to the conclusion that Aragorn's identity must remain a secret at all costs. However, they had never before been put to the test on this decision and now both found it a lot more difficult than they had imagined.

Kallon didn't like the silence he was answered with and again pushed the knife closer to Legolas' throat. "Come on, someone tell me the truth. I know he's important somehow, Torvan and the Master wouldn't want him otherwise," he encouraged coldly. "Oh, Estel, don't be foolish. You know I'll kill him if I have to. Now, Torvan is not telling me everything so now you must explain it all to me – or I'll cut his head clean off."

"Don't tell him anything," Legolas told Aragorn, who looked to be faltering.

"Shut up!" Kallon shouted in Legolas' ear before moving the knife away from his throat and slowly drawing it down Legolas' arm, cutting the material of his shirt and drawing a line of blood as it went. It must have been painful but the prince didn't make a sound. "Tell me the truth or I'll take him apart piece by piece," Kallon threatened.

"Estel, don't tell him anything," Legolas repeated, knowing he was risking his own life but it was worth it to protect Aragorn and his secret.

"Why don't you ever learn?" Kallon yelled at Legolas. The man placed the knife against the delicately pointed tip of Legolas' ear, sensing this would be a sensitive enough place to target and said, "Come on, someone tell me unless the Prince of Mirkwood can rule in tiny, tiny pieces."

"You hurt him and I swear to the Valar that I will hunt you down and you will suffer in the same way that you have made my son suffer. There won't be anywhere in the world for you to hide. You'll spend the rest of your miserable life looking over your shoulder for fear that I will be there watching you," Thranduil growled, sounding more threatening than any of them remembered him ever being.

"Funny because right now I'm the one holding your precious child's life in my hands, Your Majesty," Kallon mocked.

"Stop this, Kallon, please," Aragorn begged quietly.

"I will, if you just tell me why the Master and Torvan are so interested in you. I know the Elf doesn't mean anything to them. So, speak, man." He held onto Legolas tighter and again pressed the blade to his ear. Still, he received no answer though. "Fine." He dug the knife into Legolas' ear and the prince couldn't help but cry out in pain.

"You bastard!" Thranduil yelled, going to dash forwards before Elladan and Elrond managed to grab him, stopping him from doing something undeniably stupid. It wasn't easy though. The king honestly looked like he was ready to tear Kallon to pieces with his bare hands if he was given half the chance.

"Ada, don't," Legolas shouted, having regained enough control to block out the pain for a moment.

"I'm going to kill you! You hear me? I am going to kill you," Thranduil screamed at the man as he lowered the bloody knife back to Legolas' throat.

"Tell me the truth or I'll finish it off," Kallon warned in a low voice. He hadn't taken the tip of Legolas' ear off completely but the cut was deep, slicing almost halfway through.

"Don't do this, please," Elrond said, trying to keep himself calm even as anger bubbled in his own chest.

"Then tell me," Kallon demanded.

"Estel, don't tell him anything," Legolas whispered through the pain.

"Tell me, Estel or I'll kill him, you know I will."

"No," Aragorn breathed, hating himself for bringing this upon Legolas.

"In that case, I have no further use for him." The knife cut deep into Legolas' neck, starting on the left side.

They all yelled 'no' at the same time then Aragorn shouted above their protests, "I'll tell you. I'll tell you everything." At this Kallon immediately stopped, pulling the knife back slightly and looked to Aragorn. "I'll tell you whatever you want to know," he said in defeat. Kallon smiled at him and lowered the knife which was now dripping with blood. "Let him go first."

"Oh no, he is my insurance. I wouldn't want you lying to me. Besides, we're having fun, aren't we, my friend?" Legolas just stared blankly at the wall ahead, apparently concentrating on not moving away.

"Do not tell him, Estel," Legolas repeated in a whisper.

"He's right, son, don't tell him anything," Elrond added, backing Legolas up even though he knew what was at stake.

"Are you all crazy? Tell him what he wants to know," Thranduil yelled, his eyes wild with fear for his son.

"Ada, you don't know what you're saying. Don't tell him anything, Estel. It isn't worth it," Legolas said to his friend in soft Elvish although he could see that Aragorn had already made up his mind.

"Legolas, just be quiet," Thranduil instructed firmly.

"No, Ada."

"Enough of this messing around. Tell me what I want to know or I _will_ kill him," Kallon threatened, having become bored with all this talking. All he wanted to know was who Estel really was and what he could gain from that knowledge. None of these other people mattered to him. Either way the Elf was going to die, as were all the others eventually. Estel might escape if he was of any significant value to him.

"Alright, alright," Aragorn said, taking a deep breath. He looked at Legolas and the Elf shook his head, not wanting Aragorn to reveal anything about himself. "I'm sorry, mellon nin," he said softly.

"No," Legolas breathed pleadingly.

Turning his attention back to Kallon, Aragorn said, "The reason Torvan and the Master are so interested in me is because…" he paused. "Because I am…" Legolas shook his head softly again and Aragorn looked deep into his eyes for a moment before confirming what he had to do. Taking another deep breath, Aragorn straightened himself out, ready for the coming onslaught and said slowly, "I am a spy with the Gondorian army. Torvan and the Master knew that as soon as you brought me here. I have secretly been stealing secrets from Rivendell since I was just eighteen years old and believe me I have dug up some dirt on them over the years," Aragorn laughed. "You would be amazed at the things that go on in the Elven kingdoms."

"A spy?" Kallon repeated, apparently unconvinced. Everyone else was just stood in shock, looking utterly amazed at what Aragorn had just said. They had fully been expecting him to tell the truth.

"Yes. That is the big secret. Believe it or not, I was working on your side all along. Until you blew my cover, that is."

"I don't believe you," Kallon stated matter-of-factly. Aragorn just shrugged in indifference although he was silently praying that the man would believe the lie. "Is it true?" he asked Legolas. The Elf merely nodded, not chancing that Kallon might hear the lie in his own voice. "How come they all know about it then?" he asked, pointing the dagger towards Elrond, Elladan and Thranduil.

"They found out a while back and agreed to keep my true identity a secret in exchange for which Gondor offered them all full immunity."

"Immunity?"

"Of course. Can you imagine how it would look for everyone if two esteemed leaders of the most powerful kingdoms on Middle Earth were thrown into a Gondorian jail? Our agreement benefitted everyone," Aragorn explained as sincerely as he could. He had to think fast but thought it sounded convincing enough.

Kallon still looked doubtful and none of them could do anything whilst he considered everything he had heard from Aragorn, trying to make sense of it all. Legolas held his breath as Kallon mulled it over. Finally, the man let out a laugh and lowered the knife again. Legolas relaxed slightly, although he knew this was probably not the wisest move.

Still laughing, Kallon raised the knife once more to Legolas' throat. "Do you honestly expect me to believe this? I have never heard such nonsense. Say goodbye, Legolas," he said to the prince.

"No!" the others all shouted at once.

"Sir?" A guard entered the Hold just as the knife was about to slash Legolas' throat. "Sir, we have a problem."

"Then sort it out," Kallon growled as he glared at Aragorn.

"I really think you need to see this, sir," the guard said again the slightest hint of fear could be heard in his voice.

Kallon sighed and lowered the knife before placing it back in its sheath. He smiled at the guard and he took the hint to leave. Roughly, he shoved Legolas forward, causing the Elf to fall against the ground with a surprised yelp. "This isn't over," he said darkly to Aragorn, who stood waiting for the man to leave. None of them dared to go to Legolas whilst Kallon was still in the room. Who knew what he might do?

As soon as the heavy door slammed shut everyone but Jadan rushed forward to help Legolas. They gently helped him sit up and Elrond immediately began looking at his throat. Although the cut was deep it had missed the major artery and it soon stopped bleeding when Elrond applied pressure. Thranduil just sat by his son, holding onto his arm as though he may lose him, with tears in his eyes at what he had just seen. The thought of any harm coming to his son was terrifying for him. He never wanted to see anything like that again.

"That was really stupid, Estel," Thranduil snapped accusingly, still looking to his son.

"Ada," Legolas warned, not wanting an argument to break out between Man and Elf. That was the last thing they needed.

"You could have gotten him killed," the king continued.

"It is over now, Thranduil. Just leave it," Elrond warned, looking up from what he was doing at Legolas' neck. The king looked suitably told off and continued to look after Legolas, stroking his hair out of his face as Legolas tried to keep a straight face whilst Elrond checked the wound on his neck.

"Why did he rush off like that?" Elladan asked, standing near the door in the hope of hearing something.

Another smile graced Legolas' face. "What?" Aragorn asked, as he had done when they were on top of the mines. "What is it?"

"Reinforcements," Legolas said simply. Everyone turned their attention to him in silent question. "Earlier on, I saw the white flag of Lothlorien in the forest," he explained.

"Lothlorien?" Elladan asked, hope lighting his eyes for the first time in a while.

"Thank you, Galadriel," Elrond whispered. Smiles were now on everyone's faces as Elrond returned his attention to Legolas. Although he couldn't do much about his wounds, he had to try his best. Legolas and he had become good friends ever since the prince took a young and confused Aragorn under his wing when the boy was young. He felt responsible. Knowing that he could do nothing to ease Legolas' pain was terrible for the healer. It took him back one hundred and fifty years ago when he had examined Legolas at Thranduil's request.

~*~

_**Mirkwood - The Day After Nienna's Funeral…**_

_Elrond waited patiently as Thranduil guided a nervous-looking Legolas into the healing hall. The young prince looked absolutely terrified of Elrond. Although they did not know each other particularly well Elrond had always been king to Legolas when he visited. Of course, so much had happened to Legolas in the past few days that Elrond was hardly surprised he was jumpy, he couldn't blame him. He smiled kindly as Thranduil closed the door behind them._

_Legolas stood uncomfortably in the centre of the large room as Elrond smiled down at him._

_Thranduil knelt down next to his son. "Legolas, Elrond is going to check you over, make sure your…wounds are healing properly. I want you to do as he says. He won't harm you, you have my word." Legolas made no attempt to show that he understood or agreed with anything Thranduil had just said and the king stood and walked over to Elrond, whispering softly, "He has been like that ever since…Maybe you could speak with him, see if he will tell you what happened. He won't even give me a chance to talk to him."_

_They looked over to Legolas, who was standing near the dresser trying to peer over the top. "Is he still having the nightmares?" Elrond asked quietly._

"_Every night. He wakes up screaming and won't go back to sleep."_

"_And he hasn't said anything about it?"_

"_Not a word. He just lies in my bed crying. He might doze off near dawn but he never tells me anything about them. I am worried Elrond, he is never normally this quiet."_

"_He has been through an enormous trauma, Thranduil; you have to be patient with him. He will come round eventually and tell you everything he needs to," Elrond reassured, keeping his eyes on the small figure standing oblivious on the other side of the room. "Don't push him; you could end up making things worse." _

_Thranduil nodded in understanding but said, "It's hard though, Elrond, I hate to see him like this. He's just so tired all the time and…"_

"_You can't force him not to have the nightmares; you can only do whatever he needs you to do. Just be there for him, hold him, whatever. That's all you can do."_

_Thranduil nodded slowly. "Legolas, are you ready? Allow Elrond to take a look at you," Thranduil instructed, walking over to his son who now just looked nervous. When Elrond went to reach down to him though, Legolas dived behind his father, obviously frightened of the Elven healer although he had never displayed this kind of discomfort before in front of Elrond. "Legolas," Thranduil sighed, impatience just beginning to creep into his voice._

"_It's alright, Thranduil," Elrond reassured the king before he said something that would frighten Legolas off for good. Being a healer he had dealt with plenty of nervous patients before and knew that a third party was often the cause of the tension. "Maybe Legolas and I could have a moment alone," he suggested quietly to Thranduil. At first the king looked utterly astounded that he would even suggest such a thing but after a short nod from Elrond he relented and moved away from Legolas to the door._

"_I'll be right outside if you need me," he informed Legolas as he opened the door somewhat reluctantly. He was expecting Legolas to plead with him not to leave, as he had done several times since Nienna's death but the young prince did nothing but stand there watching his father at the door. "Just shout…" Thranduil closed the door and Legolas turned his attention to Elrond._

"_Can you climb up on the bed for me?" Elrond asked gently, knowing he had to tread very carefully. Legolas did as he was told and sat waiting for Elrond. "Remove your clothes for me," Elrond said as kindly as he could. At this, Legolas did hesitate. "It's alright, Legolas. I won't hurt you. We will go slowly, I promise." Still Legolas didn't move and instead of trying to talk the young Elfling into submission, which would undoubtedly get him nowhere, Elrond sat down on the bed next to Legolas, keeping quiet, waiting for the young prince to speak._

_Legolas was looking down at the floor in embarrassment, trying to avoid Elrond's piercing gaze. "I'm sorry," he whispered, tears choking his voice._

_Elrond smiled and gently laid his arm over Legolas' shoulders, forcing the young Elf to look up at him. "You don't have to be sorry, you haven't done anything wrong," he said kindly. Legolas nodded but tears fell from his eyes in silence. "I know this is difficult for you but your father is just worried about you, that's all. He only wants to make sure that you are well." Another nod and another cry. "So, will you allow me to check you over?" Legolas didn't say anything but let out a kind of whimper, not able to actually tell Elrond that he didn't want to be examined. Elrond pulled Legolas close to him and the Elfling leaned up against him. "It's alright," Elrond whispered gently, not about to push him. He was used to being patient with his patients._

_Elrond sat with Legolas for nearly a quarter of an hour before speaking up again. "When you're ready…" Legolas nodded. "Take your clothes off and we'll get this over with, eh?" Elrond released the Elfling and slowly and with shaking hands he began to undress himself. Elrond gathered some of the things he might need then returned to the bed, watching Legolas as he jumped off and, still crying, went to remove his leggings._

"_It's alright. Take your time, there's no hurry," Elrond reassured calmly, knowing how difficult this must be for the prince. Finally, Legolas pulled his leggings off and sat back up on the bed. Elrond stroked his hair out of Legolas' face, trying his best to reassure his young patient. "Just shout if you want me to stop, alright? Any time. I won't force you to do anything you don't want to. We'll just go nice and slowly," Elrond reassured, looking into wet blue eyes. "Alright."_

_Thankfully, Legolas' remarkable healing ability had already kicked in and the bruises covering his body were now nothing more than dull yellow smudges. Most of the cuts had closed, although one or two still looked a little sore. Elrond carefully inspected them, checking that they were not about to cause any problems. It was all superficial, nothing that could harm the Elfling in the long term. His eyes flicked to Legolas' face every now and then, making sire he was still alright. Most of the time he merely gazed at the shutters on the windows, as though longing to go outside into the daylight._

_Elrond gently applied a healing salve to the cuts that remained and although Legolas flinched a couple of times he didn't ask for Elrond to stop. Considering what injuries had been inflicted upon Nienna, Legolas had gotten off relatively lightly. There were no major wounds on his body. Unfortunately, the really serious problems were internal; those were not so easy to heal._

"_Legolas, I need you to turn onto your front for me," Elrond said gently. Legolas reluctantly did as he was told and buried his face in the pillow, not wanting to suffer through the next intrusive part. "Any time you want me to stop just say and I will, alright? Legolas?" A slight nod was all he got before he proceeded to do his internal exam, not a pleasant thing for the young prince to experience but a very necessary thing. Once or twice Legolas cried out and Elrond stopped what he was doing for him to calm down. Legolas just wanted this all over with though. "Alright, all done. It's over now. It's over." Elrond pulled a blanket over Legolas and allowed him to cry into the pillow for a little longer before pulling him up and rocking him gently back and forth in his arms._

"_Shhh, it's alright. It's over now. You were so brave, Legolas. Your father will be so proud of you," Elrond spoke softly to the crying prince. "Shhh." Legolas buried his face into Elrond's tunic, wanting to shut out everything right then. Elrond was familiar and safe. The Elven Lord pulled the blanket tightly around him, holding onto Legolas, whispering reassurances._

_After a little while, Legolas pulled away and wiped tears off his face as Elrond looked down at him, making sure he was alright._

"_Can we talk for a moment?" the healer asked gently, not wanting to make this experience any more traumatic than necessary. Legolas looked reluctant though. "Your father tells me you have been having nightmares. Do you want to talk to me about them?" He shook his head, keeping his eyes on the floor so he wouldn't have to look into Legolas' piercing eyes. "It might help to talk about this, Legolas. I know it's hard but…" Legolas just shook his head more firmly, telling Elrond finally that he wasn't going to gain anything from his conversation._

"_Alright. Well, if you ever need to talk to me about anything, you can. Not just about medical things either." Legolas nodded in understanding and Elrond smiled at him reassuringly before placing his fingers under Legolas' chin and made sure bright blue eyes were focusing entirely on him. "I want you to know that it is alright to tell us things, Legolas. We won't ever be angry at you for telling us something even if you think it's too embarrassing or upsetting. Your father and I and Galadriel are all here to help you and I don't want you to be nervous about coming to us for help. No matter what happens you can talk about what happened even if you think it might make your father said. Do you understand?"_

"_Yes," Legolas said simply._

"_We're all finished here if you want to go out to your father," Elrond told him, standing from his position on the bed. Legolas made no move though. He just looked down to the floor again. "Legolas?" he asked curiously._

"_I'm really tired," Legolas whispered despairingly, almost as though he thought it could be the wrong thing to say but he had to tell someone the truth about how he was really feeling._

_Elrond moved back to the bed and sat down next to Legolas again. "I would imagine you are," he said kindly. Legolas leaned over and wrapped his small arms as far around Elrond as he could. Although surprised by this sudden desire for contact, the Lord of Imladris hugged him gently back. He had been in Mirkwood many times but Legolas had never really gotten this close before. However, Elrond was happy to offer whatever comfort he could if it was what the prince wanted. "Well, you are a little young to give any kind of sleeping powder but I can offer you some other things that might help. There are always options." He felt Legolas nod against him and heard a small, sniffling cry. All Elrond could think right then was how unfair it was that one so young should have to go through something as terrible as this. "We'll work this out, alright? I promise. I'll do everything I can to help you." Another nod, this time not accompanied by a cry as the small prince pulled himself together again._

_Soon, Legolas pulled away again and picked up his clothes, quickly redressing before opening the door and leaving without another word to either his father or Elrond. Thranduil walked back into the room, a little baffled at his son's ignoring him._

"_What happened?" the king asked bluntly as Elrond slowly and thoughtfully packed his things away. "Is my son alright?"_

"_Physically he is healing reasonably well. Emotionally, I'm not so sure."_

_Thranduil sighed. "Did he talk to you at all?"_

"_He told me he was tired but that's all."_

"_Now what do we do?" Thranduil asked, despair creeping into his own voice. He had been relying on Elrond to get through to his son._

"_There is nothing we can do other than be patient and wait until he feels comfortable enough to come to us. I know it doesn't feel like it now, Thranduil, but what you're doing right now is exactly what he needs. Just keep doing what you're already doing and be ready for when he comes to you and wants to talk. There is nothing else you can do for him other than show him that you're here and that he can trust you."_

_Although Thranduil nodded in understanding as Elrond stepped out of the room, he didn't think it was nearly enough._

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**To Be Continued…**


	91. The Coming Of Lorien

**Disclaimer: **I own nothing Tolkien created.

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**Sold Into Ruin**

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**A/N: Thank you so much to everyone who reviewed; you know I appreciate every one of them.**

**Enjoy the next chapter and marvel at how good I am at updating promptly…**

**~*~**

**Chapter 91 ~ The Coming Of Lorien**

**~*~**

Kallon rushed out with the other guards from the Hold and was confronted with a sight that would stay with him for as long as he lived. Lined up all around the encampment's main fence were dozens of soldiers. In perfect formation, they stood like statues of marble, awaiting orders from whoever it was they were following. They wore long grey cloaks, which shimmered in the meagre sunlight; their hoods were all pulled up so their faces were shrouded in shadow and all carried bows, quivers and long, delicately curved swords. The Human guards in the encampment were all staring at this new army in complete awe. They had never seen anything quite like it.

There weren't many of these people, no more than about thirty but their impact was quite overwhelming and Kallon felt a shiver run down his spine. Standing a little way in front of these warriors were three tall figures. One was dressed in deep red and gold, he wore no hood on his cloak and Kallon instantly recognised him as an Elf. The other two wore matching silver clothes. Neither of these two wore any kind of armour nor, it seemed, carried any weapon. What was more surprising to Kallon was that one of them was clearly female and quite obviously not a warrior. He couldn't understand where these strange people had come from. None of his own guards had reported any foreign armies in the surrounding woodland.

Bright white banners, appearing to sparkle in the dappled sunlight, flapped gently in the wind until Kallon found himself almost hypnotised by the enchanting sight. The newcomers made no attempt to get into the encampment but Kallon guessed that if they wanted to they could. The question was: what were they waiting for?

After what seemed like an eternity eying each other up, the male Elf dressed in silver accompanied by the one in red, stepped forward walking boldly up to the high fence. Kallon sensed he was being summoned and he stepped somewhat nervously over to the Elves.

They were a lot taller than Kallon had expected and the one in silver seemed to tower over the man. That this person was important was not in question. The other Elf had now drawn his sword just in case Kallon or any of the other guards tried anything. Kallon looked nervously up at the almost perfect face and into soft blue eyes that did nothing but put him on edge again. The tall Elf reached into his cloak and pulled a long glinting sword from its scabbard. Kallon immediately took a step backwards, reaching for his own weapon. The Elf didn't seem at all concerned by this action although his bodyguard's grip tightened on his own sword.

Instead of starting a fight, the Elf merely stuck the tip of his blade into the ground. Kallon watched with silent curiosity before turning back to that startling face.

"My name is Celeborn, Lord of Lothlorien, the Golden Wood. I understand you possess something I want." The Elf spoke with such authority that Kallon had the familiar, uncanny urge to fall to his knees before him.

After taking a moment to recover himself, Kallon spoke although his voice sounded much quieter and less authoritative than Celeborn's. "What would that be?" he asked, trying to sound both light-hearted and menacing at the same time.

The Elf didn't seem intimidated though. "You are holding the Prince of Mirkwood and Estel of Imladris."

"Oh, that's right." A look of surprise flashed across the tall Elf's face at this confirmation, almost as though he had been anticipating a denial. A smile crossed Kallon's face and he turned his attention to the Elf standing next to the Lord of Lothlorien. "And who is this? Your bodyguard?" he sneered.

"Haldir, Marchwarden of Lothlorien and Commander of the Galadhrim," Haldir answered coldly.

"Release Prince Legolas and Lord Estel," Celeborn commanded sternly, his voice perfectly calm to match his face. He wasn't at all impressed with the man standing in front of him. He had dealt with a lot worse over the years and was not intimidated by Kallon despite the Man's best efforts.

"Why should I? I quite like him locked down in my dungeon like an animal. Besides, he's a good worker – when he puts his mind to it," Kallon taunted, wanting to make this stoic Elf lose his practiced control. The Elf showed no signs of that though. He just stared at Kallon with annoyingly calm eyes.

"He does not belong to you. Let him go," Celeborn repeated.

"Or what?"

At this, every one of the thirty cloaked guards lifted their bows and within a second had arrows pointed directly at Kallon's head and he was certain that not one of them would not miss their mark. Celeborn put his hand up and they remained poised to kill but not one released.

"Release Legolas and Estel and we will retreat. We don't have to fight over this."

"Oh, I really think we do." Celeborn glanced back at the woman stood behind him and she nodded her head gently. "Who is that? Another bodyguard?" Kallon quipped, a smile on his face when he saw a small flicker of anger in Celeborn's blue eyes. He had touched a nerve. Perfect. The cool façade was soon replaced though.

"That is Lady Galadriel, my wife and Queen of Lothlorien," Celeborn replied coldly, not looking behind him but keeping his eyes fixed on Kallon's in the same way Legolas and Thranduil had done before. "But that is not important."

"What will you give me if I release your prince to you?" Kallon asked, his eyes pointedly moving to Galadriel. At this, Haldir raised his sword and looked about ready to strike Kallon down for what he had just implied. Celeborn, however, stopped him with nothing more than a slight shake of his head. "Down, boy," Kallon teased menacingly. He was starting to enjoy this encounter.

"Give us some sensible terms and I am sure we can accommodate you."

Kallon considered this for a long moment, looking Celeborn up and down thoughtfully. He knew that these people were important and rich and that was all that mattered to him at this time. "I want money. Full compensation for what I have lost due to Legolas and Estel. Oh, and guaranteed secrecy from Gondor about our operations here. And any further negotiations go through her," Kallon answered, finally pointing to the Lady of Light waiting patiently behind her husband. "That would seem like a fair trade."

Celeborn looked around at Galadriel again for approval. She nodded and he turned back to Kallon. No matter what Kallon promised, Celeborn knew that he needed proof that Legolas was indeed still alive.

"Before we give you anything we want to see Legolas and Estel," he said quietly, keeping control of the situation.

Kallon considered this for a second before smiling and turning to his guards. "Bring Legolas out here so the Lord and Lady of Lothlorien can see that he is alive…and unharmed," Kallon instructed, malice dripping from his voice.

~*~

Elrond had wrapped a strip of cloth around Legolas' neck. Fortunately, the wound was only superficial. Legolas was once again leant up against his father, although he no longer even tried to sleep. Everything had gone quiet now; no one could seem to think of anything to say. Aragorn was staring blankly at the opposite wall. He couldn't believe how close he had come to getting his best friend killed. If it hadn't have been for Kallon's distraction he would have told him everything. Legolas meant more to him than any secret he kept. To see his friend injured was bad enough but to know he was the reason for his death would have been unbearable. He couldn't have lived with that no matter how much danger it put him in to tell the truth.

Everything was so quiet in the Hold that it came as a shock when the door burst open and two guards strode in and took Legolas by the arms and pulled him away from his father. This time Thranduil was a little quicker off the mark and he kicked one of the guards in the knee, shouting at him to release his son. For his troubles, the king got a fist slammed into his nose.

"Ada, don't, it's alright," Legolas reassured as he was quite literally dragged out of the cell. Thranduil did as his son instructed and took a step back as the door shut behind the Prince of Mirkwood.

Legolas limped along between the two guards, secretly pleased for their supporting – albeit rough – grip on him. He doubted he could have stood up on his own right then. All his energy seemed to have drained from his body. He was hauled up the stairs and dragged out into the encampment's main courtyard where Kallon was stood waiting for him. Looking up, Legolas saw three people he instantly recognised: Celeborn, Haldir and Galadriel. He had been correct, Lothlorien had come. Thirty Galadhrim were standing fully armed outside the encampment fence, looking as formidable as Legolas remembered. He had little time to take in the sight around him though. The guards pulled him forward to Kallon and unceremoniously dropped him at the man's feet. Although he wanted to look strong in front of the newly arrived Elves, Legolas could only collapse before Kallon.

"Ah, it's nice of you to join us," Kallon sneered, kneeling down next to Legolas, who had struggled up onto his knees and was glaring at his adversary.

"What do you want now?" Legolas asked wearily.

"You see, alive and…well," Kallon laughed to the Elves. "Now, about our deal."

"Don't give him anything," Legolas told Celeborn, facing the Elven Lord for the first time.

Galadriel finally stepped forward, coming to stand beside her husband. She knelt down so she was on the same level as Legolas. Their eyes connected and Legolas very gently shook his head. Galadriel, of course, understood what he was trying to say: that nothing they did for Kallon would persuade him to hand over his hostages. She nodded in understanding and got to her feet.

"Is Estel with you?" Celeborn asked, wanting to hear that the man was alright from Legolas' own mouth.

"He is injured but alive. He's being kept down in the dungeon."

"And are you alright?" he then asked, looking seriously down at the prince.

"I have been better," Legolas replied dryly.

"There, see? He is alive. Now come inside and let us talk about this some more," Kallon offered, rubbing his hands together in anticipation of what he might gain from these people.

"What have you done to him?" Galadriel asked, her voice bitter with anger at seeing her friend the prince like that.

"Nothing too bad." Kallon sighed, looking down at the blonde Elf at his feet. "Get up." When Legolas did nothing, knowing he couldn't pull himself up, Kallon reached down, grabbed Legolas by the arm and dragged him to his feet. Legolas could do nothing to stop him and somehow managed to stay up with Kallon's hand on his arm.

"Do not give him anything," Legolas said firmly to Celeborn and Galadriel.

"Shut up," Kallon yelled angrily.

"He has my father and Elrond and Elladan locked down there too. Don't give him anything."

"I told you to shut up!" Kallon threw Legolas to the ground again and he fell heavily.

"You have King Thranduil and Lords Elrond and Elladan?" Celeborn asked.

"Just a little extra insurance. I'm sure we can come to some kind of agreement."

"I'm sure we can," the Lord of Lorien said tersely.

"Open the gates," Kallon called to one of his guards and they immediately scattered to do their boss's bidding. "How about we leave the army outside?"

Celeborn looked around at the Elven soldiers ready to strike. "They are my insurance," he answered coldly, stepping up to the gate with Galadriel and Haldir and the Galadhrim close behind him, their weapons ready to fire.

As soon as they were on the other side of the fence, Galadriel rushed over to Legolas, ignoring the guards who reached out to stop her. He was sitting up, his eyes firmly fixed on Kallon as though he still didn't trust the man, which he didn't. The Lady of Lothlorien fussed over the prince for a moment but he ignored her. Kallon was staring down at them, a small smile on his face. That smile annoyed Legolas so much.

"Look at me," he heard Galadriel say from beside him. "Legolas, look at me." His eyes slowly drifted away from Kallon and focused on those of the Queen. As usual she could see right through any façade he was holding up and sympathy clouded her clear blue eyes.

"Not now," Legolas said firmly, telling her that this was not the time to reveal anything about what had happened to him. She nodded understandingly. "Be careful," he then whispered to her in Elvish. He knew Kallon was up to something, this was all just too easy. Besides, the man didn't want money, that was perfectly clear. Somehow, something passed between the two Elves that allowed Galadriel to see everything she needed to know about just how dangerous Kallon really was and what he wanted – and didn't want. Legolas couldn't understand how exactly it happened but it offered Galadriel and new outlook on what was happening and was enough to reassure her what she and her husband had planned was indeed the right course of action.

Eventually, Galadriel was pulled away from Legolas and she returned to stand next to Celeborn.

"How about we start those negotiations now?" the Elven Lord asked Kallon almost politely.

The man seemed to consider this for a moment before smiling and simply saying, "I've changed my mind." He turned to his guards and ordered, "Lock them up," before looking down at Legolas and adding, "And kill him."

"I wouldn't do that if I were you," Haldir told Kallon as the guards edged towards them. The Galadhrim did nothing, waiting for their plan to be put into effect.

"And why is that?" Kallon chuckled, spinning around to face the Marchwarden.

"Because this place is completely surrounded by Galadhrim, each with their weapons aimed right at your head." Kallon looked around, startled by what Haldir claimed. "They are hidden in the trees, you can't see them." Haldir raised his hand and an arrow shot out from one of the trees and landed in between Kallon's parted feet. The man leapt back in surprise, drawing his sword quickly and looking in the direction of the shooter. He couldn't see anyone but the demonstration was enough.

"Kill them," he yelled, running away as Celeborn and Haldir drew their weapons, ready for the battle they knew was coming.

Galadriel ran back over to Legolas who was now pulling himself to his feet. She took his arm and went to pull him towards the gate but he resisted. "Come on, we have to get you out of here," she shouted over the noise of the encampment guards clashing with the Galadhrim.

"No, not without Estel and the others," Legolas shouted back, pulling her in the direction of the Hold. She had no choice but to follow him. She could hardly leave him alone in that state.

Celeborn and Haldir were too busy fighting off guards to go after their queen and Legolas. Arrows flew all over, from the trees and the battlefield itself. Celeborn was, thankfully, a good fighter, having had plenty of experience over the years, and Haldir certainly knew how to defend himself and his Lord. He stuck close to Celeborn, killing any Man who came too close to them.

On his way towards the Hold, Legolas reached down and grabbed an abandoned sword, gritting his teeth when pain shot through his hands. Galadriel was not far behind, running to keep up with Legolas as he dodged guards. None of them seemed too concerned though; they had bigger problems to deal with right then, namely the Galadhrim. Although she didn't entirely trust that Legolas knew what he was doing, Galadriel followed him, not about to let him run off on his own and get into more trouble. Besides which, he looked like he would need someone to help him in whatever he had planned.

Legolas threw the door to the Hold open and killed the guards who dashed forward to stop him without hesitation. The Elven Prince didn't miss a beat, he ran down the steps to the cells. He banged on the door to get the attention of the captives and heard everyone inside rush towards the door.

"Estel?" Legolas called to his friend.

"Legolas? What happened? Are you alright?" Aragorn's nervous voice asked from inside.

Legolas looked over the door and found a small window, shut tightly. He pulled down on it and it fell open, revealing a limited glimpse inside the cell. He was confronted with Aragorn and his father looking up at him.

"I'm going to try and find a key or something," Legolas told them, turning away and looking around the torture room he was now stood in.

"Alright. We'll just wait here," Aragorn quipped.

"Lady Galadriel, nice to see you again. How are you?" Thranduil asked politely when the Lady of Light took Legolas' place at the door.

"Well, thank you. And yourself?" she asked.

"You know, locked in a cell," the king joked easily to hide his true concern.

"Do you think maybe we could save the pleasantries for later?" Elladan asked, only half-jokingly.

Meanwhile, Legolas was searching for the key to the cell but he couldn't find it anywhere. He thought back to where it might be kept. Where would Kallon hide it? On the giant guard, perhaps? Or more likely on Kallon himself. He ran back to the door.

"It's not here. Estel, I think Kallon has it."

Aragorn looked up at Legolas for a moment, trying to decipher what he was saying. "No, Legolas. No. You cannot confront Kallon. It's too dangerous," he said hastily, knowing that Legolas would get himself killed if he faced Kallon alone. The man was just too powerful for the injured Elf.

"I don't see another choice, do you?" Legolas asked a little too calmly.

"Maybe we can pick the lock," Galadriel suggested, looking around for something to use. She reached for a thin piece of wire, coated in dried blood. Not wanting to think about what it had been used for, she inserted it into the lock and began to gently manipulate it, hoping the lock would click open and set the prisoners free. However, it was an old lock and the wire simple snapped in her hands. "Alright, maybe we can't just pick the lock."

"Perhaps you could just break the door down," Thranduil suggested.

"Do you always think in brute force, Thranduil?" Elrond muttered whilst Legolas searched around for something to use.

"Sometimes brute force is the only thing that will work," Jadan said from beside Aragorn. Thranduil smiled at him. He couldn't understand what his son and Aragorn had against this Man, he seemed perfectly sensible.

"That door is completely solid, nothing is going to break through it," Elrond told them and Legolas had to agree. There was nothing strong enough in the Hold to break through it. The only way was to get the key and to do that he had to take it from Kallon.

"Alright, I'm going to go and get that key," Legolas told the others before grabbing a knife from one of the tables and another from off the wall. For a moment he was taken back to that first day in the Hold when Kallon had relentlessly tortured him on that table, when he had seen his mother for the first time in two and a half thousand years. He walked over to the table, ignoring the others who were still trying to come up with a better idea. He laid his fingers on the cold bones and was surprised when nothing at all happened. Just as when he had been lying on the table before, waiting for Kallon to return, he expected the bones to stand up and reveal their secrets to him.

The Master had told them that the bones were his, that he had once been a real, living thing. The Good and Evil explanation had seemed off when the Master had first told them about it. Now, seeing his body, Legolas found it even harder to believe. How could something so powerful become so…irrelevant? If the Master was telling the truth and the Good Power had allowed him to return so that he could save those people why not just bring him back to life rather than making him into some kind of non-entity? It made no sense. Legolas picked up one of the bones and examined it closely, the others' talk becoming nothing more than a distant dull droning. Again, something didn't seem right. Why were the bones left here?

Looking more closely, Legolas could find nothing wrong. Not one scratch on the bones to show that this man had been harmed in any way. As far as he could tell there were no serious injuries. Legolas wasn't a healer, in fact he knew almost nothing about the art, but he did know that if this man had died there had to have been a cause. The Master was old but these bones looked too young, strong and unworn.

"Ada," Legolas called, interrupting their talk. Thranduil looked over to his son, who was still examining the bones. "You said the Master appeared to you in a dream and that's how you know I was here."

"That's right," Thranduil answered, not understanding where this was going.

"Was he young or old?"

"Uh, young."

Legolas looked around. "Young?" Thranduil nodded in confirmation. "Did he still call himself the Master?"

"Yes. He said that he was the one holding you."

"He had short dark hair and brown eyes," Legolas stated, his voice distant.

"Yes," Thranduil replied slowly.

"But that's not the Master," Aragorn interjected, his mind starting to catch on to what Legolas was thinking.

"No. It was Torvan."

"Legolas, that's not possible. Torvan is working for the Evil power, remember? Why would he warn Thranduil about Kallon and practically tell him where you were?" Aragorn asked.

"I think that Torvan _is _the Master. I think they're the same person. I don't think there ever was a Good and Evil power. Think about it, Estel, everything that Torvan knew about us, the Master knew as well. I think that the Master, whatever he is, created two worlds for himself, one good and one evil. One for each side of his personality."

"Split personalities?" Elrond asked.

"Precisely. The Master told us that the Good Power brought him back to life and that the Bad Power was what kept him from leaving the Dark Room. The two Powers struggled against each other with equal force. But both Powers were just the Master and Torvan, fighting for his consciousness. I mean, have you ever seen the Master and Torvan together? In fact, they barely mention each other and when they do it's like they knew the exact same things."

"But that's not possible. Torvan is real and the Master is most definitely corporeal," Aragorn argued, he couldn't imagine this to be true. It sounded too far-fetched.

"No, I don't know that Torvan is real. We've never touched him, have we? And he disappeared right in front of me. What if the Master is real, a solid form locked away in that room for millennia, and Torvan is the visual representation of his other self, his evil side? If the Master does have great powers of mind control as he claims, and I believe he most definitely does, then surely he could project an image of himself to us and Kallon. The two sides of one person, constantly fighting for control."

"So why did _Torvan_ appear to Thranduil but call himself the _Master_?" Elrond asked.

"Because somewhere deep down the Master knows that something is wrong. He may have great power but he is still essentially human. In the dream we shared, Estel, my mother said that those creatures that attacked us were just illusions and the Master himself claimed that everything around was an illusion so if that's true then the Master can create them himself. He created Nana and Torvan and all those other things we saw."

"Wait a minute, what dreams? Legolas what are you talking about…your mother…" Thranduil asked.

"That's why the guards are there," Aragorn saved Legolas from answering the awkward and painful question. "It's the Master's way of keeping himself inside the Dark Room."

"Why would he need to stay in there?" Elladan asked, still a little confused by this whole thing.

"The mind is a very powerful thing. It can trick itself into believing things that aren't necessarily true. If this person is as powerful as you say then maybe he's creating a kind of mental barrier for himself in the form of the other physical image of the guards," Galadriel explained.

"So what's he trying to keep out?" Aragorn asked.

"Maybe we should be asking why he's trying to keep himself inside," Galadriel offered ominously.

There was a creepy silence for a moment before Jadan said, "That sent a chill right through me." He shivered to emphasise his point and the others had to agree with the sentiment.

"Talking about the Master isn't going to get us very far unless we can get out of here," Thranduil pointed out, the familiar impatience creeping into his voice.

"I'll go and get the key," Legolas said, placing the bone back on the table and going to walk out the door.

"Legolas, wait," Aragorn shouted and Legolas turned and saw the man staring up to the skylight. "I think I might have found another way."

**To Be Continued…**


	92. Breaking And Exiting

**Disclaimer: **I own nothing Tolkien created.

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**Sold Into Ruin**

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**Chapter 92 ~ Breaking And Exiting**

**~*~**

Legolas and Galadriel sneaked out of the Hold, not wanting to attract any undue attention even though Legolas was now armed properly and at least had a chance to fight off any attackers. Somehow they had to scale the building and break through the skylight. Getting the others out of the Hold wasn't going to be too difficult so long as they didn't get caught attempting it. Fighting on the ground was one thing but fighting up on the precarious roof was another matter entirely. Besides, the only back-up Legolas had was Galadriel and whilst she was perfectly capable of defending herself he wasn't about to put her in any unnecessary danger if he could help it. She didn't even have a weapon on her. However, the Queen of Lothlorien was better than nothing.

"Legolas, if we ever get out of this you and I are going to have a very long talk," Galadriel said seriously. Of course he knew that she sensed something was wrong and from her tone she understood a lot more than he knew. The Lady of the Golden Wood was a wise person, she could see through almost any façade no matter how well it was kept up and she had an almost uncanny ability to see right through Legolas.

He nodded and said, "For now let's concentrate on getting everyone out of here alive." Over the years he had become a master at avoiding the subject and it served him well now.

Scanning the building, Legolas searched for some way up onto the roof. He found it in a kind of guttering running up the corner of the building. Although it looked a little flimsy, Legolas guessed he could probably make it up there. He couldn't see any other way up so this would have to do. They had to move quickly now in case they were spotted. Throwing his sword up onto the roof before him, Legolas leapt onto the guttering, pulling himself up. He sensed Galadriel doing the same behind him and kept climbing. It wasn't far up – no more than twenty feet or so – but his hands slipped against the stone and he had to work hard to keep from slipping down.

His hands finally grabbed hold of the edge of the roof and he hauled himself up onto the flat stone surface. Turning around, he helped Galadriel up and they both straightened, Legolas with a barely disguised wince. Now all they had to do was get the skylight open.

"Here, hold these for me," he said, handing Galadriel the sword and the knife he had taken from the torture room. "There must be a way to get this thing open."

"Legolas," Thranduil shouted up, looking up at the opening to his son who was currently seeing whether he could pry it open in some way. "Are you alright up there?"

"Fine. Just hold on, Ada, I just need to figure this out," Legolas called back. Despite the fact that from the Hold's cell itself the skylight looked pretty solid it actually seemed rather old and rusted up close. The once strong metal practically crumbled away when Legolas pulled at it and the stone it was fixed to wasn't very firm either. Legolas looked around for something to pry it open with and his eyes came to rest on the knife Galadriel was holding. He reached up and took it from her hand with a hasty 'thank you'. "Watch out down there," he called to his companions. In a whisper, he added, "Please let this work." He slammed the knife down onto the edge of the first bar. The stone around it crumbled and the bar came loose. With just a little nudge it fell from the rotting skylight and onto the ground in the cell below.

Inside, everyone took an extra step back as the metal bar hit the ground. It was quickly followed by another and finally the skylight was fully open. Now all they had to do was get out.

Standing beneath the skylight with Legolas and Galadriel peering down at them, this no longer seemed like such a good plan. Although the opening wasn't really that high, it wasn't exactly close either. Thranduil reached up and tried to leap the distance, his son ready to grab his arm if he came close enough. Unfortunately, that wasn't likely to happen.

"Alright, I'm going to find a rope, there's probably one in the other room. I'll be right back," he told both Galadriel and those waiting below.

"Be careful," the Lady of Light warned as he climbed back onto the guttering and began to descend. He merely nodded at her before disappearing down the piping. He jumped the last couple of feet, landing with all the grace anyone could expect from an Elf. Without missing a beat, he ran back into the Hold and raced to the torture room, ignoring Thranduil's questions about whether he was alright. He rifled through boxes and drawers but couldn't find anything useful. There had to be some rope around here somewhere – it was a torture room, after all, they had to have some sadistic use for simple rope.

Finally, he had some luck. Hanging from one of the many mean-looking hooks was a long length of rope. It wasn't very thick but it was all he had. Snatching it up, he turned around ready to run back to the rooftop to get his father and the others out. However, a figure stopped him. At first it didn't register who it was but then it struck him.

"Nana?" he asked in a disbelieving whisper. She looked just as she had done the last time she was in the room with him – dressed in her old clothes, perfectly well and happy. For a moment he could actually believe that she was real.

"Legolas?" Thranduil asked, coming to the small window in the door. He just stared at Nienna in shock. "What…? This isn't possible," he breathed, attracting the attention of Elrond and Estel. Both saw Legolas and Nienna standing facing one another. She looked so real. "Nienna?" Thranduil whispered, his voice choked with emotion at seeing his long-dead wife again.

"You're not real," Legolas stated without any conviction at all. He could do nothing but stand there and stare at her.

"Why did you leave me, Legolas? Why did you leave me to die?" the apparition asked in a broken voice, tears falling down its perfectly pale cheeks. Although she looked real, Nienna had a ghost-like quality now as she had done in Legolas' disturbing dreams. Her voice wasn't quite in synch with the movement of her lips, like someone else was speaking for her and she was merely mouthing the words. "Why did you leave me to die, Legolas? Don't you love me?" The voice sent chills through Legolas and he stood transfixed.

"Nienna?" Thranduil asked again, pulling at the door, wanting to get to his beloved wife. Elrond stepped forward and calmly pulled him away.

"Look what they did to me," the ghost said, looking down at herself. For just a brief moment she changed and became what Legolas remembered seeing in the cave before she died but then she flickered back into her normal, healthy self. "Why did you leave me?" she asked again, this time taking a step towards her stunned son. He knew she wasn't real and yet just like before he found it hard to convince himself of that fact.

"Legolas," Elrond called from the next room.

Legolas was broken from her spell and tears fell from his eyes as he whispered, "You're not really here," almost as though he was trying to convince himself again.

"Why do you not love me, Legolas?" the ghost asked again in its hollow wispy voice.

"No," Legolas shouted suddenly. "You're not real."

The figure reached out, wanting to touch her son but Legolas flinched away. Although he found it almost impossibly difficult, Legolas turned away from his mother – or the thing that looked like his mother – and walked towards the stairs, ignoring her cries and pleas. She wasn't real. That's what he kept whispering to himself as he made his way up the stairs. _'She's not real. She's not real.'_ That was all he could think right then. Her voice seemed to follow him though and although he tried, he found that he couldn't fully ignore it.

When he finally reached the entrance to the Hold building, he slammed the door closed and his mother's voice simply ceased as though it couldn't travel out of the confines of the building. He leaned against the door for a moment, trying to regain some sense of control. He heard the Galadhrim fighting the human guards but ignored it. Haldir and Celeborn could handle them. Finally, he pulled himself away from the door, wiped his eyes on his shirt and took a deep breath. He needed to help his father right now and he couldn't afford to lose control. Not yet.

Legolas ran back to the guttering and shouted up, "My Lady." Galadriel instantly appeared above him and he threw the rope up to her. Without a second thought he climbed up the pipe, again ignoring the pain this action caused. When he reached the top Galadriel had already begun tying one end of the rope to the nearest sturdy thing she could find. Unfortunately, everything on the roof seemed to be made of crumbling rock or rusting metal. However, they had no other choice so they tied it to what looked like a disused chimney.

Legolas threw the rope down through the skylight to find his father and Elrond who were waiting below. Elrond pulled firmly on the rope, testing that it was really secure.

"I'll go first, I'm the lightest," Elladan offered, walking up to the rope and testing it again, just to make sure it was safe enough to climb up. Taking a tight hold on the rope, Elladan pulled himself up, his father keeping a hand around his arm just in case he fell. He climbed further and further upwards, keeping going despite not feeling terribly safe. Now he was on the rope, the skylight looked a lot farther than when he was safely on the ground. Not that the eldest twin son of Elrond was afraid of heights. Falling from heights though, that was a different matter altogether.

He was nearing the top when he heard an ominous creaking. Galadriel and Legolas also heard it and looked behind them just in time to see the unstable chimney crumble and the rope shoot out of its protective knot. Snapping back around, Legolas heard Elladan shout and did the only thing he could think of. He reached out and grabbed the rope, falling over as Elladan's weight pulled it further down. Galadriel grabbed the rope behind Legolas and together they managed to stop Elladan about half way through his fall. Although the young Prince of Imladris was not all that heavy it was hardly easy for Legolas to hold onto that rope, especially given that his hands were already half torn to shreds from firing his bow so frequently recently. However, he had little choice in the matter so he held on as Elladan recovered himself.

"Elladan, are you alright?" Elrond's worried voice shouted up to his son.

For a moment the Elf didn't answer but finally – and sarcastically – muttered, "Just marvellous." He awkwardly looked up and could see the rope was taut once more. He couldn't quite pluck up the courage to move up without knowing it was genuinely safe this time though.

"Legolas, are you alright?" Elrond then asked, knowing it had to have been the Prince of Mirkwood who had grabbed the rope before Elladan fell.

At first he received no answer. But then a small, tight voice called, "Yes, just please hurry up." All of them could hear the pain in his voice.

"Have you got the rope?" Elladan asked, somewhat nervously. He trusted Legolas but…

"I've got it," Legolas reassured him, although there was a little uncertainty in his voice this time.

"Alright. Just don't drop me," Elladan fake-laughed.

"Wouldn't dream of it."

Slowly, Elladan began climbing again. One hand went over the other as he pulled himself slowly up the rope. After just a few more feet though the rope fell a little bit but was jarred to an abrupt halt. Everyone on the ground inhaled sharply at the thought of Elladan falling. "Sorry," a tight voice called down.

"Are you alright?" Elladan asked, trying to keep his own voice steady.

"Just keep going," Legolas successfully avoided the question.

"Hurry up, Elladan," Galadriel's urgently called down to him and Elladan obediently sped up.

"Going as fast as I can."

After what seemed to Legolas like an eternity, Elladan finally reached the top. The top part of the rope was coated in an uneven gloss of blood, presumably Legolas', which Elladan had to try and ignore lest he release the rope in disgust. He had not inherited any of his father's healing instincts and often avoided the healing halls of Imladris if he possibly could.

Elladan reached out with one hand and wrapped his fingers around the stone surround of the skylight. Knowing he had a good enough grip, he let go and the rope went slack in Legolas' hands. He fell backwards, narrowly avoiding toppling into Galadriel. The Elven Queen had little time to comfort him though as she ran forward to help her grandson onto the roof.

After regaining some sense of control, Legolas stood up, although somewhat lightheaded, and went to help Galadriel with Elladan. He grabbed hold of the twin's tunic and hauled him up with Galadriel's help. Finally, the son of Elrond was standing on the rooftop with Legolas and Galadriel.

It was the Lady of Lothlorien who broke the silence as they all recovered their breath. "Elladan, do you think you could hold the rope and help to pull the others up?" she asked and Elladan nodded and picked up the slack rope.

"Ada," he called down, "we're ready for the next person."

"Right, Estel, you go next," Elrond told the man, leading him towards the rope.

"Can you climb?" Elladan called down, remembering his brother's wound.

"Much better than you can," Aragorn shot back, bringing up an old argument between them on who could climb the Imladrian trees the fastest. Elladan just smiled thinly and poised himself to take his brother's weight.

"Be careful," Elrond instructed as Aragorn took hold of the rope. As Aragorn pulled himself up, Elladan realised that he was a lot heavier than he looked and he felt the rope beginning to slip through his hands. Just a moment after this revelation, he felt someone standing behind him then the weight becoming easier to bear as Legolas took the rope behind him.

It was a difficult and painful climb but Aragorn eventually made it to the top and Elladan and Legolas pulled him onto the roof. Aragorn paused only a moment to make sure his Elven friend was alright – and to recover himself - before joining Elladan and helping pull Jadan up onto the roof. It was a lot quicker with the two brothers doing it than just Legolas. Galadriel forced the prince to sit down whilst the others pulled Jadan up. There was nothing she could do there but she wasn't going to let him hurt himself any more than necessary.

With two able bodies it took even less time to get Thranduil and Elrond out of the Hold's cell and soon they were all standing on top of the roof surveying the scene around them. The Galadhrim were standing up well against the encampment guards. Legolas couldn't spot Kallon down there but he guessed the man was somewhere nearby. He wouldn't want to miss any of the fighting but equally, wouldn't want to get actively involved either.

Looking around, Legolas tried to think of where Kallon would have put the Mirkwood Royal Guard. If they could release the Guard it would certainly even the odds. He saw a building, still heavily guarded despite the battle raging around them. If the Guard were anywhere it would be in that building.

Thranduil was obviously thinking the same thing. "Elrond, Elladan, Estel and Jadan, you should go with Galadriel and join Haldir and Celeborn. Get out of here. And take Legolas with you. Go to our camp, you'll find Elrohir and your human friends there."

"Where are you going?" Elrond asked.

"I have to free the Guard," Thranduil said, looking towards the guarded building.

Both Legolas and Aragorn said, "No," at the same time, startling both Thranduil and Elrond.

"Legolas…" Thranduil started to object.

"Ada, you don't know your way around this place and you'll need help anyway."

"He's right, Thranduil, it's too dangerous on your own," Aragorn backed his friend up.

"I am not going to put you in any more danger," Thranduil told his son, his eyes filling with tears as he looked over his child again.

"Ada, trust that I can do this, please," the prince whispered.

"Alright, fine. You two come with me. Elladan, go with Jadan and release as many of these innocent prisoners as possible. I don't think they want to stay in here any longer; we have to do something to help them."

"They won't want to leave," Jadan stated. "They don't know anything else. They have nowhere else to go."

"Just do it," Thranduil snapped at the man.

"Yes sir," Jadan mock-saluted.

"Alright, come on. The sooner we get out of here the better," Aragorn stated, making his way to the drainpipe. Legolas and Thranduil lined up ready to follow him down.

"Estel," Elrond called to his son before he left. "Please be careful." Aragorn nodded and quickly made his way down the pipe, closely followed by Legolas. Thranduil went last, landing lightly on the ground next to his son and Aragorn.

"Right, this way," Aragorn said, running off in the direction of the building that they assumed contained the Royal Guard.

**To Be Continued…**


	93. Time to Rescue The Rescuers

**Disclaimer: **I own nothing Tolkien created.

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**Sold Into Ruin**

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**Chapter 93 ~ Time To Rescue The Rescuers**

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Thranduil easily took out the first human guard they came across – quietly and efficiently just in the Elves' normal style. Legolas and Aragorn were right behind him, making sure no one snuck up on them. Thankfully, all the other human guards were too busy fighting the Elven soldiers to care what was happening to the Mirkwood Guard.

They came to the door with very little confrontation and looked at the moment in confusion. Now they were here they had no clue how to get it open.

"They are all locked shut and they're pretty solid," Aragorn told Thranduil of the doors to the buildings.

"And I don't suppose there are any skylights in these ones," the king sighed. Of course nothing could be that easy.

"I have an idea," Legolas exclaimed, walking away from them and turning the corner, leaving Thranduil and Aragorn to exchange a baffled look. Legolas quickly reappeared holding a glistening brass key.

"Now, why didn't you think of that?" Thranduil teased Aragorn. The man just smiled curtly and took the key from Legolas. Blood from his hands made it slippery but it fit perfectly into the lock. He smiled over at Legolas but the Elf had a stern look of determination on his face that Aragorn knew was only to mask the pain. He hadn't forgotten about what happened to Legolas, both the physical and the grief. It was something they would have to deal with when they were free but for now he needed Legolas to stay on his feet and if he had to pretend to accomplish this then Aragorn would humour him.

"Maybe I should…" Legolas prompted when Aragorn went to open the door. The Guard were not known for showing mercy to their enemies and right then all they would see was a Man – their enemy in this particular battle.

As soon as Legolas pulled the door open, two of the Mirkwood Guard grabbed his arms and slammed him to the ground before he could even let out a pain-filled cry. Thranduil and Aragorn rushed in after him and watched as recognition sparked in the guards' eyes. They looked down to see that they were pinning the Prince of Mirkwood to the ground.

"I realise this had been a trying day but do you think you could please release my son?" Thranduil ground out, pushing both of them out of the way and helping Legolas to his feet. He noticed how much more unsteady his son looked now although he was nonchalantly brushing his shirt free of dust – not that it mattered, he was filthy anyway. "This is not what we employ you for, idiots," Thranduil muttered in annoyance at how they had treated his son. He did not forget discretions readily and all the Guards knew that they would be very firmly disciplined for their mistake at a later date. "Apologise," the king then demanded.

The entire Guard stepped forward, standing to attention before Legolas, and bowed their heads in respect. Legolas simply returned the gesture, just thinking how completely unimportant the mistake had been considering the seriousness of everything else that was going on.

"Your Highness," one of the guards who had tackled him addressed the prince politely. The other also stepped forwards and said the same thing. "We are terribly sorry for our mistake. We ask your forgiveness." They bowed even lower. This was the part of his duties Legolas had never really gotten used to – people grovelling to him. He didn't understand it or see why it was really necessary. Of course, being who he was he had grown used to people respecting him or even being nervous around him. His father just took it all in his stride, expected it even, but Legolas was not like the king. He believed he needed to earn his people's respect and never expected anything from anyone. Growing up in the great Palace of Mirkwood he had been treated like a prince from a young age but when he went to Lothlorien and Rivendell, there was less pressure. Of course, people knew who he was, that was difficult to escape, but no one fell to their knees in his presence in Rivendell. That's why he liked it so much when he got to get out of his own kingdom.

Mirkwood had always been so strict about such protocol. 'When in the presence of a member of the Royal Family make sure you don't say anything out of turn. Always bow lower than the monarch. Never turn your back on the Royal Family without their permission. Never sit before they do. Never contradict them unless they allow you to voice an opinion. And never, ever do any intentional harm to the Royals.' Ancient traditions they may have been but Legolas was never entirely comfortable with them.

"Of course you are forgiven. I would have attacked me as well," Legolas only half-joked.

"I'm just glad it wasn't me," Aragorn mumbled to Legolas as the guards backed off.

"Your Highness, you're bleeding!" one of the guards pointed out with obvious concern.

Legolas looked down at himself and his shirt was indeed covered in blood but most of it had been there so long that he no longer even noticed it. "Ah, you noticed," Legolas murmured not unkindly. Legolas knew this guard; he had recently been short-listed to become one of the more senior members of the Royal Guard. He had also taken a detailed course in emergency healing.

"May I?" he asked, gesturing to the prince. For a moment Legolas looked a little dubious but then he nodded and the guard led him to the other side of the building, which was laid out in exactly the same way as the 6000 building. He sat down on one of the stone benches where he had spent the past few weeks of his life. The thought of soon having a soft, warm bed was so good. He missed Mirkwood and now longed to be back there.

"You know I'm bleeding too," Aragorn said under his breath, in slight annoyance at the Guard's completely ignoring him so far.

"Sit down then," Thranduil offered, gently pushing Aragorn towards one of the benches and watching to make sure he was actually alright.

Meanwhile, the guard had gently lifted Legolas' shirt and gasped at what he found there. Beneath the bandages was a mess and he couldn't even begin to figure out what to do with such limited supplies.

"A little out of your league?" Legolas asked with a small smile.

"This requires a proper, trained healer," the guard said. "I'm sorry." He looked unflinchingly into Legolas' eyes, not fazed by the intensity of that stare.

"It's alright," Legolas replied, lowering his shirt then standing up. He walked over to his father who was standing near Aragorn. Before going to listen in on what his father and the guards were planning, Legolas asked his human friend, "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine. I'll be fine," the man answered with a smile. "You?"

"Same."

"So we're both fine," Aragorn chucked, laying his hand against his side. Fortunately, his father had helped a little although the pain had not eased at all after their escape from the mines. "And both extremely bad liars, it seems."

"At least we try," Legolas laughed softly, getting to his feet and watching as Aragorn did the same. They both joined Thranduil, who was now speaking with the Captain of the Guard and his followers.

"We need to get out of here and release the prisoners," Thranduil told them. He turned to two guards and ordered, "You two, open as many of these prisons as possible and get the innocent people free of this place." He turned to all the others and commanded, "The rest of you go help Celeborn and the Galadhrim apprehend the Men." As they rushed off to do as commanded, Thranduil spoke to the Captain, "I want you to take Legolas and Estel out of this place and get them back to Mirkwood. Do not stop until you are certain you are safe. Do you understand me?" Thranduil looked the Captain straight in the eye, hoping to convey that this was an important responsibility.

The Captain was never one to agree with his king when he believed he was wrong. "Sir, I think it might be best if we all stick together." His voice was completely steady without the slightest hint of nervousness in front of his monarch.

"Your duty, Captain, is to protect my son."

"My duty, Your Majesty, is to protect you," the Captain corrected firmly.

"I have just about had enough of this. You do what you're told, Captain, not what you think is best," Thranduil yelled at him.

"Ada," Legolas warned, sensing that his father was about to lose patience completely.

"Sire, I really think…"

"It's not your job to think, you are here to obey orders," Thranduil shouted, stepping up to his captain in a threatening manner. Thranduil was an intimidating person anyway but when he was like this he scared even Legolas. The prince just stood back, one hand on his forehead, dreading the argument that was sure to follow. Neither king nor captain surrendered easily and often arguments between them became into full blown feuds.

"Sire, with all due respect…"

"You will do as I command," Thranduil yelled, cutting him off.

"Thranduil," Aragorn said gently when Legolas moved and sat tiredly down on one of the benches.

The king ignored him though and continued shouting at his poor captain, who now regretted saying anything at all.

"Thranduil," Aragorn said again, now kneeling in front of his Elven friend and placing a gentle hand on his knee. Legolas looked up and his eyes widened. Aragorn looked questioningly at him for a moment then fear clouded his own features and he and Legolas stood as one, silently without any fuss. Slowly, Aragorn turned around and saw the object of Legolas' fear. Unnoticed to the others in the room there was a figure standing behind the king and the captain who remained arguing. He placed a finger to his lips to silence them and neither moved. For long moments they stood staring at each other, neither saying a word. Legolas and Aragorn had no idea where this was leading.

"Legolas, wouldn't you agree…" Thranduil stopped when he turned around and saw his son. Legolas had gone even paler and Aragorn looked exactly the same. Both were staring towards the door. "Legolas?" the king asked, even more confused when Legolas didn't answer. He turned around to see what his son was staring at and saw the man from his dream, 'The Master' or 'Torvan' as Legolas had called him.

Immediately, the captain positioned himself between this new figure and his king but Thranduil just pulled him aside.

"You," Thranduil accused.

"Me," Torvan finally spoke. "How are you, King Thranduil? Recovered from your nightmare yet? I must admit you have excelled in this mission." He stepped towards Legolas and Thranduil rushed to stand in front of his son.

"Leave him alone," the king growled protectively.

"Why? We have all been having such a good time, haven't we boys?" Aragorn and Legolas just glared at him in response, knowing they couldn't beat him with words. "Now, now, don't be shy. We're all together – finally. We should be celebrating not despairing."

"You're out of your mind," Thranduil accused, not being able to think of a better comeback.

"Maybe but at least I'm not a prisoner here," he answered, spreading his arms and looking surprisingly proud.

"Aren't you?" Aragorn asked, hoping to test Legolas' theory. "I mean, have you ever actually left this encampment? Have you ever been beyond these fences?" Torvan looked at him for a moment in confusion. "You are under attack and yet here you are talking to us. Now, either you're not afraid of dying or you're trapped in here just like us." Aragorn took a step forward and said quietly, "Master," hoping to trigger some kind of response. He certainly got one. Torvan took a startled step back, his eyes wide with shock and terror. Then without another word he disappeared.

Legolas, Aragorn and Thranduil were silent for a moment before the king broke the hush and said, "Come on, we should get out of this place."

"You know there is only one way to be sure about the Master and Torvan," Aragorn mused, looking over to Legolas for approval.

However, Thranduil had other ideas. "No, we are getting out of here. Let that Man rot in his prison."

"Estel is right, Ada, we have to know the truth about the Master. We have to understand what this has all been about," Legolas said, agreeing with his friend.

"No, we don't have to know anything. We have to get out of this place," Thranduil shouted back.

"I need to know," Legolas said softly, knowing that this softer approach was the best way to really get through to Thranduil. The king might be able to deny Aragorn something but he could never refuse his son's pleas, especially when they were as important as this.

"No, Legolas, it's too dangerous and I need to get you to safety right now. Now, let's go," Thranduil said firmly, going to walk to the door with his captain trailing behind him, still reeling from the king's lecture. Thranduil stopped, however, when he realised that neither Legolas nor Aragorn were following him. "Ion nin?" he asked in confusion. Legolas and Aragorn just stared at each other, checking that they were both thinking the same thing. Thranduil picked up on this as well, knowing exactly what his son was thinking. "No, Legolas. We are getting out of this place right now. No more arguments." He sensed that this meant a lot to Legolas but he needed his son to be safe before anything else and going to confront the Master would settle a lot of questions. Even if Thranduil didn't understand why this would help, he sensed Legolas and Aragorn needed closure.

"Ada, please," Legolas said, their eyes connecting for the first time since he arrived.

"Thranduil, we need this. Legolas needs this. We just want all of this to be over and the Master may have the answers. These past few weeks have all been about that Man. I need to know why we were really brought here because I don't think it's just a mad coincidence," Aragorn said, risking the king's wrath. "Please." This seemed to sway Thranduil and he rolled his eyes at the man, sensing he was about to make a very poor decision.

"Fine. We go in, talk to this…thing, then leave and get you both back to Mirkwood," Thranduil sighed, looking deep into his son's eyes to emphasise that he was serious.

"Fair enough," Aragorn answered. Legolas just nodded his thanks to his father. He knew Thranduil didn't really approve of this but he just had the feeling that he needed to do this and if he didn't he would regret it forever. The Master knew something and Legolas needed to know what that was as much as Aragorn did.

"Alright, let's go," Thranduil sighed. "Be on the lookout for trouble and stay between me and the Captain. Any signs of trouble and we get out of this place." They both nodded in agreement. "Let's get this over and done with."

"Ada, thank you," Legolas said quietly, fixing his father with his gaze and Thranduil nodded understandingly.

Together they left the building. The battle had dwindled somewhat by now. The odds were still against the Elves but they were holding their own. Thranduil's Guard had joined in the battle with the Galadhrim and Elrond's three guards were standing beside them. The three great armies of Elves on Middle Earth working together to fight a common foe. It was a sight not seen since the Battle of the Last Alliance in the Second Age thousands of years ago. Thankfully, the fighting armies caused a good enough distraction so that Thranduil, Legolas, Aragorn and Captain Cassan could move unimpeded towards the building and the Master.

They moved quickly through the great halls, not stopping long enough to take note of anything inside. Legolas and Aragorn led the way to the Dark Room guarded by the battle-ready, silent soldiers. None of them made any attempt to stop the four intruders. They obviously had no interest in the battle outside either. They were completely passive as Legolas and Aragorn stepped to the door of the Dark Room. Although they had wanted to see the Master again, they were both now apprehensive about entering that room. It was a disconcerting place.

"Maybe you should wait here," Legolas said, turning to his father.

"Not a chance. You are not leaving my sight again," Thranduil said sternly. Legolas nodded and Aragorn reached out and opened the door. Darkness assailed them almost instantly, engulfing them even though they had not stepped forward yet. Reluctantly, they all stepped across the threshold. Aragorn and Legolas had grown used to this but it was obviously a shock for Thranduil, who reached out and grabbed Legolas' arm. The Captain just stood there, taking everything in with shocked eyes.

All of them were instantly drawn to the Master, who was sat bent on his throne as usual. He slowly and tiredly looked up and stared at the people now in his presence.

"I wondered when you would come."

**To Be Continued…**


	94. Dust To Dust

**Disclaimer: **I own nothing Tolkien created.

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**Sold Into Ruin**

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**A/N: Super long chapter today so please leave a review. Thanks and enjoy.**

**~*~**

_A/N: Memories are in italics in this chapter_

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**Chapter 94 ~ Dust To Dust**

**~*~**

Legolas and Aragorn once more had the urge to fall to their knees. Legolas did not succumb to the powerful need but he felt his father fighting the same urge right beside him. The king had, at some point, removed his hand from Legolas' arm.

"King Thranduil, I know so much about you, it seems, but I confess that it is so nice to finally meet you in person," the Master said, his hollow eyes taking in the sight of the king, so small and insignificant before this old man. Thranduil was certain he saw a hint of pleasure at his reaction.

"Likewise," Thranduil returned hastily, his voice low with distain. "I have so much wanted to meet the man who has been holding and torturing my son."

"Yes. Poor Legolas and Estel; Kallon had not been treating you at all well, has he? Not my doing, you understand. That man really does have a mind of his own, you know. It's simply not possible to control him."

"Perhaps you should try harder," Thranduil growled through clenched teeth. The Master merely laughed.

"We know your secret," Aragorn said cautiously.

"And what secret would that be?" The Master smiled down at him in scepticism.

"About you and Torvan, that you're the same person – two sides of the same coin, so to speak."

"Beautifully spoken, as ever, Estel. However, I fear Kallon's treatment of you has effected your mind more than you care to admit," he laughed. "What makes you think I have anything in common with that _thing_?" There was a kind of disgust in his voice at the mere suggestion that he was linked with the other being.

"The skeleton in the Torture Room; the fact that both you and Torvan seem to know exactly the same things and share the same powers; and, of course, the fact that for some reason you brought us both here," Aragorn stated, not about to have the theory tarnished by the Master's childishly mocking words. Despite his firmer he felt as though just saying the words was some kind of blasphemy although he had no idea why, it was just the Master's power reasserting itself or at least that's what he told himself.

"You spoke about a Good and Evil power, that they were somehow keeping you in this room, but the guards outside, there is a riot out there and they are just standing there doing nothing. I think they are there to keep you trapped in here. They're your own creation to keep yourself in and the evil part of you out. This is your sanctuary, isn't it? The one place where no one can harm you, not even yourself," Legolas said gently, taking a confident step towards the Master who was watching him with black eyes.

"You have no idea what you're talking about," the Master said although nervousness was creeping into his voice now.

"You're afraid of him, aren't you? When we mentioned Torvan last time we were here you were surprised. You had been trying to keep that evil presence at bay for years, haven't you? And all of a sudden we uncovered your secret. It was just after that that you ordered Kallon to destroy us."

"I never gave that order. I need you, you are my saviours," the Master said uncertainly, trying to keep up to pretence that he had no idea what they were talking about.

"You told Kallon to do it through Torvan – through your other self," Legolas said, still walking towards the Master's throne.

"No," the Master shook his head defiantly.

"We were never brought here to save the prisoners. You brought us here to save yourself, to stop Torvan, to stop _you_."

"Silence," the Master shouted and all of a sudden all the guards, who had been lining the walls outside in the antechamber, were abruptly transported into the room surrounding Legolas, Aragorn, Thranduil and the Captain, their weapons aimed at the four outsiders. "You have no idea what you're talking about."

"You brought all these Men here to run your operation. They're as much prisoners as the slaves they believe they control."

"This is my job," the Master said quietly, standing slowly from his position.

"_Was_ your job," Aragorn corrected, stepping up so he was stood next to Legolas and trying to ignore the fact that there were weapons pointed at him and just waiting for the opportunity to kill him and his friends. The heavily armoured guards seemed to almost move with him, mirroring his movements in perfect silence. "This place has been under Gondor's scrutiny for years, hasn't it? I mean, how could they possibly have missed it? Unless they knew all along. Maybe they were just too afraid to stop you; there's no question that you have great power inside you."

"They helped me do it. They wanted to set up somewhere that held all those criminals they couldn't – or didn't want to – control; monsters they couldn't afford to handle themselves. Gondor is a better place for my intervention." The Master's voice was distant, as though recalling an old memory.

"This was never about mining or the money, was it? This place has always been a prison," Aragorn stated, finally starting to understand what all this was about. "In theory, it's the perfect prison. Gondor doesn't have to deal with its lowlifes and criminals, it simply tips off where they might be gathering and you send your guards out to capture them, your own tragic, misguided slaves who honestly believe they work freely for some greater reward at the end. What have you promised them?" The Master didn't answer so Aragorn continued. "Or, perhaps a better question is: what have you threatened them with in order to keep them in line?"

When the Master didn't answer immediately, Legolas spoke softly, "Arron mentioned that Kallon's family had been killed."

"Another desperate man looking for something to lose himself in? So embittered by the word and how it has hurt him that he comes here and finds you – someone who sees everything inside of him and gives him the perfect distraction and the chance to get a little revenge in the process," Aragorn pushed, sensing how uncomfortable this conversation was making the Master.

"He was so very angry with the world. He made a great addition to my collection; so driven and so terribly, terribly gullible."

"He listens to everything Torvan tells him to do. Everything _you_ tell him to do."

"I need someone like him, someone who will listen. Kallon understands his true purpose here."

"Except he doesn't, does he, not really? He has no idea that he's actually listening to you. Kallon honestly believes he's taking his orders from Torvan, someone who completely opposes you. That's the whole reason he's even still here, because he believes there's some ultimate reward at the end of it from Torvan," Aragorn said, ignoring the fact that the room was growing worryingly colder and darker by the second. "But Torvan is beginning to take over, isn't he? He told Kallon to kill Legolas, slowly and painfully, because we were getting too close to the truth. You knew we would figure it out from the moment we started asking questions about you. When Legolas mentioned that skeleton in the Hold, you knew we would eventually figure out what you really are."

The Master moved stiffly down the steps to where Legolas and Aragorn were waiting. "Everything you have done was to frighten us off: The Hold, Kallon torturing us, showing Legolas his mother; it was all to get us out of the way. If you killed him you knew I would follow him to the grave and you would be rid of the two people who threatened to expose you."

"You underestimate yourself, Aragorn. You are an heir of kings. Legolas means nothing to me. He's not from Gondor. Thranduil would never give me any of his wealth or kingdom, not even to save his own son. But you, the future king of Gondor…Do you have any idea how much you're worth? Gondor would do anything to have its ancient throne restored. They would pay anything to see their great king come to power again and if they didn't there would be many more people who would like to own the one person who could bring down the evil empires."

"So this was all about Estel," Legolas said softly.

"Not at first. Ironically, Kallon really had no idea what he had captured and neither did I initially. You, Prince, are easily recognisable. I really did believe you would finally provide me a way out of this cell. The infamous Crown Prince of Mirkwood and his Ranger friend, both renowned for their fighting skills and their unwavering devotion to all things good and moral provided me the perfect opportunity to liberate myself from this prison. However, when Kallon first brought you here, I realised that I had caught something far greater in my net: the heir to the throne of Gondor, generally considered to be nothing more than an ancient myth, a rumour but now so very real to me. You're pretty much the most important person on Middle Earth at the moment, Aragorn.

"You flatter me," Aragorn said coldly.

The Master laughed, "Come now, Aragorn. Your legend is beyond anything the prince of a falling kingdom could conjure. Now I am in the perfect position, I have you and Legolas _and _the king of Mirkwood as my consolation prizes. I must admit things have worked out infinitely better than I could ever have imagined."

"You're out of your mind," Thranduil stated, for the first time speaking up to the Master.

"Never a truer word spoken," a voice sounded from beside them. They all turned to see Torvan stood next to them. "Surprise!" He spread his arms to the Master, showing himself off.

Upon seeing Torvan, the Master recoiled in horror, as though his mere presence terrified him. "Oh dear, it looks like your defences are failing," Aragorn smiled up at the old man. "Now what?"

"Shut up," both the Master and Torvan snapped at the same time - one panicked, one relatively calm.

"Get out," the Master yelled at Torvan who began to fade away somewhat at the command.

Legolas knew the two entities needed to be in the same room if they had any chance of beating the Master and ending the life of his cruel place. "Come on you two, you're here at last, both in the same place, the thing both of you have been waiting for all these years. You finally get to face each other." Torvan started to reappear and a slight breeze began mysteriously blowing through the room. It grew as Torvan became solid again, almost as though he brought with him some strange, mystical power.

Both Legolas and Aragorn took a step back as the Master and Torvan stood facing one another. Thranduil pulled Legolas behind him protectively, not wanting his son to become involved any more with these people. Whatever was about to happen couldn't possibly be good.

Sensing that something extremely bad was about to happen as the two parts of the same person fused back together, Thranduil shouted to Legolas and Aragorn, "Let's get out of here." They all ran towards the open door but it slammed shut before they could reach it and they crashed desperately into the wall, unable to escape the Dark Room. A loud, high-pitched screeching filled the room and they all put their hands over their ears to block it but it seemed to almost pierce through them. Not being able to go anywhere they simply stared at the scene unfolding before them.

Torvan had his arms outstretched towards the Master who was now beginning to fade slightly, almost moulding into Torvan. Bright light assailed the room and the screaming rose in volume and pitch. The guards that had stood in the room before changed into the varying horrors that Legolas had seen in his last nightmare. They writhed and shrieked, clawing at the black floor as though wanting to bury their way out of the Dark Room. Thranduil pulled them all back when one of the creatures lunged towards them, its distorted mouth open in a silent scream.

The light grew brighter, so bright that the four outsiders couldn't look directly at it any longer. The walls began to quake and crumble and the entire room started shaking almost like an earthquake. The screeching grew louder and the Master and Torvan were almost as one by now, although neither looked at all human any more. In front of Legolas appeared Nienna, screaming with the creatures, she seemed to pulse in and out of existence, a bright mass of light that looked as awful as the beings writhing on the floor. She had her hands out-stretched but Legolas was not even tempted to go to her this time. She was just another monster now. Another beast in a greater army.

With one last great burst of light and an almighty scream, the two melded completely and everything went silent and completely black. Not even the throne was illuminated anymore and the only sound was Legolas, Aragorn, the Captain and Thranduil's laboured breathing. They did nothing for a moment, too afraid to even risk moving. It was Legolas who stood up first with Thranduil clinging onto his arm, not wanting to lose his son in the darkness. They felt Aragorn stand beside them.

Without warning, the light from the throne was restored, casting an eerie white glow across the room. All the creatures were gone and only the Master/Torvan combination remained kneeling on the floor. He no longer looked like either but rather a mixture of the two. He had the Master's features but he was as young as Torvan had been. He looked up at the others, his eyes a dark brown but no longer completely black. He looked so much weaker than when he had manifest as the Master. All powered seemed to have drained from him in the transformation. However, none of them stepped forward, just in case this was merely a false appearance. He was still technically the same man and thus had the same power no matter how innocent he now looked.

Slowly, he shakily pulled himself to his feet, unsteady, almost as if he was not used to his new body yet. He let out a slight, annoyed laugh as he looked down at his hands, no longer wrinkled and skeletal. He then turned his attention to Legolas and Aragorn. His laughing grew until it was almost hysterical.

"After all these years! For so long I have been wondering what it would feel like to be whole again, to feel young. And for so long I have been denied that pleasure. But now you have restored me. You have made me whole again." The new being took a step forward and the others took several steps back.

"Who are you?" Aragorn asked cautiously, guessing he was not going to like the answer.

"I quite like 'the Master', don't you? It has a nice strong feel to it." He looked down at himself again and whispered, "I wonder." Then he outstretched his hand and immediately all four people were kneeling on the floor, unable to stop themselves or even protest. Apparently, he did still have a lot of power. If not more so. "Look at that, I haven't lost my touch," he laughed, sounding almost manic now, not calm and stoic like when he really was the Master. "I wonder what else I can do to you. Aren't you glad to put me back together again?" he laughed.

"I thought…"

"That if you restored me I would just fizzle away? Quite a foolish notion, Aragorn. And now I am whole, I can leave this prison and get out into the real world again. It has been such a long time. I'm looking forward to breathing in the fresh air. Maybe I'll go to Gondor. At least now I have the ultimate bargaining tools. The mighty king and prince of Mirkwood and the King of Gondor."

"Whatever you want you'll never get it from us," Thranduil growled and his head was pushed down further into a forced bow.

"Oh, I think you'll give me anything I ask for, King Thranduil. For your son's life you would pay anything." Thranduil knew he couldn't object to that. He would give anything to save his son and he also knew that this being would kill Legolas in an instant to get what he wanted. He wasn't going to risk that happening. "Now, how do you get out of this place?" He strolled over to where the door used to be and searched for the handle. There was nothing there though, just more blackness. "Alright, who knows where the door is?" he asked, turning back to the others. No one answered his question though.

He walked back over to them with a small smile and looked at them with suspicious eyes, as though he thought they had somehow hidden the door from him. "Oh well, I suppose we can always create new doorways."

"Wait," Captain Cassan shouted just before the new being turned away. "I think there's something you should see. Queen Nienna gave it to me; I think it might be of interest to you."

"What?" the being asked, bending down to see what the Captain was talking about.

"Right here." Suddenly, the captain's arm flew up and slammed the dagger he was concealing right through the being's heart. It let out a terrible screech and grasped at the golden dagger, which was embedded too deeply in his chest. His hands slowly started to disintegrate and turn to dust, just as his knife had done after it had touched Legolas the first time they were in the Dark Room. The grey dust continued to spread all over the Master and Cassan and eventually they both started to disintegrate together and the dust from their own bodies started to swirl around both of them until they finally fell away into nothing. The illusion of the room was shattered and its black walls were stripped away to reveal a rather plain-looking room, complete with solid wooden doors. The sudden change and the brightness that came with it knocked the other three to the ground, dazing them.

What Thranduil, Legolas and Aragorn couldn't see was the skeleton in the Torture Room in the Hold had also turned to dust as the evil and good of the Master was swept away.

The room was now completely silent and Legolas, Thranduil and Aragorn could only sit there looking in wonder at the two piles of dust that now lay before them. Their loyal Captain of the Guard had done exactly what he was trained for: protected the royal family to his death. Slowly, Aragorn and Legolas got to their feet, surveying the room curiously. Thranduil stood after them, his eyes fixed on the dust as though fearing it might somehow fuse back together to create a new version of the Master.

"We should leave now, Thranduil," Aragorn said, prompting the king into action.

"Right. Let's get out of here," the king said, distracted. They turned reluctantly away from the ash. However, something made Legolas look back. At the far end of the room stood Nienna. She gave him a soft smile and an almost cheerful wave goodbye. He smiled back, no longer afraid of her or angry at her appearing to him. Wherever she was now she was safe, nothing could harm her. And she had saved them. She had given the captain the knife, which she knew would kill the Master and end this tyranny. As ever she was watching over her son and husband, just as Legolas had always secretly believed. He knew he would never be able to explain what happened here, or make sense of who the Master really was or how it was possible for him to see his mother but he did know that it was all over now. She had done her part and he would never see her again.

"Legolas? What is it?" Thranduil asked, turning back to his son and following his gaze into nothingness.

Legolas merely smiled at him and quietly said, "Nothing. Nothing at all."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

_Rain pounded the windows, rattling the balcony doors enough to make a loud, disturbing clanging in the room. This was nothing compared to the booming thunder that seemed to almost shake the room though. Lightning streaked across the sky, creating a dazzling strobe effect in the otherwise dark room. The storm had come suddenly in the middle of the night and now it seemed to have settled directly over the palace of Mirkwood, hurling everything at the kingdom with all its might._

_As another loud clap of thunder sounded, Legolas hid beneath the sheets, trembling slightly despite himself. A draught from the doors had long extinguished the candle that his father had left burning on the mantle above the fireplace and the fire itself was not lit as it was still fairly warm for the time of year so not needed. Lightning flashed and Legolas squeezed his eyes shut beneath the sheets. He wanted to get out of this room. With a small whimper he bravely peered over the top of the sheets, wondering whether he could make it to the door in the darkness. He needed to be with someone, with his father, the one who would protect him from the horrible storm. However, he needed to get all the way across the bedroom into the sitting room, which he then had to cross to reach the door to the corridor and then had to get along the corridor. His father had never seemed so far away from him._

_Thankfully, one small comfort existed: Legolas' personal bodyguard was stood outside the front door and he knew another stood outside of his father's rooms too. Legolas was fairly sure that once outside they could protect him, ensuring he was safe as he made his way to his father's rooms. Taking that first step was the difficult part though._

_Lightning flashed again and Legolas abruptly dived out of the bed and ran towards the door. He threw it open and paused briefly at the threshold to the sitting room, breathing heavily. It seemed like such a long way to go but before his burst of bravado could wear off, he took a deep breath and ran across the room, very nearly tripping over a table as he went. He continued, though, and reached the front door, which he then threw open and flung himself out into the corridor, glad that it was properly lit._

_Upon their prince's appearance, the two guards snapped suddenly to attention. His personal bodyguard, responsible at all times for the prince's safety, asked, "Is everything alright, Your Highness?" Legolas just nodded and ran towards his father's rooms. Realising what the prince wanted, the king's bodyguard opened the door for him, offering a small smile to his prince as he did so. Legolas didn't have time to smile gratefully back, as he was already dashing across his father's sitting room. He raced into the bedroom just as another flash of lightning lit the room._

_His father was fast asleep in the large bed but that didn't stop Legolas from throwing himself onto the bed and burrowing himself immediately beneath the sheets next to his ada. When Legolas pounced on his bed, Thranduil startled awake, looking around to see what had disturbed him. When he looked down at the lump at his side he sighed softly and lifted the sheets to find his son curled up in bed._

"_Legolas? What is wrong?" he mumbled wearily. The storm hadn't even woken him. Before Legolas could answer his question, thunder rumbled again. "Oh." The king laid back down, slinging his arm over his eyes, wishing he could just simply return to his peaceful sleep._

"_Can I stay with you?" Legolas asked timidly, looking up to his father with pleading eyes._

_Thranduil sighed, moving his arm and staring down at his son in the dark. "Do I have a choice?" he murmured but instantly regretted his unfeeling words when he saw the disappointment on his son's face. "I'm sorry, ion nin. Of course you can stay with me." Legolas moved up the bed a little and pulled the sheets around himself a little reluctantly, as if afraid of being told off._

_Moving onto his side, Thranduil held his arm up and encouraged, "Come here." Legolas shuffled closer and Thranduil pulled his son close. As he was enveloped in strong, safe arms, Legolas snuggled up to his father, burying his face into the king's nightshirt. Thranduil pulled the covers back over himself and closed his eyes, keeping his hold on his son. Usually when Legolas came to him it was because of a nightmare not because he was frightened. Unfortunately, he found that he simply couldn't refuse his son anything. _

_As both sets of eyes went vacant in reverie, the storm raged on but Legolas was no longer disturbed by it. He knew he would be safe with his father. Thranduil wouldn't let anything happen to him._

_Thranduil may have been able to chase away Legolas' fears over the thunderstorm but the nightmares he couldn't stop._

_Through the battered forest, through the trees being tossed about by the high wind and with lightning streaking across the sky and thunder pounding in the distance, walked a lone figure in white. She was soaking wet from the driving rain but blood still streamed down her white gown. She walked soundlessly through the corridors of the palace, leaving a trail of blood-reddened rainwater behind her. Her face was still visible even in the relative darkness of the corridors but her eyes were as dark as the night, no sign of life evident in them. As she walked by, the walls seemed to swim and swirl and soon featureless faces began to appear, ghostlike, screaming silently in the brick. Then pale white hands, some scratched and broken, reached out to her but could never quite reach her. She glanced at them as she passed but was untroubled by their presence. A whining cry echoed down the hall, a high keening that seemed to come from the faces haunting the walls._

_Knowing exactly where she was going, the figure in white rounded the corner and went straight to Thranduil's room. The door creaked open, leaving her wet handprint on the dry wood. The bodyguard outside laid dead leant against the wall, the ghostly hands seeming to pull him into the brick. It seemed as though Nienna's mere touch had disabled him. Thranduil's room was suddenly extremely cold, so much so that the breath of the two sleeping figures could be seen in the air. Suddenly, the balcony doors were flung open but the two living beings slept on undisturbed._

_Nienna placed her cold hand on Thranduil's cheek and he stirred but didn't wake. After a minute, he breathed his last breath, coming from his partially open mouth in a small gasp. It was as though the queen's death also brought death to all those around her. Next to the king, Legolas slept on, undisturbed by all of this. Nienna came around to the other side of the bed to kiss her son, her wet hair dripping on his nightshirt and making him cold. Her lips were freezing cold against his cheek and this startled him awake. When he looked up he saw the monstrous vision of his mother leaning over him. A scream caught in his throat as she stood up straight._

_The hands that clawed at the walls, as though stuck and trying desperately to get out, now tried harder, eventually cracking the solid brick. Dirty fingernails poked through the holds and bright, maddened eyes peered through the newly formed gaps. They reached instantly for Legolas and Nienna. One hand positioned itself over Legolas' mouth as though afraid he would attempt to scream. Nienna batted the hand away and immediately the hands reached for her and started tearing her apart. Her screams died down and suddenly she dissolved into dust onto the floor._

_The things in the walls suddenly disappeared and the room fell silent, almost as though nothing had ever happened. The fire, although not previously lit, sparked into life, quickly warming the freezing room. A startled Legolas looked over to his father and knew right away that something was wrong. He sat up, cocking his head to the side, trying to figure out what was different. He placed his trembling hand on Thranduil's chest but didn't feel the familiar steady breathing. Pulling his hand back sharply with a loud cry, Legolas watched his father's face for a minute as if hoping for answers from the king._

_After a while he placed his hand on his father's arm and shook it gently. "Ada," he whispered, as though afraid of breaking the deep silence of the room. When he got no response, he shook harder and more forcefully said, "Ada, wake up." Still nothing and Legolas threw himself on his father, knowing what no response meant. "Ada, wake up, please," he cried despairingly. "Daddy, wake up. Please wake up, Ada. Please…wake up. Wake up." His cries soon swallowed his words and he sobbed onto his father in the vain hope that it might somehow change what had happened._

"_Legolas, wake up. Ion nin, wake up," Thranduil called. He had been woken just moments ago by his son's tossing and turning in bed. At first he had thought it was the storm still raging outside but soon discovered that his son was in fact asleep, his eyes vacant. From the wild, terrified look on his face, he was having a nightmare. Thranduil had sat up and watched his son for no more than a couple of seconds before trying to wake him. "Legolas, come on, wake up," he called again, shaking his son very gently._

_The physical contact seemed to startle Legolas from his sleep at the same time as a loud clap of thunder rumbled outside, accompanied by a sudden flash of bright white light. The thunder drowned out Legolas' scream but it was all too evident to Thranduil who gathered a shaking Legolas into his arms and held him close. At first the young prince was too dazed to understand what was happening but then he felt a hand rubbing his back and was reminded of his nightmare and tried to push the seemingly ghostly arms off him._

_Thranduil felt his son struggling but held him close. When Legolas literally pushed him away though, the king released his hold in concern. As soon as he was free, Legolas scrambled off of the bed, falling hard on the floor but he ignored his father's yell of concern and the pain that suddenly shot up his right arm. He went to dash around the bed, heading for the door but only made it as far as the sitting room before he was swept up in strong arms._

"_Legolas, calm down. It's alright," Thranduil assured, trying to keep hold of his squirming son. Legolas hit out at him but his strikes had no real power behind them. "Ion nin, it's just me. Calm down." The king tried to sound calm but it was difficult when he was trying to hold onto Legolas, who was trying everything in his power to get away._

"_Let me go," the prince screeched at his startled father. All he could feel were those arms from the walls gripping him, any minute preparing to drag him into the walls._

_Suddenly, the door burst open and two guards appeared, their weapons ready. They must have heard Legolas' cries and thought the young prince was in trouble. "Your Majesty?" Thranduil's guard called as the door slammed open._

_Upon seeing the king, they stopped short and Thranduil shouted, "Get out of here." Realising that there was no danger to either father or son, the guards retreated, closing the door carefully behind them. "Legolas, shhh, it's alright. You're safe. You're safe," the king soothed. Slowly, Legolas started to calm down, his struggles getting weaker and weaker until they were replaced with a pitiful crying. Thranduil held him tightly in his arms, slowly rocking from side to side to calm his son as he cried on his shoulder. "It was just another nightmare," Thranduil assured, pressing a kiss into his son's hair. "It's alright." He looked out into the bedroom when lightning lit up the dark room once more and thunder smacked overhead. "It's just the storm," he soothed when Legolas clung to him tighter._

_Once Legolas had calmed down a little more Thranduil slowly walked over to the sofa and sat down, repositioning his son on his lap and still holding onto him tightly. Legolas buried himself against his father's chest, burying his face into the light nightshirt Thranduil wore. The king gently rocked his son back and forth._

"_Shh, it's over now," the king whispered. "You're alright." He pulled back from Legolas a little and pulled slightly damp hair from his son's pale face. He was covered in sweat and trembling slightly. Thranduil smiled but his son still appeared a little dazed. He pulled him close again but then heard Legolas' sharp cry of pain. Thranduil looked down when Legolas gripped his arm, obviously in pain. "What happened here?" the king asked gently, taking his son's arm loosely. "Let's get you a healer, shall we?" Legolas didn't even look up at his father and shrugged his hands off him again. "Guard," Thranduil called and almost immediately the door swung open. "Fetch a healer."_

"_Right away, Your Majesty," one of them said, running off to do as ordered._

_The other guard stood waiting for orders and Thranduil commanded, "Light the lamps and start a fire." As quickly as possible, the guard did as he was told and soon the room was warmer and light. A blanket was laid over Legolas' shaking shoulders but he didn't seem to even notice._

_A healer stepped into the room, followed by the other guard. "You can both leave now," Thranduil told the two guards and they left the room quietly._

"_What happened to you then?" the healer asked Legolas, kneeling down in front of Thranduil and his son. Legolas clung tightly to his father though, not wanting to be near the healer he had known all his life._

"_He fell off the bed," Thranduil answered for his son._

"_Well, we'll need to take a proper look at that arm." When the healer reached out to his prince, Legolas pulled back sharply with a whimper._

"_It's alright, ion nin," Thranduil soothed. "Let the healer take a look at your arm," he encouraged, gently prying his son away from him._

"_I'll be gentle, Your Highness, I promise," Korslorn assured, taking Legolas' small arm in his hands. Thranduil also kept hold of his son and Legolas still clung to him with his free arm, as though if he let go his whole world would fall apart. He was still shaking from fear. Usually, he calmed down a lot faster than this, the trembling subsiding after just a few minutes but tonight it didn't seem as if the young prince was able to shake off the dregs of the nightmare. "I don't think it's broken but I'll put a support bandage on it anyway and give him something for the pain," the healer told Thranduil as Legolas still looked too dazed to even hear what was going on around him._

"_Thank you," Thranduil said, smoothing his son's hair gently._

"_I'm just going to wrap this around your arm, Your Highness," the healer then told Legolas. He began gently wrapping the bandage tightly around the arm to keep it from moving too much. He doubted it was even fractured but he wasn't about to take any chances with the Prince of Mirkwood. Although Legolas allowed this, he still kept a firm hold on his father and watched the healer warily. "I'll put this in a sling as well, just to be safe," the healer smiled up at Thranduil, who nodded but didn't return the smile. In all the years his son had been having these terrible nightmares about his mother, they had never caused him to hurt himself before._

_When the healer went to place the sling over Legolas, though, the prince cried out and retreated further against his father. "Your Highness, you really need to have this on."_

"_Come on, sweetheart, let the healer do what he needs to," Thranduil said gently, looking down at his son. Tears fell from Legolas' glazed blue eyes but he didn't answer his father. "Legolas." He got no response so he looked down at the healer. "Can that wait until the morning?" he asked._

"_Of course. Bring him by the healing halls when he wakes up and I'll put the sling on him then," Korslorn smiled, placing his hand on Legolas' shoulder comfortingly, but Thranduil brushed it off, guessing his son wouldn't want to be touched._

"_Thank you. I'm sure he'll be more receptive in the morning," Thranduil smiled._

"_I'll get something for the pain," Korslorn said, his voice becoming much more business-like now. He reached into his case and pulled out a bottle of green liquid. "Your Highness, you need to drink this down." Legolas didn't move though, pulling away from the healer when he tried to reached over to him._

"_It's alright, I'll get him to drink it," Thranduil assured the healer, taking the small bottle off him. "You can go, I'll send for you if you're needed." Effectively dismissed, the healer packed his things away and left in what appeared to be annoyance, not that Thranduil cared one bit. Looking down at Legolas, Thranduil asked, "Does that feel better now?" Legolas didn't answer though, just continued to cry softly into his father. "Legolas, come on, sweetheart, just swallow this down. It'll help with the pain. Let's just get this over with, shall we?"_

_Slowly, Legolas nodded and Thranduil pulled the top off. He gave Legolas the painkiller and placed the empty vial on the table beside him. He pulled Legolas close again. "Do you think you can go back to sleep?" Thranduil asked, his voice almost lost in the loud clap of thunder, not that Legolas was listening anyway. "Ion nin? Alright, let's get you cleaned up then, shall we? These clothes are soaking." The prince's white nightclothes were damp with sweat._

_Legolas made no move so Thranduil lifted him up and carried him into the bathroom, which had also been lit up by the guard. Placing his son to stand on the floor, Thranduil knelt down in front of him. Legolas just stood in the centre of the room, unmoving. The king carefully pulled Legolas' damp nightshirt off and threw it on the floor then helped his son take his trousers off. He reached for the small bath robe hanging from the hook on the back of the door and helped his son on with it, tying the belt tightly._

"_There you go," he smiled at his son, who just stared blearily at him. Thranduil sighed softly and reached for a cloth, soaking it in cool water. He knelt back down and wiped Legolas' face, cleansing it of tears. He dried him with a clean towel and sat back. "Better already." It was a lie though. Legolas was trembling slightly, his face was deathly pale even in the warm orange lamplight. His eyes were dull and dazed, as if he wasn't quite there. He started every time he heard a rumble of thunder from the retreating storm and in the lightning flash he looked almost ghost-like._

"_Alright, come on, let's get you back to bed," Thranduil said, standing and taking his son's hand to lead him back into the bedroom. Legolas resisted though, snatching his hand away from his father's and retreating further back into the bathroom, as if afraid to enter the bedroom. "Legolas…" Thranduil stepped forward but Legolas stepped back before sinking down and shuffling into the corner, huddling up as best he could._

_Thranduil decided not to push his son and sat down on the edge of the bath, watching Legolas carefully. "Will you tell me what you dreamed of?" As usual, the king received no answer. "Please, Legolas, talk to me. I want to help, I really do, but you have to tell me what you need me to do." Legolas just looked away, fresh tears spilling down his cheeks. "Alright," the king sighed._

_He stood up and reached down to pick up his son. Legolas struggled for a moment before the king said, "It's alright, you don't have to go back to bed. How about we sit in the chair for a little while and then we'll see how you feel?" Legolas calmed in his arms and Thranduil took him to the chair by the fire, sitting down and positioning his son on his lap. Legolas curled up against him, holding on tightly._

_Although Thranduil could never be impatient with his son, he hoped he would just fall asleep in his arms and he could get some more sleep. He seemed to have been working extra hard lately and he was exhausted. He looked down at his son as he thought of this and cursed himself for the thought. Legolas was fiddling idly with a string on his father's nightshirt, just looking for something to take his mind off his dream. Thranduil started his gently rocking backwards and forwards, stroking his son's hair. It was comfortable there, sat in front of a roaring fire, his son close to him. If it hadn't have been for the circumstances, he would have been contented with the situation. In the wake of Legolas' nightmare – or, more specifically, his reaction to it – he was just uneasy._

_Although Thranduil managed to doze in front of the fire, Legolas stayed awake all night, trembling nervously in his father's arms. Every time he heard even a small creak within the great palace, he started, searching frantically around the room for the hands he expected to see coming from the walls. What little remained in the night offered no peace at all for the young prince. Everything was threatening to him, the sound of the rain pattering against the windows, the now distant rumble of thunder, the corners the candlelight couldn't reach._

_When the sun rose, everything became a little less frightening but Legolas dared not shut his eyes, even in Thranduil's comforting presence. At about seven in the morning a knock sounded at the door, causing Legolas to almost fall off his father's lap. Thankfully, Thranduil woke quickly and managed to grab him before he fell to the floor again. The door opened and Thranduil's assistant stepped in, barely even noticing the fact that Legolas was with his father. It was often the case now that the prince would stay with his father at night and the assistant was in no position to question it._

"_Good morning, Your Majesty," the assistant said cheerfully as Thranduil sat back in his chair with a tired sigh. Legolas just sat looking cautiously at the assistant as he went into the bedroom and flung the drapes open, allowing sunlight to flood the room. "You have a meeting at eight with the representatives of Lake Town, I advise against being late, it's bad enough that we have cancelled several times already. Their patience is not infinite," he continued as he pulled clothes from Thranduil's closet._

_The king ignored his fussing and looked down at his son, who was just beginning to calm himself down after the interruption. "Did you sleep at all last night?" Thranduil asked, looking into his son's tired eyes. Legolas didn't answer but cuddled up closer to his father. _

"_Your Majesty, it is getting late," the assistant called from where he was laying clothes out in the bathroom for Thranduil to change._

"_Alright," Thranduil sighed, placing his son down on the bed. "I'm going to get dressed but I'll be right back," Thranduil smiled down at his son who seemed to be doing his very best to ignore him. "Darin, can you order my son some breakfast, please?" Thranduil told his assistant who immediately went to get what his king asked for._

_Thranduil gathered up the clothes and went into the bathroom to get washed and changed. As he brushed his hair through he took in his appearance in the mirror. As hard as he tried, he found it difficult to make himself presentable. These long nights with Legolas and hard working days were beginning to take their toll on him. He couldn't blame Legolas, that wouldn't be fair, but he just wished he could get a decent nights' sleep for once, without having to worry about how his son was._

_With a heavy sigh, Thranduil returned to the bedroom to find that Legolas had not moved an inch since he had left him, even though the assistant was now trying to tempt him to take the plate of fruit he offered. In annoyance, Thranduil snatched the plate off the Elf and sat down next to his son, taking a piece of apple and eating it himself. "You need to eat some breakfast, ion nin," he encouraged but Legolas didn't even acknowledge him. "Legolas, please."_

"_Your Highness, we really need to get going," the assistant said, almost nervously._

"_Alright." Darin stepped outside and nodded for Legolas' minder, Anya, to enter. She had been chosen several years ago after Nienna had died. Thranduil was often busy and didn't always have time to tend to his son so he had hired the minder. Legolas and she had become good friends, although he always seemed a little distant with her, almost as if he was refusing to allow someone else like his mother into his life._

"_Good morning, Legolas," Anya bowed to the king as he stood._

"_Good morning. We had a little accident last night," he said, motioning to Legolas' bandaged arm. "He'll need to go to the healer's later for a sling." Looking over at a motionless Legolas, Thranduil led Anya into the sitting room and dismissed his assistant so they could talk in private. "He had another hard night," the king said once they were alone. He had told Anya about the nightmares as soon as he had hired her, knowing it wasn't something he could hide as she often stayed with him at night if he was working late. Of course, she had been sworn to secrecy and as far as he knew she had never revealed anything to anyone outside the small circle of people Thranduil confided in._

"_Oh, I am sorry to hear that," Anya said, peering through the door at Legolas, who was now idly picking at the sheets._

"_Keep an eye on him today. And try to get him to sleep this afternoon if you can." She nodded – that was often the custom, she would put him down for a nap after lunch if he had had a bad night. "And see if you can get him to eat something."_

_Taking the plate off the king, Anya went back into the bedroom. Kneeling down in front of his son, Thranduil smiled gently. "I have to go now, ion nin. You be good for Anya." Legolas barely even looked at him, he seemed to be lost in his own little world. "I'll see you later tonight and if you need anything send for me." This last bit was for Anya as much as Legolas. "You try and get some sleep, alright?" Thranduil kissed his cheek with a soft 'goodbye' and stood to leave. "I'll try and stop back around lunchtime and check on him," he told the minder. In truth, he was truly worried about his son. Rarely was Legolas so quiet, even after a nightmare. "Are you sure you're going to be alright with him today?" he asked._

"_We'll be fine, Your Majesty, won't we Legolas?" She received no response from Legolas but smiled at Thranduil anyway. "Really, my Lord, we will be fine. I'll take good care of him." She knew he worried about his son dreadfully when he got like this and that he would spend all day taking care of Legolas if he could. The kingdom didn't run itself though._

_Casting one last reluctant glance back at Legolas and Anya, Thranduil left for his meeting but before he even started he was distracted. All he could think about was his son._

_Anya got Legolas washed and dressed but it was a chore. Usually, Legolas did exactly what he was told even if he didn't like it but today he seemed to just not care. He dragged his feet when Anya took him to the healers and flat out refused to be touched by anyone he didn't know personally. Eventually they had to get Korslorn back to put the sling on him and administer another vial of the painkilling liquid._

_When he refused to eat any lunch, Anya decided he was tired and put him down for his nap but Legolas wouldn't sleep. In fact, he refused to go anywhere near the bed. Anya put him on the sofa, hoping that he might at least rest there but instead he just sat on the floor, staring into the fire until she was sure it must have hurt his eyes and she removed him._

_She took him outside to play but he just stood looking blankly at her as if he had no clue what he was supposed to do with the ball she passed to him. When a couple of guardsmen commented light-heartedly on his lack of skill with the ball, he hid behind his minder who shot them a baffled look. They quickly apologised, bowed and walked away. Legolas was usually too interested in mimicking the guards' jobs to be afraid of them and it was often him trying to persuade them to play with him or for them to teach him something he could show off to his father in the evening._

"_Alright then, how about we bake some biscuits for your father? That will be fun, won't it?" Anya asked cheerfully as she led Legolas towards the kitchens. They cleared as soon as the prince stepped inside but Anya called the head chef back to help them. Unfortunately, this plan also backfired as the two maidens ended up doing everything for him. He just watched them but didn't really pay any attention. When they sipped at tea and chatted about the goings-on in the palace he stared blankly at the array of cakes and sweets the chef had laid out in front of him in an attempt to tempt him to eat something. Usually, if the chef offered him some of her famed sweets he would eat them quickly and plead to take some home with him but today he wasn't at all interested._

_Anya handled Legolas the small basket of biscuits she had made and led Legolas from the kitchens. "Shall we go and see if your father is free for a few moments?" she said trying to sound cheerful. Although she was not really allowed to disturb Thranduil while he was working she considered this an emergency. Besides, if it cheered Legolas up even a little bit it was worth it._

_She approached the large double doors to the conference rooms and smiled at the guards. "Could Prince Legolas have a few moments with the king please?" she asked politely. They looked reluctantly at one another, the assistants and advisors had ordered the king not be disturbed, still this was the prince. "Please, it's important," she said, glancing down at Legolas who watched the doors carefully. This was the first time he had appeared even remotely interested in what was going on around him._

"_We'll let him know the prince is here," said one of them and disappeared into the room. He appeared just a few seconds later. "The king will be with you in a few moments. He said to wait in his office." She nodded and had to practically drag Legolas away from the doors._

"_Alright, go and sit in your father's chair," she smiled as she opened the door to the king's office. Legolas did so, apparently not afraid of this place. She herself sat down on the sofa, watching as Legolas pulled a piece of blank parchment from his father's desk and began drawing on it with a piece of charcoal. This was the first time all day that he seemed even remotely animated. He scribbled out his drawing on the parchment with his left hand – as strong as his right hand, which was immobile due to the sling._

_After about fifteen minutes the door opened, revealing a smiling Thranduil. Legolas looked up and climbed sedately down from the chair and walked over to his father who picked him up, careful not to jostle his injured arm. Anya also stood, bowing slightly even though it wasn't necessary. He had excused her from it a while back. Old habits died hard though, especially around the royals._

"_Sorry to disturb you, Your Majesty, but I thought it might cheer him up a little," she smiled, disappointed that Legolas didn't seem at all cheerful and that another one of her plans had failed._

"_That's alright," Thranduil smiled at his son. "I have been looking for a distraction all day. What have you been up to today, then?" Thranduil asked, going to sit down on the chair behind his desk._

_Legolas didn't answer so he looked to Anya for a more serious update on his son's condition. "Not much. I only just managed to get him to the healer's. I have tried everything, my Lord – we played ball, did some baking but he didn't seem at all interested. He wouldn't even eat anything at lunchtime."_

_Thranduil repositioned Legolas on his knee so he could see his son's face. "Are you not hungry, ion nin?" he asked but received no answer. "Did you get any sleep this afternoon?"_

"_I tried, my Lord, but he wouldn't even go near the bed – yours or his own. He just stared into the fire."_

_Thranduil tenderly tucked his son's hair behind his ear and stroked his cheek gently. "What's wrong, sweetheart? Tell me what I can do." Legolas just leaned in and hugged his father. Thranduil hated seeing him like this, it sent a chill right through him. Trying to lighten the mood a little he forced a smile onto his face and picked up the basket of cookies with his spare hand, the other holding onto his son. "Are these for me?" he asked, looking down once more. Legolas nodded gently and Thranduil picked up a biscuit and took a bite. "They're good. Did you make them all by yourself?" Still Legolas ignored him._

"_We tried," Anya answered._

"_And what is this?" he asked, picking up Legolas' picture, knocking the charcoal to the floor where it smashed with a loud crack. Thranduil didn't care though. He had been expecting his son's usual drawings of the forest, the palace, the animals or even himself but what was drawn on the parchment took his breath away. There was a dark shape in the centre, its eyes so dark against the cream parchment. Parts of it were darker than others and Thranduil assumed this was blood. More disturbingly though, were the rough hands reaching out for it, grasping at the clothes. Hideous figures reached out, some with screaming, wild faces and large eyes. Others were disembodied – merely parts of people._

"_Legolas," the king breathed. He barely noticed Anya stood behind him also staring at the picture. She had cleaned up the charcoal, her hands now smudged black. Thranduil tore his eyes away from the drawing and looked down at his son, who had his head buried in his robes. "Why would you draw something like this?" he asked. It suddenly dawned on him who this was: Nienna. "Legolas, is this what you dreamt of?" he asked quietly. He dropped the picture face-down on the desk and pulled Legolas even closer to him, as if to protect him from the image. "Oh sweetheart," he whispered, tears coming to his eyes._

"_I had no idea he had drawn this, my Lord," Anya whispered. _

"_Go and tell the advisors we'll continue the meeting at a later date," Thranduil said, standing, his son still tightly held in his arms. "Let's get you to bed; you're exhausted," he told Legolas as Anya left the room, holding the door open for him._

_Thranduil carried Legolas back to his rooms and placed him on the sofa. He reached for a blanket and laid it over his son, waiting until Anya joined them. "Stay with him and do not leave him alone. I'll be back." Without waiting for a reply Thranduil ran to Legolas' room, slamming the door closed behind him. He began searching for his more drawings. If his son had done this once then maybe he had done it before. He pulled everything out of the closet, rifling through the boxes on the shelves, even checking the bottom of the closet, which Legolas sometimes used as a den. He found toys and some drawings but nothing like the other. He pulled things out from under the bed, searched through drawers, checked in the sitting room, the desk, even in the bathroom._

_Tired out from his frantic search, Thranduil sat down on the divan and put his head in his hands. Maybe he was just overreacting to this. Suddenly, something under the desk caught his eye. He didn't remember there being a loose panel under there. Slipping off the divan he got on his hands and knees and got close enough under the desk to see what was in fact a small door. Standing again, he heaved the desk to one side and pulled the door open. It was too dark inside to see anything so Thranduil quickly lit a candle, nearly dropping it in his haste. He couldn't fit into the little cupboard but he could stick his head inside._

_The pictures on the walls stood out instantly. There were many different scenes, one of a cave with two people lying on the ground and dark, shapeless creatures in the background. Another was Legolas and himself but he looked different, eyes vacant. Another had his wrists slit and yet another was him and Nienna hand in hand, their eyes just crosses – dead. Thranduil let out an involuntary cry of horror at what he saw on the walls. This was a snapshot of his son's nightmares and it was far worse than anything he had imagined. Some were just simple, rough sketches but others were remarkably detailed given Legolas' age. All were horrific though. Nienna was the same in all of them: always dead, always dressed in the gown she had been laid out in state in._

_Having seen more than enough, Thranduil retreated, sitting back on his heels, too shocked to even think straight. This was what went through his son's mind every night. No wonder he was always so terrified. Thranduil replaced the panel and the desk, extinguishing the candle and left the room, slamming the door closed behind him._

_Anya was still trying to coax Legolas to eat something but he refused. Thranduil entered unnoticed by either and just watched his son in silence for a moment. "Leave," he ordered Anya and she did so without hesitation, not offended by his tone. He sat down on the couch next to Legolas and willed the tears to stop falling. He needed to be strong for Legolas. He pulled the Elfling onto his lap and leaned back._

"_I'm so sorry, ion nin," he whispered, rocking back and forth again._

_There was nothing else to say and Thranduil didn't try. He stayed there, his son wrapped in his arms until well into the next night when Legolas finally managed to drift off into a fitful sleep. Thranduil dared not close his eyes though, worried that the same nightmares that haunted his son would now come to him._

_The next morning, Thranduil placed his son gently down on the sofa, still fast asleep, and slipped out of the room, leaving him in Anya's care with the strict order not to wake him and to give him anything he wanted. Although he had gotten no sleep that night he was oddly alert and he went straight to Nienna's memorial, hoping it would offer him some peace._

_When he got back to his room, Legolas was still sleeping and he dismissed Anya, telling her to take the rest of the day off. Although he missed breakfast, lunch and dinner, Thranduil stayed in the room, watching his son sleep by the warmth of the fire. He sat cross-legged on the floor in front of him, watching attentively should his son's peaceful expression change at all._

_A few hours later, Legolas slowly woke up. His father smiled gently at him, brushing his ruffled hair from his face. "Good morning," the king said although it was only about four in the morning. Legolas just blinked blearily up at him. He looked a little better than yesterday, at least. "How are you feeling?" His son nodded, yawning as he sat up. A wince crossed his face as he adjusted the sling on his arm to get more comfortable. "Are you still tired?" His question was answered by another long yawn from his son. "Do you think you could sleep in bed or would you be more comfortable here? I don't mind either way." Right then Thranduil would have done anything to make his son happy._

_Legolas stood up and the king took this to mean he wanted to go back to his own room. He picked Legolas up and carried him to his room. Legolas laid his head against the king's shoulder as he was carried into his bedroom. The king laid him down on the bed and pulled the covers up over him. He sat down on the bed, smoothing his hair._

"_You try and rest now," the king smiled, knowing Legolas was exhausted even though he had slept through the night. Slowly his eyes began to grow heavier and soon he was sleeping again, although seemingly a little more nervous in his own bed. Thranduil laid down next to him and allowed his own eyes to glaze over in reverie. Lying next to his son, Thranduil thought about what a wake up call this had been. Before he hadn't realised how hard all this had been on his young son. It was easy to forget with everything else that was going on in the kingdom. He would make it a point from now on to be more attentive towards his son._

**To Be Continued…**


	95. Parting Is Such Sweet Sorrow

**Disclaimer: **I own nothing Tolkien created.

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**Sold Into Ruin**

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**Chapter 95 ~ Parting Is Such Sweet Sorrow**

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In the encampment's courtyard, Galadriel and Elrond were once again in the midst of battle. The guards were rapidly falling thanks to the superior skills of the Mirkwood and Galadhrim guards. Celeborn was being shadowed, as always, by the loyal Haldir, who was taking out a fair few men himself. Despite their ferociousness, the Elven warriors were trying not to actually kill the Men if they could help it. After all, they were people. Severe injuries were enough to end their fighting skill and unless they had to the Elves didn't go any further. The men didn't seem to have the same mercy as their counterparts. They aimed to kill and had already ended the lives of a few of the Guard of Lothlorien.

However, the Elves were making their way slowly through the enemies, many of whom were now trying to escape into the forest. If they had been afraid of Legolas, alone and with no weapon, then these fully armed, battle-worthy Elves were terrifying and many of the Men realised that they had no chance of winning and that the Elves' mercy might not last forever.

The Elves, though, had a bigger plan than simply hurting the men threatening them. Their mission was to clear the path to the gates. Celeborn had made it clear that no innocents get left behind – especially not Legolas or Estel. It was simple enough. The Men were already beginning to break apart, their ranks rapidly disbanding beneath the rain of hidden Galadhrim arrows coming from the trees. They stood no chance and they knew it. Unlike the Elves, they had no one to rally them. Kallon had disappeared as soon as the fighting had begun and no one had seen him since. With the Elves following Celeborn, a formidable figure on the battlefield, they knew exactly what they were doing and how to exploit every weakness of these Men.

Something interrupted the fighting though, and just for a moment everyone stood still in shock at what had occurred, not really knowing whether it was real or just their collective imaginations. A slight tremble seemed to run through the earth beneath them. Barely noticeable, the shock didn't interrupt the battle continued almost as though there had been no pause whatsoever.

This tremble was in fact the Master/Torvan falling into a pile of ash in the main building. Other than that slight rumble there was no other sign that anything had happened at all. There was no great flash of light, none of the buildings collapsed in on themselves. The Master simply passed out of existence.

Just a few minutes after this small tremor, three figures ran from the main building, stopping to quickly assess the situation before walking towards Celeborn and Haldir, who were the two allies closest to them.

"Good to see you again, King Thranduil. How are you?" Celeborn said, stepping away from the battle, which was already beginning to wind down.

"I've had better days, Celeborn. Although I have never been so glad to see you in my life," the king smiled.

With a small chuckle, Celeborn quipped, "I am going to take that as a compliment." The two had never really gotten along but they occasionally had to put their differences behind them and this was one of those times. "Ah, Legolas, Estel. Nice to see you're all right. Are you ready to go home now?"

The two friends looked behind them and watched Elrond, Elladan and the Mirkwood Guard releasing the prisoners from the Houses. They turned back and Aragorn smiled, "More than ready," he said, looking at Legolas who simply nodded thoughtfully.

"Right, then let's get out of here," Celeborn said, turning to Haldir with a wave of his hand. The Marchwarden called orders to the Galadhrim and any other Elven warriors who were listening to end the battle, offer safe passage for any prisoners they might have taken and leave the encampment. Galadriel, Elrond and Elladan joined them, going in front of the others, Galadriel at the arm of her husband. Neither looked at all ruffled by the battle they had just been involved in and walked out calmly. Legolas and Aragorn followed behind with the now free slaves wandering behind them as though they weren't sure if it was really safe to walk outside the encampment gates. Most of the guards had either run off, were lying injured or were walking solemnly along with the Elves as prisoners. Of course, they knew that they wouldn't be killed or held by the Elves too long. They understood their punishment – Gondor would deal with them now.

"Well, mellon nin, this was certainly a hunting trip to remember," Aragorn said to Legolas as they walked out of the now open gates.

"It certainly was," Legolas answered softly, seemingly lost in thought.

"What is it?" Aragorn asked in concern at seeing his friend so distant.

Legolas looked over to Aragorn with a weak smile. "Nothing. It's just this place…As much as I hate to say it…"

"You're almost going to miss it?" Aragorn finished for him and they stopped and turned, surveying the place that had held them for well over a month.

"It sounds crazy, doesn't it? From day one we planned to escape. And after everything that's happened here…It just seems like we have learned so much from this place, good and bad. It's just going to be strange, that's all, dealing with everything that's happened."

"Well, I have learned one very important lesson from this particular expedition," Aragorn smiled and placed his hand on Legolas' shoulder. "Never trust an Elf's sense of direction." He laughed as Legolas scowled at him comically.

"Ahh, how sweet. Nice to see that everything has gone back to normal so quickly for you." That voice was so startlingly familiar that the two friends froze at the first syllable. "Isn't it funny how things turn out sometimes?" Kallon. "In the beginning I was in charge, I was the one with all the power and now look at me – nothing more than the owner of a deserted mine." They noticed the sword, which was now being pointed directly at them. Kallon could now easily kill them before Thranduil or Elrond could even reach them. The king and lord had, of course, noticed Kallon and both had their weapons drawn along with all the other soldiers.

"Listen to me, Kallon, just walk away. Go now and we'll let you live," Thranduil growled as threateningly as he could.

"Now, now, King Thranduil, let's not forget that before you could even reach me I could kill one of them. Can you really take the chance that I'll choose Estel?" He swung his sword back and forth from Legolas to Aragorn, as though teasing both them and the king. "Which one? I'd have both of them if I thought I could take them both. But sometimes you have to make the hard choice."

"Touch them and you'll be dead before you can even regret your actions," Thranduil snarled.

"Yes but I'd at least have taken one of them down with me. We can wander the Halls of the Dead forever – together," Kallon laughed.

"The Master is dead, Kallon, and so is Torvan. The prisoners are free, your soldiers are dead. There's nothing left for you to fight for," Legolas said. Kallon clearly wasn't aware that his boss, Torvan, was dead by the shocked expression on his face.

"You're lying," he stated in disbelief.

"Why would we?" Aragorn asked rhetorically.

Kallon answered anyway. "Because you think that I won't be able to function without those two looking over my shoulder. And because I did the same thing to you," he laughed. "It was a good try though."

"It's the truth. We watched them turn into dust," Legolas said quickly, knowing this was only good for buying them some time.

"They were the same person, Kallon. The Master and Torvan were two parts of the same entity," Aragorn added.

"Now I know you're lying because that isn't possible."

"It's true. I saw it too," Thranduil said from behind Legolas and Aragorn.

"Ah well, there's a seal of truth if ever I heard one," Kallon laughed although they could tell he was starting to doubt that they were lying to him. "It doesn't matter anyway. This is all over now and I have nothing left to lose."

"Wait, there's just one small thing that you forgot," Aragorn said, holding his hands up in surrender as Kallon went to plunge the sword into one of them.

"Oh? And what's that?"

"Me." Kallon turned around to face the person speaking to him. He was confronted by Jadan, complete with gleaming blade. Before Kallon could even raise his own weapon, Jadan had slashed the sword right across his throat. Blood spurted out and Kallon dropped his sword, then fell to the ground on his knees, holding his neck as though it might help him. Soon though, he fell forward onto his face, his hands still grasping at the wound and his chest still heaving as he tried to suck some air in.

As soon as Kallon's body touched the ground, Thranduil and Elrond ran forward to Legolas and Aragorn who were staring down at the body in absolute amazement. The man who had hurt them both so much was dead. It felt odd. Now there was no one in the encampment left to rule. It was abandoned – the guards had already released all the prisoners and the Galadhrim had cleared the mines of people.

Legolas looked towards the entrance to the mines where a few stragglers were emerging. They blinked in the light as if they had never seen it before. They all looked identical – painfully thin, covered in grime and dust. Legolas looked down at himself and realised that he looked exactly the same as them. His clothes were torn and he was absolutely covered in dirt, dust and blood. Glancing to his side, he realised that Aragorn looked the same way.

"Alright," Aragorn said, tearing his eyes away from Kallon's now lifeless body. "Now I am absolutely ready to go home." He laid his hand on Legolas' shoulder and the prince smiled softly.

"Absolutely," he said in agreement.

The two friends, followed by Jadan and led by Thranduil and Elrond with the Guard and the Galadhrim in front, took their first step for nearly two months out of the encampment. As though a veil had been lifted, the whispy voices of the trees spoke to Legolas and he looked up at them with a thin smile as they seemed to rejoice at the emptying of such a cruel place.

Thranduil stopped before they actually entered the woods. He turned to one of the Mirkwood Guard and instructed coldly, "Burn it to the ground." The guard immediately took position and lit a flaming arrow and took aim at one of the nearer buildings. Although the stone would remain, everything inside would be burned. Eventually, it would be nothing but a deserted ruin.

"Wait," Legolas commanded before the guard fired. He held out his bleeding, sore hands for the bow and now-flaming arrow. "Let me." The guard looked to his king for his seal of approval and Thranduil nodded gently. He handed the bow and arrow to the prince and Legolas took careful aim, no longer even caring about his hands. He had to do this, to be the one to destroy this place or else he believed it would haunt him forever after. Aragorn took a bow and arrow off a startled Mirkwood guard and lit it, aiming at another building. They fired together, their arrows hitting their intended targets predictably perfectly.

Flames lapped up from the two buildings and other flaming arrows were shot at the others. Of course, this wouldn't destroy the entire camp, that would be done once Gondor had completed its inevitable investigation. It would be a difficult task but they couldn't possibly leave it for fear of someone else coming along and bringing it to life again. This was a place of pure evil. To the Elves, it seemed as though the very ground it was built on was evil.

Watching the buildings being rapidly engulfed in flames, Legolas and Aragorn found this place no longer looked so threatening. The true evil had resided inside, in the people who had run it, not in the buildings that had housed them. Still, they felt better knowing it would soon be nothing more than a charred ruin.

Eventually, they turned away from the flaming buildings that had housed them for thirty-four long days and walked silently into the forest with their respective parents and official guardians.

* * *

**To Be Continued….**


	96. Misplaced Trust

**Disclaimer: **I own nothing Tolkien created.

* * *

**Sold Into Ruin**

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**Chapter 96 ~ Misplaced Trust**

**~*~**

Walking through the woods, Legolas kept close to his father. For some reason, he didn't want to let him out of his sight again. He was also surrounded by most of the remaining Mirkwood Guard who had their weapons drawn, all fully alert and capable of defending their prince and king if need be. They had not been deterred by the death of their captain. They had trained for this kind of thing and they knew exactly what they were doing. At a later date Thranduil would have to choose a new Captain of the Guard but for now the next highest rank had taken command and it would stay that way until a new leader was appointed.

Their guard also encompassed Aragorn and Elrond as well. Naturally, the Imladrian guards were walking right beside their lord. Although they were a fair distance from the encampment no one was taking any chances. The Galadhrim, as well as guarding their two rulers, were leading the Men who had surrendered in the encampment. Of course, they would later be passed on to Gondor for them to deal with. The Elves had little authority in this matter. Of course, Thranduil would make certain that each one of them was punished in the severest possible way. Anyone who hurt his son wasn't going to get off lightly.

Elrond wasn't going to just let this go, either. Despite Thranduil being arguably the more powerful Elven ruler, Elrond held far more sway over Gondor than the king of Mirkwood. Destroying the encampment was one thing but if this went higher they could well have more of a fight on their hands later. If what the Master had said about powerful people in Gondor being involved in this enterprise then it would probably be tried to be hushed up. Exposing such powerful people could prove difficult but getting something done to punish them for their actions – or lack of action – would be the real challenge.

They also had to be careful about Aragorn. No one in Gondor – or anywhere else other than the few in Imladris and now Mirkwood – knew of his true identity. If it were revealed ahead of time Elrond knew it would have dire consequences. Too many people in the encampment seemed to already know about him. Elrond had to be careful now that none of them knew too much about the strange man who had been brought into their midst. At least the Master and Torvan were out of the way so they couldn't reveal anything. They just had to hope that no one else had been told of Aragorn's true name.

Right now though, Thranduil and Elrond's main priority was their sons. First they had to deal with Legolas' and Aragorn's injuries. Elrond was only allowing them both to walk because it would take too long to go back to the Mirkwood camp and build a stretcher. Neither of them looked particularly steady on their feet though.

Finally, they entered the camp and were greeted by a sword-wielding Elrohir. He smiled and lowered his weapon when he saw his grandparents, closely followed by the others.

"Welcome home, little brother," Elrohir smiled at Aragorn, sheathing his sword and placing his hand on his brother's shoulder. The man merely smiled, not really having enough energy to properly respond.

Elrond did it for him, though, smiling at his son. "Nice to see you're making yourself at home, ion nin," he said, looking at the roaring fire his son had built and the product of a successful hunt hanging over the fire. "We'll probably need some warm water and healing supplies. I fear we have quite a few injuries here." Elrohir nodded and went off to do his father's bidding. "Let us get you both seen to now," Elrond told Aragorn and Legolas.

"You can use my tent," Thranduil said, leading them towards the large tent in the centre of the camp.

"Legolas, Estel," a small voice called excitedly. Arron appeared from the tent and ran towards the two friends, throwing his arms around Legolas. The Elf merely smiled and placed a delicate hand on the boy's head in welcome. "I told Jasmine you would be all right. I just knew it."

For the first time they looked to Jasmine who was standing watching them through the melee of guards. Aragorn held out his hand and she came to him, Nienna cradled in one arm.

"Is it over?" she asked quietly when she reached them.

"It's over," Aragorn smiled. She returned the gesture then enveloped him in a careful hug, which he gratefully accepted.

"They're not so great with the conversation," Legolas told his father, earning himself a glare from Aragorn and a small smile from Jasmine.

"Ada, this is Jasmine," Aragorn introduced her to Elrond, his eyes not leaving hers.

"Yes, Estel, we have met," the Elven lord smiled.

"And I assume you have met Arron," Legolas said to his own father. "Arron, this is my father, Thranduil, King of Mirkwood." Thranduil just stared down at the boy, not sure whether he should trust him or not. He was, after all, human. However, he humoured his son for the time being.

Shaking Arron's trembling hand, he said, "Nice to meet you, Arron," although it was clearly forced. Legolas smiled gently at him. He would have to convince his father that the boy was to be trusted later but right then he was far too tired to be concerned with all this.

"I see you survived then, brat," Jadan said, wiping his bloodied sword on his shirt and walking over to Legolas and Arron. "For a moment there I was worried about you." Arron moved behind Legolas, still not trusting the man after he had abandoned him and Jasmine down in the mines.

"Leave him be, Jadan," Legolas warned wearily.

"Sure. I'm just pleased he survived, that's all." There was no relief or joy in Jadan's voice, just cold sarcasm, which Arron immediately took offence to.

Having become bolder now thanks to the comfortingly safe surroundings and his friends and protectors, Arron ventured out from behind Legolas and stood up to Jadan for the first time in his life. "No thanks to you," he yelled before the man could walk away. "You just left us to die down there."

"My mistake," Jadan smiled, turning slowly to face the boy who had once been under his protection.

"You are a traitor," Arron shouted.

"Arron," Legolas warned in a low voice, knowing this would only annoy the man. Jasmine and Aragorn were also looking toward the commotion although by now Thranduil had lost interest and was talking to his guards about the safety of the camp and, more importantly in his mind, his son. The boy went to walk towards his old mentor again but Legolas halted him. "Arron, don't."

"Wise advice as always, Legolas," Jadan smiled, walking towards them, his voice low and his weapon raised. No one took a whole lot of notice, assuming that Legolas knew Jadan well enough not to be alarmed. The prince had, after all, vouched for him. "As always, you know exactly what to say. I can see why you chose them, Arron. Good protectors, morally righteous; overall the perfect targets for us."

Legolas looked down at Arron, who had now hung his head. "What is he talking about?" he asked in confusion, looking over to Aragorn and Jasmine who had wandered over to them, curious to see what was going on.

"Oh, you didn't honestly think he really liked you, did you? Arron can be quite the little mole when he wants to be. A poor desperate young boy just longing for someone to keep him safe from his evil carer. Please. You didn't think any of what he said was really true. As if I would ever really hurt my greatest asset."

"Shut up," Arron hissed desperately.

"What is going on, Arron?" Jasmine asked.

"You new little friend played you all so perfectly. That sweet little story about how my beautiful wife and innocent children were brutally slain; that was all his idea you know. He played his role brilliantly. Right down to that touching moment after your nightmares, Legolas."

"Arron?" Legolas asked, stepping back from him to stand next to an equally confused Jasmine and Aragorn.

"I'm sorry," Arron whispered sadly, going to stand next to Jadan, who laid his hands on his slumped shoulders.

"I needed someone to get me out of that place and you two were the best way to do that. Strong, opinionated – the perfect people to conduct an escape. Of course, for all my connections I knew you would never trust me so I sent Arron instead. He is, after all, very likable, isn't he? You would be amazed at how much someone like him can hear at night."

"But he…"

"He what? Is so young? So innocent? He wanted to get out of that place as much as the next person and like everyone else who spent time in there would do anything to get out. So why should he not make friends with you? And then I get a fantastic opportunity; to get in with you myself."

"When Kallon told Legolas about his father," Aragorn whispered, not missing the flinch of pain that crossed the prince's face at the mere mention of that trauma.

"The young Legolas in desperate need of help and willing to look anywhere to get it; even to the enemy."

"You lying…" Legolas shouted, going to race towards Jadan in anger. Aragorn grabbed him though, stopping him before a fight broke out. "Arrest him," Legolas shouted to the Mirkwood Guard who, along with Thranduil, had wandered over to see what all the fuss was about. "Arrest him right now," he ordered angrily.

Jadan, however, grabbed Arron and held his sword to the boy's exposed neck. Everyone immediately froze, not wanting any harm to come to the boy. Human or not he was still just a child. "Now, now, don't do anything foolish, Prince," Jadan warned.

"Let him go," Jasmine pleaded, standing slightly behind Aragorn.

"Jasmine. Sweet Jasmine, with her little baby to take care of. Just think, you left him in charge of your daughter and you didn't even notice anything wrong with him. What kind of mother does that make you?"

"Listen to me, Human, let the child go and put down your sword. Believe me, you don't want to make this mistake here," Thranduil warned, his sword raised, ready to attack anyone who might threaten his son again.

"The great King Thranduil. Really, I should thank you. It was you who got me out of there, after all. Sure, Legolas and Estel helped, but you…well, you're the real hero of the story, aren't you."

"Flattery will not dull my anger. Now let the boy go."

"Jadan, everything you have done up until this point, none of it matters now," Aragorn said, taking a cautious step forward, ignoring the warning looks he got from everyone else. "I understand what that place does to people, that it can change you for the worst. But that's all over now. You're out. You can just let Arron go and walk away. Go back to wherever you came from."

"You expect me to believe that I won't have fifty arrows in my back the moment I turn around?" Jadan asked with a laugh, nodding to the Mirkwood Guard's arrows.

"No one cares what you do now," Aragorn said gently, getting closer and closer to Jadan and the captive Arron. "No one cares what you have done. All we want is for you to put your weapon down and let Arron go." Jadan glanced disbelievingly at the guards surrounding him. "They will lower their weapons the moment you lower yours, I promise." Jadan just scoffed. "Legolas," Aragorn prompted, knowing the king would never surrender his advantage.

Legolas also looked reluctant but he trusted Aragorn's instincts so commanded, "Lower your weapons." It was done immediately without one glance at their king. The Guard had a new-found respect for their crown prince and his command was now good enough for them.

"Now release Arron and get out of here," Aragorn stated. "The offer won't stand for much longer and you don't want to be around when it runs out. Now, go."

Jadan looked like he was seriously considering this offer but then he smiled. "You know what I have just realised?"

"That you're insane?" Thranduil muttered.

"That you're going to kill me anyway. You were thinking about it even on top of the mines. You didn't trust me then and you don't trust me now."

"You're not exactly giving us reason to," Legolas said.

Jadan chuckled at this. "I think I'll just take Arron here with me. A little insurance. I wouldn't want you and them coming after me, swords raised. That wouldn't benefit any of us."

"Don't do this," Aragorn said, having stopped in his tracks before it got dangerous.

"I have nothing else to lose, Estel," Jadan said, pressing the sword to Arron again and the boy began crying loudly in terror.

"Oh believe me, you have plenty to lose," Thranduil snarled. Legolas meanwhile, had raised his hand to ready his Guard. He wasn't going to allow Jadan to take Arron no matter what the boy had done. Jadan, however, just took a step backwards, ignoring the threatening sound of bow strings being pulled back.

"Wait," Aragorn snapped, stopping everyone in their tracks. "Wait. Take me instead," he said carefully, looking to Elrond, Elladan and Elrohir, who were standing looking utterly shocked at what their family member had just said.

"What?" Jadan asked incredulously.

"Let Arron go and take me instead. I'm a far better bargaining chip than the boy. I'm also far more valuable, as you know. I have much more power than any child could ever hope to offer you." Jadan watched him cautiously, waiting for the trick behind the offer. "There's no catch," Aragorn said, as though reading his mind. "I just want you to let go of Arron, then I'll go wherever you want with you."

"How do I know you won't just shoot me?" Jadan asked of Legolas.

"You don't think Legolas will injure me? Don't worry, he wouldn't hurt me," Aragorn answered, not trusting that Legolas would answer civilly. Aragorn walked right up to Jadan and carefully pulled Arron away from Jadan, shielding the man from the Mirkwood Guard. "There. Now, let's go." Jadan still had his sword pointed at Aragorn, waiting for some action to be taken against him.

Unfortunately for Jadan, what he didn't see was Legolas walked slowly towards them. Aragorn was shielding Jadan from the Mirkwood Guard but was, at the same time, concealing Legolas behind him. Legolas walked past the king, who remained completely still, and snatched his father's sword from his hand. When he was stood directly behind Aragorn, the man suddenly ducked and Legolas swung his weapon across Jadan's chest before he could even think about hurting Arron or using his own weapon. Jadan collapsed to the ground, his sword falling from his hand to be swiped up by Aragorn.

Instantly, half a dozen guards were on him, clearing him of other weapons and restraining him. Arron held on tightly to Legolas, too afraid to even look at Jadan. The man was still alive and he was now shouting insults at Legolas and Aragorn.

"Tie him up and look at his wounds," Legolas ordered the Guard and again his order was instantly obeyed.

"Alright, now this is all really over, right?" Aragorn asked Legolas, who smiled gently at him.

"I really do hope so," the prince sighed.

"If there are no further objections, let's take a look at you two," Elrond said to Legolas and Aragorn.

Gingerly, Legolas knelt in front of Arron and forced the boy to look at him. "I need you to stay with Jasmine for a while, alright? Elrohir will stay with you as well." The son of Elrond came over and took Arron off Legolas so his friend could be led by Aragorn, Elrond and Thranduil into the king's tent.

Before they could get inside though, Arron shouted his name and ran over to Legolas with Elrohir close behind. "Legolas, I am so sorry," Arron cried, allowing Legolas to hug him. "I didn't want to, I swear. I didn't want to hurt you."

"Shh, it's alright. We'll talk about this later," Legolas said, pulling back from the boy and again handing him over to Elrohir, who nodded for him to follow the others.

With one last reassuring smile to Arron, Legolas pulled back the tent flap and went inside where he all but fell against his father, who caught him just before he hit the ground.

**To Be Continued…**

**~*~**

**A/N: Uh, don't kill me. Please review. But don't kill me.**


	97. Resounding Memories

**Disclaimer: **I own nothing Tolkien created.

* * *

**Sold Into Ruin**

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_A/N: Memories are in italics in this chapter._

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**Chapter 97 ~ Resounding Memories**

**~*~**

_**Mirkwood…Four days after Nienna's funeral…**_

_Legolas sat in the centre of his father's sitting room playing quietly with his favourite small animal figures, which his mother and father had given him for his birthday a few years earlier. They were his favourite toys and had played with them continuously for months after he'd ripped the paper off the gift. It had been a couple of months now since Legolas had even touched the toys – he'd been too involved in other things to play with them lately – but earlier that morning he had asked his father for them and had been playing with them ever since._

_Thranduil was sat at his desk, working through reports from various areas of the palace. The silence was thick and incredibly uncomfortable. It had been just a few days since Legolas and Thranduil had said their final goodbyes to Nienna at the funeral and things had not returned to even the smallest sense of normality._

_Thranduil couldn't seem to shake off the tiredness that inhabited him. The long nights awake with a distraught Elfling had not helped matters either, not that he would ever be angry at his son for experiencing those nightmares. It wasn't Legolas' fault and Thranduil knew that however much he himself was suffering it was hundreds of times worse for his son. He would do just about anything for Legolas right then. No matter how hard he and Elrond had tried to reassure Legolas, the prince would still neither willingly sleep nor talk about had happened to him in that cave, although Thranduil had tried every day to coax something from him._

_The only time he had even mentioned anything about his problem was when Elrond had checked his wounds three days ago. All Thranduil could do was watch his son closely – a desperately sad sight though it was – and hope that eventually he would reveal what he was really feeling to him. It had been less than a week since they had buried the queen and Thranduil could only assume that his son was still in shock over the whole thing and merely needed some more time to come to terms with it all before he could speak of it to others._

_Thranduil turned around in his seat and looked to his son who was still playing silently with his toys. It was difficult to believe now that the figure before him had once been a happy young boy. There was a deep sadness to Legolas now that overwhelmed everything else. As Thranduil was watching him, Legolas looked up and gave his father a small smile, almost in reassurance. Thranduil smiled back and got up, going over to his son who remained playing in front of the fire._

_He sat down next to Legolas on the rug but the prince now ignored him, continuing to move his animals around in his play world. Thranduil picked one of the figures up and inspected it closely, running his fingers over the smooth wood carving, flawlessly crafted and well-looked after by his son. Although Thranduil's name had been printed neatly on the gift-tag, it had been Nienna who had commissioned them, wrapped them up and given them to Legolas for his birthday. Thranduil had been quite startled when his son had thrown himself into his arms when he returned home and thanked him profusely for his gifts. He had never really been involved in his son's upbringing back then. He had been so involved in various meetings that he had completely forgotten that it had been his son's birthday until his wife had nudged him, jogging his memory on the day._

_That day Nienna had taken their son, then just fifty years old, down to the lake with some of his best friends. Thranduil had been too busy to join them and had spent the rest of the day locked in his conference room with his councillors wishing he could be with his family instead. All the festivities for his son's birthday had been organised by his wife and his personal assistant. When he had finally been released from his duties he had made his way to the Great Hall where there was a party being held for his son. He had found it deserted except for the people clearing away the remaining treats, the remnants of the celebration scattered all around the huge hall. Nienna and Thranduil had always indulged Legolas on his birthday, splashing out on the best celebrations their money could buy and inviting all his friends. They usually held two celebrations on royal birthdays: one, more official, for the people and a more private one with just the close family._

_That evening, Thranduil had returned quickly to their chambers, hoping to find his son there waiting for him but by then Legolas was already sound asleep and Nienna had forbade him to wake their son. She had told him in exquisite detail everything they had done and how much Legolas had enjoyed himself and also how much the prince had wished for his father to be there. By then Thranduil could do nothing but gently kiss his son goodnight, being careful not to wake him after his eventful day, and hope the next year would be different. Which, of course, it never was._

_Now though, everything had changed. Nienna was gone and Thranduil was a single parent. And yet it was he who had always been missing from his son's life. Nienna had always been there for Legolas whenever he needed her. No matter where she was or what she was doing, she would drop everything for her son. Thranduil, however, had a kingdom to rule and to a certain extent, Legolas had always come second. The trouble was that Legolas had always known that and accepted it. But Legolas had to be his priority now. His son had no one else. It was a terrifying thought really. Due to his lack of involvement in his son's life up until then, Thranduil was all the more intimidated now by the daunting task that lay ahead of him. He couldn't imagine why his son, his own flesh and blood, could make him so nervous but he did. He couldn't think of anything to say to his son and now he was all alone with him and Legolas certainly wasn't going to be the one to break the uneasy silences that often stretched between them now – and nor should he have to be._

"_I like your toys," Thranduil finally said hesitantly, again looking over the figures his son was playing with. "Do they all have names?" Legolas nodded his head and took the animal his father was holding and put it back in the game. "What are they all called?" Legolas didn't answer but kept his eyes fixed on the figures, which he was now moving slowly across the floor. "Alright," Thranduil sighed, watching as Legolas' striking blue eyes – so similar to his own – flicked briefly up to meet his almost in apology. "It's alright if you don't want to talk to me, you know. I won't be angry."_

"_Ada…" Legolas whispered, again in apology for his lack of conversation. He wasn't doing this to hurt his father; he just didn't know what to say. The last thing he wanted to do was explain himself to his father. The memories of what had happened were still too painful and too close to the surface. Besides, how was he supposed to speak of what had been done to him? The mere thought of it made him feel, for lack of a better word, dirty. How could he speak of it to his father when he couldn't even think about it himself without feeling sick?_

"_It's alright, ion nin, I know you don't want to speak of it yet." Thranduil leaned over and stroked his son's hair back so he could see Legolas' face. The prince's eyes were fixed firmly on his carved figures avoiding his father's eyes at all costs. But Thranduil could still see his son was fighting back the tears. He moved closer to Legolas and pulled him into a comforting hug, which Legolas did not bother to return. "You know I love you, right?" A small nod. "Well, I'm always going to be here for you, no matter what."_

_They sat in front of the fire, Legolas now curled up on his father's lap, the king holding his son tightly, watching the flames lap at the fireplace._

_After nearly an hour, Thranduil tore his gaze away from the fire and looked out the window to find the shadows of night descending. He went to tell Legolas that he really needed to get some more work done but he noticed that the Elfling's eyes were glazed over in Elven reverie. Thranduil smiled gently and kissed his son's forehead. Getting a secure hold on his young child, he carefully lifted him up and carried him into the bedroom, not wanting to wake him considering he hadn't been sleeping at all well lately. Lying him gently down on his own large bed, Thranduil laid down next to him and pulled a blanket over them both and held his son close to him as they slept._

_~*~_

_**Mirkwood…Five days after Nienna's funeral…**_

"_Don't worry, Thranduil, I won't do him any harm, I promise," Galadriel reassured the king for the ninth time that morning. She had offered to speak with Legolas, saying that he might trust her a little more. Thranduil, of course, knew that she could see into Legolas' mind, read his thoughts and feelings and, in truth, he was a little nervous about what she might find._

"_Please don't upset him anymore. He is bad enough as it is. I don't know what will happen if you push him too far," Thranduil said in a slightly thick voice, his eyes shining with held back tears._

"_You have my word," Galadriel smiled gently. She could fully appreciate his concern. His son had been through a lot and the king just wanted to protect him. It was perfectly natural and Galadriel humoured him as he told her how quiet and upset his child got whenever anyone mentioned that day. "Thranduil, I won't harm Legolas, I swear it."_

_Finally, he nodded and Galadriel opened the door to Legolas' chambers, closing it firmly behind her. She had insisted that she needed to do this alone, much to Thranduil's disapproval. It wasn't that she didn't trust the king to be in the room with her but she knew that sometimes his impatience got the better of him and that wouldn't do Legolas any good right then. She and Celeborn were leaving that afternoon and she wanted to be absolutely certain that there was nothing she could do to help Legolas before she left. _

_She entered the bedroom to find Legolas sat on the edge of his bed almost as though he had been waiting for her to come. The young prince knew a lot more than he let on sometimes._

"_Good morning, Legolas," she said quietly as she closed the bedroom door behind her, more for Legolas' comfort than anything else._

"_Good morning, Lady Galadriel," he replied with practiced politeness; it was almost diplomatic. He was going through the motions, hoping to avoid confrontation._

"_I trust you slept a little better last night," she continued, sitting down next to him on the bed. Of course he hadn't slept well at all, Thranduil had informed her that he had gone to bed at eight and woken at eleven in the grips of a nightmare and had not been able to get back to sleep after that._

_He didn't look up at her, keeping his gaze fixed on the door, apparently ready to dash for it should she make it necessary. "Yes, thank you." If nothing else the prince could keep up a pretence._

"_That's good," she smiled down at him. "You know why I'm here, don't you?" she then asked quietly, almost sympathetically._

"_My father sent you."_

_Gently she placed her hand on his arm. "No, Legolas. I came here to help you. I want you to know that if you would like to talk to me then I am ready to listen. I don't pose the same problems for you as your father does. I will not be offended by anything you say and you have no call to be embarrassed around me or worry that you will hurt me." Very gently, she then asked, "Would you like to tell me what happened with your mother – what happened to you? I know there is more than you're telling your father and I'd like to know what is causing these nightmares so maybe I can help you banish them."_

_Legolas looked up with sad eyes to Galadriel and answered in a soft voice. "If you already know so much why do you need to ask?"_

_Smiling softly, she marvelled at this child. Of course she had known a certain amount when she had first stepped into the room. To one who was gifted with the ability to just _know_ people it was glaringly obvious that he was in deep pain – both physical and emotional. The actual events she could not determine from merely a glance but in her mind she was starting to piece together the picture of what had happened in that forsaken cave._

_Answering his question, Galadriel said, "Because I think you might need to tell me yourself." This wasn't about her merely knowing what happened it was about him sharing it with someone, about him being able to unload this terrible burden that was pressing on his soul._

"_I don't want to talk about it," he said bluntly, turning away from her._

"_I know you don't. That's what you've told your father and Elrond and they don't believe it any more than I do. May I tell you what I think?" He shrugged indifferently. "I think that you're scared that speaking the words out loud will make it all too real for you. I think you want to keep this to yourself for fear of people rejecting you; as their prince, as their son." She paused for a moment when she saw Legolas flinch at this suggestion. "As hard as this is on your father you mustn't keep it to yourself. You mustn't not speak up just because you wish to spare him the horror of what happened to his wife."_

"_I am not going to hurt my father," Legolas stated firmly, struggling now to keep his composure._

"_Legolas, I would rather you hurt Thranduil than keep this to yourself. It will do you no good."_

"_You don't know anything about it," he spat bitterly._

"_I know it seems that way now but I really do want to help…"_

"_There's nothing you can do. You can't bring her back!"_

"_You're angry, that's perfectly understandable. It is better to feel angry than to feel nothing at all."_

"_You think I feel nothing for my mother?" he shouted angrily._

_Somewhat startled at his response, having not expected him to sound quite so bitter, she answered, "That is not what I said. I am only trying to…"_

"_Help me, I know. Everyone wants to help me but you can't do anything, you can't change what happened," he yelled at her, leaping from the bed and turning to face her straight on. Tears fell from his eyes but they were of anger not of grief. "No one can ever make this right."_

"_Legolas, if you want to shout at me that's fine," she said with all seriousness. "I am quite happy to sit here all day and have you scream and yell at me. You can even throw something if you think it might make you feel better. Really, I don't mind." He looked at her incredulously, as if suspecting her of bluffing, but she looked deadly serious. "Go ahead. Maybe something that will smash, it'll be more satisfying." Legolas now just stood in front of her looking thoroughly defeated. All his anger seemed to have now drained away making him feel hollow and empty once more. "I just want to understand. I want you to know that you can do whatever you need to do in order to get through this. No one will judge you."_

"_I just want her back. I can't do anything to bring her back," he whispered in a cracked voice._

"_I know," she said in an equally quiet tone. Those two little words effectively defused what little remained of his temper, which he had clearly gotten from his father. "I cannot change what happened to you or your mother and I am not going to sit her and sprout some nonsense about how one day it will all be all right because it won't ever be. But know this, Legolas: there are people all around who want to help you. You are not as alone as you think."_

"_They don't understand," he breathed, his voice thick with tears. _

"_Perhaps not. But maybe it's not about them understanding. Maybe it's about you being able to speak about what happened to you. I understand that right now that seems impossible to you but, believe me, it really does help to share your thoughts with someone else. I know that you feel like you're all alone right now but you are not. So many people are here to help you if you would only let them; if you would only talk to them."_

_Legolas shook his head and cried, "I can't."_

_Galadriel held out her hand to him and the prince came to sit next to her. She laid her hand on his shoulder and pulled him into a hug. "Then let me see," she said carefully. Although she had great power she could not just enter a mind. That was unethical and uncomfortable for the person being invaded, especially for someone who had been through a great trauma like Legolas had. It was also hard on her, seeing and feeling what another person was experiencing. It could be very overwhelming for both parties. However, she wanted to do this for Legolas, to better understand what he was feeling in the hope that she could offer him some comfort._

"_It's alright, Legolas, it won't hurt, I promise."_

_He nodded, his head still resting against her chest. Physical contact made things a little easier and it would limit his distress throughout the 'meld'. Then she saw everything he had seen, felt everything he had felt. He showed her everything that had happened in the cave right down to how he had lain awake and listened to the Orcs torturing and violating his mother, how she had given herself to save her son the pain. Nienna had thought that Legolas had been asleep, that he hadn't heard her muffled cries as they took turns in ravaging her but he had heard every mumbled cry._

_Tears slipped from Galadriel's eyes as she saw what Legolas himself had suffered through: the pain, both physical and emotional. It was more than she expected and it nearly made her recoil, its force was so great. Nienna had died telling her son to run and save himself and that was heart-breaking enough but the prince's guilt over doing as he was told and leaving her at the mercy of the Orcs was even stronger and ultimately more disturbing. She saw blurry green as Legolas ran as fast as he could through the forest towards the palace, she felt his utter desperation to find Thranduil in the vain hope that he might be able to rescue his mother before the Orcs noticed he was missing and ended her life._

_The memories Legolas showed her went deeper than that though. She felt the crushing grief when Thranduil had woken him from his last peaceful sleep and told him the truth about his mother's demise. She felt how much he needed Thranduil but how terrified that the person he needed more than anything would leave him just as his mother had. She understood about the nightmares as well; how they scared him so much that he was frightened to even close his eyes now._

_This almost suffocating collection of grief- and terror-laden memories overwhelmed her so much that she could do nothing but let out a cry of despair. Legolas was so young and he had suffered through all of this and she could hardly bare to hold the connection for more than a couple of minutes. It must have been almost constant torture for him. Even now, after the event, he was not allowing himself to forget. Memories would haunt him for the rest of his life and that was a long time for an immortal Elf. Horrific nightmares ensured that he would never be allowed to forget what had happened that terrible day._

_She could also now understand why he felt like he couldn't speak of it. Not only because he didn't want to cause his father pain – although that was certainly a strong inclination – but also because he just could not bring himself to speak the words out loud and she got the impression that he would never be able to fully share with his father or anyone else and that was a terribly sad realisation for a child to come to._

_When the connection between them was broken, the relief of being out of Legolas' head was so intense that Galadriel could only breathe out a shaky sigh. She looked down to see Legolas crying into her dress although she couldn't figure out whether it was from relief that finally someone else knew what he was going through or embarrassment that she had seen so much._

"_Oh, Legolas," she whispered, wrapping her arms tightly around him as he continued to cry on her._

_Tears ran down her own face as ghosts of his memories flitted through her mind. They would be there forever now, quietly floating through her mind, although no more than an unpleasant echo of a memory rather than the bold, terrifying thoughts Legolas would have to endure for the rest of his life._

_As she sat there, cradling the child whose innocence had been so cruelly stolen away from him, Galadriel couldn't help but think of her own daughter who had been so badly hurt by Orcs. Her husband, Elrond, had been able to rescue his wife's body but her soul was damaged beyond repair, sullied by the memories of what had happened to her. The same things now applied to Legolas; he had been so cruelly treated and yet here he was – still alive and sane. Whether he could hold up against these memories for any length of time was another matter entirely. Galadriel couldn't bare the thought that the same thing might happen to Legolas as happened to Celebrian. But the prince was young and Celebrian had been more badly injured. All she could do now was hope that Legolas was strong enough to pull himself through his grief and that would not be easy without his father at his side. Thranduil and his young Elfling had a long, tough time ahead of them._

"_I understand now," Galadriel whispered after a thick silence. "I understand everything."_

"_You're not going to tell anyone, are you?" he asked in a small voice. "That it was my fault," he then added as an afterthought in case she needed any further inclination._

_Galadriel looked down at him and said fervently, "You listen to me, Legolas Greenleaf, this was_ not _your fault, do you hear me? Nothing that happened was your fault." A cry choked in his throat. "You couldn't have done anything more."_

"_You can't tell anyone," he insisted and she knew he wouldn't be swayed on this._

_She considered this for only a moment. "What I have seen will stay between us. I will not speak of it to anyone, you have my word." What she had seen was deeply private to Legolas and she had to respect that. It was not her place to tell anyone. It had to come from Legolas himself. Besides, she doubted that she would ever be able to recount what she had seen to anyone anyway._

_She held onto Legolas until she felt it right to let go. Her heart was filled with a cold she had rarely experienced before, a black, deep grief lingering from his memories but she smiled at the prince nonetheless. "Rest now, Legolas. Rest." As she said those words in a soft, lilting voice, Legolas lay back on the bed and closed his heavy eyes. Within moments he was in a deep sleep, one that Galadriel would ensure remained nightmare-free. He deserved that for one day at least._

_Getting up, she went to the door and, casting one last sad glance behind her, left the room, closing the door behind her. The moment she stepped out into the corridor she was pounced upon by Thranduil who had been waiting anxiously for her to emerge._

"_Well?" the king pressed impatiently when she said nothing._

"_He is sleeping now, Thranduil," she said quietly, her voice still thick with emotion as she looked at the young prince's father. As much as Thranduil wanted to, Galadriel doubted he would ever truly understand what his son had gone through even if one day Legolas did confide in him._

"_That's it? What did he tell you?" the king urged._

_Celeborn spoke next, his voice completely free of urgency or expectation. "You looked into his mind." It was a statement not a question – Celeborn could always understand her even though she said nothing._

"_What did you see?" Thranduil now asked nervously._

_Galadriel considered her answer carefully before speaking, "What I saw is not for me to share."_

"_What? He is my son, Galadriel. Tell me what you saw," he demanded of her._

_She merely shook her head and said, "One day he might open up to you. He may very well tell you everything and you will understand why he cannot speak of it. The best thing you can do right now if just be there for him and do not press him for answers, he cannot provide them yet and nor can I."_

"_Tell me what happened to him, Galadriel, please. I need to know. I need to understand so I can help him." Thranduil's voice no longer held any demand, just pleading. "I just want to help him. Please."_

"_You can't help him."_

_Those two words hit Thranduil so hard he physically recoiled from her, forcing him up against the wall and tears to fall from his eyes. Celeborn placed a supportive hand on his shoulder but the king just batted it away before covering his eyes with his hands, not wanting to lose too much face in front of the rulers of Lothlorien. Galadriel just walked away and, slightly more reluctantly, Celeborn followed, casting a glance over his shoulder just as Thranduil slid down the wall to sit on the floor, his face buried in his hands and heart-wrenching sobs racking his body._

_When they entered their chambers, Celeborn closed the door behind them and pulled his wife into a hug. She leaned gratefully against him and allowed her tears to fall once more. The memories were still fresh in her mind and they didn't seem to want to fade as they usually did. Legolas had shown her everything just as she had asked but she almost wished that she hadn't been quite so exposed to his thoughts. Of course, she hated herself for that because Legolas himself had no route of escape from them._

_Once she had controlled her tears she pulled back and met her husband's soft blue eyes._

"_Was it that bad?" he asked gently and she shook her head, unable to find the words to explain what she had felt for Legolas in those few moments. "You don't think Thranduil should know what you saw? Legolas is his son."_

"_I can't, Celeborn. It would break his heart," she said softly. Of course, Celeborn knew better than to ask about what she had seen and she appreciated that. She could not disclose, even to her beloved, the things she had seen in Legolas' mind. They were too personal, too private to the prince and he deserved to be allowed to keep that privacy. She wouldn't strip him of that for all the world._

_With a soft cry, she laid her head against Celeborn's shoulder and whispered, "Oh, that poor child. That poor, poor child."_


	98. Assessing The Damage

**Disclaimer: **I own nothing Tolkien created.

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**Sold Into Ruin**

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**Chapter 98 ~ Assessing The Damage**

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Elrond and Thranduil had laid their respective sons down, both without any real fuss at all. Legolas and Aragorn were simply pleased to finally be able to lower their guard. They had almost forgotten what it felt like to not be alert. It was a good feeling though, even if it did feel a little strange. Now Elladan and Elrohir, who had left Arron with Jasmine to calm down, were pulling their father's medical supplies together as the healer saw to Estel first – at Legolas' insistence of course. As much as Elrond hated to admit it, the prince did have a point. Aragorn was mortal and technically his wound was more likely to be life-threatening.

Thranduil, meanwhile, was pulling blankets across his son, who was trying his best to swipe his father's fussing hands away from him. As much as he loved his father and wanted to be with him, he just couldn't have him touching him right then. Every part of his body hurt and it was even more defined now he was laid down with nothing to distract him.

Thankfully, Aragorn still had his wits about him and was able to help his father as much as he could. In truth, the man just wanted Elrond to see to his friend. He had promised Legolas that the second they were safe he would make the pain go away and he hated the thought that now Legolas sat in stoic anguish whilst he received the treatment. Elrond ignored his somewhat weak protests though, saying that the less fuss he made the quicker he could treat his wound and then see to Legolas. This had seemed to calm Aragorn down and, after establishing that there was no really serious damage, Elrond had relaxed a little and smiled down at his son.

"You were very lucky, this could have been a lot worse," the Elven Lord said, pressing a bandage to the now clean wound.

"I know," the man sighed, his stormy eyes fixed on the concerned orbs of his foster father. He knew when Elrond was upset or worried; it showed plainly on his ancient but flawless face. Reaching out to take Elrond's steady hand, Aragorn held it tightly. "I'm sorry," he said sincerely when Elrond looked at him.

The Elf simply smiled down at his son and finished what he was doing with practised ease. Once he was completely satisfied, he stood up and washed his hands. "I know you are," he finally said softly. It wasn't exactly what Aragorn had been hoping for but no more than he should have expected.

Aragorn then turned his gaze to Legolas and nodded toward the blonde Elf who was sitting in silence but tense – a pose to control the pain, Aragorn recognised. "Help him."

Elrond nodded then said to his waiting twin sons, "Keep watch over your brother. Make sure the bleeding doesn't start again and keep an eye out for signs of infection." The twins nodded and went over to Aragorn who watching Legolas and Thranduil again. The king was whispering reassurances and Legolas was just smiling weakly up at him.

Whereas Aragorn was laid on a pile of blankets and furs put down on the floor of the tent, Legolas was laid on Thranduil's bed but he didn't look comfortable there, probably because after he had collapsed, Thranduil had laid him down flat and it was hurting his back. Still, at least he wasn't standing. That was something to be grateful for.

"Right, shall we take a look at you now?" Elrond smiled as he approached the Prince of Mirkwood. "I fear your father and Estel will glare me to death should I wait any longer." Legolas smiled properly this time. This was how it usually was whenever Legolas visited the healing halls in Imladris. Elrond had come to learn over time that it was the best way to deal with an Elf who never admitted to having anything wrong with him. He saw no reason why this time should be any different, other than the fact that now Thranduil looked about ready to throttle him for the flippant comment. The king didn't really understand his son's ways as Elrond did. The Elven healer had seen to Legolas' injuries over the years so many times he was used to it, whereas Legolas had always hidden his hurts from Thranduil.

"Alright, now I need you to sit up for me." Legolas did as he was told, pleased for the two sets of hands that reached out to help him when his head swam dizzyingly. "Nice and slowly, no need to rush," Elrond advised, noting the sudden disorientation in the prince's eyes. "Now this shirt needs to come off." Gently, Elrond removed Thranduil's outer tunic, laying it on the bed then unbuttoned the absolutely filthy encampment issue shirt and carefully slipped it over Legolas' arms, not missing the wince that passed over his features. He stopped when Legolas hissed in pain but when the prince nodded for him to continue, assured, "Alright, I'll try to be as gentle as possible, mellon nin."

Once his torso was exposed, Elrond moved around the bed so he could properly see Legolas' back. More blood had seeped through the bandage since he had last looked at them in the Hold. It wasn't a good sign that they were still bleeding; it meant the wounds weren't healing as well as they should be. It wasn't all that surprising though. To maintain the fast rate of healing associated with their race, Elves needed plenty of peace, quiet and rest, which Legolas would not have received in the encampment. Aragorn had done a good job though. His improvised bandages had kept out the dirt and grime and kept some pressure on the wounds; they had probably saved Legolas' life.

"I couldn't do much," Aragorn confessed when he saw his father inspecting the bandages wrapped around Legolas' body.

"You did a very good job, ion nin," Elrond praised with a smile.

"He did an excellent job under the circumstances," Legolas corrected, sensing his friend's regret over the matter. He knew that Aragorn had done everything he could to make things better for him even though he suffered himself a lot of the time. "Elrond," he whispered teasingly under his breath to the man.

"Yes?" Elrond asked, thinking Legolas was directly addressing him.

"You are mean, Legolas. You shouldn't tease," Aragorn grinned at him and they both laughed at Elrond's reaction.

"Would someone care to explain what's going on here?" Elrond asked the two friends as they got their laughter under control.

"Nothing, Ada," Aragorn answered with a snicker.

"Do you think this is funny?" Thranduil snapped at the man, causing everyone to stop what they were doing and look to the king who had so far sat silently at his son's side.

"Ada…." Legolas started to apologise.

"You could have died, Legolas. You were in that place for a month. Both of you. And somehow you consider this imprisonment cause to laugh. Do you have any idea how worried we were about you - How much you put us through? While you're making jokes at our expense, we were running halfway across the lands looking for you. For Valar's sake we thought you were dead! We thought we would never get to see our children again. Can you even begin to imagine how frightening that was for me…_us_? No, I don't think you can. You two go off on these wild adventures and look where they always lead you – into yet more danger! And it is Elrond and I who must pick up the pieces at the end of the day. I don't think you realise quite how much you put us through."

The two friends looked down in guilt as Thranduil continued, "So the next time you go off and do something completely stupid and irresponsible, you might think about the consequences the rest of us must live with." Thranduil stood up abruptly, swatting away his son's hand when Legolas reached out to him.

"It was just…" Aragorn begun but was cut off by the king.

"A joke? Do you think that is a joke?" Thranduil shouted, pointing towards Legolas' back. "Or the fact that because of your little adventure people died? Your captain died to save your life, Legolas. Do you have so little respect for that?"

"Thranduil, now is not the time for this. Think of your son," Elrond told him quietly, seeing Legolas' reaction to what his father had just said.

"I am thinking of my son. And he has absolutely no idea what he has put me through. And worse, I don't think he even cares," Thranduil now whispered, tears forming in his eyes.

He walked towards the exit of the tent and pulled back the flap to leave. "Ada, don't go," Legolas whispered although it was clearly heard through the thick silence. Thranduil put his hand up to stop his son saying anything further and stepped out, letting the flap fall into place behind him. "Ada," Legolas called, hoping his father would reappear.

He went to stand and go after the king but Elrond put his hand on his shoulder to hold him in place. "No, no, no, you need to stay still. Let him go," he whispered gently.

Silence dominated the tent as no one could think of anything to say. How could any of them follow that? More than anything though, they could all detect Legolas' utter dejection at what his father had just said to him. Elrond looked to Aragorn who had tears in his own eyes at the harsh telling off he had just received from the King of Mirkwood. Legolas remained staring in disbelief at the tent flap, in shock at his father's cruel words.

"Elrohir, go and see if Thranduil is alright," Elrond instructed, breaking the tense silence.

"But…"

"Elrohir," the healer warned in a low voice.

"Fine, but if I get my head bitten off…" Elrohir mumbled as he left after the king.

Elrond then returned his attention to Legolas to had his head bowed and was looking down at the blankets he was sitting on. "He's just upset, Legolas. He didn't mean what he said," Elrond reassured, squeezing Legolas' shoulder gently. Legolas just nodded, not believing the assurance at all. "He's just tired. We all are."

Aragorn sat up and smacked his brother's hand away when Elladan tried to stop him from getting up. He went over to Legolas and sat down beside him. However, he could think of nothing to say to make things right again. His friend had been through so much - what with his injuries and the memories brought up of his mother – he didn't deserve this on top of all that. This was all too much for the prince, it was written all over his pale face.

"I am sorry, Ada, we didn't mean anything by it. We were just…" Aragorn apologised again to his own father.

"I know you didn't," the healer sighed. "Thranduil is just a little upset right now, that's all. He didn't mean to be so sharp with you." This last part was said to Legolas alone. Elrond knew that Aragorn was used to the constant jibes Thranduil could unleash but Legolas wanted only to please his father and any evidence to the contrary was upsetting for the prince. "Legolas?" The younger Elf said nothing. "Legolas, I am sorry but I need to finish checking these wounds," Elrond continued gently. Again he got no response from the Elf. He went to touch him but Legolas just shrugged him off.

Aragorn nodded to his father that he would try and sort this out and Elrond backed off a little so the man could speak directly to Legolas. "Mellon nin, look at me. Look at me." Slowly, Legolas raised his eyes to look at his human friend and Aragorn wasn't surprised to see them glistening with tears. "What your father said, we can deal with it later. Let him cool down for a while, walk off his frustration. But right now you need to let Elrond look at your wounds. He'll be able to help you. He can make it stop hurting."

Lowering his head again, Legolas whispered sadly, "No, he can't."

"Hey, you listen to me: didn't I promise that we would get out of that place? Didn't I promise that you would see your father again? I kept both of those promises. But do you remember what you promised me? You swore that you would hold on, that you wouldn't give up on me." Startling blue eyes drifted up to meet Aragorn's and the man smiled. "And since when does the Prince of Mirkwood break his promises?" Very gently Legolas nodded, his eyes fixed on the stormy grey ones of his friend. Crystalline tears slipped past his defences, trailing down filthy cheeks, but his eyes didn't leave Aragorn's. Not knowing what else to do, the man wrapped his arms carefully around the prince. "I know this has been hard on you but please hold on – for me."

"I'm so sorry, Estel," Legolas whispered against his friend's shoulder.

"I don't need you to be sorry, I need you to be strong just for a little while longer. Thranduil will come around, I promise."

"I didn't know he was going to…I would never have hurt Captain…"

"Legolas, listen to me, that was not your fault, alright? No one could have known that was going to happen. There was nothing you could have done to stop it. Mellon nin, none of this is your fault," Aragorn told him firmly, not wanting Legolas to blame himself for the death of a friend. The last thing he needed was the weight of the dead adding to his burdened conscience.

"I'm so sorry," Legolas said again, this time for Cassan, who had died in service of his prince.

"Please don't blame yourself for his death, Legolas. He did what he had to. He did what he was trained for and as tragic as his passing was you need to look after yourself now. Let Elrond take care of you because I can't bear to see you in pain any longer. I can't." Legolas nodded sadly, agreeing at least partially with what Aragorn was telling him.

As Aragorn and Legolas spoke, almost as though they were alone, Elrond and Elladan watched uncomfortably. It seemed as if by being there they were intruding upon a private moment between the two friends.

Eventually, Aragorn pulled back and nodded to Elrond who immediately moved forwards and started inspecting the bandaging on Legolas' back once more.

"Legolas, I'm going to have to take these bandages off. It might hurt but I'll give you something for the pain as soon as I can, alright?" He received only a dejected nod in response.

Removing the bandages was just as difficult as Elrond had suspected. Aragorn had applied them some time ago and blood had seeped through them so they had become stuck to the wounds beneath. Elrond gently took them off piece by piece as slowly and as painlessly as he possibly could but there were so many wounds that it was impossible to do so without causing the prince any harm. Legolas sat passively, allowing Elrond to do whatever he needed to. All this time he had been waiting to be free from the encampment and now he was out he really wished he could just go back there where everything was simple – harsh but simple. At least there distractions helped him forget the pain. Here he was bombarded with images from his dreams and his past and the pain his wounds were causing him as Elrond stripped away the flimsily protective bandages.

As more were removed, the pain grew gradually worse. Suddenly, Legolas reached around and grabbed Elrond's hand to stop him from doing any more. Of course, the healer paused in what he was doing, giving the prince a moment to recover and draw his breath.

"I am sorry this is so painful, Legolas but we're nearly done and the pain relief will be ready soon, I promise," Elrond reassured guiltily.

"Mellon nin, just think that soon all this will be just a distant memory that we can laugh at. And we shall speak of it to our children one day and they won't believe it because Valar knows we have been on so many crazy adventures." Aragorn spoke softly but fixed his eyes on Legolas' as Elrond continued to remove the blood-caked bandages. His reassurances didn't seem to help Legolas very much as he flinched away when he felt Elrond touch him again. "Remember in the Hold when I can back from…well, you know, with Kallon and when I regained consciousness I told you that I thought you looked like an angel?" Elrond and Elladan briefly glanced at each other but didn't comment. Elrond continued his work, wanting to get finished as quickly as possible "I felt so ridiculous after telling you that but it was true."

"I looked into your eyes and I saw something that pulled me back from whatever terrible place my mind was lingering. I have been thinking about that, wondering why I would think like that - something I have never given any credit to – and I realised something."

"That you were delusional?" Legolas joked quietly, watching bright eyes closely.

"Well yes," Aragorn laughed. "But also that I wasn't seeing some kind of mythical creature before me. I was seeing you. I was seeing the world the way you must see it – recognising the good in every creature and allowing that goodness to pull you through the dark times. And I realised that what I was seeing in you was all the hope and joy and sadness that you are. You pulled me through that time with nothing more than a look and for a long time I couldn't understand how. But now I do. Without you there I don't know what I would have done and although I have not been as supportive as I could have been I hope that in some small way I have done the same thing for you."

Legolas was silent for a long while, not quite knowing how he should respond. "Estel…"

"It's alright, I wasn't expecting a response. I just wanted you to know," Aragorn said, his eyes flicking away from Legolas' piercing gaze in embarrassment.

"Estel, you were nothing but supportive and I know it hasn't been easy on you either," Legolas finally said.

Aragorn shrugged. "But I had Jasmine," he grinned.

"Ah, Jasmine," Legolas sighed dramatically.

"Alright, you can laugh. In truth, I think she has a bit of a crush on you," Aragorn smiled at his friend.

Legolas shook his head and smiled weakly at Aragorn. "Oh no, I think her heart is focused on only one person." Although he didn't say it, Legolas knew that there had been a connection between Aragorn and Jasmine that was stronger than either of them liked to admit.

Aragorn smiled almost shyly. "We're finished, Legolas," Elrond interrupted them before they could start up on a new distracting topic. "I'm going to have a proper look at these wounds later. I'll do what I can for now then start the real treatment back in the proper healing hall in Mirkwood. For now I'll clean these up and then I'll give you something for the pain." Legolas nodded and Elrond moved away to mix up some paste to put on Legolas' wounds.

He hadn't said anything to the prince but several of the cuts, harsh whip wounds, had become infected and while not immediately life-threatening, had to be taken care of quickly. Antibiotic paste would help but Legolas really needed a proper treatment room. Unfortunately, there was very little else Elrond could do inside the tent, no matter how well-equipped it was. Then there was the more urgent problem of grief. Elrond was an experienced healer and he had seen several cases in his career and they almost always turned out badly. Legolas was strong and for Aragorn and his father he was holding on. How much longer he could hold on was another matter and that kind of treatment required both expert help and good surroundings. Elrond just had to hope that Aragorn's presence was enough because he didn't think Thranduil would be returning any time soon.

After covering Legolas' wounds with a sterile herbal paste, which would hopefully fight infection as well as speeding up the healing process, Elrond dressed the wounds, clearing the dark powder and dirt off as he went.

When he had finally finished, Elrond put his things away. Turning to Legolas, he said, "I'm sure your father brought you some clothes. Estel, would you like to borrow some of Legolas' for now? I'm afraid I didn't have time to bring any of yours along. Unless, of course, you prefer to stay in those rags."

"Human rags or Legolas' fine Elven clothes? Tough choice," Aragorn muttered sarcastically.

"Ah, here we go," Elrond exclaimed, pulling some clean clothes out of one of the bags Thranduil had brought with him. "It seems your father has provided for every eventuality," he said, showing the prince the nightclothes Thranduil had packed.

"Normal clothes will be fine, Elrond, thank you. I want to be ready to leave – just in case."

"Fine but wear something light so it doesn't irritate your wounds. Which reminds me, I'll go and get your pain relief. I suspect you could both use some by now." The pair didn't answer but to Elrond they both looked relieved. "You two get changed and washed up; I'll be back in a couple of minutes. Then, Legolas I will see to your hands as well. Elladan, can you help me please?" Elrond and Elladan then left the tent, leaving the two friends alone for the first time since they had been rescued.

"Come on, let's get out of those clothes," Aragorn said, standing stiffly. He walked over to the bowl of warm water Elrond had left them and splashed water on his face, wiping away the dirt, dust and grime that had been there for weeks. He washed his body off as best he could, noting how thin he now looked, then changed into some of Legolas' clean clothes. They were a little small for him but he decided small was better than filthy so he gladly pulled them on. When he finally turned back to his friend, Legolas was sitting on the bed staring out into the distance. "Legolas?"

When he got no reply, Aragorn walked over to his friend and placed his hand gently on Legolas' shoulder. The Elf started and focused on Aragorn. "Sorry," he whispered, looking to the ground again.

Aragorn smiled sympathetically and said, "Come on, mellon nin, let's get you cleaned up. Then Ada will give you something for the pain and we can both get some much-needed sleep." Legolas nodded wearily. "Let me help you." Aragorn helped the Elf get to his feet and together they walked over to the second bowl of water that had been left for them. Whilst Legolas washed and changed as best he could, Aragorn busied himself tidying up the bed ready for Legolas to lie down on. He couldn't help but notice Legolas' body as he changed though. It was covered in smaller cuts and bruises that Legolas had never mentioned, probably because he knew his back and hands were the pain problems. Anything else could wait until he got home. Still, the thought that Legolas had received so many injuries was upsetting to Aragorn. The man saw the knife mark on Legolas arm, which Kallon had given him after he first returned from the mines and was chained up on one of the benches. He saw the numerous bruises from the beatings by the guards and Kallon.

Now looking at Legolas, Aragorn found it hard to believe he was the same person he had travelled with just a month ago. The Elf was pale and thin. He knew that he probably looked the same but on Legolas it seemed all the more distressing. When Legolas turned around, Aragorn was standing in front of him and without warning he wrapped Legolas in a hug. Although the Elf looked a little startled by this he returned the hug and he felt Aragorn tighten his hold.

Legolas understood that this was as much for Aragorn as himself. However, standing there in his friend's arms, Legolas couldn't stop the tears that slid down his face or the poorly stifled sob that escaped him.

"It's alright, mellon nin," Aragorn said although his own voice was thick with tears. Standing there together, they finally allowed everything that had happened to them to sink in and it was a lot to take in.

It was Elrond who disturbed them when he entered the tent with two mugs of steaming teas, which smelled sweetly of strong athelas.

"Excuse me," he said when they pulled apart. Legolas went and sat on the bed whilst Aragorn went back to his pile of furs. He handed one cup each to Aragorn and Legolas and sat down next to the prince. "Drink that and I'll take a look at those hands. It will make you feel a little drowsy," he added once Legolas had finished the drink. Of course, Elrond didn't miss the slight flicker of alarm in Legolas' eyes. "Now lie down and I'll check those wounds."

Legolas did as he was told and Elrond pulled a blanket up over him, keeping his hands outside so he could inspect them.

"Get some sleep, Estel. There's nothing more you can do," Elrond told his son, who was already half asleep anyway. That hint of persuasion was all he needed and within moments he was fast asleep. "You can sleep too if you like," Elrond said, his eyes moving up to Legolas. The prince just looked away from him though. "Is there anything you would like to talk about?" Elrond asked as he inspected and cleaned Legolas' burnt and bloodied hands.

Swallowing thickly, the prince shook his head. However, after a few moments of silence, Legolas asked wearily, "Elrond, do you believe in ghosts?"

Slightly thrown by the oddness of the question, it took Elrond a moment to reply but when he did he answered truthfully, "No, I don't. I believe that when an Elf dies he spends his days in Mandos' Halls not here on earth." Elrond glanced up as he wrapped Legolas' hand in a fresh linen bandage. "Why do you ask?"

Legolas paused uncertainly before answering, "Nana came to me, Elrond."

"In a dream?" Elrond asked, starting on the other hand.

"No. In the encampment, right before me. She touched me, Elrond. I felt her hand on my face. It was so real. It felt like she was really with me. But she wasn't, was she?" Tears spilled from Legolas' eyes as he turned to face Elrond again.

The Elven healer shook his head sadly after he had finished bandaging the other hand. "No, she wasn't," he replied gently, stroking Legolas' still dirty hair back from his forehead.

As more tears fell from his eyes, Legolas looked away and slowly breathed out. In a voice so soft Elrond struggled to hear it, the prince whispered, "I just want to sleep now."

"Alright, mellon nin. You go to sleep," Elrond said sympathetically, pulling the blanket up over Legolas as the prince finally closed his eyes and let the darkness of sleep take him, supposing that even his nightmares couldn't be as bad as this reality he now found himself in.

Sighing, Elrond stood up, leaving the two younger friends to get some much-needed rest.

**To Be Continued…**


	99. Family Ties

**Disclaimer: **I own nothing Tolkien created.

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**Sold Into Ruin**

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**A/N: I almost forgot, we passed the 900 reviews marker!! That's incredible. Thank you so much to everyone who has reviewed and everyone who is reading this fic. It is much appreciated and please keep on going. We still have a way to go yet. Enjoy Chapter 99.**

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_A/N: Memories are in italics in this chapter._

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**Chapter 99 ~ Family Ties**

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As night time descended on the Elven camp silence fell as well. They decided to keep the fire lit despite the threat of attack; if nothing else than for the injured. Besides which, it offered them all some comfort in the darkness.

Legolas and Aragorn were still sound asleep inside Thranduil's tent and Elrond had ordered that no one disturb them unless absolutely necessary. They were obviously exhausted from their trials. He checked on them every now and then and was disappointed to find that Legolas' body had not warmed up at all despite being wrapped up in numerous thick blankets – pretty much every member of the Mirkwood Royal Guard had offered their cloaks and blankets to the prince and Elrond found himself turning many of them away. He did briefly consider waking the injured Elf and moving him closer to the fire but he looked so peaceful that Elrond just laid another donated blanket over him, tucking it loosely around him, and continued to check on him regularly. A couple of times when he came in the prince was stirring restlessly.

One time Elrond looked inside the tent, checking on the prince, Legolas' eyes cracked open to look at him. Stepping further inside the dimly lit tent, Elrond went to his side, crouching down to get a closer look at Legolas as he looked over at the healer.

Whispering so as not to disturb his own son, Elrond asked, "Are you alright?"

"Elrond?"

"Yes, mellon nin." At this, Legolas went to sit up but was immediately stopped by Elrond's hand placed against his chest. "Shh, stay where you are. You need to rest."

"Where…?"

"You're fine; you're in the Elven camp. You're safe."

"Oh. What time…?"

"It's only just midnight."

Legolas nodded, letting his head loll to one side to look around the tent. "Estel…"

"He's fine, mellon nin, he's still asleep, which is what you should be right now."

"Hurts," Legolas murmured, letting his eyes fall closed.

"Are you in a lot of pain?" Elrond asked in concern, standing up and looking over the prince, briefly checking his forehead for signs of a fever. Legolas just offered him a ghost of a smile, which Elrond knew was an embarrassed confirmation. "Would you like me to make you up some more pain relief?"

"No, thank you. It's cold in here."

"You're cold?" Legolas nodded again, shuddering as if to prove his point. "Do you think you can make it out to the fire? It will be warmer out there."

"Don't want to move," Legolas said softly.

"Alright. Well, I don't think we can get any more blankets on you, I'm afraid."

"It's alright," the prince sighed. "Tired."

"Then you go back to sleep, mellon nin." Legolas nodded and after a moment his breathing evened out, indicating that he had fallen back asleep.

Before leaving, Elrond quickly made sure his own son was sleeping peacefully. Thankfully, the man was flat out, exhausted from his trials.

Elrond wondered when things had become too much for the pair of friends. Clearly they had been through a lot and Elrond had to admit that despite being as inwardly angry as Thranduil he was also a little proud.

Sighing, Elrond returned to his place at the fire, thinking on their situation. Although Elrohir had gone off to find Thranduil he had returned unsuccessful. Elrond had decided to leave the king alone for the time being to give him some time to cool off and think about what he had said to his already hurting son. Truthfully, Elrond wasn't too concerned about Thranduil right then – the king knew how to take care of himself. Thankfully, the Mirkwood Guard were either getting treated for their injuries or guarding their prince protectively rather than worrying about the whereabouts of their king. They actually seemed reluctant to take their eyes off the royal tent at the moment. Elrond had never seen such high security around Legolas before and he usually travelled with a large entourage. However, it must have been reassuring for Legolas and Thranduil to have such protection around them. Whenever someone approached the tent they were immediately turned sharply away. The Guard were stood to attention all the time, even questioning Elrond when he went to go inside.

It was in the early hours of the morning when Elrond finally settled down to sleep himself. He told the guards to wake him every couple of hours so he could check on Legolas and Aragorn. Most of the others had also fallen asleep, although the Guard were still protecting their prince and there were some people guarding the human guards from the encampment.

It was almost two in the morning when Aragorn woke up. At first he couldn't figure out what had woken him from the first truly deep sleep he had had in weeks. It wasn't quite pitch black in the tent as a comforting orange glow shone through the fabric of the white tent. It wasn't the light that had woken Aragorn, however. He looked around to see Legolas writhing beneath an absurdly high mound of blankets. Immediately, he sat up and watched the prince for a moment before Legolas cried out something in his sleep and Aragorn jumped up and ran over to Legolas, taking hold on his flailing arms.

"Legolas, mellon nin, wake up. Come on, wake up now. It's just a dream," Aragorn called. "Wake up." Upon this command, the prince sat bolt upright and shouted out loud. For a moment he looked utterly disorientated before throwing himself into Aragorn's arms with a cry.

As Aragorn held his distraught friend, the Mirkwood Guard burst into the tent, their weapons drawn ready to attack anyone threatening their prince. However, upon seeing that their precious prince was unharmed they put away their swords and watched in near-embarrassment as Legolas fought for control in front of his faithful Guard. Unfortunately, Legolas could do little but cry against Aragorn's shoulder for a moment and it was the man who finally took the leap to send them away.

"Everything is fine," he reassured them. "Go away." His voice was firm and commanding but the Mirkwood Guard seemed reluctant to go.

"Your Highness, is everything all right?" one of them asked nervously, obviously torn between leaving the prince to his privacy and staying until properly dismissed. Besides, he needed to hear the words from Legolas himself.

Legolas nodded, wiping tears from his cheeks with his sleeve, avoiding meeting the guard's eyes. "Yes." It was simple but it was all the Guard needed. They immediately filed out obediently, taking up their positions outside the tent.

Aragorn sat quietly with Legolas for a while until the prince had gathered himself once more, trying to make sense of what had just occurred. Eventually though, the Elf turned to his friend. "I'm sorry I woke you," he said in a shaky voice, knowing all too well that Aragorn had been sleeping given everything they had been through together.

"Shh, don't worry about that," the man reassured in a whisper, rubbing his hand up and down Legolas' trembling arm in an act of comfort and reassurance. "Did you have another nightmare?" Legolas nodded, letting his eyes briefly fall closed as more tears stung them. "Would you like to talk to me about it?"

Legolas smiled softly at him. "No thank you, Estel."

Not in the least bit surprised by this answer, Aragorn gently asked, "Do you think you could go back to sleep?" Legolas nodded wearily, reaching up to rub a heavily bandaged hand over his tired eyes. "How does your back feel now?" he asked once Legolas was laid down on the bed.

"Better, thank you," Legolas replied honestly. "And you? Are you all right?" he then asked, never one to focus entirely on himself. Of course, Aragorn knew that Legolas wasn't really feeling well; he couldn't possibly have been. The painkillers that Elrond had given him earlier would have merely taken the edge off the blinding pain. Still, that Legolas was at least pretending he was fine was a step in the right direction so Aragorn just smiled.

"Better already," Aragorn smiled honestly. He was feeling better than he remembered feeling in a long time. "You get some rest now, you hear?" Legolas nodded and closed his eyes, falling almost immediately into a deep healing sleep that he had so desperately needed for such a long time. Aragorn pulled the covers back over him, straightening them out and watched him for only a little while longer. It didn't take a genius to guess what Legolas' nightmare had been about. Luckily there was something Aragorn could do about that. He got up, snatched up one of Legolas' cloaks from the travelling bag Thranduil had left and slipped out of their shared tent. He was going to make Thranduil see the error of his ways no matter how rude the king was to him.

Aragorn tried his very best to slip unnoticed past his sleeping father but the elder Elf was impossible to fool.

"You should be resting, not wandering around," he called to Aragorn and the man stopped suddenly in his tracks, turning slowly around to face the Elven Lord who was now sitting up, glaring sternly at his son. "Where do you think you're going?" he demanded, standing from his position by the fire and walking over to his son.

"To find King Thranduil," Aragorn answered as boldly as he could manage under the intense scrutiny from his father.

"Thranduil is not your problem, Estel," Elrond said, pulling Aragorn's cloak tighter around him in an unusually parental gesture.

"No but Legolas is my problem," he said, levelling his eyes with his father's.

"Estel…" the Elf sighed.

"Ada, right now Legolas is only just clinging on and he won't be able to beat this without the support of his father. You don't understand what it was like in there. He came so close to giving up and all along I thought that if only I could get him out and he could see his father again that everything would be all right. But he won't be all right unless he's pulled through this and the only person who can really do that is Thranduil." Aragorn's voice was low but full of pain as he spoke of his friend's affliction.

"I know you want to help your friend, Estel, and seeing Legolas like this is hard for you but you cannot force Thranduil to forgive Legolas. If you push him you could do more harm than good."

"And if I don't push him I'm going to lose my best friend," Aragorn said simply, his voice cracking.

Elrond thought for a long moment before starting, "I don't think…"

"He's dying," Aragorn shouted, the words echoing around the camp and making the nearby guards lowered their gazes as if they hadn't heard anything at all. In a softer voice, the man continued, "He is going to die if I don't do something and I refuse to let him go, not after everything we've been through." In those words Aragorn knew he had won this particular argument. How could his father deny him now?

Sighing heavily, Elrond said, "All right but please be careful." Aragorn nodded and turned around, releasing a sigh of relief. "And Estel," Aragorn turned back around, "I'm here if you would like to talk to me about what happened, either in that place or with Legolas."

"Thank you," Aragorn smiled softly then turned to find Thranduil.

It took a while of searching but eventually Aragorn found the king sitting on the riverbank, shrouded in darkness. At first the man was reluctant to approach, not being in the king's best books at the moment anyway. However, he only had to imagine life without his best friend and he found the courage to move forwards.

"I'm not going to bite, you know," Thranduil said firmly, causing Aragorn to startle. Of course the king knew he was there; you could never sneak up on an Elf. "What do you want?" he asked, not even bothering to look around at Aragorn. Usually, Thranduil had absolutely no time for the man and it appeared that nothing had changed tonight.

"To talk to you, Your Majesty," Aragorn answered when he was stood at Thranduil's side.

Without looking up the king spoke. "I don't want to talk about my son," he said bluntly although Aragorn heard a ripple of pain in his voice.

Aragorn took a deep breath and sat down next to Thranduil. The king glanced briefly across at him but didn't say anything, his gaze drifting back to the river. "I didn't want to talk about Legolas. I wanted to talk about me," Aragorn finally said. Even though he was met with silence, he assumed that Thranduil was listening to him and so continued. "When we were in that place with Kallon, I thought I was going to die." At this rather blunt statement, Thranduil looked across at him, his eyes focusing on the man who was now staring out at the river. "And when he had me in that torture room I had to keep reminding myself that the protection of my true identity was more important than my own well-being. But every time he hit me or cut me I longed to tell him everything. And I almost did, several times."

"Why are you telling me this?" Thranduil asked distastefully, looking away again, uncomfortable with the man's frank admissions.

"Because I need you to understand what it was like in there. The endless work, the pain, everything bad in the world seemed encompassed in that one cruel place. But Legolas was what pulled me out of that dark place in my mind. Whenever I felt like giving up I just looked to him and somehow I knew that he would make everything all right again. He gave me hope that we could survive and escape. But the longer I was there, the more I realised that it wasn't fair to rely on Legolas."

"I told you I didn't want to talk about…"

"Then just listen because you need to hear this."

"I don't need to hear anything you have to say," Thranduil spat, jumping from his place on the riverbank and striding away. Aragorn followed, not allowing him to escape this conversation.

"You might hate me but I know that you love your son. Whatever grudge you're holding against Legolas I'm telling you to let it go."

"You're _telling _me?" Thranduil yelled incredulously.

"Yes, I am telling you." The king scoffed and went to leave again. "If you walk away now he'll die," Aragorn called after him.

"You really don't know my son at all, do you?" Thranduil laughed. "Legolas is strong."

"Not right now, he's not." Thranduil didn't quite know how to counter that. "If you're doing this because you think that he can handle what's happening on his own then you are making a huge mistake. Legolas has been through so much, he's seen things, done things that no one should have to endure but he did endure them for your sake. When he received that first beating down in the mines he was hurt so badly he could hardly stand it but he carried on through the pain; when he had the nightmare about you and Nienna that scared him half to death he carried on; when he was lying too weak to even speak, you know who he asked for? You - his father. You're the reason he fought so hard and what you said to him back there, it stripped away any hope he might have had left. You're killing him, Thranduil."

"I…" Thranduil started but honestly didn't know how to continue.

"I am aware that I don't know everything that happened with your wife. Nor do I believe I know that much about Legolas but I know when my friend is in trouble and right now he's hanging on for dear life and someone is stood there trying to pry his grip away and earlier on that person was you." Thranduil just stood watching Aragorn now, not quite knowing what to say. "Whatever you think you know about what happened in the encampment or what Legolas has been through I can assure you that you're only just scratching the surface."

"What do you mean?" Thranduil asked cautiously.

"The pain – physical and emotional – that Kallon caused, that doesn't just stop because we're free of the encampment. I have done my bit for Legolas. I've used every trick in the book and I am all out of ideas. Now it's your turn. So whatever it is that you do to bring Legolas back from these episodes, do it. Because if you don't, you'll be attending another funeral when you get back to Mirkwood." Aragorn stepped up to the king, who had his head bowed in shame. "Please, Thranduil, if not for yourself then do it for me. I don't want to lose my best friend." Aragorn's voice was so full of pain that it brought tears to the king's eyes. He blinked them away and nodded, silently turning back to the camp to find his son.

With Thranduil gone, Aragorn sighed in relief. He just hoped he had gotten through to the king. He decided to leave the two alone for a while and sat down on the bank, watching the black water run past him. It was only when he felt a presence by his side that he looked up. "Jasmine," he exclaimed in surprise.

"Am I interrupting?" she asked gently.

"No, sit down, please," he offered and she did so. "How are you and Nienna?" he asked with a smile. He had almost forgotten about the woman and her baby, so much had been going on.

"We're really good. Your father checked Nienna over and she's a little malnourished but he said that that could easily be taken care of."

"That's excellent news. He really is a great healer, Jasmine. You do whatever he tells you, all right?" She nodded gently. "Listen, about what we said in the encampment…"

"Don't. We can talk about that later. Come and stay with us tonight. I know Arron would feel a lot safer knowing you were close by." He nodded shyly and together they went back towards the fire where Arron, Elladan and Elrohir were sat, the eldest twin holding the baby in his arms. Nienna seemed utterly at ease around the Elves and Jasmine was perfectly happy to let the twins look after her daughter whilst she rested and they seemed pleased to help, although neither of them had much experience with children. This would certainly be something Aragorn could use to tease them at a later date.

~*~

Thranduil stepped into the tent almost nervously, not quite knowing what he was going to say or how he was going to apologise. His eyes immediately went to the bed where Legolas was still lying. He was slightly started to see a pair of shocking blue eyes staring back at him, glistening in the orange candlelight. He pulled the flap closed and walked quietly over to the bed, looking down at his son.

"I thought you would have been asleep," he said in a near-whisper.

"I wasn't tired," Legolas lied, diverting his eyes when Thranduil stared sceptically down at him.

"You always were a terrible liar, especially when it came to this subject." The king crouched down so they were level with each other. "You always lied to me and I always saw right through it. I'm just sorry that I ignored the problem for so long; that was stupid and it was selfish."

"Ada…" Legolas began.

"No, ion nin, I need you to listen. You have to understand why I allowed you to continue like that when I could have done something about it. It was partly because I didn't want to face it myself. After your mother died…"

"Ada, please," Legolas whispered almost despairingly.

"When your mother died, I was so upset about her passing I couldn't even think straight at times. And with everything that happened to you as well I…well, it was hard. I suppose it just became easier for me to allow you to keep quiet about it. If I didn't have to deal with you I could concentrate on healing myself and that wasn't fair."

"I never blamed you for anything that happened," Legolas said, just wishing his father would stop talking about this painful subject and leave him alone. This was hard enough without painful reminders of his past.

"I know you didn't but I _was_ to blame. _I _put you in that room and _I _left you alone. Both of you. If I had stayed with you I could have fought the Orcs off. And then, to make matters worse, I ignored the fact that you didn't immediately return to me. You spent so long in that terrible place with those…those monsters. But I couldn't place the blame upon myself. I was too frightened to admit that I had made a terrible mistake so I allowed you to carry that burden. I never told you that it wasn't your fault. And you just carried on, taking the entire responsibility for what happened upon yourself. But you were so young, ion nin. And no one should have to suffer through that, especially not a child."

"Ada," Legolas pleaded, feeling the now almost familiar coldness running through him at the memory of what had happened in those past days.

"No Legolas, you need to hear this because I have kept it to myself for too long and I have realised that I can't do that any more." Thranduil took a deep breath now he had his son's undivided attention and continued. "Maybe I should have forced myself to speak of this before but I just didn't know how. But now I understand. I understand why you couldn't sleep all those nights. You were so afraid, weren't you? So afraid. And I did nothing about it. I mean, I comforted you, I did what I thought a parent should do for a frightened child, but I never actually tried to stop it. I allowed you to suffer because it was easier on myself."

"I know you suffered also, Ada," Legolas whispered.

"It's not even in the same league," Thranduil smiled. "No, I should have done something. You are my son. It's my job to protect you – my _honour _to protect you – and I didn't. I did the worst thing a parent can ever do to a child: I abandoned you when you needed me more than anything." Legolas shook his head but tears were running down his face at his father's heartfelt words. "You carried all that pain around with you all these years to spare me the pain and I should never have allowed you to do that. Those nights when you used to sit alone instead of coming to me – for so long I thought it was out of embarrassment or shame but it wasn't, was it? You wanted to spare me the pain of knowing what had happened to you and your mother in that cave."

"No, I would have told you, Ada. I just didn't know how. You were my hero when I was young; I couldn't let you see what kind of child you had raised. As for Nana, you loved her so much and I didn't want your memory of her to be sullied like mine had been. I couldn't have tarnished your memory of her like that." Legolas' eyes were fixed on his father's as he said this. Of course, what he was now saying was the absolute truth. He had nothing else to lose by telling his father everything now. "And I am as much to blame as you. She ran from that room because she was worried for my safety and she died saving my life. She died because of me." Legolas' eyes drifted away when tears began running down Thranduil's face – he couldn't bear to see his father crying. "How could I let you remember her as anything other than the hero she was?" he whispered.

"So you thought it would be easier on both of us if you suffered alone?" Thranduil asked his son gently.

"I never wanted to hurt you."

"I know that. But, Legolas, you were just a child." Legolas nodded, sobbing softly. "It wasn't your responsibility to protect me. I should have been the one to see that you were all right. I suppose I was just so lost when your mother passed away. I had no idea how to raise a child properly."

"You did a good job," Legolas smiled rather falsely. The cold was biting, becoming almost painful now.

"No, I didn't. You became the person you are today because of your own strength, not mine. What Estel said to me was true. For so long, you have been keeping this to yourself and then this thing happens and you're thrust right back into it and again I walk away from you. I'm so sorry, Legolas, I should never have said those terrible things. That wasn't fair of me. I need you to know that Cassan's death was not your fault and neither was your mother's. They were both terrible, tragic accidents."

"I know that," Legolas whispered, turning his eyes to his father again.

Thranduil shook his head sadly, tears rolling down his face once again. "No, I don't think you do. Not really. But we'll talk more about it later, all right? No more avoiding the subject." Legolas nodded – of course, he had no intention of telling his father everything that had happened all those years ago. Habits were not hard to break and he had stuck firmly onto this one for nearly three thousand years. "For now though I need you to know that I am here for you and that I'm never going to leave you alone again. But you need to stay with me as well because I don't think I could carry on if you left me. So please just try and hold on. For me." At this point, Legolas could do nothing but burst into tears.

"I don't know if I can," Legolas cried, trying to catch his breath.

Thranduil sat down on the bed next to his son, carefully positioning himself near the head of the bed and pulling Legolas carefully towards him. "Yes you can because I am going to help you," Thranduil whispered gently, hugging his son to him lovingly. Legolas wrapped his arms around his father who held him tightly, pressing a kiss into his dirty golden hair. He rocked gently backwards and forwards in comfort, hoping to keep his son with him just a little bit longer. Up so close he could detect the total dejection his son was feeling and he marvelled at the fact that Legolas could even bring himself to stay awake anymore.

As the despairing father rocked his son gently back and forth, he stroked flaxen hair out of his face and Legolas continued to cry almost silently into his chest, happy to be lying in safe arms at last. Yet still he had to fight to keep himself alert, to keep himself really feeling those warm, inviting arms.

After a while, Thranduil slowly leaned back a little, pulling his legs up on the bed with Legolas still leaning against him. Now up against the small headboard, Thranduil allowed Legolas' head to rest on his chest, stroking his hair back gently. His son seemed content to just lie against his father and Thranduil was happy to have him close. As well as offering comfort it eased the pain in his back slightly. He was still choking back cries though, trying desperately to cling on to what he had with him now. As before, when it had been just him and Aragorn, he found it exhausting.

"Shhh," Thranduil reassured when a pitiful cry escaped his son. "It's all right, I'm here now."

"I thought I'd lost you. I thought you were gone forever and I would never see you again," Legolas said, his voice thick with tears.

"I know but I'm here now. Everything's going to be all right."

"I thought I'd lost you," Legolas repeated.

"I'm not going anywhere, I promise." Thranduil stroked Legolas' hair, running both through the dirty strands, not really caring about anything else.

"I was so scared."

"I know you were but it's all right now. I'm not going to let anything hurt you anymore. It's going to be all right."

"I'm so tired," Legolas breathed despairingly, tears dampening Thranduil's shirt beneath him.

"Shh, you sleep now then. I've got you. I won't let anything happen to you." Thranduil reached down and pulled a thick blanket up over his son to keep him warm.

Thranduil felt Legolas tense and heard a small cry of pain. "It hurts, Ada," he whispered.

The king felt prick at his eyes when his son admitted this to him. "We'll make it stop soon. Just hold on for a little longer, ion nin." He felt Legolas nod against him. "Get some rest now; we'll be back in Mirkwood soon."

Lying in his father's warm arms, Legolas cried himself to sleep that night. Although frightened that he might close his eyes and never wake up, he trusted his father and allowed himself to drift into a restless sleep. Despite it being a nightmare- and pain-filled, it was at least sleep. He also started to feel a little warmth beginning to seep back into him. Whether it would be enough was still to be decided.

~*~

_Something woke Thranduil but he had no clue what it was. At first he thought it might have been the thunder that had accompanied the raging storm, but there was no lightening so he disregarded that possibility. He laid quietly in the dark room for a while, trying to remember what had woken him and whether or not it was just part of a dream. Silence was all that he was met with though and with a sigh he rolled onto his side and pulled the blankets up further over him, his eyes almost glazing over in reverie. However, a minute later he heard another sharp shout and sat upright in bed, listening intently until he heard yet another despairing cry._

_He fumbled in the dark to light the lamp at his bedside and then looked around his room, half expecting some creature of evil to jump out at him. The room was empty though and so he braved standing up and walking to the door. Outside, a guard was on duty, as always, and he stood to attention when he saw the king. Thranduil ignored him though and soon heard another cry. This time he recognised it and he started into action, running down the corridor with the guard shouting after him, asking if he needed any help. Thranduil came to an abrupt stop at Legolas' door and listened for a moment to hear the slight whimpering from within. He tapped on the door but received no response so he turned the handle and went inside. The living room was dark and there was no light shining from the bedroom either. He heard another cry though and now he recognised the sound from all those years ago. Only one thing made his son cry like that: a nightmare._

_Thranduil went straight to the door, sharply ordering the guard to remain outside, then went into Legolas' bedroom. When he entered he was greeted with the sight of his son writhing in the bed, his hands twisting the sheets that now barely covered him. No slight shone through the windows; even though the shutters weren't closed, the storm outside blocked out the light of the stars and moon._

_The king placed the lamp he was carrying on the bedside table and sat down next to Legolas, who continued to mumble incoherently. Tears fell from his son's eyes, glassy in Elven sleep. Thranduil was now unsure as to whether to wake him or not. Legolas had been working hard lately to repair parts of Mirkwood after an Orc attack a couple of weeks earlier, which he had also been involved in. The whole thing had taken a lot out of him even though he didn't like to admit it and he came home late almost every night utterly exhausted. He would retreat to bed but the king suspected that he didn't sleep much as he looked just as worn out when he left early the next morning. However, Thranduil simply couldn't watch his son suffering like this and he knew how much Legolas suffered in these nightmares._

_Carefully, he placed his hand on Legolas' shoulder and shook it gently. "Legolas," he called loudly. As usual, his son didn't wake the first time so Thranduil tried again as Legolas cried out in despair. "Come on, ion nin, wake up," he encouraged. With a sharp cry, Legolas snapped away, sitting bolt upright in bed and breathing in huge gasps of air as he struggled to regain his composure. "It's all right," Thranduil said gently, knowing his son usually needed a few minutes to return to the waking world and shake off his nightmare._

_Eventually, Legolas managed to calm his breathing and with a cry of, "Ada," launched himself into his father's waiting arms, crying into his chest. Thranduil wrapped his arms around his son, rocking him gently backwards and forwards and whispering reassurances._

"_It's all right, it was just a dream," Thranduil whispered, stroking his son's long blonde hair back from his cheek, wiping away the tears that had fallen. "It's over now." Legolas nodded and Thranduil could feel him reaching for control again. "All right?" the king asked when Legolas was no longer clinging to him._

_Legolas pulled away from his father and wiped his tears away with the sleeve of his nightshirt. "Sorry," he said quietly, still trembling slightly._

"_It's all right," Thranduil reassured sympathetically._

"_Did I wake you?" he then asked, looking over at his father with tired eyes._

_Thranduil shook his head, easily lying, "No, the storm did. It's been raging all night."_

_Legolas glanced out the window into the darkness as if he could see the battered forest. "That's the last thing we need. It won't help at all with repairs," he mumbled, all business now, as though nothing had happened that night. Thranduil knew that it was just his way of coping._

"_Don't worry about that right now. You can assess the damage when the storm is over. Why don't you go and get changed. You're wet through." Legolas looked down at himself and was slightly surprised to find that his nightclothes were drenched with sweat. He nodded and went to the bathroom where he quickly washed and changed into a clean pair of nightclothes. Looking up at himself in the bathroom mirror he was startled by his appearance; he was pale and had dark circles beneath his eyes from lack of sleep. He rubbed his hands down his face and turned wearily away from the mirror._

_Entering the bedroom again, he saw his father changing the sheets on the bed, which were also wet through. Flushing slightly in embarrassment, Legolas walked over to the bed and grabbed the edge of the sheet Thranduil was pulling off. "You don't have to do that," he said quietly, keeping his eyes averted from his father._

"_I don't mind," the king said back._

"_I'll help." Legolas picked up a clean sheet and spread it out over the mattress towards his father. As Thranduil was tucking in the bottom of the sheet under the mattress, Legolas finally looked up at him. "I'm sure you're getting tired of doing this," he said, looking sadly down at the bed, more than a touch of shame in his eyes._

"_It's the first time in a while," Thranduil answered, watching his son avoiding his gaze. "Legolas, look at me. I never get tired of helping you, understand?" Legolas offered a small nod as he reached for the next layer. "You have been working hard on these repairs."_

"_We're getting there; slowly but surely."_

"_You're doing well. Mirkwood has never looked so good. It's a shame about this storm. I hope it doesn't set you back too much." Thranduil looked up at his son who was smoothing long fingers over the bed sheets, seemingly lost in thought. As the prince, not bothering to think up an answer for his father, bent down to pick up the next layer of bedding, he suddenly leaned heavily against the bedside table for support then slipped down to sit on the floor as if all energy had been suddenly drained from his body and he physically couldn't stand up any longer. "Legolas!" Thranduil exclaimed, rushing around the bed to his son. "Are you all right?" he asked, kneeling down before Legolas. "Do you want me to send for a healer?"_

"_I'm fine," Legolas dismissed quietly, looking up at his father._

"_No, you're not fine. You're exhausted. You have been working too hard on these repairs…"_

"_No, I haven't," Legolas interrupted._

"_Legolas, come on, you can't keep doing this to yourself. Mirkwood is not going to collapse if you get some rest; that's why we have countless advisors and assistants. There are other people who can take care of these things."_

"_Why shouldn't I do what they have to do? Why should I sit back and watch them work?" Legolas snapped back._

"_Because, Legolas, they go home at night and sleep. They don't work countless hours after dark, filing through treaties and accounts and blueprints. They go home and they get some rest and come back the next day refreshed, not sit up all night working then expecting to be perfect the next morning. You wouldn't expect them to do that for you and they don't expect it from you either," Thranduil firmly reasoned._

"_I'm their prince," Legolas protested weakly._

"_Yes, you are. You are there to set an example and you do that brilliantly and the people love you for it. But, Legolas, what good is a reputation if you're so exhausted you can't even stand up?" Thranduil reasoned gently, tucking Legolas' hair behind his ear. "They wouldn't want you to do this to yourself and nor do I."_

"_I just want to…show them I can do it. You put me in charge of this project and I appreciate it. I know what people think of me; that I am just here for show and that I leave all the real work to you…"_

"_People don't think that."_

"_Yes they do."_

"_Who?" Thranduil asked but Legolas turned his face away. "Legolas, has someone said something?" The prince didn't answer so Thranduil persisted, "Who said that? Tell me."_

"_Just…one of the advisors," Legolas whispered, looking down._

"_One of the advisors? Which one?"_

"_It doesn't matter."_

"_Yes, Legolas, it does matter. Tell me who said that to you."_

_Hesitantly, Legolas answered, "Armand." The king looked sharply away although Legolas could tell he was angry._

"_I don't care what Armand said to you, you do enough for this kingdom – too much sometimes. He doesn't know you; he doesn't know what you do. Besides, that is the opinion of one person and I don't much care what some deputy advisor thinks of you."_

"_I care."_

_Thranduil put his hand on his son's arm and smiled, "I know you do but you can't do everything, ion nin."_

"_You do."_

_Thranduil chuckled softly at that. "I am the king, it's my job. And I am a lot older than you and far more experienced. You know, I only do half the paperwork that passes across my desk. Besides, people don't expect you to do so much. They would understand if you needed some time to catch up. They all have time off, right?" The king smiled as Legolas nodded. "There's plenty of time to finish off the repairs. You don't have to be out there every day of the week. Listen to me, one day all this will be your responsibility and you will have to decide what is the best use of your time but for now you are the prince and your allegiance may lie with the workers but it also lies with your king and I am telling you to slow down."_

_Legolas nodded, dipping his head as tears fell silently. "I'm just a little tired."_

"_You are not 'a little tired', Legolas, you're exhausted and you need to take some time off. That is an order. Now, come on, get back into bed, go to sleep and have a nice long lie in tomorrow morning."_

"_I have meetings tomorrow morning," Legolas sighed, rubbing his tired eyes._

"_On a Saturday?" Legolas nodded slowly. "Well, don't worry about that, I'll take care of it."_

"_I can't ask you to do that, Ada."_

"_Yes you can. Besides, I'm offering. No arguments," the king said sternly when Legolas looked like he was about to protest. "Do you have notes?"_

"_On my desk."_

"_All right. Come on then, let's get you into bed." Legolas stood up with Thranduil's help and then laid down on the bed with a sigh as his father pulled a warm blanket over him. "Get some sleep. I'll see you late tomorrow afternoon," he smiled to conceal his warning._

"_Yes, Your Majesty," Legolas smiled softly, his eyes slipping closed._

_Once his son had drifted off to sleep, Thranduil slipped out of the room, pausing to grab his son's notes off his desk on his way through. Once he had hastily gotten dressed he summoned the advisor Armand to his office and waited for him at his desk, reading through his son's well-thought-out notes. The advisor knocked on the door ten minutes later and Thranduil called for him to enter._

"_Good morning, Your Majesty," he mumbled tiredly as he slumped down in the chair opposite his king._

"_Good morning. I know it is early so I'll be brief. I spoke to Prince Legolas earlier and he mentioned that you told him you thought he wasn't doing enough in the kingdom."_

"_I said no such thing, my Lord."_

"_So my son is a liar then?" the king asked bluntly, looking up at the Elf for the first time since he entered._

"_No, my Lord, of course not. I may have mentioned that his presence at the construction and repair sites was a big morale boost for the workers."_

"_Ah. I didn't know you were in charge of employee allocation, or for that matter that my son was your employee."_

"_I just thought…"_

"_You thought it was vital for Prince Legolas to spend his time slaving away in the fields on top of everything else he has to do, which by the way, for the most part, is your job?" The advisor just looked confused now so Thranduil continued. "I don't care for your excuses nor do I much care what your opinion is. My son's job is not to make your life simpler and you do not give him orders."_

"_Of course, my Lord."_

"_Well, I am glad we have this cleared up. Now you can pack up your things and leave the palace," Thranduil said simply, looking down at the papers in front of him._

"_I'm sorry, my Lord?" the advisor asked._

"_Did you not hear? You are relieved of your duties."_

"_For what?" the Elf asked indignantly._

"_Last I checked I didn't need a reason."_

"_I think you'll find you do and I demand…"_

"_You think I give a damn what you want?" Thranduil yelled, silencing the Elf immediately. "Meetings on agriculture and environmental issues," he threw the folder with Legolas' notes in across the desk towards the advisor so they spread out across the desk in front of him, "this isn't Legolas' job and you damn well know it. So don't you dare play innocent with me."_

"_Your Majesty…"_

"_If you want to take advantage of someone I suggest you pick on me the next time because no one – you hear me? No one – hurts my son. And if I ever hear of you doing it again, so help me, I will end you," Thranduil shouted. "Now get out of my sight."_

"_Yes, Your Majesty." The advisor stood and slowly walked towards the door._

"_Oh, and Armand." He turned back. "No one sits in my presence until I grant permission."_

_~*~_

_Legolas entered his father's study unnoticed by the group of advisors standing giving their briefings. It was Thranduil who saw him and stood up, asking, "Legolas, what are you doing here?" with a small yet concerned smile._

"_I'm sorry. I thought you were alone. I didn't mean to interrupt," Legolas answered quietly._

"_Is everything all right?"_

_Legolas turned to the advisors all staring at him in confusion. "Can we have a moment, please?" Although it was said as a polite question, everyone in the office recognised it as an order and, after a brief nod of acceptance from their king, exited quickly and quietly._

"_I thought I told you to stay in bed this weekend. You're dressed for work," Thranduil said, gesturing to Legolas' smart clothes._

"_I was just going to go and see…"_

"_You're not going to see anything. Whatever it is can wait until Monday," Thranduil demanded sternly. "Was there something else?" he then asked, looking down at his schedule for the day, not really giving his son his full attention._

_Legolas straightened and answered, "I just wanted to…apologise for last night."_

"_What? Legolas, I have already told you that you don't need to apologise."_

"_I know but I wanted to."_

_Thranduil looked back up at his son and noticed his eyes were fixed firmly on the desk almost as though there was something else he wanted to say but was working hard not to. "What is it?" Thranduil asked, not about to let his son go without an explanation. Legolas just looked over at him, his clear blue eyes boring into his father's near-identical ones. Sometimes Thranduil wished he could decipher what lay behind those magnificent eyes and, for the first time ever and just for the briefest second, he caught a small, fleeting glimpse of the real Legolas hidden in the cryptic gaze. The connection was broken before Thranduil could even register what he had seen and for a moment he just looked at Legolas, standing in the centre of the room, looking decidedly uncomfortable._

"_These nightmares, are they getting bad again?" he asked cautiously, coming around the desk to his son. Again, Legolas just looked up at him and instinctively Thranduil knew the answer. "They really scare you, don't they?" he whispered guiltily._

_Legolas just looked down at the floor and for a moment Thranduil thought that was it, that he would get no more out of his son. However, Legolas spoke again, his voice so soft Thranduil had a job to hear it. "I want to tell you."_

"_Sorry?" the king asked, not understanding what Legolas was talking about._

"_I want to tell you what happened," Legolas repeated, a little louder this time but still no more than a whisper. "I wish I could tell you." It was filled with such longing and such truth that it brought tears to Thranduil's eyes._

"_Then tell me," he replied softly, standing from his seat suddenly at the possibility of learning the truth. "Talk to me, Legolas, please."_

_Legolas shook his head and said more strongly, "I can't."_

"_Legolas…"_

_Thranduil was about to ask why but the sound of his son choking back a sob stopped him and for a moment he had no idea what to do. When he heard it again though he stepped forward and enveloped his son in his arms. Legolas leaned against him, wrapping his own arms around his father, crying pitifully into his shirt._

"_Oh Legolas," Thranduil whispered as he held his sobbing son against him. "Shhh, shh, it's all right. It's going to be all right." With one hand he held his son tightly to him and with the other he rubbed reassuring circles on his back, trying whatever he could to calm his son. "It's all right." Thranduil moved his hand up and stroked his son's hair softly. "You've had a rough few weeks, haven't you?" the king sighed._

"_I can't do this, Ada," Legolas cried, his voice muffled by his father's tunic. "I can't do this anymore."_

"_Can't do what?" Thranduil asked gently._

_Before Legolas could reply though, they were interrupted. "My Lord…" an advisor started but stopped abruptly when he saw the king and prince._

"_Give us a moment please," Thranduil said quietly and the advisor nodded and slipped out, leaving the king to resume his comforting. "Shh, it's all right," he assured then looked down at his son, who seemed to have no intention of releasing him any time soon. Stroking Legolas' exposed, tear-stained cheek with the back of his hand, Thranduil said in a whisper, "You're tired, ion nin?" He received a small, almost despairing nod in reply. "I know," the king said sympathetically, pressing a kiss into his son's hair._

_Legolas remained holding his father tightly for a long while, loosening his emotions just a little but he eventually pulled back and looked down from the king, whispering, "Sorry."_

"_Hey, come here," Thranduil encouraged, guiding Legolas' head up so he could gently wipe the tears from his cheeks. "Don't be sorry. I'm glad you came to me." Legolas nodded, leaning into his father's touch. "Now, come on, why don't you go back to bed and try and get some sleep, hmm?"_

_Legolas nodded but stopped his father before he could lead him to the door. "Do you mind…? Can I just sit here for a moment?" he asked almost shyly._

"_Of course you can," Thranduil said, a little surprised at the request. "Of course, sit down." He led Legolas to the sofa in the corner of the room and sat down next to him, his hand resting on his son's shoulder._

_Legolas looked over at him and then said almost nervously, "Just…alone…just for a minute, please."_

_Thranduil smiled that he was not offended by the request and squeezed his son's shoulder gently. "I'll be outside." Thranduil left the room without further words, leaving Legolas alone with his thoughts._

_An hour later when Thranduil returned to his office, flanked by his usual group of assistants and advisors, he walked boldly into the rapidly darkening office expecting it to be empty. However, he instantly saw Legolas fast asleep on his sofa, his head leant back against the soft fabric and, rather worryingly, his eyes closed. With a sad sigh, Thranduil quietly dismissed his entourage, "Wait out here." He closed the door with a soft click and walked on soft feet over to his son. "Ai, Legolas," he breathed quietly so as not to disturb his son._

_Not wanting to disturb what little sleep his exhausted son got, Thranduil carefully pulled Legolas' legs up onto the sofa, removing his shoes as he did so. Legolas shifted into a more comfortable position but didn't wake. The king pulled the throw off the back of the couch and carefully laid it over Legolas, stroking his soft blonde hair as he did so._

_Bending down, Thranduil placed a gentle kiss on Legolas' forehead and whispered, "Sleep well, ion nin." He went back outside, carefully pulling the door closed behind him. "Let's discuss this somewhere else. And make sure no one goes in there."_

"_Yes, Your Majesty," was muttered amongst the advisors and Thranduil followed them down the hall to the meeting room where they could work with no chance of disturbing the Prince of Mirkwood's well-earned and much-needed rest._

**To Be Continued…**


	100. The Morning After

**Disclaimer: **I own nothing Tolkien created.

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**Sold Into Ruin**

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**Chapter 100 ~ The Morning After**

**~*~**

Morning crept slowly across the Elven camp, bringing with it an unfortunate shower of rain. It was this rain that woke everyone up. Aragorn sat upright slowly from his place by the now nearly-extinguished fire. Jasmine was already up, having fed Nienna just moments before. Aragorn looked around to find his father giving the attentive Mirkwood Guard instructions on the day ahead and people already starting to dismantle their camp. Clearly, his father was wasting no time in returning to Mirkwood. The Woodland Realm was closer to here than Imladris, probably no more than a couple of days' straight ride on horseback and Elrond would want to get back to civilisation as quickly as possible, if for no other reason than Legolas.

As things really began to come to life in the camp, Elrond finished speaking with the Guard and wandered over to where Aragorn was still trying to rid his mind of the final dregs of sleep.

"Good morning, ion nin," the Elven Lord smiled, sitting down elegantly beside his son. "How are you feeling today?"

Aragorn smiled in return and answered honestly, "A lot better actually."

Elrond nodded and quickly examined his son's wounds, only peering beneath the bandages to check that he was well enough to travel later in the day – not that they had much choice either way, they had to leave today. "All right, we'll need to get going pretty soon. Do you think you can walk on your own? We seem to have…misplaced the horses, as impossible as it sounds."

"Probably made a dash for it when they heard the fighting, sensible things," Aragorn murmured, not liking the idea of walking all the way back to Mirkwood. However, he forced a smile onto his face. "If it means I get to sleep in a warm, properly cushioned bed then I'll hop, skip and jump my way to Mirkwood if I have to."

"Let us hope it won't come to that," Elrond laughed softly, patting his son's shoulder. "I'm sure Legolas will have some spare travelling clothes in his bag if you wish to borrow them. I doubt he'll want to struggle getting into clean clothes this morning. Jasmine," he turned to the woman, "Thranduil has a spare blanket in his tent, I'll get it for Nienna and see if I can borrow another of Legolas' shirts for you to change into; I'm afraid we're rather short on women's clothing."

"It is my appreciated, Lord Elrond," Jasmine smiled politely back at him.

"Ada, how is Legolas this morning?" Aragorn asked, concern replacing the humour he had expressed earlier.

Elrond sighed heavily, glancing over to the royal tent. "I checked in on Thranduil and Legolas earlier this morning…It had been a long night for them, I think." Aragorn nodded slowly in understanding. "Estel, get yourself some breakfast when Elladan and Elrohir return – that's if they manage to catch anything in between their bouts of squabbling." Aragorn couldn't help but chuckle at his father's exasperated look. The Elven Lord of Rivendell knew all too well that looking after two Elflings was hard work but when they were as lively as the Princes of Rivendell it was something else altogether and the put-upon Lord often played that card when he was frustrated. He loved his sons dearly though and never begrudged them anything, no matter how tired he got of their playful yet exhausting behaviour.

Just moments after their father disappeared into Thranduil's tent the twins appeared, proudly displaying their catch – five impressively plump fish. Smiles were plastered on their identical faces as they set the catch down on the grass next to their brother. The man looked up at them questioningly, pretending to be unimpressed by their obviously superior hunting skills.

"Well?" Elrohir demanded, wondering when his brother was going to lavish them with praise.

"Well what?" Aragorn smiled, playing his brother's game perfectly. He knew just how to wind them up.

"That's all we get for waking at the crack of dawn to feed you? Not even a 'thank you brothers'?" Elladan said, exasperated at his brother's apparent indifference.

"That is typical of him, Elladan. We risk our lives to save him and we get absolutely no thanks whatsoever."

"They look great," Jasmine admired, not really understanding that the siblings were just jesting.

"Why, thank you Jasmine. At least someone appreciates all our hard work," Elrohir exclaimed, wrapping his arm around the woman's shoulders. It was odd, she thought, how quickly they had become friends and how comfortable they made her feel around them, especially as they had such a tight bond themselves. Of course, the twins were easy to get along with anyway. Still, it felt strange for her; she had always avoided making friends in the encampment, knowing that that kind of commitment often ended in tears.

The twins were now silent as they cleaned and gutted the fish before stoking the fire in spite of the bad weather and beginning to cook their breakfast meal. It wasn't much. Five fish amongst so many people was hardly a feast but it would be enough to carry them through the morning; plus Thranduil had brought some supplied along with him that they could use on the road.

"I really appreciate that you came looking for me," Aragorn said quietly as his brothers prepared some hot tea for everyone.

They both looked up at him with thin smiles. "We couldn't just leave you out in the wilds, Estel," Elladan answered.

"Especially since you have no sense of direction," Elrohir added straight after his brother.

"I think you'll find that our poor sense of direction is entirely down to Legolas," the man countered, sending a worried glance across to Thranduil's tent. "Do you think he'll be all right?" he asked, once more serious.

"Ada is looking after him now. He is an excellent healer; if anyone can help Legolas then it's him," Elladan reassured gently.

"I know," the human sighed.

~*~

When Elrond entered the tent he found Legolas and Thranduil were still laid on the bed together, the young Elf wrapped up in his father's arms, seemingly clinging on for dear life. When he had checked in on Legolas once in the early hours of the morning the prince had been sleeping fitfully but now he appeared to be more settled, sleeping fairly soundly in his father's embrace. Elrond walked quietly over to them and knelt down on the ground so he was level with them. The king, hearing his approach, opened his eyes and looked across at the healer.

"How is he?" Elrond whispered, not wanting to wake Legolas unnecessarily just yet.

"He fell asleep a couple of hours ago and he's been pretty quiet ever since," the king answered, stroking Legolas' pale cheek lovingly. Legolas stirred slightly but soon settled again, falling back into a deep healing sleep that thankfully seemed free of nightmares for the time being. "He is definitely warming up a little though."

Elrond carefully placed his hand on Legolas' forehead and found that the prince was indeed a little warmer but he knew it still wasn't enough and he rather suspected that this was the warmth of a fever rather than one indicative of returning health. From the look Thranduil sent him, Elrond suspected that the king also knew this. "We need to get him back to Mirkwood with all possible haste," the healer whispered. "Do you think you can get him up and ready? I can send Estel in to give you hand." Thranduil nodded again and turned his attention back to his son.

"Elrond," Thranduil said softly before the healer could leave. Elrond turned around and focused on the king. "Please don't let him die. Please don't let my son die."

It was spoken with such pain and fear that it nearly brought tears to Elrond's eyes. He nodded and said, "I am going to do everything I can." It was the truth and the safest thing to say in the situation. He couldn't promise anything more. Thranduil nodded his thanks and Elrond quietly left the tent. Outside, the sun was rising rapidly now and the camp was becoming even more active. Breakfast was cooking over the fire and Jasmine, Aragorn, the twins and Arron were sitting around it eating some of the supplies Thranduil had provided them with the night before. "Estel," Elrond called, summoning his son over to him.

"What is it?" Aragorn asked, standing obediently in front of his father.

"I need you to get ready to leave as soon as possible," Elrond whispered so as not to alert anyone else of the urgency.

"Is Legolas all right?"

"For the moment but we need to get him home as quickly as we can. So far he seems pretty stable but I'm not sure how long I can keep him that way."

"His wounds…?"

"Like I said, he's stable for now. However good your healing skills were in there those wounds are open to infection and the sooner I can properly treat them the better it'll be for him."

"Ada, if he develops an infection while we're travelling it could make him worse," Aragorn answered in a whisper. "We should wait a few days, let him rest some more. In case you haven't noticed, there are more wounded than just Legolas here."

"Normally I would agree with you but I think the longer we wait the more susceptible he'll be in complications. The sooner he's in Mirkwood the better. And that goes for all the wounded."

Aragorn thought on this for a moment. "All right, I suppose you know best. What do you need me to do?"

"Go and help Thranduil get Legolas ready to leave. I don't think he's too keen on the idea of disturbing his son right now. Then get yourself ready. I'll change your bandage quickly before we leave. Hopefully we should reach Mirkwood in a couple of days."

"How exactly are we meant to do that? We have no horses."

Elrond sighed, "We'll figure that out later. For now let's just concentrate on getting Legolas ready to go. I'll get this camp disassembled."

Aragorn nodded and walked over to the tent. When he reluctantly entered, Thranduil was still holding onto a sleeping Legolas. He looked up when the man entered though.

"I'm sorry, sir. Elrond asked me to help you get ready to leave. He wants to get going as soon as possible," Aragorn said, not bothering to keep his voice low. He would have to wake Legolas in a minute anyway. "My Lord?"

"Look at my son, Estel; do you honestly think he can travel?" Thranduil asked in a whisper, looking at Aragorn with blue eyes so amazingly similar to those of his son.

Aragorn walked over to the bed and looked down, saying firmly, "I think he'll do whatever he has to." Thranduil nodded reluctantly and gently stroked his son's hair again, as if comforting himself. "Do you want me to…?"

"No," Thranduil interrupted sharply. "I'll wake him." Aragorn nodded and took a step back to watch as Thranduil planted a kiss on his son's head, almost in apology for what he was about to do. "Legolas," he called softly, not really wanting to wake his sleeping son. When he received no response he looked up almost pleadingly at Aragorn.

The man bent down and placed his hand on Legolas' arm, calling his name loudly. Legolas stirred but still didn't properly wake. Aragorn leant in closer and said gently but loudly, "Mellon nin, I'm sorry but you need to wake up. We have to leave soon." Slowly Legolas was pulled from his sleep by Aragorn's insistent voice and he opened his eyes to semi-focus on the man. "Legolas, it is morning and Ada wants us to leave here soon," Aragorn explained calmly, sensing his friend's confusion, he was obviously still dazed. That had been the first proper, comfortable sleep he had gotten for weeks.

"Estel?" Legolas mumbled.

"Yes. We have to get you ready to leave. Do you think you can help us do that?" Aragorn asked gently.

Legolas nodded then slowly tilted his head up to look at his father. "Ada," Legolas sighed, resting his head back down on the king's chest wearily.

"I am here, Legolas, but Estel is right, we have to leave soon. The moment we get you back to Mirkwood you can sleep all you want, all right?" Legolas nodded again, this time forcing himself to sit up. Both Aragorn and Thranduil rushed to help him and soon Thranduil was standing up packing Legolas clothes away whilst Aragorn saw to the prince.

"Thank you," Legolas yawned as Aragorn laid a blanket around his shoulders.

"For what?"

Legolas glanced discreetly across at the king. "Whatever you said to him, it worked. Thank you."

Aragorn smiled broadly. "Well, I couldn't let you two just keep on fighting, could I? Then I would be all alone in facing his wrath."

Legolas laughed at this but quickly sobered and said more seriously, "Estel, I…"

"Don't. We'll talk about this later. Let's just get home first." Legolas nodded, looking down in near embarrassment.

"Here, ion nin." Thranduil handed the prince a thick tunic and cloak. Why he had packed so much, Aragorn didn't know but he was thankful for the king's over-protectiveness. Legolas, aided by Aragorn, pulled the tunic on and wrapped the cloak around his shoulders, inhaling the fresh, familiar scent of Mirkwood.

"I am afraid you're running a little short on clothes. Elrond has been handing them out to everyone. Even Jasmine is wearing one of your silk shirts. Actually, she looks quite fetching in it," Aragorn joked, causing Legolas to chuckle. "No, I'm serious. Don't be surprised if she raids your closet when we get back to Mirkwood."

"No one is raiding his closet when we get home," Thranduil warned both of them and Aragorn noticed the slight flicker of pain in Legolas' eyes at his father's somewhat harsh delivery of the warning.

"Well then I suppose she will just have to do with wearing mine," Aragorn said quickly, not wanting to see that look in Legolas' eyes for a second longer than necessary. It seemed like every time he did some good with his friend, Thranduil effortlessly found some way to undo it. He just couldn't understand the king's attitude. His son was slowly fading away and every time anyone did anything to help, he just brought Legolas crashing back down. "All right, now can you stand up?"

"I think so," Legolas sighed. He gained his feet but he was still somewhat unsteady.

At this point, Galadriel and Celeborn walked in, looking perfectly at ease now the danger had passed. "Good morning, Legolas. How are you feeling this morning?" Galadriel asked and Legolas just nodded in response. "We brought you some breakfast. Elrond orders you to eat it. He said it would do you a world of good." Celeborn handed Aragorn the plate, which the twins had obviously prepared. "We'll leave as soon as you are ready. Oh, and I think they will be taking the tent down in a minute so you had better come outside."

When the two Elves were gone, Legolas sat back down tiredly but just seconds later a member of the Mirkwood Guard entered, bowing to his king and prince. "Your Majesty, Lord Elrond has instructed us to take the tent down now. May I ask you to wait outside?"

"Of course, we'll be right out," Thranduil dismissed the messenger. "Come on, Legolas, let's get out of here." The prince nodded and took a deep breath before going to stand. Tiredness seemed to pull him down and he found that he was almost glued to the bed with exhaustion. "Legolas?" Thranduil asked, standing and waiting for his son at the tent flap. Legolas looked up at his father who had disappointment now shining in his eyes.

Again it was Aragorn who rescued the prince. He handed the plate he was holding over to Thranduil, shooting the king an annoyed look as he walked back over to Legolas. He knelt down before the Elf, who had his head bowed sadly. "Legolas, it's all right, mellon nin, there is no hurry. Take your time." Aragorn looked around briefly at the king, who looked a little abashed before leaving the two friends alone. "Don't worry about him. You need to be worrying only about yourself right now, not your father. Understand?"

Legolas nodded slowly but Aragorn saw tears forming in his eyes but he wasn't sure whether they were because of the dire situation he found himself in or because of his father's somewhat cold response to him. His question was answered a second later when Legolas softly spoke. "He is angry at me," the prince stated blandly.

"No, he is not. He just doesn't really know how to deal with this," Aragorn reassured, placing his hands on Legolas' knees.

"And I do?"

That was a strange thing for Legolas to say. It seemed so distant yet full of pain and grief. "No," the man whispered. "No, I suppose not. But you need to try, Legolas. We can deal with Thranduil later. But right at this moment you need to concentrate on what you need to do and that is to eat something to keep your strength up and get back on the road. One small step at a time, all right?"

"Estel, I don't know what I would do without you," Legolas smiled gently at his friend.

Aragorn returned the gesture and said, "Well, you won't ever have to. I am going to help you through this."

"I know you will."

"Do you think you can stand now?" Aragorn asked carefully, standing up ready to aid Legolas if he needed it. The prince stood, again unsteadily, and Aragorn helped him regain his balance, not missing the flinch of pain when he straightened. "Come on, the sooner we get you home the better."

Legolas took a few faltering steps forward but then stopped, placing his hand gently against his side. "It hurts," Legolas whispered, closing his eyes against the pain in his back.

"I know, mellon nin. One step at a time, remember? Slowly." Aragorn took hold of Legolas' arm, holding on tightly in case he required the support. "Take it slowly, I have got you."

When Aragorn pulled the tent flap back, Legolas took a deep breath and straightened out further. Apparently even in his condition he could keep up a façade. Aragorn just hoped that the cracked mask would hold out long enough for Legolas to reach home because he had no idea how to handle it if he didn't.

**To Be Continued…**


	101. Homeward Bound

**Disclaimer: **I own nothing Tolkien created.

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**Sold Into Ruin**

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**Chapter 101 ~ Homeward Bound**

**~*~**

Legolas sat down with Aragorn, Jasmine and Arron by the fire and began eating the breakfast that Elladan and Elrohir had prepared for him. The four friends were not given as much as normal as they had not had a proper meal in a long time and Elrond knew it could cause more harm than good to give them too much. Legolas ate in silence, grateful for a warm meal, but the others chattered animatedly. Aragorn smiled over at Jasmine occasionally, which did not go unnoticed by Legolas. Arron also noticed and grinned at Legolas, who hushed him before he could speak up and embarrass the pair.

Whilst they were eating, Elrond and the twins were checking that everyone else was able to travel and that the guards were aware of what they needed to be looking out for. They were under strict instructions from King Thranduil to guard Legolas with their lives but Elrond needed more than that. He needed to know that they were looking out for everyone's instincts not just the prince's. Thranduil was supervising the dismantling of the camp, shouting orders at his Guard about where everything went. Unfortunately, seeing as they had lost the horses they could not take everything with them, meaning the large tent would have to stay behind as well as some of the other non-essentials. So, the guards packed everything they thought they would need away in small bags for people to carry, being careful to keep the weight down as much as possible.

Every now and then, the king would glance sadly over at his son, who looked almost comfortable sat by the fire with his friends – old and new. For some reason, Thranduil couldn't help but think that his son was somehow different now. Around him he found it difficult to control his temper whereas with Legolas in the past he had always been so patient. He had had to be after Nienna's death. Thranduil could not explain it but it frightened him – Legolas frightened him. No one else seemed too concerned about the prince's countenance though and Thranduil tried to convince himself that it was just his imagination. Of course Legolas was different; he had been through a lot in the past few weeks. How could he not be different after everything that had happened to him? But now Thranduil was reminded of the times he had nearly confronted Legolas about his mother, how afraid he was of his son in those moments when Legolas had become almost indifferent to him.

"Thranduil," Elrond's voice pulled him from his musings. "Are you nearly ready to leave?"

"Yes. There's nothing more to do here," the king replied as he watched guards handing out the packed bags.

"Good. We're going to have to keep up a fairly brisk pace. We don't want to be lingering too long in Mirkwood's forest for too long without proper provisions. You take place up the front and I'll try to keep the injured in the middle with me and Galadriel and Celeborn can take up the rear, that way we're protected from all sides."

"Don't you think I should stay with Legolas?" Thranduil asked, sounding rather nervous about leaving his son alone.

"I think it better that I stay with him just in case he needs me and it will be safer in the centre of the group. Besides, you know your way through the forest better than anyone and most of us will need a guide," Elrond reasoned. "He will be all right, Thranduil. I'll take good care of him, I promise." Thranduil nodded almost uncertainly and Elrond went over to speak with his son and Legolas. "You ate all your food, that's excellent," Elrond praised the younger pair. "Legolas, do you think you feel strong enough to start moving?"

"Yes, Elrond, I am more than ready to go home," Legolas smiled but again Aragorn could hear the slight unease in his voice.

"Good, well, we'll start whenever you four are ready. Arron, Jasmine, I suggest you two stay in the middle with us, although I know you are not injured. Elladan and Elrohir, stay with them, keep them safe."

"Yes Ada," the twins said together.

"Legolas, your father is going up front to guide us and Estel, you are not leaving my side, is that clear?"

There was no room for argument in Elrond's tone and Aragorn offered none, nodding his acceptance.

Thranduil watched all this from a distance, still not convinced of this plan. He walked over to Haldir, who was speaking with one of his Galadhrim. "Haldir, I need a favour," he said after dismissing the guard of Lothlorien.

"Anything, Your Majesty," the Marchwarden responded without pause.

"I want you to watch over my son."

"Of course, my Lord."

"No, I mean I want you to watch over him. Do not take your eyes off him and if anything happens, take him and Estel and run back to Mirkwood regardless of anyone else. Do you understand?" Thranduil's voice was low and serious and left no room for question or argument.

"Yes, Your Majesty," Haldir said, giving Thranduil a polite bow before walking back over to his waiting people.

At this point, two of the Galadhrim dragged a struggling Jadan back into the camp. He had been kept just outside in case he tried anything else but now he was allowed to rejoin the party, although he remained tied up tightly and was being held at knifepoint. They weren't going to chance that he might try to hurt someone again.

Elrond walked over to him holding a cup of water and some leftover hot food. "If we untie you, are you going to behave yourself?"

"Yes," Jadan growled.

"Because if not I'll just throw this away." Elrond turned away from Jadan ready to leave but was stopped by an apologetic shout from the man. Elrond nodded and the two Galadhrim untied his hands. Elrond handed him the plate and he snatched it from him. Although he was a prisoner they had not been cruel to him. Elrond himself had seen to the knife wound Legolas had given him when he had tried to take Arron and he had been given fresh water and some food last night.

With one last warning glance at the man, Elrond went back to the friends by the fire. They had finished their food and were waiting for Elrond to give the signal to leave. Everyone else looked ready, even Thranduil appeared eager to leave now. He was carrying two heavy bags with him, ignoring the protests from the Mirkwood Guard about their king injuring himself.

At last they moved out of the camp, with Elladan and Elrohir trailing behind, clearing away any signs that they had ever been there. The last thing they wanted was to be tracked in the Mirkwood Forest. Galadriel and Celeborn, accompanied by the Galadhrim, walked near the back with an angry looking Jadan in tow. Elrond made sure that Aragorn, Legolas, Jasmine and Arron stayed near him though. Although it would probably only be a day's walk to Mirkwood's palace, Elrond sensed that it wouldn't be an easy one.

~*~

No matter how much Thranduil pressed forwards, the pace of the travellers did not seem to be sufficiently fast enough for him. Several times now, Elrond had called for him to slow down when he sped up too much. Glancing once more behind him, he saw Elrond checking Aragorn over again. The man's wound was causing him more problems than they had anticipated. They had only been walking for three hours but it was still only nine in the morning. Thranduil had hoped to keep going until at least noon but Elrond called for them to stop and rest and everyone took their packs off, pleased for the break. For most of them it wasn't the walking that was the problem, it was the relentless game of tug-of-war Elrond and Thranduil seemed to be participating in. The King of Mirkwood pulled them onwards whilst the Lord of Imladris was holding them back. Some of them were getting a little confused as to where their allegiances lie.

Thranduil walked over to where Elrond was standing and placed his packs on the ground, rummaging around in them for a flask of water. He handed it almost coldly to Legolas, who took it in his hands with a barely disguised wince. Elrond shot Thranduil an annoyed look but the king didn't seem to notice.

"Legolas, sit down for a while. I'll have a look at those wounds after I've seen to Estel," Elrond instructed calmly, helping his son sit down on a near-by fallen log.

"I'm fine, thank you, Lord Elrond," Legolas reassured, looking out into the forest with what appeared to be concern.

"I'm sure you are but please just this once do as I ask," Elrond smiled when Legolas looked back to him. The prince sat down on the log next to Aragorn and again looked out into the forest.

Aragorn noticed his concern when he looked over and asked, "What is it?" The man recognised that look. He had seen it many times before, most recently in the Handy Tavern and that had not exactly worked out well.

Elrond also looked over at Legolas. "It's probably nothing," Legolas said softly, tearing his gaze away from the trees.

"That usually means something's wrong," Aragorn said, obvious worry creeping into his voice as he looked out to where Legolas had been staring, hoping to catch some glimpse of what the prince saw in the forest. However, he found nothing and was forced to return his attention to his father who had just applied another bandage to the bleeding wound. It wasn't much but it was starting to become painful. He looked across to Legolas. Although this must have been hard for him, he hadn't heard the Elf complain once and that was worrying. He would much rather Legolas be shouting about the pain than be in this contemplative, quiet state he was in now because that usually meant trouble.

By now, Elrond had moved on to Legolas, checking his wounds carefully without removing the bandages. He may have been able to do a quick repair job on Aragorn's but Legolas' were far more complicated and would take a long time to repair, time they simply didn't have right then.

After no more than five minutes, Thranduil wandered over, placing his packs down in front of Legolas. "We shouldn't wait around here for too long. It's too dangerous to linger," Thranduil said with no real urgency, just impatience.

Aragorn sighed loudly, showing just how annoyed he was with the king's attitude. Thankfully, Elrond was a little calmer; although they could all hear the hint of anger in his voice at Thranduil's obvious impatience. "How about allowing your son a few minutes to recover?" he said, pulling Legolas' cloak around him once more.

"No, it's all right," Legolas reassured, not wanting an argument to start between them. "I'm ready to go." He stood up slowly with Elrond at his side.

"Legolas…" the healer began, about to tell him not to give in to his father.

"Elrond, please let's just go," Legolas snapped, showing a little of his father's impatience. Elrond nodded slowly and walked after him with Aragorn just behind; they both shot an annoyed look at Thranduil and the king sighed, not really knowing why he was being so short with his injured son. He put it down to his eagerness to get back to the safety of the palace.

Once Thranduil had shouted the order for them to leave, everyone got back into formation and in a matter of minutes they were on the move again.

It was quite a while before they stopped again. By now they were deep in the Mirkwood forest. Although it was still afternoon everything in the forest was dark and spooky. Of course, Thranduil and Legolas knew this forest better than anyone and were not too concerned by the lack of light. They were, however, more cautious than before. Mirkwood's stronghold was dangerous enough and that was in the good part of the kingdom but this was closer to the Orcs and Spider lairs than the palace and so was infinitely more dangerous.

Aragorn also had some idea of what this place was like. Legolas had taken him hunting once but Aragorn had been almost overwhelmed by the amount of evil inside that part of the forest and he had never asked Legolas to take him again and the Elf never offered, understanding his friend's reluctance. Legolas, however, knew these darker parts better than even his father as he had spent many years fighting the evil that lay within his realm. He also knew how dangerous it was to linger in one place for too long. They were already all tired and some of them were hurt, they were hardly in a position to fight against the vicious Orcs and other evils that haunted the dark forest.

As they walked in near silence through the trees, Aragorn noticed Legolas becoming increasingly more wary. His eyes were alert and darting from side to side, checking almost every treetop as they passed.

"Legolas?" Aragorn questioned in a whisper.

The Elf suddenly stopped in his tracks, scanning the trees with his eyes. Elladan and Elrohir, who had also travelled with Legolas before, drew their swords ready for trouble. People behind them halted as well but Thranduil kept moving with the front half, apparently not sharing his son's trepidation.

"What's wrong?" Elrond asked, worried that it was Legolas' wounds that were bothering him.

"We're being hunted," Legolas answered in a low voice.

Immediately, Elrond's eyes moved to the trees around them but he could see very little through the darkness and mist, which seemed to have descended on the forest. Even with his excellent Elven hearing, he couldn't even hear the sound of the trees, which seemed strange in such a huge forest. He had not noticed how quiet it had become. "What is it?" Elrond asked, hoping the prince would give him some clue as to what they would soon have to face.

Legolas concentrated, listening intently but he shook his head. "I don't know."

"Great. If it's hunting us then it's probably evil. Just what we need," Aragorn said sarcastically, although there was also a hint of worry in his voice.

After only another second of looking out into the forest, Legolas urged, "Come on, we should keep moving."

In the shadows, wide eyes looking on menacingly at the travellers. They were easy prey.

**To Be Continued…**


	102. Battles On All Fronts

**Disclaimer: **I own nothing Tolkien created.

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**Sold Into Ruin**

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**A/N: Wow, this fic has over 950 reviews now. That is so amazing. Thanks to everyone who is still reading – I know it is long – and to everyone who has reviewed. Please keep them coming. I do love reading them and if you leave a signed review I will try to reply. **

**Enjoy the chapter. And, as ever, don't kill me for what I'm about to do.**

**~*~**

**Chapter 102 ~ Battles On All Fronts **

**~*~**

The next time they stopped it was for Legolas. The injured Elf was trying his best to keep up with the others who all seemed to be going unusually quickly but he was finding it increasingly difficult due to his injuries and the utter dejection he felt right then. In an instant, the ground seemed to fall away from him and he felt himself tilting sideways. He collapsed to one side, grabbing hold of a near-by tree to support himself before he actually hit the ground. Thankfully, Elrond and Aragorn were at his side in a second, the elder Elf guiding the younger to sit down on the ground because Legolas still couldn't get the world into proper focus.

"Sorry, Elrond," Legolas murmured, trying to clear his head of the annoying fuzziness that kept him sat down, as the healer fussed over him for a moment.

"It's all right," Elrond said gently, placing his hand on Legolas' arm. "Here, have something to drink and catch your breath." Elrond handed him a flask of water. Legolas did as he was told, slowly drinking and allowing his vision to return to normal. "Estel, sit down as well." Aragorn also did as he was told, not about to protest over having a few moment's rest. "All right?" Elrond asked Legolas when he handed the flask back to him. Legolas nodded, still feeling a little dizzy but at least a little more in control of himself now.

"What happened?" Thranduil asked, dropping his pack down on the ground. The king didn't look too happy about having being stopped yet again.

"Legolas just needs a moment's rest," Elrond answered tersely. He had not been at all impressed with Thranduil's attitude so far and the king was doing very little to redeem himself.

"Again? We only stopped a few minutes ago," Thranduil moaned.

"Well, we're stopping again so you may as well sit down and take the weight off your feet," Elrond ground out.

"I think I'm all right now," Legolas wearily interrupted, not wanting this to escalate into a full-blown argument between the two Lords.

"No Legolas, we have time for you to rest. I'm going to check your wounds before we move on anyway." The healer was not backing down.

"He just said that he was fine." Thranduil picked up his pack, getting ready to leave.

"He is not fine, Thranduil. He can barely stand," Elrond shouted as the king went to move away.

"He is not a child; he can walk a little further," Thranduil said, shooting an annoyed glance at Legolas, which stung the prince a little. Aragorn noticed this and stood, almost as though waiting to defend his friend should he need it.

"Why don't you just slow down for a minute, Thranduil, and think of your son for once?"

"I am thinking of my son. I'm thinking of getting him out of this Orc-infested forest and getting him to safety. I think that is a little more important than taking it nice and slowly. So pick up your things, help him up and let's go."

"Are you blind? He can't carry on like this, Thranduil."

"I'm fine," Legolas interrupted again, standing a little unsteadily, accepting Aragorn's help with a nod of thanks.

"No, you're not. Sit down."

"Let's just go."

"Yes Elrond, let's go. At least someone's seeing sense, for the first time in a long time," Thranduil muttered under his breath.

"What?" Legolas snapped before Elrond himself could retort.

Thranduil muttered, "Nothing," under his breath and went to walk away.

"No, if you have something to say, Ada, then say it to my face. You obviously have something against me right now, so what is it?" Legolas asked, confronting his father with a tired bravado.

"Can we just go? We're wasting time."

"You have been like this ever since you found me so tell me what I have done to offend you so much," Legolas demanded.

"You haven't done anything," Thranduil yelled back angrily.

"Clearly that isn't true."

"We can talk about this when we get back to Mirkwood but right now you are wasting time and my patience is running thin," Thranduil told him frostily, his voice resembling the tone of an angry parent telling off a naughty child.

"I want to talk about it now," Legolas called after him. By now, everyone, including Elrond and Aragorn, was looking a little shocked at this. It wasn't very often that the king and crown prince of Mirkwood got into a verbal tug-of-war in front of other people.

"Legolas," Galadriel said gently, walking over to him. "Come on, you're tired and you're in pain and you're not thinking straight right now. Don't say anything you'll regret later." She laid her hand gently on his arm but he shrugged her off, keeping cool blue eyes fixed on his father.

"I want to hear what he has to say," Legolas said coldly.

"You really want to hear what I have to say?" Thranduil yelled back, walking right up to Legolas and confronting him face-to-face. "You recklessly put yourself and everyone around you in danger and then expect us to clear up the mess. Then you have the nerve to expect everyone to carry on as if nothing happened. That's what I really think. It that what you wanted to hear?" the king shouted at his stunned son.

"Thranduil, that is enough," Elrond said through the tense silence that followed.

"No, Elrond, he's right," Legolas said, his eyes not leaving his father's identical ones. "I did all of this on purpose. I got myself and my best friend kidnapped by murderous, psychopathic Men and then dragged half of the Mirkwood Guard, the Galadhrim and the Imladrian Guard into my wicked plot. And all this," he splayed his bandaged hands before his father, "was just an effect, a prop to help the play along a little. Thank goodness you can through, Ada; the play just wouldn't be complete without your unerring faith in me and the Elven race in general." Sarcasm now dripped from his voice as well as anger at his father's cruel words. "This is what your perfect son really is. I live to make your life a misery. It's just taken you all this time to figure it out. So let's get back to Mirkwood and cause some more trouble there because I really don't want to stick around…"

Before Legolas could finish his anger-fuelled rant, Thranduil suddenly flung himself onto his son, knocking them both to the ground just as an arrow whooshed past them and slammed into a tree behind the prince. The king heard Legolas shout in pain but he didn't have any time to waste helping him as he pulled his sword from its sheath and struggled up. Beside him, the Galadhrim and Mirkwood Guard had drawn their bows and were firing arrows at the attackers, still hiding in the cover of the trees.

Once he was certain that he was covered, Thranduil turned to Haldir and shouted, "Take Legolas and Estel and get them back to Mirkwood. We'll hold them off." The Marchwarden briefly looked to Celeborn for permission and the Lord of Lorien nodded before instructing Galadriel to go with them.

Aragorn grabbed Arron and Jasmine's hands, pulling them along with him through the Elves and after Haldir and Galadriel. Thranduil, meanwhile, helped his still shocked son up from the ground. Legolas had been unable to move after the tackle from his father and stars of pain still danced across his vision.

"Go with Haldir. Get back to the palace and stay there," Thranduil instructed firmly, his hands on Legolas' shoulders.

Legolas glanced over at the trees, which now revealed the advancing Orcs, and shook his head, saying, "I'm not leaving you."

"Yes you are. Go," Thranduil said, pushing Legolas gently towards the retreating Haldir, who was waiting for the prince to join him. "Elrond, go with him," Thranduil bluntly ordered the Elven healer.

"You'll need me to fight," Elrond said, drawing his sword.

"I need you to look after my son. Please," Thranduil countered, those simple words causing Elrond to nod in agreement before calling a quick 'be careful' to his own two sons and grabbing his healing pack off the ground.

"I can fight," Legolas said, reaching for his sword but wincing when his tender hands touched the hilt.

"No, you can't. Go with Elrond, Legolas. Now." Legolas shook his head, looking again towards the Orcs. Thranduil sheathed his weapon and placed his hands on either side of Legolas' face, forcing the prince to look into his eyes. "I need you to be safe, Legolas. Now please go."

Legolas looked into his father's eyes for a moment before nodding and hugging his father tightly. "I am so sorry for what I…"

Thranduil pulled away. "Apologise later when all this is over. I love you more than anything, Legolas. Now go. Elrond, take him," Thranduil shouted to the healer, who was waiting for the prince. Elrond stepped forward, taking Legolas' arm and pulling him gently towards the trees where Haldir was waiting impatiently for them. "No matter what happens, keep him safe," the king called to the Marchwarden, drawing his sword once more and turning to face the oncoming battle.

A retreating Legolas turned around just in time to see the army of Orcs clash with the guards and his father but Haldir and Elrond pulled him away, wanting to get as far away from the battle as possible.

After a while of running, tripping over the forest's floor, which seemed intent on making them fall, Haldir finally slowed down a little. None of them had quite realised where they were going and now, as they entered a small glade in the dark forest, they realised that they were hopelessly lost. Aragorn and Jasmine practically fell to the ground when they stopped, worn out from the run.

"Any idea where we are?" Galadriel asked them. "Legolas?" It seemed natural to turn to the prince for guidance. He had walked this forest countless times so he should have known this place like the back of his hand. Unfortunately for them, he looked as confused as everyone else.

He spun around but the forest was disorienting and he knew that this was a common complaint in Mirkwood. Some people even said the trees rearranged themselves to confuse unwary travellers. Of course this was utter nonsense but right then, to Legolas, it seemed entirely possible. "I, um, I don't know." He looked around himself again but still had no idea where they were. Legolas knew that this was the darkest part of the forest – the place few dared to venture. "I'm not sure…"

Elrond could see how disoriented and confused the prince was getting and knew that he was no help in that state. He placed his hands on Legolas' arms, stopping him in his tracks. Looking deep into blue eyes, he said softly, "Stop. Take a moment, regain your bearings."

Legolas closed his eyes, took a deep breath and then reopened them, trying to see the forest in a new light. It didn't work though and he sighed in desperation. Mirkwood was not the best place to get lost; danger lurked everywhere for the unsuspecting.

"I have no clue where we are," Legolas admitted softly, not missing the flash of disappointment that flickered through Elrond's kind brown eyes. "I'm sorry," he whispered, his hand going to his head as if trying to halt the relentless spinning.

"Hey, it's all right," Elrond assured gently. "Come and sit down for a minute."

"So, let me get this straight," Jadan said coldly, still being restrained by Haldir, "we are lost in the middle of the forest with a completely useless guide and absolutely no protection from the hoards of Orcs that are right now probably picking up on our trail and considering how to serve us for lunch. What kind of prince doesn't know his own kingdom?" Jadan yelled at Legolas, who was now being looked at by Elrond.

"Let _me _get _this_ straight, you are still a prisoner. So shut up unless you have something useful to say," Haldir snapped threateningly.

"Well, if we didn't have such a stupid _guide _we wouldn't be in this mess."

Haldir looked like he was about to draw his weapon on the man so Elrond intervened. "This isn't helping," he reasoned from Legolas' side. Looking up at the prince, he added gently, "Do you have any idea where we could be?"

"I…I don't know."

"Just take your time, try and remember. There's no rush."

Legolas nodded, looking around more calmly at the glade, once again in control. After a moment's thought he said slowly, "I believe there is a river near here."

"That's good; rivers usually lead to settlements."

"I'm sorry; you _believe_ there's a river nearby?" Jadan asked.

"Shut up!" Aragorn, Haldir and Elrond all shouted at the same time.

"Do you think you could take us to the river?" Galadriel asked, echoing Elrond's calmness.

"I think so," Legolas answered. He was now fairly confident that he could find their way out of here. Whether he could do it before they ran into trouble was another matter entirely.

"Excellent. Now, can you stand?" Elrond asked and Legolas nodded slowly, letting the Elven Lord help him stand before they once more set off into the forest.

As they made their way through the dark trees, the forest seemed to do everything it could to trip them up. Jadan seemed to constantly be tripping over, stumbling through the undergrowth almost as though the roots of the trees were purposefully tripping him up. Strangely, Legolas wasn't having any such trouble. Elrond and Galadriel understood that even this dark forest had some amount of respect for the Prince of Mirkwood.

**To Be Continued…**


	103. Tragic And Lost

**Disclaimer: **I own nothing Tolkien created.

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**Sold Into Ruin**

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**Chapter 103 ~ Tragic And Lost **

**~*~**

Thranduil decapitated another Orc as it tried to hack at him with its weapon. The fight was beginning to wind down now and although there hadn't been a great number of Orcs to attack they had certainly put up a good fight. They seemed intent on killing the king but thankfully the Mirkwood Guard protected him well and soon the few remaining Orcs slipped away into the forest, realising they were no match for even a drastically diminished Elven army.

The king of Mirkwood wiped the blade of his sword on his tunic, ridding it of the thick, black Orkish blood. "We should get moving," he informed the Guard. "I want to meet Legolas back at the palace."

Within moments they were marching away from the scene of the battle. The Mirkwood Guard were used to such skirmishes and it no longer really bothered them and Thranduil was just eager to get home and tend to his son. He already regretted being so short with Legolas and knew a lot of apologies were in order and plenty of reassurance and care would have to be given to make up for what he had said to his son. He just hoped that Legolas would eventually forgive him for his flippant attitude to the whole situation. He was just so worried for his son.

~*~

After pushing their way through another tangle of vines, which seemed to cling relentless onto them, the party of travellers, led by a clearly exhausted Legolas, exited the dense trees and came to the riverbank. Aragorn immediately sat down on a fallen log but jumped back up with a shout when a large spider crawled across his hand. Elrond smiled and sat down, not at all concerned by the creatures crawling around it. There were far more dangerous things in the forest of Mirkwood than a little spider.

Jadan went straight to the river and dipped his cupped hands in, bringing up the water to drink. Legolas shouted at him not to though, roughly pulling his hands apart so the water fell back into the river.

"What, I'm not even allowed to have a drink now?" Jadan yelled, standing and coming face-to-face with the prince.

"Ah, let him drink it," Aragorn said flippantly, taking off his shoe and ridding it of leaf litter and stones.

"The water in this river is enchanted," Legolas explained.

"Enchanted?" Jadan scoffed.

"Poisoned. One sip of it is enough to put you in a coma for months," the prince continued. "Many of Mirkwood's rivers have become poisoned since Sauron moved into the forest."

"Sauron?" Jadan asked, alarm entering his voice.

"Realx, he was driven from the forest decades ago; only his shadow of evil remains now," Elrond said in Legolas' place as again the prince began trying to get his bearings, attempting to figure out where he was and where they needed to go in order to get back to the palace. He vaguely remembered this river but he wasn't sure if they were on the right side or not. He hoped so – crossing the river in their condition would not be easy. No to mention the fact that even a small drop of the water ingested was enough to floor even the strongest of people.

"Well, what now? Where do we go?" Jasmine asked, tending to Nienna at the same time.

"I…" Legolas again looked lost, not sure which way led back to the palace. Even the Guard avoided these rivers if possible; they were simply too dangerous to chance going near and many a traveller had been caught in their trap. "I…Elrond?"

"I'm afraid I don't know much about this part of Mirkwood," the Elven Lord admitted apologetically. Legolas had rather hoped that he might have been able to help but clearly not.

"So, we're stranded by the poisonous river with a prince who doesn't know his own kingdom. Perfect. What better way to die than to starve to death in this forsaken place."

"One more negative word from you and I'll…" Haldir warned the man.

"You'll what? Throw me in? Well, go ahead. It's not like I've got anything else to lose. I mean, seriously, Legolas, how can you get lost in your own kingdom? What happened to knowing Mirkwood inside out? Knowing the forest inside out? I told you we would never be able to pull this thing off. I told you…"

"We are out of the encampment, aren't we?" Aragorn said without any trace of satisfaction.

"Yes, well noticed. We're out of the encampment and into another prison – only this one is far more likely to kill us and here we are – lost – with no one even looking for us anymore. What good is being outside if this useless Elf can't even get us to safety?" Jadan yelled at Legolas who simply turned away and closed his eyes, trying to block out both Jadan's tirade and the pain that continued to assail him.

"Would you shut up!" Haldir shouted, pushing Jadan down into a sitting position in the hope that it might keep him quiet. He continued to rant though and Haldir continued to threaten.

"This isn't getting us anywhere," Aragorn eventually said, interrupting Jadan's ranting to Legolas, who had taken a few steps away and was looking out at the murky river. Jadan was not finished though and turned his assault onto Aragorn and pretty soon Jasmine was trying to pry the two apart and Elrond was shouting at the criminal to leave his son alone. Legolas stood alone and quiet, just staring out at the river, hoping it would offer some inspiration or comfort. This part of the forest was unforgiving and when he glanced towards the forest it shouted harshly at him, offering none of the peace the other trees closer to the palace did. In that moment Legolas thought how great it would be to feel nothing at all. The river could offer him that – release from all the horrors he had seen and all the pain he was now experiencing.

As the others continued to argue, Legolas sat down on the ground, burying his head in his hands, wishing it would all just stop. Night was beginning to fall and as the sky fell into twilight, the temperature dropped and he felt a shiver ripple through him despite his cloak.

A gentle hand on his shoulder disturbed him from his thoughts and he looked up to see Elrond crouching next to him. He hadn't noticed the others had finally stopped arguing and were watching the prince sitting alone on the bank.

"Legolas, do you know where we're going?" Elrond again asked gently, looking deep into Legolas' worryingly glazed eyes. "Legolas?"

Slowly, Legolas looked behind him to see all the pairs of eyes waiting for an answer. He got painfully to his feet and looked up into the trees. They gave him nothing but insults in their own wispy language though and he ignored them.

"I don't have a clue," Legolas finally admitted. Jadan let out an irritated sigh but was silenced by Haldir's threat. "It is starting to get dark though. We can find our way in the morning," he said, walking towards the log Aragorn was sitting on.

"We should go now. I don't want to be out here a moment longer than we have to be," Jadan stated his opinion firmly.

"Fine, go ahead then. Good luck finding your way in the dark. Oh, and watch out for the Giant Spiders, their webs are extremely sticky and once caught you'll never get back out. And the Orc lairs as well, they can be pretty nasty if you aren't prepared. Not to mention the fact that this forest will swallow you up if you don't know your way around. Believe me, Jadan. There is no place you should be more afraid of than the dark places of Mirkwood at night. So go ahead, leave for the palace along, see how far you get."

Everyone was slightly stunned by Legolas' words even though he remained calm and his voice never rose above a shout and Jadan looked suitably spooked and simply remained quiet after that.

"We should build a fire before it gets dark, it will help keep the spiders at bay." Galadriel nodded for Haldir to collect some wood, trusting that Jadan wouldn't do anything stupid after what he had just learned.

"I am glad someone knows what to do in this place," Aragorn smiled at his friend and Legolas nodded his thanks for the encouragement however strained it may have been. "Maybe even Jadan could do something useful," he then snapped at the other man who was just sitting there sulking.

"I must admit, I have never stayed out in Mirkwood at night before without a proper escort," Galadriel said, standing close to Legolas, trusting that the younger Elf knew what he was doing in the forest.

He looked across at her with tired eyes, which shocked her in their expressiveness. She had not considered that he might also be worried about this. He had, after all, grown up with these dangers no matter how hard Thranduil had tried to shield him from them. Everyone was just assuming that he had done this often and was well-prepared for such an incidence. Unfortunately for them, Legolas hardly made a habit of this and, being the prince, rarely ventured into the forest without an armed escort.

"Everything will be fine," he said nevertheless, trying his best not to show his true nerves in front of the Lady of Lorien.

Galadriel placed a delicate hand on his arm and smiled, "Yes it will, Legolas. Just hang in there, we'll be home soon." Her voice reassured him and at the same time filled him with sadness. He remembered the time she had come to him and spoken so softly and reassuringly, that he had allowed her to look inside his mind – a massive invasion of privacy and a scary thing for one so young to go through, especially considering he knew exactly what she would see and that it wasn't a pleasant experience he was recalling. She was the only one he had been entirely honest with, she was the only one who knew everything about him. That in itself was unnerving considering the secrets he always carried with him.

"My Lady…" he started, his voice quiet, almost childlike for a moment.

"It's alright," she whispered and he nodded and offered her a fake smile. She knew they would certainly have to deal with this sooner rather than later. She just hoped that he could hold on until they reached the palace where Thranduil could help him. If not they were in serious trouble. Weakness may have been dangerous in the encampment but out here in the open forest it was even more of a liability.

At that moment, before either of them could take the conversation any further, Haldir returned from the forest carrying a bunch of dry twigs and grass to act as kindling. The skilled marchwarden quickly lit a fire with practiced efficiency. It wasn't huge but it was just big enough for them to all huddle around and offer them some warmth during the cold Mirkwood night.

Legolas was wandering around the camp, trying to get his bearings, an important skill when in the Forest of Mirkwood. He didn't seem to be doing a very good job though, merely going through the motions so Elrond called over to him. Immediately, Legolas was at his side. "You don't have to do that," he whispered kindly.

"Sorry, force of habit," the prince smiled, trying to keep up the pretence that he was fine in front of Elrond.

Elrond merely smiled gently back, putting his hand on the prince's shoulder. "Why don't you come and sit down for a while?" Although it was said as a gentle suggestion, Elrond honestly didn't think that Legolas could stay on his feet much longer. Legolas nodded and allowed himself to be guided towards the small fire, which Haldir had finished building up.

The healer led Legolas close to the fire, noting how although he was doing his best to hide it the prince was shivering from the cold. He was bundled up in his own clothes and his own cloak but it was still cold out and it was seeping through his clothes. Elrond knew that because of his wounds he was far more susceptible to the temperatures. The Elven Lord helped him to sit down and knelt next to him. "You stay close to the fire, all right? Try and get warm." Legolas nodded but at the same time turned his eyes sadly over to Elrond. "I know it seems impossible," the Elven Lord smiled, rubbing his hands up and down Legolas' arms hoping to generate a little warmth. "There you go. A little better?" Elrond asked, sitting back but Legolas just let his dull eyes close, not only against the cold but against the relentless, horrific pain ripping through him.

As usual, Elrond seemed to know exactly what he was thinking when he bowed his head, almost gritting his teeth in pain. He also knew Legolas would never say or do anything about it in front of the others. He leaned in close to Legolas, asking in a discreet whisper, "Would you like to step into the forest for a few minutes, have a little time by yourself?" Although Elrond thought that Legolas would ignore this suggestion completely he actually nodded gently, opening his eyes but avoiding Elrond's gaze. "All right," he said gently. Slowly, he helped Legolas stand up somewhat shakily, the prince leaning on him for support.

"Where are you going?" Aragorn asked in alarm as Elrond led Legolas towards the forest.

"We'll be right back, Estel," Elrond reassured not about to answer the question truthfully, wanting to protect what little privacy could be afforded to the prince.

"Wait, you're going into the forest?" Haldir asked, also moving closer to them. "My Lord, I should come with you; it could be dangerous."

Elrond gestured to the sword hanging from his belt, saying curtly, "I think I can take care of myself, thank you Haldir."

"Ada, please, it could be dangerous out there. Please take Haldir with you…"

"Estel," Elrond interrupted snappily. "How about giving your friend a little time alone without all of you watching him," he hissed sharply, not that Legolas was taking much notice of them anyway; he looked like he was concentrating too hard on staying on his feet. Looking abashed, Aragorn nodded apologetically. As he helped Legolas walk towards the forest, Elrond bent down and snatched up a canteen of water, thinking that he might need it later.

He helped Legolas stumble through the forest until they came to a less dense area a fair way from their camp by the riverbank. Legolas immediately turned away from Elrond, leaning his hands against a large, black tree trunk, taking deep, shaky breaths. As hard as he tried to stop it, bile rose in his throat and he vomited what little he had managed to eat during their travels. Elrond went to step forward to help him but, hearing his approach, Legolas held up a trembling hand to stop him and he dutifully took another step back so he didn't crowd the prince. Legolas finally sank down onto his knees, his hands still braced against the tree as if it were supporting him through this moment of weakness.

Once Legolas was finished, Elrond came to him, kneeling down beside him. He held out the canteen for Legolas. The prince was still gulping in deep breaths of air, trying to clear the tears stinging his eyes.

Elrond carefully put his arm around Legolas' shoulders. "Take some small sips of this," he advised, holding out the flask and Legolas took it, doing as instructed. "It's just a reaction to the pain, mellon nin. Try and relax through it," he explained as Legolas drank slowly. "All right?" Elrond then asked gently once Legolas had handed him back the flask.

Legolas nodded, "I think so," but his voice was still extremely unsteady. "I'm sorry." Elrond could see and hear that he was now dangerously close to losing control and he would rather him get this out of his system now, away from the others. He must have needed the release after hours of trying to hold up that strong façade in front of his friends.

"It's all right, just take your time," Elrond said gently. Legolas was still fighting for control and Elrond could see, as hard as he was trying, he was fast losing the battle. "Listen, I'm going to be right over there. I'll be deaf and blind for a couple of minutes so you just…you do whatever you need to, all right?" Legolas bowed his head, replacing his hand against the tree as if to brace himself, as though that might help him suppress all this emotion. "Go on, we're far enough away from the camp that no one can see or hear you so you can cry or scream or whatever you need to."

Carefully, Elrond stepped away and for a long moment Legolas sat perfectly still but tense, then he leaned up against the tree, pressing himself into it. Elrond heard his soft crying becoming steadily more uncontrollable, desperate and saw his hands gripping onto the tree so hard that it must have hurt his burnt hands. Elrond half expected to hear screaming but he knew the prince was too restrained for that, not willing to risk being heard by anyone else. He sank further down, nearly lying on the ground now. Although the healer in Elrond desperately wanted to rush forward and help him, he stayed back as he had promised as Legolas wrapped his arms around himself tightly.

Watching Legolas writhing on the ground in agony, knowing none of his friends could see his moment of weakness, caused Elrond's heart to constrict in pain. He wished he had brought stronger healing herbs with him but he hadn't expected anything like this extent of injuries. He watched as Legolas tried to take deep breaths and try frantically to suppress the screams that threatened to bubble up in his throat.

He seemed to calm himself after a while and forced himself to sit up straight, his blue eyes looking up into the canopy as though it might offer some relief. Elrond stepped forward, once more kneeling down next to Legolas and offering up the canteen of fresh water. Legolas took it but his hands were shaking so badly he couldn't even lift it.

Elrond laid his own hands on top of Legolas' to steady them, gently prying the flask from them. "It's all right," he whispered and Legolas' eyes drifted up to Elrond. "Let's get you back to the camp." He helped Legolas regain his feet although he still leaned heavily on Elrond. The prince had only taken a couple of steps forward though when he stumbled, vomiting again. Although Elrond tried to keep him upright, eventually, he settled for gently lowering him to the ground as he drew in desperate gulps of air. "It's all right, I've got you," Elrond reassured, holding tightly onto Legolas. "I've got you," he repeated in a whisper as Legolas gripped his arm as though afraid of being swept away from the one person who could help him. "I'm not going to let go," Elrond promised, holding him tightly with one arm and smoothing damp hair out of his face with his free hand. "You're all right, mellon nin."

"I can't breathe," Legolas gasped, trying to catch his breath through the sobs that shook him.

"Yes you can," Elrond calmly whispered back, adjusting his grip slightly on the prince. "You're fine. Just try and take some nice deep breaths." Legolas didn't though, he couldn't think straight through the pain. "It's all right, Legolas, try and calm yourself down. You're fine."

"I can't br…Elrond, help," he cried pitifully between gasping breaths and heaving cries.

"Legolas, listen to me, you can breathe. You're just panicking. You need to try and calm down. Here, just follow my breathing," he placed his hand on Legolas' chest; taking slow, deep breaths himself so the prince could copy him. "That's it. Nice and slow," he uttered. After a while he felt Legolas' laboured breathing slowing down as he regained control of himself. "There you go. You're fine now." Elrond knew that the mere sound of his voice was soothing and enough to calm the frightened prince down. Legolas leaned back slightly against Elrond, still struggling but a lot better than he had been. "I know it's scary but you're all right."

The prince collapsed against him, sobbing pitifully against Elrond as the healer held onto him. Legolas' hands, although burnt and painful, grasped at Elrond's tunic. He cried noisily against the Elven Lord's shoulder and the healer held him, not speaking for a long time.

"It's all right," he finally reassured, his voice quiet and sympathetic. It was just beginning to get dark but Elrond couldn't say anything to Legolas, not now.

"I can't do this," Legolas cried, his words barely distinguishable through tears.

"Yes you can. We haven't got far to go now. We're almost home."

"I can't…" Legolas breathed, grasping onto Elrond in pain and despair.

"You listen to me, the only thing I want you to concentrate on is getting home, try not to think about anything else. Once we get you home…you'll be all right." Elrond didn't like making empty promises particularly to his patients, he believed in telling the truth, but sitting in the woods with a distraught Legolas clinging to him he found the false reassurances pouring from his mouth. Thankfully, the words seemed to calm Legolas down sufficiently.

"I'm sorry," Legolas said when he was finally able to speak again.

"Shhh, you have nothing to be sorry for."

Legolas held onto Elrond a little tighter, burying his face in the Elven Lord's tunic. "It just hurts so much," he cried softly, obviously trying to keep his new-found calm in place.

"I know it does," Elrond whispered, stroking his hair gently.

As soon as he was a little more controlled again, Legolas said, "It's getting dark." Even through the haze of pain he knew how dangerous the forest could be at night.

"Don't worry about that," Elrond hushed him. "You take as long as you need." Eventually, Legolas pulled away from Elrond. He was still trembling dreadfully but sobs no longer shook his body. "All right?" Elrond asked as he watched Legolas carefully replacing his mask of calm so he could face the others. "Are you ready to go back?" Legolas nodded, wiping the tear stains from his face with the sleeve of his shirt. Although he felt freezing cold a sheen of sweat covered his skin and tears stained his face causing silvery trails through the dirt. His eyes were watery and red-rimmed but tired also. He was pale as well, his skin having lost almost all of its natural, healthy colour.

Elrond allowed him a few moments to compose himself, tidying himself up physically as well, then helped him stand up shakily. "If you need some more time…" Legolas shook his head gently.

With his newly restored calm, Legolas walked with Elrond back to the camp where the fire was now burning brightly. Everyone looked up when the two Elves emerged from the trees and Aragorn walked over to meet them.

"Legolas? Are you all right?" he asked, noting how Legolas looked far worse now than when he had gone into the forest with Elrond.

Legolas just nodded weakly, not even bothering to smile, as Elrond helped him to the fire. "Not right now, Estel," Elrond said quietly.

"But…"

"Estel, please, not now." Slowly, Aragorn nodded. Elrond helped Legolas sit down close to the roaring fire once more. "All right, here we go," he whispered as he wrapped a blanket around the shivering Legolas. "You just stay near the fire, all right?" Legolas nodded gently with a small, forced smile. "I'll be right over there. Just shout if you need anything."

Night crept steadily over the forest, dropping the temperature significantly. Only the orange glow of the fire pushed back the impenetrable darkness.

The Elves, all bar Legolas, stayed back a little to make room for the more vulnerable humans. Cold had no effect on Elrond, Galadriel or Haldir. The Elven healer did notice Legolas shivering no matter how close he got to the warm fire.

Leaning over to whisper to Haldir, he said, "Let's make sure that fire burns strong all night through." Haldir nodded and looked back into the flames that lapped at the black sky. Elrond got up and removed his cloak then walked over to Legolas, who was trying to sit up as straight as possible to help with the pain in his back. "Here," Elrond said quietly, placing the cloak over the young prince's shoulders. He wrapped it carefully but tightly around Legolas, bundling it on top of his other clothes.

Legolas looked up at Elrond and smiled thinly. "Thank you," he muttered tiredly, pulling the cloak, as well as his own and the spare blanket they had found in Haldir's pack, even tighter around him in a futile attempt to keep the biting cold at bay.

"No problem," Elrond smiled, sitting down just behind Legolas. "How are you feeling?" he asked gently, still worried about the prince. Legolas just stared into the fire, not comfortable with answering Elrond's question in front of the others. "All right," Elrond assured softly, understanding Legolas' discomfort. "Why don't you lie down for a while, try and have a sleep?" Legolas just looked up at him and Elrond immediately knew that was asking too much.

"I'm hungry," Arron piped up suddenly, breaking the slightly tense silence.

Haldir immediately rummaged through his bag and pulled out some Lembas bread wrapped in Mallorn leaves to keep them fresh. "Here," he handed the bread to Arron who took it and nibbled on the corner somewhat cautiously.

"I think I liked what the other two caught better," he said, glaring down at the bread longing for the fresh fish as they had had for breakfast. Haldir just laughed and handed some of the bread to Galadriel and the others. Elrond took Legolas' portion as the prince seemed reluctant to even move, because of the pain Elrond assumed.

"Legolas, do you think you could try and eat something?" Elrond asked gently, holding out the Elven bread for the prince.

Legolas looked somewhat reluctantly at the bread before turning startling eyes to Elrond. "I don't think so," he rejected politely.

"You need to keep your strength up," Elrond whispered, hoping to convince the younger Elf into eating something.

Aragorn looked over at them and placed a hand on Legolas' arm. "Legolas?"

"Maybe a bit later," Elrond smiled, not about to force Legolas. So long as he drank plenty of water that was all that really mattered, eating could wait for the time being.

With full, deep darkness now upon them, the forest looked even more threatening and Jasmine huddled up close to Aragorn, fearing what may lay within.

"We should all try to get some rest. Especially you two," Galadriel told Legolas and Aragorn who were obviously thoroughly worn out from the long walk and run through the forest, not to mention the two months cruel imprisonment they had endured. Aragorn nodded and helped Jasmine put Nienna to sleep, wrapped up warmly in the thick blankets Elrond had provided them with. The man lay down close to the fire with his arm laid comfortably over Jasmine for protection. Arron stayed close to them both. He had slept in worse conditions so this was no great stretch for him.

Legolas didn't move though but continued to stare into the fire, not wanting to face going to sleep even though he was desperately tired. Night-time seemed like such a traumatic and dangerous time now whereas it should have been relaxing and healing. As Galadriel and Jadan settled down as well, almost immediately falling into sleep, Elrond watched the prince closely.

"How are you really doing?" Elrond whispered after a minute or so. "Legolas?" The younger Elf just nodded distractedly, apparently not really listening to what Elrond was saying or, more likely, trying to ignore the question. "I know you're still in a lot of pain and I'm sorry I can't do anything about it for the moment." As Elrond said this, tears slipped down Legolas' cheeks but he wiped them away quickly, not willing to allow himself to break down again – not here. "Shhh, shh, it's all right. It's going to be all right," Elrond hushed kindly. He put his arm around the prince's shoulder and pulled him into a hug. Legolas leaned against the Lord, more tears falling from his eyes although quietly and without the fuss of before; he wouldn't risk waking the others or alerting them to his plight. Leaning his head against Elrond's shoulder, Legolas continued to stare into the fire, wondering how so much warmth could still not penetrate the bitter cold he felt, as the healer gently stroked his hair from his face in an almost parental gesture.

"I am sorry about earlier," Legolas eventually whispered so quietly Elrond could hear.

"Don't worry about that. Do you feel better?" Legolas nodded gently. "Good, that's all that matters. If you don't feel well again, you let me know, all right? I won't be able to do much but…" Legolas smiled softly. "Still…I know it's frightening but it is normal. You're in a lot of pain and if you need another time out just tell me and I'll do all I can to help." Another small nod from Legolas and Elrond was sure he sensed embarrassment. "Do you think you could try and go to sleep for a while?"

Legolas shook his head but at the same time whispered, "I'm so tired."

Looking down at the prince, Elrond murmured, "You're beyond tired; you're utterly exhausted." Elrond tried not to push the subject too hard. "If you can't sleep then at least try and rest," the healer said softly, hoping to make Legolas feel a little more at ease. "Go on, try and close your eyes for a little while."

Legolas was quite contented resting against Elrond's shoulder quietly watching the fire. Shivers still rippled through him despite the two layers of cloaks he was wearing. Soon the heat from the fire and Elrond's comforting presence was enough to allow Legolas to doze off, drifting almost peacefully between sleep and waking. Although Elrond was a little tempted to tell the young Elf to lie down and get some proper sleep, he was reluctant to disturb what little peace the prince might get, besides, he was perfectly willing to sit up all night so long as Legolas was allowed a little rest and he held on firmly to the prince as he dozed against him so he didn't slip down. Haldir was keeping a look out for them so he had no need to worry about being attacked while he held his friend.

It was just gone midnight when something disturbed Legolas, Elrond and Haldir. It was faint, no more than a rustling in the trees but it caused all three of them to sit up straight and alert. Haldir reached for his sword, ready to defend the small camp if need be. Legolas slowly stood up and Elrond followed suit, drawing his own sword.

"What is that?" Haldir asked, trying to figure out what the strange moaning noise was.

"I have no idea," Legolas confessed, taking a step closer to the trees.

After another few seconds the moaning stopped and the forest seemed to settle. Haldir and Elrond reluctantly replaced their weapons although remained wary.

"I really wish I had never heard those stories about spirits roaming Mirkwood," the marchwarden mumbled with a noticeable shudder.

Legolas merely smiled at the idea. That story had been going around for decades and yet the Guard had never found any evidence that the forest was haunted by anything at all during their regular patrols. Still, the stories persisted, told to Elflings everywhere as warnings about the dangers of Mirkwood's dark forest. It was an easy story to believe if you were actually in the forest though – especially at night. Legolas himself recalled believing them for a long time until he became a member of the Mirkwood Guard and had realised that such ghost stories were just that – stories. The trees did make strange sounds and coupled with the overall spookiness of the place, it was no wonder the rumours persisted.

"Relax, Haldir," Legolas said, smiling at his now nervous friend, "there are no ghosts in this forest. And even if there were there are far more corporeal evils to worry about."

"Well, that makes me feel so much better, thank you," Haldir muttered sarcastically, causing both Legolas and Elrond to chuckle at him.

Elrond laid his hand on Legolas' shoulder and said gently, "Come on, you should get some sleep. Hopefully, we'll be able to find the palace tomorrow but it might be a long walk." Legolas looked dubiously to the ground, almost as though he were afraid of lying down. "I know you don't want to but you need to try, even if you only sleep for a couple of hours."

Legolas nodded reluctantly and sat down before Elrond helped him lie down, not an easy thing to do considering his wounds. Despite his initial concerns, Legolas fell asleep almost immediately, unable to keep himself awake any longer even if he had wanted to. The Elven Lord also settled down to sleep after checking that Haldir was all right on his own. Finally the camp was quiet with just the Marchwarden of Lothlorien awake, keeping a watchful eye on the forest – and looking out for spooks.

~*~

**A/N: Uh, you did all want Legolas angst right? Sorry…**

**~*~**

**To Be Continued…**


	104. Something Wicked This Way Comes

**Disclaimer: **I own nothing Tolkien created.

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**Sold Into Ruin**

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_A/N: Dream sequences are in italics in this chapter._

**Thank you so much to everyone who has reviewed. I have just noticed that this fic has just passed the 1000 review mark!!!!! That is truly amazing and I appreciate everyone who has taken the time to leave a review and everyone who is still reading.**

**Thanks and enjoy the rest of the story.**

**~*~**

**Chapter 104 ~ Something Wicked This Way Comes**

**~*~**

_Legolas was sitting by the pond just outside the Palace of Mirkwood. His mother was sat next to him but she was as she was at the time of her death. He didn't seem bothered by this disturbing fact though. He just continued to stare blankly out at the still, murky water. Legolas remembered this day. It had been one month since his mother's death but he still found himself spending long periods of time in complete silence despite Thranduil's ceaseless attempts to cheer him up. That day he had left school early – despite his tutor calling him back – and come to the pond where he had sat watching the water until darkness began to fall and a worried Thranduil had dragged him back to the palace, yelling at him about the responsibilities of a prince and how much he had terrified him._

_In the real life situation, Nienna had not been there with him. Young Legolas was replaced in the dream by the current-aged Legolas, although he was just as melancholy. He slowly turned his head to look at Nienna in her blood-soaked dress and morbid features._

"_What are you doing here?" he asked, angry that she was intruding upon his solitary personal memory. She said nothing but turned to face him, blood-shot eyes meeting his own blue ones. Her mouth opened, almost as though in a death pose and although he mouth remained still, she spoke._

"_Why did you leave me, Legolas?" It was the same whining, disconnected voice Legolas had last heard in the Hold._

"_Why don't you just go away?" he said bitterly, turning back to the pond._

"_Why did you leave me, Legolas?" the voice repeated no more urgently than before._

"_Go away," he shouted, jumping up and turning harshly away from her. However, she was suddenly in front of him again, almost as though she needed him to stay in eye contact. "Please, leave me alone," he whispered, tears falling down his face._

"_I loved you, Legolas. Did you not love me?" it said, the mouth still wide open in an ugly position._

"_You know I did. And if you love me at all then you'll leave me alone, Nana." Legolas took a few steps forward and suddenly entered the place he remembered being in before where both his mother and father had confronted him. He was not afraid this time though, just dejected. "Please stop this, Nana. I'm too tired for this. Just let me rest," he said softly, sitting down on the floor and placing his head in his hands._

"_You think you deserve to rest?!" a voice boomed. It seemed to be a mixture of his mother, father and someone else but Legolas could not quite distinguish between them. Fire suddenly shot up from the ground, surrounding Legolas who had jumped up at the appearance of the flames and was now looking around wide-eyed. "Why should you be allowed peace when I have none?" the voice demanded._

"_Nana?" Legolas called nervously._

_A figure, wreathed in flame and burnt almost beyond recognition, emerged from the flames. "Why did you leave me alone, Legolas? Why did you desire me to die?" The figure spoke in the booming voice Legolas remembered. Its mouth moved in time with the words, the burnt skin stretching horrifically as it spoke, oozing blood. Blood also seeped from the red blisters covering its skin and Legolas could smell the horrible stench of burning flesh making him gag. "Look at what you have done to me. You have condemned me, Legolas." Fire continued to lap at her reddened and blackened skin, which was now covered in slowly boiling blood. Bones were beginning to become exposed as skin and flesh was burned away._

_Legolas had been slowly retreating from the figure but he was stopped when he felt the heat behind him intensify and he realised that he had reached the wall of fire. He had no choice now but to stand still as the flaming figure approached him. The figure was almost completely engulfed in flames now and was just a tangle of bones and cooked flesh, barely even recognisable as a person. And yet the voice continued its vicious assault against the Crown Prince of Mirkwood. His mother's voice rang out clear although there was nothing but a singed skull left of her head. The jaw bone moved up and down, mirroring the talking action as the voice filtered through the room._

_Just when things seemed like they couldn't possibly get any worse, more burning figures emerged from the flames. First came his father already, like all the others, partially destroyed by the fire. Then Elrond, Aragorn and Jasmine followed, the woman still clinging to her dead baby with Legolas' white-handled knife through its heart. Last came the dead Captain of the Mirkwood Guard. He also had a white-handled knife embedded in his skull although flames still lapped at him, turning him slowly into nothing more than a walking skeleton._

_They all spoke at once, screaming accusations against Legolas. They all melded together though and soon, although they were nothing more than smouldering ruins of people, the noise was just continuous and grating, and yet Legolas understood everything._

"_No, please stop," he said, unable to tear his eyes away from them. "Stop. STOP," he yelled at them. He said this over and over again, begging and pleading with them to just go away. Every so often one of them would flicker back to their previous real-life forms but it would almost instantly disappear and they would return to their burnt state. "Stop, Nana. Ada, please don't do this. I'm sorry Nana. I'm so sorry. I'm sorry." Tears fell from his eyes and he sank slowly to the ground, covering his face to avoid looking at the creatures now stood just a few feet away from him. Although he could no longer see them he could smell burnt flesh and hear flames roaring and this only brought the images back to his mind._

_As he sank down, the figures all started chanting again. "Legolas, Legolas," over and over, clearly and precisely despite their terrible state._

"_Go away. Please go away," he whimpered more to himself now than to them._

"_Legolas, Legolas, Legolas."_

"_Stop, stop, please stop." He chanted this to himself over and over, becoming more desperate with each word as the figures stretched out their skeletal, burning hands to touch him. He felt their rough flesh and skeletal hands on his back and shoulders and arms, all around him. "Stop this. Please, stop. Stop."_

"_Legolas, Legolas…"_

~*~

"Legolas," Elrond called again, shaking the Elf a little more firmly this time. "Legolas, come on, mellon nin, wake up." Legolas continued to cry out in his nightmare-ridden sleep, saying 'stop' over and over again. "Legolas, wake up," Elrond shouted when Legolas cried out again. "Legolas," Elrond shouted loud enough to wake up most of the others as well as the prince.

"Stop!" Legolas yelled loudly, his eyes snapping open as he sat bolt upright after the horrific nightmare. He saw Elrond and immediately panicked again, jumping up and struggling away from Elrond and the others who were looking on in concerned confusion. He turned away from Elrond's gentle reassurances and stumbled over to the river, falling to his knees when he was far enough away from the others.

Elrond also got to his feet, putting his hand up to keep Aragorn back lest he spook the prince more. "Legolas," he said, inching closer.

Remembering everything he had seen, Legolas started frantically brushing his clothes down, ignoring the agony that shot through his hands. Tears stung his eyes but when he looked down he saw his reflection in the river. Paled by moonlight, he made for a ghostly sight. This was not the person he remembered being. Without properly thinking about what he was doing, he plunged his cupped hands into the water and brought them to his mouth, now just wanting the terrifying images to cease. The enchanted river offered that sweet oblivion and he was willing to do anything to be rid of those horrific images, even poisoning himself into a long, dreamless sleep.

Upon seeing what Legolas was doing, Elrond yelled, "No," and rushed forwards, thrusting Legolas' hands away from him before he could drink the water. "Legolas, no. Stop this," Elrond demanded when Legolas pushed him violently away and plunged his hands back into the water to take a drink. "Legolas, enough," the Elven Lord said, grasping Legolas' wrists and holding them tightly to stop him from hurting himself.

"Stop," Legolas breathed but not to Elrond, to the images that were swirling in his mind. "Please stop."

"All right," Elrond whispered as Legolas started calming down, no longer quite so frantic. "It's all right," he said again, pulling the trembling, crying Elf close to him and wrapping his arms around him. Legolas leaned against him, sobbing onto his old friend, crying hard for the nightmare he had just endured. "All right, I've got you," Elrond whispered.

"Stop. Please stop," the prince cried.

"It's all right. It was just a dream," Elrond reassured softly.

"Please make it stop, Elrond. Please just make it stop, please," Legolas cried against the Elven Lord.

"Shhh, shh, it's all right. It wasn't real. It's over now, you're safe."

"I can't do this, Elrond. I can't," Legolas sobbed as Elrond stroked his hair back.

"All right, mellon nin."

"Please make this stop, Elrond. Please."

"It's all right, Legolas." Elrond rocked him gently back and forth, casting a sad glance over to Aragorn and the others, who were all looking sympathetically on. Galadriel caught Elrond's eye and took a flask of water from Haldir's pack and carried it and Elrond's medical pack over to the healer who was still cradling Legolas in his arms.

Aragorn went to step forward but Galadriel stopped him. "Just wait here, Estel. Give him a moment," she said gently and Aragorn nodded, drawing Arron and Jasmine back to the fire so they wouldn't disturb Legolas. Galadriel crouched down next to Legolas and handed Elrond the canteen of water. She gently laid her hand on Legolas' cold cheek and he turned to look at her, shaking his head softly. "It's all right, mellon nin. We're both here," she said gently and her voice filtered clearly through his mind, through the harsher words of the fiery monsters still tormenting him. He took her hand, hoping to retain that clarity and she held it back with a reassuring smile. This wasn't the first time she had comforted him after one of his nightmares and she knew that what he needed more than anything was reassurance.

Elrond poured clean water over Legolas' hands, washing away the dangerous liquid from the river. Galadriel didn't let go of his hand though and he clung onto her and Elrond for dear life.

"Shh, it's all right," Elrond soothed when Legolas whimpered at the stinging cold water.

"Make it stop," he pleaded despairingly to the Lady of Lorien.

The Elven Queen looked briefly up at Elrond who was trying to untie Legolas' bandages whilst keeping a comforting hold on the younger Elf who was clinging onto him as though afraid he would be left alone. It was strange, seeing Legolas the great Elven warrior changing in an instant into this frightened almost child-like person but Elrond and Galadriel had seen this before and knew how to deal with it, although before they had always had the benefit of having a safe environment to aid their calming of the often distraught prince.

"Make it stop," Legolas said again, looking pleadingly at Galadriel.

"You know we can't do that, Legolas," the queen whispered gently, not in the habit of lying to the vulnerable prince during these times. She knew it was dangerous to make promises she couldn't keep. Surprisingly, she suddenly felt a burst of blistering heat followed by an almost bitter coldness and she shivered slightly. Through her mind flashed images of burnt and broken bodies, just as Legolas had seen in his dream. She knew the prince was trying to show her to try and convince her to do something. He had done it before but she knew better than to try and infiltrate a vulnerable mind. It was just too dangerous, not to mention deeply unpleasant, and she took her hand away from his sharply.

Of course it wasn't Legolas' fault. He had no control over it. However, she had seen enough when she had first looked into his mind and she couldn't bear to see it anymore.

"Shh," Elrond soothed when Legolas buried his head into the healer's tunic with a whimper as Elrond bandaged his hand up with a dry cloth. Thankfully, Legolas hadn't done too much more damage but Elrond wasn't going to chance it.

"Ada," Legolas whispered into Elrond, shivering taking over his body as his defences fell somewhat.

"I know, we'll be home soon," Elrond said, wrapping his arms around the trembling Elf and allowing Galadriel to pack his things away.

"Please Elrond," Legolas whispered.

"It's all right. I'm here, all right? Nothing is going to happen. It was just a nightmare. Remember how they always fade after a while?" Legolas shook his head softly, letting out another cry despite himself. "What do you mean?" Elrond asked gently, stroking Legolas' hair. "They don't fade? Legolas?"

It was true, the nightmares never went away. They haunted him as surely as the event that triggered them. Having to endure them was bad enough, terrifying when they were really bad but to remember them constantly for months after…To hear the sounds, smell the smells, feel the pain and fear every single day until he could finally find the strength to push them to the back of his mind until another nightmare brought them forth again – that was the worst part. That's what haunted him more than anything else. And there was nothing anyone could do about it.

Elrond sighed, knowing the answer to his question. "Oh, Legolas, why didn't you tell us before?" There was no demand in his voice, just sympathy for the frightened Elf. Legolas shook his head again, still clinging onto Elrond. "When we get home I promise we're going to stop all of this, all right? I'll find a way." Galadriel shot him a look of disbelief at the promise but she guessed that Elrond really did mean what he said. How was another matter entirely. "You've suffered long enough, haven't you?" Legolas cried quietly into Elrond's tunic as the healer continued to whisper reassurances and stroke his hair gently.

After just a few minutes, Elrond said, "You're freezing cold, how about we get you closer to that fire, hmm?" A small nod of agreement. "All right, do you think you can walk?" Another nod. "Good. Come on then, let's see if we can get you warm again." Elrond then said to the waiting Marchwarden, "Could you help us please?"

Haldir nodded and turned to Jadan. "Do not move." He walked gently over to Legolas. He had never seen the prince like this although he had heard Galadriel and Celeborn talking in whispers about his terrible nightmares. He had never questioned them though, assuming this wasn't something the Crown Prince of Mirkwood wanted turned into idle gossip. He wasn't offended that his close friend had never mentioned it to him. A little surprised perhaps but Legolas had every right to keep his secrets, especially about something so private.

"Legolas, let's get you to the fire, all right," Elrond said softly to Legolas.

Legolas sat up slowly, keeping close to Elrond. "Let me help you up, mellon nin," Haldir offered, placing his hand on Legolas' arm to help him but Legolas pulled sharply away, finding consolation in Elrond, who immediately reassured him.

"It's all right. It's just Haldir. He only wants to help you. Come on." Legolas stood up slowly, this time allowing Haldir to help him, although the Marchwarden was this time more gentle and respectful with him. "That's it." Legolas leaned against Elrond, more because he didn't have the strength right then to even take his own weight. He stumbled slightly but Elrond and Haldir held him up, the Lothlorien Elf taking most of his weight for him, hating the thought that his friend was suffering.

"I've got you, mellon nin," Haldir reassured and Legolas turned bright blue eyes toward him and smiled weakly, his way of saying both sorry and thank you. Haldir smiled back and held his friend tighter as they helped Legolas to the fire. They sat him down and Haldir handed Elrond his own cloak so they could make Legolas more comfortable.

Aragorn walked over to them and sat down next to his friend before pulling Legolas into a comforting hug, which Legolas gratefully leaned into. Aragorn pulled Legolas' cloaks further around him in an attempt to stop the shivering. However, again he knew it would not be solved by mere warmth.

Meanwhile, Elrond pulled Haldir to one side. They were accompanied by Galadriel who put a delicate hand on her protector's arm. "Are you all right?" she asked, seeing the concern in Haldir's eyes.

"Of course, my Lady. I just didn't…"

"I fear we owe you an explanation," she sighed, looking into Haldir's striking blue eyes.

He smiled gently and covered her hand in his own. "No, neither you nor Legolas owe me anything." She nodded her thanks for not having to explain the situation right then.

"Haldir, I need you to do me a favour," Elrond said, turning to the Lothlorien Elf.

"Of course, Lord Elrond. Anything."

"You remember what Athelas looks like?"

"Yes sir."

"I realise it's dangerous but I need you to find me some. There must be a patch somewhere around here. If you wouldn't mind, that is. I would understand if you thought it was too much to ask of you considering the dangers around…"

"Consider it done, my Lord," Haldir interrupted firmly. Loyal Haldir. He would do anything for those close to him, even if it was at great personal risk.

"Thank you, Haldir," Elrond said, walking back over to Legolas by the fire. Haldir grabbed his pack just in case something happened in the forest, made sure his sword was in its sheath as well as the daggers he carried and picked a branch from the fire to act as a torch.

"Just great; now my bodyguard's wandering off," Jadan snarled beneath his breath as Haldir walked past him.

The Elf turned back around to him, holding the flaming torch close to the man. "If you want to last out the night I suggest you keep quiet. One word from you while I'm gone and I'll tie you up and gag you for the rest of the journey. Understand?" Jadan nodded, sensing that the Elf had run out of patience for him and was obviously angry enough to cause him serious harm if he wanted. "Watch him," Haldir told Galadriel as he walked towards the forest.

"Haldir, please be careful," she said before he stepped into the trees.

While Haldir was gone, Elrond poured some fresh water into a small pot and placed it over the fire to allow it to boil. As he did that, both Jasmine and Arron wandered over to Legolas who by now had calmed down considerably, and settled down close to him. The woman placed her spare hand on his shoulder and he smiled weakly at her although it was obviously false.

Elrond knelt down next to Legolas and smiled, "How are you doing?" Legolas just blinked slowly at him. "I know," the healer said sympathetically. "Just try and stay with us, all right? Just one night more." Legolas nodded and closed his eyes, leaning his head on Aragorn's shoulder. Elrond put his hand on Legolas' forehead and was pleased to find that he was not suffering from a fever, that was the last thing they needed. However, the fact that he was still freezing cold and deathly pale was not so reassuring.

After no more than fifteen minutes, Haldir returned, bursting through the foliage out of breath. Elrond and Galadriel ran over to him and he handed over the Athelas he had collected.

"Are you all right?" Elrond asked with a frown.

"I think so." He brushed down his dirty clothes with a shudder and Elrond noticed thick, sticky cobwebs. Haldir threw his sword on the ground and the healer saw that it was covered in the black-purple blood of the Giant Spiders of Mirkwood. "I really hate spiders," Haldir muttered jokingly, brushing off the others' obvious concern. Elrond smiled and turned back to Legolas, allowing Galadriel to fuss over her Marchwarden for a moment. Once the others were gone, he turned to her and whispered, "There could be more of those things close by. We need to be careful." She nodded in understanding and he walked over to the fire, shooting a warning glance over to Jadan as he passed. The man had not moved or spoken since Haldir had left and he kept his silence now.

Elrond crushed the Athelas into the water, creating a sweet-smelling tea for Legolas to drink. It wouldn't cause any significant change but it might just take the edge off the pain a little and Elrond knew he was suffering even though he said nothing about it.

"Here we go, Legolas, drink this, it might help a little," Elrond instructed gently, handing Legolas the cup of steaming tea. Legolas did as he was told, drinking the tea slowly. Warmth began to seep back into him and already the powerful healing herb eased a little of the pain even if not much. He welcomed any relief right then. "That's it," Elrond smiled, taking the empty cup from him. He then turned to Aragorn and the others. "Why don't you all go back to sleep for a while? There are still a few hours until dawn." They nodded obediently and Aragorn passed looking after Legolas over to his more-than-capable father. "Legolas, why don't you lay down, see if you can get a little more comfortable?" Legolas nodded and Elrond helped him slowly lie down, rolling up Haldir's donated cloak and placing it gently under Legolas'' head to act as a cushion.

"Do you think you could go back to sleep?" Elrond asked, sitting down beside Legolas. The prince shook his head sadly. Elrond could see that he was desperately tired but he also knew that he was terribly afraid of what he might see in his sleep and that was a powerful motivator to remain awake. "All right, you just rest then. Just rest." Elrond took his hand and placed it on Legolas' arm, wanting to assure the young Elf that he was right there with him.

Haldir walked over to them and asked quietly, "Lord Elrond, is there anything I can do?"

"No thank you, Haldir. You get some sleep if you want. I'm going to stay up with Legolas," Elrond whispered.

"Watch Jadan; I don't trust him," Haldir warned and Elrond nodded. "Goodnight, my Lord. Goodnight, Legolas," he said gently. He didn't receive anything back but didn't seem too disappointed by it.

When Haldir had laid down close to both Galadriel and Jadan, just in case he was needed, Elrond poured himself some hot water and mixed in some herbal tea. Sipping at it slowly, he watched Legolas as he stared into the flames, almost as though he were afraid to take his eyes off the light. Elrond leaned over and brushed Legolas' hair off his cheek.

"You've been through a lot, haven't you mellon nin?" he whispered gently, knowing the prince wasn't really listening to him. This was confirmed when Legolas blinked slowly, almost blearily. "That's all right, I know you can't speak to me. It offers me the perfect opportunity to talk myself. Just think, tomorrow night you'll be sleeping soundly in a soft, warm, comfortable bed inside the palace. You'll be wondering what all the fuss was about. Then we're going to sort this whole thing out once and for all and I am going to do everything in my power to make it stop hurting, all right? I promise that, Legolas." Tears slipped from Legolas' eyes but he remained silent and fixed on the fire. "Shh, shh, it's all right. I know the palace seems a long way away right now but we'll get there eventually. You just have to try and keep going until then. But we're going to need your help because you know that Estel can't navigate to save his life." A slight smile tugged at the sides of Legolas' lips at this comment. "He has really helped you through this, hasn't he?

"And Jasmine as well. I feel a real connection between those two. What do you think? Should I be preparing for a wedding? Maybe not. You know how indecisive he can be sometimes. I think you will have to have a word with him about it. I fear he will not listen to me." Elrond shifted Legolas' cloaks together around the Elf when he shivered again. "Are you still cold? It will be dawn soon and hopefully some warmth might filter through these trees. They are not being very friendly to you, are they? Never mind about them, Legolas. You just concentrate on what we're saying, all right? You need to think only of yourself right now, no one else, as difficult as that may be for you."

Elrond talked to Legolas throughout the night. The young prince couldn't bring himself to even close his eyes for more than a few seconds, not even when the first pale light of dawn peered over the hazy horizon.

**To Be Continued…**


	105. I Know This Place

**Disclaimer: **I own nothing Tolkien created.

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**Sold Into Ruin**

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**Chapter 105 ~ I Know This Place**

**~*~**

Thranduil and the other guards rushed through the gates to Mirkwood's palace, eager to get back to some kind of normality. The king grabbed the first guard he could find and asked about his son.

"I'm sorry, sire, but Prince Legolas hasn't been through here," the guard answered nervously. Thranduil bowed his head in despair.

"Get together some people and scour the forest until you find them. No one in Mirkwood rests until my son is safely within the stronghold, is that understood?" Thranduil said, his voice low and threatening to anyone who might challenge him. "Come on, Legolas, where are you?" Thranduil whispered to the forest before setting back out to find his son.

~*~

Morning woke everyone in the tiny camp. Legolas just remained where he was, too tired to even move. Elrond reached over and placed his hand on his shoulder but the prince didn't respond. While he was looking to Legolas, Haldir handed out food to everyone who wanted it, even Jadan who had remained well-behaved all night thanks to the Marchwarden's earlier warnings. He brought some Lembas over to Legolas, kneeling down next to Elrond and looking long and hard at his friend.

"Thank you, Haldir," Elrond said when the Elf handed him some food for both himself and Legolas. He turned back to the prince of Mirkwood. "Legolas, do you think you can eat something?" No response. "Legolas? Hey come on, are you still with me? Legolas?" He got nothing but a slow, almost painful blink and nodded gently. "All right. You don't have to eat if you don't feel like it. Let's just get back to Mirkwood. Legolas," Elrond prompted when the young Elf seemed to drift off again. "Come on, mellon nin, stay with me. Just get through today, all right?" A small nod. Elrond turned to Haldir. "Let's get moving as soon as we can."

The Marchwarden nodded and went over to the others, telling them to get ready to leave as quickly as possible.

"Legolas, we need you to show us the way back to the palace, can you do that for us?" Elrond asked, stroking Legolas' hair again. Legolas just closed his eyes tiredly. "I know you're exhausted but we really need you to guide us. Can you do that?" Legolas nodded slowly. Even through the haze that filled his head, he could probably find the way to the palace – or at least he hoped so. "Let's get you up, shall we?"

With Aragorn's help they managed to get Legolas standing, although he was obviously in a lot of pain and finding it difficult to even keep on his feet. Aragorn remembered Legolas being like this when he woke from his nightmare in the encampment. When the two left him to stand alone he almost toppled over and they had to reach out to steady him again.

"All right?" Elrond asked when they were sure that Legolas was a little more steady. Legolas nodded tiredly and both Aragorn and Elrond released him, keeping close just in case they were needed again.

"Which way?" Galadriel asked gently, prompting that it was time to set off. She knew they couldn't afford to waste any more time.

Legolas looked around for a moment, unconsciously keeping his hand on Elrond's arm for support and trying to clear his head. Finally, he said, "This way," and walked off along the river bank. Elrond and Aragorn stuck close beside him just in case but miraculously he managed to put one foot in front of another and walk on his own. Although their pace wasn't particularly fast they were moving and that was the important thing.

They followed the river for no more than half an hour before Legolas led them back into the trees. It was considerably lighter now though and they knew they were leaving the dangerous parts of the forest. The forest still seemed to be doing everything within its power to trip them up though. Several times one of them got snagged in a vine or tripped up by a root and Legolas would have to get them free. The forest definitely responded better to him than anyone else, although even he managed to get caught up a few times. The going was slow but Legolas knew now that they were on the right track. He recognised this part of the forest well and had been through it many times in the past.

Eventually, just gone noon after nearly five hours of almost continuous walking through the tiring forest, they came upon a clearing. Legolas paused, leaning forward slightly trying to gain his bearings again. His mind just wasn't working properly right then though and he felt darkness beginning to descend. He would have fallen over if Elrond had not been there to steady him.

"I can't…I'm sorry," Legolas said as he almost collapsed against the healer who held him up when he could no longer stand.

"It's all right, Legolas. Sit down for a moment." Elrond, aided by Aragorn, carefully helped Legolas to sit down on a fallen log. "Just rest for a moment," the healer said, crouching down in front of the prince so he could check him over quickly. Legolas put his head in his hands, willing the darkness to go away but it just seemed to get stronger. There was something else as well. The coldness that had been nagging him all day grew sharper, almost to the point of becoming painful. When he started to tip forward Elrond grabbed him and held onto him gently. "No Legolas, come on, stay with me."

"Tired," Legolas murmured.

"I know you are but you need to stay with us. We need you, my friend." Elrond held his hand out to Haldir for the flask of water and the Marchwarden obediently handed it over. "Legolas, here you go. Have something to drink." Elrond handed Legolas the flask and the prince drank slowly from it. "That's it. Good. Just take a moment, all right? We can wait for a little while." Legolas nodded and replaced his head in his hands despite the pain the action caused. Elrond walked over to the others who were all waiting patiently. "We need to get him home right now. I don't know how much longer he can carry on like this."

"Do you think I should go ahead; get to the palace and bring back help?" Haldir asked, looking off into the forest.

"It is a kind offer but you don't know the way. We don't want you getting lost. I think we should stick together," Galadriel said softly.

"Um, I don't mean to interrupt but…" Jadan said, pointing to the empty log where Legolas had been sitting just seconds ago.

Elrond looked around himself in alarm, calling, "Legolas!"

"Wait a minute, I know this place," Galadriel said whilst Elrond continued to call for Legolas. Galadriel looked around for a moment, trying to recall where exactly she knew this place from. For a moment she simply couldn't place it. Then it hit her. She had seen this place in Legolas' mind. When she had read his mind just days after his mother's funeral she had seen the prince running through the forest desperately trying to reach his father. "Oh no," she breathed in horror, rushing off through the trees in the direction she knew Legolas would have taken. She knew that Legolas would have the details of this place imprinted on his mind; he would not have forgotten either. "Legolas!" she continued to call as the others hurried after her.

Finally, they emerged into another clearing and found Legolas standing in front of a cave entrance. Galadriel stopped suddenly but quietly, not wanting to startle the young prince. Elrond also guessed where this was, looking around in a mixture of amazement and concern. He never thought he would see this place; Legolas so rarely mentioned it and he had learnt not to ask.

"This is it," Legolas whispered, emotion choking his voice.

Galadriel and Elrond looked at the cave, whose entrance was by now almost completely concealed by overgrown branches and vines after being untouched for so long. No one had even come near this place after the death of Queen Nienna, least of all Legolas, who didn't even come in this direction anymore. He avoided this part of the forest at all costs even when on patrol with the Guard.

"This is what?" Aragorn asked, not quite understanding what was so significant about the cave.

"This is where his mother died," Elrond whispered softly.

"Legolas, come away," Galadriel said kindly, walking over to him and laying her hand on his shoulder. "Come on." The prince didn't move though. Instead of walking away he raised his hands and began pulling at the vines, clearing the way into the cave. His actions became almost frenzied as he pulled at the weeds and plants until he was able to duck inside.

Nervously, he stepped into the hollow, ignoring the protests of the others. Of course, there was nothing in there; it had been two and a half thousand years since anyone had even set foot in the place. He remembered it though as though it were yesterday. The others entered quietly, almost as though this were a reverential place. Legolas saw the marks on the walls where the Orcs had slammed their weapons in anger; he thought he could see dull red blood stains on the dirty ground but he knew it was just his imagination, blood didn't last that long. However, he stood over where his mother had died and could have sworn that those red stains did indeed remain.

Again, everything that had happened to him came flooding back in terrible detail: the Orcs slamming themselves into him, his own pitiful cries as they held him down, red hot pain coursing through him, how he had cried over his mother, begging for her to make the pain disappear. He remembered how his mother had told him to run and save himself, how reluctant he had been to leave even though he desperately wanted to get away from this horror show, how despite himself he had run.

The force of these memories made him fall to his knees with a sharp cry, right over the spot where his mother had died.

Elrond and Galadriel were instantly at his side, kneeling down next to him and placing their hands on his shoulders to let him know they were right there with him.

"Legolas, we can't stay here," Elrond said gently. "Come on; let's get you out of here."

They carefully helped Legolas up, holding tightly onto his arms as he didn't look at all steady. He seemed reluctant to leave though. Galadriel caught his eye and said softly, "You don't need to be here. Come on. Come away." Tears fell from Legolas' eyes as they drifted down to the spot where Nienna had died and another cry escaped his lips and he would have fallen had Elrond and Galadriel not been there to hold him up. "All right, come away. That's it, come away, sweetheart. Come on. That's it," she said as they escorted him out, holding onto his arms as he could barely stand up straight.

They lowered him gently to the ground and Elrond knelt beside him, wrapping his arm around the young prince. "Shh, it's all right. That's it. Just hold on for us all right? Let's get you back to the palace, shall we?" Legolas just nodded gently, too tired and too overwhelmed to do anything else. "Come on then, let's get you up. Do you think you can walk just a little bit further?" He received another barely-there nod from Legolas. "That's good. Now, which way do we go?" Elrond asked gently.

"I think I can find my way from here," Galadriel said, looking off into the direction of the palace. She could recall enough of Legolas' visions to show her the way home, even if she was looking through the eyes of a frightened child.

"All right. Estel," Elrond prompted and the man was immediately at the other side of Legolas, helping the Elf stand up. Almost as soon as he was on his unsteady feet they were off with Galadriel leading the way through the thick forest, following the same direct route Legolas had taken when he was a child. After a fair bit of rough terrain they came across a path and Galadriel followed it, quickening her pace a little, as she knew this led almost directly to the palace of Mirkwood.

At that exact moment just outside the palace gates, Thranduil was regrouping, planning out a new search strategy. He was desperate to find his son now.

It was Haldir who first noticed the signs that they were being watched and he stopped in his tracks, with everyone else mirroring his action and looking up to the trees. As soon as everyone stopped, figures all dressed in green and heavily armed, emerged from the surrounding forest, their weapons levelled on the weary travellers. They held up their hands as though caught doing something wrong. Everybody but Legolas, that is; he didn't fear his own people.

It was only when one of them recognised who was standing before them that they seemed to almost jump into a stricter formation, saluting their Crown Prince. Legolas held a lot of sway in Mirkwood and it showed. He was without a doubt the best-loved royal.

"Your Highness, forgive us. We did not realise it was you," one of the guards said, stepping forwards and bowing to his prince. Legolas just nodded, taking in the familiar sight of his home.

"Let us past; we need to get to the palace urgently," Elrond said, still holding onto Legolas, who was barely standing on his own anymore.

"Yes, of course, my Lord," the guard bowed. He paused almost reluctantly, his sharp green eyes taking in the humans in the group – all bar Aragorn, whom they had become accustomed to over the years. "But I am afraid the king specifies that no human may enter the palace unless…"

"They are with me," Legolas said firmly.

"Yes sir, but…"

"I didn't realise you had been granted the permission to deny me access to my own kingdom," Legolas said, looking directly into the guard's eyes with all the energy he could muster and using every inch of his impressive authority.

"No, my Lord."

"Then stand aside and let them past," Legolas commanded. Again the guard hesitated, slightly confused whose orders he was supposed to obey right then; the king or the prince. "That was an order," Legolas snapped, startling the guard enough to make up his mind. The order of the Crown Prince was good enough for him now. The other guards stepped aside, ready to escort their prince back to the palace; they had been briefed on what had been going on with Legolas and as soon as they were moving they formed a standard protective formation around him.

When they reached the gates to the palace, Legolas sighed in relief. He was home. Thranduil, his attention drawn by their entrance, looked around and stood amazed for a moment but then he broke from his trance and ran over to his son. Legolas pulled away from Elrond and Aragorn and threw himself into Thranduil's open arms, ignoring the blast of pain and cold that rushed through him. Thranduil held onto him tightly, tears in his eyes as he hugged his son. Legolas held him back, just pleased to be safe again. The Mirkwood Guard, unaccustomed to such displays of public affection by their royal family, diverted their eyes.

"I'm never going to leave you again, ever," Thranduil said into his son's shoulder, his voice broken with emotion.

"Ada, I'm so sorry," Legolas cried, no longer worried about whether or not he had the strength to carry on. He was home with his father now and everything was going to be all right. Thranduil would make everything all right.

"Oh, Valar, Legolas, I don't care about any of that. I'm just so glad that you're safe."

Upon hearing those words, blackness darkened Legolas' vision and he felt his legs buckle. Still holding onto his father, he allowed darkness to take him and he felt Thranduil holding him up. He heard others rush towards them and shouts from the Royal Guard to help their prince. He heard his father shout for a healer and a stretcher, then impatiently picking him up into his own arms and carrying him towards the healing halls himself – to safety and to release from the pain. That was all he could think about before darkness temporarily claimed him.

**To Be Continued…**


	106. Playground Angst

**Disclaimer: **I own nothing Tolkien created.

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**Sold Into Ruin**

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_A/N: Memories are in italics in this chapter._

~*~

**Chapter 106 ~ Playground Angst**

**~*~**

"_Legolas, if you wish to stay at home today then you may. No one expects you to return to school so soon," the king said quietly, kneeling down on the ground in front of his son. Legolas turned bright blue eyes to him in exasperation; they had had this discussion several times already ever since Legolas had first mentioned that he wished to return to his lessons. It had only been a week since Galadriel and Celeborn had left and a day since Elrond had returned with his family to Rivendell. "I know, I know, I should stop worrying."_

_They were stood outside the school room. Thranduil had walked Legolas there even though it was only just outside the palace grounds. It was the king who was more nervous about Legolas returning to school than Legolas himself was. He didn't know why but he still didn't want to let his son out of his sight. It seemed wrong somehow, given everything the young Elf had been through._

_Young Elflings were filing into the school house and as they passed they all bowed respectfully to their king, just as they had been taught to do so. Thranduil just acknowledged them with a distracted nod._

"_All right, I will be here at two this afternoon to pick you up." Legolas nodded as his father handed him his books and lunch in a rucksack. "Do not forget to eat your lunch; you have to eat. And do not go outside on your own. Wait for me; don't walk home on your own." After another nod Legolas went to turn away, realising lessons were about to begin. "Wait, Legolas. You can come home at any time, all right? If you feel too tired or unwell or you just don't want to be there, you only have to send for me and I'll come straight away. Understand?" Legolas nodded and again went to walk away, Thranduil grabbed him again though._

"_Ada," the prince sighed, stopping his father from saying anything else._

_Thranduil smiled, smoothing Legolas' robes out and saying, "I'm sorry, ion nin. Have a nice day." He kissed Legolas goodbye and stood to watch his son walk through the open doors to join his classmates._

_Truthfully, he had been somewhat surprised when Legolas had asked him the night before if he could return to school. However, Thranduil would have done just about anything to please his son right then and so had reluctantly agreed. Legolas had missed a lot of school though and the longer he spent away the more he would have to catch up on later. Unfortunately, there was no one left now to advise Thranduil. Galadriel, Celeborn and Elrond all had their own families and realms to worry about. Thranduil just had to trust that Legolas knew when he was ready._

_When Legolas' school teacher strode towards the building though, Thranduil stopped him. The tutor bowed to his king and waited for Thranduil to speak his concerns._

"_You know that Legolas is back in your class today," the king said._

"_Yes my Lord, I am aware that the prince is back."_

_Thranduil leaned in closer to stress the importance of what he was about to say. "I need you to keep a close eye on him. You realise that he has had a hard time lately and in truth I am sure he has not fully recovered yet. He is still very fragile and very tired so please just look after him today."_

_The teacher bowed again, saying, "You have my word, Your Majesty."_

"_Good. Send for me if anything happens, anything at all. I am available all day."_

"_Of course, Sire," the teacher said, closing the door behind him as he entered the school house._

_Suddenly, Thranduil felt completely lost. Ever since his wife's death he had been so busy looking after Legolas, working hard to ensure that his son was well that he hadn't really had time to dwell on what happened. But now he was alone again for the first time since Nienna's death. He knew he should have been pleased and relieved that Legolas was at least attempting to get back to normal but Thranduil found it slightly unnerving that his son should now be left alone. He couldn't have imagined Legolas being able to even leave the palace after the nightmares he had suffered that night and yet the prince had forced himself out of bed at seven that morning and set off for school just as when Nienna had been alive to see him off._

_Walking through the palace, his assistant following close behind, Thranduil was amazed that life could even continue without Nienna. He was so used to her walking through these halls, laughing at her son's antics. It filled Thranduil with a deep despair that he would never experience that levity again._

_~*~_

_Legolas' thoughts were wandering somewhat in the classroom by noon although his teacher made no attempt to either ask him questions or comment when his work went unfinished. The tutor was now talking about the legends of the forest and everyone was listening intently and scribbling notes, knowing that this information would come in useful at some point in their lives. The forest was dangerous and safety in Mirkwood was taught every day to students of all ages. Legolas' pencil remained on his desk, untouched during the duration of this particular class. Legolas was usually more alert and eager to learn than anyone. Although he loved the outdoors, particularly all the sporting competitions they held in the grounds, he also understood and respected the value of written knowledge and soaked up every snippet of information he was taught._

_Things had changed now though. He found his mind wandering again and he turned his head to glance out the window, watching the birds playing in the trees. The teacher's voice dissolved into nothing and his words become no more than an annoying droning in the background. He had wanted to come to school today for although he knew something was terribly wrong in the household and he couldn't make it right, he desperately wanted things to return to normal and the most normal thing about his days was going to class._

_So far he had managed to avoid any awkward questions people might have about what had happened, for he knew people were curious to know all the gory details. At break-time he had sat at his desk, his head down, pretending to be engrossed in some outstanding work. No one had bothered him, not even his friends who he sensed were waiting for the longer lunch period to question him._

_Inevitably, Legolas' mind soon wandered to his mother, a painful but seemingly unavoidable subject._

_Thankfully, his dark thoughts were interrupted by the teacher calling his name. Snapping his head around, Legolas realised he was finally being called upon to answer a question and his heart leapt in panic as he didn't have a clue what he had just been taught. He looked to the front of the class but instead found his teacher stood right next to his desk. The tutor knelt down, his hand on the back of Legolas' chair as if to shield him from the others, and whispered, "Prince Legolas, do you wish to go home? We can summon the king." Legolas slowly looked around to find that everyone was staring at him and snickers were rippling through the seated pupils._

_Turning back to his tutor, Legolas answered softly, "No thank you sir." His voice cracked slightly in embarrassment at all the eyes on him._

_The teacher nodded slowly. "All right." He returned to the front of the class and all eyes turned back to him as Legolas breathed a sigh of relief. Being a member of the royal family meant that he was used to attention but this was different somehow. He knew that hundreds of questions were ready to burst from their mouths at the first opportunity and suddenly he felt terribly self-conscious sitting amongst them. "Now, seeing as we have covered so much this morning how about an early lunch?" the teacher chimed, once again interrupting Legolas' thoughts. Everyone nodded enthusiastically except the prince who had been hoping for another few moments' of peace. The teacher dismissed them and all at once they ran out of the classroom, reverting from diligent students to playful Elflings. They picked up their food and gathered in the yard where they could talk and play._

_Legolas, however, took his time, placing his books in a neat pile on his desk and tidying his papers away. Usually, he would have been running out with them, anxious to escape the confines of the classroom. Not anymore though. At that moment he wished that he was once more under his father's protection. The king had always kept him safe from all the commiserations of the kingdom but now he was all on his own and he didn't have the strength to turn people away like his father so easily did._

"_Prince Legolas?" His teacher was back at his side, probably wondering what was taking him so long. "Do you wish to spend lunchtime in here? You are quite welcome." Legolas thought about this for a moment. He desperately wanted to say yes so he could avoid everyone in the schoolyard but he also wanted to return to normal and this was a part of being normal. Seeing everyone outside having so much fun he couldn't imagine himself in their position, not right now anyway. Maybe he was destined to never be normal again._

_Reluctantly, he nodded and sat back down in his seat, placing his head in his hands in disappointment that he had failed even this simple task. He had hardly gotten any work done today and when he was listening he didn't know what the teacher was talking about. His tutor laid a reassuring hand on his shoulder and retrieved his lunch for him, placing it quietly on the desk in front of him._

"_The king said you must have your lunch, Your Highness," he said before walking back to his desk to look over the work his students had done that morning – Legolas' remained untouched off to one side as he knew there would be nothing on there worthy of marking and that fact didn't bother him in the least. He hadn't expected Legolas to have a normal day and that merely the fact he was there was enough for the prince right then._

_Rarely did the staff in school refer to Legolas as 'Your Highness', preferring him to blend in with the other students so they simply called him by name. That the tutor was doing it now was a little odd for the prince and did nothing to relieve his discomfort._

_Legolas sat unmoving and silent for a moment before slowly starting his lunch. He could quite happily have not bothered and in fact had done so for nearly a week after the queen's death. Thranduil, however, had forced him to eat something, telling him that he would only become unwell if he didn't look after himself. And it was only the threat of receiving one of his father's infamous lectures that made Legolas force small bites of his sandwich down his throat._

_When Legolas next looked up, the teacher was once more stood in front of his desk, looking down at him and Legolas cocked his head to the side in question._

_The teacher pulled up a seat next to him and leaned forward so they could talk quietly without being overheard by the Elflings grouped in the yard. "It may not be my place to say this, Your Highness and forgive me if I am out of line, but I just wanted you to know how dreadfully sorry we all are for the queen's death." Legolas bowed his head sadly; at the mere mention of her name his chest became tight and his throat thick with emotion. "You must feel so lost without her." There was such sympathy in his voice that it brought tears to Legolas' eyes as he nodded softly. "I would imagine there is nothing worse than losing a family member like that."_

"_Could you not…? Please," Legolas asked, trying to sound respectful and firm at the same time, just as he had heard his father do in the past._

"_Yes of course. Forgive me, Your Highness." Again Legolas nodded, turning back to his lunch even though he had absolutely no appetite whatsoever. "It must be very tempting for you to try and make everything go back to normal," the tutor added quietly as an afterthought. _

_Legolas looked up sharply, surprised that his request had been denied. "I thought I said…"_

"_Yes. I do understand though; the urgency to return to something familiar." Legolas bowed his head again, surprised that this Elf could see so blatantly what he was thinking. "You should know, Your Highness, that it is all right to mourn the passing of your mother."_

"_What?" Legolas snapped sharply._

"_You know, allow yourself some time to recover from the trauma of her death. Allow yourself some time to grieve. Of course, so many people have already told you that, it must be rather redundant by now."_

"_No, not at all." It was true that amongst all the advice he had received about how to deal with everything even from Elrond and Galadriel, no one had ever said to him that it was all right to be sad about Nienna's death. It seemed strange considering so many people had come forward to express their opinion on the matter._

"_You do not have to be here if you don't wish. No one will think any less of you. Sometimes things need to return to normal naturally rather than being forced." Again Legolas nodded but before he could say anything children came flooding back into the classroom and the teacher returned to his place in front of the class._

_Not wanting the others to see the tears gathered in his eyes, Legolas got up slowly and asked the teacher in a soft, slightly trembling voice, "May I go to the bathroom, please?"_

_Slightly surprised at being approached by the prince the tutor nodded, "Yes, of course you may. Take your time," he added softly so no one else could hear and Legolas gratefully hurried from the room._

_At two in the afternoon the class was released and Legolas met Thranduil just outside the school yard, throwing himself into his father's arms relieved that the day was finally over. Thranduil hugged him back tightly for a moment before releasing him and taking Legolas' pack from him._

"_So how was your first day back?" he asked conversationally as they walked towards the palace. Legolas didn't answer the question immediately and Thranduil prompted, "Legolas?"_

"_Ada, is it all right if I stay home tomorrow?" the young Elf asked quietly._

_Thranduil stopped in his tracks and looked down curiously at his son who was gazing across at the open gates of the palace courtyard as though longing to be safely encompassed in the building once more. Thranduil bent down and picked his son up, holding him to his chest. "Of course it is. We should just take things slowly." The king walked slowly back into the palace. "You can return again whenever you feel ready. There is no rush after all."_

"_I do not want to fall behind any more though," Legolas said softly against his father's shoulder._

"_I'll ask your teacher to send some work for you each day, then if there is anything you don't understand he can explain it to you in private at the end of the day." It seemed like a logical solution and an easy transition back into regular schooling without the trauma of being thrown straight back in as he had been today._

"_Thank you, Ada," Legolas whispered tiredly against his father's neck._

_Thranduil smiled and kissed his son gently. "Now, how about a nap before dinner?" he said, opening the door to Legolas' room. The prince nodded and Thranduil laid him down on the bed, pulling a blanket over him. Almost instantly, Legolas had fallen asleep. The endless nights of nightmares took their toll on the young prince and very often Thranduil would put him down for a nap during the afternoon when the dreams seemed slightly less terrifying. "Sleep well, ion nin," the king whispered before quietly leaving the room._

_~*~_

_**One Month After Nienna's Death…**_

_Legolas had returned once more to school sooner than Thranduil had anticipated. The prince had been adamant though, despite Thranduil's concerns. His grades had been good enough with the help of the teacher visiting him in the evenings but Legolas said he couldn't possibly learn as much in the palace as in school so Thranduil had allowed him to return to school again, with the same comforting advice as last time._

_Thankfully, Legolas had been doing a lot better than last time. He had been doing all the work he was set, throwing himself into every challenge his teacher set him and in fact working harder than he had ever done before. He had even been going out into the yard, refusing to allow the other children's stares and whispers faze him. It was uncomfortable but manageable and he never complained to his father about it; in fact, he told Thranduil nothing of the things that happened; only that he got good grades and was pleased to be back._

_Every now and then he would get the urge to run home and find his father but he resisted, telling himself that he had to learn. The nights remained bad but now when Legolas woke up after a nightmare, once he had sufficiently calmed down he would pull out one of his school books and bury himself in the world of Elven history, geography or mathematics for an hour or so after his father returned to bed. It was hardly ideal but it proved a useful distraction and it gave him something to do rather than just lying there waiting for the dawn to chase away the ghosts._

_The day was particularly hot and the class had relocated outside so they could study under the trees. Legolas was sitting under an old willow with some other members of his class, reading a text named 'The Legends of Mirkwood', one of the more amusing volumes they were required to study._

_Two of the other Elflings who often found it amusing to make fun of the prince's status and position within the Mirkwood hierarchy, were whispering on the other side of the tree. Legolas didn't pay much attention to them and continued to read quietly, as he usually did in class._

"_I heard it had four heads and teeth the size of a dragon's," one of the boys whispered, just loud enough for Legolas to hear._

"_Well, I heard it had fangs dripping with purple-coloured poison and its howl was like a dying wolf's," the other boy said, obviously trying to out-do his friend. The two were notorious for making up horror stories about the forest, usually to scare the younger Elflings in the smaller classes. They had been told off for it several times but they didn't seem to take much notice._

"_That's nothing. My Ada said that it had huge claws that dripped with blood and ears that could hear anything," the first boy added enthusiastically._

"_Anyone who goes near it gets turned into stone."_

"_No, they get turned into dust," the first corrected matter-of-factly. "And it lives in a cave." This did grab Legolas' attention and he lowered his book to his lap, listening more intently now. "And every year it has to feed on Elflings – usually the maidens. And they scream and scream but no one can hear them from inside the cave."_

"_And the poison makes them die slowly," the other boy added enthusiastically, loving the direction this story was taking._

"_And there is always lots and lots of blood, all over the cave walls."_

"_Oh and it loves toying with the Elflings; they're its special treat."_

"_It loves to play with them first, like a pet. And it has such fun with them before killing them."_

_Legolas knew now that this was about him and Nienna. The boys were making that perfectly clear, raising their voices just loud enough for him to hear and exaggerating all the parts they deemed relevant to him. The cave, the monster, the maiden, the frightened Elfling – it was almost an exact match to what had happened just over a month ago. Tears formed in his eyes as the two Elflings continued their story, relating everything they had heard happened in the cave and wrapping it up in a loose veil of fiction._

"_The little Elflings though, they never get over it, and those that survive being eaten, the ones that get away, they are never the same again. They turn into freaks."_

"_And they wet their beds every night," the first boy laughed uproariously, causing the other to burst into hysterics._

_Legolas jumped up, dropping his book and ran past the boys who just laughed harder. Their teacher came towards them, seeing Legolas running away from the school in tears._

"_Prince Legolas," he shouted but got nothing. "Your Highness, you shouldn't go off on your own. Your Highness." Legolas kept running though, not even looking back to the cruel people who were teasing him over something as earth-shattering as his mother's death. The boys were still laughing uncontrollably and the teacher looked down at them suspiciously. "What did you say this time?" he asked, the threat clear in his voice causing the boys' laughter to cease._

_Legolas just kept running, not really knowing – or caring – where he was going. He ran through a cluster of trees but came to a sudden halt at the pond. It was quite large for a pond, more like a stagnant lake actually, and Legolas had been brought here numerous times by Nienna. Now he sat down by the bank and buried his head in his knees, crying at what he had just heard said about his family. The only way he had gotten through the past couple of weeks and had the strength to even step into the school house was because he had put his mother and the events of five weeks ago out of his mind. But those two Elflings, who would do anything for a good joke, had broken down his defences with no more than a few words – cruel as they were. They had shattered Legolas' already fragile belief that he could make things right again._

_He stayed by the pond watching the water with an intense curiosity for several hours, not really caring that he was missing anything at school, or that people might be looking for him. The words of those two boys just kept running through his head, intermingled with the images of _that _day. And here he was, alone again. Thranduil could do anything, he could shield him from the people but he could not make his son feel normal again, not could he make Legolas believe that he was not entirely alone in all this. Even Galadriel, who knew everything that had happened in the cave, could never truly understand what he was feeling. She felt it from the outside; it wasn't a part of her like it was a part of him and no one could change that. It was that thought that kept Legolas up at night after the nightmares and that thought that made him realise just how incredibly alone he really was._

"_Legolas," a sharp shout disturbed his sombre thoughts. He turned around to see his father flanked by his assistant and Legolas' teacher marching towards him. Slowly, he stood up to face the coming onslaught. "What in the name of the Valar do you think you're doing?" Thranduil demanded when he reached his son. "Do you have any idea how worried we were about you?" The king grabbed Legolas' arm and pulled him roughly forward. "Anything could have happened to you. We had no idea where you had gone." He pulled Legolas roughly back towards the palace, ignoring his son's squirming and protesting. "You could have been taken out here. Is that what you want, to be taken again?"_

_At this, Legolas shouted and ripped his arm away from his father more violently than the king would have imagined possible. Tears streamed down his pale face as he glared up at his father._

_For a moment Thranduil glared back in silence before he realised what he had just said. Sorrow marred his features and he knelt down before his son. He placed his hand on Legolas' shoulder but the prince shrugged him off. "Legolas, I'm so sorry. I never…I didn't mean to say that," Thranduil apologised sincerely._

_Legolas just shook his head and ran off towards the palace, not even looking back to his father, who was still kneeling on the ground in disbelief at what he had just said to his already fragile son._

_~*~_

_It was night time before Thranduil plucked up the courage to seek out his son and apologise again for his outright cruel words. He approached Legolas' rooms with trepidation, not knowing how his son was going to react. He carried with him some food as Legolas had ignored the summons to dinner and Thranduil had decided it best to leave him alone for a while._

_Thranduil knocked gently on the door but received no answer so he knocked again, calling, "Legolas." His son obviously didn't want to know so he asked, "Legolas, can I come in? I just want to talk to you. Please, ion nin." There was still no answer though and Thranduil sighed sadly. He placed the tray on the floor outside Legolas' door and knocked again. "There is some food out here for you. Make sure you eat it; you haven't had anything since breakfast." Thranduil went to turn away but he heard the sound of a key turning in the door and the lock clicking open._

_With a small, relieved smile, Thranduil picked up the tray and opened the door, stepping inside. Legolas was not in the living room though and Thranduil laid the tray on the table. The curtains were all drawn but there was no fire or lamps lit. This seemed strange for Legolas as he didn't usually like turning all the lamps off before he went to bed, which he obviously hadn't done. There were some carved wooden toys lying on the floor but they had hardly been played with. Thranduil guessed that Legolas had tried to console himself in his imaginary world of toys as he so often did these days, but this time it didn't appear to have worked. The king walked into Legolas' bedroom and found that it too was empty. He knew his son must be in these rooms somewhere though although he wasn't in the bathroom either._

"_Legolas? Ion nin, will you come out and talk to me please?" Thranduil called, stepping back into the bedroom and pulling back the rumpled bed sheets to see if his son was hiding beneath them. There was no Legolas in the bed though. "I know you're in here somewhere. Please don't hide from me, Legolas. Please." Upon this heart-felt request the closet door opened and Legolas slid out. Legolas' large closet provided the perfect little sanctuary and he often went in there when he wanted to hide away. When he was little, Nienna used to read him stories in the little snug; they could hide from the world with no one to distract them._

_Thranduil smiled down at his son, who remained standing stiffly in front of him. "Do I at least get a hug?" the king asked, spreading his arms in invitation. Legolas didn't move though so Thranduil lowered his arms in disappointment. "I guess not. Will you let me apologise?" Still nothing but Thranduil took the opportunity anyway. "Legolas, I am so sorry. I never should have said that. No matter what you did you didn't deserve to be spoken to like that and I am sorry." Legolas just lowered his eyes to the floor, barely even acknowledging his father's presence. "Do you want to tell me what happened at school today? What made you run away like that?" Legolas shrugged, not wanting to answer the question. "There must have been something. Come on Legolas, talk to me please. I just want to understand. I promise that I won't get angry." Legolas started walking back to his closet and pulled the door open, ready to retreat into his sanctuary. "Ion nin please tell me what to do to help you."_

"_Just go away," Legolas whispered before stepping back into the safety of his closet and pulling the door closed firmly behind him._

_The words hit Thranduil so strongly that his breath hitched in his throat. Legolas had never spoken to him like that before – never with such dismissive rejection. He couldn't counter that so the king stood up and left, closing the doors behind him. Legolas didn't come to him that night but he laid awake anyway, wondering how this could ever be put right again._

_The next morning, Thranduil knocked again on Legolas' door but didn't get an answer and he found it to be locked this time. No matter how much he begged, Legolas wouldn't open it so eventually he gave up and left, returning to the duties of the kingdom, which simply couldn't be ignored no matter how bad things got between him and his son._

_Thranduil was sat in his office miserably looking through papers when there was a nervous knock on his door. He called for the visitor to enter and Legolas' teacher stepped in, accompanied by two young Elflings both looking positively terrified at being brought before the king. They all bowed respectfully and Thranduil laid down his papers, wanting to hear what they had to say._

"_Your Majesty, these two boys have something to tell you about Prince Legolas," the school master said, looking severely down at the two Elflings stood before him. They looked reluctant and said nothing, glancing up pleadingly at their teacher, silently begging to be allowed to leave this scary situation. The teacher gently nudged them both forward closer to a waiting Thranduil._

"_Well? Speak," Thranduil commanded._

"_It is about Legolas…"_

"Prince_ Legolas," the other corrected quickly._

"_Yes, _Prince _Legolas. When he ran away from school yesterday…well, we thought you should know…that it was because…because…"_

"_It was because of us, sir," the second boy said quickly when the first couldn't bring himself to speak the words. Thranduil watched them with expressionless features. "We said…some things that were a little…unkind."_

"_What kind of things?" Thranduil asked passively, although they could hear the subtle pangs of anger in his voice._

"_Things about…the Queen, sir."_

"_They were making fun of Prince Legolas and the events of a month back, Sire. I believe that is what upset the prince yesterday," the teacher filled in when the two boys quailed behind him._

"_Indeed?" The boys both nodded softly. "You mocked the demise of your queen; of my wife; of your Crown Prince's mother?" The Elflings looked up to their teacher for guidance but received none. Thranduil slowly got to his feet, asking, "Tell me, do you believe that an appropriate way to address your future king?"_

"_No sir," the two said in unison._

"_No. I don't think you quite realise the extent to which you upset my son. You see, your words may have been nothing more than a joke to you but they actually meant something to Legolas and they mean something to me. So perhaps you would care to repeat them for my amusement also?" They both shook their heads. "No? But you thought they were suitable for your prince's ears, so why not mine?" They stood in silence. "I suppose it is something that you should at least feel ashamed for what you have done," Thranduil yelled, causing them all to flinch. Thranduil's voice was more restrained when he next spoke but it was not without effort. "Legolas has been through a lot and he suffers more than you can even begin to comprehend and every time one of you brings up this subject for him it pushes his recovery back further. So next time you wish to make a joke about a member of your royal family I suggest that you come to me because if I ever – EVER – hear you speaking one unkind word to my son, or any other Elfling in Mirkwood, I can guarantee that you will sorely regret it. Is that understood?" Thranduil's voice had risen to a shout once more as his anger rose._

"_Yes sir," the two boys said together again, trembling in fear._

"_Good. Now you are to personally apologise to Legolas in written form and both your parents will be informed." The boys both groaned but Thranduil ignored it, saying, "You should be thankful you are not being thrown in the dungeons right now. I am sure we can find a more productive way of working off your punishment though. Until then you are to stay behind after school to complete any chores that may need doing around the schoolhouse." They nodded miserably. "I suggest that you consider very seriously what you have done because the next time I will not be so lenient. And let me remind you once more that Legolas is a member of the royal family and is to be respected at all times; without exception. Understood?"_

"_Yes sir," they answered together._

"_Now get out of my sight." Thranduil sat back down at his desk. "And I will be keeping a close eye on both of you." Once they were gone, Thranduil put his head in his hands. "Oh Legolas, why didn't you tell me?" he whispered to the empty office._

_~*~_

_Thranduil was sitting in the kitchen cradling a mug of warm herbal tea in his hands. It was late but once again he couldn't sleep. Legolas had not come to dinner again although he had been left something outside his door. Thranduil hated fighting with his son, although he knew he deserved everything he was getting right now; he should never have said what he did, especially considering all the other bad things that Legolas had heard before hand._

_The door to the kitchen creaked open and Thranduil went to tell the servant or chef to go away but instead he found his son standing in the doorway, grasping an empty plate in his small hands._

"_Legolas," the king exclaimed, standing up and walking over to his son. "Are you all right?" Legolas just ignored him and walked towards the counter. He reached up and placed the plate on the side before turning back to Thranduil._

"_I'm hungry," the prince whispered._

"_Of course you are. Let me make you something to eat," Thranduil said, eagerly walking over to the larder and starting searching through. He didn't spend much time in the kitchens but he knew he could fix his son something to eat. "What would you like? How about a sandwich? I'm sure I can manage that."_

"_Ada," a small voice came from beside the king. Thranduil looked down to find Legolas stood right next to him. "I'm sorry," the prince said, holding up his arms to be picked up._

_Thranduil scooped his son up into his arms and hugged him tight as Legolas cried on his shoulder. "Shh, you have nothing to be sorry for. I spoke to those boys who upset you and I promise it won't happen again. I'm going to keep you safe. Everything is going to be all right."_


	107. Help My Angel Now

**Disclaimer: **I own nothing Tolkien created.

* * *

**Sold Into Ruin**

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**A/N: Thanks to everyone who has reviewed. Pleased keep them coming, I love getting them.**

**~*~**

**Chapter 107 ~ Help My Angel Now**

**~*~**

"Everything is going to be all right now. Just hold on, ion nin; we're nearly there," Thranduil reassured his son in a whisper as he carried him through the corridors in his arms, ignoring the shocked looks of the people lining the corridors. Thankfully, Legolas was still semi-conscious, his head resting on Thranduil's shoulder, and was too tired to complain about being carried around like an infant.

Thranduil burst into the first healing room where the healers were all standing around, waiting for something to do. They looked completely shocked when their king laid their crown prince on one of the healing beds, stroking dirty hair out of his face and whispering gentle reassurances. It was only when Thranduil turned and looked at them, not understanding why they were all just standing there doing nothing, that they snapped out of their trances and rushed forwards to tend to their injured crown prince. In truth, they had been expecting something like this. When Thranduil had announced that his son was missing and had gone off in search of him, everyone had been put on alert but that had been nearly three weeks ago and they had gradually come to assume that Thranduil had found Legolas and taken him to Rivendell where Lord Elrond could treat him as usually happened.

As they were talking amongst themselves about what steps to take to help their prince, the healing room door swung open again and Elrond and his son Elladan supported an unsteady-looking Estel into the room. They were closely followed by a young boy and a woman with a baby in her arms.

"Can I get some help here?" Elrond called as he sat his adoptive son down on one of the beds while Elrohir escorted the boy and woman to another, reassuring them both that they were safe here. Two healers peeled away from Legolas' bed and came to the Man's aid. "He has a wound on his side caused by a sword I believe. It has been packed and bandaged and the bleeding has stopped. Also treat him for malnutrition and dehydration. Watch out for other wounds too." Elrond's voice was calm and cool as he gave out instructions to the healers. When he was at work he was always entirely professional; he knew the only way he could really help people was by staying calm and not panicking. "Estel, I need to see to Legolas now, all right?" There was a slight hint of urgency in his voice as he said this though, knowing the prince needed help soon.

Aragorn nodded as the healers began to slowly undress him. "Look after him, Ada. Please," he said firmly.

Elrond said, "Yes, of course I will. You let them take care of you, all right? No complaining." Aragorn nodded his consent and Elrond smiled down at him, giving his shoulder a reassuring squeeze. "Everything will be all right now," he said before walking over to where the healers were still arguing about how to treat their semi-conscious prince.

"Would you all just shut up and help him!" Thranduil yelled at them, causing the entire room to fall completely silent.

"Thranduil, please remain calm or you will be no use to anyone," Elrond said quietly, putting his hand on Thranduil's arm and pulling him away from the bed so he could get to the patient. "All right, I need warm water, fresh bandages, Athelas and something nice and strong for the pain. Go," Elrond said and the healers immediately scattered to get what the Lord had ordered. Thranduil may have been king of the Realm but in the healing halls Elrond was in charge. "All right, let's get these clothes off, shall we?" he then said kindly to Legolas. "Can you sit up for me?" Legolas did as he was told, allowing Elrond and his father to help him. "That's good." Slowly, they removed the various new layers of clothes and cloaks he had on, revealing the blood-caked bandages beneath – all that walking had not done his wounds any good. Thankfully, there was no blood seeping through the bandages on his hands although Elrond knew that they must have still hurt.

After only a few minutes, the healers returned with everything Elrond had requested and placed it all on the table next to the bed. One healer began mixing Athelas with warm water making everyone feel instantly more at ease. The same healer then handed Elrond a mug of steaming Athelas-infused tea.

"Legolas, I want you to drink this, all right? It's going to take the edge off the pain," Elrond said, handing the mug to Legolas who drank it slowly but purposefully.

Whilst he was doing that, Elrond had gathered the healers together to discuss their game plan. It wouldn't be easy and they needed to be co-ordinated.

"First we need to get those bandages off and clean the wounds with warm water and hope infection hasn't set in. He has numerous severe lacerations on his back, contusions all over his body and burns to both hands. Be careful because he has been very poorly treated. He is also in a lot of pain so that is our main priority. Be especially careful around his back; it seems to be particularly painful," Elrond explained, wanting everyone to be properly informed. He knew it was no good everyone going in blind and hurting Legolas more.

"How long has he been like this?" one of the younger healers asked quietly, casting a sad glance over to Legolas, who was talking quietly to his father.

"I am not entirely certain, but I would guess from what Estel has told me nearly a month."

"A month?" the healer gasped, obviously shocked at the sad realisation that one of their beloved first family had suffered at the hands of his captors for so long.

"Oh, and one more thing, whatever you do no one mention Queen Nienna around him," Elrond warned, his tone challenging any of them to question this somewhat bizarre request. Usually they heard this from Thranduil, or from Legolas himself but they had not been expecting it from Lord Elrond.

They all returned to the prince's side, going about what they needed to. "Is that starting to work?" Elrond asked of the Athelas. Legolas merely nodded wearily, barely having the energy to answer Elrond's question, even though he knew the answers were important. "Good. We need to remove these bandages again, all right? I know it is going to hurt but we will be as gentle as we can. Just shout if you want us to stop." Again Legolas nodded before glancing over at Aragorn, who was laid down on the bed with healers surrounding him.

"How is Estel? Is he all right?" Legolas asked, trying to catch another glimpse of his friend.

"Estel is fine. You just concentrate on yourself, all right?" Elrond said kindly.

Legolas looked over at Jasmine and Arron, who were both watching him closely. He smiled weakly over at them but only the woman returned the gesture. Arron just looked upset. Unfortunately he could do little to reassure the boy right then; he was too busy concentrating on not crying out when Elrond began removing the bandages for the second time.

Mercifully they were not quite so difficult to remove this time as they had been fairly recently been applied and Elrond's expert bandaging definitely helped. Thranduil kept his hand on his son's shoulder for support and half way through Legolas grabbed it and held on tightly through the pain. Thranduil slowly sat down on the bed next to his son and held him close, holding his hand back comfortingly. Elrond and the healers went quietly about their task with Elrond only occasionally asking Legolas if he was all right to continue. Legolas always just nodded in response, once or twice letting out a small whimper. The only thing that kept him going was the thought that soon all this would be over and everything would return to normal.

Whilst Elrond and the other healers were seeing to a squirming Legolas, Galadriel and Celeborn entered the halls and the Queen went straight over to Arron who was sitting on the bed watching Elrond and Legolas with tears running down his cheeks. She sat down next to him and laid her arm over his small shoulders, pulling him close.

"How about we get you a nice warm room? I am certain a healer will be able to see to you in a more private environment." Arron nodded shakily and stood with the Lady of Lorien. "Come on, I'm sure Legolas will not mind you using his rooms for a while; as I recall they are quite impressive. Jasmine, would you care to join us?" The woman nodded and followed Galadriel and Arron out of the healing room. She cast quick glances back at her two friends but they were too busy to even look over at her.

It didn't take them long to reach Legolas' chambers in the royal wing. They knew it was the royal part of the palace because slowly the corridors had gotten far grander and a lot quieter. The halls were filled with elaborate tapestries, paintings and furniture. Galadriel opened the door and allowed the two humans to step inside. Jasmine gasped when she got a proper look at the room and Arron could do nothing but stare open-mouthed at the splendour. This first room was a large sitting room filled with fine furniture and plush carpets. In front of the massive fireplace was a large armchair and couch and there was also a divan along one wall although it could clearly be moved closer to the fire. There were blankets draped over the backs of each as if it were commonplace for someone to sleep on them at night. There was a large desk with a chair on the far side of the room and a bureau against another wall. The room was massive; bigger than anything Jasmine and Arron were used to.

Galadriel smiled at their reactions and closed the door softly behind her. "Yes, quite spectacular isn't it? Of course all King Thranduil's doing. Legolas would much rather live outdoors amongst the trees I think, but this is a good enough alternative I suppose."

"I've never seen anything like this," Jasmine breathed, looking around at the beautifully decorated room.

"And this is only the beginning," Galadriel smiled, walking to a set of double doors. She pulled them open to reveal another room, this even bigger than the first. This one was a bedroom with a huge four-poster bed covered by a large throw decorated with blue and silver thread and matching perfectly with the décor of the room and the pillows scattered over it. Also in the room was another elaborately carved desk with an array of papers scattered all over. Galadriel then opened another smaller door to reveal a huge en-suite bathroom complete with spacious bathtub. The final door in the room – apart from those leading onto the impressive balcony – was merely a closet filled with the most beautifully tailored clothes the pair had ever seen.

Arron walked over to the bedside table and picked up a delicate silver crown in interest.

"Put that down," Jasmine snapped nervously and Arron quickly replaced it. They were both sure it must have been worth more money than they would ever see in their lives.

"Legolas wore that on his two-hundredth birthday. Thranduil wanted to put it back in the vaults but Legolas always kept it here with him. I believe it was a present from his parents."

"No wonder Legolas found the encampment so uncomfortable if this is how he is used to living," Jasmine said, wonder still evident in her voice.

Galadriel laughed musically and set about putting some clean sheets on the divan in the living room for Arron to sleep on. When she returned Jasmine was staring at a painting positioned above the fireplace. "That was Legolas when he was just a boy," the queen said, a smile lighting her face again as she recalled those long gone days. "That was before…well, he was much younger then, more innocent."

The painting depicted a small Elfling sat on his father's lap. The king was sat on his throne, royal robes of gold and green on as well as a ceremonial crown. Legolas was wrapped in his father's arms, also regally dressed, a small delicate silver crown nestled on his blonde head. Although it was clearly an official portrait it looked rather cosy. There was something about it though that made Jasmine sad; something in the stunningly blue eyes of the prince, as though all was calm on the outside merely to disguise the raging storm on the inside. It was almost as if they knew that something bad was coming but were putting on brave faces. Neither Elf was smiling and Legolas' attention seemed not to be entirely on the artist painting him – the easy distraction of youth, perhaps. Jasmine could almost imagine that sitting – the young boy squirming on his father's lap eager to be outside playing with his friends rather than being involved in this boring part of his duties. And this was clearly a job; there was no joy in either face although they appeared contented enough.

"Where is his mother?" Arron asked innocently, not looking at the painting as deeply as Jasmine.

Galadriel sighed, "I believe she was in Rivendell at the time. Thranduil insisted on a painting with just the two of them so he commissioned this. It used to hang in the Royal Gallery but Legolas had it moved here a while back. He never told me why."

"He looks…happy," Jasmine commented softly.

Galadriel nodded. "Yes, he does. Nienna died just twenty years after that was painted. Legolas was never the same after that."

"Why doesn't he have a painting of her?"

"There was one in here once. Thranduil commissioned a painter to do one when Legolas was just a baby. It was a portrait of just Nienna. Legolas kept it by his bed, never left it behind if they travelled. After she died we never saw it again. I have no idea what happened to it. Thranduil searched the entire palace looking for it but Legolas never told him where it was. I don't know if he destroyed it or not. It was sad really; he eliminated any sign that she had ever been here after she was gone." Galadriel sighed softly before leaving their side and finishing making up a place for Arron to sleep.

"Why?" the boy asked, not really understanding the implications of Galadriel's words.

"Well, I suppose it was just too painful to see Nienna every day but knowing he would never be with her again. That was a very difficult time for Legolas." She sighed again, remembering those times all too clearly. "Anyway, it is not my place to discuss Legolas' childhood."

When she was done with the bed, she turned back to them. "I am sure that you would both like a warm bath. I will send someone in to look after Nienna whilst you do so, Jasmine. Arron, you may use King Thranduil's bathroom if you wish; it is just next door and I am certain that he will be with Legolas for a while longer yet. Then you can join me and Celeborn for dinner tonight. I'm sure you must be hungry. I'll go and find you some clean clothes as well, those look a little worn out. If you would both like to just wait here." With that she left them alone to gaze in wonder at this beautiful place.

"Can you believe this?" Arron whispered, looking around again, pulling the drawers in the desk open and admiring their contents – mostly drawings done by Legolas presumably, books, a knife encrusted with the most beautiful gems they had ever seen.

Galadriel entered the room with two other Elves following her. "Arron, this is Korslorn, Legolas' personal healer. He is going to see to any wounds you may have and get you washed and dressed. Anything he needs, give him immediately," she instructed the healer who nodded and held out his hand for the young boy. He looked a little nervous though and looked to Jasmine for reassurance. "Don't worry, you are safe here," Galadriel reassured but Arron looked again to his more familiar friend.

"Go ahead," Jasmine smiled down at him. He nodded slowly and somewhat reluctantly took the healer's hand. He gently led him out of the room.

"This is one of the maids; she has much experience in the nursery. I thought you might be able to help you with your daughter whilst you get washed and dressed. I'm sure you would like a moment or two to yourself. I can vouch personally for her." The maid bowed slightly although Jasmine had no idea how to respond to it. "Give Jasmine anything she requires and take good care of Nienna," Galadriel instructed the maid.

The young maiden looked utterly shocked when the Lady said that name. "Nienna?" she asked in wonder. She had heard that name spoken only in whispered voices in the servant's quarters but never out loud and certainly not in Prince Legolas' rooms. The very fact that Legolas was in the palace at the time was even more astounding.

"Yes, I realise it is a little unusual but I think you can speak the name aloud now; just be a little careful with it please," Galadriel said quietly. She was all too aware of the uncomfortable feeling that that name caused around Mirkwood. They also had to be careful with Legolas. She knew that right then the prince was in a fragile state, especially considering everything that had happened lately.

"Yes my Lady," the maid said bowing again to the Queen of Lothlorien and to Jasmine who just nodded nervously, still having no idea whether she was supposed to respond or not.

"Now I have arranged for some clothes to be sent. I am afraid they are all borrowed but I am sure the tailor can make you something later. I will send someone to fetch you for dinner. Make yourself at home."

"Lady Galadriel?" Jasmine asked before she left the room.

"Yes?"

"Could you find out if Estel is all right?"

"Of course. I'll have a healer come and talk to you and see to your own wounds once you have washed. Do not worry about Estel for the moment. He is strong, he will be fine," Galadriel smiled before leaving Jasmine alone with the maid.

~*~

Arron was led by the healer into the room just next door to Legolas'. It looked very much the same in layout but was much bigger; almost twice the size and twice as grand. This was obviously the home of the king. Light flooded through the large windows in the bathroom and Arron looked out to see the whole forest spread before him. From the inside it had been so scary-looking but looking out at it from the safety of the palace it looked almost beautiful.

"Prince Legolas used to spend hours out on that balcony looking out to the forest," the healer said, returning from the bedroom after starting the bath running.

"Really?" The healer nodded and knelt down in front of the boy. "Shall we get these off?" he asked gently and immediately Arron stripped off the filthy clothes he had been wearing. The healer almost felt the need to hold his breath against the smell, it was so vile but he continued onwards, not letting the boy know he was uncomfortable. Beneath the clothes, Arron's small frame was gaunt and grey both from dirt and the lack of good food. His body had numerous scars but not too many fresh wounds. There were a few bruises and cuts but nothing serious. Still, seeing a child in this state of neglect was something the healer just wasn't used to.

"Tell me about Legolas," Arron said once he was sat in the bath.

The healer began washing Arron's filthy body gently with a sweet-smelling soap before looking up at the young boy, looking at him in a strange way. He had never been asked so directly about his prince before and it was a little odd.

"Prince Legolas?" he asked and Arron nodded enthusiastically. The healer laughed. "Why would you want to know about the prince?" he asked, reluctant to give away too much about his Lord.

"He never speaks about himself and he promised he would tell me," Arron said, looking around the splendid bathroom.

"Well, what would you like to know?" the healer asked somewhat cautiously.

Arron thought for a moment. "What happened to his mum?"

It was blunt and direct and the healer had not been expecting it. "I'm not sure it is my place…" the healer began but Arron's innocent eyes forced him to reconsider; after all, Lady Galadriel herself had vouched for him. "She died when he was very young."

"How?"

"She was killed by Orcs over two thousand years ago. Prince Legolas was with her when she died," the healer said, avoiding mentioning all the details both for Legolas' sake as well as the boy's.

"Was she nice?"

The healer smiled. "Yes, she was very nice. She was a great queen and is much missed."

"Legolas was very sad?"

He paused for a moment, not quite knowing how much he should reveal. "Yes, he was very sad. No one suffered more than Prince Legolas did when Nienna died. It was very hard on him."

"Why are there no pictures? Doesn't he want to remember her?" Arron asked, growing ever more curious about his new friend.

"Of course he does. It was just too painful for him I suppose to be reminded of her every day and never be with her again. I was there the day she died, I saw to him afterwards and something broke inside him that day. He was never really the same again."

"I don't know where my mum is," Arron said without a trace of sadness in his voice. It had never been an issue for him. He knew how it worked in the encampment, none of the children knew who their parents were or what had happened to them and it ceased to bother them after a while. There were far more important things to worry about.

The healer watched him silently for a moment before washing his hair and then getting him out of the bath. After drying him off, the healer picked up some clothes, which had been left on the bed. They were the most beautiful clothes Arron had ever seen and he marvelled at them as he put them on.

"These used to belong to Prince Legolas," the healer said once he was dressed. "I think they are perfect for dinned tonight."

At that moment a slight knock sounded from the door and it opened to reveal Elladan and Elrohir. "Ah, I see we have a Legolas clone now," Elrohir laughed, admiring Arron's clothing.

"We thought you might like a quick tour of the palace before dinner," Elladan said, always the more serious of the two.

"I'd love one," Arron said, a smile crossing his face and he ran up to the two brothers, taking their hands. The healer bowed as they left. He tidied the room quickly before walking out the door and heading towards the healing halls. He wanted to see how Legolas was doing. He had been the prince's personal healer for many years, treating every bump and bruise he got as a child and the more serious injuries he sustained as an adult. Legolas had spoken to him occasionally about that day but never in any real detail. He would also come to him every now and then for a sleeping powder, which he begrudgingly gave only occasionally.

**To Be Continued…**


	108. Painful Healing

**Disclaimer: **I own nothing Tolkien created.

* * *

**Sold Into Ruin**

* * *

**A/N: Thanks so much to everyone who has reviewed. The story is not yet finished so please keep reading – I have a few more surprises in store for our friends – and please keep reviewing and letting me know what you think.**

**Enjoy Chapter 108.**

**~*~**

**Chapter 108 ~ Painful Healing**

**~*~**

Whilst Galadriel was taking Arron, Jasmine and Nienna away from the disturbing scenes in the healing halls, the healers and Lord Elrond were still removing the dirty bandages covering Legolas' back.

Several times already they had had to stop because the pain became too much for the prince and he could do nothing but beg them to stop cutting and peeling the bandages off. The healers respectfully stepped away whilst Thranduil and Elrond tried in vain to sufficiently calm their young charge so they could continue. The painkillers Elrond had provided were obviously having little effect anymore but this wasn't really all that surprising considering the nature and severity of the injuries. It was all the more upsetting for Thranduil though, who wasn't quite sure what to do when Legolas grabbed hold of him and buried his face in his robes in an attempt to escape the relentless agony. Understandably, he had never seen his son in anything like this state before.

Elrond took it all in his stride, knowing exactly what to do and say to calm his distraught patient and quite willing to give Legolas as long as he needed, it wasn't like there was any great hurry now Legolas was safely inside the Mirkwood stronghold. Thranduil briefly wondered how many times the experienced healer had seen this exact same thing – people desperately searching for some relief from their pain and looking to Elrond to give it. It comforted Thranduil that Elrond was the one who gently reassured Legolas, telling him that it would all be over soon and that the pain would eventually fade if he just held on. And Legolas tried to listen intently to every word that was being said, taking in Elrond's advice and trying his best to follow it even though he slipped a few times. And yet despite all of Elrond's reassurances and comforting instructions and suggestions it was Thranduil he clung to as though his father could somehow make everything right.

Thranduil remembered that look on Legolas' face when he had come from the caves, bursting into the Throne Room of the palace. At the time he didn't recognise it but in retrospect it had been there: the look of longing for him to make everything right, to find his mother and take back every bad thing that had happened to him. It was because of this endless trust that Thranduil had found it so hard to talk to Legolas after his mother's death. In some ways he felt as though he had failed his son and every now and then when Legolas looked at him Thranduil could have sworn he saw a flash of anger that he had done nothing to relieve him of his pain. And there was no worse look a father could receive from his son.

Legolas was partly leaning against is father, barely able to even sit up straight any longer on his own. When he nearly tipped over, no longer able to sit up properly, Elrond quickly reached out to steady him.

"Sorry," he whispered, his voice trembling so badly through pain they could barely make out what he was saying.

"It's all right. Just take a moment," Elrond reassured gently, knowing exactly how hard this was on the prince. In all honestly, he hadn't expected Legolas to remain conscious this long, he had been expecting him to pass out as soon as the bandages started coming off. He should have known Legolas was stronger than that though and would do all he could to help his healers. Elrond motioned to another senior healer – Thranduil's personal healer, in fact – who was instantly at Legolas' side, understanding that Elrond was hinting that the prince needed help. "You just lean on Caren if you need to," he said as the healer gently took some of Legolas' weight.

He could have just had him lay down but he knew that would take a lot longer and be a lot trickier. So as long as Legolas was conscious and able he wanted to get this over with in the easiest and quickest possible way.

"I promise not to drop you," the healer laughed, trying to lighten the mood and failing miserably, causing both Thranduil and Elrond to shoot him annoyed glares. The healer soon turned serious though when he remembered he was still in the presence of his royal family, even if it was under extraordinary circumstances. "I've got you, Your Highness," the healer reassured with a gentle smile when Legolas nearly slipped again.

"Sorry," Legolas whispered again, closing his eyes tiredly as Thranduil gently smoothed his son's hair back.

"Don't you worry, you just try and take some nice deep breaths," Elrond reassured, noting how terrible Legolas looked right then and that the reassurances seemed to calm him a little. "Are you all right to carry on?" Legolas nodded tiredly against his father. "Just lean forward a little. Let Caren take your weight. That's it. We're nearly done now."

Eventually, they managed to remove the bandages and they could get a proper look at the wounds – a big shock to some of the less experienced healers. Elrond was also able to get his first proper look at the damage, in clean surroundings and good light unlike in the dingy Hold or dark tent. The wounds were still red and raw; the long walk through the forest had not been kind on the prince. Some of the cuts were still bleeding a little but not much as they had been earlier. Despite the fact that he was weak, he hadn't lost too much blood apart from when the wounds had been first inflicted. However, he had not been allowed to recover from that initial trauma yet.

"All right, Legolas, I'm just going to clean and dress these now," Elrond said gently, placing his hand on Legolas' trembling shoulder. He heard Legolas whimper slightly and shake his head, almost begging Elrond not to. "I know it hurts," he said sympathetically. "It will all be over soon. I just need you to hold on, can you do that for me?" Legolas nodded wearily, wiping tears from his face with badly shaking bandaged hands. "Hold on to your ada's hand if you like," Elrond advised, knowing this would be painful and that this small gesture might help Legolas get through it. "That's it." Legolas held onto his father tightly, ignoring the fact that his burnt hands still hurt him dreadfully. He didn't really care about the pain it caused; he just wanted to be with his father. He also knew there was worse to come. The healer holding him up allowed him to lean against him, his arm crossed firmly over his chest so he couldn't fall forwards.

Elrond quickly and efficiently cleaned the wounds thoroughly and gently, disinfecting them to get rid of any dirt that could lead to infection. It was hardly pleasant and Legolas cried noisily onto his father, who held onto him tightly, trying his best to reassure him.

"Elrond, can't you give him a break for a moment? Look at him," Thranduil snapped sharply, tightening his hold on his son as Legolas cried out in pain into his tunic.

"The sooner we get this over with the sooner the pain will stop," Elrond answered, directing his reassurance to Legolas as much as his father. Legolas just nodded with a small whimper. "All right." Thranduil shot Elrond an annoyed look but turned his attention back to his son who still held onto him.

Elrond dressed the wounds with the healers' help and quickly made sure the bandages were secure. Thankfully, it wasn't too hard to dress them this time as they had proper equipment and good facilities whereas before it had been rushed and unclean.

"All finished. That should start to feel a little better now," Elrond said, rubbing his hand gently up and down Legolas' arm to reassure the trembling young Elf. "Let me just take a quick look at your hands. Then we're all done." Legolas pried himself away from his father, both the healer and Elrond himself having to help him and shakily sat up with Elrond and Thranduil's help and holding out his hands for Elrond to inspect. Thranduil kept his hand on his son's shoulder though, making sure Legolas knew he was still there if he needed him.

Elrond carefully unwrapped the filthy bandages wound around Legolas' burnt hands. Unfortunately, this was a little more painful than the other bandages as they had stuck to the skin and Elrond had to gently peel off the fabric from the blistered and bleeding skin using warm water. Legolas cried out in pain and pulled back when Elrond first touched the sensitive hands. "I'm sorry, I know this hurts but you need to try and keep still for me," Elrond said gently. Legolas nodded and from then on he made a conscious effort not to pull away, although it was obviously not easy.

Eventually, Elrond managed to get all the bandages off and began bathing Legolas' hands in a bowl of warm water, spiked with antiseptic herbs. Again, Legolas winced when he placed them in the water but didn't say anything to stop Elrond. Very carefully, Elrond washed Legolas' hands off with a flannel, trying to get all the dirt, dust and died blood out of the wounds. He knew he had to be gentle and his eyes flicked constantly up to Legolas' face to check that he was still all right. At one point he had his eyes closed, almost as though he could block out the pain if he just concentrated hard enough.

"Legolas, are you all right?" Elrond asked, just checking that he was still with him and this wasn't becoming too much for him. "Are you still with me?" Legolas just nodded silently, not even opening his eyes to look at Elrond. "All right, nearly finished."

In truth, the young prince of Mirkwood looked utterly dejected. His shoulders were slumped, his face was pale and drawn, almost gaunt. Dark circles had formed under his eyes from lack of proper sleep and he swayed unsteadily occasionally, almost as though he barely had the strength to sit up straight anymore. His skin was still freezing cold and uncomfortable for Elrond to even touch. Elrond washed Legolas' hands carefully, not wishing to cause him any more pain than absolutely necessary although he knew that this was virtually impossible. It seemed so unfair after everything that had happened Legolas should suffer more, especially at his own hands.

Once Elrond had washed as much of the dirt off as possible, he raised Legolas' hands out of the water and wrapped them in a clean cloth, making sure he didn't press too hard. Gently dabbing the wet hands, Elrond asked another healer to prepare more bandages. He carefully wrapped the clean cloths around Legolas' hands but the prince didn't look, keeping his eyes closed. Tears fell silently from his eyes, almost as if he was beyond crying out loud now.

After he had completely finished, Elrond placed his hands on Legolas' arms and the prince opened his eyes and looked at Elrond with tired, glazed eyes.

"How are you doing?" Elrond asked gently. Legolas just nodded and Elrond understood exactly how he felt. "I'm going to give you a sedative now; it's going to put you to sleep for a little while. You shouldn't be in any pain after that. You need to get some rest. Is that all right?" Legolas nodded tiredly again and Elrond got the impression that he couldn't really care less. Elrond held the mug up to his mouth and Legolas drank the mixture slowly.

Thranduil pulled another thick blanket up over his son carefully, keeping him warm against the freezing cold that still shook his body. Legolas blinked up at his father with tired eyes. Thranduil crouched down beside the bed and smoothed Legolas' hair back with a reassuring smile.

"Get some sleep, ion nin," Thranduil whispered gently, forcing a smile onto his face and stroking Legolas' damp cheek softly. "Shh, go to sleep," the king encouraged as Elrond and the other healers look on sadly.

After just a few seconds, Legolas eyes fluttered closed and his hands loosened on his father's as he fell into an unnatural, but much needed, sleep. Thranduil kept close to his son, worried that he might wake up if he left. It was Elrond who disturbed him by placing a firm hand on his shoulder and nodding for Thranduil to come with him so they could talk without disturbing Legolas.

"I think those wounds should be all right for now. We just have to be careful that they don't become infected. I'm going to give him something else for the pain before he wakes up but he should remain asleep for a few hours more." Elrond looked seriously at Thranduil, knowing they would have to address the next issue. "We need to be extremely careful from now on. You are going to have to work hard to keep him here." Thranduil nodded sadly, looking over at his sleeping son. "He is going to pull through this," Elrond reassured. Thranduil just nodded again and when he turned back, Elrond noticed tears in his eyes. "I am going to get him through this. Why don't you go and get some rest."

"I want to stay here," Thranduil said, tears choking his voice.

"Legolas isn't going to wake for a while yet. Go and get some sleep while you can. Get cleaned up, go on," Elrond said, understanding the concern Thranduil felt for his son. "Go on," he encouraged.

"You'll come and find me if anything changes?"

"You have my word." Thranduil nodded and slowly walked away, not taking his eyes off his son until the last moment and even then reluctantly, almost as though he thought Legolas might sit up and shout for him not to leave. Nothing happened though so Thranduil stepped from the room.

"Let's get Prince Legolas cleaned up. Carefully though; try not to wake him." Although Elrond had said a 'light sedative' he had actually dosed him so heavily that he probably wouldn't hear if the whole of Mirkwood collapsed around him.

"Lord Elrond?" a voice sounded from behind him. A new healer was stood next to him, waiting to speak.

"Yes?"

"Forgive me, my Lord, but would you mind?" He nodded towards Legolas. "I was his healer as a child…"

"Oh, of course." The healer nodded his thanks and then walked over to the prince, brushing filthy hair out of his face.

"What have you gotten yourself into this time, my Lord?" the healer whispered, pulling back the sheets gently and beginning to carefully undress him. Although Legolas stirred as the healers moved him he didn't wake, he was too heavily sedated. Korslorn's hands worked gently washing his prince's body with a cloth and medicated soap with the other healers working perfectly in synch beside him as though this were a dance they had done a thousand times before: both respectful and professional. All the healers noticed the cold skin and the poor condition of his body but none said anything, not wishing to break the uneasy silence that had descended.

They couldn't get him perfectly clean without putting him in a bath, which wouldn't be possible until he woke, but at least now he was a little better and would be more comfortable when he woke. The healers dressed him in loose-fitting nightclothes so they didn't cling to his wounds and pulled the sheets up around him and then piled blankets on top to keep him warm.

Elrond meanwhile was able to take a few minutes to see to Aragorn, whose wounds had already been dressed and treated. Elrond quickly checked the work, making absolutely sure that he had been treated properly and ignoring his son's protests that he worried too much. He eventually stepped back with a satisfied smile.

"How is Legolas?" Aragorn asked, trying to peer around the wooden screens that had been put up around the prince's bed to offer him some privacy.

Elrond followed his gaze although neither could see the prince. "As well as can be expected. Now he is here I am confident he will make a good recovery – physically, anyway." Aragorn nodded thoughtfully and Elrond could see concern shining in his eyes. "Don't worry, ion nin, we will do everything we can. For now though try and get some sleep. You look shattered." Aragorn just nodded, without looking at his father. "Estel, you need to concentrate on yourself for the moment. Legolas is in good hands," Elrond promised. When Aragorn looked like he might protest, Elrond said, "Do not make me drug you, Estel, because I will if I have to." The warning was said jokingly but Aragorn knew his father would do it, as he had been forced to do several times before.

"All right," Aragorn sighed and leaned back, glad for the soft pillows that cushioned his head for the first time in ages. He was asleep just seconds later and with a small smile, Elrond pulled the blankets up further around his son.

"Keep an eye on them both and call me if anything changes," Elrond instructed one of the healers, who nodded dutifully.

He walked through the corridors towards the dining halls, knowing his sons could be there. They always headed towards food after returning home from an expedition and this would be no different. Predictably, he found them sitting in the dining hall, chatting to the boy, Arron, who looked considerably cleaner than before. There was a small plate of food in front of him but he seemed enraptured by the twins' conversation. When he walked in they all looked up, wide grins spreading across his son's faces, which usually meant they were telling stories about him.

"Evening," he said, walking over to them with a small smile that told them he knew exactly what they were up to.

"Evening, Ada," they replied in unison and Arron laughed softly at this. They seemed to say everything as one and he had never seen anything quite like it.

"How is Estel?" Elrohir asked, a hint of concern in his voice for his brother's well-being.

"Surprisingly good, actually," Elrond replied, sitting down at the table next to Arron.

"And Legolas?" Elladan asked, glancing over at the young boy who was obviously anxious about how his friend was but was too nervous to ask.

Elrond didn't answer immediately but said after a moment, "He is all right for the moment. Fast asleep. I sedated him for a while; it will give him a bit of a break." The twins nodded, understanding that there was more to the situation that their father didn't want to discuss in front of the small child who had clearly grown quite fond of the Elf. "So, tell me Arron, what lies have my sons been telling this time?" the Elven Lord asked in a light voice.

"Absolutely nothing, Ada," Elrohir said defensively.

"And everything we do tell him is the sworn truth," Elladan added, causing Arron to chuckle again.

"I very much doubt that," their father sighed, picking some food off Elladan's plate and ignoring his son's protests.

"We were about to take Arron on a tour of the palace," Elrohir said, changing the subject quickly.

"That sounds like an excellent idea," Elrond smiled. "Might I suggest staying inside the palace and not entering anywhere you shouldn't," he warned his sons, who were prone to getting where they shouldn't, once it had been Thranduil's office and the king had been furious at them. "The gallery is particularly spectacular." The twins nodded before getting up with Arron following their every move.

"See you later, Ada," they said in unison again.

"See you later," Elrond said despairingly, waving at his sons as they left. In truth, he was glad for a little peace and quiet. He took a few minutes to catch his breath after everything that had happened, to absorb everything he had seen and still had to do. However, he decided that thinking too much on it would only get in the way of him doing his job so he stood up and walked slowly back to the healing halls. Legolas and Aragorn though were both still fast asleep so he left brief instructions to the healers and went to a guest room which had been set up and laid down on the bed. Despite his best efforts to stay awake, his eyes went vacant and he fell into the comforting world of Elven dreams.

~*~

"And this is the Royal Gallery," Elladan said, pulling the grand double doors open. The Gallery was open all the time although few people went there anymore. It was more for the royal family as it was their pictures that hung on the walls and it all seemed rather too personal for much public use. The walls were covered in paintings and drawings – some big, others much smaller. One or two were portraits and some covered landscapes that could be recognised as Mirkwood, or Greenwood as it was millennia ago.

Arron gasped at the sight, having never seen anything quite like it before.

"Come on, we'll show you around."

They walked over to a large oil painting of Legolas and Thranduil. They both looked solemn and severe, obviously a royal portrait of some kind. The next painting was of a smiling Legolas. The next a more sombre Thranduil. The one just above it, Arron didn't recognise and he didn't remember seeing anyone like it in the palace so far.

"That is King Oropher," Elladan said coldly. He obviously had little regard for the King of Greenwood. "He was Thranduil's father; Legolas' grandfather."

"He doesn't look much like them," Arron said. The Elf's features were cold, his eyes icy blue. There was no trace of a smile on his face and Arron found it hard to imagine him ever smiling at all. He didn't have the same kind of love in his eyes as Legolas or Thranduil.

"No. King Oropher was not a nice person. He was a mean, oppressive king."

"Did Legolas know him?" Arron asked, looking up at the picture again.

"No, he died a long time before Legolas was born. We knew him though, briefly. He used to look down at us with disgust, what with Ada's heritage."

"Herit…?" Arron asked, not understanding the word.

"Past, you know, relatives. Elrond is half human, you see. Oropher looked down upon that. He considered it to be a great weakness and that out blood was tainted with that of Man…" Elrohir nudged him when he realised they were talking to a human. Elladan smiled, "No offense. Anyway, he was a bad person. I suppose it is lucky that the rest of the family didn't take after him."

"Oh, I don't know, sometimes I think Thranduil…" Elrohir challenged.

Thranduil is not mean unless he has to be. Oropher seemed to thrive on other people's misery. He was cruel to Thranduil when he was an Elfling. All he ever showed was how to be a 'good' king and he forced everyone in the family to be taught how to be exactly like him. Thranduil never knew anything else when he was young. Especially after his mother left for the Undying Lands. Then he had no choice but to follow his father's rule."

"I think Thranduil is a good king," Arron said firmly, looking away distastefully from the painting of Oropher. His gaze shifted to another painting, this one of the most beautiful women he had ever seen. She had the bluest eyes he had ever seen, almost unnaturally pale, and the brightest golden hair that the painter had captured perfectly in the light. She looked so familiar but he couldn't quite place her. "Who is that?" he asked.

Elladan sighed and stared at the painting for a few moments. "That is Queen Nienna; Legolas' mother."

"She is beautiful," Arron marvelled.

"They look a lot alike, don't they?"

"No, he looks more like Thranduil," Elrohir argued. "But he always had Nienna's temperament. They were so alike in that respect. Thranduil was impatient and hot-headed but Nienna took everything in her stride, never let anything bother her. Everyone was devastated when she died. It was like a part of Mirkwood disappeared."

**To Be Continued…**


	109. The Things We Do

**Disclaimer: **I own nothing Tolkien created.

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**Sold Into Ruin**

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_A/N: Memories are in italics in this chapter._

_WARNING: There are some tricky themes in this chapter so just beware._

_Enjoy the chapter…_

~*~

**Chapter 109 ~ The Things We Do**

**~*~**

_**Lothlorien…**_

_Legolas was sat on a bench in the gardens of Lothlorien staring out at the splendid silver landscape of the beautiful kingdom. It was late and even though he was outside of Mirkwood the nightmares still haunted him. He had left his tallen – a home built high in the Mallorn trees – slipping past his father, asleep in front of the window in his chair. Having nowhere else to go, he had come out to the gardens to find some peace. Lorien remained busy all through the night but people skirted around Legolas, offering the prince some privacy._

"_Legolas?" a voice came from behind the prince and he spun in his seat to find Lord Celeborn standing next to him. "What are you doing out here at this hour?"_

_Legolas stood up, bowing slightly to the Lord of Lothlorien. "Forgive me, my Lord."_

"_No need to apologise," Celeborn smiled kindly. "Please, sit back down." Legolas did so, sitting nervously on the edge of the bench as Celeborn sat down next to him. "So, you couldn't sleep either?" Legolas smiled across at him in answer. "I would have thought the journey would have tired you out. Not to mention the boring dinner speak you had to endure this evening."_

"_It wasn't so bad," Legolas smiled almost shyly._

_Celeborn laughed. "Ah, ever the diplomat; you will make a good politician one day." For a moment they sat in silence. "I hope you don't mind me asking this but…did you have another nightmare?" For a while, Celeborn didn't think Legolas would respond so he prompted, "I'm sorry; it's none of my business, you don't have to answer if you don't want."_

"_It's all right. Yes, it was another nightmare," Legolas answered quietly, looking down at his hands in embarrassment._

"_I'm sorry to hear that. Is there anything I can do to help?"_

_Legolas shook his head and smiled, "No, thank you."_

"_You know, a mug of tea always helps me. That and reading through reports from Haldir. He is an amazing Marchwarden but he is annoyingly precise when it comes to the details." Celeborn looked across expecting to see a smile on Legolas' face but instead he could just see crystal tears from behind a curtain of blonde hair. Celeborn sat forward and placed his hand on Legolas' shoulder. "I'm sorry, Legolas, I didn't mean to upset you."_

_Legolas shook his head, wiping his tears from his cheeks with his hand. "It's not you," he said. "I'm sorry. It's just…"_

"_It catches up with you," Celeborn finished for him, understandingly. Legolas glanced across at him but quickly turned away again. "You know, after everything that's been going on lately it's natural to…I'm sorry, my wife is better at this kind of thing than I am."_

"_My father thought this would be good. Get away from Mirkwood. But…I don't know."_

"_You can't run from your past." Legolas shook his head. "Well, maybe this will be good for you. You can't run away but you can try to enjoy yourself. I know it seems difficult but I think it would do you the world of good. Lorien isn't quite as adventurous as Mirkwood but perhaps it can offer you a little peace." The Lord's voice was soft, his hand remaining on Legolas' shoulder. "Believe me, I know how hard it is; trying to live up to your father's expectations. Maybe you need to tell him that you would prefer to be at home, if that's what you think will help."_

"_I don't think it will." Celeborn watched him for a long moment, waiting for him to continue. "I…I just really want…"_

"_Want what?"_

_Legolas laughed, sitting back on the bench but still not facing his friend. This was odd for the both of them. Although they had great respect for each other they had never been at all close, mostly only coming into contact with each other at official dinners and meetings. They rarely even spoke to each other outside of the politeness of politics._

"_I don't know," Legolas smiled again. "I'm sorry. I just need…"_

"_A good nights' sleep?" Legolas nodded almost despairingly. "Might I float a theory? These nightmares terrify you. Every time you close your eyes you see what happened to your mother in that cave. Never do you see what happened to you…" Legolas flinched at the mention of that day and for a moment Celeborn thought he was going to get up and run away right then. "Why do you only ever see your mother, Legolas? You suffered that day too. You were hurt too. You experienced things no one, let alone a child, should ever have to endure."_

"_Please don't," Legolas interrupted almost angrily._

"_I'm sorry. You see your mother every night so you don't even try to go back to sleep when you wake up after a nightmare. You get so tired; you need to take the edge off. So you do this…" Celeborn reached over and hitched up Legolas' sleeve, revealing several cuts, some fresh, some a little older. Legolas quickly snatched his arm away and tugged his sleeve down. "Have you told your father?"_

_Legolas shot up off the bench and went to stride away but Celeborn followed him, grabbing his arm to stop him leaving._

"_Legolas, stop. Please don't run away from me. No one is angry at you and the king won't find out from me, you have my word."_

"_It's not what you think."_

"_I believe you. You were desperate. It helps." The Lorien Lord caught Legolas' eyes with his own._

_Legolas shook his head and turned away, tears forming in his eyes once more. "I thought it might but…it just…hurt."_

"_You know it can't continue? It's dangerous and it's only a matter of time before you seriously hurt yourself. You need to talk to your father."_

"_I can't."_

"_Thranduil will listen to you. He'll understand. I know it seems like if you say it out loud it will become more real but what you're doing now…it will destroy you, Legolas. If not your father, then talk to someone else. Anybody. Choose someone you don't know. Choose a professional. No one else has to know what you're doing. Sit down with someone you trust and just talk to them, tell them how you feel. No one will judge you." Legolas glanced over at him. "I know that your position makes it difficult but you have as much right as anyone to seek help. And it is all right to ask for help when you need it. There is no shame in having to rely on someone else to get you through this. Valar knows, you have suffered through enough of this on your own. I'm willing to bet that your people would want to help you. Legolas, please, you can't go on like this. Look at what you're doing to yourself." Celeborn took Legolas' arm and rolled up his sleeves. "Look at me." Legolas looked up at him with watery eyes. "Believe me, I know how hard this has been for you but it doesn't have to be this way."_

_Celeborn let go of Legolas' arm and their eyes met. "This is not what your mother would have wanted for you. She would want to see you happy. She died so that you could live, so you could grow up and do well and find happiness for your people. And right now, you're not even close to being happy, are you?" His voice was gentle and soothing and although the words were harsh they didn't cut through Legolas like he thought they should._

_He shook his head, whispering, "No," his voice thick as tears fell from his eyes._

"_Here, sit down," he said, guiding Legolas to sit down on the bench again._

"_How did you know?" Legolas asked, looking down at his arm._

"_At dinner you did nothing but pull your sleeves down all night so we couldn't see your arms. I pieced it together."_

"_I'm sorry."_

"_You don't have to apologise to me. I know that you and I don't exactly always get along but you can always talk to me. If you think it will help, I'm always here."_

"_Thank you," Legolas smiled._

"_Come here," Celeborn said, pulling Legolas into an uncomfortable hug. He held onto the younger Elf tightly, rubbing his back gently. Legolas just froze in the embrace though, not really knowing how to respond. He wasn't really ever this close with anyone but his father. "How about I make us some herbal tea? Maybe it'll help you sleep." Legolas pulled back, nodding._

_Celeborn led Legolas up to his own rooms and began making them both some tea whilst Legolas waited quietly on the sofa looking out at the view of the Golden Wood; it certainly did take your breath away and was admittedly far more beautiful than anything in Mirkwood these days. Returning to the lounge, Celeborn handed the prince a mug and sat down beside him. Slowly, Legolas sipped at the hot tea, as did Celeborn and they remained sitting in silence. Legolas was just glad there were no awkward questions to worry about answering._

"_I used to drink this by the gallon when Galadriel was pregnant with Celebrian and I couldn't sleep," Celeborn laughed gently, remembering that happy time as if it were yesterday._

"_I can't remember what she looked like," Legolas said quietly, staring down into his empty mug. At first Celeborn thought that he might have imagined the words, they were so soft._

"_Excuse me?"_

"_Sometimes I think I'm going to forget her completely. I…I can't remember what she looked like or how she felt when she…when she hugged me. I see her in my dreams but I know that is not how she really was. I know Ada remembers her with perfect clarity – he talks about her all the time when he thinks I am not listening but…I can't…" He cut himself off here as if he couldn't continue thinking on this much longer._

"_Legolas," the Elven Lord whispered sympathetically, the pain in Legolas' softly spoken words making his heart ache for the young Elf._

"_I wish I could remember her properly."_

"_You know, it is normal for memories to fade over time. There are other ways you can remember your mother though. Do you ever visit her memorial?" he asked cautiously, knowing he was treading on very dangerous ground._

_Legolas shook his head, still not looking up. "I can't."_

_Celeborn nodded understandingly and placed his hand on Legolas' shoulder. "Then maybe you could talk to your father. I know he would want to talk to you about Nienna." Legolas just looked away, secretly knowing that that wasn't an option. "You don't have to rush into anything, Legolas. Take some time and think it through. No one is going to rush you. Do not heed anything your father or anyone else says. You need to give yourself some time to grieve." Tears slipped from Legolas' eyes but he swiped them away angrily. "Believe me, I know it would be easier to hide away from it, pretend it doesn't hurt, but you can't do that forever. And you shouldn't have to either."_

"_I want things to be as they were. I want us to be a family again."_

"_I know," Celeborn whispered, stroking Legolas' hair back from his face so he could see him properly. "I know you do." Surprisingly, Legolas slowly turned around and leaned into Celeborn, allowing the Elven Lord whom he barely even knew hold him as he cried quietly into his tunic. Although a little startled by this, Celeborn held onto him, whispering gentle reassurances. He hadn't had to provide this kind of comfort since his daughter was little and even then it was a long, long time ago._

"_I'm sorry," Legolas finally said, wiping his tears from his cheeks with the sleeve of his shirt but not moving away from Celeborn's embrace._

"_Oh, shh, don't be sorry. It is all right to cry sometimes, you know." He felt Legolas nod softly against him and then pull back. "Are you all right?" he asked with a small smile._

"_Yes, thank you," the prince answered, running his hands down his face, which Celeborn noticed was slightly flushed with embarrassment._

"_I'll just clean these up then I'll walk you back to your father. He'll panic if he wakes to find you gone." The Elven Lord picked the mugs up from where they rested on the table and took them into their small kitchen._

_When Celeborn entered the kitchen he nearly ran right into his wife standing there in her nightgown. "I didn't know you were up," he said once he had recovered himself._

"_What is Legolas doing here?" Galadriel asked, peering out the door at the prince who was leaning back on the sofa._

"_I found him out in the gardens."_

"_Is he all right?" she asked softly._

_Celeborn didn't know whether he should reveal to his wife what Legolas had told him in confidence. It wasn't his place to divulge the prince's private musings, not even to his wife. "He's fine; just tired I think," he answered simply and Galadriel nodded, knowing that her husband was not telling the whole truth but she didn't press for answers, understanding the slightly awkward position he was in. "I should walk him home," the Lord of Lorien said, placing the mugs on the sideboard for the maids to wash up in the morning._

_Galadriel peered around the door again and smiled. "I don't think he feels much like walking."_

_Celeborn turned to see that Legolas had, in the short time he had been away, fallen sound asleep on the couch. He had reclined back on the large sofa and had obviously drifted off. Celeborn walked into the living room and smiled down at the young Elf. "Don't wake him," Galadriel whispered to him and her husband nodded in agreement, laying a throw from the back of the sofa over him to keep him warm._

"_I should get him back to Thranduil." Carefully, Celeborn reached down and lifted Legolas easily into his arms, making sure he was secure._

_Galadriel brushed hair back from the young prince's face and whispered, "Poor thing; he's exhausted."_

_Legolas stirred at her light touch, opening his eyes a fraction. Celeborn smiled down at him, saying gently, "Shh, go back to sleep, mellon nin." He did so almost immediately, not bothered about being carried around like an Elfling by the Lord of Lothlorien._

"_What did you give him?" Galadriel asked in a knowing whisper._

"_Only the very lightest of sedatives; just enough to make him sleepy. He needs at least one nights' proper rest." Galadriel opened the door for him and he carried a sleeping Legolas back to his father's tallen. He used his free hand to turn the handle to Thranduil's sitting room and stepped inside, turning to his side so he could get Legolas through the doorway without waking him. "Thranduil," Celeborn called softly._

_Immediately, the king awoke from where he had been sleeping in the armchair. "Legolas?" he exclaimed as he jumped up from his chair. "What happened?" he asked urgently, running over to Celeborn._

"_Nothing happened. He's fine. He just fell asleep in my sitting room," the Elven Lord smiled. "I thought you might like him back."_

_Thranduil immediately cleared everything off his rather cluttered couch, throwing it carelessly onto the floor, not really caring about the mess he made. Celeborn carefully laid Legolas down on the sofa, still wrapped up in his throw. Legolas turned over in his sleep but didn't wake. "Thank you for bringing him back," Thranduil said quietly, walking Celeborn to the door._

"_You are welcome. You should let him rest; don't worry about attending breakfast tomorrow, I'll make up some excuse for you."_

"_Thank you. I appreciate your help, mellon nin." Celeborn nodded and left, leaving Thranduil alone to tend to his son. He carefully pulled Legolas' boots off but decided against getting his son into bed. He could sleep on the couch; it wouldn't do him any harm for one night. Thranduil wasn't blind to Legolas' predicament – he knew perfectly well how tired his son was and how hard the journey to Lothlorien had been on him. Of course, Legolas would never complain but Thranduil knew his son better than he realised. Thranduil placed a proper blanket over his son and then planted a gentle kiss on his forehead. "Sleep well, ion nin."_

_It was nearly two the next afternoon when Legolas finally woke up. Thranduil was reading in his chair but looked up when he heard his son stirring. "Good afternoon," he greeted, placing his book down on the table at his side._

"_Afternoon?" Legolas murmured in confusion. "What time is it?"_

"_Just after two."_

"_What?" he asked sharply, going to sit up._

"_No, no, no, stay where you are," the king smiled and Legolas obediently laid back, repositioning the blanket over himself. Legolas had stayed fast asleep all night and well into the next day and Thranduil hadn't had the heart to disturb him so he had left him to sleep, working around him and treading around carefully whilst his son rested._

"_Why didn't you wake me?"_

"_You were tired. It was a long journey here. It won't hurt to lie in occasionally, you know. You are supposed to be on holiday after all. You feel better now?"_

"_I suppose so," Legolas said, rubbing his eyes tiredly. That was the first proper nights' sleep he had gotten in a long time._

"_Well then don't worry about it." Thranduil stood up, straightening out his tunic. "Would you like some tea or something to eat?" he asked but it didn't appear that Legolas was listening to him. "Would you like to go back to sleep?" he laughed gently._

_Legolas looked up, shaking his head. "No." Before Thranduil could enter the kitchen to make the tea though Legolas called, "Ada, can I talk to you?"_

_Thranduil looked around, slightly surprised but he nodded anyway. "Yes, of course you can."_

"_I have to tell you something and I don't want you to be mad."_

"_What is it?" the king asked, suddenly growing concerned._

"_Do you promise you won't get angry?" Legolas asked, almost childlike._

"_Well, I don't know what you're going to say yet." Thranduil instantly regretted that quip, knowing how easy it was to lose his son's trust and quickly amended, "All right, I promise I won't get angry."_

_Legolas sat up and with a heavy sigh rolled up the sleeves of his shirt and held out his arms so his father could see his wounds. "Legolas, what happened?" the king asked, striding over to his son and taking his arms to look at the long, shallow cuts. "Who did this to you?"_

_The prince took a deep breath and answered simply, "I did," his eyes avoiding his father's gaze._

_For a long moment, Thranduil found that he couldn't speak. When he found his voice again though, he demanded, "What? Why?"_

"_I don't know," Legolas replied softly._

_Tears sprang to Thranduil's eyes as they caught his son's. "Oh Legolas," he breathed, sitting down on the couch next to his son and pulling him into a tight hug. Rocking gently back and forth in an age-old act of comfort, the king whispered, "I'm so sorry, sweetheart. I'm so sorry." Both father and son cried together for a long time before Legolas finally fell back into an exhausted sleep._

_About an hour later, a soft knock came from the door and Thranduil gently got up and answered it before the sound could disturb his sleeping son. "Celeborn, good afternoon," he greeted with a false smile when he saw the Lord of Lothlorien._

"_I was just wondering if you and Legolas would like to join us for lunch." He glanced past the king into the room and saw Legolas still sound asleep on the sofa. "Ah, I see you are otherwise engaged," he smiled, lowering his voice slightly._

_Thranduil glanced behind him and then turned back to Celeborn. "I think I'm going to stay here; let him rest whilst he has the chance."_

"_Yes of course."_

"_I appreciate everything you've done but I think it best if I take him home tomorrow. I think perhaps this trip wasn't such a good idea after all, not right now anyway." Celeborn nodded in understanding, knowing that Legolas had at last spoken to his father about some of what he was feeling, which was a start at least. "I should get back."_

"_Yes, stay with your son."_

"_Thank you for everything. Whatever you said to him last night…"_

"_Oh, I didn't really say much. Just listened."_

"_Well, thank you anyway."_

"_You and Legolas are most welcome. I'll leave you to it." Thranduil nodded and gently closed the door, making sure it didn't make too much noise that might disturb his sleeping son. Legolas deserved to rest._

_~*~_

_**Mirkwood…300 Years Later…**_

"_Legolas?" Thranduil knocked gently on the door but opened it straight away, knowing his son couldn't reply but also knowing he would want his father with him. It was gone two in the morning and still pitch black outside yet light shone from underneath Legolas' door – he always lit a candle after he woke from a nightmare, it was of some comfort._

_Thranduil walked into the bedroom to find all the doors were left open in his son's chambers. Surprisingly though, Legolas wasn't in his bed as usual although the sheets were rumpled. Seeing light coming from the bathroom as well, Thranduil stepped over and tried the handle only to find that it was locked so he knocked gently. "Legolas, ion nin, come out. It's all right, it's only me." No reply came, which was odd. Usually Legolas clambered to get near his father after he woke from a nightmare, at least recently he had._

_Tomorrow was Legolas' birthday celebration and Thranduil had been rather hoping that this night would be a smooth one for his son. Leading up to this particular time of the year, when Legolas wanted his mother with him to celebrate, the nightmares became worse and lately he had withdrawn into himself more than ever before._

_When Legolas still didn't respond, Thranduil began to grow concerned. He knocked louder, calling his son's name and cautiously turning the handle again. "Legolas, open the door," he commanded. "Legolas, open this door right now." When that didn't work he tried a different tack. "Legolas, come on, please. Are you all right? Legolas?" He still received nothing so Thranduil pressed his ear up against the door, hoping to hear his son inside. "Legolas?" Now Thranduil knew that something must be seriously wrong. "Hold on, ion nin."_

_Thranduil hurried across the room and flung the door open, demanding the two guards stood outside to follow him._

"_Break the door down," Thranduil commanded in a trembling voice, nodding to the locked bathroom door._

"_Your Majesty?" one of the guards asked, unsure if he had heard correctly._

"_Break down the door," the king repeated. By this time a few other guards had gathered in the prince's chambers to see what the fuss was all about. They watched keenly as the first guard took a step back and kicked at the door. It didn't immediately budge so he kicked again, this time with more force. The lock broke and Thranduil rushed forwards, pushing the startled guard out of his way._

_Inside the bathroom, Legolas lay unconscious on the floor. Thranduil ran over to him and fell to his knees at his side. "Legolas?" he asked, trying to rouse his son whilst the guards called for a healer. Thranduil glanced down to the floor and saw an empty bottle of something lying on the tile next to Legolas' hand. He lifted it up and sniffed it but couldn't identify its contents. His son was on no medications he knew of and certainly a whole bottle of something couldn't be healthy. Thankfully, Legolas was still breathing so Thranduil, in a rush to get his son to help, gathered him up in his arms, ignoring the dampness that seeped into his own nightclothes, and lifted him up._

_He rushed towards the healing halls and burst through the door with two guards flanking him. He placed Legolas down on the bed and brushed his golden hair from his pale face. A healer came immediately to them and began his thorough assessment but before Thranduil could yell at him to hurry up and help his son, Elrond walked in. The Lord of Imladris was visiting Mirkwood for the prince's birthday. He pulled Thranduil out of the way before he could make a fuss and began looking Legolas over himself._

_Just then, Thranduil remembered the bottle he had found at his son's side. He pulled it from his own pocket and looked at the neatly written label._

"_I found this with him. It was empty when I got there," Thranduil told Elrond, handing him the bottle with a slightly shaking hand. Elrond examined it for a moment before placing it on the table at his side and ordering the other healer to bring him cold water. "What is it?" Thranduil demanded nervously._

"_It is a sedative – a very strong one at that. He must have taken a fair bit of it," Elrond informed the king, who watched nervously as Elrond gently lifted Legolas' head off the pillow and tipped water slowly down his throat, ensuring the prince swallowed as a reflex. "The effects should wear off in a few hours. With the help of lots of fluids I don't think it will cause any long term damage. If he had ingested any more of it though and this could have been a lot more serious," Elrond warned. "All right, let's get him undressed," he then said to the healers but before they could start Thranduil halted them._

"_I'll do it," he told them, coming forward and pushing the healers out of the way._

"_You don't have to, Thranduil. We are perfectly capable," Elrond reassured._

"_He is my son," the king said bluntly as though this mere fact explained everything. He took Legolas' unresponsive hand in his own and sat down on the bed. "Leave," he ordered the healers and they immediately responded. Elrond, however, lingered close by and Thranduil allowed it, glad that someone he trusted would be there if he needed help._

_Slowly and methodically, Thranduil removed Legolas' damp clothing, being gentle so as not to hurt his son then he carefully washed Legolas' body and dried him off before redressing him in warm nightclothes. He used to do this when Legolas was a child, when he would have those terrible nightmares. Lately though, Legolas had – quite naturally – refused any help getting himself cleaned up, instead retreating into the bathroom and slamming the door on his father's offers of help. Legolas was no longer a child anymore and it embarrassed the prince that this still happened – that the nightmares still continued and his reactions to them. In truth, Thranduil had hoped that Legolas would have grown out of them by now but that had never happened. They just grew more and more intense and more frightening particularly at times when Legolas needed his mother near._

_Thranduil pulled the thick blankets over his son and tucked them carefully around him. He gently smoothed Legolas' hair back, whispering reassurances to him even though he couldn't hear anything. Thranduil almost cried himself when tears slipped from Legolas' closed eyes. Apparently even under sedation he could experience the same terror as in normal sleep. Not knowing what else to do, Thranduil climbed onto the bed, curling his legs beneath him, and pulled Legolas into a hug, hoping his presence might help chase away some of the haunting nightmares that tormented his son._

"_Elrond," he whispered and the Elven Lord stepped forward. "Why would he do this to himself?"_

_Elrond sat down on the edge of the bed, taking a moment before answering, "Maybe he thought it would bring him some relief from the pain."_

"_There's nothing I can do," Thranduil breathed, tears falling down his cheeks. "No matter what I try it doesn't help him. We have tried light sedatives in the past but they don't do much good. He's just so tired all the time and I want to help him but…"_

"_I don't think there is anything you could have done to prevent this," Elrond reassured, knowing what Thranduil was thinking._

"_Do you think he just wanted to knock himself out or…?" The end of that sentence was just too horrific for Thranduil to even speak because if his son had planned to kill himself then he as a father had failed in every possible way._

"_I honestly don't know," Elrond admitted in a sad, quiet voice. "We can ask him when he wakes up. He will be fine, Thranduil."_

"_This time." Elrond nodded in understanding. "Elrond I need to ask you a favour," the king said, kissing his son's forehead gently._

"_Anything."_

_~*~_

_When Legolas awoke the first thing he did was shut his eyes against the blinding light. He heard the curtains being drawn for his comfort and had another go at opening his eyes. This time it was a lot better and he was able to focus on his father who was standing next to him._

"_Ada?" he croaked hoarsely._

_It was Elrond who spoke though. "Here, drink this," he said, holding out a glass of water. "It will help, trust me." Legolas sat up but then immediately regretted it, placing his hand against his pounding head. "Yes, that will last for quite some time, I'm afraid. Considering what you took last night I am reluctant to give you anything for the pain. The headache will wear off on its own eventually." Legolas took the proffered water and downed it all in one go. He handed Elrond back the empty glass and looked warily up at his father._

"_Ada?" he asked gently when his father didn't make first contact._

_Thranduil looked to Elrond; a gentle hint to leave the room. Elrond nodded and followed the king's silent instruction, leaving Legolas' father to deliver the lecture._

_Once Elrond was gone, Thranduil finally spoke. "I hope you slept well." _

_Legolas lowered his head in shame. He knew what he had done was wrong and he knew his father was angry about it. "I'm sorry, Ada," he breathed._

"_You're sorry?!" Thranduil yelled suddenly, causing Legolas to wince, not that the king cared for his comfort in that moment. "Do you have any idea how dangerous that was? You could have killed yourself!"_

"_I know," Legolas answered, obviously ashamed of what he had done. That didn't calm Thranduil down though._

"_Just a few drops more of that poison and you could have put yourself into a coma – or worse. Is that what you want?" Legolas shook his head. "No. Are you out of your mind? Never mind the fact that you could have caused yourself serious damage but you scared me half to death. I thought I had lost you!"_

"_I'm sorry."_

"_The next time you decide to steal something from the healing supplies and overdose on it…What is wrong with you, Legolas? I mean, I know how hard this has been for you and, Valar knows, I have tried to accommodate everything you are suffering and you know that I would stop it if I could but this is going too far. You are my son and I am not going to let you destroy yourself like this. I refuse to lose you to this…affliction, Legolas. Which is why I have come to a decision."_

"_What decision?" the prince asked curiously._

"_I have spoken to Lord Elrond and he is willing to help." Thranduil took a deep breath, steeling himself for what he knew was coming. "You are going to stay with Elrond in Rivendell for a while." There, he had said it._

_However, Legolas looked completely stunned at this decision. "What?" he breathed._

"_You heard me. I think it is for the best. It will give us both a break and a change of location might be good for you."_

"_No, Ada," Legolas said, tears forming in his eyes._

"_He might be able to help you. This environment is destructive for you and I will not allow this behaviour to continue," Thranduil said firmly although the cracks in his resolve were clear to see. He didn't want to do this; he desperately wanted to keep Legolas with him but he knew this might be the only way to help him. "I really think this is for the best."_

"_No, Ada please," Legolas cried, sitting on the edge of the bed and reaching to his father who just pulled back, knowing he couldn't give in to this. "Please don't send me away, Ada. I promise it'll never happen again. I promise."_

"_Legolas…"_

"_I'm so sorry, Ada…I never meant…I will never do anything like this again, I swear it. Don't leave me alone, please," Legolas cried, still trying to get to his father. Thranduil stood firm though, knowing this was the right decision. "Daddy please don't send me away, please," Legolas sobbed, throwing himself into his father's arms and clinging on for dear life whilst Thranduil just stood there with tears pooling in his otherwise hard blue eyes._

"_I have to do this, Legolas, for your own good," Thranduil said, putting his arms somewhat stiffly around his son._

"_No," Legolas cried shaking his head._

"_It is only Rivendell, Legolas. You have been there before," Thranduil reasoned but it did nothing to calm hi son down._

"_Please don't make me go, Ada. I can stop them. I promise never to bother you with them ever again. I promise…I don't want to leave you. Don't send me away. I can stop them. I'll never wake you up again and I'll never complain about them again. Please Ada, please," the prince sobbed._

_Thranduil could feel his resolve cracking and had to tell himself that he was doing the right thing. "Come and sit down, ion nin," he said, leading Legolas, who remained holding tightly onto him, back to the bed. "You need to understand that I have to do this. This cannot continue and if there is even the slightest chance that this might help you then I have to take it. And it is not because you are a burden to me because you know you are never that, but I need to know that you are safe. And right now I don't think you are safe in Mirkwood. Elrond might be able to help you. And I am going to write to you every single day." Thranduil pulled Legolas tight against him again and his son clung to him for dear life. It was amazing that this person could go from being a proud, controlled young prince one minute to being a crumbling, emotional wreck the next._

"_I don't want to go," Legolas sobbed into his father's robes._

"_I know you don't. And if I thought I could help you I would keep you by my side. But I don't know that, Legolas. I am only trying to do what's best for you."_

"_I want to stay with you."_

"_And I want you to stay with me. But I really think I need to do this. It will give you a break if nothing else. Maybe a holiday somewhere familiar will do you some good, hmm? It'll give you a chance to rest, ion nin."_

"_I'm so sorry, Ada. I can make this right, I swear. I can move further from your rooms and I'll never bother you again."_

"_Oh Legolas, that is not what worries me," Thranduil said. "I only want what is best for you. You know that. Shhh, now don't cry, everything is going to be all right."_

_Legolas cried onto Thranduil until he could no longer keep his eyes open, no doubt thanks to the medicine he had taken before._

"_Ada, please don't make me go away," Legolas whispered and Thranduil pulled him close so he could lie down. He gently stroked Legolas' hair from his face, soothing just as he did whenever Legolas woke from a nightmare._

"_It will only be for a little while and Elrond will take good care of you. I promise that you will be just fine. Rest now, ion nin. You don't need to worry about anything." Thranduil stayed with his son as he cried himself to sleep, rocking gently backwards and forwards as he had done when he was just a small Elfling._

_~*~_

_Thranduil handed Legolas a wrapped, wooden box with a smile. It had been three days since he had informed Legolas of his decision to send him to Rivendell and today – in just a few minutes in fact – Legolas would leave with Lord Elrond._

"_Go ahead, open it," Thranduil urged._

_Legolas carefully pulled off the wrapping paper and pulled up the clasp to open the box. He lifted the lid and peered inside. Nestled in deep red satin was the most beautiful crown he had ever seen. It was small and simple but studded with diamonds and sapphires. Legolas reached in and carefully lifted the exquisite crown out._

"_When your mother found out that she was having a child she said she wanted to make something special for you. We couldn't decide what so we settled on a crown. It has been locked up in the vault for years and your mother always said that she would present it to you on your birthday. So here it is."_

"_It's beautiful," Legolas said softly, admiring the crown. Thranduil took it from him and went to place it on his head but Legolas halted him. "I'll wear it when I come back," he said sadly. Thranduil nodded and pulled Legolas into a hug, holding him tightly until a short knock came from the door and Elrond informed them that they were ready to leave. "Let me stay," Legolas breathed pleadingly one last time._

"_You'll be coming home soon, I promise," Thranduil assured, pulling back and trying to steel himself for seeing the tears running down his son's face. The sight still filled his heart with grief though. However, he led Legolas out into the courtyard where Elrond and his escort were waiting. Thranduil helped a still crying Legolas up onto his horse and said goodbye._

"_I'll take good care of him," Elrond promised with a reassuring smile that did nothing to ease Thranduil's guilt._

"_I love you," the king said to Legolas, who merely nodded in response. "Write to me as soon as you get there. And if you need me, all you have to do is send word and I'll come as soon as I can." Elrond began to lead them away. "Legolas," Thranduil called and his son looked behind him sadly. "Take care of yourself, all right?" With that they left the palace._

_The plan was for Legolas to stay in Imladris for a year and then return home. Right then a year looked like a very long time and Thranduil had to fight to keep the tears at bay as he watched his son leave._

_~*~_

_**18 Months Later…Mirkwood…**_

_The convoy entered Mirkwood without ceremony but there were people waiting outside the palace for them. Prince Legolas had returned after a year and a half in Imladris with Lord Elrond. The Elven Lord had not escorted him home as Orc attacks were growing more frequent and he needed to deal with them from his home. Legolas dismounted his horse gracefully and ran over to his father, throwing himself into his father's waiting embrace. Thranduil hugged him tightly. This was the first time they had seen each other in eighteen months and both had been anxious for the reunion._

_Of course Elrond had checked in with Thranduil almost every week, telling him that Legolas thrived in Imladris, apparently pleased for the break. Although he was a little vague on the details, Elrond assured the king that Legolas was well. Unfortunately he still suffered terribly with the nightmares and the break from Mirkwood had not helped that. It was no more than they were expecting though. He had had a good time with Elladan and Elrohir, exploring the trees around the haven – under close supervision of course._

_It was true that Legolas did indeed look a little better. He didn't look quite as tired as he had before and there was a definite sparkle in his eyes and his smile lit up his face._

_When they parted Thranduil took a moment to look at his son, who smiled up at him. "You have grown taller," the king declared with a smile. "You look better." Legolas just smiled and hugged his father again. "So tell me, how was your trip?" Thranduil asked when they parted once more. They walked into the palace, allowing the servants to retrieve the bags whilst they went inside._

"_Actually really good," Legolas admitted. "Elladan and Elrohir were as mad as ever although I must admit that it was hard keeping up with them at times. I don't know how Elrond does it," he mused and to Thranduil he sounded infinitely older than when he had left._

"_And the other thing?" Thranduil asked hesitantly._

_Legolas stopped in his tracks and looked down at the floor. "Ada, do you mind if we don't talk about…? Elrond said I wouldn't have to explain…"_

"_Of course you don't have to," Thranduil smiled kindly._

"_I just…I think it would be better if I didn't tell you everything I…"_

"_It's all right. If you don't want to discuss it we don't have to. I won't ask about it again," the king said, putting his arm over Legolas' shoulders and leading him to his room, which looked just as it had when he left._

"_It is good to be home," Legolas smiled wearily, sitting down on the bed. For the first time, Thranduil noticed the heaviness of his movements, the slight slumping of his shoulders showing that perhaps not everything had gone as smoothly as he claimed. However, he had to keep his promise and allow Legolas to deal with this himself, at least for the time being._

_~*~_

_Later that night, Legolas woke up as usual in the throes of a horrendous nightmare but he swallowed his cries, refusing to allow the nightmare to overcome him. He lit a candle with shaking hands and took a deep breath, trying to calm himself down. He had not learned much from Elrond – the break in Imladris had acted as nothing more than a holiday. Elrond had tried everything and Legolas had told him a little of what happened, under strict orders never to repeat it to anyone especially not Thranduil. He never pretended that the nightmares had disappeared in Rivendell but he learned quickly that Elrond could not offer the same kind of comfort as his father so he eventually just learned to keep quiet as it would do him no good to cry out loud._

_He didn't mention this to anyone else though, allowing Elrond to believe that things were getting easier for him in Imladris. That was one of the reasons that he had stayed longer than intended, to keep up the pretence that everything was all right._

_Legolas got up out of bed and walked over to his closet. For a moment he actually considered climbing in as he had done when he was younger but he forced himself away, telling himself that he was too old now to do such things. After this night, Legolas stopped going to his father altogether but that didn't mean he didn't still suffer in his silence._


	110. Parental Gestures

**Disclaimer: **I own nothing Tolkien created.

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**Sold Into Ruin**

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**Chapter 110 ~ Parental Gestures**

**~*~**

Thranduil walked into the dining hall and stopped short in surprise. Galadriel, Celeborn, Elrond, the twins, Jasmine with Nienna and Arron were all sat around the long dining table with servants laying plates in front of them. They were chatting about something and none noticed Thranduil's entrance. For a moment the king didn't know what to do, not wanting to interrupt their cheerful conversation.

It was one of the servers who noticed Thranduil first, announcing his presence before the king could stop him. The diners all looked up in surprise when they saw the king watching them curiously.

Elrond stood up and addressed Thranduil, "Good evening, King Thranduil." The king just nodded and walked over to the table where a chair was immediately placed for him. "Feeling a little better?" Elrond asked, sitting at the same time as the king.

"Yes thank you," the king muttered, allowing a servant to place a plate of food in front of him.

"Good. I checked on Legolas just before I came here. He is still fast asleep and I would imagine he will stay that way well into the night. I'll go back later to keep an eye on him."

"Thank you, I appreciate it," Thranduil said as a mug of fine wine was placed in front of him beside his plate. He looked down at the meal as if he had never seen food before and had no idea what to do with it. The uncomfortable silence that had descended did nothing to ease the tension either and he felt what little appetite he had had earlier disappear.

They ate in silence for some time, none of them really knowing what to say. Surprisingly, it was Thranduil who finally broke the terrible silence. "I hope Legolas' chambers are good enough for you both. I am afraid, given so many were liberated from the encampment; we are rather low on guest bedrooms at the moment. They should be sufficient for you for the time being though," he said to Jasmine and Arron. Thranduil had allowed them to stay in his son's rooms as many of the other guestrooms had been given to the poor slaves set free from the encampment. Apparently, some had followed Legolas and Estel all the way through Mirkwood or stuck with the Royal Guard and on the road had begged Thranduil for asylum. Despite the king's dislike of the Human race he could hardly turn such people away.

"Oh yes, thank you, my Lord. This is such a beautiful place. I have never seen anything like it," Jasmine enthused, truly taken back by her splendid surroundings as well as the king's kindness, causing Thranduil to smile gently.

"I am glad. I know Estel would want you to be comfortable here as well. It may be a little difficult but please try and make yourselves at home. There is plenty to explore in the stronghold if you are feeling adventurous." He looked to the young boy opposite him as he said this, remembering his son's own penchant for exploration when he was an Elfling.

"I think we have all had enough adventure to last us for a lifetime," Jasmine smiled softly, looking down at Arron who was watching his plate with unusual interest, obviously still uncomfortable. In fact, the boy looked utterly miserable as though he really didn't want to be sat here. "Arron?" Jasmine asked knowing when something was wrong with her young friend. "What is it?"

"Nothing," the boy whispered. "I just miss…" his voice tapered off, not wanting to say what was actually on his mind in front of the King of Mirkwood and the Lord of Rivendell, both of whom had been so very kind to him; he couldn't appear ungrateful in front of them.

Jasmine put her arm around him, understanding what he was trying to say. For better or for worse, the encampment had been their home for a long time and it was all the boy really knew. This was the more frightening experience for him no matter how hard everyone tried to make him feel welcome in the imposing palace. "I know, but this place is nice too. And you have a whole room to yourself now; you have never had that before, have you?"

"What happened to Jadan?" Arron suddenly asked Elrond.

For a moment, the Elven Lord looked like he wasn't going to respond but then he thought better of it and answered slowly, "He is being detained in a secure room. Don't worry he is being well looked after."

"Can I see him?"

"I don't think that is such a good idea right now," Elladan answered for his father. "Maybe later." Arron nodded sadly and turned his eyes back to his now nearly empty plate.

"Come with me," Thranduil said suddenly, standing up and holding out his hand to Arron. "Come on, I want to show you something," he encouraged when the boy hesitated and Arron slowly stood up and took Thranduil's hand. The king led him out of the dining hall and towards Legolas' rooms. Jasmine and Elrond followed closely behind, curious to see what the king was doing; really this was not like King Thranduil at all, he was rarely spontaneous. Thranduil pulled open the doors to his son's rooms, sending the maids who were tidying up in there away with nothing more than a sharp nod of his head.

Thranduil walked straight into the bedroom closet and reached up to the top shelf. He felt around for a moment before pulling down a heavy-looking wooden chest. He brought it out into the bedroom and placed it on the floor in front of Arron. Kneeling down, Thranduil pulled the latch open and carefully lifted the lid. He called Arron forward and the boy peered into the box. It was filled with parchment adorned with brightly coloured but childish pictures, broken toys and pieces of paper with elegant writing that Arron didn't understand. Thranduil pulled an old wooden toy out from under the papers and placed it gently on the ground, almost with reverence. He pulled more out until there was an array of wooden toys laid out on the floor.

"These used to belong to Legolas when he was just an Elfling. His mother gave them to him for his birthday once. For years he wouldn't be separated from them. They used to bring him hours of pleasure. I am sure he wouldn't mind you playing with them so long as you are careful. They used to cheer him up whenever he was sad, so maybe now they will bring you some pleasure as well," Thranduil said, sadness clearly showing on his face and in his voice.

Arron looked at the perfectly carved figures and said, "I couldn't…" They were so exquisite that he would be afraid to even touch them let alone play with them.

Thranduil put his arm around Arron, much to everyone's surprise, and said, "He would want you to get some joy out of them." Thranduil then stood up and walked to the door, looking back at Arron before he left. "Feel free to stay in here. Anything you need, just ask for." With that, Thranduil left them in his son's room. They all stood in stunned silence in shock at the king's unprecedented display of parental affection towards the young human boy.

"Well, that was…unexpected," Elrond said with a bemused smile before wishing them both goodnight and leaving to check on Legolas.

"Come on, Arron, I think someone left you some nightclothes. You must be about ready for bed," Jasmine said when they were alone again. He nodded and sat down to play with his new toys whilst Jasmine placed Nienna in a cot that had been placed in the room and picked out some nightclothes for them to wear.

~*~

Thranduil held Legolas' hand tightly, not wanting to cause him any pain in his sleep. Watching his son's deep but steady breathing, Thranduil wondered whether everything could really ever return to normal again – or at least as close to 'normal' as they had ever been in the Mirkwood royal family. Legolas had been through so much and it was difficult to believe that this particular problem could ever be fully resolved despite Elrond's reassurances.

Legolas was so deeply asleep that he didn't hear Thranduil's gentle reassurances that everything would be all right. It didn't matter to Thranduil that some of the healers, unused to seeing their king and prince like this, stopped what they were doing to watch this affectionate moment between father and son. All Thranduil cared about was his son, nothing else in the world mattered now. He had Legolas back. He just hoped that he could keep his son with him now.

When Elrond entered, Thranduil was still whispering to Legolas, although the younger Elf was so flat out that he probably was completely unaware of his father's presence at his side. Most of the healers were watching the king in silence and respect. Elrond closed the door quietly behind him so as not to disrupt the quiet. He watched Thranduil for just a moment before going over to Aragorn. The man was looking a lot better although he was still in deep, much needed sleep. Elrond checked the bandages briefly but didn't find any signs of bleeding and the man's temperature was not high suggesting he had not developed an infection, for which Elrond was extremely grateful. He knew that in just a few weeks, the wound would be much better and Aragorn would be able to return to his normal self. Legolas, however, was another matter entirely.

Elrond watched Thranduil for just another moment before walking over to him and laying his hand on the king's shoulder. Thranduil looked around at Elrond with sad, tear-filled eyes.

"He's still sleeping," the king stated the obvious, almost as though Elrond wouldn't have noticed this for himself, or doubted what he saw.

Elrond merely nodded at the observation though. "He will do for a while. It is better that he rest under sedation than nothing. Don't worry, he's not in pain at the moment," the healer reassured, squeezing Thranduil's shoulder in comfort. Thranduil nodded, turning back to his son and taking hold of his hand again.

"I keep thinking I'm going to hurt him," Thranduil whispered, leaning over and smoothing dirty hair back from Legolas' face.

"You can't hurt him right now," Elrond said calmly.

"I know." Thranduil paused for a moment, kissing Legolas' forehead before leaning back in his chair with a sigh. "He looks so fragile. I remember him looking like this when he was little. After he woke in the middle of the night and he used to come to me…in the morning, just after he dozed off, he would look just like this. For those few hours in the morning, before the daylight woke him, he looked so young and so terribly innocent. And then he would wake and it would all come back – the fear and the pain and no matter how much I tried I couldn't take it away from him," Thranduil confided, speaking these thoughts for the first time.

Elrond sat down on the edge of the bed whilst Thranduil was talking. "You can't take someone's experiences away from them, not even the bad ones."

"I should have been able to, Elrond. I _should _have been able to," the king whispered in despair.

"As parents we can only do what we think is best. Being a father does not give you any real powers; it only means you can worry about what they are going through."

"What if it had been one of your children? What would you have done?" Thranduil asked, turning imploring eyes to Elrond.

The healer had to consider this for a long moment. It was a difficult question and one he had never been able to answer to himself let alone someone who had actually been through it. He had certainly asked that question a lot since he had heard of the events of that fateful day. What would he have done if it were Elladan or Elrohir instead of Legolas? The truth was that no one could adequately answer that question. It was simply impossible for a parent to answer without having been through it in person.

"I think I would have done exactly the same thing. Thranduil, I honestly don't think you could have done anything more."

"I really wish I could believe that," Thranduil said flatly, stroking his son's hair again.

"I don't know what I would have done if it had been Elladan or Elrohir but I know that, despite everything, Legolas has turned out all right. I'm not sure I could have coped as well as you."

"Thank you," Thranduil smiled softly.

"Try and get some rest yourself. Legolas won't wake for a while – not until morning at the very earliest." Thranduil nodded. "He will be fine. I'll come and get you if anything changes."

"I want to be here with him," Thranduil stated firmly, holding his son's hand loosely in his own.

"You don't have to do that," Elrond said, standing and looking down at the king with his son.

"I want to stay with him."

"Thranduil, he probably doesn't even know you're here."

"But he might. And that is incentive enough for me to stay." Elrond looked like he was about to object again but Thranduil interrupted before he could speak. "I won't have him wake up alone, Elrond. Not again."

"All right," Elrond whispered. "Send for me if you need anything." Thranduil nodded and returned his attention to his son. The last thing Elrond saw before he left was the king stroking Legolas' hair back, keeping up his gentle reassurances just in case Legolas could hear him through the thick fog of sleep.

**To Be Continued…**


	111. A Picture Is Worth A Thousand Screams

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**Sold Into Ruin**

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**Enjoy Chapter 111.**

**Chapter 111 ~ A Picture Is Worth A Thousand Screams**

As night fell on the Mirkwood, the palace had fallen strangely quiet. Its people were too concerned about the fate of their beloved crown prince to partake in their usual frivolities. No one danced in the halls or sang in the gardens. The last time anyone remembered it being this quiet was just after Queen Nienna's death. Jasmine and Arron were both sat anxiously in Legolas' room, not really knowing what to do. Although Elrond and Thranduil had told them to make themselves at home it was difficult seeing as this didn't feel like home at all. Home to them meant hard, stone benches and bare, cold floors, not the lush grandeur of the prince's private palace chambers.

The maids had made up the divan in the sitting room to be a bed although Elrond had suggested moving another bed in here later. They would not have it though, insisting that they didn't want to disrupt the palace too much. Arron now sat with Jasmine on Legolas' huge four-poster bed. Both were sat nervously on the edge, not wanting to move anything in the room in case they broke something valuable – everything in here looked valuable.

"This is really strange," Arron finally broke the silence.

"I know but these people are being extraordinarily kind, we can't say that we don't want to live in the lap of luxury," Jasmine replied. "Try and get some sleep now, all right?"

Arron nodded and went into the next room, allowing Jasmine to close the doors after telling him that she was right next door if he needed anything.

Arron lay awake for a long time that night although he was tired. Curled up on the spacious divan, he relished the warmth the lit fire offered him and wondered whether Legolas had ever done this very same thing when he couldn't sleep at night. After a little while longer, he sighed and sat up, looking about for something to do. He had left the box with all the wooden toys Thranduil had given him in the bedroom and he didn't want to disturb Jasmine. His eyes finally came to rest on a small door just visible from beneath the desk. Arron's first thought was that this was an extremely odd place for a door. His second was that this strange, secret doorway required exploration. He pushed the thick blankets off him and crawled on his hands and knees under the tall desk. He searched for a handle and eventually found one cleverly concealed. He turned it and the door creaked open. Arron guessed this small door had not been opened in a very long time.

Although it was dark in there Arron was not deterred – he had, after all, been down in the small crawlspaces of the mines before so this was nothing too challenging for him. His eyes quickly adjusted to the darkness and he looked around. The space was actually bigger than he had first thought. There was just enough room for him to sit comfortably in the centre; small enough for a child but not an adult, which was no doubt its purpose.

At first Arron thought it was just a store cupboard but then he saw the walls were painted rather crudely in a child's hand – Legolas' hand, he presumed. He couldn't really see these paintings clearly enough to discern what they depicted but he could tell that even at a young age Legolas had been a talented painter. Scattered all around the small room were little wooden crates and boxes. Arron tried a couple but found that most were locked with heavy-duty, rusted locks. Others were open but they contained nothing more exciting than old clothes, mostly child-sized, which Arron assumed had once belonged to Legolas. All bore a tiny mark on the breast, the emblem of Mirkwood Royalty, Arron recognised.

With a disappointed sigh, Arron went to leave but then a small sparkle of gold from the far corner of the room caught his eyes. He crawled towards it, moving other boxes out of the way as he did so, until he was able to pull the beautiful box out. It was an extremely heavy thing for something so small and he guessed that it was made from pure gold. Unlike everything else in here it was exquisitely made, decorated in scrolling leaf patterns and it was shinier than anything Arron had ever seen as if it had been polished repeatedly to keep it looking perfect – clearly it had been well taken care of over the years. The small, delicate key was still in its lock so Arron carefully turned it. He heard the latch snap open and he pulled open the lid. Unfortunately, he couldn't really see inside in the darkness so he pushed the heavy lid back down and dragged the small but heavy box out of the little secret room and back into the main sitting room.

Now sitting cross-legged in front of the fire, Arron opened the box up again, staring in wonder at the simple beauty of the thing. He couldn't even begin to imagine what something like this was worth. Given that it was the most spectacular case Arron had ever seen what it contained was somewhat of a disappointment. It was full to the top with small scraps of fabric on which were written various things in the language of the Elves, which Arron of course couldn't understand.

Also in the box was a small picture frame. It was upside down so Arron gently pulled it out. The glass was smeared and dusty but Arron quickly wiped it off with the sleeve of his nightshirt and a familiar beautiful face was revealed to him. He instantly recognised it as Nienna, Legolas' mother whom he had seen in a much larger painting in the Royal Gallery. The sides of the painting, which was incredibly detailed for something so small, were ripped and dirty inside the frame, suggesting it had been held a lot over the years but Arron guessed that it had not been removed from the box in a very long time.

It seemed like such an unusual place to store a painting – in a secret cupboard locked away in a solid gold box. Arron wondered whether it had been put there by Legolas or whether the painting was hidden in the back of the cupboard by someone else. Arron found it difficult to believe that, with all the reverence Legolas showed towards his mother, that he would just shove it aside like that.

For long moments, Arron stared at the small picture, being drawn into the beautiful blue eyes of the Elf maiden in the picture; they were so much like her son's it was amazing. He remembered the healer earlier on saying how much Legolas had adored his mother and how devastated he had been when she died. Arron had never had a mother that he knew of. Jasmine had been there for him occasionally and Jadan had sometimes almost been like a father figure but he never really had anyone he loved in that way.

Arron then looked briefly around the sitting room. He hadn't noticed it before but compared to Thranduil's elaborate chambers it was relatively empty. True, it was full of Legolas' belongings but at the same time it felt bare and sad. There was nothing to really personalise the room, nothing to really show that it belonged to Legolas.

Suddenly, the young boy made a decision. He placed everything but the painting back into the box and closed and locked the lid. Creeping towards the door, he reached up and grabbed the handle, turning it and carefully pulling the door open. The halls outside were cold and dark although there were lamps lit along the walls. He tip-toed through the corridor, not wanting to disturb anyone behind the numerous doors he passed. He desperately tried to recall which way Galadriel had brought him earlier on but Mirkwood's palace seemed more like a maze now than a home.

Finally, after getting lost several times and having to ask the assistance of a passing servant, he found his way to the healing halls. He had heard that Legolas had been transferred to the royal healing halls but Arron had no idea where that was so he asked the first healer that passed him by. Although the healer looked a little surprised at meeting a human child, he pointed to the correct door and Arron nodded his thanks before walking over to it nervously. He didn't even know if he was meant to be in this part of the palace unsupervised. However, he just kept thinking of Legolas not having his beloved mother beside him and it spurred him on.

Despite being sure he was doing the correct thing, Arron ducked into a dark alcove when Thranduil came out of Legolas' healing room. The king tiredly rubbed at his eyes before straightening out and walking away, presumably to get some sleep. Arron waited for a moment, wanting to certain no one else was in the room with Legolas. Sure enough Elrond left the room a minute later, walking a lot more confidently than the king of Mirkwood.

Now certain that he would be alone with Legolas, Arron walked up to the door and turned the handle before slipping inside and closing the door carefully. It was dark in the room but the drapes were drawn so moonlight shone into the room, illuminating it sufficiently for Arron to see Legolas sleeping soundly in the bed. He also saw Estel lying in the bed opposite. The man was also fast asleep but right then Arron only had eyes for one person.

He crept over to Legolas' bed and looked up at the sleeping Elf. Now lying in the bed, moonlight falling onto his face, the proud, strong Elf that Arron knew looked so meek and unwell. He had not noticed it before but he supposed that it had been that way for some time. He reached up and took Legolas' hand, which was lying limply at his side. All he felt though was bandages but that didn't deter the boy; he didn't want his friend to be alone.

Letting go of Legolas' hand, he climbed up onto the wide bed, not really knowing what he should do next. Should he wake Legolas or allow him to sleep some more? Would disturbing him cause him pain or would he want it? Finally, he decided Legolas would want his mother with him so first he jumped back down onto the floor and turned up the lamp on the bedside table then climbed back onto the bed, holding onto the framed picture tightly.

Before he could think of waking Legolas though the Elf stirred in his sleep, his blue eyes opening slowly and painfully. For a moment, Legolas just stared up at the ceiling, blinking in confusion. Eventually though he sensed someone beside him and he turned dull blue eyes to Arron. This startled the boy momentarily and he wasn't sure what to say or do next. Legolas' eyes stared at him with such force that Arron felt a shiver run through his body. Eventually, the connection between them was broken and Legolas smiled gently, making Arron grin back at him.

"Hello," Arron said cheerfully, smiling down at his Elven friend.

"Hello, Arron," Legolas croaked in little more than a whisper. He closed his eyes briefly almost as though the two words had tired him out. The sedative given to him earlier though was starting to wear off but it still affected him slightly, making him feel strangely fuzzy and disconnected from reality.

"I found this in your room, I thought you might like it with you," Arron said, crawling forwards so he was next to Legolas and showing him the small painting.

For a moment Legolas stared at the painting in surprise. Slowly he reached up and took it from Arron with a trembling bandaged hand. "Where did you find this?" he asked the boy, his eyes not leaving the painting.

"In the hidden room under the desk in the golden box," Arron answered proudly.

There was a long silence following that but eventually Legolas whispered, "I haven't seen this in years."

"I thought you might like your mother with you. I don't like being alone when I am ill," Arron stated and Legolas smiled weakly up at him.

Almost as though he couldn't hold his arm up any longer, Legolas let his hand fall back down to rest on the bed and closed his eyes. "Thank you," he breathed tiredly.

"So, now that I have done something for you, will you do something for me?" Arron asked eagerly, looking down at Legolas with a grin.

"If it is within my power then of course I will," the prince answered, his eyes nearly falling closed again but managing to stay fixed on the young boy at his side.

"Just tell me how old you are," Arron grinned. He wanted the answer to their long-running joke, which had kept them both occupied for a while in the encampment. Now that they were out, there really was no need for it any longer and the boy's curiosity had not been quelled yet.

Legolas smiled, "Two thousand and six hundred years old," answering the question Arron had been waiting so long to hear.

"I was so close."

"Now you know," Legolas said, a smile tugging at the corners of his dry lips.

Before Arron could say anything further, a healer entered, obviously coming to check on Legolas and Aragorn.

Her eyes fell immediately on Arron who remained sat on the bed next to Legolas. "You can't be in here," she stated sternly in a harsh whisper.

"It's all right," Legolas assured softly.

"Oh, Your Highness," the healer exclaimed with a bow when she realised that Legolas was no longer sleeping.

"I should go. Goodnight, Legolas," Arron said, reaching over and giving a somewhat surprised Legolas a careful hug. The Elf didn't have the strength to return the embrace but a smile crossed his face all the same. Arron pulled back and jumped down, walking past the stern healer and returning to his room.

The healer walked over to Aragorn first and ascertained that the man was still sleeping soundly. She then returned to Legolas, who was only just drifting in sleep. His eyes opened when he felt the healer smoothing out the sheets over him.

"My Lord," she greeted, noting Legolas looking up at her. "Is there anything you need, Your Highness?"

Legolas' eyes drifted down to the bed for a second before he nodded. The healer leaned in closer, knowing Legolas' voice would be weak. "My picture. Can you put it up please?" he said, looking down to his hand. The healer followed his gaze then took the picture from his bandaged hand and placed it on the bedside table where the prince could easily see it. With a smile she then left the room but heard Legolas' soft 'thank you' just before she left.

Everything was silent in the room for a long while before Legolas finally spoke, "I know you're awake."

In the dark, Aragorn smiled and said, "I never could fool you, mellon nin." There was another long pause before the man asked quietly, "How do you feel?"

"I'm not sure," Legolas answered truthfully, his voice not above a whisper.

"That would be Ada's medicines, I suppose," Aragorn smiled. Legolas just hummed, already beginning to drift off again. Aragorn just smiled at this, turned over, pulling the blankets tighter around him, then went back to sleep.

Legolas slept peacefully until dawn when the morning light woke him. For a moment he drifted in blissful silence, basking in the warm light and numb to the pains of the harsh world he had been sheltered from for just a few restful hours during his forced sleep. When the pain did hit him though, it crashed over him like a wave, coursing through his body with such force that he heard himself cry out loud and felt his whole body tense. In an instant he sensed someone at his side and heard comforting words being whispered to him. The voice unmistakably belonged to his father and he tried to force his eyes open but for a moment they simply refused to comply, his mind unconsciously telling him that it would be better to just stay asleep; not that he could revert to that state now he had woken once.

Finally, after what seemed to Legolas like a struggle of epic proportions, he opened his eyes and was immediately confronted with his father gently hushing him, trying to offer some support. Just seeing Thranduil was enough for Legolas and for a moment he allowed himself to focus fully on his father, finding comfort in that familiar presence.

"Ada," Legolas breathed, his glazed blue eyes looking pleadingly up at the king. Thranduil just smiled down at him, knowing he didn't really need to speak right then.

A moment later, Thranduil was joined by Elrond who was holding a glass of water and some kind of herbal drink that Legolas fervently hoped was for the pain. Elrond came to the opposite side of the bed and placed his hand on Legolas' shoulder and the prince looked up at him.

"How is the pain?" he asked kindly. "Be honest, we need to know the truth." He knew Legolas would try and lie to him as he usually did. This time though the thought of lying didn't even cross the prince's mind. He could barely think straight enough to form coherent thoughts let alone come up with a believable lie.

"Really bad," Legolas managed to squeeze out in nothing more than a strangled whisper.

"All right, I want you to swallow this, it should help ease the pain," Elrond said slowly, apparently understanding that Legolas' mind was working in blurred slow motion right then.

Although he had a valiant try, Legolas found he didn't even have the strength to sit up on his own, something that the ever-observant Elrond noticed. "It's all right, Legolas, don't try to move on your own. We're just going to sit up a little." Legolas felt Elrond and Thranduil place their arms under his shoulders and very carefully pull him up into a semi-sitting position. His hands grasped for something to hold onto as he cried out in pain. "Slowly, slowly," Elrond said to Thranduil as they slowly pulled Legolas up. The young Elf continued to shout out and again Elrond just tried to calm him down, not stopping him from gripping onto the sleeve of his robes, knowing this was hard on the young Elf. "I know it hurts but this will make it better really quickly. Just hold onto us. That's it."

To say the pain was 'blinding' would have been an understatement because right then Legolas wondered exactly how much a person could put up with before blacking out. Unfortunately for him, the answer seemed to be a lot and he had no choice but to suffer through it. A sheen of sweat had formed over him as he fought desperately to keep from just screaming from the pain, which he probably would have done had he had the energy. It felt infinitely worse than ever before, even right after the actual cause of the wounds, the whipping down in the mines. His back felt like it was on fire, one which nothing could halt.

His head felt light and he felt removed from the healing halls as though he wasn't quite there. He called out for his father and heard Thranduil's gentle reply, his grip becoming ever so slightly more secure. "It's all right, sweetheart, I've got you." He leaned his head against his father's chest, trying to breathe properly through the pain, still holding onto him and Elrond for dear life.

Tears rolled down Legolas' face as Elrond gently explained, "Just swallow this with a little water." The prince's childhood healer placed the glass vial to his mouth and tipped it gently so the prince could swallow before he brought the glass of water to Legolas' lips. Although Legolas vaguely recognised this person he couldn't for the life of him remember where he had seen him before. Not that it mattered right then. He had to concentrate too hard on forcing the bitter herbal concoction down his constricted throat to worry about such trivial matters as the name of a healer.

No sooner had he swallowed the water though, he felt his stomach churn. The now seemingly almost telepathic Elrond noticed this and gently lifted him up further whilst the other healer – whom Legolas still couldn't place – held up a bowl for him. Pain wracked his body again as he vomited back the small amount of water and healing medication he had just swallowed and tears stung his eyes, both of pain and utter despair. As he coughed violently, he felt his father stroking his hair – damp with sweat – out of his face but he couldn't really concentrate on it through the relentless pain.

The next few minutes were blurry but he vaguely remembered vomiting again, this time missing the basin completely when the healer wasn't quite quick enough. He remembered his father speaking to him but with none of the assured confidence of Elrond. When he properly came round after a few minutes, he felt damp sheets beneath him and felt the two people still propping him up. But most of all he felt the pain increasing – if that were at all possible. Now even breathing felt like it might kill him. He was shaking violently but he wasn't cold. And despite the burn wounds on his hands, his fingers dug into the two Lord's sleeves as though that contact might somehow ease the unbearable pain. At least he had something to hold onto, he didn't know what he would have done had he been alone.

After a few minutes of being allowed to recover – if that's what it could be called – Elrond asked gently, "Do you think you can try this again?" Although Legolas thought this to be the single most ridiculous thing he had ever heard, he felt himself nod, if only to get rid of the agonising pain. "All right, there you go," Elrond whispered reassuringly as the healer tipped the herbal drink into Legolas' mouth and brought the water to his lips once more. Legolas heard himself cry out in despair as he felt his stomach churn again. And again a basin was held up to him and he repeated the earlier process with a cry.

"I am sorry, Legolas, I know this hurts but we need to try and get some fluids into you," Elrond explained gently as the healer placed another clean bowl in front of him just in case. Legolas just cried softly through the pain. "All right, all right. That's it; just take a few nice deep breaths and rest for a moment. All right," Elrond whispered, supporting Legolas' head with his free hand, when Thranduil could clearly say nothing to ease his son's suffering. Tears gathered in the king's eyes as he held his son up.

Of course, the Elven healer had seen far worse in his career and was relatives unfazed by the problems that were now presented to him even if it was with someone he knew well. Thranduil, however, looked utterly lost and left most of the comforting up to Elrond, trusting that the more experienced Elf knew what he was doing. It was reassuring for both father and son to know that someone was in control, even if they themselves felt completely the opposite.

Although Legolas just wanted to shout at Elrond to make the pain stop he just couldn't find the words or the strength to speak them, almost as though the pain prevented him from asking for help. All he could do was lean against Elrond and his father and cry despairingly, hoping that eventually he would be able to ask them for help. First though he needed the pain to stop – it was a frustrating loop for him.

After a few more minutes, Elrond spoke again although by now the words were becoming strangely distorted in Legolas' mind. Thankfully, the Elven Lord seemed to be addressing the familiar yet still unidentified healer who was waiting patiently by the bed for further instructions.

"Could you find a spoon, please? We'll mix the herbs in with the water and see if we can give it to him bit by bit. Maybe he'll be able to keep it down that way." Elrond's voice was calm and gentle, not a hint of panic, which further reassured Legolas through the haze of pain and almost feverish delusion. At least someone knew what was going on and was taking positive steps to combat the situation.

"That will take too long. Look at him, Elrond. He needs something now," Thranduil snapped at the healer, showing none of the professional calmness or restraint of his Noldorin friend.

"Thranduil, we can keep doing this all day and it won't get us anywhere. He is still in shock and his body is fighting back. Unfortunately, that means it is also rejecting outside help. The more we try and force on him the more upsetting it will be for him. I know this looks cruel but it is the best way to get fluids into him at the same time as giving him something to help stop the pain." None of this made a bit of sense to Legolas but it obviously meant something to Thranduil as he seemed to want to protest as Elrond quickly added, "I don't like seeing him like this any more than you do and believe me I am trying to stop it. You just need to keep calm and trust me. For Legolas." Thranduil nodded gently with some reluctance and turned his attention back to his writhing son.

The healer came back with a bowl of freshly brewed medicated tea along with a spoon. "Just one small spoonful at a time. Nice and slowly," Elrond instructed the healer who stirred the mixture around whilst Elrond addressed Legolas who by this time wasn't listening anyway. He only wanted the pain to stop – and quickly – and he didn't give a damn how the healers did it. "All right, Legolas, I just want you to lie still and swallow this. I know you're in pain but this is going to make it stop." Elrond was still holding Legolas up so he didn't even have to sit up on his own, which was a good thing as he didn't have the energy to sit up on his own, and allowed the healer to gently lift the spoon filled with the pale green liquid to his mouth.

Although he gagged a couple of times, Legolas managed to keep the potent mixture down. It was a slow process, hard on both the healers and Legolas, but eventually most of the liquid was gone.

It was amazing how quickly the medicine took effect once it was in his system and Legolas soon began to calm down a little bit. His hands no longer gripped at the other two Elves holding him up but hung limply at his sides on the bed and his breathing slowed to a more relaxed rate. He felt his father place a gentle kiss on his damp forehead and slowly clarity began to replace confusion as the medicine really began to take effect. It didn't take all the pain away, not by any means, it still coursed through his back intent on making tears fall from his eyes but it was no longer blinding it as it had been just now.

"All right Legolas, we're just going to lower you back down now, just hold still. Nice and gently, Thranduil. Slowly," Elrond instructed as they lowered an exhausted Legolas back down to rest properly on the bed, his head propped up slightly by soft pillows. The momentary spike of pain and the shout that accompanied it was eased by his father's soothing mutterings. "There we go. That's it; you just lie nice and still for me, all right?" Elrond said gently to Legolas who could at least now understand the words being spoken to him.

"Ada," Legolas whimpered, looking tiredly over to his father who immediately sat down next to his son on the bed.

"I'm here, ion nin. I'm right here," he reassured, smiling and taking Legolas' bandaged hand gently.

"Dad," Legolas cried again, the word causing Thranduil's heart to painfully contract.

"Shh, it's all right. Don't try and talk, sweetheart." Thranduil leaned over and kissed his son's forehead. "Don't try to talk," he repeated, his own tears falling at seeing his son like this. "You'll feel better in a moment," he whispered, wiping his tears away, and Legolas just nodded, not having the energy to contradict or console his father. Thranduil took a damp cloth from a bowl of cold water on the bedside table and placed it on Legolas' warm forehead. The prince was covered in sweat and looked utterly exhausted despite not having moved a great deal. Thranduil could also see the pain still in his eyes but at the same time he was obviously relieved at having a little respite from the unbearable agony.

Elrond also took a place on Legolas' bed, smiling gently down at the young Elf. "Feeling a little better now?" he asked softly. Again, Legolas nodded tiredly although it was accompanied by a small whimper he couldn't suppress which was probably the only way Elrond could have known how he was feeling because he didn't have the energy to speak. "Good," Elrond smiled, placing a hand on Legolas' forehead in comfort. The Elven Lord knew exactly how Legolas was feeling and it certainly was far from perfect. "I know you're tired but we'll just change these sheets for you and make you a little more comfortable, all right?"

At this point, the healer, whose name Legolas couldn't place earlier but who he had not identified as Korslorn, his childhood healer, came forward and stood waiting to change the sheets. Legolas' eyes scanned slowly down and noticed the stain on his tunic. He closed his eyes in embarrassment but Elrond just laid a gentle hand on his shoulder and smiled when Legolas opened his eyes to look at him. "It's all right, he's used to it."

"I'm sorry, Korslorn," Legolas whispered tiredly, his throat sore and his voice hoarse.

"Don't you worry, it's nothing we haven't seen before," Elrond reassured. "It's just laundry."

"I have had far worse, Your Highness," the healer Legolas had known since childhood smiled sincerely.

"All right, let's get you out of these wet clothes before you get cold again," Elrond said, more to the other healer than to Legolas himself.

Legolas didn't understand what he meant at first, looking up at Elrond in bleary confusion. Then it seemed to dawn on him and again he closed his eyes, his cheeks flushing as red as they could given his condition. "I'm so sorry," he whimpered in embarrassment, tears choking his voice as well as falling from his eyes.

Elrond noticed the prince was starting to get distressed so he sat back down on the bed, smoothing Legolas' hair back as he cried softly. "Hey come on, don't worry. There's nothing to be sorry for. It's not the end of the world," Elrond smiled, trying to sound cheerful. This didn't seem to calm Legolas down at all so Elrond said more seriously, "This isn't your fault, all right? Legolas, look at me." Legolas looked up into Elrond's kind, sympathetic eyes. "It is all right. It was just an accident, nothing we can't sort out. Right now the only thing you need to be worrying about is getting better, nothing more. You let us take care of you now. So you just lie back and don't worry because all of this is perfectly all right. You're in an awful lot of pain and you're scared and this is a natural reaction to that. So don't worry about anything, all right?"

Legolas nodded with a tear-filled, "All right," not entirely convinced but too tired to argue. He wondered how Elrond always seemed to know exactly what he was thinking but he was glad for the healer's reassurances. He didn't meet anyone else's gaze though, still embarrassed about the situation despite Elrond's kind words.

"All right. Now, we'll get these sheets changed, get you cleaned up and then you can get some more sleep, all right. You're exhausted and the sleep will do you a lot of good." Another nod came from Legolas although tears slipped from his eyes.

Korslorn started at the bottom of the bed, carefully pulling the sheet off and rolling it up whilst Elrond fetched a bowl of warm water to wash Legolas off with. Thranduil stayed right next to his son, offering what little moral support he could. Korslorn and Elrond carefully worked around Legolas, not wanting to move him any more than necessary as they knew how much pain it caused him. When they could remove no more without moving Legolas, they prepared to turn him so they could pull the damp sheet off.

Legolas went to try and sit up on his own but Elrond and Korslorn immediately stopped him. "No, no, no, you stay where you are. You don't have to do a thing. Just let us do it," the Elven healer assured and Legolas did as he was told, keeping hold of his father's hand. Moving Legolas was easy enough but Thranduil felt his son's grip on his hand tighten and heard the barely restrained cry that escaped his lips. "All right, Legolas, there we go." The two healers threw the damp sheets in a laundry basket still unfazed by the situation that was making Legolas increasingly uncomfortable. "Let's get you out of those wet clothes, shall we? They can't be comfortable." Elrond's voice was light and gentle, trying to make the young Elf feel at ease but professional at the same time – the kind of skill that could only come from experience.

When Korslorn and Elrond went to remove his trousers though, Legolas turned to his father and almost whimpered, "Ada."

"Just let them do what they have to, ion nin. I'm right here, sweetheart, I'm right here," Thranduil said gently, stroking his son's hair back.

"It's all right, Your Highness, we'll be gentle I promise," Korslorn said sincerely. He remembered when he had bathed Legolas when he came back from the cave where his mother had died; he had seen the results and understood the prince's reluctance now.

"Just relax, Legolas. Nice and slowly, remember?" Elrond said gently, also understanding that there were deeper problems with this situation than they were going into now. He was reminding Korslorn as much as reassuring Legolas. The prince nodded and Elrond and Korslorn continued. Gently removing Legolas' damp clothing they started carefully washing him off with warm water, being careful not to aggravate any new wounds. They very carefully dried him off, noting the flinches of discomfort and pain whenever they touched him. "I'm sorry, I know this hurts," Elrond apologised sympathetically, looking up from what he was doing. Legolas just nodded and turned to his father who had his arm wrapped around him, hoping it would have some kind of comforting effect on his son.

When they had re-dressed him they carefully began remaking the bed. Again Legolas cried out but didn't stop them, just wanting to get all this over with. Right then all he wanted to do was curl up and go to sleep to get away from all this pain and humiliation. However, that desire was not so easily fulfilled.

"Legolas, do you think you can stand for us to change your shirt as well?" Elrond asked gently. Legolas just shook his head with a pitiful sob of, 'no', tears escaping his eyes at the mere thought of any more of this agony. He had clearly had enough; it was plain to see on his face. Elrond just placed his hand gently on Legolas' shoulder. "All right, Legolas. That's enough for now. We won't do anything else; I know all this is painful. Try and get some rest now." Legolas nodded and closed his eyes only briefly. "We'll be right here if you need us. And if the pain becomes too much again I want you to let us know right away and we'll see what we can do about making it stop, all right? We don't want you to suffer any more than you have to."

"Elrond's right, ion nin, we're all right here. Whenever you need us," Thranduil smiled as Elrond and Korslorn cleared everything away. "You just try and sleep now."

"Will you stay, Ada?" Legolas asked tiredly, his eyes already closing, tiredness overcoming the need to know his father was there.

"Of course I will. I'm staying right here with you. I'll be here when you wake up," Thranduil promised.

Just a few seconds later, Legolas was fast asleep and Thranduil and Elrond pulled a thick blanket over the sleeping prince. Legolas stirred but he needed the healing sleep too much to be disturbed.

"Are you all right?" Elrond whispered to Thranduil when they were sure Legolas was asleep. He couldn't help but notice that the king was trembling slightly and he was deathly pale, obviously in shock.

Thranduil nodded unconvincingly. "I…I didn't think it…would be that bad," he stuttered far from his usual eloquent self.

"I'm sorry, I should have warned you before…I know it looks cruel doing this to him but dosing him while he's still asleep is too dangerous, especially under the circumstances. It is too easy to miss important symptoms." It really did sound horrible; that Elrond needed Legolas to suffer but it did make medical sense. In those few minutes when Legolas was without medication Elrond could see exactly what was happening to the young prince, specifically what parts were hurting the most and how he responded to certain medications. Now Elrond knew exactly what he needed to do to keep Legolas comfortable and the best way to administer certain treatments.

"He's very ill, isn't he?" Thranduil asked meekly, his voice trembling.

"Yes, he is," Elrond replied gently.

"I hate seeing him in so much pain. I've never seen him like that before," Thranduil said sadly, smoothing his son's hair again even though Legolas was fast asleep by now.

"I know," Elrond smiled kindly looking down at the prince.

"Why…? He wasn't that bad when he came back."

Elrond sat down on the bed and explained, "He has been running on adrenaline ever since he left the encampment and that is a powerful force; it helped keep him going. And now he has no reason to fight against it and now it's all a little overwhelming. I know it sounds harsh but that is actually a good thing. The more denial he is in, the worse it will be for him." Thranduil nodded gently but didn't say anything. "Of course, the grief doesn't help things. We need to start dealing with that pretty soon. For the moment though we'll keep quiet about it, allow him to recover a little from the physical wounds." Again Thranduil nodded and kissed his son's hand gently. Elrond put his hand on the king's shoulder. "I need to check on Estel. I'll be just over there if you need me," he said, walking around the screen and to his own son who was lying in bed pretending to be asleep.

"I know you're not asleep," Elrond smiled and Aragorn opened his eyes to look up at his father. "How are you feeling?"

"Better," Aragorn answered honestly, sitting up in bed as Elrond poured him a glass of water.

"Good," he said, watching his son down the glass quickly and hand him back the glass.

"How is Legolas?"

"I think you heard," Elrond said sadly.

"He's in a lot of pain," Aragorn stated the obvious. Elrond just nodded. "Can I go and see him?"

"He's sleeping now, I don't want to wake him unless I absolutely have to. Don't worry about Legolas, Estel. We're doing everything we can for him. You need to stay in bed for a little longer."

"Ada," Aragorn protested.

"Estel. For his sake, don't argue," Elrond said seriously. "Now, get some rest." Estel nodded and laid back down whilst Elrond checked once more on Legolas. It was going to be a long night for everyone.

**To Be Continued…**


	112. Aftercare

**Disclaimer: **I own nothing Tolkien created.

**Sold Into Ruin**

**A/N: Thanks to everyone who reviewed. I am on holiday over this weekend so I'll try and update before I leave but I can't guarantee anything.**

**Anyway, enjoy the chapter.**

**Chapter 112 ~ Aftercare**

Elrond entered the healing halls and went straight over to his son. Aragorn was still sleeping soundly, undisturbed by his father's entrance. Thankfully, it was a natural sleep, not aided by medicines as Legolas' was. Elrond gently brushed a lock of stray brown hair from his son's face and although the man stirred slightly, he remained asleep. Sighing, the Elf placed his hand on his son's forehead, relieved to find that Aragorn remained fever-free. This was what Elrond had been hoping for; the last thing he needed right then was complications in his recovery. Looking after Legolas was hard enough but for Aragorn to become desperately ill as well would be almost impossible for even the well-trained healer to deal with.

He rarely spoke of it but his love for Aragorn was greater than he let on. The man had come to Imladris as his ward, nothing more – to be raised and taught by himself and his blood children. But over the years Aragorn had become an integral member of the family, more so than any of them could have anticipated when he had arrived as a mere baby. Despite being Human and not always fitting in with everyone in the Elven Realm, Aragorn, or Estel as he was named by his Elven family, had made himself an important member of the First Family of Imladris and in time had become respected as one of them.

Seeing his son like this hurt Elrond. He could understand Thranduil's concerns now more than ever. In a way, Legolas and Aragorn had grown up in much the same fashion. Both were heirs to great and powerful kingdoms; both had lost their mothers at a young age although Aragorn had never really known either of his birth parents. When Elf and young boy had first met they had become instant friends. They were kindred spirits and it showed in their actions. They were both opinionated and both had adventurous hearts, allowing them to get into all kinds of trouble and worry their respective father's half to death.

Now seeing Estel and Legolas like this, Elrond wondered where he had gone wrong. When had he allowed his son to get into this kind of trouble? Still, he supposed that Estel was a grown man now and Elrond had very little control over him anymore. He couldn't stop him and in a way he didn't want to. Aragorn had to find his own way in the world. Besides, Legolas had always been there to take care of him.

Leaving Aragorn to sleep, Elrond next went over to Legolas, a far more challenging case than his own son. Thranduil was fast asleep in the chair next to Legolas' bed, his hand resting on the sheets as though he would be able to detect any tiny movement from his son that might indicate his presence was required. Although the king pretended that he was fine, clearly he was still tired from the exertions of the past days and had now fallen into a deep sleep.

Elrond had no intention of waking the king either. While he was sleeping he could take a look at Legolas without all the questions and worrying that came from the king whilst he was watching over him. Although he understood it, Elrond knew that worrying like that wasn't overly productive.

For a moment, Elrond just watched the Crown Prince of Mirkwood sleeping. The only indication that he was even alive was the slow rise and fall of his chest. He was unnaturally pale, the only colour on his face being the bruises and scratches that marred his features. His hair lay tangled and dirty on the pillow beneath his head. The healers, with Elrond's whole-hearted approval, had decided that the state of the prince's hair was not a massive priority right then so he remained unclean but sleeping peacefully nonetheless.

Looking at Legolas now he seemed to be so very different, no longer resembling the proud, confident, powerful Prince of Mirkwood but looking more like a tired child who, after a long hard day, was happy to climb into bed and get away from the reality of the cruel world he found himself in. In fact, he looked very much as he had done as a child when he suffered from his mother's death.

With a sad sigh, Elrond reached down and pulled the sheets off carefully Legolas who stirred very slightly but didn't wake. He then unbuttoned Legolas' shirt, his eyes flicking up to the Elf's face every now and then to check he wasn't causing him any pain or disturbing his rest. Elrond took a quick look at the bruises that covered Legolas' torso, although a lot of it remained bandaged. Examining his back right then would have been impossible without waking him and that just seemed cruel after what had happened last time. Legolas didn't deserve any more pain than necessary and Elrond wasn't keen on putting him through that again.

When the Elven healer looked up again he was surprised to see a flash of brilliant blue on his patient's pale face. Legolas' eyes watched him in slight confusion. For a moment Elrond froze, expecting crying or shouting or pleading. However, Legolas just watched him blearily. Elrond slowly pulled Legolas' shirt back together, not bothering to button it back up, and pulled the sheets up to keep him warm.

"Hello. How are you feeling?" Elrond asked quietly and Legolas just nodded gently, as though he thought too much movement would bring back that unbearable pain. "Good. Do you need anything? Is there anything I can get you?" he asked softly and again he received a small shake of the head. "All right," Elrond smiled gently. Legolas' eyes began to drift closed again but he forced them back open, keeping focus on Elrond as he asked, "How is the pain?"

"Better," Legolas croaked out.

"Good. You let me know if it becomes too much again, all right? We can give you something extra if you need it." Yet another small nod. "You're still tired? That's normal. Your body is trying to repair itself and it needs a lot of sleep to do that…" Elrond stopped himself before he inadvertently launched into a baffling healing lecture. That was the last thing the young Elf needed. Besides, Legolas didn't look like he could understand any of it right then anyway. "Sorry, you probably don't want to hear all that, do you?" Elrond chuckled and Legolas just smiled weakly, apparently just pleased that someone was with him through all this. "Get some sleep now, Legolas, you look worn out," Elrond suggested gently, stroking Legolas' forehead in comfort as tears slipped from the prince's tired eyes. "I know it's hard."

"Sorry," Legolas said, lifting his hand weakly and wiping his tears on the bandage.

"You don't have to apologise," Elrond reassured with a small smile, taking Legolas' hand and replacing it on the bed.

Legolas' eyes had already drifted to his father, sitting undisturbed in the chair next to him. "Ada?" he asked Elrond in a whisper.

"He has been asleep for a while. Do you want me to wake him for you? He wouldn't mind." Legolas shook his head, not wanting to disturb his sleeping father. "Come on, you try and go to sleep for a little while longer," Elrond encouraged kindly and this time Legolas heeded his advice, closing his eyes and quickly falling into sleep.

Elrond stepped over to Legolas' bed with a small smile. The prince was still sleeping but not deeply. He was finally able to rest a little easier, the pain having been greatly eased by Elrond's strong painkillers. When the healer approached the bed though Legolas' eyes opened and he looked wearily up at Elrond.

"Hello there," Elrond smiled, his voice low. "How are you doing?"

"Better I think," Legolas said, unable to raise his voice above a whisper.

"Better you think?" Elrond chuckled but Legolas just looked up at him in confusion, not understanding the joke. His mind felt like it was stuffed full of cotton wool; even his vision was blurry and his hearing dulled. There was a strange aching in his head, presumably from the herbs Elrond had dosed him with. And he found none of those things even remotely amusing. "You'll start to feel better soon enough, I promise," Elrond whispered, smoothing Legolas' hair back from his forehead. "Can I get you anything? Is there anything you need?"

Legolas shook his head. "No, thank you."

"Are you sure? Do you want some water? Something to eat? Anything at all?" Legolas shook his head with a small smile, vaguely amused by Elrond's fussing. "All right. You just shout if you need anything at all. Try and rest some more."

Elrond went to leave but Legolas softly saying his name made him pause. "Can I ask you something?"

"Of course. Anything."

"Do you think…? I just…Nana…she wasn't real, I know that. But do you think that she might…come to me again? I know that sounds strange and maybe it's all the medication you have me on but…" Legolas turned hopeful blue eyes to the healer. "I'd just really like to see her again…outside of the nightmares." He seemed to hastily dismiss his own theory after that. "I'm sorry, ignore me. I'm just being stupid." He tried to force out a laugh but couldn't.

"You are not being stupid," Elrond reassured, trying to find a way of saying what he needed to without upsetting the already fragile prince. "I…I think that you went through an awful lot in that place. It was confusing and…upsetting. What they showed you, it wasn't real. And your mother…"

"Wasn't real either," Legolas finished for him.

"No, she wasn't and I don't think that you'll see her again." Legolas nodded but Elrond could see he was fighting back the tears. "I'm sorry; I know that's not what you wanted to hear." Legolas smiled up at him, brushing a stray tear away. "Are you going to be all right?"

Legolas nodded softly. "Yes, thank you," he said, forcing himself to smile.

"All right. Well, I'm going to leave you to rest. Send for me if you need anything," Elrond said, squeezing Legolas' shoulder gently.

"Where is Ada?" Legolas asked suddenly, looking around the room for his father.

"He finally went to bed." Obviously, Legolas didn't understand so Elrond elaborated. "It's late and he has had a hard few days." Legolas nodded thoughtfully then looked sadly up at Elrond. "He will be fine after a little rest, which is exactly what you need too. Get some sleep."

Before Elrond could wander off though he heard Legolas quietly call him back again. "Elrond…"

He came back to the bed once more with a patient smile. "Yes?"

"Can I have…something…I need…"

"You need something more for the pain?" Elrond asked when Legolas stumbled over the words. He received a small nod of confirmation. Of course Legolas' wounds would still hurt him but Elrond didn't want to over-medicate him as that could do more harm than good. On the other hand though, the last thing he wanted was for the prince to suffer any more. "All right, I'll get you something to help," Elrond said softly when tears slipped down Legolas' face. "I can't give you too much but maybe we can take the edge off a little."

"I'm sorry," Legolas muttered gently, assuming that he was just causing more trouble for the healer.

Elrond came back to the bed with a small vial of medicine for the pain. "Don't be sorry. I'd rather you tell me. I don't want you to be in pain if I can help it. Just swallow this," he instructed, giving Legolas the vial and getting ready with a glass of water to wash the taste away. Legolas did as he was told without hesitation, praying that this would bring him some relief. He hadn't told Elrond just how bad the pain was getting again.

"Thank you," the prince sighed once he had swallowed the herbal mixture.

"You're welcome, mellon nin." Although Legolas was now expecting to be left alone, Elrond sat down on the bed and took Legolas' bandaged hand carefully in his own. "You're in a lot of pain, aren't you?" he asked in nothing more than a genuinely sympathetic whisper. Legolas looked up sharply at Elrond before lowering his eyes with a small nod, followed by a sob, which caught in his throat. He tried desperately to stop himself from losing control again; that only caused him more problems and didn't help at all with the relentless agony and exhaustion coursing through his shattered body.

"I want it to stop," Legolas admitted in a choked whisper. "I just want it to stop." His voice was no longer controlled now, having passed the point where he cared what he looked like in front of the healer. His resolved dissolved and he had to admit the truth to someone.

"I know. I know you do. You just need to hang in there a little longer for me," Elrond said, smoothing Legolas' hair back from his face. "Can you do that?" Legolas nodded although it was accompanied by another pitiful sob. "We're going to make this better, all right? I'm going to do everything I can to make you feel better, I promise. You just hold on for me."

Legolas shook his head gently. "I don't know if I can," he sobbed, no longer worried about falling to pieces; he was way past the point of caring.

"Yes you can. I'm going to help you, all right? And so are your father and Estel. We're all going to be here when you need us. You just rest and be sure to ask for help when you need it; I know that's hard for you but for just this once you need to just let go and trust us." Legolas didn't answer but just cried softly to himself. "It's not easy, I know. But you're going to pull through this and I am going to do everything in my power to help you." Legolas nodded, taking deep, calming breaths to keep himself calm although sobs still rose in his throat. Elrond sat closer to Legolas and pulled the prince into a careful hug and Legolas leaned against him, the sound of his cries muffled by Elrond's tunic.

"I'm sorry," he whispered once he had calmed slightly.

"No need to apologise." Elrond knew that Legolas just wasn't used to feeling this way and even more alien to him was sharing his feelings with others, especially anyone other than his father. "We'll keep this between us. And don't ever think that you're alone in this; we're all here to help you. If you need any more pain relief or just to talk, or to cry or…scream," Elrond laughed gently, "you just send for me. Any time, day or night. And we'll get through this together, all right?" Legolas nodded, pulling away from Elrond a little, who understood that he was uncomfortable. "I am sorry that I can't do any more than that right now."

Legolas shook his head, turning back to face Elrond with a weak smile. "You've done more than enough already, Elrond. Thank you," he said in a shaking voice.

Elrond smiled and laid his hand on Legolas' shoulder again, accepting the compliment silently. "Would you like me to find your father for you? I'm sure he wouldn't mind sitting with you for a while."

"No, don't wake him."

"Are you certain?" Elrond asked gently and Legolas nodded. "All right. You try and rest now. That medicine should start working soon. Do you want me to stay for a while?" Legolas nodded and closed his eyes, allowing Elrond to pull the sheets further up over him. "All right, I'm going to be right here if you need me. Sleep well." Elrond settled himself into the chair at the bedside, taking Legolas' hand and holding it loosely so the prince knew he was still there.

**To Be Continued…**


	113. Cheaters Never Prosper

**Disclaimer: **I own nothing Tolkien created.

**Sold Into Ruin**

**Hey, I'm back!!! For four days I went without writing a single word of fanfiction and as nice as that was, now I am back and I find that I missed it so much. **

**Thanks for all your reviews, they are much appreciated.**

**Enjoy Chapter 113**

_A/N: Memories are in italics in this chapter._

**Chapter 113 ~ Cheaters Never Prosper**

"_You simply cannot do that!"_

"_I think you'll find I can."_

"_It is cheating."_

"_No, it is not. See, I had these cards right from the start and that is just good bluffing on my part."_

_Elladan reached across the table and pulled the pile of silver coins towards him with a grin. That was the fourth time in a row he had beaten his two opponents and he was revelling in their disbelief. Legolas threw his cards down on the table, revealing another losing hand. He had tried to convince Elrohir that his brother was cheating but the Elf had just laughed._

"_Look, Legolas, just because you're a sore loser…" Elladan quipped innocently._

"_I am _not_ a sore loser," Legolas countered hotly, gathering all the cards up and shuffling the deck with long, deft fingers. "I just think that if you are going to play then you should play fairly."_

"_I _was_ playing fairly. You were just playing poorly."_

"_What do you say to raising the stakes then?" Legolas challenged, tapping the deck of cards on the table and leaning forward, smiling at the triumphant twin._

_Elladan smiled back and looked to his brother before turning deep brown eyes back to Legolas. "Name your price," he said confidently, sitting back in his chair, knowing that there was no way he could lose this new challenge._

_Legolas considered the bet for a moment before speaking slowly, as though to emphasise the importance of this next game. "Whoever loses has to…spend the day in the kitchens and cook a meal for the winner and _all _the household staff." Legolas knew this was a good bet because none of them liked cooking, especially in the big, hectic Imladrian kitchens._

_The twins both thought about this for a moment as though they could decide almost telepathically whether to accept or not. Then Elladan leaned forward and held out his hand for Legolas to shake and said, "You're on." Legolas nodded and shuffled the cards again. "Just deal, will you?" Elladan teased and Legolas smiled before flipping the cards one by one towards the twins and onto his own pile. He took a quick glance at his own hand before looking back to Elladan and Elrohir. Both were looking at their cards with intensity but giving nothing away._

"_I bet three silver pieces," Elladan said._

"_Call," Elrohir said._

"_Call," Legolas agreed, throwing three pieces of silver onto the pile in the centre of the round table._

_Elladan looked over at Legolas as if trying to gauge his reaction to the bet but the younger Elf gave nothing away as he stared back before saying, "I raise you five."_

"_I'm out," Elrohir laughed, throwing his cards face down on the table and sitting back to watch proceedings. He was just playing for fun but Elladan and Legolas took this more seriously._

"_After only two bets?" Elrohir shrugged at his brother in response. "Fine. I'll call your five and raise you double," Elladan said to Legolas, throwing fifteen silver coins into the centre._

"_I'm all in," Legolas replied, adding all his remaining pieces into the middle of the table. Elladan smiled but this didn't worry Legolas in the least._

"_What's this?" Glorfindel asked, walking over to the three and standing behind Elrohir to see what was going on._

"_Just a friendly game of cards," the younger of the twins answered, looking up and smiling at the seneschal._

"_You're not out again, Elrohir?" the golden-haired Elf asked with a laugh._

"_They take things too seriously for my tastes. It's no fun when they start betting like this."_

"_Do you mind? We are trying to concentrate," Elladan snapped in annoyance. _

_Glorfindel crossed his arms but smiled broadly at the twins' antics. "Oh, by the way Legolas, Lord Elrond wants to see you in his office whenever you have a spare few minutes," the Elda said, causing Legolas to glare up at him for interrupting again._

"_All right, just give me a second. Come on, Elladan, reveal all," the prince told the twin._

_Elladan grinned and laid his cards down in front of him, proudly showing them off. "Full House," he beamed, already reaching for the money._

"_Uh, wait just a moment." Legolas laid his own cards triumphantly down before him. "Royal Flush," he declared, slapping Elladan's hand off the silver and pulling it all towards him with the brightest smile any of them had seen in ages._

"_What? But that's…That's not right. I…" Elladan spluttered in astonishment._

"_I'm sure everyone is going to love your cooking, Elladan," Legolas laughed, standing up and picking up his prize money gleefully. "And don't forget to shine the silverware before dinner," Legolas teased, flipping a silver coin to a stunned Elladan with a smile as he walked out of the room, leaving Glorfindel and Elrohir in fits of laughter at the look on Elladan's face._

_Legolas left the Halls of Fire where he had been playing cards with his friends and made his way towards Elrond's office, a place he had come to know well over the years. He always got nervous coming here though. The guard outside made everything look too official to be comfortable. As a child he was only ever really summoned here if he had done something wrong and this feeling obviously remained true in adulthood. He knocked on the door, nodding politely to the guard who formally saluted him. Even here in Imladris, his rank was well respected._

_Elrond called for him to enter and Legolas opened the door and stepped inside. Before he could turn back to close the door behind him, the guards had already done it so he walked towards the desk, strangely uncomfortable again, although there was no obvious cause for him to feel that way. He was a little old now for Elrond to tell him off and as far as he knew he hadn't done anything wrong during his stay._

_When he reached the desk, Elrond was still looking through various papers and he didn't look up at Legolas._

"_Lord Elrond, you wanted to see me," the young prince prompted after an uncomfortable silence._

_Finally, Elrond looked up and seemed to notice Legolas for the first time. If he hadn't have known better, Legolas would have said that the Elven Lord had been ignoring his presence. "Ah yes," Elrond said, pushing his papers to one side and folding his hands on the desk in front of him. "Please sit down, Legolas," he offered politely, gesturing to the chair on the opposite side of the desk. Legolas did as he was told and sat with his hands clasped neatly in his lap as he had always done as a child about to be told off. "How are you?" Elrond asked suddenly, catching Legolas off guard with the abrupt question._

"_Well, thank you."_

"_Good." _

_Legolas had only been in Rivendell for two weeks and he had seen a lot of Lord Elrond in that time and he had not been quite this nervous before. "My Lord, what is this about?" the prince finally asked, forcing the Lord of Imladris to answer the question._

_For a long moment, however, Elrond did not answer the question, instead pursing his lips together and looking down at his desk. Suddenly, Legolas' heart beat faster. He knew that look. Something was wrong. Due to the pounding in his chest, he hardly heard himself say Elrond's name again and shakily ask what was wrong. "Please tell me," he prompted again when Elrond still didn't speak._

_Elrond looked up at him, seeing how pale he had gone all of a sudden and pulled open one of the drawers in his desk. He pulled out a letter bearing the official royal seal of Mirkwood and Legolas felt his heart race even faster._

"_This came this morning by messenger. It's from your father," Elrond said before handing the letter over to Legolas who took it with trembling hands. He looked up to Elrond and then back down to the letter, pulling the semi-sticky seal off and unfolding the crisp, cream paper. He immediately recognised his father's writing although it seemed hurried and shaky, not his father's normal controlled, precise penmanship._

_It read:_

Dear Legolas,

I am sure that Elrond has not informed you of the recent Orc and Spider attacks on Mirkwood as per my instruction. It was not my intention to tell you at all, in fact. None has suffered more at their hands than you so I wanted you to remain unaware of our problems here especially seeing as this is your first holiday for so long.

Despite my desire to protect you though I have been told that it is of the utmost importance that I urge you not to return to Mirkwood, as I am certain you have been thinking of doing since Elrond handed you this letter. Just a few nights previous there was an attack on the palace and many people were hurt. I do not wish to panic you but I was one of them. Do not fear though, I am assured that it is nothing more serious than a broken leg and a few bruised ribs and although in pain and virtually immobile I am perfectly capable of running the kingdom and have no particular desire to hasten your return. In fact, to know that you are safe in Imladris is a great comfort to me.

By now you are probably already thinking about how fast you can saddle up your horse but I want you to stay there. We are perfectly capable of facing this threat without your assistance and I will keep you up to date with all the happenings – good and bad – in the kingdom.

Although an impossible request, I ask you not to worry about me and as far as possible enjoy your stay with Lord Elrond.

My love to you and all the Peredhel family.

Thranduil

_Legolas read the letter twice again before placing it on the desk, not looking up at Elrond who had been watching him thoughtfully. Thankfully, he said nothing whilst Legolas tried to figure out what he had just read._

_Suddenly, he stood and Elrond mirrored the action. "I have to go," Legolas stated firmly, looking for the first time to Elrond who just watched him with sympathetic eyes._

"_Legolas, your father said…"_

"_I don't care what he said. He is in trouble. He needs me in Mirkwood, Elrond," Legolas said, his voice cracking and hurried in his panic. Something had happened to his father; how could he just stay in Rivendell?_

_Easily able to determine what the prince was thinking, the Elven Lord said, "Thranduil would be a lot more comfortable and thus more able to deal with the situation knowing that you are safe in Imladris with me." He walked around the desk and placed a hand on Legolas' shoulder, calming the prince down with nothing more than a touch. "If Thranduil needed you he would have requested your return. I know you are worried but he said he would keep you up to date." _

_Legolas nodded slowly and thought about this advice for a moment, mulling it over. Finally he nodded again, rubbing a hand down his face before sitting up straight. "I'm sorry, Elrond. Of course you are right. I have to do what he thinks is best. If you'll excuse me, I should send a reply." With that the young prince left abruptly, too worried about his father to be concerned about Elrond for the moment._

_Legolas went straight to his room, rushing past everyone and ignoring Glorfindel's questions as to whether he was all right when he nearly ran right into him. Slamming his door closed, Legolas leaned against it, trying to catch his breath. His father had reassured him that everything was fine but a thousand different possibilities were running through Legolas' mind. What if Thranduil had just been trying to reassure him? What if something terrible had happened to him and he just didn't want to worry his son? What if he never saw his father again – just as with his mother? She had been killed at the hands of the Orcs, he himself had been terrorised by them. The very thought of his father suffering the same fate took the breath away from Legolas._

_Blinking tears from his eyes, Legolas rushed over to the closet, pulling his travelling bag out and starting to throw his things in; clothes and necessities. He grabbed his white knives from their sheaths, checking they were ready for use in case he needed them._

_Just as he was going to strap his bag up, a knock from the door disturbed him. He looked up, almost as though startled from a trance, and called for the person to enter. Unsurprisingly, it was Elrond. The Elven Lord stood in the doorway and crossed his arms over his chest, waiting for an explanation._

"_I have to go," Legolas said, his voice cracking despite his best efforts to stop it._

_Elrond was silent for a moment, watching as Legolas began checking the contents of the bag although there was really no need to do so – the young prince was stalling. After a moment, the Elven Lord walked over to him and took his hands, stopping their almost frantic movements. Legolas looked up at him, his blue eyes sparkling with tears._

"_You do not need to return to Mirkwood," Elrond said gently, sitting Legolas down on the bed. "Your father knows how to cope with these things." Legolas nodded, swiping at his tears with his hand. "You need to remain in the safety of Imladris."_

"_But, Ada…"_

"_Your father wants you to be safe. Tell me honestly: do you really want to go back there right now, Legolas?" Elrond asked gently. He could see the fear in Legolas' eyes at the thought of returning to Mirkwood in the midst of a full-on Orc attack. Fighting them out in the Forest was one thing but the palace was his home and the thought of Orcs attacking a place so sacred to him felt like a violation. Legolas just looked up at Elrond and the Imladrian Lord nodded, understanding the answer without words._

"_Come on," Elrond said, picking the bag up off the bed and putting it on the floor. "I don't think you're going to need this just yet." Legolas nodded and rubbed his hands down his face. "Send a message to your father, tell him that you're fine and stay right here. Then come and join us for lunch. I heard a rumour that Elladan is messing up dinner in the kitchens. It could be either extremely entertaining or we could all come down with food poisoning." Legolas laughed falsely to humour Elrond and nodded._

_Elrond got up slowly and turned to Legolas, asking, "Are you going to be all right?"_

_Legolas nodded, wiping tears from his eyes again. "Yes thank you, Elrond." The Lord nodded and left the room silently._

_Dinner that night was supposed to be a pleasure; it was not every night they got served by an extremely annoyed-looking Elladan. However, Legolas remained solemn and quiet throughout the meal. He nodded silently whenever he was asked if he was all right but didn't elaborate. He ate but only because he didn't want to disappoint Elladan or Elrond. The twins had been informed of what had happened in Mirkwood and of Legolas' reaction to it and they spent most of the evening trying – and failing – to cheer Legolas up._

_After what seemed like a lifetime, dinner was over and Legolas excused himself to go to bed._

"_Are you sure you don't want anything else?" Elladan asked, wiping his hands on his apron and elbowing Elrohir when he sniggered at the sight._

"_No, thank you. I'm…I should go to bed."_

_Elrond stood with Legolas. "Of course. Go and have a lie down. Call for me if you need anything."_

_The night was not peaceful for Legolas. Nightmares haunted him as they usually did but tonight, for the first time in a long while, his father was introduced into the picture, briefly pulsing through the disturbing images. He woke up with a scream caught in his throat as he often did since his first post-funeral visit to Imladris. Sitting bolt upright in bed, Legolas looked around his darkened room. He felt cold sweat trickling down his back and felt his body trembling slightly._

_Suddenly, the room didn't seem big enough. He felt the walls closing in on him and he leapt out of bed, running to the door and flinging it open. Light flooded in from the lamps lining the walls and Legolas turned around almost surprised that nothing was hiding in the shadows. The room seemed cold now though and Legolas couldn't imagine being able to sleep in there again. Instead he strode across the room, grabbed his nightgown and ran out the door, leaving it open, not wanting to be anywhere near the room a moment longer._

_Striding through the corridors, Legolas felt tears falling from his eyes at the memory of the nightmares and his father's current situation in Mirkwood. He slammed into a door – leading into the dining room – and fell against the wall before sliding down until he was sat on the floor, cries over-coming him for a moment. He was crying so hard that he didn't hear the door open and hear or see Elrond crouching down in front of him. It was only when he felt arms being wrapped around him that he even noticed anyone was there._

_He cried onto Elrond for a moment and felt the Lord's hands rubbing his arms in comfort. Eventually, he pulled back, leaning against the wall._

"_What's wrong?" Elrond asked gently, sitting back and looking at Legolas trying to pull himself together. Legolas just shook his head, smiling weakly as he wiped tears away. "You're worried about your father?" Elrond asked and Legolas looked away, more tears falling from his eyes. "He will be fine, Legolas. He would have told you if he wasn't all right." Elrond watched Legolas' response after he said this and for a moment he didn't think he'd get away._

"_That was exactly my thought the last time they…" Legolas stopped himself, realising what he was speaking of._

_Elrond sat back against the wall next to Legolas and looked over at the young prince trying to control the tears that refused to abate. "You can talk to me, Legolas – about your mother if you want to," he said in barely a whisper. Legolas shook his head with a sad laugh, more tears falling. "It's hard, I know," Elrond said, putting his hand on Legolas' arm in support._

"_What if…?" Legolas paused for a moment, almost as though he was afraid of the words threatening to spill from his mouth. Elrond waited patiently, though, and eventually Legolas spoke. "What if something were to happen to him too, Elrond? What if…I wasn't there to help him again?" Legolas asked, not directly relating to the incident of his mother's death but definitely eluding to it._

"_Legolas, your mother's death was not your fault."_

"_I know," the prince sighed, wiping his hands down his face to clear away the tear trails. "I just can't stop thinking…"_

"_Your father is going to be just fine. Nothing bad is going to happen to him because you leave him alone for a few months, Legolas. Thranduil can take care of himself. You need to learn how to do the same." Elrond watched Legolas closely but received no response. "Did you have another nightmare?" Legolas nodded, looking away in near embarrassment. "You do still get those then? And I am assuming that they never stopped." Legolas looked to Elrond only briefly, almost in apology for lying to him before._

"_Well," Elrond sighed, turning away._

"_I'm sorry, Elrond," Legolas breathed. He placed his head in his hands. A second later, he felt an arm go over his shoulders and he was pulled into a hug. He didn't resist but he didn't return the gesture either. Tears fell from his eyes onto Elrond's night robe but the healer didn't seem at all concerned by this._

"_Come on, Legolas, talk to me. Tell me what you're afraid of."_

"_I can't," Legolas whispered._

_He felt Elrond sigh and say, "I know you can't. One day you'll feel ready to talk about this and we'll all be here to listen. You have my word on that. But for now you need to go back to bed and get some sleep. Do you think you can do that?"_

"_Yes," came the whispered, sad reply._

"_All right." Elrond pulled back and Legolas wiped his eyes. He slowly stood up, almost afraid of going back to his room. Elrond stood too and waited for Legolas to leave._

"_I'm going to make some tea first," the prince explained when he didn't move._

_Elrond nodded, looking at him for a moment, almost as though he didn't believe him. However, he nodded and left, going back to his own bed. Legolas sighed and walked out of the dining hall into the kitchen. After making himself some soothing tea, he walked towards the Halls of Fire. He had no intention of going back to bed that night. He had come to know better over the years. There were only a couple of people in the Hall, guards who had just come off duty and a couple sitting in the far corner discussing something in whispers. Legolas' entrance made them all look up and stand in salute._

_One of the guards walked over and bowed, diverting his eyes as though it wasn't right to see the Prince of Mirkwood dressed only in his nightclothes. "Do you wish to be alone, Your Highness?" the guard asked politely._

_Legolas looked around at everyone waiting for his answer. Being alone was the last thing he needed right then. "No, thank you," he said and immediately everyone settled back into what they had been doing before his entrance. Legolas pulled a book off of one of the shelves and sat down in the big armchair in front of the roaring fire. Taking a small sip of his tea, he opened the book and began to read, ignoring the blurriness of his vision that always occurred late at night. Endless nights without sleep took their toll on the prince no matter how much he tried to hard it._

_The familiarity of the room and the warmth of the fire soon weighed down on him and he found his eyes slipping closed. None of Imladris – other than its most privileged residents – knew of how he suffered so the Prince of Mirkwood falling asleep in a public place seemed a little strange to them. However, respect for the regular visitor meant that everyone felt compelled to lower their voices. Just because they were not in Legolas' acquaintance didn't mean they couldn't see that something was wrong. They had seen Legolas come to Rivendell when he was just a boy, they had seen the utter devastation in his eyes, they had seen him build some kind of life for himself in Imladris around people who loved him and they had seen how easily those illusions could be shattered._

_As the last guard left to go onto his shift he crept over to the prince who remained sleeping soundly in the chair. He took the still open book from his hands and placed it on the table beside him then picked up the half-finished mug of now cold tea and placed it on the floor so Legolas couldn't knock it over. Finally, he got a thick, warm blanket from one of the other chairs and laid it gently over Legolas. He must have been over-stepping the mark but the guard wanted to do everything he could for the golden prince. When a tear slipped from the prince's eye, the guard didn't quite know what to do so he gently reached down and gently wiped the tear away. Legolas stirred but didn't wake so the guard walked away, pulling the doors closed a little and sharply sending two new-comers away._

_Elrond was the next person to enter the Halls of Fire the next morning. He had gone to check on Legolas and found his room empty so he had gone looking for him. He sighed when he saw Legolas asleep in the chair in front of a dwindling fire. He crouched down in front of him and laid his hand on Legolas' arm, waking him instantly._

"_Legolas." For a moment the prince didn't seem to know what was going on._

"_Elrond?"_

"_Yes. Come on, let's get you to bed, shall we?" he said, waving away two people who attempted to enter the room to speak with him. "Come on," he encouraged, helping a rather bleary-eyed Legolas out of the chair. Elrond threw the blanket Legolas handed him back onto another chair and escorted a rather confused-looking Legolas back to his rooms to get some proper sleep. Elrond knew exactly what to do in these situations. Thranduil had told him to just take Legolas back to his rooms and insist that he sleep. That was good enough advice for Elrond right then so that was what he did, as he had done several times in the past._

_Legolas almost seemed in a daze as Elrond walked him back to his chambers, skirting around the fussing servants. For some reason whenever he had a really bad nightmare, Legolas always seemed dazed. Elrond knew this was probably just exhaustion but it was somewhat disturbing. Elrond walked him through the corridors, his hand on his back in reassurance and as a guide._

_Elrond opened the door to Legolas' bedroom and walked the younger Elf through into the bedroom. Legolas stood as Elrond pulled the sheets back and then guided Legolas to sit down before pushing him to lie down then pulled the sheets over him and Legolas pulled them tighter around himself._

"_Get some rest. I'll come back and wake you in a few hours." Elrond left the room then, leaving Legolas to drift off into his usual exhausted sleep. This was how his life worked now. He would suffer for weeks on end from lack of proper sleep then would just crash. He and everyone else knew it was a dangerous way of living, certainly not healthy for anyone, especially someone of his age, but this was his life. Sad as it was. He hated living like this but it was all he had._


	114. Painfully Sleepless Nights

**Disclaimer: **I own nothing Tolkien created.

**Sold Into Ruin**

**A/N: Hey, thanks for reviewing and reading. I just thought I should let you all know that there are only SEVEN more chapters to this story. It really crept up on me. I have finished writing, as I think I've mentioned before, so once Chapter 121 is up, that will be it from Sold Into Ruin.**

**I am telling you this so you all have fair warning and the ending doesn't catch you by surprise. I have had complaints from previous stories that it ended too abruptly and with no warning so…here we are. **

**Don't worry though – a lot gets packed into those final seven chapters so please keep reading. I have a few more surprises in store for you all before the end.**

_A/N: Memories are in italics in this chapter._

**Chapter 114 ~ Painfully Sleepless Nights**

When Elrond next entered the healing halls the first thing he heard was the gentle notes of Thranduil's melodic voice singing to his sleeping son. Legolas couldn't have heard it; he was so deep in sleep that he wouldn't notice if Thranduil screamed the lyrics at him. Elrond immediately recognised the words as those Nienna used to sing to her young son when he went to bed. Whenever Legolas was distressed or afraid or upset, Nienna would sing that song and he would instantly calm down. Although the Elven Lord had never heard Thranduil sing it, the words were as affecting as if it was Nienna's voice filling the room.

Several of the healers were standing in respectful silence at the side of the room, listening to the lilting words, sung barely above a whisper. Surprisingly, Elrond saw tears in their eyes and he smiled gently. He then went over to Aragorn who was sleeping silently in the bed. Elrond checked his pulse then smiled down at his son, crossing his arms over his chest.

Clearing his throat, the healer said, "It's no use pretending; I know you're not asleep."

Aragorn opened his eyes slowly and blinked innocently up at his father. "You're too observant," the man said dryly, sitting up and helping his son by propping him up on pillows. "I don't recognise it," Aragorn said of Thranduil's song.

Elrond looked over at the two Elves and smiled, "Legolas' mother used to sing it. It was Legolas' favourite when he was a child, apparently it calms him down."

"Do you think it's working?" Aragorn asked, looking up to his father who was watching Thranduil and Legolas with sharp, chocolate eyes.

"Honestly, I don't know."

"He's sleeping at least," the man sighed.

"He's sleeping because he is dosed with medication. I'm not sure he could handle being completely conscious just yet. The last thing we want is for him to become overwhelmed again." Elrond looked seriously down at his son, who was now watching Legolas with sad eyes. "How are you doing?" the Elf asked, sitting down on the edge of the bed.

Aragorn nodded, "I'm just worried about him. He went through so much in that place. More than he lets on sometimes."

"I'm sure he did but I meant how are _you_ doing?"

"I'll be fine, Ada." Elrond smiled, not satisfied with that simple answer, as Aragorn knew perfectly well. Elrond had heard it too many times from various patients, including Legolas and Aragorn themselves. "I will be fine," Aragorn reiterated.

"I understand how difficult this must have been for you. Legolas was not the only one who suffered in there. I am correct, am I not?" Elrond asked softly, recognising that look in his son's eyes.

"They were monsters, Ada. Some of the things they did – to those other slaves as well as us. They pitted them against one another in an arena, tied them up, tortured them and they couldn't care less about what happened to them. They treated human beings like animals."

"It is all over now, Estel. That place is finished and what remains of the ruins, Gondor will soon tear down."

"Gondor? Gondor knew all about it. 'Important people in power', that's what the Master said. If they have high-ranking officials on their side what are the chances they can be stopped on the testimony of a few survivors of no position. I cannot testify, not as a king anyway."

"Careful, Estel," Elrond warned under his breath, aware of all the other Elves in the room within hearing distance.

"Well, come on Ada, what difference do you think a handful of _slaves_ are going to make?" Aragorn asked sharply, his voice almost raising to a shout and attracting the attention of the healers standing near-by. Luckily, it didn't disturb Legolas and Thranduil.

"You are not a slave, Estel," Elrond told him firmly. "You are my son, a son of kings. Never forget that. Maybe you can't use your true identity to push a conviction on these people but you forget that Legolas can. The Prince of Mirkwood holds a lot of sway, the King of Mirkwood even more so. Thranduil is not about to let Gondor get away with this and nor is Legolas."

"He's lying unconscious in bed, barely able to think straight through the pain and…"

"But he won't be that way forever. I have every intention of pulling him through this, Estel and I promise you that I will do everything in my power to see that justice is brought. And so will Legolas. He's not going to let those Men get away with this. We have a lot of influence behind us and I guarantee you that it will be used. We will get this done, Estel, and the people responsible for hurting you and all those other people will be punished, you have my word. And don't think for one moment that you will be useless in the process. You were in that place and you have a great insight into what those criminals did and you could well be amongst only a very few willing to testify." Aragorn nodded and looked down sadly at the bed. "Don't worry, Estel. We're not going to let Gondor bury this from sight. Even if I have to march over there and lock the perpetrators in the dungeons myself," Elrond smiled softly, making Aragorn chuckle slightly at the prospect. "Now, try and get some rest. I want you to get well soon. Legolas wants you to be well."

"You will look after him, won't you?" Aragorn asked seriously, glancing once more over at Legolas and Thranduil.

"You have my word," Elrond confirmed with a smile. "Now lie down and get some sleep. You really do look terrible, ion nin."

"Thank you." Elrond nodded and helped his son lay flat again. Aragorn was asleep in seconds, still healing from his wounds and recovering from his exhausting ordeal.

Elrond then went over to Legolas, still deep in sleep with his father clasping onto his hand in the vain hope that he could offer some comfort. The healer quickly and discreetly dismissed the observers then walked over to the bed. Thranduil stopped singing when he sensed someone behind him. "Can he hear me?" he asked quietly, not looking up at the Imladrian healer.

"He is heavily sedated, Thranduil," Elrond answered, placing his hand on Thranduil's shoulder.

"I like to think that he can hear me," the king said hopefully. "It is possible, right?"

"It's possible," Elrond compromised, not wanting to dash what little hope the king had managed to build.

"I like to think so," Thranduil repeated.

"Why don't you try and get some sleep? He won't wake up any time soon."

"I want to be here just in case he does."

"Thranduil…"

"I want to be here. I'm not going to allow my son to wake up alone again," Thranduil said firmly.

"Very well."

"Is he in pain?" the king asked, his voice now quiet and sad.

"Honestly, I don't know for sure. I shouldn't think so; he's pretty heavily asleep."

"He doesn't deserve it, Elrond. He doesn't deserve any of this. What those Men did to him…"

"I'm going to do everything I can to pull him through this, Thranduil, you have my word."

"I know you will, mellon nin, and I appreciate it. I really do." Elrond nodded and for the first time Thranduil looked around at the healer. "How is your own son?" he asked then.

"Estel will be fine, I'm sure. He is pretty resilient, for a human at least. Hopefully he should make a rapid recovery. It is Legolas that I am concerned about. As soon as possible I want to take another look at his wounds. Those bandages will also need changing again soon."

"He can't handle that right now, Elrond."

"Of course not and I'm going to wait as long as I can and try and keep him as comfortable as possible. Don't worry, Thranduil, I'm going to look after him – personally if possible."

"Thank you, Elrond. For everything."

"You're welcome. Get some rest. I'll be around if you need anything. Anything at all, you just send for me, all right?"

Thranduil nodded. "Elrond, you have to do everything you can to keep him here with me. Promise me."

"I promise."

"I can't lose him now," Thranduil choked and when Elrond looked down at him he was surprised to see tears rolling down the king's face. "He's all I have. After Nienna died, he pulled me through. He was the one stable thing in my life and he was always there. I don't know what I'd do if I lost him now."

"You can't think like that, Thranduil, not after everything he has been through. You need to stay positive for Legolas now."

Thranduil nodded again, wiping his face with the sleeve of his shirt. "I know. I'm sorry. I'm just so…"

"I understand," Elrond smiled, laying his hand on the king's shoulder. "He will be all right, Thranduil."

"I really wish I could believe that."

"You have to believe it because Legolas needs to know that you're with him. He's going to need every scrap of your strength in the next few months. I don't think he can pull through this on his own, no matter how hard he tries to convince you otherwise. I don't think he is nearly as strong as he likes to make out sometimes," the healer said pointedly.

"What do you mean?"

Elrond hesitated in answering for a moment, not knowing whether he should disclose personal information about his patient. However, this was the king and he deserved to know now. "Remember when Legolas was young and you sent him to Rivendell for a while to recover?" Thranduil nodded; of course he remembered that terrible day when he had sent his son away. "All those updates I sent you, they were all lies. He didn't cope well. The nightmares didn't stop, they only got worse and more terrifying and I chose to ignore it. I didn't want to push him too far. I suppose that, like you, I wanted to believe that under my care he was getting better, that I was helping him in some way. For you to do that as a father was a natural reaction, for me to do it as a healer was unprofessional and unforgivable. But we have to put all that behind us and help him now. No more lies and pretending that everything is all right. We can't afford to do that anymore."

"You're right," Thranduil agreed firmly. Elrond went to leave then. "Elrond, thank you…Again." The Elven Lord just nodded and left quietly for Thranduil to comfort his unconscious son alone.

When Thranduil woke from a sleep he had never meant to fall into, he was met with his son's bright blue eyes looking across at him, barely disguised pain shining in them. Sitting up straight, Thranduil leant forwards.

"You're awake," the king smiled. "Why didn't you wake me earlier?"

"You were sleeping," Legolas answered in a controlled whisper and the king knew he had to work hard to keep his voice steady.

"That doesn't matter. You could have woken me. Do you need anything? Are there no healers about?" he asked, looking around and finding the room strangely void of healers.

"No, I don't need anything, thank you," Legolas answered quietly, his eyes almost drifting closed.

Thranduil leaned further forward and gently placed a hand on his son's forehead in comfort. "How are you feeling?" he asked in a whisper. Legolas just offered him a small, humourless laugh that Thranduil interpreted as 'absolutely terrible'. He saw Legolas tense in pain and transferred himself from the chair to the bed, taking his son's bandaged hand gently in his own. "It's all right, ion nin. I'm right here."

Legolas took a deep breath once the spike of pain had passed and looked up at his father. "Sorry," he whispered, a little breathless and obviously tired from the sudden flare-up.

Thranduil smiled gently. "Shhh, you don't need to apologise. Do you want some water?" he asked, reaching for the jug of fresh water that was sitting so far untouched on the bedside table.

"No thank you."

"Elrond says you need plenty of fluids." Thranduil looked down at Legolas and saw him trying to avoid looking up at him. Then it occurred to him why his son was saying no. "Are you in a lot of pain?" he asked softly. Legolas looked like he was going to avoid the question but then looked up into his father's now alert blue eyes and nodded almost in embarrassment. "I'm going to find Elrond and ask him to give you something more for the pain," the king informed his decisively, standing from the bed and going for the door.

"No, Ada, don't," Legolas said as loudly as he could.

"Why on earth not? You're in pain and Elrond can give you something to stop it."

"Don't wake him up. It's late," Legolas answered, looking out at the darkened windows, ignoring everything the Elven Lord had previously told him about asking for help when he needed it.

"Legolas, listen to me, seeing you like this is killing me. I don't care if I have to wake up the whole of Mirkwood and the far regions of the Misty Mountains to make you feel even slightly better, so don't tell me not to help you just because you're worried about inconveniencing people. Understand?" Legolas nodded uncertainly. "Good. I'll be right back," the king said, leaving the room before anything else could stop him.

He returned just a few minutes later with Elrond trailing behind him, still dressed in a night robe and slippers; hardly how people were used to greeting the usually pristine Lord of Imladris. Legolas sighed, annoyed at himself for this inconvenience to the Lord.

"Your father tells me you're in pain," Elrond said when he reached the bed. His sympathetic eyes were tired but alert, knowing exactly what he was doing even at this late hour.

"A little," Legolas croaked out.

"A lot," Thranduil corrected firmly over Elrond's shoulder and the healer looked sternly down at Legolas until he confirmed the fact with a small nod.

"All right. I'm going to give you something to help ease it." Legolas nodded, trying to disguise his relief. As Elrond was mixing the medicine, he said, "We've been through this before, you know. You really need to tell me before the pain gets too bad, all right? I don't want you lying here suffering in silence when I could be doing something about it. And don't ever worry about the hour. I'm always close by." Elrond brought the mixture over and held it to Legolas' mouth, deciding to keep him laid down this time given what had happened last time they had attempted to move him. "There you go, just swallow that. That's it." Legolas did as he was told, wincing slightly at the horrible taste. "That wasn't so bad, was it?" Elrond said with a broad smile and Legolas shook his head slowly, finding absolutely no humour in the situation whatsoever. "Are you comfortable enough?"

"Maybe you would be better off on your side?" Thranduil suggested gently.

Legolas just nodded in silence, already getting sleepy again. He didn't have the energy to do much more than just lie there. "All right. How about we prop you up a little?" Elrond suggested and received another tired nod. Elrond went around to the other side of the bed, pulling some spare pillows out from underneath. "We're just going to help you onto your side, all right?" Carefully, Elrond pulled the sheets back a little. He looked to Thranduil, who helped him turn Legolas onto his side. "Nice and gently," Elrond said.

When Legolas moaned in pain, Thranduil whispered, "Shh, it's all right, sweetheart."

Whilst Thranduil was holding onto his son, Elrond placed a line of soft pillows against Legolas' back, being very careful not to hurt him. "There we go," he whispered once he was done and Thranduil let go of his son so he was lying against the much softer pillows rather than pressed down against the mattress. That way he could lie on his side but the pillows would take his weight. It would hopefully allow him to rest a little easier. Elrond carefully pulled the sheets back over him. "Does that feel better?" Legolas nodded. "Good. Try and get some sleep now, all right? And send for me if you need anything at all."

"Thank you, Elrond," Thranduil said, walking away from the bed and to the door with the healer.

"You're welcome. Call me if he needs anything else. I'll send a healer in here to keep an eye on him just in case," Elrond said quietly to Thranduil, not that Legolas could be bothered to listen to anything they were saying.

"I appreciate it."

"If you're worried, then try and get him to drink something but don't force him. If he's in too much pain, it's not worth it." Thranduil nodded in understanding. "Goodnight, Legolas," he called over but only received a small, tired smile – no more than he expected, considering. Elrond left with a broad grin and Thranduil closed the door after him.

"That should start working soon enough," Thranduil smiled, sitting back on the bed and smiling at Legolas. His son just nodded.

"I'm sorry, Ada," Legolas mumbled wearily.

"Would you please stop apologising? You have nothing to be sorry for." The king rearranged the blankets covering his son and smoothed them out. "Are you warm enough?" Another small nod. "Good. Try and sleep now. I'm right here if you need anything." He began gently smoothing back dirty blonde hair as Legolas' glazed eyes began to flutter closed. He bent forward and placed a gentle kiss on his son's forehead and Legolas closed his eyes, succumbing to exhaustion once more.

When Legolas next woke it was still night-time although he had no idea whether it was the same night or whether a whole twenty-four hours had passed. Thranduil sat up straight in his chair, looking down at his son to check he was all right.

"How are you feeling?" he asked once it appeared that Legolas had gotten his bearings.

"Better, I think," Legolas answered in nothing more than a whisper.

"Good. The medicine Elrond gave you hasn't worn off yet then," the king smiled.

Legolas seemed a little confused at this for a long moment. "It's…it's the same night?" he asked, his voice tired and croaky but a little more alert than the last time they had spoken.

Thranduil grinned. "It's the same night," he reassured his son. He saw Legolas glancing around the room, almost nervously and his mind immediately went to the possibility that Legolas was in pain. "Ion nin? Do you need me to go get Elrond?" he asked urgently, almost in panic. The very thought of Legolas being uncomfortable terrified the king. When he said this, the healer assigned to keep an eye on Legolas looked up from what he was writing as in waiting for a confirmation or denial that his services were needed. He was under strict orders to watch the prince like a hawk and to do anything necessary to keep him comfortable.

Legolas shook his head, his eyes flicking up to the healer – an Elf he had never met before. "I'm all right," he smiled weakly.

"You don't look all right," Thranduil said, motioning for the healer to step forwards, knowing all too well how his son covered up the truth. "Send for Elrond," he told the healer sharply, not about to take any chances.

"No," Legolas protested, stopping the healer in his tracks. He turned exhausted blue eyes to this new Elf and said quietly, "Can you please…give us a moment…alone?" he asked, no trace of an order in his voice, he was too tired for such formalities. The healer looked to Thranduil who have a short nod of his head. He left silently, knowing when he had been dismissed. He may have been able to say no to Legolas but he couldn't ignore Thranduil – not if he wanted to keep his job anyway.

Once the door clicked closed, Thranduil turned back to his son. "All right, what's wrong?" he asked. Although the room was only lit by a single lamp Thranduil could see embarrassment shining in Legolas' eyes and if he had not been so pale, he was sure that Legolas would have been blushing. Sitting forward in his chair, Thranduil pit his hands on the bed next to Legolas, smoothing out the cool sheets, waiting for his son to speak. Legolas' eyes darted towards him but then quickly swept away. His father, not through impatience but concern for his son, asked, "Legolas?"

Nervously, Legolas looked towards him again but looked away again. "I…" he hesitated though.

"Ion nin, I can't help you if you don't tell me what's wrong," he said gently. Still Legolas hesitated though. "Legolas, listen, just tell me what's wrong. I won't be angry." Legolas took a deep breath and looked down at the bed. "Sweetheart, I want to help you. Come on, you can tell me anything, you know that." Legolas mumbled something but Thranduil didn't catch the words. "Sorry?"

Legolas looked up at Thranduil, bright eyes shining in the candlelight. "Can you help me…to the bathroom please?" the younger Elf finally managed to ask shyly.

For a moment Thranduil looked down at his son uncertainly to find that Legolas was avoiding looking at him at all costs. "Uh…well, I'm sure we can get the healer to fetch you a bedpan if we…"

"No, Ada, please," Legolas whispered, his eyes moving towards the bathroom.

His son was obviously embarrassed at having to ask his father for this personal favour. "Legolas, I really don't think that it's a good idea. Elrond said you shouldn't get out of bed."

"Please, I don't need a healer with me constantly…" He cut himself off before he said something he would regret. He didn't want to lose his temper with his father – again.

Thranduil looked to the door as though worried Elrond would walk through at any moment and catch him red-handed. He understood that this was humiliating for Legolas, having everyone doing everything for him but he didn't know whether he should risk doing this. When he looked across though, Legolas was watching him. Seldom could he refuse his son anything when he gave him that look.

With a heavy sigh, Thranduil said, "All right, fine." He stood up, pulling the sheets back over his son. "You are going to get me into so much trouble with Elrond." He helped his son sit up, pausing when Legolas openly winced in pain. Legolas nodded though and Thranduil helped him swing his legs over the bed. Carefully, he helped him stand up. Although he was a little shaky, Legolas was able to stand with his father's help. "All right?" Thranduil asked, holding onto his son tightly. Legolas nodded, looking down at his feet, trying to concentrate on what he was doing. Standing up seemed like a major challenge at the moment.

Carefully, Thranduil supported his son as they took small steps forward, not missing the pain that creased his face. Unfortunately, he was no where close to steady and had a lot less strength than he originally thought. He would have fallen over if it weren't for his father's strong arms holding him up. Without a word, Thranduil bent down a little and lifted his son, who weighed almost nothing, into his arms, making sure he had a firm enough grip. "All right, I've got you," he assured his son as Legolas rested his head against Thranduil's shoulder. He easily carried Legolas into the bathroom, sitting him down easily on a chair next to the basin. He returned to the bedroom briefly to fetch the lamp and placed it on the sideboard.

Legolas looked up at him expectantly. When Thranduil didn't leave he prompted, "Ada."

"No, I'm not leaving you alone," Thranduil insisted, folding his arms.

"Ada, please, I'll be fine."

With another sigh, Thranduil relented. "I'm going to be on the other side of the door, which will remain unlocked. Understand?" Legolas nodded. "Shout if you need anything." He stepped outside somewhat reluctantly and closed the door behind him, leaving Legolas alone for the first time since his return to Mirkwood.

When he found the strength, Legolas relieved himself and then stepped over to the basin, his hand holding onto something at all times just in case he lost his balance again. He looked up at himself in the mirror, taking in his appearance. He hadn't seen himself since coming back from the encampment and it came as a bit of a shock. He was pale and his face looked almost gaunt. He was thin from lack of food and his eyes were dark with black smudges underneath from lack of sleep. His usually bright, sparkling blue eyes were dull and expressionless, the rims red and swollen from all the tears he had shed. His hair was filthy and red-tinged from blood, although his pale skin seemed reasonably clean so he assumed that someone had cleaned him off at some point.

All of this came as such a shock that he felt his legs growing weak beneath him and he sagged against the sink. He managed to call out, "Ada."

In an instant, Thranduil was at his son's side and Legolas leaned against him. "You ready to get back to bed?" the king asked. Legolas just nodded and Thranduil gently lifted him into his arms. He walked back into the room to find Elrond and the previously dismissed healer standing in the doorway, arms crossed over their chests, annoyed looks on their faces.

"What do you think you're doing?" Elrond asked, stepping into the room but closing the door on the other healer.

Thranduil carried his son over to the bed, bracing himself for Elrond's telling-off. Legolas had his eyes closed, his head resting against Thranduil's chest, too tired now to really care what the healers had to say. The king wasn't particularly inclined to disturb him with this as he placed Legolas gently down on the bed. Legolas opened his eyes, pain swirling in their depths for a minute. As the king replaced the bed covers over his son, he smiled down.

"Thranduil," Elrond called.

Legolas whispered, "Sorry," to his father, knowing he had gotten him into trouble.

"Don't worry about it," Thranduil assured. At the small but sincere smile that crossed Legolas' face, Thranduil whispered, "It was worth it." He smoothed Legolas' hair back from his forehead and then turned to Elrond. "I'm sorry, mellon nin."

"Sorry?" Thranduil walked over to Elrond so that they were at least a little removed from Legolas. "Moving him is not a good idea, Thranduil, not in his condition. You could have ended up making things worse."

"So what did you expect me to do? Just leave him to lie there…?"

"I expect for you to send for a healer, someone who knows what they're doing," Elrond said, his voice beginning to rise a little despite his own policy of quiet in the healing halls.

"Oh for Valar's sake, Elrond, he's my son. You cannot stand there and ask me to do nothing when he…"

"And you cannot even begin to understand how hard we have had to work to get him even this far. If you want to ruin all of that, it's entirely up to you, but I won't let you hurt him unnecessarily," Elrond shouted.

"It's not like I took him outside for a long nature hike."

"Legolas is sick, Thranduil."

"But he is still a person, Elrond. I am just trying to offer him a little dignity after your host of healers have stripped him of everything else. Do you have any idea how humiliating it is for him to have everything done for him, to not even be afforded any privacy?"

This seemed to stump Elrond for a moment. "I'm sorry for that, Thranduil, really I am but…"

"But nothing," the king shouted angrily. "You think I want to hurt my son? I would do anything to keep from hurting him but you're…"

"I am trying to help him."

"And I'm not?"

"Stop it," Legolas whispered tiredly but the two older Elves continued to argue as if the prince wasn't there. "Stop it," he shouted this time, silencing the pair in an instant. They walked over to Legolas, having the nerve to look apologetic. "Please just stop arguing. Ada, I'm sorry. I won't ask you for any more favours and, Elrond, I asked him to do it. It's not Ada's fault."

Both Elves glanced at each other before Thranduil sat down on the bed. "I'm sorry. You're right," he smiled. "You rest now," he said, smoothing the sheets over Legolas.

"Promise you won't fight?" Legolas mumbled tiredly.

"We promise," Elrond said sincerely. Legolas nodded and his eyes drifted closed, falling into sleep, leaving both Lords to step back quietly, having forgotten all about their argument. There were far more important things to worry about.

**Mirkwood…**

_Legolas slipped silently into the healing halls but stopped when he saw his healer, Korslorn, tending to another patient. Both looked up when they heard the door open though._

"_Forgive me, I didn't mean to intrude," Legolas flustered. "I didn't realise…"_

"_It's all right. We were just finishing up," Korslorn answered, glancing over at his startled patient._

"_I'll wait outside," the prince said quickly, going to turn away._

"_No, Your Highness, please, I can come back later," the Elf that Korslorn was treating said, standing from the bed and bowing to his prince._

"_Please finish. I'll wait outside," Legolas insisted, leaving and closing the door behind him before either patient or healer could protest. He leaned against the wall, waiting for the healer to finish with his other patient. It wasn't often the Prince of Mirkwood came willingly to the healing halls and several servants shot him curious looks when they saw him standing there. He just smiled at them though, a smile that could distract almost anyone from the temptation to gossip. They all knew that he was in charge whilst King Thranduil was away on a peace-keeping mission and they didn't dare challenge that, despite their slight doubts about his first solo rule._

_Legolas had never been left alone to run the kingdom entirely on his own before and although he had been doing a fair job he was clearly beginning to struggle without his father's keen guidance. However, he did have one thing his father didn't naturally possess: an undeniable charm. One small smile from the Crown Prince was enough to have all the maidens fawning over him and all the men calling him their best friend. It was, in truth, this charm that had gotten him through the time alone. People could forgive him anything._

_Eventually, the patient exited the room, bowing to Legolas as he passed by. Legolas entered the healing hall and walked on silent feet over to where Korslorn was standing._

"_Good afternoon," Legolas said, watching as Korslorn washed his hands in a bowl of clean water._

"_Good afternoon, Your Highness," Korslorn answered, turning to Legolas and bowing. "Please sit." Legolas did so with a small, weak smile. Watching Legolas now, Korslorn wondered how he managed to keep on his feet sometimes. "What brings you here at this time of day? What brings you here at all, for that matter?" Korslorn laughed._

"_You know my father is away?"_

"_Yes. Lorien, right?" Korslorn asked._

"_Yes. I must admit that I was surprised that he volunteered for such a mission. Usually, he avoids Lothlorien if given half a chance."_

"_Perhaps he is trying to build bridges then."_

"_No, I don't think so. I think this is a test for me; to see if I can rule in his stead." Legolas smiled gently. Korslorn hadn't been expecting such a blunt answer and it surprised him a little._

"_He asks a lot of you, puts you under a lot of pressure." Korslorn looked seriously down at Legolas, prompting him to continue._

"_He wants to see if I can do it. I understand his reasoning. One day I will be King of Mirkwood and I will have no choice but to rule. This is his preparation for me."_

"_Still, it's a lot of pressure on you to rule a kingdom on your own, even if it is only for a few weeks."_

"_I'm not on my own. I have advisors. They have served my father well, I am sure they will look after me."_

_Korslorn sat down on the bed next to Legolas but the prince didn't look at him, instead continuing to stare at the floor. "May I speak frankly, my Lord?" Legolas nodded enthusiastically, trusting this healer more than anyone else left in the palace. "You miss your father when he goes away, don't you?"_

"_Of course I do," Legolas chuckled._

"_No, I mean you really miss him," Korslorn stressed. Legolas just looked away again in what appeared to be embarrassment. "Why else would the Prince of Mirkwood venture into the healing halls willingly? Tell me what you need." Legolas hesitated when it came down to asking what he had come here for. "I can't help you unless you tell me what is wrong."_

"_I…I can't sleep," Legolas muttered after a moment._

_Korslorn watched him more closely. "For how long?" he prompted, knowing the answer would be while judging by the dark circles beneath his eyes._

"_A few days."_

"_How many days?" the healer asked firmly, not content with that vague answer._

"_Since Ada left," Legolas answered quietly._

"_Ten days?" Legolas nodded. "Have you slept at all?"_

"_A little." Legolas looked around at the healer. "Korslorn, I need to concentrate this week and I can't do that in this state. I need you to help me."_

"_Of course," Korslorn answered, a little surprised that Legolas was opening up to him like this. Usually he had to drag answers out of him. It was very rare that he ever asked for help._

"_I need you to give me something to help me sleep."_

_Korslorn sighed at the impossible request he had been dreading. "Legolas, you know I can't do that."_

"_And you know I would never have asked…"_

"_With all due respect, Highness, you shouldn't have asked at all," Korslorn said bluntly, standing and pacing the room in front of the prince. "I could lose my job," the healer muttered. He sat back down on the other side of the room. "My Lord, you know I would do anything for you, I have always tried to be…"_

"_I know and you know that I appreciate it."_

"_There are things we can try besides drugs."_

"_I've tried them all and nothing works." Legolas leaned forward looking deep into Korslorn's eyes pleadingly. "Please, Korslorn, just for this one week. I just need to get through this week."_

"_Do you have any idea how dangerous this is?"_

"_I understand the risks."_

"_There's a reason healers don't like giving long-term sedatives; they can cause serious damage, they are highly addictive…"_

"_You forget who you're talking to, Korslorn."_

"_It's precisely because I know you that I am concerned. This isn't a one-off problem." Korslorn looked around the room, trying to convince himself that saying this was the right decision. Legolas was his friend but he didn't know he could do that. "What happens when you get like this again and I give you more and more…? I don't want to cause you any harm, my Lord. I could never forgive myself if something happened to you whilst you were under my care."_

"_I am asking you, as a friend, to help me. It will be just this once, you have my word. And if I break my word then you can tell my father everything you know." Legolas was so sincere that he began to sway Korslorn. "Please, I just need to do this right, for Ada's sake as much as my own. I owe it to him to do something right. Please."_

_Korslorn thought for a moment. "I am sorry, Legolas but I can't." Legolas seemed to deflate at this news and he put his head in his hands. "For your own sake, I can't." Korslorn came over to Legolas and put his hand on his shoulder. Surprisingly, Legolas leaned into him, trying to hide his tears. Korslorn sighed sadly and put his arms around the prince, holding him close. It wasn't the first time he had been in this position; some nights, when Thranduil had not been available or he was the nearest warm body, Legolas had come to him for comfort and the healer had held onto him, trying to calm him after a nightmare. It was a privileged position to be in, not may people got that close to the guarded Prince of Mirkwood. It was also rather uncomfortable sometimes. The massive gap in rank had always been between them and Korslorn had to somehow find the line between when Legolas was his friend and when he was his prince._

"_I'm sorry," Legolas said, pulling away, wiping the tears away and trying to compose himself._

_Korslorn poured Legolas a glass of water and said, "If you order me to do it, I am not allowed to refuse, Your Highness." He was offering Legolas a chance to get what he needed without compromising himself._

_Legolas smiled weakly, taking the glass of water and taking a small sip. "I would never put you in that position. I came here as a friend." He handed the glass back to the healer and went for the door._

"_My Lord," Korslorn called before Legolas could leave. "I am sorry."_

"_Thank you, Korslorn," the prince smiled, closing the door behind him._

_That night, Korslorn crept towards Legolas' rooms and opened the door after receiving no answer to his knocks. He found Legolas writhing in bed, in the throes of another nightmare. With no hesitation, he walked over to the bed and shook Legolas to wake him._

"_It's all right," he reassured when Legolas sat bolt upright, a cry catching in his throat. Legolas gulped in air as he tried to calm himself down. "Slow, deep breaths," the healer instructed calmly. "Are you all right?" he asked when Legolas could at least breathe properly again. His only reply was a small nod as the prince wiped away his tears with the back of his hand. "Why don't you send for your father, ask him to come back early?" Korslorn asked gently, already knowing the answer but asking anyway._

"_I'll be fine," Legolas said shakily. "I'll be fine."_

_Five days later, Legolas was sat up on the bed, trying desperately to calm his breathing and stop his tears running down his cheeks. He heard a sharp knock on the door then Korslorn calling, "Prince Legolas, are you all right?"_

"_I'm fine," he called out unconvincingly, his voice trembling._

"_Can I come in?" Although that was the last thing Legolas wanted, he stood up weakly and stumbled to the door, opening it for the healer. "My Lord, are you all right?"_

"_I'm fine," Legolas smiled falsely. He went to walk back to the bed but stumbled slightly. The healer reached out quickly and steadied him. "I'm fine," the prince retreated tiredly._

"_Of course you are. Come and sit down before you fall down." Korslorn helped Legolas to the bed and sat him down and handing him a glass of water, which he took with shaking hands. "Do you want to lie down?" he asked, noticing how pale Legolas was looking. The prince shook his head as Korslorn took his pulse, a slight look of concern crossing his features. "How are you feeling?" the healer asked, looking up into striking blue eyes._

"_Fi…"_

"_Do not say 'fine'. With all due respect, my Lord, I know you're lying," Korslorn said severely._

"_I'm just…tired…I'll be all right," Legolas whispered._

"_You're obviously not all right," Korslorn answered, not about to let Legolas get away with more lies._

"_Korslorn…"_

"_Come with me," the healer said gently, standing up and grabbing the prince's robe from the back of the chair and helping him up._

"_Where are we going?" Legolas asked._

"_I'm taking you to the healing halls," the healer told him seriously._

"_I don't need to go to the healing halls," the prince protested._

"_Are you a healer?"_

"_No."_

"_Then you are not qualified to make that decision." Korslorn led Legolas to the door, not allowing any more protests. About half way down the corridor, that familiar weakness seemed to spread down to Legolas' legs and he felt them fold beneath him. Korslorn caught him before he hit the floor and lowered him gently down. "My Lord," Korslorn exclaimed. "Legolas." The prince didn't answer though, he was only just conscious. "Get some help, now," Korslorn shouted at a passer-by, who ran off in the direction of the healing halls._

"_Your Highness," a couple of people shouted, running over to offer their help. "What happened?"_

"_It's all right. Just give him some room to breathe," Korslorn said when they got a little too close. In a moment healers arrived to help, carrying with them a stretcher. "Let's just get him to the healing halls," he said when they started fussing over him. They carefully helped their prince onto the stretcher and lifted him up, going straight to the healing halls, trying their best to shield Legolas from the prying eyes of the growing crowds who were trying to get a glimpse of their prince._

_They carefully transferred him to the bed and removed the stretcher._

_Legolas sat up weakly, ignoring the healer's pleas for him to keep still and relax. "I'm fine," he muttered._

"_No, Your Highness, you're not fine," Korslorn snapped back, not about to allow Legolas to get away with it this time. "You're here for a reason so just lay back, keep quiet and let us take care of you." Legolas did as he was told, allowing Korslorn to look after him for the time being._

_Once Legolas was settled, the healers started to disperse, leaving him alone with his personal healer. Legolas laid completely still on the bed, looking with sad eyes out the window at the forest, which was brightly lit by the brilliant moonlight. Korslorn sat down on the bed but Legolas ignored him, hardly surprisingly given his current indifference and emotional state._

"_How are you feeling, Your Highness?" he asked softly but he received no response from Legolas, not that he was really expecting one. "I think maybe I should send a message to the king, ask him to return."_

_Legolas turned around quickly, looking harshly up at him. "You don't say anything to my father, understand?" Legolas shouted unexpectedly, startling the healer. Korslorn knew an order when he heard one, not that the prince gave such stern orders very often._

"_Of course, Your Highness," he said solemnly, standing from the bed, sensing that Legolas had just changed from his friend to his prince and he had to respect that regardless of what he thought was best. He walked over to the store cupboard and began mixing some herbs into a vial. He walked back over to Legolas, who was watching closely. "Drink this, my Lord," he said._

"_What is it?" Legolas asked, sniffing the drink when Korslorn handed it to him._

"_It's a sedative; it'll help you sleep."_

"_But you said…"_

"_You collapsed from exhaustion, Legolas. Trust me; this is the right thing to do. Although I would appreciate it if you keep this between us."_

"_Of course," Legolas whispered, drinking the liquid and handing the vial back to the healer. Legolas almost tipped backwards, the tea working nearly instantly. Korslorn put his arm behind Legolas back and lowered him down onto the bed. "Thank you," Legolas whispered, a sob of relief choking him._

"_You're welcome. Rest not, Your Highness," Korslorn whispered, pulling a blanket up to cover his prince. "Sleep well," he said as Legolas closed his eyes. The healer stepped silently out of the room, leaving the tired young Elf to sleep peacefully._

"_Welcome home, Your Majesty," Korslorn smiled, shaking hands with the king as he dismounted his horse._

"_This isn't exactly the welcome party I was anticipating, nice as your company is," Thranduil smiled. "Where is my son?"_

_Korslorn's face fell. "He is in the healing halls, Your Majesty," he said nervously._

_Thranduil was suddenly completely alert and concern lighted his eyes. "What do you mean? What's wrong? Is he all right?" he asked, not stopping for a moment as he almost ran towards the healing halls._

"_He was hoping to be well enough to greet you, Your Highness, but…"_

"_What happened?" Thranduil demanded impatiently._

"_He collapsed a few days ago; he's been resting in the healing halls ever since. He is a lot better now but he wasn't well enough to greet you so I advised him to stay in bed."_

_Thranduil burst into the healing halls. "Legolas." His son was sat up in bed, propped up against a pile of pillows._

"_Ada, I wasn't expecting you home so early. I'm so sorry that I couldn't meet you…"_

"_Never mind that. Are you all right?" Thranduil asked._

"_I'm fine, Ada."_

"_Why didn't you send for me?" Thranduil asked gently, looking his son over as though he could tell exactly what was wrong just by visuals. "You should have sent for me."_

"_I'm all right, Ada. There was no need." He looked up at Korslorn as Thranduil wrapped his arms around him and he leaned into the contact, so relieved to have his father with him again. "I'll be fine."_

"_Will he be fine?" Thranduil asked Korslorn, not entirely trusting his son's own assessment._

"_I don't see any reason why not. In fact, I think he is ready to return to his rooms now, if you wish," Korslorn asked Legolas, who nodded enthusiastically, pleased to finally be given the option of leaving the confines of the healing halls. "Might I have a moment alone with the prince before he leaves, Your Majesty?"_

"_Of course. I have briefings to attend."_

"_I'll see you later for dinner, Ada," Legolas said before his father left._

_Korslorn took out a wrapped packet from his pocket and handed it to Legolas. "This is a week's supply of sedatives. Take one every night. After that, you're on your own." He was obviously not happy about this arrangement as there was a terseness to his voice that Legolas had never heard before._

"_Thank you," Legolas said sincerely._

"_I won't lie to the King if he asks me," the healer warned._

"_I would never expect you to."_

"_Don't ever ask me for this again," the healer said sternly, turning away from his prince in an unprecedented breech of protocol and leaving him alone to get dressed._

_As Korslorn left the healing halls though, he bumped right into King Thranduil who was waiting for his son to come out, apparently not about to leave him for briefings no matter how much he had to catch up on. "How has he been doing whilst I've been away?" he asked._

"_I don't think it's my place to say, Your Majesty," Korslorn answered._

"_Of course not. Sorry," the King smiled. "I know my son struggles sometimes when he's left alone. Is this sickness a part of that, do you think? I know how tired he gets."_

_Korslorn hesitated. To protect Legolas' confidentiality he would have to lie to his king, not a good position to be put in. After a moment's thought, he answered, "He has been fine, Sire." It was a lie. Legolas had not been fine but he held a lot of respect for the prince and he found that despite his earlier harsh words he couldn't betray him now. The king just smiled and went into the healing halls to get his son, leaving Korslorn to curse himself for being so stupid. However, what was done was done. This was Legolas' responsibility now; he had done all he could._

**To Be Continued…**


	115. Safe In Your Arms Once More

**Disclaimer: **I own nothing Tolkien created.

**Sold Into Ruin**

**Chapter 115 ~ Safe In Your Arms Once More**

Thranduil was sat in his usual position next to Legolas' bed. The prince was sleeping soundly and, thankfully, he had not yet stirred despite the few healers who came by to check on him occasionally even at this late hour. It was nearly three in the morning and the halls had quietened down a lot, as they always did by this time of night. Elrond had gone to bed hours ago and had attempted to persuade Thranduil to do the same thing but the king had insisted that he had wanted to remain close to his son and Elrond had eventually relented.

Now he was sat reading in the dim candlelight, glancing over to his son every now and then only to find Legolas still sleeping, for which he was grateful. Although he was no longer crying out in pain when awake, Thranduil could see it in his eyes and often had to prompt Legolas to ask for some relief. Not that he minded, anything to keep his son comfortable.

Thranduil was disturbed from his reading when Legolas shifted in bed. He didn't wake though so Thranduil continued reading his book, not really expecting his son to wake up any time soon. No more than a few seconds later he heard Legolas whimper quietly, followed by a weak groan of pain. He put the novel down and looked to his son. Slowly and painfully, Legolas opened his eyes, not properly focusing on anything for a moment or two.

"Legolas?" Thranduil whispered, attracting his son's attention. "Are you all right?"

"Ada?" Legolas croaked out, more a random sound than an actual word, although it was easy enough for Thranduil to interpret.

"I'm here, ion nin," Thranduil answered quietly, sitting on the edge of his seat and looking down into his son's only half-open, dazed blue eyes.

Legolas didn't respond to this but just repeated, "Ada," in more of a whimper this time.

"I'm here," Thranduil smiled, stroking his son's hair back from his forehead tenderly. This comforting technique usually worked but this time he was dismayed to see tears falling from his son's eyes. There was no fuss like before, just silent tears but for some reason it seemed all the more profound to Thranduil. "Hey, what's wrong?" he asked with a smile, hoping it might calm his son. Legolas didn't answer but reached out his hand for his father, tears still falling as he tried to keep his breathing calm. Thranduil reached out and took Legolas' hand and gently transferred himself from the chair onto the edge of the bed. "I'm right here, sweetheart," he repeated again, more sincerely this time.

"Ada," Legolas mouthed, not making any sound.

"It's all right, I'm not going anywhere," Thranduil whispered with a small, reassuring smile. Legolas closed his eyes, allowing more – still silent – tears to fall. "I know you're scared but it's going to be all right now," the king whispered gently, no trace of surprise or disappointment in his voice, just a simple comment that he supposed wouldn't get a response but that he felt he needed to say anyway. Legolas looked up at his father, a flicker of surprise registering in his eyes. "I'm your father; you think I don't know when my own son is frightened?" he asked with a small smile.

He heard Legolas take in a deep gulp of air to suppress the cry that threatened to escape him. "It's all right," Thranduil whispered. Looking at his son now, lying in the healing room bed, Thranduil would have given anything for their places to be exchanged. Seeing his son like this was the worst thing in the world right at that moment. He looked so small and pale, he looked so sick, so much like the frightened child Thranduil remembered from years ago.

The king released his hold on Legolas' hand and reached down to pull his shoes off then stood to remove his jacket. Very gently, he sat back down on the bed and carefully laid down on his back beside his son, leaning back against the headboard. Legolas instinctively moved towards him and Thranduil gently lifted his head so it was resting on his shoulder and positioned his arm so it acted as a cushion for his son. Legolas shifted slightly to get comfortable and Thranduil tucked the sheets around them to keep them both warm.

Placing a kiss on Legolas' forehead, Thranduil began gently smoothing his hair back and hushing his son as he cried softly onto his shoulder. Legolas wrapped his arm around his father, no desperation in the act just wanting to be close to him.

"Shh, it's going to be all right," the king hushed, closing his eyes as he continued soothing his son. "It's all right. I'm here now. I've got you, ion nin. Shh, shh." Legolas cried softly onto his father. This was the first time he had actually allowed himself to remember everything that had happened to him in the encampment and it was the first time he had felt safe enough to allow himself to let go of those emotions. Before there had always been something else to concentrate on – the encampment itself, the unbearable pain, trying to stay strong in front of Elrond and the other healers – but now it was just him and Thranduil and he felt a lot more comfortable now, safely enveloped in his father's strong, reassuring presence. What he was feeling at that moment didn't need dramatic breakdowns or fits of sobbing. All he needed was for someone to tell him that it was all right to let go. And there was no one he felt more comfortable doing that with than his father. He knew Thranduil would just be with him without a lot of questions like Elrond and without the kind of over-zealous optimism that practically dominated Aragorn's every waking moment. His father would just hold onto him, keeping him safe, which was all he needed at the moment.

When Legolas turned his head to bury his face into his father's tunic, Thranduil looked down, still gently soothing.

Reaching over to the forgotten book, Thranduil found the beginning and again looked down at his son who was once more resting against his shoulder, tears still falling occasionally. "This is actually quite good," he commented conversationally, trying to make his son feel more at ease. "Would you like me to read you some of it?" he asked, looking down as Legolas nodded his head very slightly. He had no real desire to hear the story, just to hear his father's lilting voice. Thranduil laid the book down on his lap for a moment and carefully wiped Legolas' tears away. "Close your eyes," he whispered and Legolas immediately did as his father advised, closing his eyes with a deep, shuddering sigh.

In his familiar wilting Sindarin accent, Thranduil started reading to Legolas. He had only gotten a couple of pages in when he noticed that his son was now fast asleep. With a smile, he put the book back on the bedside table and blew the candle out, leaving the room illuminated only by moonlight. He pulled the blanket up over himself and Legolas and adjusted it so his son was comfortable then closed his own eyes, allowing himself to drift off to sleep, knowing that his only child was safe in his arms once more.

**Two Days Later…**

Elrond entered Legolas' healing room carrying a tray of warm food. Legolas was dozing in the sunlight that streamed through the window, falling perfectly on the bed and warming him. It seemed he was almost basking in the comfortable warmth of the sun's rays. Elrond laid the tray down on the table and strode over to the open balcony doors, pulling them closed. It wasn't by any means cold in the room but Elrond didn't want the prince to get cold, given that he was by no means well. Legolas didn't seem disturbed by Elrond's presence although he shifted slightly in his sleep.

Earlier that day Thranduil had gone to bed for a few hours and he had not yet returned so Elrond was definitely not going to wake him up unless he had to. Legolas had slept pretty soundly for the past two days, an air of calm seeming to descend on him although Elrond didn't know why. And although he had a few visitors, Elrond and the others had been sending most people away, wanting Legolas to rest undisturbed for as long as possible. Whereas before Legolas had wanted his independence now he just allowed the healers to work around him, not even too bothered about moving, and no one was particularly inclined to have it any other way. He needed the rest and he seemed to be able to sleep more naturally now without sedatives, for which Elrond was grateful.

However much Elrond wanted the young prince to rest, he also needed to eat and drink something to keep his strength up, which in turn would help him heal faster. He had been putting it off for perhaps a little too long. With a small smile, Elrond sat down on the bed. Legolas was still asleep, laid slightly on his side to ease the pressure on his back; the sheets were pulled up to his chest and his arm resting on top. The bandages remained wound tightly around his hands but they were partially hidden under the long-sleeved, thin white nightshirt he had on. This was the first time he had been even remotely comfortable since his return and he was making the most of every last second. Elrond had upped his medication, allowing him even more pain relief now that he was less likely to be in danger or a relapse.

"Legolas," he called softly. Legolas stirred but didn't wake. "Legolas?" Elrond said again, there was no demand in his voice; in fact, there was even slight humour.

"Hmmm," Legolas murmured.

"Come on, mellon nin, time to wake up." Legolas tried to turn away from Elrond, obviously not wanting to be disturbed from his peaceful sleep. "I know, but you need to wake up now." Legolas turned back to Elrond, opening tired blue eyes and looking blearily up at Elrond who smiled gently. "Good morning. Or rather, good afternoon," Elrond corrected himself with a grin.

"What time is it?" Legolas asked, his voice slightly slurred from sleep.

Elrond smiled again. "It's just gone four," he answered softly. "How are you feeling?"

"Better, I suppose," Legolas said, a hint of irritation in his voice at being woken.

"Good. I am sorry to wake you but you really need to try and eat something." Elrond stood up and reached for the tray of food.

"I just want to sleep, Elrond," Legolas murmured, closing his eyes again.

"I know you do and after this you can go right back to sleep. But you need to have something to eat first if you want to speed up your recovery." Elrond placed the tray on the bedside table and sat back down on the bed. "Come on, do this one thing for me and I'll go away, I promise." Legolas looked up at him, a hint of amusement in his eyes. "All right, let's sit you up, nice and slowly," he said, helping Legolas to sit up and propping him up on pillows.

Thankfully, he was dosed up on painkillers, which also made him drowsy, so he wasn't in a great deal of pain, just slight discomfort.

"I really don't think I could eat anything," Legolas sighed wearily. He didn't feel in the least bit hungry and if he was anything he actually still felt a little queasy.

Elrond picked up a mug of tea also balanced on the tray. "Ginger tea. It might not stop you from feeling nauseous but it will help you keep something down. That's the plan, anyway. Drink half now and half after you've eaten." Legolas still looked reluctant though. "Come on, you don't have to eat much, in fact, I recommend against it, but you just need to take a few bites. It's just chicken and rice, nothing too heavy. Believe me, Legolas, once you get a little energy back you'll feel a hundred times better."

"All right," Legolas finally agreed with a tired sigh. He really just wanted to go back to sleep. Although he had been sleeping a lot – certainly more than when he was in the encampment – he felt even more exhausted now than before. Elrond placed the tray on his lap and handed him the warm drink. Legolas sipped half of it as Elrond instructed then turned to the tiny portion of chicken, already cut into small pieces for him, and rice on the plate. He shuffled it around his plate for a while before putting a small forkful in his mouth and swallowing it slowly. Elrond watched him closely as he took another bite, finding it a little difficult to lift his fork with his bandaged hands.

Legolas' eyes flicked up to Elrond's on the third bite, silently asking if that was enough. "Just one more forkful," Elrond prompted. Reluctantly, Legolas did as he was asked and then put the fork back down on his plate. Elrond handed him the mug and Legolas sipped at it, finishing it off. Elrond then took both the plate and mug away from Legolas and replaced them on the tray, which he put on the bedside table. "How are you feeling now?" Elrond asked, watching Legolas closely.

"Fine," he answered with a small smile.

"Good. You go back to sleep now. And send for me if you don't feel well." Legolas nodded and Elrond helped him to lie back down so he was comfortable.

"Can you open the balcony doors?" Legolas mumbled, almost asleep again. The presence of Mirkwood so close to him was reassuring; he had missed it during his stay in the encampment.

"You should keep them closed, you don't want it getting too cold in here," Elrond told him gently. It wouldn't be too long before night fell and the room would become chilled. "You need to try and stay warm." Legolas nodded on the edge of sleep already, obviously not overly bothered about the response to his request. "All right, I'll come back and check on you a little later." He smiled when he received no response. Legolas had already fallen back asleep and he wasn't about to disturb him again. He picked up the tray and left, nearly bumping into the king on the way out. "Thranduil," he started.

"Elrond," the king greeted. "I was just going to see Legolas."

"I wouldn't bother. He's fast asleep," Elrond smiled.

Thranduil looked uncertainly to the door. "Well, I'll just sit with him for a while then." Without another word Thranduil stepped past Elrond into the room and closed the door. Far from being offended, the healer understood that he was the intruder in this relationship. Thranduil and Legolas were close and he wasn't about to get in the way of that.

A couple of hours later, Thranduil was helping Legolas to sit up in bed. Although he was still exhausted he wasn't in too much pain. Twinges caused him to wince as he sat up straight though, keeping his hand on his father's arm for support although the king had a good enough grip on his son so he couldn't fall backwards. Thranduil reached over and threw the sheets back and carefully helped his son sit on the edge of the bed, all the time keeping him steady.

"All right?" he asked his son, who was shaking his head to clear the dizziness. Legolas flashed him a quick smile. "Just take it slowly," Thranduil muttered as he helped his son to stand up. He was extremely unsteady on his feet and clung onto his father as tightly as he could. "I've got you," the king assured when his son faltered slightly. Legolas smiled up at his father, knowing he would never let him fall.

As Thranduil helped Legolas walk towards the fire, the prince glanced longingly at the closed balcony doors. "Don't even think about it," the king warned, knowing that his son wanted to go outside and be out in the fresh air. Legolas loved the outdoors, he hated being cooped up inside for too long. Elrond had given strict instructions that he was not to leave the room though and given that he had done nothing but disobey the Elven Lord for the past few days, Thranduil decided that this was one order he should follow. "Sorry," he said when Legolas shot him a disappointed look. "Elrond says you need to keep as warm as possible and it is cold out."

"Fine," Legolas ground out, taking another few small but painful steps forward.

Thranduil ignored his tone and watched his son's feet carefully, almost willing him not to trip. Legolas would the short walk difficult, taking nearly five minutes to get just halfway across the room. They were heading for the large fire that Thranduil had lit in the hearth. Legolas had wanted to leave the room completely but Elrond had insisted that he stay put. They had finally agreed on a compromise, the healer telling him that he could go no further than the fireplace where he could rest in the large armchair.

When Legolas stumbled slightly again, Thranduil caught him. "Do you want me to…?" he asked, going to lift his son into his arms.

Legolas threw his arm out to stop his father with a sharp, "I can do it."

Thranduil stepped back. "All right." Although his son had snapped at him, Thranduil understood it was just out of frustration. Despite the sharpness in Legolas' voice, his father kept his hand on Legolas' arm to steady him but still kept a respectful distance.

Legolas took a deep breath and moved forward again. When once more he stumbled, he reached out for his father who caught him in firm arms, holding him up. Legolas leaned against him for a moment before looking up into striking blue eyes. "I'm sorry," he apologised for his harsh words.

Thranduil smiled, holding his son close to him. "Come on, only a few more steps," he encouraged, ignoring the apology.

"Can you…? I don't think I can walk any further," Legolas said with what sounded like shame in his voice. He looked up at his father, whose face was serious for the first time since they had begun. Without a word, he lifted Legolas easily into his arms. His son weighed virtually nothing after several weeks with very little food.

Carefully, he placed Legolas in the chair, being careful not to push him too far backwards so it hurt his back. Legolas winced and the king looked down nervously at him. His son just nodded that he was fine and Thranduil went back to the bed, reaching it in just a few long strides, and snatched a blanket off the bed. He placed it over Legolas' knees, tucking it around him.

"Are you warm enough?" he asked and Legolas nodded, leaning his head back against the chair-back and closing his eyes. With a small smile, Thranduil knelt down next to the chair, placing his hand on Legolas' arm so his son turned his head to look at him. "All right?"

"I'm tired," Legolas whispered truthfully, closing his eyes.

"Well, you just sit here in front of the fire and rest for a while." Thranduil stood and perched on the arm of the chair. "You know, when you were little, you insisted of your mother that we both told you a bedtime story in front of the fire. You outright refused to go to bed otherwise. You always said your room was too cold. And you would fall asleep on your mother's lap and she would have to carry you into bed and hope you didn't wake up."

"I don't remember that," Legolas murmured, his eyes already heavy with sleep.

Thranduil smiled wistfully. "It would never work with me though, only your mother. Whenever I tried to coax you to sleep with a bedtime story you told me that you were too old for fairytales and went straight to bed on your own. I was always a little jealous of your mother for that." Legolas smiled as Thranduil ran his fingers through his hair even though it was still dirty and tangled. Going against what Thranduil had just told him, Legolas leaned against his father, who took him in his arms, still smoothing his hair gently.

"I wish I could remember those days," the young prince said, his eyes closed, face to the fire soaking in the warmth.

Thranduil smiled. "So do I." He looked down at his son, whose face was reasonably peaceful. "I'm glad to see you're getting better," he whispered. "You had me pretty worried back there." Legolas smiled gently, nodding his head slightly against his father.

"Sorry," Legolas whispered, being lulled into sleep by the warmth of the fire, the comfort of the chair and his father's strong embrace.

"So am I," the king said quietly. "For everything." He stroked Legolas' cheek softly, his son already dozing by now. The king settled himself, still holding onto his son, his hand on Legolas' cheek as if this might somehow offer him peace in his presence. He didn't care that the arm of the chair was uncomfortable; he wouldn't disturb Legolas for anything in the world.

Despite this promise to himself, Thranduil was interrupted when a guard crashed through the door, immediately halting when Thranduil harshly hushed him. "Forgive me for interrupting, Your Majesty…"

"For goodness sakes, keep your voice down, this is a healing hall," Thranduil hissed, looking down to find Legolas already stirring. He shot the guard an annoyed look as Legolas sat up straight, trying and failing to disguise a wince of pain.

"What's going on?" he asked, his voice slightly slurred from sleep.

"That is what I would like to know," Thranduil said sternly, looking to the guard for an explanation.

"Your Majesty, there was an attack just outside the gates of the palace."

"An attack?" Thranduil asked urgently, his anger instantly forgotten.

"By whom?" Legolas asked straight after and Thranduil knew exactly what he was thinking – that the men who had imprisoned him had somehow come back to get him.

"Orcs, Your Highness. They attacked one of the guard houses and killed two of the guards."

"Orcs," Legolas breathed and Thranduil couldn't help but think he almost sounded relieved.

"Yes, Sire. The Captain did not wish to disturb you, Your Majesty, but he thought you would want to assess the damage and plan for future attacks. We have learned that there are more on the way from the forest. We do not think it will be any vast number but…"

"Of course," the king answered, standing uncomfortably from his place on the arm of the chair. This was how the Orcs worked; rarely did they full on attack the palace because that would surely mean great losses. So instead they chipped away at the defences, slowly weakening the palace as best they could. These attacks never caused much damage but over time it added up and the whole of Mirkwood now lived in fear that a massive attack – there had been only five or so in the last two thousand years – was once more imminent.

Although this was a serious incident, which usually the king wouldn't hesitate in dropping everything for, now he looked down questioningly at his son, who was watching the guard trying to catch his breath after running to the royal healing hall. Sensing his father's eyes on him, Legolas looked up.

Seeing the king's uncertainty about leaving him, Legolas said, "Go. You are needed out there."

Thranduil knelt down in front of Legolas. "I am needed here," he whispered pointedly.

"I'll be fine on my own, Ada," Legolas smiled, trying to convince his father even though he himself wasn't sure. The king still looked unconvinced though. "Go on."

"All right," the king finally sighed, rubbing his tired eyes. "I'm going to be back as soon as I can." Legolas nodded as Thranduil stood up. "You want me to help you back to bed?"

Legolas' eyes flickered across to the guard, who was pretending not to notice this exchange, he knew when he was in the way but he couldn't leave until he was officially dismissed by either the prince or king. "No, I'll stay here, thank you." In truth he wasn't sure whether he could stand on his own and he didn't want to have to have his father carry him back to bed. He worked with the guards on a daily basis, he was one of them, and he wouldn't allow himself to fall any more in their estimations.

"All right. I won't be long. I'll send a healer in to keep an eye on you while I'm gone. Will you be all right?" Legolas nodded, smiling at his father. "Send for me if you need to." Another small nod. "All right." Thranduil stood up, motioning for the guard to lead the way.

Legolas' voice stopped him just before he opened the door though. "Ada?"

Thranduil immediately turned back to face his son. "What is it?" he asked, no irritation in his voice.

"Could you pass me the water?"

"Of course." The king strode over to the bedside table and poured Legolas a fresh glass of water, placing it on the table in front of where his son was sitting. He then rearranged Legolas' blanket, wanting him to be as warm as possible. Surprisingly, Legolas reached over to his father, hugging him tightly. Such displays were quite rare, especially in front of other people in the kingdom.

"Please be careful," Legolas whispered, his voice a little choked.

"Hey, I'll be right back," the king said, holding his son back tightly. "Listen, if you want me to stay then I will."

Legolas shook his head, pulling away. "No, I'll be all right," he smiled weakly, wiping away fresh tears as discreetly as possible. "You go."

"Are you certain?" Legolas nodded again. "I won't be long. And I will be careful, I promise."

"Can you leave a guard outside the room?" Legolas asked, looking down from his father's eyes in what seemed to be embarrassment. Thranduil knew this made him nervous; the thought that the Men may have come back was unnerving enough for the king so it must have been a hundred times worse for Legolas.

"Of course you can. I'll send one right away. I'll get a healer to come and sit with you too."

"Thank you."

Thranduil nodded and left the room with the guard, who had been a little impatient at having to wait. Legolas leaned back once the door was closed. Suddenly, he felt a little less relaxed. The thought that the palace was under attack, especially given all the revelations of the recent days, frightened him a little. He closed his eyes but he knew he wouldn't be able to go back to sleep now.

A few minutes later a knock came from the door and Legolas froze. It may have been irrational but he couldn't help it. Thankfully, the person seemed to have expected that response and called, "Prince Legolas, it is Caleb from the Royal Guard."

Legolas released the breath he was holding. "Come in," he called, already feeling stupid for his reaction.

"My Lord, the King asked me to stand…"

"Yes, thank you," Legolas smiled, trying to pull up his game face in front of this person. He had worked with Caleb a lot and the young Elf was already working towards the position of Captain of the Guard and with the previous captain deceased he was next in line. For now though he was the captain's deputy, officially in charge of the Mirkwood Royal Guard but it was only a matter of time before he was named captain. The fact that he was there at all surprised Legolas. With an attack on the palace, the prince would have thought that he would have been extremely busy. Obviously Thranduil had ordered him here, wanting only the best for his son.

"I'll be right outside the door if you need anything, Your Highness," Caleb said. There was a massive amount of respect between the two of them. They had been in the same training program, Legolas learning the art of tracking from him and Caleb perfecting his archery under Legolas' guidance on their days off. Although they weren't necessarily friends – they didn't know each other at all privately – they knew each other well enough on the battlefield. Unfortunately, whilst Caleb had climbed the ranks of the Mirkwood Guard and then the Royal Guard, Legolas had been stuck in the mostly ceremonial position reserved for the royals.

Without a doubt, Caleb would have laid down his life for his beloved prince though. He was dedicated if nothing else.

"Thank you," Legolas whispered, leaning his head back, already tired from the days' – minimal – exertions. "Wait," Legolas then called. "Could you wait in here until the healer arrives?" he asked, trying to keep the nervousness from his voice.

"Yes, Your Highness," Caleb answered, standing to attention at the door.

For a few moments there was silence, Legolas sat with his eyes closed, trying to pretend that Caleb wasn't there. It didn't work though and he opened his eyes. "I'm sorry about the captain," he said, his voice weak but sincere. Caleb's eyes flicked over to the prince but didn't answer. "You can stand at ease, Caleb."

"Your Highness, I am under strict instructions to keep you safe at all costs." He was more business-like than Legolas ever remembered him being.

"You are capable of sitting and protecting me," Legolas pointed out. Caleb looked down at the prince then stood at ease before sitting down on a spare chair in the corner.

"May I speak frankly, Your Highness?"

"Please do," Legolas said, too tired for all these formalities.

"How are you? We were all very worried about you, for what it's worth," Caleb said.

"It's worth a lot," Legolas smiled. Someone knocked at the door and Caleb went to answer it, letting the healer inside.

"I'll be right outside, just shout if you need anything, Your Highness," Caleb said, leaving the room and closing the door firmly behind him. Legolas nodded, leaning back in the chair again and closing his eyes, already feeling better now that he had someone looking out for him, even though he wanted his father with him. He couldn't ask Thranduil to babysit him whilst something was going on in Mirkwood no matter how much he wanted to.

**Mirkwood…Three Weeks Later…**

Legolas was sat up in bed, tentatively sipping a mug of vegetable soup when Aragorn entered at lunchtime. A brilliant smile spread across his face at seeing his friend looking so well. It had been a truly tough three weeks for the young Elf. He had spent most of the time resting in bed, usually fast asleep whenever Aragorn came to see him. Although he wanted to speak to his friend about what happened, he understood that he needed to rest more than anything. That wasn't to say that Legolas was entirely better. He was still weak and very tired. The pain had lessened somewhat but Aragorn, Elrond and Thranduil still noticed the barely-disguised winces that crossed his face every now and then. He was putting on a brave face but they could see right through the mask.

Thankfully, Legolas still told Elrond whenever the pain got too much. It was quietly done, usually when no one else was about. Legolas had already lost too much dignity with his friends and subjects he wasn't about to lose anymore. He had little option but to place his faith and trust in Elrond and the Elven Lord seemed to respect that.

Now that the young prince was feeling a little better, Elrond was trying to build his strength up. The first small experiments had not gone down well and ended up with Legolas having to be sedated for the pain but he had been getting a little stronger and was now doing a lot better. Nightmares continued to haunt him but were getting easier to cope with thanks to Thranduil's presence. The king certainly knew how to calm the distraught Legolas, something else no one else seemed capable of doing. It had also taken a lot to convince Legolas to eat and drink. At first, they had had to give him fluids by way of a spoon but this was painstakingly slow and not really that efficient. They hard started off small and the first try had ended with Legolas being unable to keep anything down. That had passed now and he was able to eat small amounts of food and drink sufficiently, both good signs according to Elrond.

They still had to be careful though. Just because he was starting to heal didn't mean suddenly things would go smoothly.

Legolas smiled when Aragorn entered and seated himself on the bed. "You are looking so much better," he said.

"Thank you," Legolas smiled, resting the half-empty bowl on his lap with a tired sigh.

"How are you feeling?" Aragorn asked. He hadn't really been able to talk to Legolas for a while.

"Much better. Tired," Legolas answered with a small smile, resting his head back against the pillows propping him up. "And you?" Legolas had been informed of the severity of his friend's injuries but hadn't had the chance to enquire after him until now.

"Almost as good as new," Aragorn grinned, gingerly patting his injured side as if to prove his point. Legolas just nodded with a small smile. "Are you finished with that?" the man asked, pointing to the bowl on Legolas lap.

"Yes, thank you," Legolas answered, handing it back to a waiting Aragorn. He saw the man inspecting it and explained, "I can't eat any more. Sorry."

"Half is better than nothing. You need to take things slowly, remember?" the man said understandingly, placing his hand on Legolas' arm. Legolas nodded, forcing a weak smile onto his face. His eyes closed and for a moment he seemed to drift off into sleep. Aragorn didn't say anything though, keeping his hand on Legolas' arm. When he Elf's eyes opened again they focused on Aragorn.

An apologetic smile crossed his lips and he sighed tiredly, apologising, "Sorry," in nothing more than a whisper. Although he had done nothing but rest in bed for the last few days he was still exhausted and extremely weak, finding even the simplest tasks difficult.

Thankfully, Aragorn recognised this and said with a smile, "Stop apologising; you need the rest. Try and get some sleep. I have to go and see Jasmine and Arron. You take it easy, all right?" Legolas nodded and Aragorn stood, about to leave.

"Estel?" Aragorn stopped short of the door, turning to face a half-asleep Legolas. "Where is my father?"

"Uh, I think he's having some lunch in the dining halls," Aragorn answered. "You want me to find him for you?"

Legolas thought for a moment, not really wanting to disturb his father but needing him right then. "Yes, thank you, Estel."

"No problem," Aragorn smiled, leaving to go in search of Thranduil. Legolas had asked little of them in the past three weeks so Aragorn intended on fulfilling his one request, especially if it concerned his father.

As he suspected, he found both Thranduil and Elrond, along with his two brothers, in the dining hall eating lunch. They smiled when Aragorn entered. "Afternoon, Estel, everything all right?" Elrond asked, not really paying all that much attention to the question. His son was healing perfectly well and wasn't in any kind of danger from his wounds.

"King Thranduil, Legolas was asking for you," Aragorn said immediately, not answering his father's question.

At this, both Lords looked up, slightly startled, before Thranduil leapt from his seat, closely followed by a much more reserved Elrond. "Why? Is he all right?" the king demanded, panic in his voice at the thought of something wrong with his son.

"He just asked me to find you, that's all. He's fine, I think," Aragorn said but Thranduil was already out of the door with Elrond following close behind.

"Legolas?" he asked, bursting through the healing room door and running over to his son who had been startled from his sleep. "What is it? What's wrong? Are you in pain again? Where does it hurt?" Thranduil rushed, not waiting for the answers to any of these questions.

"What? Ada, no I'm fine," Legolas quickly reassured his father and Elrond, who had placed his hand on Legolas' forehead to check his temperature and quickly moved on to check his pulse. "I just wanted to speak to you…alone," the prince said uncertainly, looking over at Elrond.

As usual, the healer got the hint and took it immediately, quietly excusing himself. "I'll leave you two alone then. I'll wait outside in case you need me," he told them both before quietly leaving.

Thranduil sighed in relief that his son was all right and sat down on the bed. "I'm sorry, Ada, I didn't mean to scare you," Legolas said, sadness creeping into his voice.

Thranduil just smiled over at him and took his son's hand. "It's all right, ion nin. You said you wanted to see me?" he prompted.

"Yes." Legolas lowered his eyes, searching for the right words, almost as though he were embarrassed by what he needed to ask of his father. "I, uh…"

"Legolas," Thranduil said, placing a finger under his son's chin and guiding his head up so he could look into his eyes. He could see the uneasiness there and smiled softly. "What is it? Tell me what I can do," Thranduil encouraged gently.

"I was hoping…I've been stuck here for three weeks and…"

"Legolas, you are not leaving this room," Thranduil sternly interrupted.

The prince smiled. "No, that's not what I…Ada, I need to get cleaned up and I can't…well, you know…" Thranduil cocked his head in question. "Can you help me have a bath?" he finally managed to squeeze out in an embarrassed whisper, his head bowing again. He hated feeling so helpless, not being able to do even the simple things by himself.

"Well, we'll have to make sure it's all right with Elrond first; we don't want to get into trouble with him. I'm sure there are some healers around to help us if we need it," Thranduil said, just pleased that nothing was seriously wrong with his son.

"No!" Legolas exclaimed when his father mentioned other healers. "Ada, I don't want a lot of healers around."

"Legolas, there's nothing to be…"

"Ada, please," Legolas said, needing to convince his father.

Thranduil thought for a moment then said, "All right. If that's what you want." He smiled, stroking a stray hair out of his son's face. "I'll go fetch Elrond."

"Thank you, Ada," the prince whispered, a small smile gracing his face even though only briefly. Thranduil just nodded before leaving to find Elrond.

When Elrond entered the room with Thranduil he went straight over to Legolas, who was still trying hard to keep his eyes open. "How are you doing?" Elrond asked, sitting down gently on the bed. Legolas just nodded in response. "You know that this is not the wisest idea considering your injuries? It could be very painful to try and move before you are ready. Are you sure you want to do that?" Elrond asked gently, understanding Legolas' need for normality.

"I'm not asking to run a marathon or climb the palace walls, I just want a bath, that's all," Legolas argued but stopped when Elrond laughed softly.

"You have a point." For a moment the Elven Lord looked into Legolas' eyes and saw something else there, something he had been hiding. "Thranduil, could you give us a moment alone please?" Elrond asked softly, looking around at Thranduil who was about to protest. "Thranduil please," Elrond stressed softly. The king nodded and left the room. "I do understand, Legolas, why you want all this to be over but you have to take things slowly."

Legolas looked down at the sheets sadly. "Elrond, please."

"This is hard for you, I know. Not having any control…It would be hard on anyone, especially when they have been through what you have but…"

"I just want this to be over. I am not asking to leave the room, just to feel normal again. I am tired of being like this, of feeling like a…like a slave," Legolas forced out, not wanting to speak the words but needing to convince Elrond.

"A slave? Legolas, whatever happened in that place, it's irrelevant here. You know that…"

"Irrelevant? You can't tell me everything that happened in that place is suddenly irrelevant, Elrond. You weren't there, you don't know what I…what I did." Legolas' voice cracked as he spoke vaguely of his time in the encampment.

"What you did? Legolas, what did you do?" Elrond asked gently. Legolas' eyes drifted away from Elrond's and he shook his head, not knowing how to respond. "Legolas, come on, you can talk to me. Tell me what happened," Elrond whispered, placing his hand on Legolas' own.

"I…" He wanted to tell Elrond, to make him understand but he couldn't think of the words. "I can't," he said sadly.

"All right. Let's run you that bath, shall we? I'm afraid I can't let you do it by yourself; you'll need to try and keep your bandages as dry as possible. And you have to promise me that if it becomes too painful, you'll let me know straight away so we can stop. Agreed?" Legolas nodded. "All right." Elrond got up after that and walked into the bathroom connected to the healing room and began running the water before retrieving Thranduil from outside.

The king came back in and walked over to Legolas, who was pushing himself up in the bed. Thranduil took his son's arm and helped him to sit up, frowning when Legolas tried to disguise the frankly obvious wince that crossed his face. Thranduil then pulled the covers off of Legolas and the prince swung his legs over so he was sitting up properly on the bed. He went to stand but was immediately stopped by Thranduil and Elrond. The two kings came either side of Legolas and, supporting him, helped him stand up slowly.

Legolas was shaky on his feet but managed to stand up reasonably straight with Thranduil and Elrond's help. Putting one foot in front of the other seemed unnaturally difficult. He had not left his bed in three weeks and his legs felt stiff and achy. However, although progress was slow it was progress and his two escorts allowed him to set the pace, not wanting to cause any unnecessary discomfort. They finally reached the bathroom and Legolas paused for a moment, needing to catch his breath. The days when he used to be able to leap through the trees with practised ease seemed like nothing more than a distant memory now due to his weakened state. Elrond seemed to understand though and Legolas heard him whisper reassurances to him as he closed his eyes to stop the room spinning.

"I'm fine," Legolas said, opening his eyes when he heard his father ask the inevitable question of 'are you all right?'. "I'm fine," he smiled more sincerely this time.

"Let's get you undressed then," Elrond said before Thranduil could protest.

Legolas nodded and allowed the two other Elves to let go of him so he could unbutton his nightshirt, a task that proved impossible with his heavily bandaged hands. This wasn't going to be as simple as he had hoped. Thranduil just smiled at him and began undoing the shirt before gently helping him pull it off, again not missing the small sound of pain that escaped Legolas as his wounds were slightly stretched. Thankfully, removing Legolas' trousers didn't cause any such pain and then they were able to help him into the bath, with no more than a few inches of water, barely enough to wash in.

"The drier you keep the wounds the quicker they will heal. I really don't want to have to change those bandaged again any time soon," Elrond explained when the prince looked a little confused at the lack of water. He nodded and went to climb in.

Unfortunately, his wounds immediately warned him against such a foolish action and he nearly doubled over in pain. Elrond and Thranduil were there to catch him though and they firmly help onto him until the stars had cleared from his vision and he was able to see straight again.

"Maybe you should take it a little more slowly this time," Elrond suggested gently and he received a small nod of consent from Legolas. They carefully helped him into the bath and lowered him down. He went to plunge his hands into the water, just happy to be doing something normal, but Elrond grabbed his wrists, stopping him at the last second.

Then Legolas remembered what the healer had just told him and said, "Sorry," with a small smile.

"Are you all right?" Elrond asked, attentive as always. Legolas nodded so Elrond went to fetch some soap and a flannel. Thranduil was knelt down by the side of the bathtub, not about to take his eyes off his son.

"Happy now?" he asked with a smile as he watched his son savouring the feeling of being clean for the first time in three long weeks. Legolas nodded and the king couldn't help but grin. Elrond re-entered then and handed the soap and a flannel to Thranduil.

"I am going to be waiting in the other room if you need me, all right?" he said, knowing Legolas wasn't comfortable with this situation anyway and not wanting to make things any worse for him. Legolas nodded his thanks but Thranduil looked away. As hard as this was for him – seeing his son like this – he knew he had to do what his son wanted but couldn't understand why Legolas would want to inflict more pain upon himself.

"Shall we get you cleaned up then?" Thranduil asked, trying to sound cheerful but knowing that he was failing miserably. Thranduil lathered the soap on the flannel and went to hand it to Legolas before realising that he couldn't hold it anyway. "Sorry," he said, gently beginning to clean Legolas off.

"Ada," Legolas whispered, attracting his father's attention and noticing the tears concealed behind striking sapphire eyes. He hadn't seen that look for so long: sympathy.

Thranduil looked up at Legolas and smiled weakly. "I'm sorry, ion nin," the king chuckled sadly. "I just…I really hate seeing you like this." Another false smile, followed by a more sincere one from Legolas. "Don't worry, I don't expect you to make me feel better about this, you have more than enough to deal with without worrying about me as well."

"I'm sorry, Ada," Legolas said. "For everything."

Thranduil replaced the soap and flannel and took Legolas' bandaged hands gently in his own. "You have nothing to be sorry for, Legolas. Whatever was said over the past few weeks… well, it was a difficult time so let's just forget everything that was said in the forest. The only thing you need to be thinking about is getting better right now and nothing else, understand?" Legolas nodded gently, squeezing his father's hands as hard as he could given his condition. "All right, now let's make you clean again."

The amount of dirt that came off in the water was amazing considering that Elrond had washed him off several times since he had returned to Mirkwood. Cleaning Legolas' skin wasn't too bad, although he flinched whenever a sore spot was touched. It was when it came time to wash his hair that things became more difficult and it was begrudgingly that Legolas agreed that they would need Elrond's help, if only to protect the bandages that still swathed his torso to protect his back. Very gently they leaned him forward, only stopping when he gripped the sides of the bath with a cry of pain. He insisted they continue though so they decided to get it over with as quickly and painlessly as possible. Tipping water, followed by soap and finished with water over his filthy hair, Elrond and Thranduil managed to get him sufficiently clean and they slowly helped him to sit up straight, again with a worrying cry of pain.

"That water must be getting cold by now; shall we get you out of there?" Elrond asked gently, wiping his hands on a towel then handing it to Thranduil, who ignored the offer, too busy seeing to his son.

Thranduil gently wiped away a tear that escaped Legolas' eyes before smoothing wet hair out of his face. "Come on, Legolas," he said quietly, sensing that his son was getting tired again and the pain was becoming too much. "Let's get you dried off and back into bed." Legolas nodded, trying desperately to take his mind off the pain.

They helped him out of the bath and he leaned on them both for support this time. Thranduil reached over and grabbed a thick, warm towel and draped it carefully over his son's back and pulled it around him before gently drying him off, although Legolas did make a pitiful attempt to help. He was too tired to do much right then and didn't protest as Thranduil dabbed him dry. However gentle his father was though, his body was still sore and for a moment he felt lightheaded, almost collapsing to the floor. Luckily, the ever-vigilant Elrond was there and managed to catch him before he hit the ground. With Thranduil's help, he lowered Legolas gently to sit on the floor, knowing there was no point in trying to force him to stand up if he couldn't.

"All right, Legolas," Elrond reassured as he allowed the prince to lean up against him; not that Legolas had much of a choice. Unconsciousness threatened to pull him down almost like a physical force dragging him downwards. "Can we get some help in here?" Elrond shouted and within a second two healers, who had been preparing the room for Legolas' return, burst through the door and rushed over to where Elrond, Thranduil and Legolas were now sitting on the floor of the bathroom.

Thankfully, a little strength seemed to return to Legolas after a few moments and he was able to focus once more on his father and Elrond and all the other people who seemed to have materialised out of nowhere.

"Ada?" Legolas asked in confusion, not really knowing what he was doing on the floor.

"Shh, it's all right, Legolas, just stay still for a moment," the king reassured, getting up and grabbing a robe from the back of the door. He draped it over his son's shoulders and knelt back down next to him, his hand on his son's arm.

"Do you think you feel strong enough to walk back to the bed?" Elrond asked after a moment longer. Legolas nodded tiredly and was helped to his feet by the people in the room and guided slowly back to his bed. They got him quickly dressed in warm nightclothes and got him into bed, covering him with thick blankets to keep him warm.

"There you go," Thranduil smiled as he pulled a blanket further across his son. "Better?" Legolas nodded, his eyes slipping closed before being forced open again to watch Thranduil.

"Get some rest, Legolas," Elrond advised kindly.

Thranduil perched on the bed next to his son and stroked his damp hair until he began to drift off into sleep. Soon Legolas was asleep but Thranduil stayed next to him, offering what little comfort he could – as much for himself as for his son.

**To Be Continued…**


	116. Goodbye

**Disclaimer: **I own nothing Tolkien created.

**Sold Into Ruin**

_A/N: Dream sequences are in italics in this chapter._

**Chapter 116 ~ Goodbye**

Legolas was sleeping soundly when Thranduil slipped out of the healing room. As much as he wanted to stay with his son, he knew there were things that needed doing in Mirkwood. He had somewhat abandoned his kingdom of late and it had been running under the care of Thranduil's advisors for well over a month.

Legolas was too deeply asleep to even hear his father leave.

OIOIOIOIOIOI

_Legolas wandered a familiar garden, where the prince had been when Nienna had first summoned the same mutant creatures. The garden was empty this time though. It was no longer in ruins but was now beautiful and full of laughter and song although there was no one around to do either of these joyous things. Legolas wandered at leisure, in no pain, through the beautiful forest. There was no urgency anymore, not like before when all he wanted to do was find his mother. He knew this time that he would stumble upon her eventually._

_Wandering these beautiful gardens now, he couldn't understand why he had ever been afraid of this place. His mother had brought him here before and that should have comforted him but now he was here on his own he felt much more secure. Of course, he knew this wasn't real. There was no attempt this time to convince himself of its veracity. Too much had happened for that._

_Eventually, Legolas found his mother sitting by a large lake that seemed to appear out of nowhere, almost like a mirage. He sat down beside her and was relieved to find that she was not looking as she did upon her death but looked as Legolas remembered her from his early childhood. She turned and smiled at him, no hatred in her eyes as Legolas had been shown in the encampment via the Master's visions. He smiled back but didn't know what to say to her. He trusted that she would know what to say though so he waited._

"_My dear son," she said in her beautifully wilting Sindarin accent. She sounded different now. Real. Before it had been different – disconnected – but now it felt like she was actually stood in front of him. He had to remind himself that she was just an image and like all images she would eventually fade, no matter how much he wanted to stop it._

"_Nana," Legolas smiled back, tears forming in his eyes, although by sheer power of will, he held them back._

_Nienna put her hands on either side of his face, looking deep into beautiful blue eyes. For the first time, Legolas saw tears in his mother's eyes, something he had never really seen before, not even during the events leading up to her death. As a child, all Legolas had seen was the strength of his parents and maybe that was part of the reason Nienna's death had been so difficult on him. He had lost his mother, which was terrible enough, but in a way he had lost his father as well, or at least he had lost the father he had known up until that point. In a way, Thranduil had ceased to be Legolas' father that night the king had fallen apart in front of him. Thranduil had been there physically but their relationship had changed dramatically from that moment on._

"_You have been through so much," Nienna whispered, her gaze still fixed onto her son's face._

_Legolas laid his own hands on top of his mother's and said, "It's all right, Nana." She smiled at him again and he smiled back. After a few moments' comfortable silence, Legolas asked the question he had been dreading asking. "I'm never going to see you again, am I?"_

"_Legolas," the queen whispered, her voice weak and despair-filled. She removed her hands but kept his held tightly. "You can't." He nodded but the tears finally fell and he bowed his head, not able to meet her eyes any longer. "You have to stay with your father. He needs you as much as you need him."_

"_I want to stay with you," Legolas whispered, tears now falling from his eyes._

_Again Nienna smiled. "No, you don't. Legolas, you know I'm not really here. You've known that all along. Everything those people showed you, it all came from you, from what you believe to be true."_

"_Maybe that's not enough. Maybe I need you," the prince argued, suddenly frightened of leaving his mother again and willing to say anything to keep her with him._

"_Maybe you haven't needed me for such a long time that you've forgotten everything else. Legolas, the last thing I want is for you to be unhappy and you are, every second of every day. I never wanted that for you. I wanted you to have a normal life, to grow up and to have a family of your own and do everything a prince should do for his people and kingdom. Do you think I gave my life for yours in the hopes that you would suffer?" He shook his head sadly. "I wanted you to _live_, Legolas but not to live as you are now. No one would want that, especially not your parents."_

"_I know that, Nana, but things can't ever be as they were."_

"_Nothing can stay constant forever, Legolas," Nienna smiled. "You have so much. You have your father and he loves you more than anything on this earth. And your friends, Estel, I believe, he looks up to you."_

"_Estel can take care of himself now," the prince laughed at the thought of his friend needing his help anymore._

"_You taught him a lot, about himself and about the world. He believes in you. He wouldn't want you to be like this. He cares a lot for you, more than I think you know." Legolas laughed again. "He still needs you. His future is not going to be as easy as he wishes. The future King of Gondor will need your guidance. There, you see, you have so many people who need you. But you also need them, Legolas." The prince just nodded gently, looking off into the distance at the lake. "Talk to your father before it is too late."_

_Legolas watched her for a moment before turning back, tears gathering again. "I can't."_

_Nienna laid her hand on his arm. "Yes, you can. Keeping all this inside you, everything that happened, it's not healthy. You need to talk to someone, Legolas. This is killing you. These past months have proven that." Legolas shook his head again._

"_I don't know what to say. I don't know how to explain it to him, Nana."_

"_Then don't explain. Talk. Your father would do anything for you. He would die for you, but, more importantly, he will listen to you. The number of times he has offered to listen to you…he wants to help you. I know you're afraid, you've always been so afraid of accepting what happened to you. But you have to because until you accept that it did happen, that I am never coming back, you are never going to be able to let go, to have a normal life. And I want that for you, Legolas. I want to see the son I remember raising."_

"_I'm not sure that I can be what you want me to be," Legolas whispered tearfully._

"_You are so much stronger than you think; you have to believe that, Legolas."_

_Not knowing what else to say, Legolas leaned against his mother, hugging her tightly, knowing this would soon be over and he would have to say goodbye to her again. She held him back, crying herself now. Although he was still holding onto her, she slowly began to fade and when he opened his eyes again he was looking only at thin air. He glanced around the garden, hoping that maybe she would reappear but it was void of any life, although it remained beautiful._

_He wanted this to stay with him forever so he sat watching the placid lake until it turned to darkness and he re-entered the much harder, crueller world._

OIOIOIOIOIOIOIOI

Legolas was dozing lightly when someone tapped on the healing room door. He opened his eyes just in time to see Aragorn slip into the room. He tip-toed over to the bed but a grin lit up his face when he realised his friend was awake.

"Are you feeling up to a visitor?" he asked quietly. Legolas just looked up at him, as if not understanding the question; he was still a little sleep-addled. "I can come back later if you want to be alone…"

"No," Legolas said quickly. "Please stay."

Aragorn sat down in the chair by the bed, often frequented by Thranduil who, as far as Legolas knew, was still in his office. "I know you're probably sick of people asking you this question but, how are you feeling?"

"Better actually," the prince answered truthfully. "You?"

"I am really good."

"You look well," Legolas smiled, his eyes raking over Estel's form.

"Thank you," the man grinned. He really did feel a lot better although he still looked a little tired and there were a few remaining cuts and bruises on his face but overall he looked a thousand times better than Legolas. The Elf was almost jealous. "Your father went to bed, I think." Legolas nodded, already kind of wishing the man would go away and leave him to sleep. He would never actually say that to Aragorn's face though and he hated himself for even thinking it. He forced a smile onto his lips as his friend talked about how he had been trying to visit him for ages but had kept being turned away by 'bossy healers'.

"What about Jasmine and Arron?" Legolas asked, forcing himself to remain awake.

"Oh, they have commandeered your rooms. I believe they have now taken to cleaning it thoroughly every morning, repayment for your kindness they said. Jasmine spends most of her days in the kitchens baking for your father who is looking decidedly fed up of cookies, and Arron, well, he sits in your lounge playing with your old toys. I don't think he's ever been so comfortable. Between you and me, I think they are feeling a little out of place. You know, what with the prince's private quarters and your assistants at their disposal twenty-four hours a day," Aragorn grinned. "The other morning a maid had to practically wrestle her duster out of Jasmine's hands."

Legolas laughed gently. "And…the baby?" He was about to say 'Nienna' but found that back in the palace it was more difficult to speak the name.

"She's fine. Perfectly healthy, Elrond says. It's amazing if you ask me, given all she's been through."

Legolas nodded. "I'm glad they are happy here." Aragorn smiled, knowing fully well that the prince hadn't been properly listening to what he was saying. He couldn't really blame him though.

"I'm certain that they are happy." Aragorn sat back in his chair. "I just think they're a little…overwhelmed." Legolas smiled again. It was hardly surprising that they felt out of their depth. Sometimes even he was bowled over by the treatment he received from Mirkwood's staff and he had spent every moment of his life getting used to it. For someone who had no experience of palace life it must have been terrifying at times. Having people catering to your every whim was intimidating and Legolas knew they were on the king's personal guest life, which meant they only received the best treatment. "Anyway, everyone's fine. I just thought you should know that."

"Thank you," the prince whispered.

"Although you couldn't really care less about any of that, could you?" Aragorn grinned as he watched Legolas almost doze off again.

"What? Of course I care what…"

"Mellon nin, it's all right. Honestly, I don't want you worrying about anyone else right now anyway. You should be concentrating on getting yourself better, nothing else. That's all that matters now," Aragorn said gently and Legolas just smiled. "So I'll leave you alone to get some sleep," he said, standing up slowly.

"Thank you, Estel," Legolas said quietly.

"You take care of yourself," the man smiled, touching Legolas' shoulder lightly.

"You too."

"If you need anything…" Aragorn scoffed to himself. "Who am I kidding? You probably have a hundred healers to help you if you need anything." Legolas just smiled at him. "I'll come back and visit as soon as I can sneak past my father again. Go back to sleep," he whispered before he left and Legolas took his advice, falling into the deep sleep he so desperately needed.

OIOIOIOIOIOI

Elrond entered the healing room and went over to Legolas. Checking his pulse and breathing rate, Elrond's eyes kept flicking over to the prince but Legolas was just staring blankly down at the sheets. As he fussed around him, Legolas watched him but said nothing. When Elrond asked him to sit up, he did so and the healer noticed a small flinch of pain. Thankfully, he remained on plenty of pain medication so the pain wasn't going to be too much any time soon, Elrond was making sure of that. The very thought of Legolas suffering any more than was necessary convinced Elrond to make sure he was well dosed with painkillers.

"You're very quiet," Elrond eventually commented, filling Legolas' glass of water from the jug on the bedside table. Legolas just nodded, not even looking up at the healer. "Everything all right?"

"I'm fine." Sensing that Elrond wasn't convinced, the prince looked up and smiled.

"Are you sure?" Legolas nodded with a smile still on his face. "If you're in pain then you need to tell me," Elrond said seriously.

"Really, I'm fine," Legolas repeated more sincerely than last time.

He was fine. Going through his mind were a thousand things he needed and wanted to tell his father and how he could possibly force the words out. "Anything you want to talk about?" Elrond asked and Legolas realised the Elven Lord was now sitting down on the bed.

Legolas looked at Elrond for a moment before nodding slowly. "I saw my mother, Elrond," he said slowly. He looked over and saw Elrond watching him closely. "They showed her to me. As she was before…"

"Oh Legolas, I am sorry, I confess I had forgotten all about that," Elrond whispered sympathetically.

"No, it's all right," Legolas smiled gently at the older Elf. "At first it was…hard, but not anymore. I understand now, everything that has happened with Nana. I understand and I know what to do." Legolas smiled again, nodding to Elrond. "I understand."

OIOIOIOIOIOIIOI

Thranduil tried to clear the tiredness from his eyes but found it more difficult than he anticipated. The mountain of papers that came hand in hand with running a kingdom had formed an almost impossibly high pile on the king's desk and no matter how many he worked through the pile didn't seem to lessen in height. Sighing, he picked up another piece of paper and scribbled notes on it. No matter how hard he tried not to think of it though, his mind kept drifting back to his son. Legolas was improving well and Elrond assured him that the prince was now firmly out of danger – even the non-physical problems were beginning to fade – but they wouldn't be certain for a few months that he would make a complete recovery. They would just have to keep a close eye on him until they were sure he would be all right again.

Still, his mind kept drifting from the task in hand and he found himself reading the same couple of sentences over and over again. Although he knew he had to get this done, he put his pen down and stood up. Mirkwood wasn't going to fall apart because of some incomplete paperwork.

Leaving his office, Thranduil debated whether to go and see Legolas or not. It was late by now though and no doubt his son would be fast asleep; having said that, he was usually asleep during the day as well so the time wouldn't make too much difference. Instead he went towards the dining halls. A cup of tea before bed would calm him down and give him something to do other than paperwork.

The corridors were mostly deserted at this time of night and Thranduil lit a lamp before trying to navigate his way through the labyrinthine corridors. Even the king of the realm got lost within its palace sometimes. However, when Thranduil opened the door to the kitchens he found them also lit up and his eyes quickly lighted upon another person in the room. Korslorn, Legolas' healer. He looked around and bowed quickly to Thranduil, obviously caught out at seeing the king wandering around so late.

"Sorry," Thranduil mumbled, walking into the room and leaning against the counter. "I didn't think anyone else would be about at this time of night."

"I was just making some tea, Your Majesty. Can I get you some?" the healer asked politely.

Thranduil nodded gratefully. "Yes, thank you." He watched Korslorn making the herbal drink for a moment before speaking again. "Have you seen Legolas tonight?"

Korslorn looked up with a brief smile. "He's doing so much better, my Lord. Elrond tells me that he will be allowed to leave the healing halls in the next few days – just as soon as he is able to stand alone." Thranduil didn't look all that convinced so Korslorn added, "That's good news, Sire."

"He's strong. He always has been." Thranduil smiled when Korslorn handed him a mug of steaming tea.

**To Be Continued…**


	117. Revealing Everything

**Disclaimer: **I own nothing Tolkien created.

OIOIOIOIOI

**Sold Into Ruin**

**OIOIOIOIOIOI**

**Chapter 117 ~ Revealing Everything – Part 1**

**OIOIOIOIOI**

Legolas waited until Elrond had left for bed and the healing halls were deserted before he slipped silently out of bed, not bothering to disguise the wince of pain as he straightened up. That evening, he had told himself that he had to talk to his father and that he couldn't put it off any longer. He kept his hands on the furniture as he passed to steady himself. He had only walked short distances, no further than to the bathroom or to the chair in front of the fire, in the past month so he was a little out of practice. He knew he could have just sent someone to send for his father and Thranduil would have come running but he felt like he had to do this himself, he had waited for long enough for this after all. He pulled a dressing gown off its hook and slipped it on, again trying to block out the pain. Elrond's medication could only do so much for him.

Opening the door, he checked that no one else was about then stepped out of the healing hall he had been confined to for over three weeks and closed the door carefully behind him. Trailing his hand along the wall for support, Legolas made his way through the dimly lit corridor to his father's office. Legolas knew that Thranduil would be in there as he had spent far too much time from Mirkwood recently and probably had mountains of paperwork to catch up on and night was the perfect time for him to do that in peace.

Although he had to stop once or twice, Legolas made remarkable progress along the hallways. Thankfully, no one was about to hinder him and he soon came to his father's office. As he suspected, someone was inside as orange lamplight shone through the crack at the bottom of the door. Now he was stood here, Legolas was a little unsure about this. He had been building up the courage to do this all day but now he found that his hands trembled somewhat and his mouth became dry.

He needed – he wanted – to do this though so he lifted his hand to the door and knocked gingerly, wincing at the pain it caused his burnt but healing hand.

"Unless some part of the palace is on fire, go away," an irritated voice called from inside and for a moment Legolas hesitated. He had come this far though so he wrapped a bandaged hand around the handle and turned it, peering into the room.

Thranduil was sat at his desk, his nose buried in his papers, concentration creasing his features. "I thought I said…" Thranduil snapped but stopped abruptly when he looked up and saw his son standing rather nervously and unsteadily in the doorway. "Legolas?" Thranduil leapt out of his chair, abandoning his paperwork and rushing over to support his son. "What are you doing here? What are you doing out of bed?"

"I needed to talk to you," Legolas smiled gently, sensing his father's temper flaring again.

"You could have hurt yourself. Here, come and sit down before you fall down." Thranduil led Legolas, arm around him, to the small couch in the corner of the room and helped Legolas sit down. He pulled his son's dressing gown tighter around him, fussing for a moment before looking into Legolas' eyes. "I'm going to call a healer, you wait here." Thranduil stood and went to leave but Legolas called over to him before he could go.

"Ada, don't please. I need to talk to you." Thranduil looked as though he might object so Legolas added a further, "Please." Slowly, Thranduil nodded and sat back down, turning to face his son. This was it, what Legolas had been avoiding for two and a half thousand years. He had spent every waking moment keeping this knowledge locked away where his father would never see it, where he would never have to explain himself.

"Legolas?" Thranduil asked after a couple of minute's silence. When he looked closer, Thranduil saw tears falling from his son's eyes and moved closer to him. "Legolas, what's the matter?" he asked again. When Legolas choked on a sob, the king pulled him into a hug, holding him tightly as his son fought for control. "Whatever this is can wait. You're exhausted. Let's get you back to bed, hm?" He received a small shake of the head from his son. "It's all right."

Legolas pulled back from Thranduil and wiped his eyes, steeling himself for the next bit. He looked down at the floor, ignoring his father's hand on his shoulder and took a deep breath. Like so many times before though the words stuck in his throat and he found that he couldn't speak them. This was not an option any more though so he took another deep breath and forced himself to talk.

"There were three of them. In the cave, there were three Orcs and we couldn't escape from them…"

"Legolas," Thranduil whispered sympathetically, stroking long blonde hair behind his son's ear. "You don't have to talk about this now."

Legolas nodded, forcing a thin smile onto his face. "I want to," he said firmly. Thranduil nodded, looking seriously at his son to show that he had his undivided attention. He knew this would probably be the most difficult thing Legolas would ever have to do. As so many times before though, Legolas couldn't figure out what to say. He laughed nervously before looking over at his waiting father who was sitting patiently on the sofa. "I don't know where to start," Legolas admitted.

Thranduil placed his hand on Legolas' shoulder. "How about starting from the beginning?" the king suggested gently and Legolas nodded.

"All right." Legolas took a deep breath and began telling Thranduil about that day – the day that had haunted him for thousands of years. "We were running through the forest because the Orcs had found out where we were hiding in the palace so Nana said we would be safer out in the woods. But the Orcs, they chased us and they were catching up with us and I couldn't keep up with Nana because she was running so fast trying to get away from them. She must have realised that I was flagging so she pulled me into this cave. It had all this foliage covering the entrance so we thought that the Orcs might not realise what we had done and just pass us by. But they didn't. They found us and trapped us inside. We couldn't get out – there were three of them and only two of us.

"They knocked Nana to the ground and snatched me from her. She fought back, of course, but I didn't do anything. I just stood there in their grasps, too afraid to move. But she kept fighting and fighting them, screaming for them to release me. Eventually, they got so annoyed with her that they just knocked her unconscious. They dragged her body to the back of the cave and I kept crying for her to wake up because I was left all alone with those horrific creatures you had always warned me about."

The next part of the story was the bit that Legolas most feared talking about: what had happened after his mother had lost consciousness.

"Whilst Nana was unconscious the Orcs threw me to the ground. I looked over to Nana but she was still out cold so I began shouting for her, hoping to wake her up. The Orcs didn't seem to care about that though. They were talking about something, snarling in their own language and they kept pointing to me but I had no idea what was going on. Then they seemed to come to a decision and they began…" Legolas hesitated here. "They began pulling my clothes off." Legolas felt Thranduil tense at his side and tears blurred his own vision as he remembered what happened next. "I didn't realise at first what they were trying to do. I just thought they wanted to hurt me so I kept struggling but they didn't try to stop me. It was only when I felt…" A cry overcame him and he leaned forward, putting his hands over his face to mask the tears and stifle the cry that threatened to escape him.

"I didn't know what they were trying to do. When I realised though I tried to struggle but I couldn't get free of them. They just held me down and kept…" Again, Legolas couldn't continue for a minute. "Sorry." He paused again. "It hurt so much, Ada, and I couldn't stop them, no matter how hard I tried. And I kept shouting for Nana and you but there was no one and I didn't know what…And they just kept going, time and time again," Legolas cried again, his words barely recognisable through his tears anymore.

"Legolas," Thranduil whispered gently, tears choking his own voice at hearing his son's despairing tale.

"It soon began to get dark and they finally released me. So I crawled over to Nana but she was still unconscious. I'm glad she was though. I didn't want her to…" he trailed off, knowing that Thranduil would understand. "When she did wake up, she knew though. Right away she felt the blood. She kept telling me that it would be all right; that we would soon find a way out and that everything would be fine so long as I just held on until we could escape. I didn't really understand though. It was like everything was a blur from then on, as though I was living behind a veil of fog. And the cold…She started singing to me; that old Mirkwood nursery rhyme she used to sing, and that cleared my mind a little and I think I fell asleep after that. How, I don't know, but…"

"Legolas, I'm so sorry. I didn't know," Thranduil said, wiping tears from his own eyes before taking Legolas' hand. His son wouldn't look at him and Thranduil knew that that was not the end of his story.

"Morning woke me up and the Orcs were already standing over us. They pulled me off of Nana's lap and dragged her up and they kept hitting her. I shouted at them to stop but Nana just told me that I had to be quiet. She didn't want them to notice me, I don't think. So I did as she said. I just kept quiet and watched as they beat her. Even after that though she tried to offer me comfort.

"That night they came back again. She told them to take her instead of me and they did. They dragged her to the back of the cave and they…" Again, Legolas couldn't say it out loud and he didn't need to because Thranduil knew exactly what they had done to his wife. "She thought I was asleep, that I couldn't hear what they were doing. I couldn't move though, I felt paralyzed. And I was glad that it was her and not me," Legolas cried, his voice cracking at his admission.

"Legolas, look at me." Thranduil encouraged his son to meet his eyes and said, "Your mother did what she had to in order to protect you. She wouldn't have had it any other way…and nor would I. You did the right thing," the king reassured. And it was the truth. As much as he loved his wife, he couldn't wish that on his son. He couldn't wish that on his worst enemy. "You did the right thing," he repeated and Legolas moved into his father's arms, crying onto his shoulder at this comment.

"I didn't go back to sleep that night, not even after they stopped. I wanted to. I wanted for the pain to stop but I kept thinking how unfair it was that Nana had to suffer whilst I slept peacefully. They let her come back to me at daybreak and she pulled me onto her lap and held me so tightly…" Legolas' voice was nothing more than a whisper as he rested his head on his father's shoulder, looking blankly down at the wooden floor – anything to avoid actually looking into his father's prying eyes.

"The Orcs weren't finished though. When they came back I kept yelling at them to leave us alone, to let us go, but Nana just hushed me and tried to make excuses for me. But the Orcs didn't want excuses. They knocked me off her lap and they kept…Sorry…they kept hitting us. And every time it just got worse and worse. And I screamed but she didn't utter a word. Their claws dug into us and…When they stopped Nana was lying on the ground. And there was so much blood," Legolas' voice cracked again and he felt his father's hand on his own.

"She told me to run while the Orcs weren't looking." Legolas sat up straight, wiping tears away with his sleeve. "I told her that I couldn't go without her but she insisted." Legolas' voice was perfectly calm when he said this next part. "So I ran. I slipped out of the cave…and I left her."

Thranduil recognised that familiar guilt. He had seen it in his son's every single day since his mother's death. "You did exactly what you should have done. Your mother loved you, more than anything in this world. She couldn't let any further harm come to you."

"I should have stayed. I should have done something."

"What? What could you have done? You were just a child, Legolas. If you had stayed there they would have killed you too and your mother knew that. That's why she sent you away, Legolas. That's why she told you to run. And you know what? I would have done the same thing because you are more precious to me that anything…even Nienna." That was hard for him to say and hard for Legolas to hear but this was hardly the time to be disguising truths.

"I'm so sorry, Ada," Legolas cried.

Thranduil placed his hand on Legolas' wet cheek and smiled sadly. "I'm not."

"I thought that maybe if I got back home that I could find you and you could save her. I kept running through the forest and I was convinced that they were just behind me, trying to catch me. But I kept running to find you."

"It was already too late when I got there," Thranduil whispered but didn't continue when he heard a sob from his son. "Legolas, you couldn't have done anything more. There was no way you could have reached the palace in time. They knew exactly what they were going to do when they chased you into that cave and nothing was going to get in the way of that."

"I know that. I knew she was…dead. I could _feel_ it. When you told me, it just confirmed it." Again, Legolas found it difficult to speak.

"You have no idea how much I didn't want to tell you," Thranduil said, tears in his own eyes as he remembered that fateful night. "Sitting on your bed that night I never wanted you growing up knowing about your mother, never having her near you again. I never wanted that for you, ion nin."

"I know. But it wouldn't have changed anything. What happened, happened."

"And I would give anything to take it back. I would have suffered through it myself if I thought it would spare you."

"Don't say that, Ada," Legolas whispered fiercely.

"That was always the problem, Legolas. You never wanted anyone else to suffer. You took it all upon yourself."

"I didn't know any other way."

"Didn't?" Thranduil asked, stressing the word to let him so know that he was more than aware that he still thought that way. Legolas bowed his head. Of course Thranduil had seen it in him. How could he miss it? "After…what happened, that's when you first started getting the nightmares?" the king prompted after a while.

Legolas nodded, realising his father wanted to talk about what happened afterwards as well. That was equally as important as the events leading up to his mother's death. Only, Thranduil knew a little more about after the event. "The first nightmare I had," Legolas began reluctantly, "was an exact re-enactment of what happened. Then they began to get more…scary and more disturbing. They started to get abstract. Nana was disfigured and, I don't know…different." Legolas looked over at Thranduil, who was watching him closely, trying to keep a straight face. He needed to be strong for his son now.

"I'm sorry," Legolas whispered when he couldn't continue anymore.

Thranduil put his arm over Legolas' shoulders and held him close whilst silent tears fell from his son's eyes. "I know how hard this is for you, Legolas. You don't have to do this to yourself right now. How about allowing yourself a little time to recover from what happened, hmm?" Legolas shook his head, wiping tears from his face and forcing himself to sit up straighter. He knew that if he didn't do this now he would never find the courage to try again.

"It's all right," he said unconvincingly. Thranduil nodded and kept his son close to his side as Legolas began talking again. "When I would…I used to be so afraid to sleep at night, especially when they got really bad and you know I used to force myself to stay awake. I thought that maybe if I could remain awake, if I never went to sleep, that it would make things easier, so I wouldn't have to see her every night, so I wouldn't have to remember what happened to her."

"But it didn't work out like that?"

"No one can stay awake forever," Legolas laughed gently.

"I can't say I did that much to help."

"I don't think there was much you could have done."

"Is that why you stopped coming to me after a while?" Thranduil asked gently, watching his son's reactions.

"No. I just realised that I couldn't keep coming to you for help forever. It wasn't fair that I relied so much on you. You lost your wife just as I lost my mother so…"

"Legolas, you are my son and I love you more than anything in this world. I would never, ever want you to suffer and I would have done anything, I would do anything to help you. You cannot possibly believe that I ever considered you a burden." Legolas bowed his head so he wouldn't have to meet his father's eyes. "All those nights, when you used to come to me and you would be so upset and at first I had no idea what to do. I didn't know what to tell you. Do you lie to your son and tell him that everything is going to be all right when that clearly isn't the case?

"To tell you the truth, I was so lost after Nienna's death that I had no idea what a single parent was supposed to do for a grieving child. I had no experience with it. And seeing you like that upset me so much. Your mother was always more involved in the hands-on parenting, she comforted you when you were sad or scared, not me. So when she died and you needed my help I ignored it. And when you didn't ask for anything I was glad. I hoped that eventually all this would go away and I wouldn't have to deal with it because I simply wasn't cut out to be an only parent."

"Ada…" Legolas went to protest.

"No Legolas, it's the truth and it needs to be said. I've been keeping it to myself for too long. I saw that you were suffering. Every single day I saw it. It was one of the reasons I sent you to Rivendell that time. I didn't do it only for you; it was partly for myself as well, because I couldn't handle what you were going through. And that was a terrible thing to do, Legolas. You're my son and I should never have passed you over to someone else because I felt ill-equipped or too scared to deal with you."

"I never thought you were doing that, Ada. I didn't like leaving for Rivendell but I understand why you sent me away. And although I was too young to realise it at the time, I needed it."

"But I should never have sent you away in the first place. You were my son, my responsibility. You were suffering from your mother's death and I was too scared to face it. I just wanted you to get over it so I wouldn't have to face the truth; that deep down you were suffering. And I hate myself for doing that to you. You had every right to grieve. But you didn't deserve that, Legolas. You needed me and I had no right to send you away."

"I've always needed you, Ada, and that's why I stopped coming to you, because I knew you wouldn't always…"

"…Be there," Thranduil finished off in a whisper. "You were afraid that I'd leave too." Thranduil sighed, leaning back on the couch. This was a lot harder than he expected it would be.

"When I was in Rivendell, the nightmares didn't stop. I just told Elrond they did because I thought it would be easier than to admit the truth. They did change though." Legolas looked back at his father. "They began to be about you too. You were in the cave instead of Nana; you dead or dying. And they just became easier to keep quiet about. It all did. I guess I figured that if I just kept quiet about it then it wouldn't be so real. That I could deal with it. And I did."

"No, you didn't. That was the point, Legolas, that _is _the point. You never allowed yourself to grieve for your mother, not really. You were sad over her death but more than anything was this stifling guilt. That overpowered everything else."

"That's not necessarily a bad thing," Legolas said, now defending his actions.

"Yes, it is, Legolas because it is tearing you apart. It has been for two thousand years. And it still is. No matter how hard you tried to hide it or pretend it didn't happen, it didn't change the fact that you were suffering. The nightmares were just a way of dealing with it without the pain. You thought about it at night rather than dealing with it during your waking hours."

"That's not true," Legolas whispered.

"Legolas. Did you ever talk to Elrond about what happened?" Thranduil asked, sitting forward so he was once more level with his son. Legolas shook his head sadly. "Did you ever talk to anyone about it? Not even Estel?" Another sad shake of Legolas' head rejected that idea. "You could have talked to me."

"I know. I just didn't know how."

"You can trust me, you know. I am your father."

"It's not as simple as that," Legolas said softly.

"Yes, ion nin, it is. Despite what you think, I would have listened. I would never have blamed you for talking to me. What were you so afraid of?" Legolas shook his head, not really wanting to answer despite the fact that he had revealed so much already. "Come on, Legolas, talk to me." Thranduil rubbed his hand up and down Legolas' arm in comfort. "I know this is difficult."

"I was afraid that…I didn't want you to know what happened. I didn't want anyone to know because…" Legolas stopped.

"Because?" Thranduil prompted.

"After the funeral, you were so…upset and I…I couldn't make it worse for you, I couldn't do that."

"Oh, Legolas, I am so sorry. I thought this was about you. You didn't tell me because you were frightened that you'd hurt me. But you were just a child; you should never have had to make that decision. I should have made it for you. That was my job. I was supposed to look after you, not the other way round. Legolas, look at me." Legolas turned to face his father. "You never have to protect me, all right? I wouldn't want you to suffer because you're afraid of what will happen to me. No matter what happens, I will always be here for you. Always."

"I knew that. I realised it when I was in the encampment."

"I am sorry it took me so long to find you."

Legolas shook his head. "I know it sounds crazy, but I am almost glad for it." Thranduil cocked his head to the side in question. "The Master showed me Nana and she spoke to me, told me things."

"Like?"

"She kept telling me that I was the one who killed her. But she wasn't really Nana. She looked like her and sounded like her but she wasn't. Nana would never say things like that to me. It took me a while to realise. And when Kallon showed her to me…the things she said…It wasn't her. But nor were the dreams. They weren't her either."

"No, they weren't. Your mother loved you more than anything in the world, Legolas. You have to know that."

"I do. But she's not here anymore," Legolas said in a soft voice.

"But I am. I'm here, Legolas. I always have been." Legolas shook his head sadly, turning startling blue eyes to his father. Tears fell silently from his eyes again and Thranduil smiled gently.

Before he could say anything else a quick knock came from the door and it opened without waiting for an answer. Elrond popped his head into the room and his eyes immediately lighted upon Legolas and he let out a relieved sigh.

"There you are," the healer said, stepping in and walking to stand in front of the pair who remained seated on the sofa. "We were worried about you, Legolas. You really shouldn't be out of bed."

"It's all right, Elrond. We were just talking," Thranduil stressed, laying his hand on a still tearful Legolas' shoulder. Elrond nodded, knowing what the king meant.

He knelt down in front of Legolas. "You take things easy, all right? And don't be too long. You really do need to rest." Legolas nodded, wiping at his eyes. "All right," Elrond whispered, standing up and going to the door.

"Don't worry, I'll get him back to bed," the king reassured.

"You give me a shout if you need anything or the pain gets any worse," Elrond said seriously to Legolas, who just nodded silently in response. With that assurance, the healer stepped out of the room, leaving father and son alone once more.

**To Be Continued…**


	118. Revealing Everything Part 2

**Disclaimer: **I own nothing Tolkien created.

OIOOIOIOIOI

**Sold Into Ruin**

**OIOIOIOIOIOI**

**Chapter 118 ~ Revealing Everything – Part 2**

**OIOIOIOIOI**

Once Elrond had left the room and Legolas and his father were alone again, the king turned to his son. "If you want to go back to bed we can continue this later," Thranduil suggested gently, seeing how tired his son was becoming. It was hardly surprising that this was taking a lot out of him.

"I'm all right," Legolas sighed, rubbing his hands across his tired eyes to try and rid them of blurriness.

"No, you're not. Come on, you're exhausted. Let's get you back to your room, you need to sleep," Thranduil whispered, rubbing his son's arm in comfort.

"I…uh, I wanted to…" Although Legolas wanted to continue talking to his father, he found that the words didn't seem to come so easily anymore. His father was correct; he was far too tired for this. His mind was becoming hazy again and this was not doing him any good.

"Legolas," Thranduil whispered, watching his son. "You have all the time in the world, all right? No one is going to rush you. A lot has happened in the past few weeks, it is normal that you need some time to come to terms with it all."

"Come to terms…" Legolas scoffed then looked over at a puzzled Thranduil. He soon turned away though, not wanting to be facing his father when he said this. "The encampment…more happened than just Nana. I did…some terrible things," the prince said vaguely.

"Like what?" the king asked hesitantly, not wanting to push his son too far tonight.

Legolas considered his answer for a moment. "I killed a man. Not out of self-defence. I killed him in cold blood because Kallon told me to do it. I betrayed Estel. He told me you were dead," Legolas said hurriedly but coldly.

"Who, Estel?"

"No. Kallon. He showed me this tunic and I thought it was yours and that he had killed you and I…I couldn't handle it. Everything went cold and dark and all I knew was that I was all alone. And none of this mattered anymore; not Mirkwood, not my position, not anything. I was consumed with…"

"Legolas, look at me. I am not dead. I'm right here for you and I always will be. What happened to you in that place was horrific; I do understand that, even if I don't know all the details. But I know you better than anyone and I know that you only did what you had to in order to survive in that place. You killed a man; a cruel, mean man. I am assuming that you had no other choice?" Thranduil questioned calmly.

"Kallon said he'd get Jasmine to fight if I didn't kill him."

"There you go then. This man would have killed her?" Legolas nodded slowly, sadly remembering the bloody fight in the ring outside the 6000 building. "Then you did what you had to in order to protect your friend. That's not killing in cold blood, Legolas, that's self defence. Estel told me a little about what happened in there. He left out all the details, particularly where you were concerned, but he told me that you helped to deliver Jasmine's baby, you saved their lives on more than one occasion and I know absolutely for certain that he doesn't think you betrayed him."

"I know Estel would never think anything like that," Legolas smiled weakly, agreeing with his father.

"It was your idea to name Jasmine's daughter Nienna?" Thranduil asked quietly and he received a small smile from Legolas. "I think your mother would have liked that." Legolas nodded again. "And I think that she would have been extremely proud of you."

Tears fell silently from Legolas' eyes again and his shocking blue eyes flicked up to meet his father's. "I'm so sorry, Ada, for everything. These past years have been…"

"You don't need to apologise to me, Legolas. You dealt with what happened in the best way that you knew how. But you need to understand that it simply cannot continue anymore. We can't afford to let it continue."

"I know," Legolas whispered under his breath, tears choking his voice.

"Do you want to tell me why you were so afraid to talk to me, why you couldn't tell me what happened? I know there is more than you've told me."

Again Legolas nodded slowly, tears still falling, although he didn't know how he had any energy left in him after everything he had been through so far that night – everything that had happened in the past month for that matter.

He took another deep breath and started talking. "I was afraid…After that night when you…I don't know, I suppose I just kept putting off thinking about it so I wouldn't have to deal with it properly, so it wouldn't hurt so much." He looked down at the sofa, avoiding his father's piercing gaze.

"You were afraid that by speaking it out loud it would hurt too much?" Thranduil asked gently.

"If I ignored it then I could control it. I could carry on as normal; go back to school, join the Guard, maybe even become king one day. So I kept putting it off, keeping quiet about it, keeping it at the back of my mind. But it didn't become easier…"

"Because you had the nightmares."

"But even then I could carry on as normal during the day and deal with them when they happened, in private."

"By pretending they didn't happen."

"I just didn't want what happened to destroy what we had left," Legolas confessed to his father.

"Legolas, it wouldn't have destroyed us. But it hurt you more than you think you realise now. For years you have been standing on the edge and I was always so afraid that if I said anything I might tip you over and lose you for good. It's why I enforced the ban on your mother's name for so long, it's why I allowed this denial to continue for so long; because I thought it was what was best for you. But I was so wrong, ion nin. Those memories, those nightmares, the grief, all of it, it has been inside you for so long that it's turned to poison. I should never have been afraid to tip you over the edge because that is exactly what you needed me to do."

Legolas shook his head. "No," he said firmly.

"Yes, you did. You didn't know any better back then, not really. But I did. I should have known. I should have done what I was supposed to as a father."

"I just didn't want it to…ruin me anymore," Legolas admitted through his tears.

"But it did, Legolas. Just in a different way."

"I was afraid that if I let myself…I would never be able to stop," the prince said, looking up at his father who was watching him closely in the dim lamplight.

"Oh, Legolas," Thranduil whispered, pulling his son up against him. "You never had to stop." He heard his son choke on a cry as he leaned heavily against him. "Being a prince, being a king, being a perfect son; none of that mattered to me. The only thing that ever mattered to me is you, not your titles or what you think you are supposed to be. I would rather have you crying into my arms every night than have you secretly torturing yourself for three thousand years. No one would ever have asked you to stop." Legolas let out another desperate cry and held more tightly onto his father. "You are _so_ brave, you always have been but being brave doesn't mean you have to be strong all the time. No one could do that and no one has ever expected you to be. You think I don't still miss your mother? Most nights after her death I cried myself to death." Legolas just allowed his father to hold onto him, crying as the king continued to speak softly to him.

"I love you, Legolas. Your people love you, your friends love you. Do you think they would have thought any less of you if you had been sad over your mother's death? Do you think I would have thought less of you?" Thranduil looked down at Legolas, still holding him in his arms as he had done when he was just a child.

"I'm so sorry, Ada," Legolas cried, his face buried in Thranduil's tunic, trying to bury himself in his father's presence.

"You are my son and I love you more than anything and you don't _ever _have to apologise to me. Do you understand me?" Legolas gave a small nod and the king started smoothing his hand over his son's hair in an age old gesture of comfort. Tears were running down his face at seeing his child like this but it was no more than he expected.

"I miss her so much," Legolas sobbed, trying to catch his breath.

Thranduil looked away from his son and at the door when he heard someone enter. Galadriel stood in the doorway, watching the scene before her with sad eyes. Legolas hadn't even noticed though and Thranduil didn't much care.

"I know you do," Thranduil soothed, pressing a gently kiss into Legolas' golden crown of hair. Everything's going to be all right now. We're going to get through this together; no more lying or avoiding the subject. And you are going to take your time from now on, all right? There is no rush. You need to stop and let everything sink in. And if that means that I have to do this every single day for the next three thousand years then so be it. I don't care how long it takes or what I have to do, but you are staying right here with me, understand? I am not going to lose you again," Thranduil's voice trembled as he said this and Legolas continued to cry against him.

"Did you need something?" Thranduil asked Galadriel quietly, still stroking Legolas' hair.

For a moment, the Queen of Lothlorien couldn't speak but she eventually said, "It's nothing that can't wait. It doesn't matter." She stepped silently into the room. "Is there anything I can do?" she asked the King of Mirkwood.

The king smiled weakly down at his distraught son. "Thank you but we're fine. We're just going to sit here for a while then I'll take him back to the healing halls." Galadriel nodded and silently left, leaving Thranduil alone with his son once more. She wasn't going to disturb their time together for anything in the world.

After a while, Legolas finally pulled away from his father, his sobs had dissolved into merely weak tears and he looked up into his father's clear blue eyes, wondering how on earth he could be so calm through all of this. Thranduil smiled and wiped Legolas' tears away with light fingers. Legolas' eyes drifted away from his father's prying ones and settled on the desk, scattered with unfinished paperwork. He had forgotten that Thranduil was working before he disturbed him.

Thranduil seemed to notice this and reassured softly, "It can wait."

Legolas looked back to his father and said quietly, "I don't know what to…" He trailed off, not really knowing how to finish but Thranduil understood what he was trying to say.

"Now we get you back to bed so you can get some much-needed sleep. And after that you are going to take it easy. You're going to recover from your wounds then you're going to take some time off work. No more meetings, no more guard duty, no more wild adventures with Estel – not for a while at least. We are going to work through this together, as we should have to start with." Thranduil looked seriously at Legolas, who was just staring blankly down at the sofa. "And you are going to take your time, all right? I don't care how long it takes. I don't care if you need to take the next thousand years off work but you are not going to return to duty until you're ready.

"You need to give yourself a break. It's about time you stopped and had a little time to yourself. After that, well, we'll see. We'll take one small step at a time and I am going to be with you all the way, whenever you need me, whatever I'm doing…" Legolas was still crying softly and Thranduil placed his hand on his son's cheek. "It's going to be all right."

"Arron and Jasmine and Estel, they need me to…" Legolas started in a cracked voice.

"Your friends are perfectly capable of looking after themselves and that's exactly what you need to be doing, not worrying about everyone else. Not even me. The only think I need right now if to know that you are safe and not in pain any longer. I can't bear to see you suffer further, Legolas. So no more of this tip-toeing around so you don't upset me because you are the only thing I care about right now. Everything else…can wait."

"I just wanted to be…strong for you and…But I'm just so…tired," Legolas said through his tears.

Thranduil put his hands on his slumped shoulders and said gently, "You don't have to be strong anymore." Legolas leaned forward against his father again, hugging him tightly and he was perfectly happy to stay that way forever.

"I can't do it anymore," Legolas admitted tiredly.

"You don't have to," the king smiled gently.

"I don't want to be alone anymore, Ada," Legolas said, his voice muffled slightly by his father's tunic.

"You were never alone, Legolas," Thranduil answered, for the first time getting an insight into his son's thinking for the past years. "I am always here for you. Always."

Legolas nodded but soon he felt tiredness pulling him down and he closed his eyes, leaning more heavily against his father, who still had him wrapped in warm, familiar embrace. He was startled awake after just a minute though and pulled back.

"Sorry," he whispered, rubbing his tired eyes again, sore after all the crying.

"Come on, let's get you back to the healing halls and put you back to bed. Today has been a hard one, an emotional one. You're completely exhausted," the king said, tucking Legolas' hair behind his ear and stroking his cheek with his thumb. "Come on." Thranduil stood up and helped his son stand up from the sofa. Legolas was still slightly unsteady and he leaned against the king as he walked towards the door. The king removed a lamp from the table and stepped out into the dark corridor, closing the office door behind him.

Dawn had just broken and a pale light shone through the windows, illuminating the corridors slightly. Legolas hadn't realised he had been in his father's office so long. People were beginning to go to work and moved aside as Thranduil led a tired Prince Legolas through the halls. They all looked a little startled but Thranduil's glare told them not to comment on the matter. Most bowed respectfully, stepping out of the way, but Legolas took no notice of them. The prospect of falling into a safe oblivion was an appealing one.

"Your Majesty," Thranduil's assistant approached. "I was wondering if I could talk to you this morning…"

"Not right now. I need to get Legolas back to the healing halls." The assistant looked over at the utterly defeated-looking Prince of Mirkwood. "And cancel everything else for today," Thranduil added, wrapping his arm around his son's shoulders and moving off before the assistant could protest. Legolas couldn't do anything but walk along with his father, his head resting on the king's shoulder.

When they reached the healing room, Thranduil opened the door and guided Legolas through. As expected, they were met with a slightly annoyed looking Elrond. He went straight over to them and was about to launch into a rant about Legolas leaving the healing halls before he was ready but Thranduil just shook his head, telling the healer that now was not the time for lectures.

"All right, let's get you back into bed," Elrond sighed, helping Thranduil lead Legolas back to a freshly made bed. Elrond then went off while the king pulled blankets over his son, tucking him in tightly to keep out the cold. Elrond came back, holding a small vial of green medicine out to him. "Take this. It's only a light painkiller, nothing too strong." Legolas did as he was told and laid back down, closing his eyes immediately.

Thranduil sat down on the bed and smoothed his sleeping son's hair out of his face. Legolas stirred but didn't wake. He had fallen asleep almost as soon as he had laid down, exhausted after the tiring day of telling his father everything.

"Are you all right?" Elrond whispered once Legolas was asleep.

"We'll be fine," Thranduil answered, not taking his eyes off his son. "We're going to be fine." Elrond nodded and went back to his seat, leaving Legolas and his father alone again.

After a while, the king got to his feet, certain that Legolas would remain undisturbed for some time, and left the room without a word to anyone, not even a slightly startled Elrond. He walked to his rooms, ignoring people's pleasantries. He stepped inside his room and slammed the door shut, leaning back against it and taking a deep breath. That breath hitched though and tears sprung to his eyes.

For two and a half thousand years he had wanted to know what had happened to his beloved wife and son. For all that time he had come up with the most brutal, disturbing and upsetting possibilities imaginable but hearing what really happened from his own son was more shocking than any of those imaginary alternatives. He had known it was something terrible, something Legolas couldn't bring himself to talk about but it still shocked him. Knowing how Nienna had died was not a comfort. But knowing the truth about Legolas' suffering was the hardest part. In a way, Nienna had been lucky; she had gotten away from the pain fairly quickly. Legolas had suffered all this time and he probably would suffer until the day he sailed West.

All those sleepless nights, those horrific nightmares, they all made sense to Thranduil now. As much as he hated to admit it, he almost wished that his son hadn't told him. He knew how terrible that was and he stifled another cry at the mere thought. He was the one who had forced Legolas to tell him. He was the one who kept reminding his son of his own caring. And yet now he wished Legolas had kept it all to himself. He could understand how the younger Elf wanted to save everyone else from this knowledge, to save his father from the reality of what had happened to both himself and the Queen of Mirkwood.

Thranduil forced himself to take a deep, shuddering breath and stand up straight. Legolas needed him to be strong, not fall to pieces at the first sign of trouble. He wiped his face with the sleeve of his tunic and opened the door. Heading towards his office, he took on his famed regal stature, appearing every inch the king he was on the outside even if inside he was falling to pieces.

Eventually, he reached his office, by which time he had properly pulled himself together and so was ready for the three diplomats sitting on the opposite side of the desk. Closing the door behind him, Thranduil was thrown back into the rhythm of the kingdom. Doing his job was a good distraction now. He knew both he and Legolas would eventually have to deal with the realism of what had been revealed but for now he was satisfied to bury it beneath politics and procedure.

**To Be Continued…**


	119. The Secrets We Keep

**Disclaimer: **I own nothing Tolkien created.

OIOIOIOIOI

**Sold Into Ruin**

**OIOIOIOIOIOI**

**Chapter 119 ~ The Secrets We Keep**

**OIO**

Legolas, Thranduil, Elrond, the twins, Jasmine, Nienna, Galadriel, Celeborn and Haldir were all sitting around the large dining table in the halls of Mirkwood's palace. Eating off nearly empty plates, things had seemed almost normal for a while. This was the first time they had really been together since the encampment. Legolas and Thranduil had been spending a lot of time locked away together in the healing halls and no one was particularly inclined to disturb them, understanding that they had much to discuss. This was reinforced by Elrond's frequent but subtle warnings to leave them alone.

Thankfully, no one was looking for an explanation from either Legolas or his father and this was a friendly, peaceful meal between people who had been through so much together but had no intention of revealing anything. Laughter filled the room as servants took the plates away and brought the desserts to the table.

Before anyone could tuck into the extremely appetizing-looking pieces of cake they were presented with, Thranduil stood and tapped a spoon lightly against his half-full wine glass.

"I propose a toast," he said and everyone who knew him groaned inwardly, knowing how tediously boring the King of Mirkwood's toasts and speeches could be. Thranduil raised his glass, oblivious to the secret, amused smiles that passed between the initiated. "To freedom," he said simply and took a sip of his wine. Everyone laughed and rose their glasses in toast, most pleased it was so short.

Elrond didn't miss the very subtle winces from the previous captives of the Master and Kallon and recognised the looks of sadness that passed over their faces. There was so much that they had not told anyone. Bits and pieces were revealed, mostly by Legolas and Aragorn but Elrond guessed that it would take a little longer for Jasmine and Arron to be healed enough to speak openly about their ordeal.

"There is one more thing I have to do before allowing you to finish your meal in peace," Thranduil said brightly, again unaware of the sighs of disappointment from those who knew what his speeches could lead to – full-blown lectures mostly. Thranduil waved a Mirkwood guardsman over, who handed him a long, delicately carved wooden box. "I think it is about time these were returned to their rightful owner." He smiled and opened the lid, revealing two long, gleaming knives, complete with pure white handles.

Legolas stood up and smiled down at the familiar weapons. "I thought I had lost these," he said softly, running delicate but scarred fingers over the cool steel. "Where did you find them?" Legolas asked his father.

"One of the Galadhrim retrieved them from Kallon's weapon store. He returned them to me but I thought I had better keep them safe until you were feeling better." Thranduil closed the box and handed it back to the guard. "Take these to Prince Legolas' chambers." The guard bowed and left quietly as Thranduil and Legolas again took their seats. "Maybe now things can begin to really return to normal."

"I'll drink to that," Aragorn said, downing half his wine on one go and then holding out his glass for a servant to refill, much to the amusement of the others.

"Seeing as we're all giving toasts," Jasmine said, raising her own glass. Arron groaned and placed his fork, piled high with chocolate cake, back on his plate, making everyone laugh again. "I'll be quick, I promise. I would just like to thank Legolas and Estel, without whom we would not all be sitting here. For everything you have done for us, everything you have sacrificed for us," she said, raising her glass and everyone else did the same.

"It was our pleasure," Aragorn said, their eyes locking for a moment, a fact that no one else missed.

"And also to King Thranduil and Prince Legolas, who have made our stay so comfortable and pleasurable. Thank you both," she smiled at Thranduil and then at Legolas, who smiled back, understanding her meaning better than his father.

"You are more than welcome," Thranduil said sincerely. "And we would be more than happy to make you a home here," he added, putting his hand on his son's shoulder as he nodded in agreement.

Jasmine lowered her eyes to the table at this, her smile dropping for just an instant. "Thank you," she said, looking up at Thranduil with a smile. So far, Legolas and the king had made sure that their guests' stay in Mirkwood had been as pleasurable as possible. Thranduil had assigned them all personal maids to cater to their every need and Legolas had ordered guards to protect them to ensure they were well-guarded and although it was subtly done, both Jasmine and Arron knew that it was there and it gave them a lot of comfort. At first, it had been a little odd, being guarded felt a lot like being held in a prison at times but they quickly adjusted to it, feeling truly safe for the first time in years.

Unfortunately, they hadn't seen much of Legolas, although the king had been accommodating enough. The prince had spent most of his time resting in the healing halls and Jasmine and Arron had been kept away from him as much as possible as he recovered from his wounds. In fact, almost everyone had been kept away from Legolas lately and although they all wanted to see him, they understood that he needed some time alone. When eventually, they had been allowed to see him, he wasn't in the best condition to talk to them all that much; not that that mattered. Most of the time though, the prince was left alone to sleep and rest.

**OIOIOIOIOI**

Legolas was just about to put his book down and turn out his lamp when a quiet, almost nervous knock, came from his door. Letting out an annoyed sigh, he got up and pulled a dressing gown on before opening the front door. Jasmine was stood nervously in his doorway and he pulled back in surprise at seeing her at his door so late at night.

"Jasmine," he finally said, recovering from his shock and looking behind her to see if she was with anyone; he half expected to see Aragorn with her. "Are you all right?"

"No. I'm sorry, I know it's late," she peered through the room and saw his ruffled bed sheets in the bedroom. "I woke you up," she exclaimed almost in horror.

"It's all right, I wasn't asleep." Asleep, though, was exactly where he wanted to be right then.

"Can I…talk to you for a moment?" It was tentative; almost as though she was afraid he might say no and turn her away.

"Of course. Come in," he invited, stepping back and allowing her to enter before closing the door quietly behind him. "Please, sit down," he offered, gesturing to the sofa in the sitting room, when she just stood nervously in the middle of the room. He quickly pulled the bedroom door closed and then sat down on the armchair opposite her. "What's going on?"

She glanced around the room, nervous to meet his probing eyes. "Something your father said at dinner this evening…I have been thinking about this for a while. I've tried to explain to Estel but, well, you know what he's like sometimes." She smiled at his smile. "I didn't know who else to talk to." Her voice was quiet and tinged with sadness. It was the first time she had come to him for advice since their return and it was a little odd for both of them.

"What is it?" he asked, leaning forward slightly to show she had his full attention.

"I don't want to seem ungrateful; you and your father have done so much for me."

"Jasmine," Legolas prompted when he realised she was stalling.

"I want to go home – or at least what I remember as home. When Kallon took me, I had given up hope of ever returning home but now…I don't know. I'm not sure if home is even still there but I have to try, right?"

"Of course." Legolas leaned back, slightly stunned by Jasmine's sudden and unexpected request. "Where exactly is home?" he asked after a moment.

"On the outskirts of Rohan. My husband was a trader and dealt with the other towns around…" She stopped when Legolas sat forward again, suddenly going very pale. "What's wrong?" she asked in alarm, worried he might not be feeling well again. "Legolas?"

"Your…husband?" Legolas repeated in disbelief.

Jasmine suddenly realised what she had said and clapped a hand over her mouth in shock. "Oh my…I didn't mean…" Legolas stood up abruptly, walking over to the dark fireplace and leaning a hand against the mantle.

"You never told me you had a husband," he said when he turned back to her after a moment.

"I know. I know I should have told you and I am so sorry but I just didn't know how." She stood up and took a step towards him but his now dark eyes, which she had previously found so alluring and gentle, stopped her from moving anywhere as they bore into her own.

"You lied to me. Worse, you lied to Estel," he said, obviously finding it difficult to keep calm about this.

"No…"

"Why, Jasmine? Why would you lie about something like that? Never mind the fact that you lied to me but to Estel as well…I would have thought that you would have had a little more respect for us to tell us the truth, especially after everything we have done for you. You know how he feels about you. Lying to him is…"

"Don't you think I know that?" she yelled at him, tears streaming down her face at his unprecedented harsh words. "I thought you of all people would understand."

"Understand what? That you're misleading my best friend?" He walked over to her, so close she could smell his scent, feel his presence like it inhabited her and for the first time since she had met him, he appeared every bit the intimidating prince his title claimed. "When Estel and I were in the Hold, Torvan told us that you were married and that your husband was a part-time slave trader. Is that true?" he asked coldly, causing her to shiver. She had never seen this side of Legolas before and it was more than a little scary.

"Do you honestly think I would be involved in something like that?" she asked quietly, hurt in her voice.

"I don't know anymore. You have obviously lied about everything else, so why not this?"

"My husband was a good man. He traded in rare spices, particularly with Gondor. He worked every day to keep food on our table and he never did a dishonest days' work in his life. That's the truth." His eyes were still as hard as sapphire though and she sighed, stepping away from him. "Are you going to tell Estel?" she asked gently after a moment.

"What do you think I should do?" Legolas asked coldly and Jasmine felt his words like a jab of ice through her chest. She knew she had betrayed them; these people who had given her everything. "Should I tell Estel who you really are? Do I potentially hurt my best friend so he knows the truth about you?"

"I don't know," she said through her tears, stepping back and sinking down onto the couch. "You don't deserve this," she breathed, looking up at Legolas, who was now just staring down at her. He looked more intimidating than ever before. There was something else in his eyes though: hurt. She hated herself for bringing this to him of all people. Legolas had suffered so much already and she regretted adding to his pain.

"I think it is Estel who doesn't deserve this, Jasmine," he corrected quietly, walking over and sitting down next to her.

"I know. I didn't mean for this to happen. I never thought we would ever get out of that place. To be honest, I never thought you could do it. And he was so…I swear, Legolas, I never meant to hurt him. It just happened."

"You need to tell him about this."

"I will," she acknowledged sadly.

"You need to tell him now. Or I will." He was deadly serious, his eyes telling her that he would not let go of this and he would betray her, a meagre acquaintance, to spare his friend pain.

"I promise…"

Legolas forced her to look at him before saying softly, "He will understand, Jasmine." She nodded and stood up and he followed her, walking her to the door. "You know where Estel's room is?" he asked at the door. She nodded and smiled at him shakily.

"Thank you, Legolas."

He nodded and, rather surprisingly given the circumstances, pulled her into a hug. "You know where I am if you need me." He pulled back and smiled when she wiped tears from her cheeks. After he closed the door he walked back into the bedroom, shut off his lamp and flopped down onto the bed, pulling the sheets up over him and falling almost instantly into a deep sleep.

**OIOIOIOIOI**

The next morning when Legolas entered the dining hall for breakfast he was confronted with a rather miserable-looking Aragorn. Legolas didn't need to ask what was troubling him so he walked over to the seat next to his friend and sat down. Aragorn looked over at his friend and smiled grimly.

"I suppose you knew about this?" Aragorn asked, glancing briefly over at the prince.

"She told me last night."

"I had no idea. Why didn't she tell me sooner?" Aragorn looked to Legolas and was met with bright blue eyes, slightly dazed despite the pretence he tried to keep up. "I'm sorry, Legolas, you don't need this on top of everything else," the man sighed, berating himself for not thinking of his friend. Legolas placed his hand on his friend's arm and smiled, telling him that it was all right to talk if he wanted to. "I just, I really thought there was something between us. Am I crazy, Legolas?"

The Elf laughed softly. "You're not crazy, Estel. No more than usual anyway." Aragorn chuckled humourlessly. "I really don't think she meant to hurt you, mellon nin. She is not malicious. I think she honestly believed she was doing the right thing. You know as well as I do that that encampment changes people."

"Yes, I know."

Before they could continue their conversation, Elrond entered the room. Immediately sensing the tension in the room, he stopped short, expecting to be asked to leave again. However, neither of them said anything so he continued into the room and sat down on the opposite side of the table. "Good morning, Estel," he said carefully, watching his son closely.

"Morning," the man grumbled grimly.

"Is everything all right?"

"Fine," his son replied flatly.

"Legolas?"

"Fine, thank you, Lord Elrond," the prince said a little more cheerfully than his friend.

"Good. I'd like to see you in the healing halls a little later on; just for a quick check-up. We don't want anything going wrong at this stage of your recovery." Legolas nodded and then smiled when his father entered, closely followed by a hoard of advisors. They peeled off though when the king sat down next to his son.

**OIOIOIOIOI**

Legolas and Jasmine approached King Thranduil's office. The woman was looking extremely nervous and several times already Legolas had advised her, uselessly, to calm down. They reached the double doors and Legolas knocked gently whilst Jasmine fussed about her clothes. "Stop fidgeting," he whispered, staying the almost frantic movements of her hands.

Someone called for them to enter and Legolas pushed the door open to reveal his father talking to several advisors. "Ada, may I speak with you?" Legolas asked. He had not been noticed yet but when he spoke everyone looked around, shocked that he had managed to enter the room without their knowledge. They all quickly bowed at his presence and Thranduil stepped forward.

"Of course you can." It was a hint for everyone else to leave and it was instantly taken, with a spate of respectful bows. When everyone was gone, Thranduil offered Legolas and Jasmine a seat each. "What can I do for you?" he asked once they were all seated.

"Ada, Jasmine is keen to return home, to Rohan," Legolas said to his father, who sat back in his chair behind the desk.

"Are you tired of us already?" Thranduil asked jokingly, although she could have sworn she heard a note of offence in his voice.

"Of course not, my Lord. You have been so kind to me. But I have a home in Rohan; I _had_ a home in Rohan. I'd just like to know if it is still there."

Thranduil seemed to consider this for a moment before glancing over at Legolas. His son gave him a slight nod, which not even Jasmine picked up on. Thranduil leaned forwards and clasped his hands on the desk, as though he was dealing with an important matter of the kingdom.

"Well, we shall have to provide you with an escort. It is not safe to travel through Mirkwood alone."

"I'm sure we could spare a few guards for a while, couldn't we Ada?" Legolas prompted, not risking that his father would object to Jasmine's decision.

"Right." Thranduil's eyes bore into Jasmine's own and she soon had to look away. "I'll instruct an escort to be ready by tomorrow morning."

"Thank you, my Lord. For everything." Thranduil just nodded, not standing from his seat when she did. Legolas did her that courtesy at least.

"Someone will show you back to your quarters," Legolas said and walked her to the door. He passed her over to a servant then returned to his father's office, shutting the door on the eager advisors, waiting to continue their meeting.

"That was unusual," Thranduil commented once Legolas was sat back down.

"She wishes to return to her husband," Legolas said quietly.

"Husband? I had no idea. I am assuming Estel knows." Legolas nodded thoughtfully. "She certainly kept that quiet. What about Arron? Do you think he will go with her?" Thranduil didn't miss the slight wince of pain that crossed Legolas' face when he mentioned the boy leaving.

"I don't know," Legolas answered after a moment, looking up to his father.

**OIOIOIOIOIOI**

The next morning Jasmine, Arron, Nienna – who was wrapped up in thick blankets – Aragorn, Legolas and Thranduil were standing in the spacious courtyard of the palace of Mirkwood. Three Mirkwood guards were currently mounting their horses, ready for the journey to Rohan.

The night before, Arron had decided to go with Jasmine to Rohan. Although Legolas wanted him to stay in Mirkwood he knew that not only was it not wholly safe but that Arron had the right to explore his own heritage and that meant leaving with Jasmine. Tears were now streaming down the boy's rosy cheeks and he clung tightly to Legolas' hand as he was led to the pony he would be riding. It would not be a difficult trek; they would be going slowly so there would be little danger to the boy. However, Legolas had warned the Guard to let nothing happen to either traveller.

Legolas stopped when he reached the pony, being held by a servant. He knelt down somewhat gingerly on the ground in front of Arron and pulled his cloak tighter around him, keeping out the biting cold of the Mirkwood air. He then pulled the large hood up and wiped Arron's tears away.

"I want you to have this," he said, taking a small box off of one of the guards standing nearby. Arron opened it with unsteady hands and gazed in wonder at what lay inside. Nestled amongst the deep blue satin lining was a small carving of a horse. "My mother gave me this when I was little. It was my favourite toy."

"I can't take this," Arron said, holding the box back out to Legolas.

"Remember that night when you brought me my mother's picture? You gave her back to me, Arron, and I can never thank you enough for that. It is only fair that I should give you something in return." He pushed the box back towards his new friend and smiled gently. "Maybe when you have children of your own you can hand it down to them."

"I will, I promise," Arron said sincerely before hugging Legolas tightly.

"Take care of yourself." Legolas said, pulling back. "And if you ever need me, all you have to do is send word to the palace and I will come immediately." Arron nodded, the tears stopping him from saying his farewells and thank yous. Legolas then took the box and handed it to one of the travelling guards before helping Arron mount his pony.

Whilst Legolas was saying goodbye to Arron, Aragorn was saying goodbye to Jasmine and it was more than a little uncomfortable.

"I could never tell you how grateful I am. You gave me a daughter, you set me free." She looked up into his stormy grey eyes, awash with emotion. "I'm sorry for everything. I really am."

He brought his hand up and placed it gently on her cheek. "I'm not. A lot of things happened in that place. I think the best thing we can do is leave it all behind."

She nodded, taking his hand in her own and kissing it tenderly. "I think that is a great idea."

"I really do wish you luck, Jasmine. With everything."

"And you," he smiled. "Maybe we'll see you again."

"Well, if you're ever in Rohan…" she laughed. He nodded with a bright smile. Then he turned to Nienna, who was being held in Jasmine's free arm. "Namarie," he said in lilting Elvish. Nienna gurgled and promptly moved her eyes over to where Legolas was talking to Arron. "Well, I think it's quite clear who her favourite is," Aragorn laughed.

Legolas walked over to Jasmine and kissed her gently goodbye. She bowed slightly, "Your Highness. Thank you for everything you have done." He just nodded and left to stand by his father.

Thranduil walked over to where they were standing and said his goodbyes before wandering off to speak to his Guard. Aragorn helped Jasmine mount her horse and soon they were ready to leave. Waiting there in a line for the Guard to move, both Jasmine and Arron were wishing they could stay but they knew what they had to do. Mirkwood would never be their home.

As they walked slowly out of the courtyard, headed and flanked by Mirkwood's finest, both of them turned back, waving goodbye to their friends. This could be the last time they would ever see each other.

**OIOIOIOIOIOI**

Later that night, Legolas wandered into his father's lounge to find the king sitting on the couch reading through some papers. He briefly looked up when Legolas entered but immediately returned his attention to his work. Legolas paced backwards and forwards for a couple of minutes, occasionally glancing over at his father who didn't look up. When he eventually sat down he placed himself on the couch on the other side of the room to his father.

After a few moments of silence, Thranduil sighed softly and put his papers down on the table in front of him and looked over to his son who was leaning back on the couch looking at the fire blankly. Thranduil watched Legolas for a while before speaking.

"You look tired," he said, leaning back and putting his feet up on the table. His son just nodded, his eyes not leaving the fire. "They'll be fine, you know. The Guard will look after them; I've made sure of it." Legolas still didn't respond and the king decided it was best not to push him. "Estel will miss Jasmine without a doubt. I was surprised to hear that she had a husband."

"The encampment…she…" Legolas stopped, not quite knowing how to continue. Despite all his admissions to his father, he had told him little about the encampment and what happened there. Those things were still too fresh to discuss.

Thranduil got up and walked over to the other couch and sat down next to his son but Legolas still didn't look at him. "Legolas, you need to get some rest, you look exhausted," Thranduil whispered gently.

"One day all this will be over," Legolas said quietly, his eyes fixed on the roaring fire. "I want it to be over." Legolas looked over at his father, who smiled gently, knowing there was nothing he could say to respond to that.

Thranduil reached out his hand and gently stroked Legolas' hair back as his son continued to stare at the fire. After a while, Legolas leaned back against his father, disguising a small wince of pain from his not yet healed wounds. Thranduil pulled him son into a hug and Legolas happily lay against him, dozing in the warmth of the fire and the comfort of his father's embrace.

A knock at the door the next morning startled Thranduil awake although his son remained sleeping. "Come in," he called, untangling one of his arms from around his son but freezing when Legolas stirred.

The door opened to reveal Elrond. "Your assistant said you were in here. I didn't mean to interrupt," Elrond said, looking down at Legolas. "I was looking for Legolas actually. We had an appointment this morning."

Thranduil looked down at his son. "Can it wait?" he asked quietly, not wanting to wake Legolas. It seemed that every second his son spent asleep was precious and he didn't want to take that gift away from him. After everything that had happened, surely Legolas deserved a little extra rest.

"I really would rather get this over with. I was hoping to remove some more of his bandages today. We've been putting it off for days."

"All right, I'll give him a few more minutes' rest then I'll bring him to the healing halls." Elrond looked sceptical though. "I will meet you in the healing halls," Thranduil said more firmly. Eventually, Elrond nodded and left quietly, knowing it would be more than a few minutes. The king protected Legolas far more fiercely now than ever before, always giving him a few extra hours' rest; whatever small thing he could do to ease his son's suffering.

One hour later, Thranduil finally got around to rousing his son. Legolas woke, as usual, painfully. "What time is it?" the prince asked, sitting up slowly.

"About eleven."

"In the morning?" Legolas asked, shocked. Thranduil just nodded with a small smile. "You should have woken me. Don't you have meetings to attend?"

"Nothing that can't wait. Hey, you were tired last night so you slept. That's a good thing," the king said nonchalantly, standing up and stretching. Legolas just nodded, not convinced. "Elrond wants you to drop by the healing halls when you're ready."

Legolas sat up suddenly. "We had an appointment this morning, I completely forgot." He went to stand but was too quick and stopped abruptly, his face twisting in pain, although no sound escaped his lips. Thranduil was instantly next to him and supported him to sit back down.

"Hey, hey, take it easy. Sit down for a moment." Thranduil made sure Legolas was comfortable before getting up and pouring him a glass of water. "Drink this, slowly." Legolas took the glass in clumsy hands.

"I'm all right," Legolas reassured him after a while.

"Are you sure?" the king asked, not taking any chances. "Do you want me to fetch Elrond?"

"I'll be seeing him in a few minutes anyway. Really, Ada, I'm all right." Thranduil nodded and helped Legolas stand up, a little slower this time.

"I'll walk you back to the healing halls and then I should get changed and catch up on some meetings," Thranduil said, opening the door for his son and closing it firmly behind him.

Thranduil accompanied Legolas to the healing halls, the prince striding purposefully past servants and maids and guards, none of whom would ever be able to tell that anything had happened despite his dishevelled appearance. Thranduil walked a little more cautiously, his arms poised ready to catch his son should he lose his balance again. Not that anyone would comment anyway. The few times Legolas' health or absence had been mentioned to the king he shot them down, shouting constantly at them for their insensitivity and warned everyone against making any mention of this to his son.

Rumours had inevitably circulated after Legolas' return and none of the royal family or their assistants felt inclined to comment so they continued to persist for a little while longer but were slowly beginning to peter out. Not that Legolas particularly cared. He wasn't about to set any records straight, although he was certain the truth would come out sooner or later but it wouldn't come from him.

Thranduil opened the healing room door for his son and found Elrond sat at a desk working through papers, all bearing the seal of Imladris. In the weeks during Legolas' recovery Thranduil had almost forgotten that the Elven Lord had a kingdom of his own to run.

"Good morning. Glad you could finally make it," Elrond smiled, showing it was meant in good nature. He put the parchment he was holding down on the desk and stood up. "Shall we get this over and done with?" he asked, nodding towards the bed, prepared for Legolas' visit. The prince walked almost nervously over to the bed and sat down, not looking forward to what was coming. His visits thus far had been anything but pleasant. "Are you staying?" Elrond asked Thranduil whilst washing his hands thoroughly in a bowl of warm water.

"No, I have things to do this morning. Unless you want me to stay?" Thranduil looked over to Legolas, who shook his head with a small smile, knowing his father had things to attend to and that he wouldn't leave unless he gave him the go-ahead. "Right, well then, I'll leave you to it. I'll be in my office if you need me." Thranduil walked over and put his hand on his son's shoulder reassuringly before leaving.

"So, how are you feeling?" Elrond smiled, sitting on a chair next to the bed and looking up at Legolas.

"Fine," Legolas answered automatically. Elrond, however, waited for a proper answer. "Better, much better."

"And how has the pain been?" the healer asked. He always asked the same questions every time Legolas came to see him and he usually had to push for answers, anything more than 'fine', anyway.

"Not so great," Legolas admitted quietly, much to Elrond's surprise. Legolas didn't often complain about such things and it came a little out of the blue.

"Really? How bad?"

"Not terrible, but not comfortable either."

"All right, let's take a look then. Where does it hurt the most?" the healer asked, standing up, ready to examine Legolas. The prince gestured to his back – no great surprise there – and Elrond went to lift Legolas' shirt off. "Do you mind?" he asked before doing anything, knowing trust was paramount when dealing with the prince. Legolas shook his head and Elrond carefully removed his shirt, exposing his loosely bandaged torso. "There's no more bleeding – that's good. And these bruises have healed nicely. Has anything else been causing you pain besides your back and your hands?" Legolas shook his head. "Good."

"Ada told you I was in pain, didn't he?" Legolas said after a few moments. Elrond just looked over at him with a small smile, not about to answer such questions. "He barely takes his eyes off me anymore."

"He's just worried about you, that's all," Elrond said. "You don't seem to find it much of an annoyance."

"I quite like it actually," Legolas smiled.

"I'm going to take these bandages off now. Are you all right sitting up?" Legolas nodded. "You want a healer to lean on for support?" Another small nod from Legolas so Elrond went to the door and called for a healer who came immediately. Once they were prepared, with the healer offering Legolas some support just in case the pain became too much, Elrond began unwrapping the bandages. This wasn't the first time they had done this, Elrond had had to change the bandages several times since he came home and it was never easy.

Very carefully, Elrond pulled the bandages off, noting Legolas tense in pain, revealing the still marred skin beneath. "Are you all right for me to continue?" Elrond asked, checking on the prince. Legolas just nodded, wanting this to be over. Elrond noticed him holding onto the healer's hand, something he would never normally do.

With a clean cloth and a bowl of warm, Athelas-spiked water, Elrond began gently cleaning Legolas' wounds, his eyes constantly checking that the prince. Once he was done, he properly checked the wounds. They were still red and obviously very painful but there was no sign of infection – they had been very lucky in that respect. "Where does it hurt the most? Just yell when I reach the spot," Elrond instructed, tracing his fingers lightly down Legolas' back to check the nerves, sometimes pain showed that things were healing properly no matter how uncomfortable it was for the patient.

"There," Legolas cried, pulling away from Elrond's touch after his fingers had irritated the painful places.

"All right," Elrond soothed, not replacing his hands now he knew what was causing his patient the most pain. "I'm going to re-bandage the worst parts but I want to leave some of it open; it'll help them heal quicker. I'll put some extra padding on the places that are sore, it should help with the pain a little." Elrond placed padded bandages on the part Legolas had pointed out as hurting the most and carefully wrapped bandages around loosely. "There. How does that feel?" Elrond asked once he had finished.

"Fine," Legolas replied simply. It certainly felt better than before anyway, if not perfect.

"Good. Let's see your hands then." Elrond took Legolas' hands and turned them around, checking the rapidly healing wounds. Although Legolas flinched occasionally when Elrond pressed down, it wasn't scream-inducing pain, more like a deep ache. "These have healed really well," Elrond reassured. They were still marked and a little sore but no where near as bad as they had been. "I'm not going to bandage these again. If it causes too much trouble then tell me and I'll replace them. I'll just give these a quick wash off then we're done." Elrond washed Legolas' hands and then dried them. "How's that?"

"It feels fine," Legolas smiled softly, suddenly feeling a little lightheaded, although not understanding why. He didn't say anything but Elrond noticed him sway very slightly.

"Are you all right? You look a little pale. Do you want to lie down for a moment?" Elrond asked, noting Legolas had gone very white all of a sudden. Not that it was surprising, this was very easy. Legolas nodded weakly and Elrond carefully helped the prince lie down on the bed, propped up by pillows. "Do you want a glass of water?" Legolas nodded again and Elrond gestured for the other healer to go and get him what he asked for. Legolas slowly took a sip of water with slightly shaking hands and then handed the glass back to the healer. "Better?" Elrond asked.

"Yes, thank you," Legolas answered with a small smile before sitting up properly, allowing Elrond to support him.

"Take your time," Elrond instructed, still concerned. Legolas regained his bearings. "Are you all right?" Legolas nodded reassuringly. "We're finished here. Why don't you go and have a lie down in your room for a while?"

"I'll be all right," Legolas said as firmly as he could.

"Go and get some rest, Legolas. Go on," Elrond encouraged, not about to take no for an answer. Legolas nodded and allowed the other healer to help him on with his shirt. "I'll go and talk to your father, tell him everything's all right. It'll save you a lecture, at least."

"Thank you, Elrond."

"All right. Sleep well."

Just a couple of hours later when Thranduil entered Legolas' rooms quietly his son was still fast asleep. He had drawn the curtains darkening the room sufficiently. Legolas himself was lying on the bed with just a thin blanket covering him. He had fallen asleep fully clothed, his thin boots still on. Thranduil smiled gently, his son had obviously made an attempt to prepare himself for bed, he had even run a bath for himself but it was long since cold. Thranduil went into the bathroom and let the water run away before returning to Legolas, wiping his hands dry on a towel.

He walked up to the bed and carefully untied Legolas' laces and pulled his boots off. His actions disturbed Legolas who woke up and sat up slowly, squinting down at his father, who covered his feet up again with a small smile.

"Ada?" Legolas asked, rubbing the tiredness from his eyes. "Is everything all right?" Legolas said, going to sit up.

"Everything's fine. Stay where you are," the king reassured gently, moving further up the bed. "I talked to Elrond; he says your recovery is progressing nicely." Legolas lay back down, nodding slightly.

"I fell asleep," Legolas murmured, stating the obvious, much to his father's amusement.

"That's all right; Elrond said you still need plenty of rest. You were going to have a bath?" Thranduil asked, nodding to the bathroom door.

"Yes…I was going to but I…"

"Fell asleep," Thranduil laughed. Legolas nodded so the king asked, "Do you want me to help you?"

"No, I'm fine, thank you," Legolas replied wearily. He didn't have the energy to do anything but lay there for now, the thought of actually having to walk across the room seemed extremely daunting. "I'll get up in a minute," he mumbled, his eyes closing, demonstrating his absolute lack of conviction. Thranduil just smiled brightly down at him. This was pretty much how his son had been throughout his recovery and the king never had the heart to say anything against it. Legolas opened his eyes again and smiled up at his father.

"You look tired, go back to sleep," Thranduil said. Legolas nodded but didn't close his eyes again; he continued staring up into his father's bright blue eyes, so much more alert than his own.

He envied his father for that. He wished everything could return to normal, that things would go back to how they used to be. Thranduil seemed to notice this thinking and said, "Legolas, I know it's disheartening but you're not in pain or discomfort and that is the only thing that matters to me at the moment, all right? Just give yourself some time." Legolas nodded and Thranduil smoothed his son's hair off his forehead. "Now go back to sleep," Thranduil whispered and Legolas did as he said. Thranduil covered his son with the blanket again and left Legolas to sleep, going off to attend to the numerous meetings the kingdom required of him.

**To Be Continued….**


	120. Old Friends And New Enemies

**Disclaimer: **I own nothing Tolkien created.

**OIOIOIOIOIOI**

**Sold Into Ruin**

**OIOIOIOIOI**

**A/N: Only ONE more chapter after this one. I can't quite believe it's nearing its end. I'm really going to miss writing this fic.**

**Thank you for all your reviews and enjoy the chapter.**

**OIOI**

**Chapter 120 ~ Old Friends And New Enemies**

**OIOI**

**One Year Later…**

Legolas and Aragorn approached the outskirts of Rohan with some trepidation. Although Jasmine has said that it was fine for them to visit they were both a little nervous. They had kept in touch with both Jasmine and Arron, who was living with the woman and her husband, whom she had found shortly after entering her old village.

The regal pair made quite an impression on the relatively poor natives of Rohan. Children gazed in amazement at the two, one tall and dark-haired, clearly a soldier of some kind and the other blonde and fairer than anything they had ever encountered before. They eventually reached Jasmine's home but the first person they met was Arron, who was working out in the garden, picking some kind of vegetable. He happened to glance up and saw the pair coming towards him on their graceful mounts, and he jumped up, shouting their names in surprise. He threw his tools to the ground and charged up the path. Legolas and Aragorn dismounted their horses and watched as the boy ran towards them, calling Jasmine's name and another they didn't recognise.

When he reached them, Arron threw himself into Legolas' waiting arms. He hugged the Elf tightly before moving on to Aragorn, who returned the hug with a warm smile. Just a moment later, Jasmine appeared in the doorway, carrying a gurgling Nienna in her arms. She did a quick double take at their appearance as Arron pulled them excitedly up the path and towards the small house.

She eventually managed to snap out of her amazement and walk towards them, meeting them halfway.

"I told you they would come, didn't I tell you?" Arron enthused, his smile so broad that it made everyone else smile.

"Legolas," she smiled and he leaned over and kissed her gently on the cheek. She then turned to a slightly shier Aragorn. "Estel," she said quietly. He broke the slight unease by pulling her into a careful hug, being careful not to crush Nienna in between them.

"Look at you," Aragorn grinned down at Nienna, who smiled a toothless smile and crossed her eyes whilst Aragorn stroked her cheek with a rough finger. "You have grown so much," he cooed.

"As have you," Legolas said to Arron, who was still smiling back at him.

"Thank you. Do you like my shirt?" he said, showing off the fairly grubby piece of clothing. For a moment Legolas almost forgot that all he had ever really been used to was the encampment's prison clothing. This was a whole new adventure for him.

"I do," the prince smiled down.

"Jasmine?" a male voice called from the door. He was a tall man, no more than an inch shorter than Aragorn. He was blonde and clean-shaven and well-dressed, in comparison anyway. He was looking rather suspiciously at the moment but it wasn't difficult to picture a bright, warm smile on his face.

Jasmine turned to face him with a bright smile to match his and some of his suspicion faded. She took ahold of Aragorn's hand and pulled him towards the door and the waiting man.

"Armarn, this is Estel, the man I was telling you about in the encampment. Estel, this is my husband Armarn," Jasmine introduced with slight unease.

Armarn seemed to eye Aragorn up for a moment before extending a work-hardened hand for Aragorn to shake. "A pleasure to meet you, Estel. Jasmine has told me a lot about you."

"Don't believe a word she says," Aragorn joked, hoping to defuse the tension between him and Jasmine. It didn't work though so the woman took control.

"And this is Prince Legolas of Mirkwood," she said, gesturing to the waiting Elf, to whom Arron was still clinging.

"He is an Elf," the boy stated proudly, as though showing off his knowledge.

"I can see that," Armarn said with a smile. "And a prince. We are truly honoured." They shook hands and Armarn bowed slightly before Arron told him that it wasn't necessary. The man nodded, still somewhat unsure of what the correct protocol was for inviting royalty into your home.

Thankfully, Jasmine was on hand to cover that part for him. "Come in. You must be exhausted after that long trip." She led them through a small, rural kitchen and into a sitting room. There were two dusty sofas on either side and a battered table in the centre. This was obviously a cosy, working home. "I'm afraid it is not exactly the Mirkwood palace but it's home," she said as she handed Nienna over to Armarn and cleared some clothes and papers off the couch. "Please, sit down. Can I get you some lemonade?"

"Lemonade would be great," Legolas smiled, sitting gracefully on the rather battered sofa. Jasmine went off to get them drinks whilst Aragorn and Legolas took in the room around them. It was small and cosy with a fire burning ever so slightly in the corner, making the room warm and welcoming. Armarn was leaning against the doorframe and watching his two new guests. There was still a slight air of tension between him and Aragorn although they were sure that he didn't know what had happened between the two ex-captives.

Thankfully, Jasmine re-entered the room, defusing a lot of attention as she handed a glass each to Legolas and Aragorn, who accepted it gratefully.

"Will you be staying here?" she asked, sitting down on the floor next to Nienna's crib. Legolas went to stand to offer her place on the sofa but she waved him back down with a stern look.

"We couldn't possibly intrude," the prince said.

"You wouldn't be intruding. We'd love to have you. They have to stay here. Tell them Armarn."

"I'm sure they have somewhere better to stay than this rickety old house," the man laughed, looking at Legolas who just bowed his head, diverting his eyes at the somewhat blunt opinion.

"Actually, we didn't have any plans," Aragorn said directly after, a slight hint of a come back in his voice.

"That's settled then," Jasmine grinned, along with Arron who had been silently urging for Legolas to accept the offer. "I'll go and set up your room. It won't be much I'm afraid but it's a roof."

"I'll help you," Armarn said, walking out of the room with his wife.

"Well, that wasn't at all awkward," Legolas quipped, placing his half-empty glass on the table as Aragorn just nodded.

Before they could comment further, Arron interjected, saying enthusiastically, "Would you like to see my garden? Armarn let me have a part of it to grow my own vegetables and I think they're doing quite well."

Legolas stood up and walked to the door with him. "I would love to," he smiled. Legolas had heard a lot about this new love for gardening in the numerous letters Arron had sent. Legolas had responded to each and every one of them, not wanting to lose touch with the young boy. Despite everything he had been through, Arron seemed happy enough in Rohan. Every now and then there would be a touch of melancholy in his letters and Legolas would ask if everything was all right but the next letter would always be more cheerful.

**OIOIOIOIOIO**

Dinner that night was again uncomfortable but the food was good and Jasmine made sure there was plenty of wine to allow things to move along a little more smoothly.

"So, how have you been, Legolas?" Jasmine asked, passing a plate of vegetables to Arron.

"Well thank you. Yourself?"

"Fantastic." She looked over at her husband with a smile.

"I have been trying to get Arron to come and visit Mirkwood," Legolas said after a moment's silence. "It seems harder than I would have credited." Arron smiled across at him. "You would love it this time of year when all the trees are in blossom. It is truly beautiful."

"I went to Mirkwood once," Armarn said, tucking into his food. "We were trading briefly with Lake Town. I only got as far as the town though. Mirkwood is a rather dangerous place these days, I hear." There was a slight insult in his voice that everyone picked up on.

Legolas just smiled slightly and said, "Some parts are a little less…desirable. But overall, it is a very beautiful place; the palace especially."

"It is truly beautiful, Armarn. Like nothing you can imagine. Legolas' bathroom is about as big as this whole house," she laughed, although the man didn't look too impressed.

"Maybe you should visit sometime," Aragorn suggested coldly.

"Maybe I will."

There was silence for some time after that before again Jasmine broke the ice. "How is your father, Legolas?"

"Very well. He has just been co-ordinating with Gondor about the transfer of the last prisoners from the encampment. Jadan will be the last to go next month." He looked over at her and smiled. "Sorry, you probably didn't want to hear that." She just smiled politely.

"What about you, Estel? Where are you from?" Armarn asked, a hint of tension in his voice again.

Aragorn looked over at him briefly before turning his attention back to his food. "I was raised by Lord Elrond in Rivendell but I travel about a lot," he answered, trying to keep the coldness from his own voice.

"Rivendell? You were raised by the Elves? By the Lord of Rivendell, no lees. Impressive. I can't say I enjoy Rivendell particularly. It is rather…uptight for me."

"Well, I find it very relaxing," Aragorn bit back.

"I suppose you would though, wouldn't you?" Armarn muttered under his breath.

"Meaning?" Aragorn asked bluntly, putting his fork down on his plate with a crash.

"Nothing, just that people like you always grow up in these places. They become used to being pampered by the Elves." He said it matter-of-factly, not realising he was being insulting, or at least pretending not to know.

"People like me?" Estel asked coldly.

"Jasmine, this is really fantastic," Legolas interrupted, trying to stop this argument before it got out of control.

It didn't work though and Armarn replied, "You know, privileged people. People who get everything handed to them on a plate, who never have to work for what they have."

"Armarn," Jasmine warned, equally as eager to end this now.

"I didn't get anything handed on a plate and believe it or not, I did have to work for what I have. And I have spent many years travelling with the Rangers of the North so don't tell me that I have had everything handed to me…"

"I didn't mean to insult you," Armarn interrupted.

"Oh, I think you did," Aragorn said, his voice raising slightly as he stood from his place. Armarn stood as well and everyone could tell that soon this was going to escalate into a full-blown fight.

"Estel," Legolas said firmly.

"No, Legolas. I think this needs to be cleared up."

"It really doesn't."

"If he wants to do this, we should get it over with," Aragorn said, turning back to Armarn for confirmation. The other man nodded.

"Armarn, don't do this," Jasmine pleaded, pulling on her husband's arm.

"Estel is right; we need to get this cleared up."

"No you don't Estel." The man went to object again so Legolas stood and took his arm just as he was about to walk over to Armarn. "Come on," he said again when Aragorn just went to go after him again. Legolas pulled Aragorn's arm roughly as it truly looked like the man was going to hit the other. "Estel," Legolas nearly shouted.

"That's right, let your Elf friend protect you," Armarn smiled, sitting back down triumphantly, as though he had won the fight already.

"That's it," Aragorn said, pushing Legolas roughly away from him. Although the Elf was stunned by the rather brutal assault, and the wounds so long ago healed flared up again as they did during rigorous exercise or when it got really cold, not pain but a strong ache. Jasmine did notice this and stood to help him stand up straight but he went straight over to Aragorn and Armarn who were about to come to blows. He pulled the man off the other and dragged him out the door into the cold air.

"What is wrong with you?" Legolas shouted. "We are guests here, Estel." Jasmine was now stood at the door, pushing Armarn back in.

"Did you hear what he said?" Aragorn yelled, trying to get at the man again. Legolas grabbed his arm and pulled him further from the house.

"I understand that this is awkward but you have no right to…"

"Let go of me," Aragorn said, roughly pulling away from his friend. Legolas didn't go after him as he walked down the path and towards the horses, tied to the fence. The Elf went back to the house, leading Arron inside while Jasmine went to comfort the man.

"I'm sorry," Aragorn said when she reached him.

"You should be." Aragorn nodded, looking at her with no trace of anger. "He is my husband. This is not going to change. I am sorry about everything that happened between us in the encampment but it is over now. I love him, Estel," she smiled but he merely nodded. She placed her hand on his shoulder and he looked over at her.

"It won't happen again."

"No, it won't. And I think you owe Legolas an apology." Aragorn looked towards the house and saw Legolas' silhouette with Arron in the front room. "He looks tired," she said following his gaze.

"It was a long journey. Hard on him, I think."

"I suppose it is difficult getting over something like that, despite what we like to make ourselves believe."

"That's for sure. It hit Legolas harder than anyone."

"And you?" she asked, her hand falling onto her arm.

"You know. I carry on. I try and put what happened behind me but…"

"It's harder than you thought?" He nodded. "Me too. But I have Armarn and he is a good man, Estel, he really is."

"Good. I am pleased for you, Jasmine. I really am." He walked away after that, not wanting to go any further.

"Estel." He turned back. "Can I trust you to go in there without flooring my husband?" she said jokingly. He just nodded with a small, apologetic smile.

When he got back inside. Aragorn went straight into the bedroom where Legolas was. Arron and Armarn were at the kitchen sink washing the plates and Aragorn ignored the man but ruffled Arron's hair lovingly. When he entered the bedroom, Legolas was sitting on the bed, bent slightly forward, his hand resting on his forehead as though trying to stop his head pounding. He looked up when Aragorn entered, closing the door quietly behind him.

"Are you all right?" he asked.

Legolas nodded, "I'm fine."

Aragorn sat down next to him on the bed. They were sharing a room that night but Jasmine had put an old battered armchair in the corner, apologising profusely that there was only one spare bed. "I'm sorry. I forgot about…"

"Don't worry about it," Legolas said wearily.

"Do you want me to check…?"

"No," Legolas interrupted bluntly. "I'll be fine." He looked over at the man who was watching him. "Are you all right or do we need to find an inn?"

"No," Aragorn said, shaking his head.

"Good. Then you need to go and make your peace with Armarn." Aragorn sighed, not wanting to do the unpleasant task. "Estel, if not for me then for Jasmine. She deserves that at least."

"All right." Aragorn looked over to his friend and said, "While I do that you should get some rest. You look exhausted. It was a long trip here." Legolas nodded in agreement. "Get some rest." Aragorn got up and went to walk to the door. "You can take the bed; I'll sleep in the chair."

"That's hardly fair."

"You need it more than I do."

**OIOIOIOIOIOIOI**

**One Week Later…**

Legolas and Aragorn stood at the gate, their horses tacked and ready to go. They were saying goodbye to Jasmine and Arron. Although things had been a little tense between them and Armarn they had managed to get along without Aragorn arguing with him too much. The man had snuck out early for work that morning to avoid the goodbyes, which suited everyone.

After promising to visit again soon, Legolas and Aragorn mounted their horses and went to return home.

**To Be Continued…**


	121. The End

**Disclaimer: **I own nothing Tolkien created.

**OIOIOIOIOIOIOI**

**Sold Into Ruin**

**OIOIOIOIOIOIOI**

**A/N: Ok, so final chapter…**

**OIO**

**Chapter 121 ~ The End**

**OIO**

**The Handy Tavern…4 Months Later…**

Legolas, Aragorn, Thranduil and Elrond entered the Handy Tavern with no hint of nervousness. Although the two friends would have expected to be slightly tense about returning to the scene of their original capture, they weren't. A Mirkwood guard was waiting outside for them, assuring their safety and something like that always leant them confidence. Aragorn led the way to the bar, following the same path as before, and the others followed. This time, Legolas was not challenged by anyone and his large hood his Elven complexion and slightly pointed ears so no one could easily recognise him as an Elf.

Aragorn leaned against the bar, along with Legolas whilst Elrond and Thranduil stood behind them, the latter looking completely out of place and decidedly uncomfortable. He hated men and being in one of their establishments was no an easy thing for him to endure and his distaste showed plainly on his face.

They had come upon the Handy Tavern completely by accident when returning from the trails in Gondor. Jadan and many of the other workers captured from the encampment had been tried and convicted of various crimes ranging from murder to extortion to intent to commit high treason. Most had received hefty sentences or punishments. Some of the guards had gotten off with suspended sentences but some had been put away with the head of the guards. In the past few months, Gondor had conducted a full investigation into what had happened in the encampment and several high-ranking Gondorian officials had been name, shamed and consequently discharged from the Council. At that very moment, Gondorian guards were destroying the last remnants of the encampment and filling in the mines so they could never be reopened.

Thranduil had overseen the investigation, throwing every bit of his considerable political weight at the trial, not trusting the Men of Gondor to conduct it efficiently. He had forced Gondor into a full trial and prosecution of all involved and settled for nothing less than what the people who had taken his son deserved. Legolas and Aragorn had also been there to testify – the star witnesses. Their testimonies had been paramount to the prosecution of the perpetrators. Thankfully, Jasmine and Arron had not been asked and neither Legolas nor Estel had told them any details about the trial, only the positive outcome.

Now, on their way home from Gondor, they had come upon this familiar place and, knowing there were few places to rest for a while, had decided to stop briefly for refreshments.

As before, the barman walked over to them, his uncanny ability to smell money coming to the fore again. "How can I help you gentlemen?" he asked politely, rubbing down the bar with a damp cloth.

Aragorn caught his gaze and asked, "Remember us?" with a smile. The second he looked at the man, the barman recognised him. His smile fell and he took a step back when he saw Legolas and Elrond as well. Aragorn grinned at his Elven friend and laughed, "I told you he would remember us." Legolas just smiled knowingly.

"I…I…Well, welcome back," the barman stuttered, looking decidedly nervous all of a sudden.

"How's business?" Elrond asked and the barman just smiled nervously. "Good." Elrond then turned to Thranduil and the king stepped up to the bar. "Might I introduce you to King Thranduil?" Elrond said, motioning to the stoic king who was glaring at the man with such force that it looked as though he might turn him to stone with his eyes. Few people who encountered that glare could stand it and, predictably, the barman eventually looked away, shaking slightly in his fear.

"It's a pleasure, Your Majesty," the barman managed to squeeze out of his throat.

Thranduil extended his hand stiffly and the barman took it with a trembling hand. As he shook it, Thranduil pulled him so hard that he nearly tumbled over the bar. The man yelped and clawed at Thranduil's hand but the king didn't move.

"So, you're the man who betrayed my son?" he asked coldly.

"Betrayed? No, my Lord. I would never betray your…your son." The man looked over at Legolas who was clearly wanting to break this up but allowing his father a chance to vent for a while before he did so. "Free drink?" he asked with a nervous smile.

Thranduil smiled coldly back and pulled the man clear over the counter and he fell hard on the floor. Thranduil pulled him straight back up though, letting him go and dusting down his jacket with a false smile still plastered on his face. "Say sorry," Thranduil said firmly. The man looked utterly confused and Thranduil yelled, "Say sorry," again, causing the barman to flinch back and try to pull away again but his efforts were futile. Thranduil was not going to let this go.

"Sorry. I'm sorry," the man stuttered.

"Not to me, you idiot. To Legolas," the king ground out.

"Ada," Legolas warned softly.

The man turned to Legolas and repeated the apology. "I am so sorry. I never meant…I'm sorry."

"On your knees," Thranduil said, placing his hands on the barman's shoulders and squeezing until his captive flinched. The man looked startled by this and didn't move so Thranduil slowly pushed him down until he was kneeling on the filthy floor. "Now apologise," he said once more.

"I'm sorry," the man said, panic beginning to get the better of him.

This seemed to satisfy Thranduil and please Elrond so the king pulled the man to his feet. "Now, about those free drinks…And you are trying each one first – just in case," Thranduil smiled, walking over to an empty table while the man scrambled to get behind the relative safety of the bar.

"I did warn you," Elrond smiled as he went to join Thranduil at a table.

Legolas and Aragorn obediently followed their respective parents.

Sitting there, drinking pre-tested drinks, they felt a sense of relief. This was the final challenge, predicted or not - to face everything that happened. This was where it all started, where Kallon had first taken them.

Eventually, they finished their drinks, left a poor tip on the table and left the tavern to return to Mirkwood. On their way out, Legolas paused, looking around. Something felt wrong here. He couldn't see anything out of place though, just some men sitting at the bar, their backs to the rest of the world. Brushing off the feeling, Legolas walked out of the bar. Someone getting off their stool bumped into him on the way out before moving away without a word of apology.

"Sorry," Legolas mumbled, turning around and watching the retreating men for a moment. Then Legolas left the Handy Tavern, hopefully for good.

The man Legolas had bumped into walked to their vacated table, ordered a drink and sat hunched in the chair, hidden beneath a ragged black cloak, hood pulled up so his face was cast into shadow. When he sat up straight and pulled back his large hood, his face was revealed. It was scarred and rough, bearded – not by choice but from too many endless days wandering the wild – and he was barely recognisable after his hardships. Across his next was an ugly ragged scar, not long healed.

Most people would have passed him by without a second thought and even the rattled bartender didn't notice…Kallon.

**OIOIOIOIOIOIOI**

**Mirkwood…One Month Later…**

Legolas wandered down the hall and hesitated at his father's door. He was a little reluctant to disturb the king. It hadn't escaped his notice that Thranduil had taken on a lot of his own work-load the past few weeks, not to mention the recent journey to Gondor, which had been long and hard on all of them. His hand poised to knock, Legolas sighed, going to walk away. However, his father's voice came into his head, telling him to come to him whenever he needed to.

Turning back to the door, Legolas tapped on it gently. He received no answer so he gently turned the handle. The room was dark but the curtains were open, allowing a little moonlight to shine into the room. The king's bedroom door was closed but Legolas saw candlelight shining through the cracks under the door. He sat down on one of the sofas and rubbed at his tired eyes. Pulling his hands back, he could do nothing but stare at the scars that marred them. They no longer hurt; ached a little in cold weather, but they remained a constant reminder of what had happened. The scars on his back and his chest were beginning to fade but were still too vivid for him.

It had taken a long time and a lot of effort to get this far. Building up his strength had been the hardest part and for so long after he couldn't walk far without getting out of breath. Shooting a bow was another matter altogether and the most demoralising of all. He had found that difficult but despite Elrond's warnings to take things easy; he had pushed himself into doing it, regardless of the pain and discomfort. It had been painful and tiring but his recovery had progressed far enough.

The nightmares, although slightly less terrifying than before, continued to disturb him. Hence his presence in his father's chambers in the early hours. He sighed, leaning back against the sofa. Closing his eyes, he felt at ease in this place. He had tried so hard to avoid doing this, lately especially. Of course Thranduil had told him that it never mattered if he needed him but Legolas saw how difficult this had been for his father and despite what he had promised Thranduil, he still felt the urge to protect his father from what was happening, from what he was feeling.

Legolas hadn't even realised he'd fallen asleep until Thranduil's hand on his arm as the king sat down next to him. Legolas sat up quickly, startled.

"What time is it?" he asked, looking out at his father, who was dressed ready for work.

"It's early," the king answered. Legolas looked down and found a blanket draped over him. "You looked so peaceful," Thranduil smiled, taking a sip of his tea. "I didn't like to disturb you." Thranduil looked over at Legolas, who was trying to clear sleep from his eyes. "You look tired. Hard night?" Legolas looked over at his father with tired eyes. "You should have woken me."

Legolas shrugged. "You were sleeping."

"I can be woken," Thranduil said pointedly, standing up and putting his mug down on the mantle. "Come on," he said, holding out his hand to his son.

Legolas stood and walked over to Thranduil, who walked him to the door and opened it. "Where are we going?"

"To get you to bed," Thranduil said, walking his son down the hall towards his own rooms.

Legolas stopped suddenly. "But, Ada, I said I would look over the Guard reports this morning and…"

"Legolas, stop." Thranduil waited until a few servants had passed by so they could speak privately. "Don't think I haven't noticed that this is still a problem. I know you still have the nightmares and I know that you still don't come to me all the time." Legolas looked away in embarrassment. "I thought we were clear about this; you were to come to me if you need to."

"I know."

"So what changed?" Thranduil asked, crossing his arms over his chest.

"I don't know."

Thranduil placed his hands on Legolas' shoulders. "All right. Now, you go back to bed and get some sleep. You look shattered."

"I'm sorry, Ada."

"It doesn't matter. Go on to bed. I'll see to the Guard's meeting. And send for me if you need anything, all right?" Legolas nodded. Before he could leave though, Thranduil called a servant walking down the hall. "Can you take Prince Legolas back to his room please?" Legolas sighed dramatically. "And don't think I won't tell every Council member not to talk to you today. No meetings."

"I promise," Legolas smiled, following the servant towards his rooms but dismissing him as soon as they rounded the first corner. However, he did follow his father's instructions, going to his room and crawling under the bedclothes with a tired sigh.

**OIOIOIOIOIOIOIOI**

Legolas woke mid-afternoon with a shout. Another nightmare had made sure his rest was not peaceful. He wiped sweat from his brow and pulled the sheets off. He went to his cupboard and pulled a cloak out before leaving the room. He knew exactly where he was going.

"I brought you some lunch. I thought you might be…" Thranduil started, opening his son's bedroom door. The ruffled sheets were thrown back but the room was empty. The king put the tray on Legolas' desk and sighed. "Legolas, what are you doing?" he whispered to himself.

He walked through the halls, asking various servants if they had seen his son. None of them had though so Thranduil kept searching, determined to get his point across to his son. The king had excused Legolas from all his meetings today. He had allowed Legolas to return to partial duty a few months ago, although he had put tight reins on him, only allowing him to do a certain amount of work and keeping a close eye on him all the while. The king was well aware that grief didn't just disappear and although Legolas was improving he knew it still affected him. Thranduil still snapped at the advisors who grumbled about things not being done on time. The king was having none of it though. Anyone who dared speak ill of his son or anything that had happened to him got a serious telling off and a suspension.

"I saw him not a few minutes ago in the graveyard, Your Majesty," one of the guardsmen said when Thranduil asked him about his son's whereabouts.

"The graveyard? Thank you," Thranduil said, running through the halls, ignoring comments from the servants. The graveyard was the last place he thought he would find his son. Despite the fact that Legolas had told his father about what happened to his mother and had come to accept it a little he still could not find the courage to visit the graveyard where his mother's memorial stood.

Thranduil slowed to a walk when he came to the small graveyard a few metres outside of the palace grounds. At first, he couldn't see his son then he caught sight of a flash of gold from beside Nienna's memorial. He pulled open the gate and walked over to Legolas, who was kneeling next to the stone tomb. Although empty of everything but a few trinkets from the family, the crypt remained a symbol of the Queen's reign and her presence was still felt. The crypt itself was sealed but an inscription was carved above the door; Nienna's name and a rest in peace. A large, beautifully carved stone sculpture stood on top, always kept in the best condition. Flowers, new and old, were laid in front of it and for the first time; Thranduil saw that Legolas was holding on to some of his own – white daisies, the same as he had chosen for her funeral.

Thranduil knelt down next to his son and put his hand on his shoulder, not saying anything but looking at the tomb with sad eyes. He had come here every week ever since she had died, with the exception of when he was away on business. He had never forced Legolas to come here and had never stopped him from doing so either.

"I had a dream that she was standing here, waiting for me to come," Legolas said after a moment, his voice barely audible. "I've never even been here before."

"It hasn't changed at all."

"You still come here?" Legolas asked, looking at the flowers Thranduil had laid out just days before. There was always a small, handwritten note with '_Nienna. Love Thranduil'_ written on it.

"Every week."

"She must hate me so much," Legolas whispered fiercely.

"Hate you?" Thranduil asked, looking at his son. "Your mother could never hate you. I know she would understand how hard this has been for you if she were here. And she would be so proud of how you have handled this."

Legolas shook his head. "I don't think so."

"She has been in your thoughts every single day since her death – for better or for worse. You don't have to come here to remember her."

"But I didn't remember her, Ada. I did everything I could to forget her," Legolas argued, tears falling from bright blue, tired eyes.

"You did what you had to in order to get through this. Nienna would have understood that. And she loved you, Legolas, and I know that if she was here she would still love you, despite everything that has happened. Don't you ever forget that."

Legolas nodded, tears falling steadily now, and placed his small bundle of flowers on the monument with all the others. He bowed his head, saying a quiet prayer and Thranduil respectfully did the same.

"You can't keep doing this to yourself, Legolas; torturing yourself for your mother's death is not going to bring her back or change what happened to you. You need to know that." Thranduil raised his hand and tucked Legolas' long hair behind his ear, causing the young Elf to look over at his father. "I am so proud of you; of how far you have come. You can't even begin to understand how proud you have made me." Legolas smiled at his father then hugged him tightly, his head resting on the king's chest as he tried to stop the tears falling. "Maybe one day you can forgive yourself for what happened." Legolas nodded and pulled back. "Now, I have a trade meeting and a council session to cancel."

"You don't have to do that, Ada. I can do it. I'll be fine, really," Legolas reassured, standing up and casting one last sad glance to the stone statue.

"I know I don't," Thranduil said, putting his arm over his son's shoulders. "But I thought we might have a picnic in the grounds, maybe practice some archery. I bet I can beat you this time."

"I wouldn't count on it," Legolas chuckled as they walked away.

"Oh no? What if I blindfolded you?"

"Still couldn't do it."

"Ah, I'm sure I could if I really tried…"

**OIOIOIOIOIOIOI**

"Can I sit?" Aragorn asked, startling Legolas from his thoughts. He hadn't even heard the man enter the room.

"Of course," Legolas offered a chair to the man, who sat down, smiling at the prince.

"I didn't mean to startle you," Aragorn apologised but Legolas waved it off. "What were you thinking about?" Legolas just glanced briefly at him, the look in his eyes telling him that he would not get an answer. "You've been spending a lot of time with your father this week."

"I know. I'm sorry, I haven't had much time lately," Legolas said.

"It's fine. I think it's a good thing. It was nice to see Jasmine and Arron again, I wouldn't mind going back for another visit, maybe getting to know her husband better." Aragorn was hinting and Legolas instantly picked up on this.

"You want to go back to Rohan?" Legolas asked, already knowing what the answer would be.

"I thought I might stop by when I return to Rivendell."

"You're going soon?"

"At the end of the week. I thought I would go with Ada a part of the way then meet him back home in a few weeks."

"A week? So soon? You're cutting it a little fine."

"I wasn't sure whether I should go just yet," Aragorn admitted, his eyes fixed on Legolas, who was staring blankly at the table.

"Why not?" Legolas asked curiously, his blue eyes now flicking up to his friend. Aragorn just looked at him and then Legolas knew the answer. "Because of me?" Aragorn nodded slowly, his eyes fixed on the prince, who looked more alert than Aragorn had seen him in a long time. "Tell me you haven't been staying in Mirkwood all this time because of me." Still Aragorn said nothing and Legolas knew that the answer was yes. "Estel, you don't need to protect me," Legolas laughed gently.

"Old habits die hard," Aragorn muttered without thinking but then realised what he had said. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean…"

"It's all right," Legolas stopped him before he could work himself into a hole he couldn't get out of. "Estel, I know that I haven't been around a lot during your stay and I certainly haven't been good company," Aragorn shook his head in protest but Legolas put his hand up to stop him from verbally protesting, "and I am sorry. I just want you to know how grateful I am for everything you've done for me. Ada and Elrond told me that you were around a lot whilst I was recovering and I never really thanked you properly."

"You don't need to thank me. I was glad to do it."

"Well, you didn't need to and I appreciate it."

Aragorn nodded and laid his hand on Legolas' arm. "I should thank you too."

Legolas laughed, the concept amusing him considering everything that Estel had done for him. "What for?"

"Getting those people convicted, locking them away for so long, for throwing your considerable political weight behind this. You didn't need to do that and it means a lot to me that you would fight for justice despite everything you went through. Especially seeing as I was so utterly useless throughout the whole thing."

"Estel, your testimony was invaluable. I couldn't have done it without you. And it was more my father and Elrond than me."

"No, I know you talked him into it. I couldn't do anything with this secrecy thing and…"

"Estel…"

"I'm just pleased you didn't ignore it. That you fought for it."

"You didn't honestly think that I would let them get away with it? What they did… They deserve everything they get." Aragorn nodded. "Anyway, let's just call it even now."

"Sounds good to me," Aragorn grinned. After a few moments of comfortable silence, he said, "So you don't mind me going home?"

"Of course I don't mind. You and Elrond have stayed here long enough, longer than you probably should have. Besides, you both have a kingdom to run and you can't keep doing that from Mirkwood," Legolas laughed and Aragorn nodded. "You should go home."

"All right." Aragorn stood up. "I'm going to bed; it's late."

"I'll see you tomorrow."

"Are you staying up?" Aragorn asked, a little surprised.

"For a while," Legolas smiled thinly. "Don't worry, Estel."

"I'm sorry. It's payback for all those 'Elrond' comments," he laughed and Legolas joined him. "It's good to see you happy again," Aragorn smiled. "Goodnight."

"Goodnight, Aragorn."

"Estel," the man corrected quickly and Legolas looked up at him in question. "You called me…You meant Estel."

Legolas nodded but said, "I meant Aragorn." Despite it feeling odd, someone using that name openly, Aragorn quite liked it and smiled gently down at Legolas in thanks. "Goodnight," Legolas called as Aragorn left and for the first time his friend sounded like how he used to and everything was beginning to look up.

Thranduil, who had been waiting outside, knocked gently on the door and sat down next to his son. Legolas was obviously a little shocked that his father might have overheard Estel's secret. He still didn't know that Thranduil knew the truth. "How much did you…?" he asked, not wanting to inadvertently give anything away.

The king waved away Legolas' concerns though. "I just got here," he reassured. "What did Estel want?"

"Oh, he's returning to Rivendell next week," Legolas said, downing the remainder of his tea.

"Are you all right with that?"

"Why wouldn't I be? He has to go home some time," Legolas said.

"I know. Maybe you want to go with him, spend a little time in Imladris? We can spare you for a few weeks. Have a holiday?" the king suggested.

Legolas smiled weakly. "Thank you but I don't think I could…you know. It's a long way and I think I should give the travelling a break for a while," he answered in almost embarrassment.

"You're right, of course. You should rest. That's what's important." Thranduil took his son's hand in his own. "You're doing really well with all this, you know? I know sometimes it doesn't feel like it but you are," he said gently, squeezing his hand. Legolas directed his gaze to the table, not wanting to make eye contact with his father. "I mean it, Legolas, I am really proud of you."

Legolas smiled gently then looked up, tears shining in his eyes. "I'm…I'm going to bed; it's late," he said, standing up slowly, his father mirroring the action.

"Goodnight, ion nin." Legolas just smiled at him, not trusting his voice to be steady enough.

Legolas went straight to his room, locking the door behind him so he wouldn't be disturbed. He lay down on the bed, falling asleep without even undressing. The room was dark enough so he couldn't see the shape hiding on the balcony, looking into the room to catch one more glimpse of the person who had destroyed his life.

**THE END **

**A/N: Thank you so much to everyone who has read this story. And to everyone who has reviewed and added me to their favourite/alert lists. I hope you all enjoyed the journey and I look forward to seeing you all soon for my next story: 'As You Were'.**

**Please review and let me know what you think for one last time for Sold Into Ruin. Thank you.**


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