With Hope and Without Hope

Chapter 41: A Meal

The prickling sensation that crept into Legolas's hands startled him. It had been long since he had felt them. As his fingers awoke, pain followed the tingling. Pain was less alarming. He had grown accustomed to pain. His arms felt strange, as if bent unnaturally. He thought he felt hard stone beneath him. That would mean he was off his chains. It seemed ages since last the orcs had taken Legolas down for their recreation, but he did not trust his sense of time.

Suddenly, he was swung up in the air as something pressed around his arms. A rancid smell signaled an orc was near. Cracking open an eyelid confirmed it. Even with bleary sight, he knew an orc.

Legolas realized the orc was speaking. Did the orc speak to him? The orcs enjoyed offering details of their plans for him. Yes, more plans. He closed his eyes.

"I'm looking forward to doing what I want, now that Saruman has gone..."

Saruman has gone? If Saruman had left, then what of the others? Gimli did not seem to be nearby. And Aragorn? Merry? Pippin? Were they yet in the Tower, or was he the only one left to the whims of these creatures? Only Saruman's word had spared his life and kept the orcs from doing their worst, for why would Saruman need him if he could not talk? Now, if this orc spoke truly, the orcs could do as they would. And they would. For as long as they wished, as long as he endured. Legolas felt a shiver of the fear he had until now deeply buried.

The orc sniffed deeply, then chortled loudly as he called to another orc. "You smell that? Smell him!" Legolas forbade himself to pull away as the second orc closed in and inhaled. "Hand over your payments, boys! That's the scent of fear!"

The second orc looked at the first suspiciously. "What you do to him?"

"Hah! You think I'm gonna give away my secrets!"

The second orc frowned, but then offered a toothy grin. "All bets are off, now."

"Except for the one I won!" He called to more orcs and goblins, all the while holding Legolas up by one arm like a prize he wished to show off. Legolas willed himself still, trying to calm the tendrils of panic rising within him. The orc barked at him suddenly. "Open your eyes!"

"Don't tell him to do that! I hate it when they look at you." The second orc reduced his voice to a whisper. "They give you that evil eye—" now he turned to Legolas "—but soon you'll have no eyes to look with!"

Legolas shuddered. Now more clear-headed, he realized his situation was a truly dangerous one. He ached from the tips of his ears to his toes; his limbs trembled from lack of water and food. Among his many bruises were wounds that still bled; and the pain he felt when he breathed told him he had more injuries than he could see. He was in no state to make an escape, even if he could find one.

And escape he needed. Cuffs yet bound his wrists, so the orcs could chain him to a wall once more, but that might prove pointless. The orc that held Legolas was surrounded by enough of his own kind to keep him just where they wanted him.

But there had been more of them. Saruman had truly left and taken his orcs with him. These must be the remnants of the horde. The wizard had left him to these beasts in this rock of shadow and flame.

The orcs spoke of no others, and he wondered if Saruman had taken Gimli with him. Legolas could not remember when he last had seen the dwarf. Perhaps Gimli had been pushed beyond his incredible endurance. A new pang of fear clenched Legolas's heart.

I am alone with these beasts. Filled with dread, he tried to gather his strength and his courage but found he had little of the former, which threatened to deplete what he had of the latter. If only Gimli were by his side. The dwarf's presence would give him the will to persevere. Now Legolas singly faced an army of orcs hungry for sport. And he was the game.