Dabbles In Ink: Lord Of The Rings One-Shots

In A Foul Place

FYI: This one contains violence/angst.

He had told his unit to run. To flee while they had the chance and they did as he commanded as they believed him to be right behind them. But that was not so, and the days of torment wore on. The Prince of Mirkwood began to doubt that he was ever going to escape that foul place...

He had been leading a unit of elves in the task of hunting down a group of Orcs as they fled to the fortress of Dul Guldur. These Orcs had raided and killed several of the Silvan villages of the forest and Legolas was determined to make them pay.

For weeks the elven company tracked the band of Orcs with no sight of them save for the destruction they left behind. Legolas' hatred for the ones they hunted grew at the sight of what they did to their forest. Many of the trees had been hacked into needlessly, leaving the trees that once stood tall and proud, moaning in agony as they approached their foreseeable ends.

Legolas, nor any who were with him, could do not for the trees, so they kept on, vowing not to stop until the job was completed.

Then, finally after many days of traveling further and further away from home, they spotted those whom they so desperately sought.

From his place in the trees, Legolas could see their camp. Thirty or so Orcs gathered around a blazing fire, paying no heed to the threat in the boughs above.

With a wave of a hand, arrows poured out of the trees onto the unsuspecting victims. Many fell dead while the others search vainly for the attackers.

Legolas gave the signal again and another volley ripped through the servants of the dark lord.

The elves then jumped from their hiding place, drawing their swords as their feet lightly touched the ground and finishing off the remaining Orcs.

"Gather the bodies and burn them." The Prince commanded when the last of them had met their end. The warriors obeyed their commander quickly and without complaint. They would enjoy setting flame to the bodies that caused so much hurt in their home.

But in their haste, they failed to notice the dark presents that had settled on the air. It became stiff, and the wildlife refused to utter a sound.

The Prince looked up from his task and noted the difference in the atmosphere too late as Orcs had started to close in on all sides. He drew his weapons and bid his ellyn do the same.

How the darkness had gone unnoticed, Legolas never knew. But he did know their situation was dire as arrows started to rain down about them, felling many of his comrades.

He ordered a charge and they marched into the enemies force, swords drawn and ready for the first creature that came within reach.

But they were sorely outnumbered.

There were few left now, including the Prince. He turned to the remaining few and ordered them to flee, promising them he would follow closely behind. The ellyn had been reluctant, but did as they were commanded, climbing the trees and using their branches as a path way.

Legolas climbed up behind them only to be met with searing pain in his shoulder and he lost his grip on the branch that he held too. He landed hard on the ground, clutching at the bleeding wound. But he had not the time to ponder it as he was jerked to his feet by the leader of the foul group.

"Looks like we will have some fun today boys!" The leader's shouts were met with a chorus of cheers as Legolas was thrown to the center of the gathering.

But the Prince was more of a fighter then they bargained for.

He leaped to his feet with the grace of the Eldar and drew a dagger he kept hidden in his leather armor. He killed all those who came close enough, stabbing and slicing them with no mercy. Soon, some began to shriek back, not wanting to meet their end at the hands of this warrior elf.

The leader shouted something in the black speech of these spawns of Morgoth, and Legolas felt something hit him and he staggered back.

His hand went to his chest and he felt liquid on his fingers. He looked at his hand and saw what he feared he would, blood. A flame seemed to have been lit in his chest as he stared at the red on his pale fingers. The flame turned into a roaring fire and he struggled to draw breath. He sunk to his knees, unable to extinguish the pain that had now spread to his limbs.

The Orcs cheered at the elf's inability to stay upright, but the commotion was dim in the ears of the elf, as he gasped desperately for breath that seemed to bring more and more pain with each passing moment. His head spun and his vision began to fail him as he slipped to the ground. A moment passed... and he knew not more.

When he woke, all was dark. To the point that he was not certain that he was awake at all. But as he lay there on the cold stone floor, he felt the heat rising in his body as fever was no doubt taking hold in him. A groan escaped his parted lips as the throbbing flared in his chest and shoulder.

He knew neither where he was nor if he should be afraid of being there. His mind was clouded. All he knew was the agony that had taken hold of him, rendering him helpless. He worked to push away the fog that disoriented his thoughts. Slowly he started to remember what happened. Was there something in the arrows? He could not answer his own question as the fire seemed to burn hotter within him and the fog swept over his mind and he had not the strength to fight it.

How many days passed, he knew not as he never saw the passing of the sun. He was left alone in what he discovered was a cell, lined with iron bars on all four sides. The only time he wasn't left there was when the Orcs came to pay what they called a visit.

Legolas doubted he would ever be able to hear that word said again without pain shooting through him. For that is what that word ment to him now. Pain. Pain like he had previously never known, without any hope of escape. Knives, wipes, fire, hot iron, all things used to make the elf wish he could cease to exist. To escape from the darkness that threaten to encase his light, swallow it, leaving nothing but the shell of what once was.

It nearly won.

The Orcs dropped the Prince in his cell once again with a laugh and a promise to come again. Legolas uttered no reply as he lay on the floor unable to move for the pain that would undoubtedly double should he do so. He lay still with his eyes screwed shut, trying to block out the world around him. Why had no one come for him? Did they care? Would his father come for him? Is it worth suffering the torments in hope that he will be rescued? Is it time to give in? The last one seemed to ring in his mind as he let his body relax on the cold ground.

Something pulled him from oblivion and he listened... It was a voice he realised and he tried to shut himself off from it. It would only bring more torment. He fought it off until he had no more strength and his walls came crashing down,

And there was a light...

And the voice...

The voice not like the ones he had heard cheering at his suffering. No, this voice was different... He knew it... Legolas gather the last of his strength and listened to the voice that seemed to call to him.

"Legolas, you must awake. Saes, do not give in to the darkness. I need you."

Legolas felt the darkness fall way as he listened. He recognised the voice and forced his eyes open. The light blinded him and he blinked as they adjusted. He could make out someone standing over him, he could not clearly see whom it was and he startled.

A gentle hand on his shoulder kept him from moving away and he stared at the one who held him as his vision finally cleared.

"Ada?" He croaked in his native tongue.

"Yes, it is me ion nin. You need not be afraid, for you are safe now. We are home and no more harm will come to you."

"How long was I gone?"

The elven King sighed. "That is not important right now. Go back to sleep, you have yet to recover your strength."

The Prince relaxed slightly, staring up at the ceiling. But before he fell asleep, he lifted his hand, and Thranduil took it gently into his own as his only son fell into a deep sleep, unaware of the nightmares that awaited him.

So, hehe. I have no idea where all that came from... I wrote it in one sitting and it just sort of happened. I had little control over it. Hehe *Looks around nervously*