Breaking the Barriers

They took off towards the fields of the Coldfells. Estel wanted to learn all he could from Halbarad if he was to become chief of the Dúnedain so he kept by his side and watched. Halbarad asked Glorfindel and Haldir to take some of the men to scout out ahead.

A few hours later the scouts returned, leading two rider-less horses. Several men were injured. Estel immediately grabbed his pack of healing remedies and began to tend the wounded.

Halbarad arrived by Estel’s side and couldn’t believe his eyes. He watched the young man tend to the wounded and wondered where he had learned this.

Halbarad watched as Estel tended the wounded. “I did not know you were a healer as well.” But he remembered his teachings and knew that truly, Estel was the rightful king.

“You will need all the help you can get. These men will have to be restored to health before they can go out to fight again. Besides, I was taught how to do this by my Adar. He knew about my heritage and thought it would be good for me to learn. Right now I need to tend to these rangers.” Estel spoke quietly as he tended the wounded, accepting a bandage from Legolas. “Adar taught me how to heal. I am glad to help.”

Some of the men were covered in blood, their own, and that of Orcs. The majority of it was black which meant that they had killed their target.

Halbarad ordered the men to make camp and post guards while he conferred with Glorfindel and Haldir. Estel had done what he could for the rangers. He and Legolas sat near the fire, and gratefully accepted bowls of stew from one of the men.

Once they had finished eating, Estel and Legolas turned to gaze at each other. The Elf patted the ground in front of him and Estel moved to sit between the legs of his lover, leaning into Legolas’ embrace. He could not help but notice that some of the men were watching them. He did not care.

Legolas leaned over, placed a kiss on his neck and told him in a whisper, “They can be jealous all they want. They will never get you.” He placed another kiss on his neck and Estel looked up into his eyes.

He gave the elf a wink and Legolas kissed his mouth softly. Estel turned his head back to the fire, gathered his love’s hands into his and kissed each finger. When they were telling the truth to each other, they felt a new rejuvenation enter them. It was feeding the strength they had for one another which calmed them.

From across the fire Glorfindel and Haldir were the only ones to notice the light that glowed brightly between the lovers. They smiled as Estel and Legolas got up and made their way to their bedding.

The two lovers decided to get some rest. Resting was the only way to keep up their strength for the days to come. They headed to their bedding and laid down next to one another, each had their cloaks on. Estel gathered Legolas up into his arms and cradled the Elf through the night. He had a sense of foreboding that he could not shake.

Little did either of them know that danger was just within their grasp.

The next morning they broke camp. Halbarad sent scouts ahead again, the others following behind. There was no sign of any danger, but Estel could feel it somehow. He couldn’t describe it but something was eating away at him in his gut so he pushed it aside for now.

Many hours later, they stopped to rest the horses.

Estel had stayed with Halbarad during their patrol talking and learning of the land. He didn't realize that Legolas had fallen back to the back of the patrol.

Something had caught Legolas’ eye and he went to investigate it. The brush was too thick so he climbed a beech tree and heard a distinct sound coming from afar. Jumping from tree to tree, he noticed a band of orcs coming down from the mountains. Legolas had to get back to the others and warn them. That was when he made the mistake of slipping from the branch that was wet from the dew of the morning. He walked across it, slipped and landed flat on his back. The orcs came upon him, taking him captive. He tried to call out but before he could he was knocked over the head from behind and passed out. He did not even have time to send Estel a message with his mind.

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Estel had been talking with Glorfindel when he felt again that something was wrong. Turning in his saddle, he could not see Legolas anywhere.

“Glorfindel, have you seen Legolas?” Estel asked.

“The last time I saw him he was at the back.” Glorfindel replied.

“Is something the matter?” Halbarad asked.

“Have you seen Legolas, Halbarad?” Glorfindel inquired.

Halbarad realized he had not seen Legolas for some time. He scanned his eyes over the men. The Elf was not among them.

“No. I have not seen him.”

“We must find him!” Estel shouted. “I fear something has happened to him. I can feel it here!” He pounded his chest over his heart which felt of pain.

“Estel, we just can’t run around looking for Legolas. These lands are filled with orcs.” Glorfindel was trying to reassure the young man that they would find him.

“Estel, we will find Legolas.” Halbarad saw the scared look in his chieftain's eyes. “We have never failed before. We will go towards the mountains. This will be a great opportunity for you to learn how to track.”

Estel sounds like a baby here. How about: “We must find Legolas. I know something is wrong.” Estel was frightened, more frightened than he had ever been. He could not think of losing Legolas. Suddenly he felt a pain on the back of his head. He felt it gingerly.

Glorfindel saw the reaction of Estel and watched the man's hand reach around the back of his head.

"What's the matter, Estel?" Glorfindel asked.

"My love has been hit on the back of the head. I can feel his pain." Estel stared at Glorfindel and a thought hit him.

“We’ll get him back. Don’t worry. See if you can find him with your bond.” Glorfindel was getting Estel to do something so that he could try and relax him.

//My love are you there?// Estel waited and listened then tried again. //My love, where are you? Come back to me! I need to hear your voice!// He glared at Glorfindel. “He’s not here. Something has happened to him. I can feel it.”

Glorfindel saw Estel pale, saw the tears on the man’s face, and how he wiped them away. The warrior Elf dismounted then helped Estel from his mount and gathered him in his arms.

Estel went into Glorfindel’s arms and place his arms around his mentor. Feeling a bit more calm on the surface, Estel turned to look at Halbarad.

He turned to Glorfindel. “I can feel him. He’s close by but something is strange about it.” He closed his eyes and tried to talk to Legolas again.

//Meleth, can you hear me?// Nothing came. He tried again. Then he sensed it.

//I’m here. I feel dizzy. I can feel the sun on my back and I can see the mountains before me. My head hurts.// Then there was nothing.

That was all he could hear. Shaking his head, he looked from Glorfindel to Haldir and then to Halbarad. “He's alive. He feels like he's being dragged towards the mountains. He said his head hurts.”

Halbarad had seen the look on Estel’s face. He knew the young man was communicating with his mind. Halbarad had heard stories of some of the Dunedain’s ability to do this. It confirmed in his mind that Estel was indeed one of them.

“Alright, men we have a job to do," Halbarad shouted orders to the Dunedain. “We have an elf to find. He’s possibly being taken to the mountains. Fan out and track him.” Everyone remounted and began backtracking the way they had come.

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Legolas could feel himself being pulled from the back of a horse. He opened his eyes to the blinding light of the sun and he closed them. The air smelled of foul water and mustiness. The elf was aware of his surroundings as he was dragged into a cave. It wasn't long before he felt his hands being raised above his head and a wall at his back. Hearing the clink of metal, he realized that he was being clamped in irons. His tunic was ripped from his body(,) exposing his skin. He heard voices in the room and understood they were his captors. Legolas did not want his captors to know that he was awake so he listened.

“I hope that I get to play with him first,” one voice said.

“But I will have him first.” said another voice. This voice had quite a bit of power behind it, something with authority. “For now I want him healed, so that I can start the process. It would make it better when his body and mind are both in good condition.”

“Yes master,” the other voices said in unison.

It was then that he felt a finger under his chin and his head was brought up. Legolas felt the wall behind his head and he felt a little pain but he didn‘t let it show on his face.

The being before him hooked his finger under the chin of his newest prisoner. He wanted to look into the face of this elf. He grinned in satisfaction. He loved the sight that was before his eyes. He had the Prince of Mirkwood in one of his lairs! This pleased him very much for he thiught this elf was impossible to catch. He released the elf’s chin, and his head fell forward. He smirked that once the Prince of Mirkwood had been turned into an orc, he would make a formicable commander.

Turning to the guards at the door, he said, “I want no one in here is that understood? I will be back later to see if he’s awake.”

Hearing his captor leave the room with the two guards, Legolas opened his eyes and took in his surroundings. Legolas had a hard time trying to focus when his head throbbed at the back. He wanted to wretch but something told him that he would need his strength, so he calmed himself by taking deep breaths. Looking around the room with his elven eyes, he made out a torch light, hanging off the wall but it did not give off much light. The room he was in looked like a torture chamber. There was a table with ropes and a set of shackles upon it. On the floor, other devices came into view especially one device: a rod with what looked like small maces on the end of each chain. Hanging on the wall were three different types of whips: one had leather ends tied with knots, another was plain but the one that made him gasp was the last one. It had small flat pieces of metal on the end. Legolas had hoped that his captives would not use that one for he feared it.

In his youth, he had heard stories of Melkor using things to alter elves into orcs. He had noticed that one of the ropes on the table was made of hithlian. He would surely fade if they tortured him. Then he understood that could not happen. If he died then his love would die. He would not let that happen. Legolas had to get out of there. He was tired from the hit on the head and decided to go into a healing sleep.

Through the night, Legolas slept in his healing sleep. Then it happened. A pull on his soul. He woke with a start. 'What's happening to me?' he thought. The elf could feel his life force being pulled from his body but never leaving. It left him weak but didn't go any further. Then he knew what was happening. Without Estel at his side, their bond was stretching to the point until only a thread kept him alive. He needed to get out of here. With him being too weak, Legolas went back into a healing sleep to conserve his energy.

He did not know how long he was in this room but his arms were getting sore from the hanging. He groaned under the weight of his body then felt someone was standing at the entrance to the room.

He looked up and saw a figure but the single torch was not enough to see what it was that had taken up the doorway. He shook his head trying to clear it and with his elven eyes he saw the hideous creature.

“Well, well, well look what we have here. The Prince of Mirkwood himself is in my grasp. King Thranduil would not be pleased that I have his son as my prisoner,” the figure said, walking around the table slowly. “This is a rare thing.” He walked up to the elf and ran a finger under his chin. “Such perfect skin to be marred by my hands.” He ran his hand down the throat and then the chest of the elf, feeling the smoothness. In the dimness of the light, he did not see the color.

Legolas recoiled at the stench of the being’s breath. It made him think of death. He didn’t know who was before him because he had never seen him before.

“We are going to have to take special care of you. I want the process to take hold before your companions find you.” The figure moved to the door and disappeared.

Legolas could hear voices off in the caves. He couldn’t keep his eyes open anymore and passed out.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

That night when they decided to set up camp, Estel felt unwell. He sat by the fire and slumped over. 'What was happening to him?' he thought.

At the same time, Glorfindel watched as Estel sat down and slumped over. Going over to him, he noticed that Estel's light was waning. He gathered the young man into his arms to support him

"What's the matter, Estel?" Glorfindel asked.

"I don't know. I think our bonding has been stretched to the limit. You talked about this sometime back about us being apart." Estel felt weak and had no energy.

Glorfindel noticed this change in Estel and tried to soothe him. He could feel the tension in his body.

“Estel, you need some sleep. You will have to keep up your strength as much as possible until we find Legolas.” Glorfindel brought up his chin and looked into Estel’s eyes. He could see the light dimming in his student's eyes. The seneschal watched as tears welled up in his eyes and flowed over.

Estel’s tears flowed over onto his cheeks. He couldn’t hold out any longer. He placed his head on Glorfindel’s shoulders and cried.

“Come with me. You can rest with me tonight. I will give you some of my energy to help you sleep. It should be enough for you to get through until we find Legolas.” Glorfindel got up pulling Estel with him and lay down on the blanket with Estel draped across his chest.

Just being beside someone who cared was enough. It didn’t take long for Estel to close his eyes.

“Go to that place where you feel safe. Maybe your love is there waiting for you.” The Eldar was soothing Estel with his hand brushing up and down his back. He could feel the young man grow calm. He placed a kiss on the forehead and watched as Estel fell asleep.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Estel arrived in the field but his love is nowhere to be found. The blanket was there but no Legolas. Maybe he couldn’t get here, he thought. But then maybe something happened to him that made him forget about this place.

“My love,” Estel shouts. But he receives no word, only an echo of his own voice.

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Estel woke up with a start. “My love.” Estel shouted as he sat up.

Glorfindel was not fully asleep when he felt Estel move.

“What is it, my friend?”

“”I can’t find him,” Estel said turning his head towards Glorfindel. “He’s not there.”

“We will find him, meldir. I promise you.” He gathered Estel into his arms and held him with great love. He would make sure that Estel was with Legolas before the week was out. Glorfindel made this promise to himself.

For the next few days, Halbarad was having trouble locating Legolas. This was the most difficult time they were having tracking someone. He knew that the Mirkwood elves were experts at keeping their tracks hidden from the enemy. The orcs took him, made it look like he never existed in this world.

“Whoever did this doesn’t want him found, but we will. I have never lost anyone I’ve tracked. We will keep looking. I won’t give up.” Halbarad noticed that some tracks went in other directions. He ordered men to follow those.

“I don’t need promises!” Estel stated. He saw that the tracks went in all directions. It was hopeless.

Glorifindel saw that Estel was frantic. The warrior elf wanted to help Estel but at first nothing occurred to him. Then a thought occurred to him, and he smiled. He went to Estel.

Glorfindel grabbed the future king by the shoulders. “Estel, you will be no good to Legolas if you don’t calm down. The Dunedain will not give up. There is still hope. You are hope, remember,” the elf added, gathering Estel into his arms and pressing a reassuring kiss to the young man’s forehead.”

Estel knew what Glorfindel was trying to say. Hope, yes, that was what his name meant. He would not lose hope now. “Glorfindel, how am I supposed to live without him, even for a short time? I will go mad before that happens. He is my world.”

Glorfindel held Estel away from him and looked into his eyes. “I will do everything in my power to find him. All of us will.”

Halbarad walked over to stand beside Estel and Glorfindel. “I think we all need to calm down. We will make camp and regain our senses. Something about all this makes me think that something else is involved in this.” He looked at Glorfindel with a gesture of his head.

“Haldir, could you look after Estel for a bit?” Glorfindel asked.

During this time, Haldir was silent. He could not comprehend what had happened to the Prince of Mirkwood. This was so unlike Legolas to go off by himself. He would never do anything rash and put the company in danger like this. Many things were going through his mind until he heard Glorfindel say his name.

Haldir walked over to take the place of the seneschal’s. He took Estel into his arms and tried calming him down by rubbing his back.

“I will look after him.” Haldir nodded to Glorfindel. “Estel, come with me. I will make you a calming tea to regain your senses.”

Haldir noticed that the rest of the rangers were setting up camp. He could feel the tension in the air. This was so unlike the rangers to have something bother them.

Glorfindel and Halbarad walked a distance so that Estel could not overhear what was being said.

“Glorfindel, I think someone else is mixed up in this farce. This is not only the work of orcs but of something more terrible.”

"You think it is Sauron? We have not had word on him in a long time. Some say he is rebuilding Barad dur. He would have to be in two places at once.” Glorfindel thought for a moment. “Perhaps it is another, the witch-king of Angmar. He would order something like this and be here to make sure it was carried out to his satisfaction. I battled him at Fornost, as did your ancestor, Earnur. He cannot be killed by the hand of man.”

“I remember hearing stories about him from my teachings. He would be the only one to have the courage to kidnap Legolas.” Halbarad said. "Let’s keep this to ourselves for now. We need to be sure that it is him so that we can make a plan on how to get Legolas out of there before he does any damage to Legolas.”

“What are you two talking about?” Estel walked up behind them.

Both the elf and Dúnadan jumped when Estel approached them. They were so lost in thought that neither of them heard the man approach.

“We were discussing how to break up our men to cover more ground.” Glorfindel said.

“We should get some rest so that we can make a new attempt tomorrow at finding Legolas.” Halbarad said this specifically to Estel. “We will never give up hope. That is one thing the Dúnedain have had since the telling of our stories. That is what your name means, is it not?”

Estel looked at the older Dunadan and nodded. He felt calmer. Everyone here was looking out for him and trying to find Legolas. He could feel it all around him—Hope.

*****

tbc