Bright Like a Star

Bad news and more bad news.... I want to appologize to everyone who has been waiting patiently for this chapter, unfortunately, a lot of things have been going on in my life that are completely out of my control and that have prevented me from either writing or posting anything. More bad news comes in the form of me leaving the country for the next three and a half months, durring which time I will have no access to a computer. Obviously, durring this time, I will not be posting anything, and for this wait, I am very sorry.
As far as good news is concerned, I do intend on finishing this story (however long it may take), and, depending on the response I get from this chapter, I might be able to get a next chapter out before I leave. Thanks goes to all of your support and patience, and hopefully, the long waits will all be worth it.
~Stargazer


Chapter 9: Revelations Part 2


The three of them quickly made their way into the corridor, all thoughts of Legolas’ illness far from their mind at the thought of danger. Aragorn’s fingers subconsciously made their way to his belt to feel for Anduril, and he brought the flame of the west to bear. There was no one in their corridor, but the sounds of screaming and the clashing of swords could be heard from nearby.

“Legolas, get back into the room!” Aragorn ordered, his voice firm and distant as he prepared himself for battle.

“No,” came a soft reply, “If you fight, I shall stay at your side.”

“Aragorn cast a dark look at his lover before speaking again, “You are unarmed and ill, I will not have you fighting.”

“I am afraid that he is right, prince,” Gandalf spoke as he brought his staff out protectively in front of him, “If you were to fight, you would not simply be risking your own life, but the life of your unborn child as well.”

“Chi…what?”

“You bear within your womb a child, my fair prince.”

“How is this possible?” Aragorn gasped, but before any answer could be forthcoming, the fight was upon them, masked warriors flashing wicked looking weapons in their direction.

“Go!” the man hissed, flashing his lover a quick look, and without a backward glance, Legolas fled back into the safety of Gandalf’s quarters.

Once within the relative safety of the old Wizard’s rooms, Legolas instantly went in search of a weapon of some sort, and it was with a great amount of relief that Legolas finally found a set of long knives among Gandalf’s various possessions. The elf held the blades close to his stomach in a protective manner, as he pondered the thought of a child growing within him and how it was even possible. So caught up in his thoughts was he, that he didn’t hear the sound of the door opening, and it was only until the group of men fully entered the room, that he realized the danger he was in.

“Well well well,” the man said condescendingly, “Lolikelike we caught ourselves the little elf whore who caught the king’s eye.” Legolas slowly backed away from the advancing groups, blades held menacingly before him,

“Come no closer, man,” he hissed, his eyes flickering with deadly intent, unfortunately, his nausea chose that moment to return to him, and with a shuddering mot he he fell to his knees and retched. The men used to opportunity to subdue himd wid within mere seconds, his weapons were gone, and he was bound by several thick pieces of rope. Fear swept through Legolas’ very being at the thought of being at the men’s mercy, especially in the condition he was in.

“What’s this, an elf getting’ sick,” the man sneered as he delivered a brutal kick to the elf’s delicate stomach. Legolas flinched at the blow, and immediately moved to protect his stomach, so he was grateful when the leader of the group instantly rebuked his man.

“Don’t hurt the elf too much, the master wants him unspoiled.” The man sneered at the fair haired elf upon the ground, before pulling from his pocket a long piece of leather with a ball stitched in its center and a rusted metal buckled on either end. Legolas’ eyes widened as the gag was brought close to his face, and he defiantly pursed his lips. “Uh uh uh, none of that pretty one,” the man said in a falsely sweet voice, “You open that perfect little mouth of yours, or I will open it for ya, and you want like that.” Even with the warning ringing within his ears, the elf prince only pressed his lips tighter together. With a sigh that would have seemed almost regretful if it were not for the sadistic gleam in his eyes, the man grasped him between the legs and squeezed until the elf let out a strangled gasp that allowed the ball gag to slip between his lips and force his jaw painfully apart. “Told ya so pretty elf.” Legolas just glared balefully at him, hoping that Aragorn would come quickly and end this retched man’s life. “Now, pretty, lets get you outta here,” with this new declaration, the man revealed yet another piece of leather, this one was wider than the gag and a silver ring was stitched into it, from which hung a loose piece of rope. The collar was quickly clasped about his throat, several strands of his hair making their way painfully within the clasp. The collar itself forced his head back at a painful angle to accommodate the gag within his mouth, and Legolas could not help a muffled cry of pain and frustration at the situation.

Finally, the man seemed satisfied, and Legolas was pulled harshly to his feet, and forced to stumble along behind the man, who kept a tyrannical hold on the rope leash. As he was pulleong,ong, he sent desperate thoughts out to his beloved, praying for some sort of escape from his cruel captors, if not for him, then for the child within his womb.


~~~~~


Aragorn ran quickly to Gandalf’s rooms, an unexplainable sense of panic and urgency pushing him faster than he thought possible. When he saw the shattered door to the old wizard’s rooms, a great fear clenched his heart, and he knew. Legolas was gone, only a single strand golden hair upon the carpet marking his passage. A great keening cry slid from the man’s lips, he was not sure he could survive without his beloved, especially since they had only recently been reunited.

“Easy, my friend, we shall find him yet,” came Gandalf’s soothing voice from behind him.

“I have already lost him once, but now, it is not just Legolas I stand to loose, but our child as well.”

“Yes, I know, but I know in my heart that all shall turn out well in the end, do not fear my friend. Now, your people are in great need of their king.”
Aragorn closed his eyes, as his heart was closing as well. “Yes, there is much that must be attended too,” he whispered, walking from the room with a strand of golden hair clenched within his grasp like a lifeline.


~~~~~


Legolas regained consciousness slowly, his body slow to heed his commands, though, as he found out, this was partly do to the iron shackles about his extremities. He slowly managed to get his body into a sitting position, his back pressed to a chill wall, and he shivered. As an elf, he was unused to feeling the cold, and he suspected his pregnancy had to do with this sudden awareness of temperature. The room that he was in was small with barely enough room for him to lay fully stretched out, and only a sliver of light made it into the room where it slipped stealthily in from a grated window high above him. Sighing, las las pulled his knees close to his chest, and began to sing a soft melody that he vaguely remembered someone singing to him when he was very young.

“I remember when mother used to sing that song to you,” a cold grating voice hissed close to Legolas ear, “You were so fragile then.” Legolas eyes widened when a figure stepped from seemingly nowhere, and it was all he could do to stifle the scream that threatened to spill forth from his very soul.