Note: None of these are my characters! This fic has A/L SLASH in it eventually! This is the sort-of sequel to `The First Meeting'. Read that story first if this one confusing. This fic begins with ending chapters of TFM, but some things were changed in them. Aragorn is half Elven and immortal, so it does not follow the LOTR traditional storyline.
Summary: A war broke out in Mirkwood between the elves and foul creatures of Saruman's creation. Legolas and Aragorn were brought together since the time they were young children (before the war) in hopes that the two could become friends and promote peace between men and elves. When the war started, Aragorn and Legolas rarely saw each other, for Legolas was prevented from leaving Mirkwood by his father and was needed as he grew older to defend the Elven kingdom.
The Unknown Kidnappers
Part 1
It was a dark and stormy night. Dark clouds loomed overhead, as thunder cracked, with violent gusts of wind and lightning. Rain poured down upon all who where in the forest without shelter. It was relentless against a single, solitary elf, who wandered around silently.
Legolas Greenleaf patrolled the woods, searching to see if any of the leftover creatures that Sauron had commanded were still inside his father's kingdom. Rain poured down on him, as he continued his sweep. Legolas wore dark clothes, and blended in with the darkness from the storm. His blond hair was plastered down with the rain, as thunder cracked overhead. Legolas wished that he had worn his cloak, for the howling wind was making him shiver in his drenched clothes, as the Elven prince searched to see if the foul creatures had dared to return. He occasionally heard other Elvish whistles, as Haldir of `Lorien and some other elves did their patrols as well. Each covered a different part of the forest, to ensure the safety of the Elven kingdom of Mirkwood.
Legolas kept his sharp ears open, and faintly heard the sound of horses approaching. The graceful blond elf quickly leapt onto a branch above the road, and watched carefully. His green eyes were narrowed, as he waited to get a good look at who was coming. If it was Orcs, they were going to be in for a nasty shock, the prince thought grimly.
A figure in a cloak with a hood rode a chestnut-colored horse ahead of another rider, who wore a similar cloak. The Elven prince knew that no visitors were expected this night, so he drew his short sword and prepared himself. As the first rider passed under the branch, Legolas sprang down and tackled the first figure he'd seen to the ground. In a single movement, he had drawn his short sword and had it at the person's throat.
`Who are you and what are you doing in Mirkwood?' Legolas questioned, using the Elvish tongue. The figure surprised him by turning the tables on him. He managed to knock the sword away from his throat and pinned the elf, drawing his own sword and pricking his throat. Legolas used his hands to shove the figure off him, and pinned the arm with the dagger down. He touched his sword to the person's throat again. The elf looked up when he heard the other rider charging towards him.
`Halt or I will slay this one!' Legolas said in Elvish. He briefly glanced up, before turning to the figure who lay on the ground. A human, the elf realized in astonishment. What was a human doing this far in Mirkwood's borders? And how had the other patrols not seen him sooner?
Elladan froze, for it was Aragorn that Legolas had pinned to the ground. But Aragorn took advantage of Legolas's distraction and knocked the elf to the ground again. This time, he twisted the elf's arm behind his back and pressed his dagger against the elf's throat once more. Legolas struggled and lashed out with his feet, knocking the other off balance. He attempted to force the other back to the ground, but Aragorn kicked the sword out of his hand. The grip on his arm grew worse, and Legolas had to bite back a cry of pain, as his arm was twisted further.
Legolas was jerked to a standing position, with the figure behind him keeping a firm grip on his arm. His pulse beat wildly, as the knife nicked part of his skin. The darkness made it impossible for even Legolas to see more than a few centimeters in front of him. Neither of them recognized the other.
"Do not struggle again," Aragorn hissed in the elf's ears. "Bring some rope to bind him, for we need to question." He looked at Elladan as he spoke, before turning his gaze back at the elf in his arms.
Legolas wondered why the voice sounded familiar to him, as he twisted and fought against the impossibly strong grip of the human who held him tightly. This human was too strong for the elf, which confused him. Legolas could usually best any human. Why was this one any different, he wondered. `May I know the name of the one who holds me prisoner?' he asked after Aragorn repeated his earlier warning, forcing the elf's head back. Legolas stopped his struggles, at least for now, as his throat was bared and he felt the blade pressing on it. He tensed as he stood motionless.
`You may. My name is Strider,' the figure said in the fluent Elvish tongue.
`You speak Elvish?' Legolas questioned. `But you are no elf.' He didn't understand this. First the human was much stronger than most humans, and now Legolas discovered that he could speak Elvish. There were only a handful of humans that the blond elf knew who had those two unique characteristics.
`And I can see that you are, fair elf,' Aragorn said. His eyes, though not as good as they usually were in this weather, had seen the pointed ears and blond hair. `Are you spying on the king of Mirkwood?' When the elf did not answer, Aragorn tightened his grip on the blond elf's arm. He was certain that this elf was up to no good.
`I am not a spy,' Legolas said angrily, as Elladan approached, carrying ropes. He wore cloak with a hood that hid his Elven identity, so the blond elf was not reassured at all by what little he could see. Legolas tried to jerk away, but the knife pricked him again as a warning.
"What should we do, Strider?" Elladan asked. Something about the blond elf seemed familiar, as the dark green eyes searched each face, looking just a tiny bit nervous. Elladan figured that it was just a figment of his imagination, though.
"Bind him," Aragorn said. His warm breath brushed Legolas's neck. A shiver went down the blond elf's spine. "Kneel, elf." Legolas resisted at first, his eyes darting around wildly. It wasn't until Aragorn applied more pressure on his arm that the elf finally knelt down.
`What will you do to me?' Legolas questioned, as the raindrops ran down his face. Elladan bound his feet together tightly, as the pain on the blond elf's arm kept him from trying to get away. Aragorn's foster brother knew full well of how to bind an elf to keep him from escaping.
`Take you with us for now, until we find out why you are here spying,' Aragorn said. This elf was almost familiar to him, but he dismissed it. The human looked at Elladan. "Binding his hands is going to be tricky," he said. `Lay down, fair elf.'
`I will not lay on the ground,' Legolas said angrily. It was muddy from all the rain, and the prince flat-out refused to do so. Until Aragorn exerted more pressure on his arm. The blond elf finally submitted when he couldn't take the agonizing pain anymore and laid down. He kept his face turned to one side to keep the mud from entering his mouth, and the muddy water seeped into the fair elf's hair and clothes, and splashed on his face. `Do you enjoy forcing others to do things against their will?' Legolas hissed at Aragorn, fixing a heated glare on him.
Aragorn knelt next to him, and placed his sword against the back of Legolas's neck. `Bring your hands behind your back,' he ordered in Elvish, ignoring the elf's stinging question.
Legolas did so, with anger, a bit of fear, and apprehension flowing through him. Aragorn waited until Elladan was ready before he removed his knife carefully and swiftly sheathed it, while gripping the blond elf's arm harder than ever. He then took Legolas's other arm in a firm grip, before he brought the two small wrists together and held them hard enough so that Legolas knew better than to try to bolt now. It would be better to wait until later, he thought, when this human's guard was lowered a little.
The storm made it impossible for anyone to barely see in front of them, as Elladan went to work and quickly bound Legolas's hands together so tightly that the elf knew he could never wriggle free of the rope, no matter how agile he was. But the sudden cry of an Elvish whistle gave him hope. It was Haldir! Legolas knew then that his friend was nearby.
Legolas managed to partly whistle an answer to it, before Aragorn placed his hand over the elf's mouth and cut it off. "Better gag him, too, until we find a camp for the night." Elladan took out a long strip of cloth from his bag. Legolas twisted and tried to run, but nearly fell instead. Aragorn caught him before he fell, but Legolas jerked away. He then sank his teeth hard into the hand over his mouth. Aragorn removed his hand and glared at the elf.
`Haldir!' Legolas shouted, before the cloth was put into place and swiftly tied by Elladan. He shot a triumphant look at Aragorn with his eyes when the Elvish whistle sounded again, closer to them this time. A muffled sound came out of Legolas's gagged mouth.
Aragorn cursed in Elvish, when he heard the sounds of other Elvish whistles growing stronger. "We'd better get out of here. It appears that this elf was not alone," Aragorn told his brother, as he ignored the drops of blood dripping from his hand.
Elladan nodded. "What of him?" he asked, looking at the captive elf, who had anger burning in his eyes as he narrowed them. Legolas recoiled like a cat about to spring as he lay on the ground, mutely glaring up at them.
Aragorn smiled. "We'll take him with us." He easily lifted the bound and gagged elf in his arms, and carried him over to where the horses were. He mounted, still holding the squirming elf, and sat him sideways in front of him. When Legolas attempted to jump off with his hands and feet tied, an arm looped around his waist, holding him firmly. Even though Legolas felt totally humiliated, he still felt a bit of warmth souring through his body, as the human held him tightly against his chest. He then despised himself for that, focused on thoughts of escape.
`Don't try that again, fair elf, or I will have my sword at your throat the entire trip,' Aragorn whispered in his ears. Legolas was beyond angry, as he was carried away from his home by strangers he didn't know. He vowed that he would escape as soon as an opportunity showed itself.
Aragorn could see that the elf was most unhappy about the current situation he was in. But he had no way of knowing that this was, in fact, the very elf he'd come to see on a spontaneous trip to Mirkwood. And this elf might harm Legolas, Aragorn told himself. Better to keep him with them until he found out what the elf was up to. He then caught the reproach and anger in the elf's eyes.
"I suggest you get used to it," Aragorn said firmly. "You aren't going anywhere for a while." Elladan rode directly behind Aragorn. He faintly made out the blond elf's struggles against his foster brother's tight grip through the blinding rain, as he shouted muffled curses in Elvish at his captor. Elladan knew that the other elf would not be able to get away from Aragorn, for he was wise to the cunning ways of the elves.
Elladan's temper had gotten much worse over the years, which was why Elrond had sent him with his even-tempered foster brother. The elf was resentful of that, but couldn't help being satisfied that something interesting had happened. He would go along with what Aragorn said. For now, anyway, until a chance came along to change that.
The two silently rode away with the captive Prince of Mirkwood, as the storm raged on.
To be continued
Summary: A war broke out in Mirkwood between the elves and foul creatures of Saruman's creation. Legolas and Aragorn were brought together since the time they were young children (before the war) in hopes that the two could become friends and promote peace between men and elves. When the war started, Aragorn and Legolas rarely saw each other, for Legolas was prevented from leaving Mirkwood by his father and was needed as he grew older to defend the Elven kingdom.
The Unknown Kidnappers
Part 1
It was a dark and stormy night. Dark clouds loomed overhead, as thunder cracked, with violent gusts of wind and lightning. Rain poured down upon all who where in the forest without shelter. It was relentless against a single, solitary elf, who wandered around silently.
Legolas Greenleaf patrolled the woods, searching to see if any of the leftover creatures that Sauron had commanded were still inside his father's kingdom. Rain poured down on him, as he continued his sweep. Legolas wore dark clothes, and blended in with the darkness from the storm. His blond hair was plastered down with the rain, as thunder cracked overhead. Legolas wished that he had worn his cloak, for the howling wind was making him shiver in his drenched clothes, as the Elven prince searched to see if the foul creatures had dared to return. He occasionally heard other Elvish whistles, as Haldir of `Lorien and some other elves did their patrols as well. Each covered a different part of the forest, to ensure the safety of the Elven kingdom of Mirkwood.
Legolas kept his sharp ears open, and faintly heard the sound of horses approaching. The graceful blond elf quickly leapt onto a branch above the road, and watched carefully. His green eyes were narrowed, as he waited to get a good look at who was coming. If it was Orcs, they were going to be in for a nasty shock, the prince thought grimly.
A figure in a cloak with a hood rode a chestnut-colored horse ahead of another rider, who wore a similar cloak. The Elven prince knew that no visitors were expected this night, so he drew his short sword and prepared himself. As the first rider passed under the branch, Legolas sprang down and tackled the first figure he'd seen to the ground. In a single movement, he had drawn his short sword and had it at the person's throat.
`Who are you and what are you doing in Mirkwood?' Legolas questioned, using the Elvish tongue. The figure surprised him by turning the tables on him. He managed to knock the sword away from his throat and pinned the elf, drawing his own sword and pricking his throat. Legolas used his hands to shove the figure off him, and pinned the arm with the dagger down. He touched his sword to the person's throat again. The elf looked up when he heard the other rider charging towards him.
`Halt or I will slay this one!' Legolas said in Elvish. He briefly glanced up, before turning to the figure who lay on the ground. A human, the elf realized in astonishment. What was a human doing this far in Mirkwood's borders? And how had the other patrols not seen him sooner?
Elladan froze, for it was Aragorn that Legolas had pinned to the ground. But Aragorn took advantage of Legolas's distraction and knocked the elf to the ground again. This time, he twisted the elf's arm behind his back and pressed his dagger against the elf's throat once more. Legolas struggled and lashed out with his feet, knocking the other off balance. He attempted to force the other back to the ground, but Aragorn kicked the sword out of his hand. The grip on his arm grew worse, and Legolas had to bite back a cry of pain, as his arm was twisted further.
Legolas was jerked to a standing position, with the figure behind him keeping a firm grip on his arm. His pulse beat wildly, as the knife nicked part of his skin. The darkness made it impossible for even Legolas to see more than a few centimeters in front of him. Neither of them recognized the other.
"Do not struggle again," Aragorn hissed in the elf's ears. "Bring some rope to bind him, for we need to question." He looked at Elladan as he spoke, before turning his gaze back at the elf in his arms.
Legolas wondered why the voice sounded familiar to him, as he twisted and fought against the impossibly strong grip of the human who held him tightly. This human was too strong for the elf, which confused him. Legolas could usually best any human. Why was this one any different, he wondered. `May I know the name of the one who holds me prisoner?' he asked after Aragorn repeated his earlier warning, forcing the elf's head back. Legolas stopped his struggles, at least for now, as his throat was bared and he felt the blade pressing on it. He tensed as he stood motionless.
`You may. My name is Strider,' the figure said in the fluent Elvish tongue.
`You speak Elvish?' Legolas questioned. `But you are no elf.' He didn't understand this. First the human was much stronger than most humans, and now Legolas discovered that he could speak Elvish. There were only a handful of humans that the blond elf knew who had those two unique characteristics.
`And I can see that you are, fair elf,' Aragorn said. His eyes, though not as good as they usually were in this weather, had seen the pointed ears and blond hair. `Are you spying on the king of Mirkwood?' When the elf did not answer, Aragorn tightened his grip on the blond elf's arm. He was certain that this elf was up to no good.
`I am not a spy,' Legolas said angrily, as Elladan approached, carrying ropes. He wore cloak with a hood that hid his Elven identity, so the blond elf was not reassured at all by what little he could see. Legolas tried to jerk away, but the knife pricked him again as a warning.
"What should we do, Strider?" Elladan asked. Something about the blond elf seemed familiar, as the dark green eyes searched each face, looking just a tiny bit nervous. Elladan figured that it was just a figment of his imagination, though.
"Bind him," Aragorn said. His warm breath brushed Legolas's neck. A shiver went down the blond elf's spine. "Kneel, elf." Legolas resisted at first, his eyes darting around wildly. It wasn't until Aragorn applied more pressure on his arm that the elf finally knelt down.
`What will you do to me?' Legolas questioned, as the raindrops ran down his face. Elladan bound his feet together tightly, as the pain on the blond elf's arm kept him from trying to get away. Aragorn's foster brother knew full well of how to bind an elf to keep him from escaping.
`Take you with us for now, until we find out why you are here spying,' Aragorn said. This elf was almost familiar to him, but he dismissed it. The human looked at Elladan. "Binding his hands is going to be tricky," he said. `Lay down, fair elf.'
`I will not lay on the ground,' Legolas said angrily. It was muddy from all the rain, and the prince flat-out refused to do so. Until Aragorn exerted more pressure on his arm. The blond elf finally submitted when he couldn't take the agonizing pain anymore and laid down. He kept his face turned to one side to keep the mud from entering his mouth, and the muddy water seeped into the fair elf's hair and clothes, and splashed on his face. `Do you enjoy forcing others to do things against their will?' Legolas hissed at Aragorn, fixing a heated glare on him.
Aragorn knelt next to him, and placed his sword against the back of Legolas's neck. `Bring your hands behind your back,' he ordered in Elvish, ignoring the elf's stinging question.
Legolas did so, with anger, a bit of fear, and apprehension flowing through him. Aragorn waited until Elladan was ready before he removed his knife carefully and swiftly sheathed it, while gripping the blond elf's arm harder than ever. He then took Legolas's other arm in a firm grip, before he brought the two small wrists together and held them hard enough so that Legolas knew better than to try to bolt now. It would be better to wait until later, he thought, when this human's guard was lowered a little.
The storm made it impossible for anyone to barely see in front of them, as Elladan went to work and quickly bound Legolas's hands together so tightly that the elf knew he could never wriggle free of the rope, no matter how agile he was. But the sudden cry of an Elvish whistle gave him hope. It was Haldir! Legolas knew then that his friend was nearby.
Legolas managed to partly whistle an answer to it, before Aragorn placed his hand over the elf's mouth and cut it off. "Better gag him, too, until we find a camp for the night." Elladan took out a long strip of cloth from his bag. Legolas twisted and tried to run, but nearly fell instead. Aragorn caught him before he fell, but Legolas jerked away. He then sank his teeth hard into the hand over his mouth. Aragorn removed his hand and glared at the elf.
`Haldir!' Legolas shouted, before the cloth was put into place and swiftly tied by Elladan. He shot a triumphant look at Aragorn with his eyes when the Elvish whistle sounded again, closer to them this time. A muffled sound came out of Legolas's gagged mouth.
Aragorn cursed in Elvish, when he heard the sounds of other Elvish whistles growing stronger. "We'd better get out of here. It appears that this elf was not alone," Aragorn told his brother, as he ignored the drops of blood dripping from his hand.
Elladan nodded. "What of him?" he asked, looking at the captive elf, who had anger burning in his eyes as he narrowed them. Legolas recoiled like a cat about to spring as he lay on the ground, mutely glaring up at them.
Aragorn smiled. "We'll take him with us." He easily lifted the bound and gagged elf in his arms, and carried him over to where the horses were. He mounted, still holding the squirming elf, and sat him sideways in front of him. When Legolas attempted to jump off with his hands and feet tied, an arm looped around his waist, holding him firmly. Even though Legolas felt totally humiliated, he still felt a bit of warmth souring through his body, as the human held him tightly against his chest. He then despised himself for that, focused on thoughts of escape.
`Don't try that again, fair elf, or I will have my sword at your throat the entire trip,' Aragorn whispered in his ears. Legolas was beyond angry, as he was carried away from his home by strangers he didn't know. He vowed that he would escape as soon as an opportunity showed itself.
Aragorn could see that the elf was most unhappy about the current situation he was in. But he had no way of knowing that this was, in fact, the very elf he'd come to see on a spontaneous trip to Mirkwood. And this elf might harm Legolas, Aragorn told himself. Better to keep him with them until he found out what the elf was up to. He then caught the reproach and anger in the elf's eyes.
"I suggest you get used to it," Aragorn said firmly. "You aren't going anywhere for a while." Elladan rode directly behind Aragorn. He faintly made out the blond elf's struggles against his foster brother's tight grip through the blinding rain, as he shouted muffled curses in Elvish at his captor. Elladan knew that the other elf would not be able to get away from Aragorn, for he was wise to the cunning ways of the elves.
Elladan's temper had gotten much worse over the years, which was why Elrond had sent him with his even-tempered foster brother. The elf was resentful of that, but couldn't help being satisfied that something interesting had happened. He would go along with what Aragorn said. For now, anyway, until a chance came along to change that.
The two silently rode away with the captive Prince of Mirkwood, as the storm raged on.
To be continued