Fic: Exodus (10/15)
Exodus
By: Alilacia
Rating: PG13
Feedback: Either at my email address: erynlasgalenuk@yahoo.co.uk or here at LiveJournal
Spoilers: None that I can think of. In fact, this story is pretty much entirely AU, so I doubt it. I shall let you know if there is.
Beta reader: Ying
Disclaimer:
I do not own Lord of the Rings, or anything to do with the film or books. That honour goes to Peter Jackson (et all) and J.R.R Tolkien. I have no permission what so ever to use these characters, will not receive any money for this, and I am doing this for my own enjoyment. And to pass the time between working during the day.
Note: The Characters (and concept of) Dehlfalhen and Glamferaen were created by Cassia and Siobhan and they were kind enough to let me borrow them for this story.
The story in which they were first introduced was called Siege of Dread and is posted here: http://www.aragorn-legolas.5u.com/SoD.htm
Again, these characters (and concept) are not mine, and if one wishes to use this (or any of the characters or concepts from the Mellon Chronicles series) email Cassia at cassia60097@yahoo.com or Siobhan at siobhan3cl@aol.com
Edit: Have also just been informed (thanks Cassia :D) that Saelons are indeed another invention of Cassia and Sio. So all the above wording applies to them as well.
Also, I am by no means fluent in Sindarin. Any faults are my own. I'm still learning :-)
Summary:
"Strider, you have to understand a lot of things. There is much that I cannot tell you, much that only they can tell you. If you can find them. Only know that there was a darkness within them that they had been fighting with for so long, and when they found his body lying there..."
Events put into motion, the beginning of the end started long before it could be stopped. In all his years he had never considered what the loss of one life could have on the world, none of them had. It should have come to no surprise to him really, that when a pivotal figure was lost forever that his life was turned upside down, and nothing was the same again.
And do you know what the worst part was... it really was all his fault.
--------------------------------------------------------
Exodus
--------------------------------------------------------
Part Ten - Interrogation
It was morning when Hethu finally managed to wake up. For the two friends, it had been a quiet one and Legolas had eventually started teasing Aragorn mercilessly about the dose of drug he had used on Hethu. Aragorn was about to counter that it was a normal sized dose but he had just gotten used to it, when a groan stopped the friend's teasing banter.
"Ah, he wakes."
The first thing that Hethu saw was Legolas and he gave an undignified squeak and tried to shuffle away. The ropes didn't let him get very far. Hethu looked down, wondering why he wasn't getting away from this strange creature and squeaked again, his fingers trying to grip the tree branch under him, as he suddenly realised that (a) he was sitting on a tree branch, and (b) he was very high up.
"I don't think he likes you, Legolas." Legolas rolled his eyes and stepped away from the human.
"I'm going to check on the others."
"Coward!" Aragorn called after his friend, teasing.
"...Strider...?" All seriousness returned as Hethu hesitantly called out to him. "Uh... mind telling me what's going on? Were we captured by that... that..." Hethu's face scrunched up as he tried to sort through his muddled mind. "That... thing?"
Aragorn pressed down his amusement, knowing that Legolas was probably still within earshot. "That 'thing' is my friend."
"You have strange friends, Strider." Hethu muttered after a few seconds, trying to press his hands against his headache but couldn't. Aragorn immediately undid the bonds, knowing that Hethu was in no condition at the moment to even think about escaping. Hethu flexed his hands and rested them against his head. His eyes drifted shut and he tried to will the headache that was pulsing behind his eyes away. When he opened his eyes a pale hand was holding a mug under his nose.
He started, jerking away, and moaned softly as his head suddenly hit the bark behind him. "Here, drink." A light, musical voice drifted in through the ringing of his ears. "It will help." Hethu managed to open his eyes after a moment and found blue eyes staring into his own. Hethu couldn't hold the gaze for long, so he looked down at the drink held out in front of him.
Aragorn looked at Legolas suspiciously, his gaze asking if Legolas had put something in that other than headache relieving herbs. He wouldn't have put it past Legolas to have slipped something in there just to make their journey a little easier. Or harder, since they would have to carry him everywhere. Or, I would have to carry him everywhere, Aragorn reflected darkly after a moment.
Hethu still stared at the drink like it would attack him at any second, so Aragorn grasped the cup out of Legolas' hands and held it up for Hethu to see. "It is as Legolas said, Hethu. It is just herbs that will help settle your head."
Eventually, Hethu hesitantly took the drink and sipped from it. When he discovered that the taste wasn't actually that bad, he took another sip. "You know... this stuff isn't that bad. What's in it?"
Legolas shook his head. "That's a strange one you picked up there Strider," he said in Sindarin, hiding their conversation. When Hethu realised he wasn't going to get an answer, he shrugged and carried on drinking.
"Are they gone, Legolas?"
"Yes." That knowledge did not sit well with the elven prince. "But I could not tell where from the height I watched at. And I did not dare go to the ground."
"But Brethil will have arrived by now, shouldn't he?"
Legolas nodded. "Assuming nothing has happened to him, yes, he should have." Legolas looked at the ground and then at Hethu. "What do you say, shall we help our friend to the ground, or shall we question him here?"
"Here, I think. He cannot run away here."
"If he doesn't answer, I'm dangling him by his boots from the branch until he does."
"Legolas..." But Aragorn was chucking, amused at the look of panic that crossed Hethu's face when he saw Legolas glaring at him. The fact that Hethu had no idea what they were saying didn't ease him at all.
"What?" Hethu asked nervously.
"There are things I would like to know, Hethu, and I think you can help me."
"Like what?" Hethu didn't meet Aragorn's eyes. "If it's about trading, or the best way to haggle with someone I can help you, otherwise I'm sorry."
"I'm looking for someone."
Hethu rolled his eyes now. "I'm a trader, Strider, not lost and found. Middle-earth's a big place you know. I meet a lot of people, but I don't know everyone."
"But you were living with those slavers for a while. You also were helping them looking for two elves. I need to know if you've seen any." He also knew that Hethu knew more than he was letting on. It wasn't only the stars that had observed Raeg, Hethu and Auth talking on the cold nights in the mountain.
"I've never seen an elf before. There aren't many people as pretty as him around." Legolas bristled and Aragorn laid his hand on the elf's arm to quiet him.
"Hethu, not all elves look like Legolas. The ones I'm looking for are dark haired, with grey eyes."
Recognition sparked in Hethu's eyes, which he quickly masked. "Sorry, but even if I had seen an elf, which I haven't, dark-haired grey eyed people are even rarer than blond haired elves with blue eyes."
"I have brown hair and grey eyes."
"Well, we always knew you were a rare breed, Estel." Legolas muttered in Sindarin, earning him a light cuff around the head.
"Can't you talk in something I can understand?" Hethu complained. "I can't help you, if I don't understand you."
Legolas suddenly rounded on the man, pressing the frightened human into the tree trunk. The elf straddled the human's lap, pressed his right hand lightly around Hethu's neck, tightened his grip on Hethu with his left and made sure his expression was dark.
"You haven't really been helping us all that much, human. You've never met an elf before myself, have you." Legolas smirked at Hethu's frantic shake of his head. "Well, tithen-pen, let me tell you a few things about elves. And about what we do to those who deliberately do not answer our questions." He leaned in a little closer, feeling a little amused at the small spark of fear that flitted through Hethu's green eyes. Does he really think I'll actually hurt him... "We elves aren't really creatures of light. Overnight we change into dark creatures and relish the taste of blood on our lips. Human blood. Only the most experienced of us can change at will. Being about three centuries old, I consider myself to be one of the most experienced amongst my kind. Maybe I should show you..."
Behind Hethu, Aragorn was rolling his eyes, but settled down to see how things would turn out.
"Maybe I'll let you see what has only been told in tales, what the people ran away from to warn others. The morngwaith, adan, are more than a mere myth." This elvish word increased Hethu's fear, for although he was unaware of its meaning, all the people that had mentioned it had done so with fear in their voices. "So, little human, will you aid us, or will you remain silent? Innas togim le an i môr a le man deri vi môrgoe a can achas?" Legolas leaned back, his gaze dark and searching. "I wonder... shall I bring you to the dark and show you what lingers in your nightmares and fuels your fears?"
Hethu squeaked, his face paling, and shook his head from side to side. The man couldn't find his voice. He licked his lips, desperately trying to find words to form past the fear that was gripping his heart.
"I-I-I-" finally, his body could take no more, and he slumped over to the side.
"I think you over did it, Legolas."
"And I think your race cannot handle a little fear. The new generation is too easy to scare, Strider."
That was the last thing Hethu heard before his hearing tapered off and he completely surrendered to the darkness that was pulling at him.
*~*~*~*
Once again, Hethu was disorientated as he struggled to return to awareness. As soon as the man had blacked out, Legolas and Aragorn had carried him down the tree and were sitting side by side; talking softly and waiting for him to wake up. The pair had left the cover of the forest, making their stop at the edge of the lines of trees.
Aragorn made sure that he was the one that Hethu saw first this time. "Are you alright?" A smile tugged at his lips unwittingly as Hethu glanced around quickly to see where Legolas was. Not seeing him, the man relaxed.
"About as well as I can be, I suppose. Say... where's that creature gone?"
"He's around. And willing to carry on with our little discussion that you fell asleep for." Hethu paled as he recognised that voice.
"N-no, that's quite alright thank you."
"What if I wanted to continue it." Legolas said, moving around so he was in the Hethu's line of sight.
"Legolas..." Aragorn pressed Legolas back a little bit. "Hethu, all you have to do is talk to us."
"What's there to say that he won't kill me as soon as I speak? I'd rather stay alive, thanks."
"We do not wish to hurt you, Hethu. The elves are not dangerous creatures. They wish the innocent no harm."
Distrust still shone in Hethu's panicked eyes. "He seemed sincere enough earlier."
Legolas smirked, running his fingers over the blunt edge of his daggers. "Go, Legolas." Aragorn pressed the prince away. "I'll get nothing more out of him with you here. Please, leave, just for a moment." He bid his friend in Sindarin. Legolas nodded, sheathing his dagger with more flare than was necessary. Hethu leant away, almost hiding behind Aragorn as the elf disappeared into the trees.
"Now, will you talk to me, or should I call Legolas back?"
"I'd rather talk to you." The panicked man answered quickly. Aragorn heard Legolas snort softly from wherever he was in the branches and suppressed a smile.
"Go on." Aragorn encouraged softly when Hethu paused for too long.
"I do know who you are looking for, aye. But I'm sorry ranger; I don't know where they are. All I know is where Raeg told me where they'd been seen last." Hethu looked sorry that he didn't know what Aragorn wanted. "That's why the group was heading for Rivendell. The way Raeg told it, those elves had come from there. He said that even if we didn't find them, there'd be other elves we could take."
"Did Raeg say where those two elves were headed?"
"Sorry ranger, but he never really included me in his plans all that much. The last thing he actually told me was that one of the letters he'd gotten from a man said that the two we were looking for were heading south. What they wanted down there, I don't know. There's nothing really down in the south is there, nothing for an elf anyway?"
"Thank you for your help, Hethu." Aragorn said softly, his mind distracted by what Hethu had said. He knew these elves better than Hethu and even he was confused as to why they were heading south.
As Aragorn ceased the questioning and found Hethu something to eat, Legolas busied himself with checking and rechecking the fletchings and barbs to his arrows. He had no need to check their supplies now, thanks to the little detour to Malenethuil, but knew that they would have stop to find some food of their own within a week or so.
Placing the last arrow into his quiver, a sigh passed his lips and his brow creased. He feared for what he, what they, would find when they finally tracked their quarry down. He would never reveal this to Aragorn, but there was some part of him that just wanted to turn around and head back home. But Aragorn's will was set and nothing would turn him from this path. Nothing should. Legolas affirmed in his mind, casting away all doubts and worries he had. He thought once again about when they would need to re-supply.
Jumping down from his perch on the tree, Legolas quietly informed his friend that he was hunting for some food. They had some salts and herbs which were good for preserving food and Legolas was planning on using them in this instance. He shook his head as Hethu viewed him with barely concealed fear. He didn't regret his words, after all it had forced the man to yield the information they had been seeking, but the constant fear and skittish behaviour was a little exasperating after a while.
Hours later Hethu was elbow deep in animal innards, blood and other fluids. Trader he may be, but he had never done anything like this himself, and it was turning his stomach.
Aragorn was out scouting. Normally Hethu would have taken advantage of this situation and ran as fast as his legs could take him. For a brief time, he had considered that course of action. But the reason for his decision was sitting opposite him, cheerfully carving up the animal with those lethal daggers of his.
Hethu shuddered and looked back down at his hands. He may have been willing to do anything to weasel his way out of situations but not even he was brave, foolish, enough to try and run away from an elf who was armed with a dagger and a cheerful smile on his face that was almost bordering on scary.
"Do you require some assistance?"
Hethu looked up and his eyes were riveted to the blade of Legolas' dagger and the blood and flesh that were sliding slowly down the handle. Hethu swallowed convulsively and shook his head quickly.
"That's quite alright, thank you."
Legolas nodded and pointed with his dagger back at the forest. "When Strider returns, I shall take you into the forest and cut your fingers off one by one and leave what is left of you to the crows."
All the blood left Hethu's face paled and he looked ready to faint. "Wh-what?"
Legolas meanwhile was giving him a strange look. "I said that I shall take you into the woods master human, where we shall clean all of this blood from our skin. If that is alright by you." Legolas turned away for a moment, calling out to Strider who was just returning. Strider nodded, telling them not to be long. Hethu was just struggling to his feet when Legolas turned back to face him. "Are you alright, trader? Your face has turned sallow."
Hethu nodded quickly, but made no attempt to head into the forest. "I just stood up a little too quickly, 'tis all."
Legolas still looking at him strangely, but figured that it was just another human eccentricity that he was witnessing. "Very well, but if this persists, I have some medicine in my pack that will help." Legolas held his hand out, inviting Hethu to step before him, but that simple gesture seemed to make the human pale further. Shaking his head a little, Legolas started walking into the forest, listening for the sound of running water.
Behind him, Hethu reluctantly followed, trying to banish the thought that he was being led to his death.
TBC...
By: Alilacia
Rating: PG13
Feedback: Either at my email address: erynlasgalenuk@yahoo.co.uk or here at LiveJournal
Spoilers: None that I can think of. In fact, this story is pretty much entirely AU, so I doubt it. I shall let you know if there is.
Beta reader: Ying
Disclaimer:
I do not own Lord of the Rings, or anything to do with the film or books. That honour goes to Peter Jackson (et all) and J.R.R Tolkien. I have no permission what so ever to use these characters, will not receive any money for this, and I am doing this for my own enjoyment. And to pass the time between working during the day.
Note: The Characters (and concept of) Dehlfalhen and Glamferaen were created by Cassia and Siobhan and they were kind enough to let me borrow them for this story.
The story in which they were first introduced was called Siege of Dread and is posted here: http://www.aragorn-legolas.5u.com/SoD.htm
Again, these characters (and concept) are not mine, and if one wishes to use this (or any of the characters or concepts from the Mellon Chronicles series) email Cassia at cassia60097@yahoo.com or Siobhan at siobhan3cl@aol.com
Edit: Have also just been informed (thanks Cassia :D) that Saelons are indeed another invention of Cassia and Sio. So all the above wording applies to them as well.
Also, I am by no means fluent in Sindarin. Any faults are my own. I'm still learning :-)
Summary:
"Strider, you have to understand a lot of things. There is much that I cannot tell you, much that only they can tell you. If you can find them. Only know that there was a darkness within them that they had been fighting with for so long, and when they found his body lying there..."
Events put into motion, the beginning of the end started long before it could be stopped. In all his years he had never considered what the loss of one life could have on the world, none of them had. It should have come to no surprise to him really, that when a pivotal figure was lost forever that his life was turned upside down, and nothing was the same again.
And do you know what the worst part was... it really was all his fault.
--------------------------------------------------------
Exodus
--------------------------------------------------------
Part Ten - Interrogation
It was morning when Hethu finally managed to wake up. For the two friends, it had been a quiet one and Legolas had eventually started teasing Aragorn mercilessly about the dose of drug he had used on Hethu. Aragorn was about to counter that it was a normal sized dose but he had just gotten used to it, when a groan stopped the friend's teasing banter.
"Ah, he wakes."
The first thing that Hethu saw was Legolas and he gave an undignified squeak and tried to shuffle away. The ropes didn't let him get very far. Hethu looked down, wondering why he wasn't getting away from this strange creature and squeaked again, his fingers trying to grip the tree branch under him, as he suddenly realised that (a) he was sitting on a tree branch, and (b) he was very high up.
"I don't think he likes you, Legolas." Legolas rolled his eyes and stepped away from the human.
"I'm going to check on the others."
"Coward!" Aragorn called after his friend, teasing.
"...Strider...?" All seriousness returned as Hethu hesitantly called out to him. "Uh... mind telling me what's going on? Were we captured by that... that..." Hethu's face scrunched up as he tried to sort through his muddled mind. "That... thing?"
Aragorn pressed down his amusement, knowing that Legolas was probably still within earshot. "That 'thing' is my friend."
"You have strange friends, Strider." Hethu muttered after a few seconds, trying to press his hands against his headache but couldn't. Aragorn immediately undid the bonds, knowing that Hethu was in no condition at the moment to even think about escaping. Hethu flexed his hands and rested them against his head. His eyes drifted shut and he tried to will the headache that was pulsing behind his eyes away. When he opened his eyes a pale hand was holding a mug under his nose.
He started, jerking away, and moaned softly as his head suddenly hit the bark behind him. "Here, drink." A light, musical voice drifted in through the ringing of his ears. "It will help." Hethu managed to open his eyes after a moment and found blue eyes staring into his own. Hethu couldn't hold the gaze for long, so he looked down at the drink held out in front of him.
Aragorn looked at Legolas suspiciously, his gaze asking if Legolas had put something in that other than headache relieving herbs. He wouldn't have put it past Legolas to have slipped something in there just to make their journey a little easier. Or harder, since they would have to carry him everywhere. Or, I would have to carry him everywhere, Aragorn reflected darkly after a moment.
Hethu still stared at the drink like it would attack him at any second, so Aragorn grasped the cup out of Legolas' hands and held it up for Hethu to see. "It is as Legolas said, Hethu. It is just herbs that will help settle your head."
Eventually, Hethu hesitantly took the drink and sipped from it. When he discovered that the taste wasn't actually that bad, he took another sip. "You know... this stuff isn't that bad. What's in it?"
Legolas shook his head. "That's a strange one you picked up there Strider," he said in Sindarin, hiding their conversation. When Hethu realised he wasn't going to get an answer, he shrugged and carried on drinking.
"Are they gone, Legolas?"
"Yes." That knowledge did not sit well with the elven prince. "But I could not tell where from the height I watched at. And I did not dare go to the ground."
"But Brethil will have arrived by now, shouldn't he?"
Legolas nodded. "Assuming nothing has happened to him, yes, he should have." Legolas looked at the ground and then at Hethu. "What do you say, shall we help our friend to the ground, or shall we question him here?"
"Here, I think. He cannot run away here."
"If he doesn't answer, I'm dangling him by his boots from the branch until he does."
"Legolas..." But Aragorn was chucking, amused at the look of panic that crossed Hethu's face when he saw Legolas glaring at him. The fact that Hethu had no idea what they were saying didn't ease him at all.
"What?" Hethu asked nervously.
"There are things I would like to know, Hethu, and I think you can help me."
"Like what?" Hethu didn't meet Aragorn's eyes. "If it's about trading, or the best way to haggle with someone I can help you, otherwise I'm sorry."
"I'm looking for someone."
Hethu rolled his eyes now. "I'm a trader, Strider, not lost and found. Middle-earth's a big place you know. I meet a lot of people, but I don't know everyone."
"But you were living with those slavers for a while. You also were helping them looking for two elves. I need to know if you've seen any." He also knew that Hethu knew more than he was letting on. It wasn't only the stars that had observed Raeg, Hethu and Auth talking on the cold nights in the mountain.
"I've never seen an elf before. There aren't many people as pretty as him around." Legolas bristled and Aragorn laid his hand on the elf's arm to quiet him.
"Hethu, not all elves look like Legolas. The ones I'm looking for are dark haired, with grey eyes."
Recognition sparked in Hethu's eyes, which he quickly masked. "Sorry, but even if I had seen an elf, which I haven't, dark-haired grey eyed people are even rarer than blond haired elves with blue eyes."
"I have brown hair and grey eyes."
"Well, we always knew you were a rare breed, Estel." Legolas muttered in Sindarin, earning him a light cuff around the head.
"Can't you talk in something I can understand?" Hethu complained. "I can't help you, if I don't understand you."
Legolas suddenly rounded on the man, pressing the frightened human into the tree trunk. The elf straddled the human's lap, pressed his right hand lightly around Hethu's neck, tightened his grip on Hethu with his left and made sure his expression was dark.
"You haven't really been helping us all that much, human. You've never met an elf before myself, have you." Legolas smirked at Hethu's frantic shake of his head. "Well, tithen-pen, let me tell you a few things about elves. And about what we do to those who deliberately do not answer our questions." He leaned in a little closer, feeling a little amused at the small spark of fear that flitted through Hethu's green eyes. Does he really think I'll actually hurt him... "We elves aren't really creatures of light. Overnight we change into dark creatures and relish the taste of blood on our lips. Human blood. Only the most experienced of us can change at will. Being about three centuries old, I consider myself to be one of the most experienced amongst my kind. Maybe I should show you..."
Behind Hethu, Aragorn was rolling his eyes, but settled down to see how things would turn out.
"Maybe I'll let you see what has only been told in tales, what the people ran away from to warn others. The morngwaith, adan, are more than a mere myth." This elvish word increased Hethu's fear, for although he was unaware of its meaning, all the people that had mentioned it had done so with fear in their voices. "So, little human, will you aid us, or will you remain silent? Innas togim le an i môr a le man deri vi môrgoe a can achas?" Legolas leaned back, his gaze dark and searching. "I wonder... shall I bring you to the dark and show you what lingers in your nightmares and fuels your fears?"
Hethu squeaked, his face paling, and shook his head from side to side. The man couldn't find his voice. He licked his lips, desperately trying to find words to form past the fear that was gripping his heart.
"I-I-I-" finally, his body could take no more, and he slumped over to the side.
"I think you over did it, Legolas."
"And I think your race cannot handle a little fear. The new generation is too easy to scare, Strider."
That was the last thing Hethu heard before his hearing tapered off and he completely surrendered to the darkness that was pulling at him.
*~*~*~*
Once again, Hethu was disorientated as he struggled to return to awareness. As soon as the man had blacked out, Legolas and Aragorn had carried him down the tree and were sitting side by side; talking softly and waiting for him to wake up. The pair had left the cover of the forest, making their stop at the edge of the lines of trees.
Aragorn made sure that he was the one that Hethu saw first this time. "Are you alright?" A smile tugged at his lips unwittingly as Hethu glanced around quickly to see where Legolas was. Not seeing him, the man relaxed.
"About as well as I can be, I suppose. Say... where's that creature gone?"
"He's around. And willing to carry on with our little discussion that you fell asleep for." Hethu paled as he recognised that voice.
"N-no, that's quite alright thank you."
"What if I wanted to continue it." Legolas said, moving around so he was in the Hethu's line of sight.
"Legolas..." Aragorn pressed Legolas back a little bit. "Hethu, all you have to do is talk to us."
"What's there to say that he won't kill me as soon as I speak? I'd rather stay alive, thanks."
"We do not wish to hurt you, Hethu. The elves are not dangerous creatures. They wish the innocent no harm."
Distrust still shone in Hethu's panicked eyes. "He seemed sincere enough earlier."
Legolas smirked, running his fingers over the blunt edge of his daggers. "Go, Legolas." Aragorn pressed the prince away. "I'll get nothing more out of him with you here. Please, leave, just for a moment." He bid his friend in Sindarin. Legolas nodded, sheathing his dagger with more flare than was necessary. Hethu leant away, almost hiding behind Aragorn as the elf disappeared into the trees.
"Now, will you talk to me, or should I call Legolas back?"
"I'd rather talk to you." The panicked man answered quickly. Aragorn heard Legolas snort softly from wherever he was in the branches and suppressed a smile.
"Go on." Aragorn encouraged softly when Hethu paused for too long.
"I do know who you are looking for, aye. But I'm sorry ranger; I don't know where they are. All I know is where Raeg told me where they'd been seen last." Hethu looked sorry that he didn't know what Aragorn wanted. "That's why the group was heading for Rivendell. The way Raeg told it, those elves had come from there. He said that even if we didn't find them, there'd be other elves we could take."
"Did Raeg say where those two elves were headed?"
"Sorry ranger, but he never really included me in his plans all that much. The last thing he actually told me was that one of the letters he'd gotten from a man said that the two we were looking for were heading south. What they wanted down there, I don't know. There's nothing really down in the south is there, nothing for an elf anyway?"
"Thank you for your help, Hethu." Aragorn said softly, his mind distracted by what Hethu had said. He knew these elves better than Hethu and even he was confused as to why they were heading south.
As Aragorn ceased the questioning and found Hethu something to eat, Legolas busied himself with checking and rechecking the fletchings and barbs to his arrows. He had no need to check their supplies now, thanks to the little detour to Malenethuil, but knew that they would have stop to find some food of their own within a week or so.
Placing the last arrow into his quiver, a sigh passed his lips and his brow creased. He feared for what he, what they, would find when they finally tracked their quarry down. He would never reveal this to Aragorn, but there was some part of him that just wanted to turn around and head back home. But Aragorn's will was set and nothing would turn him from this path. Nothing should. Legolas affirmed in his mind, casting away all doubts and worries he had. He thought once again about when they would need to re-supply.
Jumping down from his perch on the tree, Legolas quietly informed his friend that he was hunting for some food. They had some salts and herbs which were good for preserving food and Legolas was planning on using them in this instance. He shook his head as Hethu viewed him with barely concealed fear. He didn't regret his words, after all it had forced the man to yield the information they had been seeking, but the constant fear and skittish behaviour was a little exasperating after a while.
Hours later Hethu was elbow deep in animal innards, blood and other fluids. Trader he may be, but he had never done anything like this himself, and it was turning his stomach.
Aragorn was out scouting. Normally Hethu would have taken advantage of this situation and ran as fast as his legs could take him. For a brief time, he had considered that course of action. But the reason for his decision was sitting opposite him, cheerfully carving up the animal with those lethal daggers of his.
Hethu shuddered and looked back down at his hands. He may have been willing to do anything to weasel his way out of situations but not even he was brave, foolish, enough to try and run away from an elf who was armed with a dagger and a cheerful smile on his face that was almost bordering on scary.
"Do you require some assistance?"
Hethu looked up and his eyes were riveted to the blade of Legolas' dagger and the blood and flesh that were sliding slowly down the handle. Hethu swallowed convulsively and shook his head quickly.
"That's quite alright, thank you."
Legolas nodded and pointed with his dagger back at the forest. "When Strider returns, I shall take you into the forest and cut your fingers off one by one and leave what is left of you to the crows."
All the blood left Hethu's face paled and he looked ready to faint. "Wh-what?"
Legolas meanwhile was giving him a strange look. "I said that I shall take you into the woods master human, where we shall clean all of this blood from our skin. If that is alright by you." Legolas turned away for a moment, calling out to Strider who was just returning. Strider nodded, telling them not to be long. Hethu was just struggling to his feet when Legolas turned back to face him. "Are you alright, trader? Your face has turned sallow."
Hethu nodded quickly, but made no attempt to head into the forest. "I just stood up a little too quickly, 'tis all."
Legolas still looking at him strangely, but figured that it was just another human eccentricity that he was witnessing. "Very well, but if this persists, I have some medicine in my pack that will help." Legolas held his hand out, inviting Hethu to step before him, but that simple gesture seemed to make the human pale further. Shaking his head a little, Legolas started walking into the forest, listening for the sound of running water.
Behind him, Hethu reluctantly followed, trying to banish the thought that he was being led to his death.
TBC...