Chapter Three: Helpless

Imrid was bound, along with his wife and children. The men who had come upon them quickly, did not notice the lump that he and his wife had placed on the edge of their camp away from the fire. Imrid felt his heart quicken with fear, glancing at his children who had tears in their eyes and were openly crying in fear.

Roughly grabbed from behind, Imrid shouted in pain as his arms were wrenched. Swallowing the bile that rose in his throat, Imrid was shoved to his knees in front of the man who he assumed was the leader.

“Well now, nice strong man here.” The leader growled a smile of contempt on his face.

“Milord?” Another man questioned from a distance.

Turning his head slightly, the leader waited.

“What of the children?”

“Kill the girl, keep the lad. He will grow to be an asset.”

Imrid gasped. “Oh please, leave my children. I beg you.” Tears fell down his face as his daughter wailed as she was pulled away from her brother.

“Papa!” She cried. “Papa!”

“The woman?” The same man as before asked, holding the little girl under his arm.

“Kill her!” The leader said impatiently. Turning his face to Imrid, who was still begging for his daughters life, fell to his face sobbing.

“Please, I beg you. Let them live!”

“Hold, Maloniec.” The leader grinned. “Bring them here.” He motioned his hands to two guards holding Imrid in place.

Imrid lifted his head as his wife and daughter were placed before him.

“Seeing as you are so desperate, I will allow you one thing.” The leader grinned menacingly.

Imrid looked at the leader. “Anything!” Imrid sobbed.

“Truly?” The leader grinned wider. Nodding, the leader watched as the wife and daughter were forced to their knees. “Now what is your name?”

“Imrid.”

“Ah. Well, Imrid. I am going to allow you to pick one.”

Not understanding, Imrid frowned.

“You get to choose who will die first.”

Gasping, Imrid looked at the man in horror.

“I will not tell you that they will die quickly, but you have the choice as which one will die first. The other along with you and your boy will watch.”

Fresh tears filled Imrid’s eyes. “Please milord, let them live.”

The leader snarled and backhanded Imrid across the face. “Watch it, or I will allow you to kill them, and the boy also.”

Falling back from the force of the blow, Imrid was lifted back to his knees.

“Now choose!” The leader shouted.

Elrohir raced down the path, and skidded to a halt. The guard lay bloody and dying on the dirt path. Scrambling over to him, Elrohir placed his finger to the neck searching for a pulse.

The guard opened his eyes startled. “Tra-slavers.” The guard hissed.

Elrohir narrowed his eyes. Nodding to the guard, knowing his time was short; Elrohir scrambled to his feet and drew his sword, curling his lip.

Making his way down the path, Elrohir darted into the trees, and quietly descended on the camp. Quickly counting, Elrohir guessed there to be roughly thirty men surrounding the area. Scanning beside the fire, he searched for Elladan and couldn’t see him. Gasping softly, he allowed his eyes to wander everywhere. The man was bound and his wife as well. Both children were restrained by one guard, all standing in front of Imrid and who Elrohir guessed to be the leader.

Narrowing his eyes further, Elrohir scanned the outskirts of the camp, and sighed relieved at the mass of blankets out of the slavers line of sight. Curling his lip into a snarl, Elrohir vanished into the trees making his way to his brother’s side. Not making a sound, Elrohir knelt beside his twin and felt for a pulse and found it still there. Relieved, Elrohir placed his sword on the ground and pulled the blankets further back into the bushes.

Satisfied that Elladan was well out of sight, Elrohir picked up his sword and once again disappeared into the foliage, circling the camp judging his best advantage point. Cursing himself for not having his bow and arrows, Elrohir knelt beside a tree and looked up. Nodding to himself, he placed his sword in his scabbard and climbed it quickly. Crawling out on a thick limb, Elrohir crouched under the leader and listened to his speak.

A low growl rose in his throat as Imrid was told to choose between his daughter and wife’s lives. Filled with rage, Elrohir stood up slowly, making his way back to the tree trunk. He would never allow for this to happen and quickly made his descent into the thick foliage beside the tree. Picking up a hand full of stones, Elrohir fingered one, and pelted it towards the leader, who shouted and looked around him in surprise.

Smiling thinly, Elrohir vanished deeper into the bush as he over heard the leader shouting out commands to search out the surrounding area. Knowing he would have a fight on his hands, Elrohir quickly bound his hair back at the nape of his neck and twirled his sword in his hand and waited.

Three men stumbled through the bush, and not loosing a beat, Elrohir sliced his sword through the air, cutting down one of the men. The other two turned startled and drew their swords. Elrohir crouched low, and spun his sword in his hand again, flicking his wrist; his sword lifted knocking one of the man’s swords out of his hand, and flying into the underbrush. Startled, the man didn’t have time to shout out as Elrohir sliced his throat, and spun in midair catching the other man in the chest.

Racing towards the camp, Elrohir could hear other men searching further off. Now he would have to defeat the leader, and attempt to save the family that was kind enough to help his twin. With all speed, Elrohir made his way past the other men who were searching the forest for him. Quickly, he crouched beside the clearing taking in the men who had remained behind and cursed silently at them.

Curling his lips, Elrohir counted twelve men including the leader, who held Imrid by the hair. Jumping to his feet, he noticed two men searching the area he had hidden his brother in, and startled, raced into the clearing shouting with rage towards the men who were pushing bushes out of the way. Dodging a man who charged him, Elrohir jumped into the air spinning around, his sword dancing with renewed rage and fear. Slicing down two men before any of them could react, Elrohir landed on his feet in a crouch, growling in fury. Spinning around again, he darted to the men who had been searching near his brother’s hiding spot, and were now drawing their weapons. Quickly, Elrohir thrust his sword out and caught one man in the gut, while the other jumped back from the wild and dangerously swinging sword.

Narrowing his eyes to slits, Elrohir bared his teeth, and spun his sword in his hand, waiting for the men to make their moves. A rush of air behind him made him duck and twirl around on one knee as he lifted his sword in an upward jab. The man grunted and fell over clutching his stomach in pain. Rolling sideways, Elrohir jumped to his feet and faced the remaining men who were now armed watching warily.

Smiling menacingly, Elrohir winked at one man, and spun around again catching another man in the chest as he rushed him. Bending to the ground, Elrohir gripped the dead mans sword and twirled them both, waiting for more attacks.

“Enough!”

Elrohir didn’t miss a beat, and kept his attention on the men who had surrounded him. The leader came into the clearing as the men lowered their weapons to the ground. More men entered the clearing swords drawn, but a raised hand from the leader stopped them.

Turning to face Elrohir, the leader smiled. “Who are you?”

“I might ask you the same thing.” Elrohir sneered in the common tongue.

The leader grinned wider. “Do you seriously think you can out smart my men?”

“I have already taken down eight of your men.” Elrohir curled his lip. “What makes you think I cannot?”

“No one is that good, and besides, you would have to defeat me if you want them-“ He waved to the family. “To live.”

“That is my intention.” Elrohir never lost his concentration.

A man entered the clearing pulling something behind him, and Elrohir allowed his eyes to linger on the bedding. They had found his brother.

“Milord!”

The leader turned around and walked over to the form of Elladan. “Well, well, well, what have we here?” The leader reached down and placed his fingers on Elladan’s neck.

Elrohir curled his lip, his heart beating faster at the close range the leader was to his injured twin.

“Twins. So that is the reason for your outrage.” The leader stood grinning. Drawing his sword, the leader placed the tip on Elladan’s chest. “Lower your weapon child or I will plunge this into his chest.”

Elrohir swallowed, but kept his face immobile of all emotion. Narrowing his eyes even more, Elrohir felt his lip curl in fury.

“Drop your sword!” The leader shouted.

A rush of air behind him made Elrohir spin into action immediately lifting his left hand slicing the mans neck. Turning around feeling defeated, Elrohir lowered his sword tip. “Allow them to go.”

The leader laughed. “Look around you boy!”

Elrohir didn’t move his head, but his eyes traveled to Imrid and Rivya and their children. All had swords to their throats, and Elladan was in danger. Taking a deep breath, Elrohir released the swords allowing them to drop to the ground. Gritting his teeth, he stood still while three men tackled him, knocking him to the ground and binding his hands behind his back. Another man gripped his hair, which had come undone in his attack, and pulled his head back.

“So young, and so pretty.” The man purred.

Elrohir snarled and spat into the mans face. A sharp blow to the side of his face made his head snap back forcefully.

“Now boy, what stupidity made you think you could out smart a group of trained warriors.”

Elrohir smiled at the leader who still had not detected him to be an elf. “You under estimate me.”

“Do I?” The leader sneered. Turning away from Elladan, the leader walked up to Rivya and placed the sword against her neck. In one quick movement he sliced through her neck and she gasped in surprise.