Chapter 13      Defiance

Tervanis let out a silent sigh of relief as his horse plunged beneath the protective cover of the large copse of trees.  The animal immediately tried to slow as his once clear path suddenly became choked with dense brush and thick trunks.  However, Tervanis urged him on, hearing the heavy pound of hooves behind him as his men struggled to keep up.   He wanted to put as much distance as possible between himself and the unknown group of riders.  He was yet too close to Minas Tirith to risk anyone catching even the slightest glimpse of his prisoners and reporting back to the King.  If that were to happen, all of his carefully laid plans would be for naught.

A sudden cry of alarm erupted from behind him, followed by muted shouts and curses from his men.  Tervanis slowed his horse enough that he could risk glancing behind him to see what all the commotion was about.  If any of his men foolishly gave them away…

Tervanis’ gaze instinctively went to the prisoners first, sensing that this was where the trouble would lie.  His eyes narrowed as he immediately took in the situation.  The elf was no longer in his saddle!

Swearing softly, Tervanis reined in his horse so abruptly that the animal reared up on its hind legs, snorting loudly in protest.  Tervanis expertly tightened his legs to keep his seat, then spun the animal around on his haunches, ignoring the horses directly behind him that were forced to swerve violently to the side to avoid crashing into him.

Now facing the right direction, Tervanis was able to better observe exactly what was happening, and he had to revise his earlier conclusion.  The elf was still in his saddle.  The saddle was merely no longer on the horse’s back, but was steadily slipping to the side, threatening to deposit its occupant directly beneath the thundering hooves of the horse.

Tervanis swore again, then dug his heels into the side of his mount, causing the animal to leap forward.  Reaching down, he tore the small dagger from its sheath on his belt.  There was no way he was going to lose his prisoner now.

*****

Dar’s entire body stiffened in shock and horror as Legolas slammed into the ground with a sickening crash.   The elf’s horse stumbled, shying to the side and tossing his head in alarm, caught between the instinct to stop and the persistent tugging on his reins urging him forward.  Several of the riders nearby observed Legolas’ fall and slowed, while others continued their mad dash forward, caring only about the danger behind them.

Dar realized with dismay that the ropes binding Legolas’ ankles were causing the elf to be dragged dangerously close to the pounding hooves of his mount.  He wanted to cry out for someone to help his friend, but fear had his throat constricted so tightly it was difficult to even breath.  He futilely struggled against his bonds, knowing that he was powerless to help Legolas and sincerely believing that he was about to watch his friend be trampled to death.

“Stop!”

The order rang loudly through the copse of trees, and almost automatically the riders began to slow their horses, instinctively heeding the commanding tone of their leader.  Dar watching in amazement as Tervanis expertly cut his horse in next to Legolas’, his movements smooth and controlled as he leaned from his saddle and swiftly cut the rope binding Legolas to the horse, allowing the elf to roll free.

Dar’s body went limp with relief as he struggled to see past the sudden milling press of horses and riders where Legolas had fallen.  However, the elf’s form remained hidden from him, and with a sigh of frustration, Dar was forced to give up his search in order to concentrate on keeping his own seat in the saddle.  Confusion now reined amidst the riders as those who had not seen what happened called out questions to those who had, and horses milled about anxiously, snorting and tossing their heads in the tight press of bodies. 

‘They have forgotten about the group of riders,’ Dar thought excitedly, glancing over his shoulder to the open field where the first of the riders were just appearing.  ‘If they continue to make all this noise, we are sure to be noticed!  They will come to investigate, and Legolas and I will be rescued!’

Yet even as new hope flared to life within Dar, Tervanis was quick to destroy it.

“Silence!” the man commanded forcefully, his voice barely above a whisper yet still clearly heard over the babble of voices and horse, his icy tone demanding immediate obedience. 

Instant silence fell over the copse of trees, and it seemed to Dar that even the birds stopped singing for fear of angering Tervanis.  The only sound was that of the heavy breathing of the horses and the distant rumble of hooves as the unknown group of riders galloped swiftly across the field.  Dar watched them closely, willing just one of the riders to glance in their direction and discover them.  His hands clenched into tight fists beneath his bonds, and he began to seriously consider calling out in order to get the riders attention.  Yet just as he was opening his mouth to do just that, a fierce whisper in his ear caused him to pause.

“Make one noise, boy, and I will slit your throat before you can even blink!”

Dar swallowed hard, then slowly turned to meet the fierce gaze of Kiesco.  The large man held a long dagger menacingly in one hand, the look in his eyes telling Dar that Kiesco was searching for any excuse that would allow him the chance to use it.  Meeting the man’s hate filled gaze, Dar slowly shook his head, indicating that he wanted no trouble.  Kiesco sneered at him mockingly, but did not put away his knife.

Dar forced his attention away from the man and back to the field just as the last of the large group of riders rode from sight around a slight rise, the echo of their horses’ hooves slowly fading.  A collective sigh of relief echoed around him from the men, but Dar felt only a sick feeling of hopelessness.

“Too bad you are such a coward, boy,” Kiesco taunted mockingly.  “I doubt Tervanis would have allowed me to kill you, but perhaps he would have at least allowed me to cut the tongue from your mouth!”  Laughing evilly, the man turned his horse and rode away, re-sheathing his knife as he went.

Dar glared at the retreating form of Kiesco, but a low moan to his left quickly arrested his attention.  Twisting in his saddle, he watched as two men pulled Legolas to his feet, holding the swaying elf steady between them.  Dar frowned in worry, relieved to see Legolas conscious, yet slightly alarmed by the dazed look in the elf’s gray eyes. 

“What happened?” Tervanis demanded, turning an angry glare on the two men who had been responsible for Legolas.

“The saddle just slipped, sir,” one of the men answered nervously, glancing at his companion.  “There was nothing we could do.”

Dar felt a flash of anger flare within him.  He had seen the man yanking on the rope attached to Legolas’ bound hands.  He was half tempted to report this to Tervanis, but the sure knowledge that it would gain him nothing but a new enemy kept him silent.

Tervanis’ eyes narrowed dangerously as he studied the two men before him.  “See that it doesn’t happen again,” he warned coldly, “or it will be you who are dragged the rest of the way to Norvil.  Now fix the saddle, and make sure it will not slip again.”

The two men quickly nodded and hurried to obey the order as Tervanis turned and regarded Legolas. 

“Can he ride?” he asked the two men holding the elf upright.

“I am not sure, sir,” one of the men replied, giving Legolas a doubtful glance.

Dar was also feeling doubtful.  Legolas’ face was extremely pale, and the dazed look had yet to leave his expression.  Dar could not see any obvious signs of injury, yet it was evident that Legolas was in no small amount of pain.

“If he cannot sit the saddle on his own, then tie him to it,” Tervanis ordered calmly.  “We have far yet to go if we are to reach the camping site I had planned for us.”

The two men nodded, then began dragging Legolas toward his now properly saddled horse.  As they moved past him, Dar received his first view of his friend’s back, and his breath caught in his throat.  The back of Legolas’ tunic was stained and torn, the ripped cloth showing clearly the effects of the elf’s impact with the ground.  Legolas’ skin beneath the tears appeared heavily scratched and bruised, and high up on his back, between his shoulder blades, a dark stain was beginning to soak through the light cloth of his  tunic.

Tervanis also seemed to notice Legolas’ back for the first time, and he scowled deeply.  For a moment, Dar held hope that the man would override his last order and first see to Legolas’ injuries before proceeding on.  Yet Tervanis remained silent as Legolas was lifted back into the saddle and then bound securely upright.  Once he was sure the job was completely properly, Tervanis booted his horse forward, motioning for his men to fall into place behind him.

With a sigh, Dar glanced one final time behind him to where the last faint traces of dust were slowly disappearing into the sky above the field, fading just as surely as the last of his hope. 

*****

Dusk was fading swiftly into darkness when Tervanis and his men at last stopped for the evening within the deep shadows of Emyn Arnen.  The day had been a wet one, with a steady drizzle beginning early in the afternoon and stretching on well into the evening, yet the company had still managed to make good time, putting quite a distance between themselves and the capital of Gondor. 

For Legolas, memories of the ride were somewhat hazy, for he had drifted between consciousness and unconsciousness for the majority of the journey.  All of which he was truly aware, as he was cut free from the saddle and pulled to the ground, was his entire body ached horribly and both of his legs had decided to fall asleep on him.  He was dragged unceremoniously to one side of the camp and deposited roughly on the ground, his entire body protesting violently to the harsh treatment.  He rolled onto his stomach and closed his eyes, willing away the burning pain that consumed his back and shoulders. 

“Legolas?”

Legolas choked back a moan and slowly opened his eyes, turning his head in the direction of the soft call.  Dar lay beside him, the young man’s eyes shining brightly with worry.

“How do you feel?” Dar asked anxiously, his voice a low whisper.

“I have certainly felt better.” Legolas replied dryly, closing his eyes briefly before attempting to roll into a sitting position.  His back screamed in protest, but he merely set his jaw against the pain and ignored it.  His hands were still secured tightly behind his back, and he soon realized that at some point, his ankles had also been bound firmly together.

“I was worried about you,” Dar continued, wincing slightly as he glanced at Legolas’ back.  “That was a pretty nasty fall.”

Had it been Gimli making the comment, Legolas would have had any number of sharp retorts for his friend.  Yet since it was Dar, he carefully kept his tone light.  “I shall be fine.  Elves heal quickly, and in a day or so it will be all but forgotten.”

Dar gave him a look that clearly stated the young soldier did not believe a word he was saying, and Legolas could not help but smile.  The look was identical to several he had had leveled on him by Gimli in the past.  It appeared as if Dar was no easier to fool than the dwarf.

“I have seen your back,” Dar pointed out quietly.  “It doesn’t look very good.”

It didn’t feel very good either.  Being dragged several yards by a galloping horse had left his back badly scraped and bruised. Legolas grimaced slightly, flexing his hands as best he could within their bindings.  He had been lucky not to have broken the bones in his hand by his fall, and could only credit this to the fact that his shoulders and upper back had taken the brunt of his impact with the ground.  He was also lucky that the heavy hooves of his horse had not trampled him.  As it was, he had only been struck once, directly between the shoulder blades.

“Trust me, Dar.  I will be fine.  Already I feel better”

It was true.  Now that he was finally free from the constant motion of the horse, the pain in his back was beginning to fade slightly.  It was still there, a constant ache, but it was at least bearable.

Dar nodded reluctantly, and Legolas turned his attention to the preparations being made in the camp around them.  Several men were seeing to the horses, while others moved about in search of some dry wood for the campfire.  Kiesco stood on the far side of the camp, loudly directing the unpacking of supplies.  There was no sign of Tervanis.

“Do you suppose Lord Aragorn has begun the search for us yet?”

Legolas glanced down at Dar, noting the way the young man sat hunched and dejected, his face pale behind the hanging strands of damp hair.

“I am sure he has,” he answered reassuringly, giving Dar a small smile.

“My father will be sick with worry,” Dar whispered suddenly, his face twisting with grief.  “I hate making him worry.  He gets angry when he gets scared.”

Legolas smiled slightly in response to this statement.  “Sounds much like my own father,” he responded lightly.

“How will your father react when he learns you are gone?” Dar asked softly.

Legolas shrugged, then immediately winced as the action caused fiery fingers of pain to run up and down his back.  “I know not,” he answered through gritted teeth, sincerely hoping that his father would never have cause to learn of this event.  “At the moment, I am more worried about Gimli’s reaction.  He is already injured, and I fear he will cause himself further harm if he insists on being part of the search for us.”

Dar glanced up, his eyes narrowing slightly as he studied Legolas carefully.  “I am sure Lord Aragorn will look after him,” he finally said softly.

Legolas blinked, startled at the sudden switch in roles.  A moment ago, he had been attempting to reassure Dar that everything would be fine, and now the boy was the one assuring him.

He smiled and opened his mouth to speak, but a sudden voice behind him caused him to freeze.

“I trust you are resting comfortably?”

Tervanis stepped from the shadows and moved around until he was facing Dar and Legolas directly, his soft boots making hardly a sound as he moved.  Legolas’ eyes narrowed, for he knew very few men who could move so silently and stealthily as to approach him without his knowledge.  The fact that Tervanis had completely surprised him did not sit well with him.

“I have come to inspect your back,” Tervanis continued, his voice sounding almost conversational.  “Turn around and lie on your stomach.”

Legolas stiffened, his expression hardening.  If Tervanis believed that he was going to meekly obey his every command, he was about to learn differently.  Legolas stared up at the man standing over him, his expression one of cold defiance.

Tervanis’ eyes narrowed, a spark of anger twisting his features as he met Legolas’ determined gaze.  “It will go easier for you, elf, if you learn to obey me.  I shall receive my way anyway, and it will be much less painful for you.”

Legolas’ expression did not waver, and a moment later, Tervanis was forced to look away from the intense gaze of his prisoner.

“Kiesco,” he called, motioning to the large man across the camp.  “I will need your assistance.”

Immediately all work in the camp ceased as the men abandoned their various tasks in favor of watching the upcoming proceedings. 

“Legolas,” Dar whispered nervously, but Legolas silenced him with a sharp look that warned against interference.

Kiesco moved to Tervanis’ side, a wide grin on his flat face.  “Let me handle him, sir,” he boasted loudly, leering down at Legolas.  “He’ll give you no trouble when I am through with him.”  With this statement, Kiesco lunged forward, his large hands reaching for Legolas’ throat. 

His approach was stopped abruptly, however, as Legolas smoothly rolled onto his back, his bound feet snapping up and out quicker than the eye could follow, connecting first with the man’s groin, and then as Kiesco doubled over in pain, his jaw, sending the man flying backwards to land heavily at Tervanis’ feet.  Just as quickly, Legolas rolled back upright, his jaw clenched tightly against the pain.

Tervanis sighed, then motioned for two more of his men to come forward and take the unconscious Kiesco’s place.  They did so reluctantly.

Legolas watched their approach warily, his entire body tensed and expectant.

“You are merely making things more difficult on yourself, elf,” Tervanis observed calmly, watching his men closely.

Legolas was not given the opportunity to respond, for the two men suddenly leapt at him at the same time, one going for his legs while the other sought to push him to the ground.  Legolas twisted and struggled in their grasp, refusing to give in easily despite the overwhelming odds against him.  In the end, Tervanis was forced to call two more of his men to help before Legolas was at last flipped over onto his stomach.  A heavy knee came to rest between his shoulder blades, ending his struggle in a blast of agony.

“I warned you,” Tervanis hissed angrily in his ear, grinding his knee harshly into Legolas’ back.

Legolas could not hold back his cry of pain as blackness swirled around the edges of his vision.  He heard Dar shouting nearby, but the world was beginning to swirl out of focus as consciousness fled him.

Then, just as suddenly as it had all begun, it ended.  The knee lifted from his back, and Legolas was able to gasp in air, his entire body shuddering uncontrollably as the muscles in his back began to spasm.

“Next time, perhaps you will refrain from such foolishness.” Tervanis’ voice drifted down from above him.  “If not, I can assure you that the punishment will be much more severe.”

Legolas squeezed his eyes tightly closed, attempting to regain at least some of his control. He was held firmly down as his tunic was roughly pushed up around his neck and a burning cream was rubbed onto his back.

“Janar, bring a single flagon of water for each of the prisoners.  They will be offered no food in punishment for the elf’s foolish behavior.”  Tervanis stooped down next to Legolas, his hand gently running up and down his burning back.  “I suggest you attempt to get some rest.  You have a long journey ahead of you.” 

With this last statement, Tervanis rose and silently moved away, leaving Legolas alone in his pain.

 TBC