Legolas gritted his teeth and forced Aduial to ride ahead of the guard. Blood began streaming down his cheeks, flowing from his ears. The only son of Thranduil hurriedly wiped it away lest the guard would notice and question him. Suddenly, it passed. If Sauron was quick to anger, he was quick to forget; unless, of course, it concerned the Ring, then he never forgot. Legolas quickly cleaned the blood off his face as a rider rode up beside him. "My lord, we must stop soon." Luinlor spoke quietly, glancing back at the guard.
"Within the next hour," Legolas replied. He wished to get as far away as possible from the direction the Nazgūl had fled.
"My Lord, I hear and obey." Luinlor spoke the words of custom, yet his thoughts on the matter were clear to the Prince.
After the next hour had passed, the Elves set up camp for the night. The next morning, they set out again.
Aduial's hooves thudded on the wooden planks of the bridge over Anduin. For two weeks, Legolas had been travelling to Rivendell. Another week to go...
"My lord, how does your wound pain you?" Luinlor, deciding that the Prince was troubled, pryed into the Prince's business.
"It is fine, Luinlor," said Legolas "It has nearly closed over."
Luinlor nodded. "Very well, my lord. When will we be stopping?"
Legolas sighed deeply, wishing he could just get to Rivendell. "We will stop at sunset, and at no other time, unless later."
Luinlor nodded again, knowing that the Prince was going through turmoil. "Yes, my Lord. At least we are not far from Rivendell." He paused. "My Lord, if I may, why are we journeying to Rivendell? King Thranduil never said why we were going there."
"I wished to speak to Lords Elrond and Glorfindel," lied Legolas, knowing it was forbidden to tell another about his connection to Sauron without one who knew of it giving him permission.
"I see."
The Nazgūl pursued the Ring-bearer and the Elf, who had returned from the Halls of Mandos, screaming their master's and their own fury into the night.
The Elves of Mirkwood forced their horses to a gallop, they were nearly there...
The Nazgūl followed closely... just a little closer! Glorfindel and Frodo reached the other side of the ford. Closer...
Celon erio! Eched nīn coth drego! [~*]
Like a torrent from that of a waterfall, the ford was flooded; the Nazgūl drowned or forced to flee. But even if they were drowned, only their fearful mounts perished.
Sauron screamed with anger as he watched his servants, who each wielded one of the Nine, forced to flee. At least that annoying son of Thranduil wouldn't benefit much from the Nine's failure...
Legolas let out a gasp as a sharp pain coursed through him. Sauron was in a rage. Questions of concern for Legolas were asked, but alas, the Elven prince could not hear the questions over the ringing in his ears. No...
"My Lord? Are you well? My Lord?! Answer me! Prince Legolas! Erain Legolas! Legolas! My Lord?! Are you well?!"
Screams of the dead pierced the night; the guard immediately scanned the land for the Nine, but saw nothing. "Come, we must get to Rivendell, we will be safe there," Pain lanced the Prince's words. "We will go the secret way, over the cliffs."
Luinlor nodded in agreement. "Yes, my Lord." The company moved off again with Legolas nearly falling from his steed at (with) each step Aduial took.
The company had arrived at the cliffs. Legolas gritted his teeth to stop himself from crying out. They moved their steeds to jump down from the cliffs, into the valley of Rivendell, the secret way. Legolas clung to Aduial's neck as he prepared for the jump. He did not want to fall from the great height. Aduial leapt down, into Rivendell. When Aduial landed with a soft thump, Legolas could not resist the sharp, white-hot pain much (any) longer, and gave a cry; then he collapsed, giving into the darkness that had been bordering the edges of his mind.
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Chapter end notes: [~*] = River rise! Make my enemies flee!
