Title:Whispers(Prequel to Silent Shouts) Author:Rutaari(pippa250@hotmail.com) Pairing(s):Aragorn/Legolas Rating:R Summary:In his attempt to see his beloved, Legolas is captured by slave traders, and sold to a man with bad intensions. Read Silent Shouts to find out what happens. Disclaimer:I dont own any of these characters, but I wish I did. DO you Tolkien people have any idea how lucky you are!? Warning:Rape and violence Authors Note:I'm sorry, its so short, but I wrote this after I wrote Silent Shouts, so there is only so much I could do with it. I'm also aware that this is not my best work, but come on people, I need feedback to motivate me! Send in those emails! Give some critizism! Please?:) Legolas looked down at the letter he held. His heart had skipped beats when the messenger had said it was a letter from Aragorn. He still got a great feeling of excitement and anxiety when he heard from the Dunedain. Now, his hands were almost shaking as he peeled open the letter. Dear Legolas, It has been too long since I last saw you. I do believe it is your turn to travel here again. Can I expect you, and when? I know it may be difficult to get away from Thranduil and Mirkwood, but send a messenger back as soon as you can. I eagerly await your return to the White City. Yours Always, Aragorn Legolas' heart thudded in his chest. Of course he would go! If he had to elope from Mirkwood and his father's firm hand he would. He would do anything to see Aragorn again. "Wait here. I will send my reply." Legolas told the messenger, and walked quickly to his father's study. "Father?" The elf asked, knocking politely on the door, but not waiting for a reply to open it. "May I have a word with you?" "I am busy, Legolas." The king said, not even looking up. "Please father, a moment." Legolas pleaded, sitting in a chair by his father's desk. Thranduil let out an exhasperated sigh and put down the parchment he had been reading. "Very well." "I have received a letter from Gondor, father. Aragorn wishes for me to come visit him for a while." Legolas said slowly, hoping his father would guess his request and he would not have to actually ask it. "You want to go visit Aragorn?" Thranduil asked. "Yes, father." Legolas said, letting out a sigh of relief that his father had guessed his question. His sigh was stopped short by a sharp backhand from his father. Legolas grabbed at his cheek as fresh blood oozed from a cut across his bone. "You wish to leave the land that you are helping to rule to go fulfill some childish infatuation with a human?" Thranduil asked incredulously. "Father, please... just for a few months?" Legolas pleaded. "I love him." "I don't care if you loved the bloody queen of Rivendell!" Thranduil boomed, standing from his chair, "You will not betray my word and see that man!" Legolas rose quickly from his chair he sat in, his face turning a bright shade of pink. "I will go to see him!" He yelled at his father, and started to walk out of the room. "Legolas," Thranduil's steady voice stopped him, "if you leave this kingdom, you will not return." Legolas froze. To be banished from his own home, to never see the beautiful woods again, to never see his brothers again, was a heart wrenching thought. But then Aragorn's face appeared in his mind. The beautifully chizzeled body and rugged beard, enhanced by his wide smile. Legolas could not bear to never see that again. "Then perhaps my brothers will visit me in Gondor." Legolas said calmly, and walked out of the study. The Silvan elf had not expected that kind of reaction from his father, and it had startled him. How could he say such a thing? To deny his son love, and to threaten to banish him from his own home? It was treachery. Legolas stormed down the hall, back to his room where the messenger was waiting. He snatched up a piece of parchment and wrote his reply to Aragorn. Dearest Aragorn, I regret to say I have come into complications with my father, but I will be coming to Gondor. You can expect me there within three week's time. All My Love, Legolas "Take this to King Elessar." Legolas said, stamping the letter shut with the seal of Mirkwood, and handing it to the messenger. "Go quickly." The messenger bowed and left the room. Legolas sighed and sat down on his bed. Oh, how he would miss this room! The beautiful tapestries and balcony that overhung the forest. He could not bear to think of leaving it. But he would. Tomorrow, he would leave then, bright and early. The elf stood, searching the room for a moment, and then picked up a bag and began packing for his long journey. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "Hello, my friend." Legolas whispered to Hasufel, patting the horse affectionately on the rose. "Are you ready for a long journey?" The grey horse whickered and tossed his head. Legolas let out a quiet laugh. He got a saddle and quietly tacked up Hasufel. It pained him to think that this would be the last time in this barn. If it had been anyone else who had told him not to return, he would have dismissed it, but he knew Thranduil was serious. Legolas quickly tied his pack to the saddle and led Hasufel out of the barn. "Legolas!" A deep voice came. "Out for an early ride?" Legolas cringed at the voice. He had hoped that he would escape without the stableman noticing. "Not exactly, Moryen." Legolas said, turning to the older elf. "Are you journeying? That is quite a load." Moryen said. "Yes," Legolas replied, "but this time I shall not be returning." "Not returning? You are leaving Mirkwood?" "Not by my own choice." Legolas wanted to cry, but he held his composure. "Thranduil?" Moryen asked, "is it because of... Aragorn?" The elf's face filled with sudden realization. "Yes, Moryen." Legolas said. "I will live in Gondor." "I am truly sorry, Legolas." Moryen said, and embraced the prince. If you ever do come back, I will be here waiting." "Thank you, my friend." Legolas said, and swung into Hasufel's saddle. "Please, do not worry. I will be happy in Gondor. Though there are no forests like Mirkwood, there is something far more beautiful." Moryen nodded his head, and watching as the Mirkwood prince rode quickly away. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Legolas rode slowly along at a walk, taking his last looks at all the familiar things in his forest. The first tree he ever climbed when he was a mere boy, the tree where he found a wounded eagle, the grove where he was attacked by spiders, and the hidden spring he enjoyed to bathe in. Tears roamed freely down the elf's face, and he sorrowfully said goodbye to all the living things in the forest. "I am afraid you must say goodbye, too, Hasufel." He told the horse as they left the forest. "We shall not return." The horse took a sorrowful glance back at the woods, and then Legolas turned him and pushed him into a hard canter, trying to get away from the sight of the lonely woods. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Legolas rode for more than a week. He stopped only at night to rest for a few hours, and would be up and going again before daylight came. He let out a big yawn, something elves rarely did. I guess I should get some real sleep tonight, he thought to himself as he took Hasufel's bridle off. "Be back here by dawn, my friend." He said, and watched Hasufel walk off into the hills. Legolas started a fire and warmed himself for a while, watching the sun set and nibbling on lembas. He hummed soft tunes to himself, and when there was finally no light left on the earth he scaled a tree and sat down in the crook where branch met trunk. Legolas crossed his arms in front of him and leaned his head back against the wood, and before long his eyes were glazed and still, never even blinking. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The men snuck quietly across the leaf-covered ground. They had been tracking this lone elf for more than a day. They had received specific commands to bring back a man worth selling, but believed an elf would fetch a much higher price. There were sixteen of them altogether, but only nine had come to capture the elf. He carried a bow and daggers, they knew he was a warrior, but this night he had been so tired he had forgotten to take either of his weapons up the tree with him, and he was unarmed and asleep, the perfect target. A man called Aika, the leader of the group, motioned for the others to surround the tree that the elf lay sleeping in. Another man, the smallest of the nine, climbed silently up the tree, a long rope trailing behind him. Once he reached the elf, he looked deep in his eyes, looking for any sign of awareness. None, the elf was dead asleep. The man gently picked up the elf's right leg, and looped the rope around his boot, tying it tightly so that it would not slip. Suddenly, a fist met the man's face. Legolas' eyes were wide as he realized that his weapons were down on the ground, where the other men were waiting for him. He shoved the small man off the branch and watched him hit the ground with a sickening thud. Legolas sprang to his feet and took a flying leap, landing on another branch that hung from a nearby tree. He let out a sharp whistle, hoping Hasufel would hear him. At this time of night, the horse was most likely too far away. Legolas crouched and prepared to make another leap, hoping to get farther into the trees and lose the men. He sprang as far as he could, but was stopped short in the middle of his jump. Something had his leg, and he felt himself falling. The elf reached franticly for something to grab, anything. There was nothing. His body hit the ground, and he cringed as he heard the bones in his wrist break. Legolas tried to regain himself to stand, but his hands were yanked behind him and tied tightly behind his back. "Not so clever now, are you?" A voice said, and everything went dark. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Legolas woke to the feel of sun on his skin. His head ached, and he reached for it, but stopped when he realized his hands were bound in front of him. "Aiya! How did I get myself into this mess?" He whispered to himself. He could feel blood on his head, and taste it in his mouth. His hand was swollen and red, obviously broken. "Awake, are we?" A man said, strolling over to where Legolas lay leaning against a tree. "Its about time, we must get going." "Where are you taking me?" Legolas demanded. "To Gondor." The man said. "To your new home." "My new home?" Legolas asked. "Yes, that is where I am going. Why do you bind me then?" "Because we can't have slaves running off." The man laughed, and patted Legolas' head as if he were a pet. Legolas jerked away from the touch. "I am no slave." Legolas said. "I am the prince of Mirkwood." "Sure you are, and I'm the king of Gondor." The man joked. "You are not half the man the king of Gondor is." Legolas sneered, and lunged at the man, hitting him in the face with both his tied fists, trying to ignore the pain in his broken hand. The man reeled back, but before Legolas could advance again six other men had grabbed him and thrown him back to the ground. The man stood, rubbing his jaw. "Spirited, are we?" He said. "But you will break." Legolas remained silent, but inwardly cursed at the man. He watched them eat breakfast, and they seemed to taunt him with the good food they had most likely stolen. He was so hungry he felt as if he had not eaten in days, but they gave him nothing. When they had packed up their camp three men came and yanked Legolas to his feet, and led him struggling over to a horse. He recognized another man on Hasufel, who seemed to be having some trouble getting the Rohan horse under control. The grey stallion reared and lashed out at the other men with his hooves, and the man came tumbling to the ground. Legolas could not help but laugh. "He is a Rohan horse." Legolas chided. "He will remain loyal to his master." The man glared at the elf. "He has a new master now." He said, and jumped back onto Hasufel's back. Legolas was pushed up onto a large horse behind Aika, the man in charge, and forced to ride with out hands. A man tied a rope around his left ankle and then attached the other end to the saddle. "In case you jump." He explained to Legolas' curious look. "What if I fall?" Legolas questioned. "Elves don't fall." Aika said. Legolas bit his tongue. No, elves didn't fall-often, but when their hands were tied and broken and they were forced to ride on the hind end of a horse with no control, they surely would. Legolas clung as best he could to the back of the saddle as the man in front of him kicked the horse viscously in the sides and forced him to spring foreword. Legolas cringed at the sight of the poor animal being kicked. He did not deserve that treatment. The horse's gait was rough and uneven, and Legolas struggled to stay astride the animal. After nearly two hours of riding, the horse finally had it, and he tripped over a rock and fell to his knees. Legolas lost his grip, and fell to the dirt below him. "I thought elves were smarter than to jump when they knew they were tied." Aika said, and turned to look at Legolas laying on the ground. "I fell." Legolas said, trying to rise, but not being successful. "Sure you did." Aika said sarcastacly, and turned back around in the saddle. "I think you need a lesson." With that he kicked the horse even harder than the last time, and Legolas felt the rope around his leg go suddenly taught and then pull at his leg. The man galloped the horse around a clearing that was atleast three hundred yards in all directions, dragging Legolas the entire way. The elf closed his eyes and waited for it to be over, trying to not be stepped on by the confused and steadily panicking horse. Rocks, branches, and twigs tore at his clothing and cut his skin, leaving open sores. He cried out when his body was drug over a pile of sharp rocks, bruising his body and breaking his hand further. The other men laughed and cheered as Aika provided their entertainment, until he finally stopped the horse back where he had started and got off. Legolas did not move, he was in too much pain. His entire body was covered in his own blood and tears of pain flowed freely down his face. Aika came over to him and grabbed his broken hand, using it to pull Legolas to his feet. The elf yelled at the pain, and started to fall over, but one of the men caught him. "Please," Legolas pleaded. "I can not ride." "Please nothing. We must make it to Gondor within a week." "A week? That is impossible." Legolas said, bent over in the dirt. "Not if we ride all night." Aika said. Legolas just stared in disbelief. "Maybe we should break for lunch." One of the men said. "Let him regain his feet. Besides, we could have a little fun with him." The man grinned wickedly. Aika shook his head. "It would bring down his price." "Only by a bit." Another man said. "I'm getting hard just looking at him. That pretty long hair and bright blue eyes." The man ran his hand across Legolas' lips. Legolas ignored him and continued to stare at the ground. "Please, no." He almost whispered. Aika looked at Legolas, and a smile spread across his face. "Alright, but I get to be the one to knock him up." The others nodded, and picked up the weak elf, carrying him to the edge of the clearing. They tied the horses and stopped to get a drink, and then Aika pushed Legolas to the ground and tied his arms to a tree root behind his head. "Please don't!" Legolas cried, kicked out with his feet. "Get away from me!" "Tie his feet." One man said, picking up two stakes. He pounded them into the ground near Legolas' feet, and tied the elf's legs far apart. Legolas stopped struggling for the moment. He would only wear himself out. Aika bent down and slit Legolas' tunic down the middle, so it slid right off his body, and did the same thing to his leggings. He lay naked on the ground, fighting the urge to close his eyes and pretend none of this was happening. He could pass to Mandos, but then he would never again see his beloved king, so he refused to allow his spirit to leave his body. Legolas let out a whimper as Aika's hands roamed down his chest and across his stomach, and down his thighs. The man's eyes settled on Legolas' groin. "Not even a little excited?" He teased. "We must change that." The man leaned foreword and put his entire body's weight on Legolas. He pressed his lips against the elf's, moaning in pleasure. Legolas started to turn away, but Aika's hand grabbed his golden hair and held him in place. The elf froze, not moving a muscle. He felt Aika's tongue slip into his mouth and tease his own tongue before the man stood. "Untie his feet." Aika said. "Couldn't that be dangerous?" One man asked. "No!" Aika yelled. "Untie him!" The other man obeyed, and untied both of Legolas' feet. At first the prince thought that Aika had given up on him, and was just going to let him be, but then then man grabbed Legolas' waist and turned him over onto his belly, his face pressed into the dirt. The elf let out a groan as the ropes pulled at his broken hand. "On your knees." Aika ordered. Legolas was startled. He did not move. Aika waited a moment, and then Legolas felt a rough hand grab his testicles and yank violently up on them. The elf cried out and allowed himself to be pulled to his hands and knees, standing like a four-legged creature. "This is how you will be taken." Aika said. "Like the beast you are." Legolas could hear the man behind him pulling down his breeches, and he felt Aika's hands on his hips and the man's hot arousal against his skin. "Please..." Legolas pleaded, but received a sharp elbow in his ribs. Aika placed his member against Legolas' hole, and Legolas realized the man was going to enter him dry. The elf screamed in agony and pain when the man impaled him, and let tears flow down his face. He would not pass. He had to see his beloved one more time. He would not allow it. He tried to picture that this was Aragorn inside of him as it should be, but Aragorn would never hurt him like this. He would never cause his lover to cry out over and over again and beg for the actions to stop. "Stop his screaming. Someone will hear." Legolas heard one of the men say just before he felt Aika's seed burst inside of him. Aika pulled himself out of the elf, laughing, and put his breeches back on. Legolas remained where he was, tears making a muddy puddle on the ground below him, and blood oozing freely out of his backside and open wounds. His hand throbbed slowly where he had had the weight of not only himself but a man as well putting strain on the broken bones. His body shook from the effort that it took not to let himself give in and pass to Mandos, as well as the pain he had been caused. "Put him on a horse. Let him ride in the saddle." He heard Aika's voice say, and he felt the ropes that tied him to the ground come undone. He was vaguely aware of the men putting clothes on him, lifting him into a saddle and one of them getting on behind him, when his body finally gave out and he passed out into the man's arms. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Aragorn held Legolas' response in his hand, but was afraid to open it. If Legolas did not agree to come, he would not be able to go see him for another year atleast. He finally forced himself to wrip the letter open and read the response. A wide smile spread across his face when he read the words written in his love's elegant script. "Thank the Valar." He whispered to himself, and stepped lightly down the hall to his room. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Legolas awoke to a sharp pain in his side. "Get up, elf." He heard a man's voice say. Legolas opened his eyes and looked around. He was on the ground again, but it was morning now. Had he really been passed out that long? "Can you ride?" The man asked. Legolas opened his mouth to respond, but no sound came out. He strained at his vocal cords, trying to make them work. A look of terror came over his face. "Well, can you?" The man grew impatient. Legolas looked into the man's eyes and shook his head no. "Too bad." The man said, and lifted him to his feet. "We will ride to Gondor. It is only two more days." Two days? He had to have been passed out for atleast a few days then. And why could he not speak? Nothing would come out of his mouth. Legolas allowed himself to be put atop another horse, and he held on as he struggled to stay astride the tired beast, a man supporting him from behind. Perhaps when he reached Gondor he could escape and go to Aragorn. It was worth the chance, and without these people there was no way he would get to Gondor alone, not in the condition the men had put him in. He would have to endure the ride. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Two days later Legolas and the men rode into Gondor. They had cloaked the elf, so as not to draw attention to him, and he simply looked like a weary passenger along for the ride. As they passed the guard, Legolas tried with all his might to yell out, to tell the guard that these men were bad, and that he was not a slave, and to get him away from them, but no sound would come. The men stopped at a house in the center of Gondor and pulled him off the horse. They led him into the small shack and shoved him into a corner, with orders for him to remain still and silent. Legolas could not argue, he had not the energy to do so. Two other men were there in the house. Apparently one was the man who was in charge of all these men, and had sent them to find a slave. The other was the buyer. He was an evil looking man, large and intimidating. Legolas shuddered at the thought of being owned by him. They spoke in a language he did not understand well. It sounded like the language of slave-owners. Hours passed with the men bickering and fighting. The topic moved from the elf to his price, and back to the elf. A few times the buyer, who Legolas had figured out was named Aistbar, stood up and went to him. He grabbed Legolas' chin and turned his head to look at him from every angle. Once, he even ran his hands all over the elf to make sure he was all in one piece, and grabbed at his groin to make sure he was in tact. Legolas sat in the corner the entire time, barely conscious of what was happening, but at last, after the sun had gone down, Aistbar walked over to him, snapped chains around his wrists, and picked him up off the floor. He said something to Aika's boss in their language, and threw Legolas onto a horse, riding out of town. Legolas took one fleeting glance at the castle of Gondor, begging Aragorn to come and help him, for he was too weak to help himself now. Of one thing he was sure. If this man raped him, he would let go, and Mandos would have his spirit. That, he could not deny.