Unlikely Rescue

Chapter 26 - Bravery

Hi guys! I'm so sorry about the (very) long wait for this chapter, I hope you know I won't give up on this story, however long it might take me to update. Please bear with me: I have some GCSEs and heaps of homework so I'll try and squeeze in some Wattpad! Thanks if you've stuck with this story through thick and thin (but mostly thick).

Legolas rested his head back against the tree he was bound to. Another day of pain and suffering for all four prisoners had passed, and the elfling was nearing the limits of what he could endure. He did not want to shut himself away from the world as he had done before, to fall back into his old ways of dealing with the pain, because that would mean accepting that it was never going to end, accepting it the way he had before, and as much as he was being dragged downwards into that pit of despair, he refused to fall. Not yet.

He told himself that that was the only reason why he didn't shut himself away. But the truth was that he was terrified that if he did, he would never be able to return.

He glanced over at the human and his brothers and thought for the millionth time that this was all his fault. It was his fault that these people had been captured, abused and mistreated the way they had. The guilt filled up the hollow space inside him when the pain wasn't there, and although he knew that the others had made the choice to look for him, if he hadn't run away, none of this would have happened. If he had stayed, he may have been at the mercy of the Elven Lord who was Aragorn's father, but he was beginning to believe that that may have been better than this. Perhaps they would have just killed him. That was what he wanted now. Death.

But he couldn't have what he wanted when there were three people here because of him. He couldn't let himself leave when they had come all this way to find him. Because that would mean that all their suffering was pointless.

The elfling glanced around him. He tried to keep as still as possible, because even the slightest of movements sent rivers of pain all over his body. A small twitch pushed his back against the tree trunk, and all the fresh wounds would ignite once more in pain.

Clenching his teeth, he looked around again, this time managing to actually see through the haze of pain. It made him feel better, somehow, that he could still do that one normal action, after everything. It was a strange thing to hold onto, but it was all he had.

The camp was practically deserted, with a few sleepy elves standing guard. Thranduil was inside a tent somewhere nearby. Most of his army slept soundly on the floor, with their eyes open and constantly alert, even in sleep.

Or at least that was how it seemed.

But Legolas had been watching all evening, and it was clear that they had been drinking considerable amounts of alcohol from their shouts and cheers. The large amount of food had also shown that they were celebrating something, and the elfling could only assume that it was the capture of the three new prisoners.

The drinks were taking their toll now. Each elf, who should be vigilant at all times, was deep in a relaxed slumber, with was clearly the result of too much food and drink, and not enough to do. They would be grumpy and violent in the morning, and Legolas knew all too well where their anger would be directed. He shivered at the thought.

He knew from experience that he could cope with whatever they did, but he wasn't sure if the human and the two older elves could.

If they die because they came here for me...

And suddenly the young elf knew what he had to do. He had no idea how he was going to do it, or whether it would work, but he had to be brave. He had to get out.

Tonight.

Twisting in his bonds, the elfling squirmed for what seemed like forever until, eventually, the strong elvish rope began to loosen. He had last eaten a small mouthful days ago, before he was captured, and it was sometime before Aragorn was injured that he had properly eaten. He was so thin he looked like a skeleton, but for once that was a good thing, and a slight loosening in the ropes was all he needed. Slipping silently out of the restraints, he stood up for the first time in days.