Legolas dreaded facing Sauron again but he had no choice. The orcs came and brought him back to Sauron's throne.

No one else was there this time. Just Legolas and Sauron. He motioned for the orcs to leave. Legolas prepared himself for what he was about to say.

"Have you made your decision elf?" Sauron asked.
Legolas closed his eyes and took in a deep breath.

He opened them and gave his answer.
"If you promise not to harm Pippin, I swear I will do whatever it is you ask of me."

Legolas hung his head. He had just delivered himself right into the enemy's control once again.

Sauron was pleased. He motioned for someone to enter. Legolas heard footsteps and briefly thought that it was The Mouth.

But when he turned around to look, it was the elf he had seen before.

"I believe the two of you have not officially met," Sauron said gesturing to the elf, "this is Amarth."

Legolas narrowed his eyes at Amarth. 

"I already know your name Greenleaf," Amarth stated nonchalantly, "I do not need to hear it again."

"Amarth, show Legolas what he will be doing for the next few months." Sauron ordered.

The elf nodded and led Legolas to the far side of the throne room. Legolas almost collapsed but held himself up.

He knew what lay behind this door. He had spent countless days and nights in this room.

He refused to enter. He wouldn't.

"Remember our bargain Legolas. You must do what I command or your friend dies. Now take your place in that room."

Sauron's words sent shivers down Legolas' spine. He took a deep breath and followed Amarth inside.

The room looked exactly how it did when Legolas had been there. All the instruments of torture created by Sauron and the small cell that had been his prison for three hundred years were still there.

"What are you going to do to me?"
Legolas asked as Amarth began preparing one of the machines.

"Sauron wants me to try my hand at torture. He thought you would be good practice for me."

Legolas was a bit taken back by how Amarth seemed perfectly calm with what he was doing.

"What did Sauron do to you?" Legolas asked. "To make you like this?"
"I was already like this," Amarth replied matter-of-factly. "Ever since I can remember I've always enjoyed watching others suffer."

He didn't look at Legolas at all. He continued to ready the torturing devices, speaking as if he was having a normal conversation with a friend.

"I will admit. I don't want to do this to you. You're different. Unique. I've never seen someone stand so fearless before the Dark Lord."

Legolas was caught off guard. This was the strangest elf he'd ever met.

"And yet," Amarth continued, "So stupid."

Legolas was lost. He didn't know what to say to this elf.

"You have the chance to avoid all this, all this pain and suffering, and yet you choose to go through it for the sake of a mere mortal."

Amarth looked up at him with his bright blue eyes. It nerved Legolas how much they looked alike.

"Even if you save him now, what will stop him from growing old and dying? You could end both of your suffering if you simply refuse Sauron."

"Sauron will cause me pain no matter what I choose to do." Legolas stated coldly.
"But you could fight him," Amarth suggested. "From what I've heard you are quite the warrior."
"No one can stand up to Sauron as long as he wears the one ring. And I will not risk Pippin's safety or well being."

Amarth looked at him curiously.
"An elf who associates himself with mortals." he began to laugh softly to himself.

"I do not see what it is you find so amusing." Legolas had had it with this elf.

"Don't you realize that every time an elf befriends a mortal nothing good comes out of it? Many great elves have died fighting beside men, which is exactly what you did. "

Legolas narrowed his eyes.

"I know what I did Amarth, and I do not regret my actions."

"Then I am certain you will be glad to hear that your friend is out there living warm and safe out of Sauron's reach believing that you are dead? You saved his life and what do you get in return?"

Amarth took out a long, black dagger that he always carried and studied the blade closely. He then turned back to Legolas.

"Nothing but suffering, and to think you could have avoided this altogether if you had let the human die."

Legolas refused to meet his gaze.

"But, I'm getting off track. If you want to sacrifice yourself for a worthless mortal than be my guest."

He walked over and pressed the dagger into Legolas' back, forcing him over to one of the machines.

"And I have work to do."

°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°

Pippin waited alone in his cell for hours. He'd been moved to a larger cell after the orcs had taken Legolas away.

Part of him was glad that he wasn't alone in this foul place, while the other half wished that no one had to be here to suffer with him.

He'd heard that there were two more prisoners besides him and Legolas': but who they were and why Sauron kept them alive was unknown to him.

He heard the sound of orcs grunting and sat up. The orcs approached his cell and had Legolas with them. In the faint torch light Pippin could see that Legolas had been hurt.

Of course "hurt" seemed like an understatement. He could barely stand on his own and multiple wounds covered his face and hands.

His clothes were torn and his hair was dirty and matted with blood.

The orcs threw him in and slammed the door closed. Pippin walked over and knelt beside Legolas.

"Are you alright?"

That was a stupid question. Of course he wasn't.

"I've been through worse." Legolas groaned and struggled to a sitting position. Pippin helped him lean against one of the walls.

"You don't have to do this. I don't care what Sauron does to me."

Pippin knew he sounded braver than he felt. One look at Legolas' beaten form filled him with fear.

"You don't understand Pippin. I have to."

"Why? I'm not afraid of Sauron."

Legolas smiled at him.

"You're a brave hobbit Peregrin Took. But I cannot ask you to suffer through what I am."

"Why are doing this? Pippin asked quietly. "You don't owe me anything."

Legolas shifted in his seating positon before turning to face the hobbit.

"When I first agreed to join the Fellowship, I had assumed that Frodo would be the only one I needed to protect. Even after you and the other hobbits joined my main concern was still Frodo."

Legolas paused for a moment to catch his breath.

"When we began, the only ones I wertruly concerned for were Aragorn, Gandalf, and Frodo. Aragorn because he was my friend as well as Gandalf, and Frodo because he was the ringbearer. I never thought of him or the rest of the company as my friends. I didn't want to get to close with anyone else in case something happened. I didn't want to risk...."

Legolas trailed off. His eyes clouded and he turned away from the hobbit.

"There is nothing more painful in this world than losing the ones you love. It is a pain that no matter how hard you try to forget who it was... Or how they died... It cannot heal. You can move on and continue your life but the pain is always there."

Pippin hadn't seen this side of Legolas before. This wasn't the strong, brave elf he'd met in Rivendell.

"Theodred died to save me."
Pippin said quietly.
Legolas looked at him in shock. He hadn't been close with Theodred, but hearing of his death surprised him.

"I didn't know him very well, but he was always kind to me. He didn't deserve to die. I still feel like it's my fault."

"You cannot blame yourself Pippin. If Theodred willingly gave his life for you it was his choice. And I'm sure he didn't regret it."

There was silence before Legolas spoke again.

"I've lost a lot of people who were close to me. My mother died when I was just a child. I remember nothing about her. Her name, what she was like..."

The elf closed his eyes.
"There is nothing."

Pippin looked sadly at Legolas. He hadn't known that Legolas had lost so much.

"Gandalf said you had a friend once. Before Aragorn."

Pippin couldn't believe he had just brought that up. He could see Legolas shudder.

"What was his name?"

Legolas didn't respond. Why had Pippin brought this up? Why would he remind him of the friend he had killed?

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have..."

"Thalion."

"What?"

Legolas looked at him. His face showed no emotion.

"His name was Thalion. And he was more than a friend to me. He was like a brother. Always there for me, and when he tried to help me, I killed him."

Legolas sighed.
"I'm sorry Pippin, I am tired and I need to rest."

Legolas gently lowered himself to the floor. He closed his eyes and drifted into a deep sleep.

Pippin lay down where he sat. He was a few feet away from Legolas. The hobbit wrapped his arms around himself and struggled to find sleep.

Are the rest of you still alive? And if you are... Where are you?