{}«Legolas' POV»{}

I'm back at the cell, silently begging for oblivion to claim me. It started with the kicks and punches, a few to my burned face. Then the knives and whips that dug into my flesh. It feels as though I am their toy. There for their enjoyment. And I suppose I am.

A groan escapes my lips when Arwen gently lifts my head into her lap. She brushes the strains of bloodied hair out of my face.

"Shhh," She says. "Be still." She presses the small water canteen to my lips and then starts to inspect my wounds. She rips off another piece of her skirt and ties it around my arm. It has begun to bleed heavily where an Orc ran his knife through it again.

She lifts what is left of my tunic and tries to stop the bleeding. I drift in and out of consciousness as she works.

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I wake to the sound of voices and I startle. No! It can't be them again! Then, I realize Arwen is talking to someone. I look closer. I know the elf, though I can't remember his name. It was something... wait... Dolenel? Yes that's it. He and Thaladir came with me. We left home for some reason...

I force myself to sit up against the wall, listening to their conversation.

Arwen's voice is barely above a whisper. "Can you get us out?"

"Yes, we must hurry." Dolenel answers. He begins to pick the lock and minutes later it pops open.

"My Prince." He says, helping me to my feet. It is all it could do to keep from screaming from the pain that comes with movement and I lean on him for support.

We make our way past several other cells and up a few flights of stairs. On more than one occasion we are forced to hide in the shadows as Orcs pass by us. Hours must have passed as we make our way through the darkness.

The world starts to move in front of me and I try to shake off the dizziness without success. My legs start to give out. I won't be able to go much longer. Just as I'm about to tell them to go without me, Dolenel announces we will rest for a few hours and helps me position myself against the wall.

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"How much further?" Arwen asks after we had gone on for several more hours.

"We should arrive at the East Gate in an hour or so." Dolenel answers in a whisper.

"Is it not guarded?" She asks.

"Yes, the gate itself it is heavily guarded from the inside." He said, "But there is a side entrance that we may be able to escape through. It was built as part of an emergency escape route."

Time passes and we near the gate. Fighting through the haze that has covered my mind, I hear Dolenel explain that the path on which we run, crosses over the main path to the gate. It continues on the other side and led to a staircase that led down into the ground.

We hide behind a slab of rock out of sight of the heavily guarded gate.

"We need to make it across the path and to that stairway." Dolenel says pointing across the path.

"We will be seen." Arwen whispers.

"We have no other choice." Dolenel says. "You must go first, then I will follow with Legolas."

Minutes pass before Arwen darts across. Dolenel helps me back to my feet. Moving as fast as we can, we follow Arwen across the path. A cry goes up. Orcs have spotted us. The two of us hurry down the steps where Arwen waits.

"Run!" Dolenel said, and starts moving me from his shoulder to Arwen's but I refuse, forcing myself to use my shaking, unstable legs.

"I will hold them off." Dolenel says, and draws his sword. "Go! Now!"

Arwen starts to run but will not leave one of my soldiers to die alone. I start forward, but Arwen puts a hand on my chest and forces me out. I don't have the strength to even push past her.

We head down the path. Pale daylight shines not far ahead. Medal crashes behind.

The tunnel leads us far enough away from the sight of the East Gate that we wouldn't be seen easily. We head down the hill and though the morning light is pale, I still have to squint my eyes.

The world starts to spin again. My knees start to give out and I stumble forward. Arwen rushes to my side and keeps me from falling.

"We can ... Lorien." She says but my mind is clouded from the agony that has taken over and I can't make out her every word. "It is... day's walk ... get help."

It takes all my strength to simply stand here. How can I walk for an entire day? "Go." I tell her and she looks at me confused. "Leave me."

"No." She states. "I'm not leaving you here to die!"

I have to let go of every bit of my pride to utter my next statement. I look up at her. "Arwen, I can't go any further."