Of course, this was a stupid idea but she didn't care. No, she didn't at all. She wanted to be taken seriously; she wanted to be a warrior, just like her brother before her. She hated orcs with a passion. They took everything from her, ruined her whole being in less than an hour. Maybe she thought killing every orc would bring her family back. But it couldn't.

Her mind drifted to Legolas. She hated him. He had everything--a father who loved him and people looked up to him, respected him. He was a warrior skilled in almost every aspect of combat. He was perfect, and he reminded her of everything she was not. At times she thought she might care for him, he always ruined it. He ruined her chance to avenge the ones she lost.

Rhavaniel shook herself to rid her mind of such thoughts. She had more important matters to attend to. Grasping her bow tighter, she crept along the tree limbs. She could smell the putrid scent of the orcs, and she bent over and emptied her stomach pitifully. She righted herself and sputtered the most un-ladylike curse.

Rhavaniel spotted seven large orcs eating foul looking meat, and she immediately spat. She soundlessly jumped from the tree and notched her bow. Remembering the tips Legolas gave her, (though she'd hate to admit it) she released the first arrow. She watched as is embedded into the arm of an orc as he lifted the meat to his lips.

The orc let out a guttural wail and stood up, frantically searching for the source. The other orcs too let out a roar of furry and joined the search.

Rhavaniel released another arrow and cursed when it missed. Fear entered her as every eye of the orcs stared at her with bloodlust. She dropped her bow. Pulling out to short swords, she charged with a battle cry. She didn't even acknowledge the fact she was outnumbered; all she wanted was to rip the lives out of these monsters.

Her blade slashed the neck of an orc, and she smiled at the fountain of blood gushing from its now dead body. She charged at another, but the orc grabbed her arm and twisted it. She gasped and tried to pull away, but soon found herself surrounded by the orcs' dark looming forms.

"A pretty she-elf all alone," the orc ripped the knives from her hands and moved his face so close that Rhavaniel could smell the acrid odor of his breath. "I always wanted to have a she-elf; the blood is much sweeter."

The orcs laughed and pulled out a black rope.

Rhavaniel twisted and kicked, but to no avail. Her mind begged her to call for help, but her pride held her back.

"We got ourselves a feisty one, boys!" The orcs roared in laughter and tied their captive's arms and legs.

"Scream, and I'll cut your pretty face. Our master wouldn't want a ruined elven prize, would he?"

~~~~*~~~~~

 Legolas crept along the treetops, as silent as a moonless night yet quick as a retreating bird. The sun's rays beat down on him as he leaped from tree to tree. His mind raced, what if they caught her? What if she was dead already. He cursed, he couldn't fail her.

Legolas stopped, crouched on a branch, his head lifted, and he smelled the air. His nose wrinkled in disgust. "Yrch," Legolas snarled. His slim fingers reached back and pulled a greened fletched arrow from his quiver. Silently, he notched the arrow to his bow and resumed his fast pace, bounding over the trees like a rock skipping across water. Time was running out.

An ear-piercing scream reached his ears, and he sprinted faster till he reached the orc camp. He caught sight Rhavaniel, tied and bound. An orc grabbed her by the hair and forced her head to the hard ground. Before the orc could make another move, an arrow pierced his skull and blood gushed from his head to land on the elleth's chest, and she shrieked.

More arrows rained from the treetops, the archer unseen. The orcs took up their weapons with a roar, forgetting about the elleth and recklessly shot arrows to the trees. Orcs were slow during the day, but no less dangerous.

Legolas quickly placed his bow on his back and unsheathed his twin knives. Leaping from the trees, he landed soundlessly to the ground. Immediately he hurled himself at the first orc, ruthlessly slicing its throat.

"Elven scum!" One roared, blood lust and hate shone in his yellow eyes. He released a wicked arrow to soar through the air and into the heart of the elf.

Legolas caught it with a skilled hand, and before the orc could blink, his own arrow was embedded into his eye with a sickening crunch as it pushed into the skull. His last sight was a pair of blue eyes, so bright yet menacing, and he hated it.

The elf shoved the orc carcass to the ground and bore into another, and another, slicing into them with ease. He whirled in a deadly dance, his enemies falling in pools of blood at his feet. He was relentless. He was death.

He defeated his last opponent, ripping the disfigured head from the orc's body and let it drop to the ground.

Turning, he cast his eyes to Rhavaniel and his legs followed. He pulled the orc carcass off her body and sunk to his knees. The steady lift of her chest told him she was still alive, and he let out a sigh of relief. His gaze roamed to her face and body. She wasn't injured badly save for her twisted arm, and he found that surprising. She seemed to have only passed out from shock.

He took the unconscious elleth into his arms and left the camp. There was no time to burn the bodies no matter how much he hated to leave them there to soil the earth. He whistled softly, and the steady sound of hooves answered his call. He quickly mounted his horse, holding the elleth in front of him and rode out of the foul camp.

~~~~*~~~~~

They rode long and hard. Night had fallen, and the soft moonlight guided their path. Rhavaniel hadn't even stirred, and Legolas began to worry. He halted his horse in a hidden area surrounded by trees and dismounted. Carefully, he took the elletth's body and laid her on the soft grass.

"Rhavaniel?" He shook her gently.

Nothing.

"Rhavaniel? Can you hear me?" He tried again.

The elleth gasped and shot up. Her head nearly slamming into Legolas', and her hands smacked away his from her shoulders.

"I don't wish to hurt you," Legolas removed his hood and raised his hands in surrender.

Rhavaniel calmed at seeing he was another elf, though her eyes blurred, and she couldn't make out his face. "Who are you? State your name at once, and why have you taken me captive?"

Legolas raised a brow. "I did no such thing. I saved you from the hands of orcs. My name is Legolas."

"You..." She snarled and looked down to see blood dripping from her tunic. Of course, it just had to be little Prince Legolas, she thought grimly. The high and mighty Prince of Mirkwood, the legendary archer. The same elf who demoted her unfit to join the patrol. "I didn't need your help, I was perfectly capable of handling myself."

Legolas scoffed. "You were bond and nearly assaulted. Have you no sense of gratitude?"

Rhavaniel lifted her nose and inclined her head. "Thank you."

Legolas shook his head and stood up. What was with her? The orc must have knocked her out good. "Come, we set up camp," he offered her his hand, and she refused it, sitting on the ground like a sulking child. "Suit yourself."
Legolas began picking up wood for a fire, but also keeping a sharp eye on Rhavaniel.

Rhavaniel glared at Legolas.
When his back was turned, she quickly tried to sneak away, but his voice made her freeze.

"You are not going anywhere."

"I'm not staying here."

"You really must be a fool. You have proved it time and time again." Legolas dropped the pile of wood onto the ground. "Are you foolish enough to wander around in the night unarmed?"

"I had a bow."

"Well, you do not now. You're staying here tonight and tomorrow you will return with me to my camp."

Rhavaniel glared at the ground and fidgeted with her hands.

Legolas took the chance to study her. Most of her raven hair escaped from her braid, her beautiful dark emerald eyes glinted with determination, and Legolas wondered why she was so resentful towards him. She was beautiful yet strange. She reminded him of a wildfire, just a lot less deadly and more stupid. Much more stupid.

Legolas tore his eyes from her and struck a small fire then began unfolding his bedroll. He was exhausted but knew he'd get near to no sleep with this she-elf around. He pulled out two slices of lembas from his pack and approached Rhavaniel. "Eat," he held out the bread in front of her face, and she pushed it away. "You will need your strength, especially if your planning to escape me."

Rhavaniel reluctantly took the bread. She couldn't hide her hunger as she devoured the morsel of lembas.

"Tell me why you were out all alone in the forests. I didn't authorize you to join the patrol for a reason, Rhavaniel. You have little to no skill with the necessary weapons. And that is only the beginning."

"I'm not telling you anything," she brushed the crumbs from her hands and stood up. "And as I said, I had a bow which I am very skilled at using," she scoffed and scowled at the elf.

Legolas crouched by the fire and tossed a stick into the flames. So she thinks she is so capable. "Then you won't mind keeping watch for me while I rest," Legolas stood up and brushed past the wide-eyed Rhavaniel.

"Well, I-I no longer have my bow. The orc--"

"--You do now," Legolas tossed her his hunting bow, arrows and smirked as she stood there gawking. Of course, she didn't know how to control a bow, he saw that much. She couldn't even control her mouth! Legolas lowered himself to his bedroll and smirked to himself.

Rhavaniel huffed and shoot a glare at the 'sleeping elf'. Her heart pounded. In truth, she wasn't very skilled with a bow and deserved to be a novice. She was stupid enough to track a party of fifteen orcs alone just to prove her worth; she failed miserably and was rescued by the one person she wanted to surpass. What if the orcs came back? What if they... No, she wouldn't do his dirty work. She grabbed an arrow and threw it onto the dirt, stopping on it continuously before throwing it into the fire. "Lousy royal ass! You do your own dirty work," she yelled then nearly screamed when Legolas made no acknowledgment of her protests. "I will burn your--"

Legolas lept up and covered his hand over her mouth. "You foolish girl!" He hissed, his voice dangerously low. "You wish to alert the orcs again, do you?" He ripped the bow from her hands and let it drop then pushed the struggling she-elf to her bum. "Scream and I will tie your wretched hands to your filthy mouth."

"You wouldn't dare! You miserable orc!" She gasped, bringing her foot up to kick his groin.

Legolas caught her foot with a skilled hand, and his dark eyes met hers. "You attempt too much, Rhavaniel." He stood up and picking up his bow, he walked away. "Rest while you can, who knows what tomorrow will bring."

Word count: 2,008

Translations: elleth: she-elf