More Fan Fiction

Here's the next part of my Legolas fan fiction story. Here goes!

The merriment around him pulled Legolas from his thoughts. His father once again stood for a toast. But before he could utter a word, the intruder appeared again. He rushed into the middle of the musicians and ran towards the King. Instantly the lights went out, the food was taken up, and the party moved on once more.
"‘Tis a sad day when one cannot enjoy a feast in his own homeland," said one Elf to another.
"‘Tis indeed," said the other, "but I am beginning to tire of this disruption. I say the next time, we..." But his thought was cut short, for the lights were lit once more, the table spread, and the songs begun once more. Legolas once again sat at right hand of his father.
"You are troubled, are you not?" asked the King. Legolas jumped as if he had been awakened by a sudden splash of water.
"A little," said Legolas.
"And what troubles you, my son?" asked Thranduil. Legolas sat silently.
"It is Arwen, and Elrond, and Elessar. It is the world, and my place in it." He shifted in his chair. "I suppose I am restless."
"Restless?"
"I want to convince Elrond of the uselessness of sending Arwen away. I wish that I could follow Elessar and keep him safe from harm. Safe from death. If he dies, I fear that Arwen will not be long in following him. I long for an adventure, something beyond the ends of Mirkwood. Something."
"Perhaps someday you will find what you seek," replied the King. He smiled warmly at his son.
"Come, bring your mind back to the feast before you, and the merriment that can be had from it." And with that he stood once more for a toast. But, not to their surprise, the intruder appeared again. But this time, when the lights went out and the feast was quickly taken up, the company stopped just a little ways into the woods.
"Let us retrace ours steps and capture this pest," said one Elf to another.
"Yes, let us," said the other, "though our feast is now officially ended." There was a disgruntled sigh and the two slunk back to the clearing. The frustrated party of Elves made their way back to the stronghold of Mirkwood. The grumbling group made their way back over the bridge and entered the great door into the kingdom. As the Elves went their separate ways, the two others whom they had left behind appeared, hauling behind them a small, but obviously important dwarf. Legolas studied him quizzically from the far end of the hall.
"Why did you three times try to attack my people at their merrymaking?" asked the King.
"I did not attack them," answered the dwarf; "I came to beg, because I was starving."
"What were you doing in the forest?"
"Looking for food and drink, because we were starving."
"But what brought you into the forest at all?" asked the King angrily. At that the dwarf shut his mouth and would not say a word more.
"Very well!" said the King. "Take him away and keep him safe, until he feels inclined to tell the truth, even if he waits a hundred years." As the dwarf was taken away, very angry and calling that he was starving, the King called his son to him.
"Bring the poor creature some food and drink, and see if he can be persuaded to talk."
Legolas nodded and went down a long hall to the food stores. He found there bread and cheese and a flask of spring water, collected them, and made his way to the dungeon. The guards had just brought the dwarf to his cell, and he seethed with anger.
"Unhand me! Release me I say! This is a nice way to treat a stranger! And one that is starving too! Let me go I say!"
Seeing Legolas approach, the guards let him in, but were quick to close the door behind him.
The dwarf looked up and studied his visitor, then seeing he was an Elf, crossed his arms and shut his mouth.
"Greetings," said Legolas, unsure of how to address a dwarf. "I have brought you some refreshment, for I heard that you were–"‘"
"Starving! Absolutely starving!"
"Yes, well," he revealed the bread and cheese and handed them to the prisoner. The dwarf’s eyes grew wide with longing for a moment, but then he scowled.
"Poisoned I’m sure," he said grudgingly.
"Certainly not!" cried Legolas. "If we were to kill you we could have done so in the woods without you even knowing we were there!" The dwarf continued to scowl for a moment, but the smell overcame his apprehension and he hastily swiped up the cheese.
"And here is some water, fresh from our own springs," said Legolas. This too was snatched from his hands.
"So, why is a dwarf such as you wandering so far from your homeland?" asked Legolas. The dwarf who had been chewing loudly, stopped short. His eyebrows furrowed and he snorted.
"Well, why? If I may ask," said the Elf.
"You may not," replied the dwarf curtly.
"Things would be a lot better for you if you spoke now and spoke the truth," said Legolas.
This time the dwarf didn’t say anything. Once again, he crossed his arms (this time with a hunk of bread in one hand and a slice of cheese in the other) and shut his mouth. Legolas sighed and shook his head.
"Curse the stiff necks of the Dwarves," he said under his breath. "Very well, and I am sorry for your sake, that you did not confess." Legolas stood and rapped on the door. The guards opened it and let him out. Then they hastily closed it again.
Legolas returned to his father and reported the behavior of their guest.
"Fool," said the King. "Very well. If it takes a hundred years, so be it, but he shall not leave until he tells the truth."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A few days later, a company of scouts entered the throne room of the King, leading in a band of 13 very tired and very sick looking dwarves. They made no resistance and walked in a single file line, bound by the hands. Of many different ages and sizes they were, but they were dwarves nonetheless. The King saw their state and ordered that they be untied. Legolas had just entered the hall and now stood hidden in the shadows of an alcove. The King questioned the dwarves long and searchingly, but he got little more news out of them than he did the first dwarf. These were surly and angry and did not pretend to be polite. One stepped forward suddenly.
"What have we done, O King? Is it a crime to be lost in the forest, to be hungry and thirsty, to be trapped by spiders? Are the spiders your tamed beasts or your pets, if killing them makes you angry?" Legolas watched as his father’s face turned a bright shade of red.
"It is a crime to wander in my realm without leave. Do you forget that you were in my kingdom, using the road that my people made? Did you not three time pursue and trouble my people in the forest and rouse the spiders with your riot and clamor? After all the disturbance you have made I have a right to know what brings you here, and if you will not tell me now, I will keep you all in prison until you have learned sense and manners! Guards, take them to the dungeon! Give them food and drink, but put each in a separate cell. Away with you!" The guards leapt into action and firmly escorted the group away. The great door of the Hall of Mirkwood began to close. From his spot in the shadows, Legolas watched them slowly shutting. But just as they were about to return to their original places, a shadow passed on the floor, and the Elf thought he had heard footsteps. He scanned the area for a sight of movement, but found none. Bewildered, he took one last long look, and left the hall.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
One morning many days later, Legolas awoke to the sounds of many voices and the rush of feet. He hurriedly dressed and stepped into the hall. Elves were racing this way and that, some with weapons. Quickly he grabbed the closest Elf he could find.
"What is wrong?"
"The prisoners, every last one, have disappeared!"
"What?" Legolas asked.
"Last night they were all accounted for, but when morning dawned, they were gone, along with many of the empty barrels we had just unloaded. Many suspect an elaborate escape plan, but without the use of devilry I cannot fathom how they could have pulled it off without anyone knowing."
"That is strange indeed," said Legolas.