Against all Odds {Middle-Earth fanfic}

Chapter Forty-Six

Nikandros stepped on it, and a loud snap echoed through the forest. He muttered a quick, "Blast." and kept running, hoping to get far from where the sound was. Unfortunately, he glanced back for a moment too long to see if the elves had followed him. When he returned his gaze to ahead of him, he barely had time to avoid the tree. He scraped against it and lost his balance, falling hard on his stomach. He groaned in agony.

Aratên had been listening for any noise and was quickly alerted to Nikandros' presence.

Before Nikandros could recover, Aratên had caught up to him and held out his elvish knife at the human's back.

"Stand up slowly." Aratên commanded.

Anger showing in his movement, he stood up, groaning softly at the effort. He was positive that tomorrow his stomach would be lovely shades of purple and black.

"Walk." Aratên uttered that one word with much anger and frustration.

When they arrived back at camp, all the other elves were already there. Thea frowned when she noticed Nikandros and  bit her lip.

The elves pushed Nikandros and Thea into the middle of camp just as the sun began to rise. Legolas approached the two and shook his head, "I thought I made it clear that attempting escape would not be tolerated. It was fruitless and only cost us extra time."

Nikandros glared at the elf Prince, "Tell me," he began, "If you were in our place, headed for certain torture and pain, would you just sit by and let yourself be taken there?" His tone had become angrier.

"I doubt that the King of Gondor would order something like that if you were undeserving." Legolas cocked an eyebrow.

"Ha." Nikandros spat out before he could help himself.

"Are you undeserving?"

Nikandros took a deep breath and let it out, "I believe we are now. We have changed much since we were sent out as assassins."

"I cannot judge your character, for I have only just met you, but you are a murderer." Legolas said the last word with distain lacing his voice.

"And you yourself aren't?"

Legolas looked taken back and for a few seconds, couldn't find his voice.

Instead, Aratên stepped up to Nikandros and smacked him across the face with the butt of his knife.

Nikandros flinched slightly, and took a deep breath, restraining his instincts that told him to retaliate.

"How dare you speak to the prince in that manner." Aratên hissed.

Legolas placed his hand on Aratên's shoulder, "Calm down, Mellon nin." He turned his crystalline eyes upon Nikandros, "I do not understand your accusation."

"You call me a murderer. But I have not actually ever finished my mission. I have killed, yes. But so have you." Nikandros met the prince's gaze, "I was trained in the arts of the sword and dagger, but you were as well."

"I kill orcs and scum that do not deserve life. Never would I kill my own kind." Legolas' gaze didn't waver as he answered.

"Tell me, when have I murdered my own kin, unless in self-defense?" Nikandros asked calmly.

"Only you can answer that question. But it matters not, because you are going to Gondor and nothing you do will change that." Legolas didn't look away from Nikandros when he barked out orders, "Bind them both tightly and separate them. Have a guard watching them at all times."

Nikandros clenched his jaw, and said one last thing to the prince, "You have no right to call us murderers then." He said in a low tone.

"Do you want me to hurt you? I never knew humans to be so incredibly foolish." Legolas retorted.