Return Of The Shadow

Chapter 7: Finding a Weakness

Amarth had been gone for the past few weeks. Where and why was unknown to anyone except Sauron.

Rumor was that he'd been sent on an errand to find one of the rebel camps, but since next to nothing was known about the rebels it was dismissed throughout Mordor.

With the absence of Amarth, Sauron had made other plans for Legolas. They actually involved him leaving Barad-Dur.

He was shone for the first time what the land of Mordor had grown into.

Besides Barad-Dur new buildings made out of black stone had been set up. Mostly armories and stables for wargs. There were also places for slaves. For Legolas it was absolutely heart breaking to see them.

Men and dwarves who had been taken from their families, who had seen their kin die and homes destroyed, they had been beaten and looked worse than he did.

Of course he had been given a break from his daily torture so his wounds had had time to heal. Fortunately for him he did not require treatment from another to heal properly. Being an elf he healed on his own.

Sauron had sent him work amongst the other slaves. What this would accomplish for the dark lord was beyond Legolas but he said nothing.

The work was far from easy. Sauron had the elf perform tasks much harder than the other slaves, who usually looked on in pity when Legolas would accidentally stumble or drop something of importance, and the orcs who watched over them would strike him with whips until he returned to his feet.

But Legolas' strength was returning to him, of course it had never truly left. Day after day he found the tasks easier and had no trouble doing them.

Although the orcs still enjoyed whipping him if he ever passed by, yet that simply became a nuisance that Legolas learned to deal with.

Sauron and The Mouth constantly watched him. Waiting for him to mess up. If Legolas did anything to defy them the hobbit would die.

Unfortunately something had happened to make the elf carry on. He didn't slip into the insanity that Sauron had wanted.
Although if all went according to plan it would no longer be a problem.

As Legolas worked he heard someone scream from a short distance away. It was getting closer.

When Legolas turned to see what the commotion was his stomach dropped.

It was a woman, screaming for her son who was being dragged by orcs.

Legolas knew he should just turn away. He'd seen this before. Slaves who made mistakes and were punished just like he had been, it was nothing new, but this was different. This was a mother about to watch her child, who had miraculously been able to remain with her, be beaten at the hands of the most merciless creatures in Middle Earth.

Her cries grew louder, more frantic. Others held her back while she struggled to break free and reach her child.

The orc dropped the boy on the ground. He raised his whip over his head, the child looked up in fear.

It was wrong. He was just a child. He didn't deserve what was coming to him.

The blow struck. The boy cried out in pain. Others began to turn away, even the ones who restrained the mother averted their gaze. The mother's eyes were red and tears streamed down her face as blow after blow was dealt.

They realized with a sick feeling that the orc intended to beat the boy to death.

All had turned away. Even the mother had closed her eyes and collapsed. No one watched, no one could.

Except Legolas. He watched unblinking as the orc continued his work, feeling every blow the boy received from the whip. His cries echoed in his ears.

He clenched his fists. A storm began to grow inside of him. Fury consumed him like fire.

He took a step forward. Then another. He wouldn't need a weapon he could kill the orc filth with his bare hands. He would, and he would enjoy it.

Suddenly he froze. He couldn't do this, this was what Sauron wanted him to do.

Legolas glared up at the tower where he knew Sauron would be watching, waiting for him to take the bait in the trap he had set.

He turned back to the orc who continued his brutal task. He stood only a few feet away. Eyes were on him now waiting for him to make a move.

The mother started screaming,
"Please! Save him! Save my son!"

The orc looked up and snarled at the elf, daring him to interfere. He couldn't. If he did, Pippin would die.

The orc finished his job. As he left he walked by Legolas and gave him a hard shove that almost knocked him over.

"Remember your place elf." The orc spat.

Legolas glared at him as he walked away. Meanwhile the woman had ran over to her son, who was nothing more than a bloody, lifeless body.

She held him in her arms and screamed. She pressed her face into his hair and cried.

The others moved on. No one tried to comfort her.

Legolas didn't move. He stood there in silence as he watched the mother grieve for her son.

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

The Mouth couldn't believe what'd just happened. He had been certain that Legolas would intervene. If he had that would have given them the excuse to kill the halfling.

"We should kill the halfling anyway," The Mouth spat, "surely it would still be enough to break him."

"No," Sauron said firmly, "remember Amarth's words, this can still work in our favor."

"How?" The Mouth asked. He trusted that Sauron knew what he was doing but he didn't trust Amarth. Something about the elf rubbed him the wrong way.

"Since he refused to stop the killing, the halfling is still safe. He won't risk his safety no matter what we do." Sauron stated.

"We have to find his weakness. Everyone has one, even elves." the Mouth said.

"His weakness will be hard to find. He is resilient to pain and I've already removed the threat of him losing his friend, which is his one true weakness."

But is it weakness or strength?

It seemed that the will to keep the halfling alive was what made Legolas stronger. He had to remove the halfing. But how?

"I want you to watch them in their cell tonight. Make sure you are not seen but I want to know anything that could be used against Legolas. Understand?"

The Mouth bowed.
"Yes my lord. I will do as you command."