Title: "Nothrimraegath"
Author: LegolasLover2003 aka Ashley
Category: Book - "Lord of the Rings"
Genre: Angst/Adventure
Rating: M
Disclaimer: I do not own any rights to "The Lord of the Rings". I just adore it to pieces! Legede is a character of my own invention however. You may use him, but please ask permission to do so first.
NOTE: This story takes place after "Hiro Hyn Hidh Ab'Wanath".
Prologue
"I beg of you... stop this. Let her be or you shall kill her!"
A laugh escaped the lips of the dark haired Elf. He smiled at his two captives, a wicked grin that sent a chill down the archer's spine.
"To kill... or not to kill... my only dilemma, it seems." he laughed. "If she dies... you will tear yourself apart inside. If she lives... I will only hurt her again." he reached out one hand, gently cupping the archer's left cheek.
The older Elf ran his thumb across the large purple bruise that marred his captive's face.
"'Tis not an easy choice for me, mell muindor."
Legolas' eyes hardened. "Do not touch her again."
The elder Elf smirked, "You are in no position to give me orders." his gaze lingered on the unconscious form of Legolia. "You have no power against me here, prince." he spat those last words.
"You are wrong, Morolas."
With a laugh, Morolas punched the prince hard. Legolas fell to his knees before his sister. His right arm, having been badly broken, hung limply at his side.
Turning, the older Elf walked towards the stairway. "Be with her while you may. However, if our father does not arrive by the next three sunsets... I will kill her."
"NO!" Legolas shouted, but Morolas was already gone and the door at the end of the steps had closed and locked behind him.
Leaning over Legolia, the prince painfully pulled her against his chest before resting his back on the wall. He cradled the Elfling's head against his neck, stroking her hair gently.
"Ada will not come..." Legolas whispered to the darkness. "This place is unfamiliar to me, and bruised and broken as I am, I cannot hope to save you." the prince said, speaking to his sister, though he knew she would not hear him. "Valar..." Legolas kissed the top of Legolia's head before leaning his cheek against her hair, tears for his sister pooling in his eyes. "I cannot watch you die... not again... not again..."
NOTHRIMRAEGATH
Sins of the Family
I'm not supposed to be scared of anything.
But I don't know where I am.
I wish that I could move but I'm exhausted.
And nobody understands (how I feel).
I'm trying hard to breathe now.
But there's no air in my lungs.
There's no one here to talk to.
When the pain inside is making me numb.
I try to hold this under control.
You can't help me, cause no one knows...
-"Changes" (3 Doors Down)
Chapter 1:
The Pressures of A Hero
I am scared...
Afraid that once again my dear sister shall be torn from my grasp once more. Saruman's spell nearly killed her, now one of our own blood thirsts for her death... for my own death... all for something he brought upon himself.
Morolas...
My elder brother of nearly two thousand years...
Has gone completely mad.
Ada told me, when I was but Legolia's age, that Morolas had been sent away, exiled, for the murder of his closest friend. I never hated my brother, on the contrary, I loved him dearly. To me he had been kind and loving, but sometimes strange in his ways.
Exile, for one of the Firstborn, is perhaps the hardest punishment to ever endure. A lifetime of solitude...
Valar, I would dive headfirst into a spider's giant web before facing such a fate.
In my own mind, though we were forbidden to speak of it at home, I admired Morolas' courage to willingly take that punishment.
Now, revenge bent, Morolas has returned and demanded his rightful place as the Crown Prince of Mirkwood... as Eryn Lasgalen's King.
He wishes to kill us all to achieve that goal.
"Legolas?"
The Elf blinked, turning his head questioningly toward the human who sat nearby.
Aragorn laughed "Something on your mind, mellon nin?"
"I..." the prince stopped, thinking about his next words. "I have never noticed it before."
With confusion evident in his tone, the King of Gondor smiled. "Noticed what?"
"The people... Well no, not them actually, but..."
"Is something wrong, Legolas?"
The Elf shook his head. "I am known everywhere."
Aragorn tried to hide his laughter, though failed miserably.
Giving him a look of annoyance, the prince continued. "I... The tales, Estel... I feel as if the people all around Minas Tirith, know me better than I know myself sometimes..."
The king stood, pacing in front of a grand fireplace. "Of course they do, mellon nin. You are one of the Nine Walkers. The tale will last well past my own years in this world, and even the years of my grandchildren." Aragorn smiled, "And it will never even fade in your own lifetime, Legolas. You will have to get used to it, sooner or later."
Legolas glanced at him, "A little soon to be thinking about grandchildren with Eldarion just reaching his first year."
"I am only saying that what we did, as awful as the memories will be, not only changed the world but saved it as well." Aragorn smiled, "Songs and tales will be woven and spun about the Fellowship for generations to come, Legolas."
"Iston..." the prince replied, walking to the balcony and leaning against the railing.
"So you feel overwhelmed?"
Legolas nodded, closing his eyes as he did so and letting the chill autumn wind blow through his unbraided hair. The Prince of Eryn Lasgalen had not engaged in battle since the ending of the war, well, not true, there had been a small issue in Mirkwood and the repercussions of it had found him in Gondor as well. Aside from that however, life had been rather quite. Since those times, the prince had found no need for the braids of an Elven warrior. In fact, ever since the day of Aragorn's coronation, Legolas had been determined to let his hair flow freely about himself. Of course he had to break that vow for a short time when he returned home. The kingdom of the Elvenking had been under attack and, for a few months afterward, the archer and ranger had been cleaning up the ensuing catastrophe.
Cleaning up and healing… the latter of which proved to take far longer than the Elf would have liked.
Now however, with such a long spell of peace, his braids where a thing of the past. The life of a warrior, no matter how thrilling or exciting it had been, was behind him now.
"It is strange to me..." Legolas pondered with a smile, "I have never pictured myself the hero."
Aragorn laughed once more as he set the goblet in his hand upon the mantel. "Not even with Legolia looking up to your every move?"
"That is different."
"Is it?" the man asked. "Just think of everyone in such a light. You know better than anyone that I never wished for personal gain through this battle."
"Well... Ummmm... That is not exactly true, Estel. Did Elrond not say that you had to become the King of Gondor and Arnor to marry Arwen?" the Elf replied with a smirk, risking a sideways glance at his friend.
Aragorn was stunned for a moment, "Well, yes... But... No, not that type of personal gain. That is not what I meant."
"Is it?"
The king sighed, "Now you are turning my own words against me."
With a laugh, Legolas sat atop the raining, "But of course!"
"Look, Legolas. I meant personal gain as in... As in becoming a hero to the people. I did not set out to do anything beyond my own destiny. I was meant to be the king, I have seen that for a long time, though I was always reluctant to admit it. However, I never knew that being king would bring with it so many people who were, and still are, grateful for what we did. Not just grateful to me, but to all of us."
The Elf nodded slowly, letting his friend's words sink in. "They are grateful for their freedom from Sauron's darkness."
"Exactly." Aragorn replied, "Put yourself in their boots, mellon nin. Would you not wish to immortalize the names of those who destroyed the Dark Lord in songs and in tales? Would you not extend that honour to any who fought in that bloody battle? Children I have spoken to myself, will proudly tell me that their fathers and brothers, grandfathers and uncles and cousins, that they all fought and died bravely to save this world." Aragorn watched the flames of the fire, the light reflected in his silver eyes. "The race of men is full of pride, both good and bad. They take pride in you too, Legolas... Though you may not see it that way."
"Humans... So strange..."
The king glanced at his friend, only to laugh at the twinkle of mirth in the Elf's eyes.
"But I suppose I can tolerate it." Legolas replied, looking out over the city once more. "For the time being..." he added with a smirk.
Aragorn smiled, "Has there been word from your sister?"
"Yes..." the prince replied, his eyes scanning the horizon beyond the walls of Minas Tirith. "She and Legede should arrive today." he smiled, "It will be good to see her again and I look forward to her first glimpse of Ithilien." Turning back to the king, the Elf's eyes lit up as he leaned his back against the railing. "We have almost finished this year's winter preparations."
"I do not need you here to keep me company, Legolas."
The prince laughed, "Nonsense, Estel! Lady Arwen and Eldarion are on their trip to visit Faramir and Lady Eowyn, and you, mellon nin, are cooped up in this huge palace all by your lonesome." he smirked. "Someone must keep you out of mischief."
Shaking his head, the King of Gondor turned to his friend. "Oh no... No. No. No. You, Legolas... You get me into trouble. It is not the other way around."
"Not true!" the Elf protested.
"Hmmm... Let me think, mellon nin. I remember a certain hunting trip on my twentieth birthday. That mountain journey caused quite a problem. That time the cave we were exploring fell in on us, and the trip to the Dead Marshes with Legede. There was also the war in Mirkwood... Your doing, and the ensuing battle with Ungoliant... Your fault. Not to mention various other escapades along the way."
Legolas frowned, "Ungoliant was not my fault... That one was simply fate." he smirked. "And what about your brother's sworn oaths of revenge for some bad wine? Or the trouble we found at Amon Sul? What about all the other times when..."
"Need I remind you of Bree, Legolas?"
The prince held up his hands, "Okay... That one was my fault. So we both have gotten into our own share of troubles."
"Agreed."
"And at least we can safely say that nothing bad has happened for about a year."
However, as if on cue... Disaster suddenly struck.
"ARAGORN!"
To Be Continued...
Elvish Words to Know:
Mell muindor = Dear brother
Mellon nin = My friend
Iston = I know
Author Notes:
- The song used is by 3 Doors Down and called "Changes". It's actually my favorite of their songs to be honest.
- Reviews are always loved and appreciated!
- Also, I don't remember how I made the title. "Nothrim" is "Family" and technically "u-garth" is the singular version of "Sin" ("u-gerth" is plural)... but, try as I might, I couldn't figure out how I did it to begin with. However, I didn't change the title cause I liked it just too much.
Muse Moments:
"Legolas... I really don't feel like doing this." Nil yawned, looking at the computer screen.
"But 'Muse Moments' is a staple of your LOTR stories, Nil. They have to continue." the prince replied, watching her from where he sat on the desk.
She shook her head, "I know, but I'm sleepy and I want a shower and my brain is dead from working on that "Moon Child" story today."
"Well..." the Elf stretched his arms before jumping off the desk. "Go get a shower after you post this up. I'll make sure Mokona doesn't disturb you."
"Really?" Nil asked with a raised eyebrow, "Are you going to put her to bed?"
"No. Just entertain her."
Yawning, Nil nodded, "Alright then."
Once Nil was gone, Legolas picked up the tiny black puppy. "Okay Mokona... time to teach you to be even more troublesome than usual."