Disclaimer:
I don't own any of the characters created by J.R.R Tolkien and I'm not
making any money from this story. All original characters are mine though.
Summary: Everyone wonders why Legolas's mother is never mentioned and if he has any siblings. This story takes a look at his family and the tragedy that shaped it.
Author's Notes: First, this is the first Lord of the Rings story that I've written, but hopefully not the last. Next, I'm assuming that elves come of age at 55 years old so that means that one human year is about 3 to 3.5 years for an elf. In other words, Legolas is 21 years old (I decided to make him a little older then I had originally wrote), and that makes him the equivalent of a 6-year-old human child. Last, I love feedback and any suggestions for this story or future LOTR stories would be appreciated. Also huge thanks to my beta reader Dorothy Winsor, for reading over this for me, and catching my mistakes.
Characters: Thranduil - King of the Woodland Realm Pennmetiel - Queen of the Woodland Realm Rudhiathion - Oldest son and crown prince Nurhenion - Daughter, and second oldest Vorsarnion - Son, third born Tanhuineion - Son, fourth born Maltaquelleiel - youngest daughter Legolas - youngest child Belegmen - Head healer Erdal - One of the King's advisors Novkrision - The Queen's personal guard
*******
Tragedy in Mirkwood
Lady Shadelock
*******
Part 1
A door opened, spilling light into the darkened room, and soft footsteps were heard by the small figure curled up under the bed. Legolas squeezed his eyes shut and held his breath hoping he would go unnoticed by the intruder in his room. Right now all he wanted was to be left alone, which was why he had left the healer's ward without permission. He had overheard the conversation between one of his father's advisors and his oldest brother Rudhiathion. Actually it had been more of an argument. What Legolas had overheard was that the advisors were said that something had to happen now. Legolas figured that the advisors wanted him out of Mirkwood for what he had done. His brother kept saying that it would wait until their father could deal with it. Then when the healers had noticed that he was awake, Legolas realized that he was getting strange looks from them.
It hadn't been easy to limp from the healer's ward to his room without anyone noticing him. It had been a slow process, especially with the shooting pain in his ribs every time he moved. Luckily for him, most of the elves in the palace were busy working on preparations for the funeral tonight. His mother and one of his older sisters would be sent off to the Halls of Mandos tonight and their ashes allowed to spread throughout Middle Earth. Instead of helping though, Legolas hid under his bed wanting nothing more than to be left alone.
"Legolas are you in here?" Rudhiathion asked as the looked into the dark room. He moved slowly through the room to see if his little brother was hiding anywhere, but he never considered looking under the bed. Not seeing Legolas he took one more quick look around the room and walked back to the door.
"Find him," came the soft voice of Nurhenion from outside the door.
"Not yet. I'm going to go inform Adar that he's missing. Legolas will come to him even though he'll never come to us."
"Don't bother; I don't believe he would care if an army of Orcs were attacking Mirkwood right now. He's sitting with Naneth and snaps at anyone that comes into the room. He won't even let Naneth be prepared for tonight. I'm worried about his state of mind."
"Someone has to tell him. Legolas is in no condition to be up and around. The healers are worried that he could hurt himself if he doesn't lie down and take it easy."
"Do what you think you must, but do not expect much. He is not taking her death very well. Anyway, the search parties are back with news and are waiting in the courtyard for you," Nurhenion said before leaving.
Rudhiathion let out a sign and looked back into Legolas's room hoping his brother would magically appear, but nothing moved or gave any sign that the small elf was in there. The room stayed quiet and empty. His toys lay untouched throughout the room and the stuffed wolf that Novkrision had given him was on the bed. By looking at the room, you wouldn't believe the grief that was being felt throughout the kingdom. Closing his eyes and lowering his head, Rudhiathion took a deep breath, then turned and walked out of the room, closing the door behind him. The room was once more cast into darkness, which was just fine for the small figure huddled under the bed.
When he heard the door close, Legolas opened his eyes and looked around to see if there was still anyone in the room. Looking from side to side, he couldn't see any feet from his position and hoped that meant they were gone. The sob he had been holding back since his brother came in the room broke out from between his lips. Another followed not long after and then more. At least he was alone so that no one could see him breaking down as the pain that was building in his heart threatened to shatter him.
He knew a week had passed since he had gone out on a picnic with his mother and older sister, but it felt like it had been a year. That day had changed everything for him and Legolas knew he was to blame. No one had come out and said that, but he knew it was the truth. Legolas squeezed his eyes shut once more in an attempt to black out the memories that were assaulting him. Memories of his mother's bruised face and his sister's screams filled his head. He didn't want to remember what had happened and how he had failed them both. He didn't want to remember the look on his father's face when they were found.
Tears ran down Legolas's face, and he let out a whimper of pain. He could hear their cries for mercy and for help. Both had gone unanswered until it was too late. He also heard their voices asking him why he didn't save them. Opening his eyes, Legolas barely kept himself from screaming when he saw his mother's face staring back as him. Then as suddenly as it appeared, the image disappeared and he was left with only her voice asking why. His whole body starting shaking as he lost control and completely broke down crying. Curling back up into a ball, he brought his hands up to cover his ears in an attempt to block out their cries, but it wasn't enough.
Pushing himself out from under the bed, he quickly retreated into one of the corners of his room. He pulled his legs up to his chest, with his arms wrapped around them, and he laid his head on his knees. Sob after sob tore through him in total defiance of his will. He didn't feel he had the right to cry. He had after all failed to protect them; it didn't matter if he was only 21 years old (about the equivalent of a six years old human).
The pure anguish and hatred that Legolas saw on his father's face when he had walked into that cave where they had been held told Legolas just what his father thought. It didn't register with him that his father's hatred wasn't directed at him, but at the people who had hurt them. All Legolas saw was the disappointment his father saw in his youngest son for not protecting them both like he was expected too. His father had even made a comment at breakfast the morning they had left, that he was a big elf now, and it was his job to look after his mother and sister while they were out. Now his father would hate him and banish him from Mirkwood for what he had done. After all, murder, as rare was it was, was punished by banishment from all elven realms for the rest of eternity.
At this thought, Legolas tightened his arms and pulled his legs tighter against his chest. He didn't want to leave and never see his family again. Pain lanced through both his legs and his chest, reminding him of his injuries, but he ignored it. The pain distracted him from the pain in his heart that was slowly getting worse, if that was possible. So he continued to hold his arms tight until the pain got so bad that it became hard to breathe. Then he slowly released the tight hold and his legs relaxed. The pain lightened a bit and Legolas was able to breathe again.
When Legolas had first started to regain consciousness, he had heard pieces of several whispered conversations within the room. He had kept his eyes closed during these brief periods of awareness and just listened to what as going on around him. He had heard two of the healers talking about how his father never came to visit him and just sat with his wife's body. Before they could say anything else, the head healer had come in and ordered them to stop. That was the moment that Legolas truly realized that it really had been his fault, because his father hadn't even come to see him. It didn't matter to Legolas that his father hadn't really spoken to anyone in two days. For the most part, all the King had been doing was sitting in a room talking to his dead wife.
"I'm sorry," Legolas sobbed, speaking for the first time since the death of his mother. "I know I failed you. I'll make everything all right." He continued to repeat those words over and over again as he rocked back and forth in the corner of his room.
***** Belegmen, Thranduil's head healer, looked at the bed in which Legolas had been resting a few hours earlier. He knew that the young prince's brothers were looking for him, but he had a feeling that they wouldn't find Legolas until he wanted to be found. The young prince knew how to hide when he wanted too. What worried Belegmen was that Legolas was running around the palace with the injuries that he had sustained. He had already decided he didn't want him on his right leg until it completely healed.
"Belegmen, what should we do?" one of the healers asked.
"Nothing. Legolas will show up when he's ready to be found. Until then we wait."
TBC.
Summary: Everyone wonders why Legolas's mother is never mentioned and if he has any siblings. This story takes a look at his family and the tragedy that shaped it.
Author's Notes: First, this is the first Lord of the Rings story that I've written, but hopefully not the last. Next, I'm assuming that elves come of age at 55 years old so that means that one human year is about 3 to 3.5 years for an elf. In other words, Legolas is 21 years old (I decided to make him a little older then I had originally wrote), and that makes him the equivalent of a 6-year-old human child. Last, I love feedback and any suggestions for this story or future LOTR stories would be appreciated. Also huge thanks to my beta reader Dorothy Winsor, for reading over this for me, and catching my mistakes.
Characters: Thranduil - King of the Woodland Realm Pennmetiel - Queen of the Woodland Realm Rudhiathion - Oldest son and crown prince Nurhenion - Daughter, and second oldest Vorsarnion - Son, third born Tanhuineion - Son, fourth born Maltaquelleiel - youngest daughter Legolas - youngest child Belegmen - Head healer Erdal - One of the King's advisors Novkrision - The Queen's personal guard
*******
Tragedy in Mirkwood
Lady Shadelock
*******
Part 1
A door opened, spilling light into the darkened room, and soft footsteps were heard by the small figure curled up under the bed. Legolas squeezed his eyes shut and held his breath hoping he would go unnoticed by the intruder in his room. Right now all he wanted was to be left alone, which was why he had left the healer's ward without permission. He had overheard the conversation between one of his father's advisors and his oldest brother Rudhiathion. Actually it had been more of an argument. What Legolas had overheard was that the advisors were said that something had to happen now. Legolas figured that the advisors wanted him out of Mirkwood for what he had done. His brother kept saying that it would wait until their father could deal with it. Then when the healers had noticed that he was awake, Legolas realized that he was getting strange looks from them.
It hadn't been easy to limp from the healer's ward to his room without anyone noticing him. It had been a slow process, especially with the shooting pain in his ribs every time he moved. Luckily for him, most of the elves in the palace were busy working on preparations for the funeral tonight. His mother and one of his older sisters would be sent off to the Halls of Mandos tonight and their ashes allowed to spread throughout Middle Earth. Instead of helping though, Legolas hid under his bed wanting nothing more than to be left alone.
"Legolas are you in here?" Rudhiathion asked as the looked into the dark room. He moved slowly through the room to see if his little brother was hiding anywhere, but he never considered looking under the bed. Not seeing Legolas he took one more quick look around the room and walked back to the door.
"Find him," came the soft voice of Nurhenion from outside the door.
"Not yet. I'm going to go inform Adar that he's missing. Legolas will come to him even though he'll never come to us."
"Don't bother; I don't believe he would care if an army of Orcs were attacking Mirkwood right now. He's sitting with Naneth and snaps at anyone that comes into the room. He won't even let Naneth be prepared for tonight. I'm worried about his state of mind."
"Someone has to tell him. Legolas is in no condition to be up and around. The healers are worried that he could hurt himself if he doesn't lie down and take it easy."
"Do what you think you must, but do not expect much. He is not taking her death very well. Anyway, the search parties are back with news and are waiting in the courtyard for you," Nurhenion said before leaving.
Rudhiathion let out a sign and looked back into Legolas's room hoping his brother would magically appear, but nothing moved or gave any sign that the small elf was in there. The room stayed quiet and empty. His toys lay untouched throughout the room and the stuffed wolf that Novkrision had given him was on the bed. By looking at the room, you wouldn't believe the grief that was being felt throughout the kingdom. Closing his eyes and lowering his head, Rudhiathion took a deep breath, then turned and walked out of the room, closing the door behind him. The room was once more cast into darkness, which was just fine for the small figure huddled under the bed.
When he heard the door close, Legolas opened his eyes and looked around to see if there was still anyone in the room. Looking from side to side, he couldn't see any feet from his position and hoped that meant they were gone. The sob he had been holding back since his brother came in the room broke out from between his lips. Another followed not long after and then more. At least he was alone so that no one could see him breaking down as the pain that was building in his heart threatened to shatter him.
He knew a week had passed since he had gone out on a picnic with his mother and older sister, but it felt like it had been a year. That day had changed everything for him and Legolas knew he was to blame. No one had come out and said that, but he knew it was the truth. Legolas squeezed his eyes shut once more in an attempt to black out the memories that were assaulting him. Memories of his mother's bruised face and his sister's screams filled his head. He didn't want to remember what had happened and how he had failed them both. He didn't want to remember the look on his father's face when they were found.
Tears ran down Legolas's face, and he let out a whimper of pain. He could hear their cries for mercy and for help. Both had gone unanswered until it was too late. He also heard their voices asking him why he didn't save them. Opening his eyes, Legolas barely kept himself from screaming when he saw his mother's face staring back as him. Then as suddenly as it appeared, the image disappeared and he was left with only her voice asking why. His whole body starting shaking as he lost control and completely broke down crying. Curling back up into a ball, he brought his hands up to cover his ears in an attempt to block out their cries, but it wasn't enough.
Pushing himself out from under the bed, he quickly retreated into one of the corners of his room. He pulled his legs up to his chest, with his arms wrapped around them, and he laid his head on his knees. Sob after sob tore through him in total defiance of his will. He didn't feel he had the right to cry. He had after all failed to protect them; it didn't matter if he was only 21 years old (about the equivalent of a six years old human).
The pure anguish and hatred that Legolas saw on his father's face when he had walked into that cave where they had been held told Legolas just what his father thought. It didn't register with him that his father's hatred wasn't directed at him, but at the people who had hurt them. All Legolas saw was the disappointment his father saw in his youngest son for not protecting them both like he was expected too. His father had even made a comment at breakfast the morning they had left, that he was a big elf now, and it was his job to look after his mother and sister while they were out. Now his father would hate him and banish him from Mirkwood for what he had done. After all, murder, as rare was it was, was punished by banishment from all elven realms for the rest of eternity.
At this thought, Legolas tightened his arms and pulled his legs tighter against his chest. He didn't want to leave and never see his family again. Pain lanced through both his legs and his chest, reminding him of his injuries, but he ignored it. The pain distracted him from the pain in his heart that was slowly getting worse, if that was possible. So he continued to hold his arms tight until the pain got so bad that it became hard to breathe. Then he slowly released the tight hold and his legs relaxed. The pain lightened a bit and Legolas was able to breathe again.
When Legolas had first started to regain consciousness, he had heard pieces of several whispered conversations within the room. He had kept his eyes closed during these brief periods of awareness and just listened to what as going on around him. He had heard two of the healers talking about how his father never came to visit him and just sat with his wife's body. Before they could say anything else, the head healer had come in and ordered them to stop. That was the moment that Legolas truly realized that it really had been his fault, because his father hadn't even come to see him. It didn't matter to Legolas that his father hadn't really spoken to anyone in two days. For the most part, all the King had been doing was sitting in a room talking to his dead wife.
"I'm sorry," Legolas sobbed, speaking for the first time since the death of his mother. "I know I failed you. I'll make everything all right." He continued to repeat those words over and over again as he rocked back and forth in the corner of his room.
***** Belegmen, Thranduil's head healer, looked at the bed in which Legolas had been resting a few hours earlier. He knew that the young prince's brothers were looking for him, but he had a feeling that they wouldn't find Legolas until he wanted to be found. The young prince knew how to hide when he wanted too. What worried Belegmen was that Legolas was running around the palace with the injuries that he had sustained. He had already decided he didn't want him on his right leg until it completely healed.
"Belegmen, what should we do?" one of the healers asked.
"Nothing. Legolas will show up when he's ready to be found. Until then we wait."
TBC.