Chapter One: A Brother's Intervention
It was the soft sobs that stopped Legolas in his tracks. He frowned and headed towards the source. As he neared his son's room, the sobs got louder.
"Oh no." He breathed as he quickened his pace. "What happened this time?" When he reached his son's room, he slowly opened the door and his heart sank. His youngest son, Sadron, was curled up on his bed under the blankets. He could tell Sadron was shaking violently, as the blankets weren't exactly still. Legolas quickly walked over to the bed and gathered his son in his arms.
"What happened?" He asked. Sadron shook his head and rubbed his streaming, bloodshot eyes.
"Nothing." The elfling said in a choked voice.
"It doesn't look like nothing happened, ion-nin." Legolas replied gently. Sadron laid his head on Legolas's shoulder and let out a soft sob.
"Stupid bullies." The elfling finally replied. Legolas's blood ran cold.
"Megildur and Nendir?" Legolas asked. He tightened his hold on Sadron. Sadron nodded.
"Maybe they're right." Sadron cried. Legolas frowned. This couldn't be good.
"About what, ion-nin?" Legolas asked. Sadron let out a soft sob.
"Maybe I should die." Legolas's blood not only ran colder, it stopped running completely. His heart froze, his mind blanked, and his entire body went rigid.
"What did you just say?" He finally asked in a slow, soft voice.
"They said I killed Thalion." Sadron sobbed. "They said I should have died with him." Legolas couldn't speak. Sadron had been shattered by the death of his oldest brother, Thalion. Legolas thought he had helped his son dispel his guilt over the situation, but for the bullies to use it against him like that...
Someone was going to get hell very soon.
"Sade, I'm going to deal with those bullies. And I'm going to deal with them very, very soon." Legolas promised. Sadron let out another sob. Legolas squeezed his eyes shut against the sudden onslaught of tears. He forced his body to move and carried Sadron to his father's study. He had some authority-invoking to do.
-0-0-0-
Legolas Thranduilion was not the happiest elf in Mirkwood. In fact, he was furious, but also very worried and very shaken. This was the fifth time in three days Megildur and Nendir had made his son cry, and he was going to make them pay. They were too much like their Adas, and Legolas did not like that at all. It was for this reason that he could not bring to issue to the parents of Sadron's tormentors. While Megildur's mother and Nendir's mother would care a great deal, their fathers would not. Or, at least, that's what he believed.
"Legolas!" The angry prince sighed and turned to face his friend.
"Calanon." He greeted wearily. Calanon frowned.
"What's wrong?" He asked.
"The sons of Alyan and Nimtolien, that's what." Legolas responded. Calanon nodded grimly.
"You mean the grandsons of Morgoth, I suppose." He commented. Legolas managed a small smile of amusement. "I think I can help with that."
"Just like you helped with Alyan and Nimtolien, I suppose." Legolas teased.
"That wasn't my fault!" Calanon exclaimed indignantly. "How was I supposed to know the prank would backfire?" Legolas actually laughed.
"You weren't." He replied. "But it did." Calanon waved his hand dismissively.
"It was a long time ago." He remarked. "And it doesn't matter anymore. What matters is your present dilemma concerning the grandsons of Morgoth." Legolas's gaze darkened at the mention of his son's tormentors. Calanon nodded knowingly.
"What am I going to do?" Legolas asked softly, his tone laced with anger.
"Talk to their naneths." Calanon suggested.
"Yeah, and when that doesn't work anymore? What then? They won't stop." Legolas retorted. "What if Sade hurts himself over something they say? Valar, what if he kills him-"
"Morgoth's bane, Legolas, where is this coming from?" Calanon interrupted as he placed his hands on Legolas's shoulders. He was clearly alarmed by his friend's comments about Sadron.
"It's officially a possibility." Legolas responded as he began to shake. "They told Sadron that he killed Thalion and that he should have died with him. And he agrees!" The young prince was now on the verge of tears.
"Valar." Calanon breathed. "That goes beyond spite." Legolas could only nod his agreement. He didn't want to open his mouth for fear that he would burst into tears if he did. And if he did burst into tears, he was afraid he would never stop.
"We take this to Thranduil." Calanon told Legolas. "He's the only one who can deal with this in the most efficient way." Legolas swallowed hard and nodded. "It's okay, mellon-nin. You can cry. It's okay. No one's going to blame you."
"I can't lose him." Legolas whispered before he burst into uncontrollable sobs. Calanon quickly wrapped his friend in a hug. "I can't lose him. Not now. Not ever. I can't lose him. I can't lose him."
-0-0-0-
Legolas's fury was nothing compared to that of Thranduil. Or that of Locien, Legolas's 17 year old son. Locien's first impulse was to hunt down the bullies and take his belt to their backsides. Legolas, though he would have loved to allow for that, vetoed the idea in favor for a somewhat calmer solution. After all, violence would not set a good example. While his father's decision didn't satisfy him, Locien agreed to abide by it and went in search of Sadron.
The young elf stormed through the halls, trying in vain to calm himself. Gritting his teeth against a scream, Locien threw open the door to his "secret room." When he saw who was inside, he froze. Megildur and Nendir met Locien's angry gaze with innocent eyes.
"Hello." Nendir greeted pleasantly. "We were just going to see if Sadron wanted to play hide-and-go-seek."
"I heard about what you told Sadron." Locien told them as he entered the room. He shut the door behind him and locked it. "Ada thinks tanning your backsides isn't such a good idea. He thinks it will set a poor example."
"And you?" Megildur asked. The elfling appeared to think that Locien was messing around with them. That was where Megildur was wrong. Very wrong. Locien reached down to undo his belt. He knew he had agreed to abide by his Ada's decision, but what his Ada didn't know wouldn't hurt him.
"I don't share his views." He whispered dangerously. Nendir had the grace to look terrified while Megildur made the unfortunate mistake of letting out a snort of amusement.
"Right." Megildur remarked. "Like you would."
"Actually," Locien told him as he finished undoing his belt. "I would like to start with you."
Legolas was playing a guessing game with Sadron when Locien, Megildur, and Nendir appeared in the doorway. One look at the two elfling's tear-stained, terrified faces told Legolas that Locien had acted on his impulse.
"Go on." Locien said. "Say it." Nendir opened his mouth, but all that came out was a frightened sob.
"S-sorry." Megildur whimpered. "It w-won't happen again, Sadron." Nendir opened his mouth again, but Legolas raised his hand. The elfling closed his mouth.
"Locien was wrong to act on his impulse, and I apologize for that." Legolas told Megildur and Nendir. "Both of you and Locien should know that an apology made under duress is hardly an apology at all. Locien, kindly take them to the healers. No, don't say anything. Megildur, Nendir, come back when you're truly sorry." The elflings nodded before running in the direction of the healers. Sadron looked at his brother with wide, confused eyes.
"Ada-" Locien began.
"No, don't. Just... make sure they get proper medical attention. We'll talk later." Legolas sighed. Locien glared at his father before storming of after Nendir and Megildur. Legolas rested his head in his hands.
"Ada?" Sadron whispered as he took one of Legolas's hands in his own. "Ada, what did Locien do? Are you tired? Do you need to lie down? You can sleep in my bed if you need a nap." Legolas smiled half-heartedly at his son.
"I'm alright, Sadie. Listen, Locien... was very, very angry when he heard what Nendir and Megildur said to you, ion-nin. And in his anger, he hurt Nendir and Megildur in order to punish them for what they did." Legolas replied. Sadron's eyes widened.
"That was wrong of him." The elfling said. He hugged his Ada and sighed. "I'll talk to Locien and tell him that. I know he just wanted to help, but he shouldn't have hurt them. That makes him just like them." Legolas tightened his hold on his son.
"You're right. And I'm glad you understand that." The prince responded. "And I hope you understand that Thalion's death was not your fault. Do you think he would want you to blame yourself, or want you to die just because he did?" Sadron shook his head. Tears were sparkling in his eyes.
"I... I really miss him." The elfling whispered. Legolas squeezed his eyes shut. A tear slipped out from under his eyelid and slowly crept down his cheek.
"I miss him, too, Sadie." Legolas muttered. "I miss him, too."