Guilt By Association
Just A Simple Mission
It started out as normal and routine as to even be boring. Just trudge through the woods, kill a spider or two then report back to the king that yet another threat had been cleared away, yet another step in changing Legolas' beloved Mirkwood into Greenwood the Great. Gimli had never thought very much of this place. He knew how Thranduil felt about dwarves, himself especially having snared a place in Legolas' soul that his father, for all his years of trying, never had. Still where Legolas went, Gimli followed. It was their vow to each other forged in the heat of battle when they road together to the very gate of Mordor. So Gimli was here now, sharing Legolas' childhood home and all to eager to set out on this mission. To get away from the palace and Thranduil's cold hate was a blessing unto itself.
The forest was seemingly calm, actually quite calm, even still as Gimli followed behind Legolas and the small band of elves. Thranduil had bade that Legolas was not to go with just "the dwarf" so he had sent Orophil and Glorthrandir as well. The party came to a stop. They were nearing their prey. The air closed in around him suddenly and Gimli pulled out his axe as the elves sprang to life. Arrows flew through the air and the screams of the black spiders carried far through the trees. Time came rushing to a halt as Gimli turned to bring up his axe to kill the spider before him but he knew that he was moving too slow. He needn't have feared for there was Legolas, his twin blades gleaming with sunlight, cutting the spider down. It was how they were ever since the fellowship had begun those years ago. They guarded each other's backs. It had become instinct, too powerful to be ignored and it took precedence over everything they did. So it was that while Legolas had saved Gimli, he had left the back of Orophil defenseless.
The journey back to Mirkwood was miserable. They took turns carrying Orophil, who's breathing was shallow and heart rate barely even existent. Upon reaching the palace the healers had taken him away to try to save his life and Legolas, Gimli and Glorthrandir sat in terrible silence. There was nothing they could say to each other. Not one of them was responsible for Orophil's fall but yet they all together had played a part in it. Guilt swam and festered in each of them as they waited in the great hall where just a few hours ago they all had set out together. The silence was so deafening that the quiet strides of another entering the room was as loud as thunder. Legolas' breath caught in his throat and Gimli looked up startled by his friend's reaction. Thranduil stood before them.
"What happened?"
When neither Legolas nor Glorthrandir answered, Gimli mustered up his strength and found his voice. "There were three spiders when we came upon them. In the middle of battle two more appeared. We were overwhelmed."
Thranduil cast his hard gaze at Gimli as if trying to read if he was lying. His eyes narrowed. "How did Orophil come by his bite?"
At that question all three heads jerked upwards. They had not known that he had been bitten. When silence again spread through them, Thranduil turned to his son. "Legolas? Tell me, how did this happen?"
"I did not see the attack."
Thranduil clearly did not expect this answer. "How is that so? Once Glorthrandir gave chase, you were Orophil second in battle."
Once said, once put into actual words before him, Legolas felt the grim certainty of it sink it. He froze in place.
Thranduil's confusion was turning to anger. "You DID give chase as you said, Glorthrandir, did you not?"
Now forced to answer, Glorthrandir finally met the gaze of the King. "I killed the two that fled. This is true, therefore I was not there when Orophil." He broke off and took a breath. "Do we know of his condition yet?"
"Nay, the healers work even now. If he survives the night, he should recover. We will not know until then."
This was grim news indeed, thought Gimli, that elf HAD to pull through or else the guilt of what he had made Legolas do to honor their vow would tear him apart.
Thranduil turned and began to walk away then but paused a few feet away, tilting his head back slightly. "Legolas, I would speak with you a moment."
Legolas shared a glance with Gimli then followed his father into the adjoining room. This is bad, Gimli's mind intoned. He had to do something and fast.
Just A Simple Mission
It started out as normal and routine as to even be boring. Just trudge through the woods, kill a spider or two then report back to the king that yet another threat had been cleared away, yet another step in changing Legolas' beloved Mirkwood into Greenwood the Great. Gimli had never thought very much of this place. He knew how Thranduil felt about dwarves, himself especially having snared a place in Legolas' soul that his father, for all his years of trying, never had. Still where Legolas went, Gimli followed. It was their vow to each other forged in the heat of battle when they road together to the very gate of Mordor. So Gimli was here now, sharing Legolas' childhood home and all to eager to set out on this mission. To get away from the palace and Thranduil's cold hate was a blessing unto itself.
The forest was seemingly calm, actually quite calm, even still as Gimli followed behind Legolas and the small band of elves. Thranduil had bade that Legolas was not to go with just "the dwarf" so he had sent Orophil and Glorthrandir as well. The party came to a stop. They were nearing their prey. The air closed in around him suddenly and Gimli pulled out his axe as the elves sprang to life. Arrows flew through the air and the screams of the black spiders carried far through the trees. Time came rushing to a halt as Gimli turned to bring up his axe to kill the spider before him but he knew that he was moving too slow. He needn't have feared for there was Legolas, his twin blades gleaming with sunlight, cutting the spider down. It was how they were ever since the fellowship had begun those years ago. They guarded each other's backs. It had become instinct, too powerful to be ignored and it took precedence over everything they did. So it was that while Legolas had saved Gimli, he had left the back of Orophil defenseless.
The journey back to Mirkwood was miserable. They took turns carrying Orophil, who's breathing was shallow and heart rate barely even existent. Upon reaching the palace the healers had taken him away to try to save his life and Legolas, Gimli and Glorthrandir sat in terrible silence. There was nothing they could say to each other. Not one of them was responsible for Orophil's fall but yet they all together had played a part in it. Guilt swam and festered in each of them as they waited in the great hall where just a few hours ago they all had set out together. The silence was so deafening that the quiet strides of another entering the room was as loud as thunder. Legolas' breath caught in his throat and Gimli looked up startled by his friend's reaction. Thranduil stood before them.
"What happened?"
When neither Legolas nor Glorthrandir answered, Gimli mustered up his strength and found his voice. "There were three spiders when we came upon them. In the middle of battle two more appeared. We were overwhelmed."
Thranduil cast his hard gaze at Gimli as if trying to read if he was lying. His eyes narrowed. "How did Orophil come by his bite?"
At that question all three heads jerked upwards. They had not known that he had been bitten. When silence again spread through them, Thranduil turned to his son. "Legolas? Tell me, how did this happen?"
"I did not see the attack."
Thranduil clearly did not expect this answer. "How is that so? Once Glorthrandir gave chase, you were Orophil second in battle."
Once said, once put into actual words before him, Legolas felt the grim certainty of it sink it. He froze in place.
Thranduil's confusion was turning to anger. "You DID give chase as you said, Glorthrandir, did you not?"
Now forced to answer, Glorthrandir finally met the gaze of the King. "I killed the two that fled. This is true, therefore I was not there when Orophil." He broke off and took a breath. "Do we know of his condition yet?"
"Nay, the healers work even now. If he survives the night, he should recover. We will not know until then."
This was grim news indeed, thought Gimli, that elf HAD to pull through or else the guilt of what he had made Legolas do to honor their vow would tear him apart.
Thranduil turned and began to walk away then but paused a few feet away, tilting his head back slightly. "Legolas, I would speak with you a moment."
Legolas shared a glance with Gimli then followed his father into the adjoining room. This is bad, Gimli's mind intoned. He had to do something and fast.