While they were riding the next day, Elrond watched in amusement while Legolas tried his best to ignore everyone, his eyes fixed on the ground. Elrond was sure if he didnt stop grinding his teeth he was going to shatter them.
Glorfindel's mere presence seemed to set the elfling on edge. Elrond caught Legolas sneaking glances at him, but when the warrior turned, he quickly lowered his eyes again. It seemed Legolas was taking what he'd been told to heart and was trying not to provoke him.
Everything was peaceful until the night before they entered Imladris. They had just set up camp and were preparing to eat. Legolas was fidgeting and Orophin and Rumil were having a quiet argument, pushing each other.
"Why dont you three go find some firewood and some vegetables?" Haldir suggested. The 'elflings' were starting to fray on him nerves. His brothers jumped at the chance to get away.
"Come on, Legolas!" they seized Legolas' arms, making him yelp in surprise as he was dragged to his feet and off towards the edge of the forest they were camping next to.
"Dont go too far!" Elrond called after them. They made noncommental noises in return, disappearing. "Are you sure that was a good idea?" Glorfindel asked.
"Pretty sure. They wont go far and if they do get lost, we can follow the sound of their mouths." Haldir replied. A few minutes later they heard the sound of shouting and fighting. "Oh, no." Glorfindel rolled his eyes as he and Haldir went to see what was wrong. Orophin and Legolas were rolling on the ground, each trying to get the upper hand. Orophin had the beginnings of a black eye and bruises on his face while the back of Legolas' head had blood trickling down his neck and a split lip. Rumil stood back, looking worried.
"Enough!" Glorfindel seized each of them by the back of their shirts, holding them apart. Orophin immediately quit struggling and lower his eyes submissively to the older elf. Legolas, on the other hand, increased his fighting until Glorfindel smacked the back of his head, not hard, but enough to get his attention.
"Lemme at 'im!" Legolas panted, trying to twist out of the hold. But the odds werent in his favor and was only succeeding in exausting himself.
"Darro, stop this instant!" Glorfindel grabbed Legolas by the arms, twisting them behind his back, making any attempts at freedom folly. Once he had a secure grip, he turned to Orophin. "explain."
"Well, sir. We were gathering firewood," he gestured to the pile of wood that had been discarded in the tussle. "when I accidentally tripped over a root sticking out of the ground and fell onto Legolas, knocking us both to the ground. And when I tried to apologize, he said I did it on purpose and struck me in the face." Orophin trailed off, not wanting to continue.
"And then?" Haldir asked firmly. Orophin sighed.
"I...lost my temper and called him a pathetic excuse for an elf amd it was not a wonder the king...decided he was only suited for slave work." Orophin flinched under the stern looks from the two elder elves. "Then he tackled me and we began to fight."
"Dont forget about when you said Elrond was only taking pity on him by allowing him to accompany us." Rumil chimed in. "Yeah...and that." Orophin lowered his eyes again, too ashamed to meet the gazes above him. "But Legolas started it." "I DID NOT!" Legolas twisted desperately, his anger getting the better of him. "You started it when you shoved me to the ground!"
"I did not shove you to the ground!" Orophin shouted back. "I tripped!" Legolas gave a shallow laugh.
"If that is your excuse, then you more of a disgrace to the elven race then I am!" he snarled.
"Enough." Glorfindel's voice was dangerously low. His tone caught their attention and even Legolas didnt want to set him off at the moment. "We will discuss this when we get back to camp." he continued, pulling Legolas so he was walking in front of him, not trusting him enough to let him walk by himself. They led the way back to camp where Elrond and Celeborn were waiting.
"What happened?" Celeborn asked immediately. Glorfindel related what he'd been told. As soon as he was done, Celeborn turned to his second eldest fosterling.
"I can deem it safe to assume you know better then this." he said.
"Yes sir." Orophin muttered. "But he struck me first!" he cried.
"Yes, but you are older then him and have a responsibility that he does not. If you are going to allow something petty such as that instigate you into violence, then I believe I might rethink my original intention of giving you a place among the Lorien guard patrol." Celeborn said. Orophin's face fell. He knew he should have just told someone instead of fighting with Legolas, but there was something about Legolas that didnt seem right. He was very violent and had an angry temperment. If he had been raised as a slave, surely he wouldnt dare act up like he does.
"Yes sir." Orophin said quietly. He knew he had let his foster father and mentor down, not to mention disgraced his and his brother's name. He was going to make up for it and prove he was worthy of the position he desired.
Glorfindel finally released Legolas, who sank gratefully to the ground. His head hurt where he had smacked it against the ground when he was fighting with Orophin and his lip was still bleeding. Legolas buried his face in his arms, trying to compose himself. What Orophin told him was exactly true. All he'd ever be good for was slave's work and was a disgrace to the elven race. Thranduil told him that on numerous occasions, so he knew it was true. But what he didnt understand was why Elrond and Glorfindel cared so much. He didnt know why they bother trying to help him and on top of it all, they were being nice to him. Nice wasnt something Legolas could comprehend, so he lashed out at it. A gently hand pressed against the back of his head made him look up. Elrond had wet a cloth and pressed it against the gash on his head. "Do you want to recount your version of the incident?" Elrond asked, wanting to give him a fair chance to defend himself if he wanted it. Legolas shook his head miserably. He was confused. Everything he had learn while in Mirkwood was being challenged over a matter of days. He wanted to trust Elrond, but he was afraid of being hurt again. He didnt think his heart could handle being broken again. And Glorfindel set him on edge because no matter what he did, it didnt seem to bother him. The night he shouted at and fought with him, calling him names and voicing profanities, all he did was stand there with that infuriating look on his fair face. Glorfindel anger Legolas beyond words because he knew, from only knowing him for a short time, he was never going to win. He could hit, kick, shout, scream, and curse all he wanted, but the golden warrior would always win because he didnt lose his temper. Legolas was far from liking him, but he respected him though he would never admit it. "You are going to have to put a leash on that temper of yours, little one." Elrond murmured, cleaning the sticky blood out of Legoas' golden hair. "I do not know how." Legolas heard himself say.
"Well, you will learn." Elrond said. "and anytime you need help with controling said emotions, I am sure Glorfindel would be more then glad to give the help necessary to remind you how to control yourself." Legolas felt his teeth clench. He was sure he would!
"Perhaps you should apologize to Orophin for hitting him?" Elrond asked. Legolas thought about arguing, but then decided if he did apologize, maybe he'd show that know-it-all he wasnt a disgrace, so he nodded instead. Elrond was more then a little surprise but didnt let it show. Legolas stood up shakily, his head still throbbing, and made his way over to where the Lorien brothers were sitting.
"I apologize for hitting you." he said. Orophin stared at him in shock until Haldir punched him in the arm.
"Oh, um. I apologize for saying what I said to you and fighting with you. I am older then you and should be setting an example." Orophin snuck a glance at him older brother, who nodded approvingly. Legolas felt a small smile tug at his lips.
"Why dont you sit here with us?" Rumil invited, scooting over to make room. Legolas sat down, his heart feeling light for the first time. He had friends, allies. Soon they were talking and laughing, making jokes and telling stories. Elrond sat across from them, smiling. Legolas was in need of the medicine that could only be found in light talk and laughter. "What did you do to him?" Glorfindel asked, joining him.
"Nothing. He makes his own decisions and he finally made the right one." Elrond replied. Glorfindel shook his head.
"I get the feeling he does not like me very much." he said. "Nae, I do not believe that is what it is. I think he likes you, but he does not want to because you frusterate him." Elrond smiled. "He has a lot of potential if he would quit being so stubborn." Glorfindel commented. "But he is eventually going to have to submit, if I have to force him myself."
"I believe you might just have to." Elrond replied.
The next afternoon saw the arrival in Rivendell. Legolas couldnt help himself but stare at the magnificent castle and its surroundings. It was like nothing he'd ever seen before. "You like it?" Orophin asked. "I have never seen anything like it!" Legolas breathed. He was going to like it here, he was sure of it. "Ada! Ada!" when they reached the house, two identical elflings, a little older then Legolas ran out and straight to Elrond. "You are back!" one cried, hugging Elrond.
"Yes, I am back." Elrond said in amusement. "Have you two been behaving for your mother?" the twins exchanged a nervous look.
"Um...yes?" the other twin said. Legolas was staring at them, the concept of twins was foreign to him. One of the elflings turned and saw him sitting there and said, "Ada, who is that?"
"That is Legolas, Elrohir." Elrond replied, setting them back on the ground so he could dismount. Legolas realized he was the only one still mounted and jumped down off the horse. "Legolas, these are my sons, Elladan and Elrohir." Legolas was still staring at them, a pang of jealousy running through his heart. "Do you want to come play?" Elladan asked. Legolas looked to Elrond, feeling like it was right to ask permission before going off. Elrond nodded.
"He may if he wishes." he said. "Do you?" Elrohir asked. Legolas shrugged. Delighted, the twins seized his arms, dragging him away, chatting a mile a minute.
"Are you going to be our new brother?" Elladan asked. "No." Legolas snorted, the idea absurd to him.
"Do you like our ada and everyone?" Elrohir asked.
"I do not mind Haldir and his brothers, and your adar is kind and I like him. Celeborn, I do not have much of an opinion on yet." Legolas replied, playing with a twig.
"What about Glorfindel?" Elladan asked. Legolas snapped the twig in half at the sound of that name.
"I dispise Glorfindel." Legolas said simply, not bothering to keep the venom out of his voice.
"Why?" Elladan asked, shocked anyone couldnt love Glorfindel.
"Because he is an arrogant, frusterating, infuriating egomaniac and I can get along just fine without him." Legolas replied.
"But Glorfindel is great!" Elrohir argued. "He always plays with us and is really nice and everyone likes him."
"Not me." Legolas replied.
"What did he do to make you mad at him?" Elladan asked.
"He believes he can get the better of me. He thinks I will eventually submit myself to authority and I will never." Legolas replied. Elladan and Elrohir exchanged a look. "what?" Legolas asked, frowning.
"Glorfindel may be stern at times, but once you get to know him, he is one of the greatest people you will ever want to meet." Elrohir twisted a piece of raven hair around his fingers. "He is actually a lot of fun." Legolas snorted, but decided not to argue with them. "Is Glorfindel your ada?" Elladan asked suddenly. Legolas retched.
"No he is not!" Legolas exclaimed, the very idea horrifying him. "Where on earth did you get an idea such as that?"
"Well, you both look an awful lot alike." Elladan murmured, studying the elfling. "You both have blue eyes and blond hair and similar profiles." Legolas snorted again.
"Perhaps we do look alike, but I can assure you, we are not related." Legolas said. The twins started chattering on about something or the other, but Legolas was too deep in thought to notice. He had to admit, he DID look a lot like Glorfindel. His mind played back to the day he tried to start a fight with him and cringed. Now he had calmed down, he realized he HAD disrespected him and for what? Glorfindel did nothing to him, in fact, all he was trying to do was help him and Legolas had fought him every step of the way. Legolas felt his pride deflate and knew the first chance he got, he was going to go apologize to him. Truthfully, Legolas liked Glorfindel, what he knew about him wasnt much, but the way he got along with everyone and always had a kind word to say was enough to want to get to know him. Legolas just was afraid of getting hurt again.
"There you are!" a voice brought Legolas out of his thought and all three of the elflings turned to see a dark-haired elf making his way over to them. "It is time for lunch." at the word 'lunch', Legolas realized how hungry he was. "Ok, hannon-le." Elladan said. "Legolas, this is Figwit. He's one of ada's advisors." the darkhaired elf bowed slightly to Legolas.
"Come." Figwit led the way back to the house. "You may want to wash up first." Figwit advised. The twins nodded agreement and dragged Legolas to the bathing chambers. "You cannot go downstairs dressed like that!" Elladan said after they finished washing their hands. He left and came back with a purple and blue tunic and matching leggings. "Put these on." Legolas gratefully accepted the clothes, relieved no one else would see him disgraced in slave's garb. After he changed, the twins led the way to the dininghall where everyone was already eating.
"Well, it is about time!" Glorfindel chidded playfully when he spotted the elflings. Elladan rolled his eyes and Elrohir stuck his tongue out at him, earning a reprimanding growl from his father. Legolas ended up sitting next to Glorfindel, who decided to leave him alone and give him his space. He was engaged in a conversation with Lindir when he felt a small hand tug the sleeve of his jerkin. "Yes, thithin-pen (sp?)?" he asked. Legolas took a deep breath and exhaled deeply, unsure of how to say what he wanted to say. Glorfindel watched him patiently. He knew there was something the elfling wanted to get off his chest, but he needed some time to do it.
"I..." Legolas took another deep breath. "I wanted to...apologize for my behavior the other day. You were right, it was unacceptable." Glorfindel skillfully hid the shock that threatened to make his jaw drop. Instead, he simply nodded.
"Very well. Apology accepted." Glorfindel hid a smile at the look of relief that broke Legolas' face. "I'm actually proud of you for coming on your own and owning up to your mistake." Legolas turned back to his plate, a huge grin splitting his face at the praise. Never in his life had ANYONE told him they were proud of him. Glorfindel looked away from Legolas and met Elrond's eyes. They exchanged a smirk. Maybe Legolas wasnt beyond hope after all.