A/N: I do not own LOTR or any characters. *cries* The Manyan stone and theme/story behind it belong to a great torture/cliffie writer, Adromir. With her permission I am using this because it fits the story. Thanks so much Adromir! I hope this does the Manyan Stone justice! However I do own Verion and/or anyone else you don't know. Dream sequence ~~~~~, Scene change *****. YAY!!! Special Extended Edition Two Towers comes out 11/18!!!! *jumps around happily* Ok Enjoy! -Alkvingiel

Healing Guardian

Chapter 4

Comfort of Dreams

9 years later…

"Hey! Hey you guys! Wait for me!" Estel yelled trying his best to keep up with the young elves. The small group of elves he had been chasing stopped and then he did to catch his breath.

"Why do you always have to follow us? You can't keep up?" One asked.

"But I want to play," Estel said.

"We don't want you to play with us. Why do you think we run?" Another questioned. Estel looked near tears and then he saw a figure walking a little ways away.

"Legolas! Tell them to let me play with them!" He called. Legolas stopped and looked over at them, the group of elves turned to him and were silent but when he didn't say anything the first one that had spoke, Baranfal laughed.

"Oh yes! Oh mighty Prince of Mirkwood! Tell us to play with your little charge! We will obey! NOT!" He yelled and then laughed. Legolas walked over to them and took Estel's hand.

"Come Estel, you need not play with elves such as these. They will only poison your mind," He told him quietly. After all these years he had started to speak more but only very quietly. The two brothers watching from and balcony above them smirked at the comment made by their friend. Baranfal tensed and the tips of his ears turned red in anger.

"Oh yea! You just think because you are a Prince that you are better than us!" Baranfal yelled.

"It is not because I am a Prince it is just the way things are," Legolas answered over his shoulder. Elladan and Elrohir shared a glance things, were about to get ugly, they waited ready to help should the need arise. Baranfal screamed in rage and ran to tackle Legolas. Hearing the elf's approach Legolas pushed Estel out of the way so he wouldn't be hurt just as Baranfal jumped on him. They rolled on the ground before Legolas was on top and punched Baranfal in the mouth. He jumped up and waited for another attack, Baranfal got up and took his fighting stance. They circled each other for a few minutes one boiling in rage and the other clam and calculating. Baranfal once again took a running start and tackled Legolas, he punched before Legolas could react. Any other time Legolas would have dodged the blow but Baranfal's foot tripped him and he fell into a puddle of mud thanks to the early morning rains.

"Take it back!" Baranfal exclaimed.

"One cannot lie if he knows the truth, you should remember that," Legolas replied. Baranfal growled and reached into the back of his belt. The twin's eyes widened as they saw what he was reaching for. Baranfal was known to fight dirty but Legolas would not know that, they jumped quickly from the balcony running to help their friend.

"Legolas! Watch out!" They yelled. Legolas glanced in he direction that his name had come from, Baranfal saw this and took the open opportunity. He jumped the silver of his dagger flashing in the sunlight. The flash caught Legolas's attention but not soon enough, all he could do was try to roll away as Baranfal brought the dagger down. He bit down on his bottom lip to keep from crying out as the dagger cut deep into his left arm. Between the pain raging through his mind and the screams from Estel he heard yells and the weight of Baranfal on top of him was suddenly gone. He opened his eyes to see Elladan and Elrohir punching the living daylights out of him. Pushing his pain aside he shakily stood and went over to Estel who had tears running down his small face. Legolas kneeled down in front of him and gave him a small smile as he took his good hand and wiped the tears away.

"Are you okay Legolas?" He asked. Before he could answer another wave of pain took him and he gripped his bleeding arm tightly. He knew Estel was calling to him and had his hands on his arms but it didn't help as the darkness of unconsciousness took him. Estel started crying again as Legolas fell over his eyes closed.

"Elrohir! Legolas is hurt! Help him!" He cried. Elrohir looked up from where he delivered another punch to Baranfal and saw Legolas laying on the ground unmoving.

"No! Legolas! Elladan take care of this one!" He yelled running over to his friend. Elrohir checked the wound and bit his lip when he saw how much blood Legolas was losing.

"Estel stay here with Elladan while I take Legolas to ada," Elrohir told him as he gathered Legolas into his arms. Estel sniffed and wiped his eyes as he watched Elrohir run with Legolas in his arms. He hoped Legolas would be alright, he looked up when there was a lightweight on his shoulder. Elladan smiled down at Estel and then picked him up.

"Come on little gwadoren, let's go play in the garden until we can see Legolas," Elladan said with a smile.

*****

Elrohir went straight to the healing room and sent someone to get Elrond. The Lord of Imladris appeared a few moments later and pushed him out of the room. After he had sent everyone out he started to work on getting the bleeding stopped. Even after he had everything bandaged and the bleeding had stopped he noticed that Legolas was still sleeping fitfully. He burned some athelas to help give a settling feel to the room in hopes of helping Legolas rest.

~~~~~

Legolas couldn't believe Arodiel had just put him on the spot and made him sing like that. His brother was laughing his head off; his father and Mithrandir were smiling in amusement but a moment later Arodiel's face was a mask of horror as Legolas announced that he would also please them with a song. At first he refused but everyone in the room was edging him on so he had to. Arodiel's eyes never left Legolas's as he watched the laughter dance in those bright blue eyes. His song ended and everyone applauded, Legolas wasn't the only one with a good voice but then again all elves were skilled in singing. Legolas stood as his brother came back a smile on his face.

"You little emp! I ought to…" He started but stopped when he saw the sudden flash of pain in his brothers eyes and then a bright red glowing light caught his eye. Both he and Legolas looked down at the Manyan stone that hung around Legolas's neck on a silver chain ever since that witch had dug it out of the back of his neck those many years ago. No longer was it a light blue but a blood angry red; Legolas looked back up at him the fear very readable in his eyes.

"Arodiel…" He whispered and then fell forward unconscious. Arodiel caught Legolas and quickly carried him to his room with their father and Mithrandir behind him.

"What is wrong with him Mithrandir?" They both asked as Legolas moaned in pain. The wizard's eyes went to the stone and he tired to pull it away but had to take his hand back as the stone burned him.

"The stone's power is spent. When in his body it fed and worked with the energy in his body but now since it was removed it has had to use the energy that it stored up. That energy is gone now so it is feeding off the nearest energy source which is Legolas," He explained.

"Well if it is the stone that is doing this just take it off," Thranduil said reaching forward.

"Wait…" Mithrandir started but it was too late.

"Ouch! What the! It burns!" He exclaimed pulling his hand back.

"Yes, the only one who could take it off is Legolas or…" He stopped and looked back at Arodiel. The elder brother looked back at him not understanding. "Arodiel, you have manyan blood in you from your mother. You can touch the stone and not be burnt," He finished. Arodiel looked back and forth still not understanding but at the next moan of pain from Legolas he reached forward and pulled the stone away. The stone stayed red but Legolas settled, still not sleeping peacefully though.

"Ok so I can touch the stone…how do we get it to stop hurting Legolas?" He asked. Mithrandir looked to be in deep thought and then he sighed.

"We must return it to the water since it's healing power works in water," He answered. Arodiel tried to fasten the silver chain on the royal messenger eagle but the bird cried out in terror and pain flapping it's great wings against Arodiel's hands. So did several other eagles and falcons, none of them would even come near Arodiel. For some reason, they were terrified of the manyan stone. The crown prince looked back at his father and Mithrandir in disappointment.

"They refuse to take it," He whispered.

Mithrandir nodded. "I've thought so. If we could feel the heat, no doubt they shall feel it too." It was very early in the morning the next day. Legolas's condition had only gotten worse during the night. He lay still in his bed barely breathing, deep in a coma. The longer the stone was near him, the bigger amount of his energy that it took from him. Thranduil had suggested they used the messenger eagles to carry the stone to the sea. Unfortunately, the eagles were not cooperating; so powerful the stone was to other living beings. Only Arodiel seemed unaffected by it. It was no surprise considering that he had his mother's blood in his veins. Their mother had also been a manyan and had passed her gift to her youngest child the day she died giving birth to him.

Arodiel gazed steadily at the king and the wizard. "Now we move on to our next plan," he said. "I'll take the stone to the sea."

*****

A few months later Legolas watched through blurry eyes as Arodiel climbed onto his horse. His brother looked back once at him but then turned away and rode off with the other Mirkwood warriors who had seen the sea. It was then he couldn't stand it and before Verion could stop him he jumped off the balcony and ran after Arodiel.

"Arodiel! Big brother! Stop! Please don't leave!" He cried. Arodiel heard Legolas's cries and halted his horse, before the horse had even stopped he was off and running back to his brother. Legolas fell into his arms crying and together they fell to their knees in the road. Arodiel knew their father and Verion were both now standing not to far away watching sadly at the display.

"Hush Legolas…shhh…." He whispered but Legolas's cries didn't stop so he started to sing the lullaby he had written just for Legolas.

"There you are

Standing in a crowded room

There you are

The Earth and I'm the Moon

My desire is to stand by the fire

That burns inside of you

Every time I turn around

When I'm lost and when I'm found

Like an angel standing guard

There you are…"

Legolas's cries had almost stopped but the tears still ran down his face as he looked up into Arodiel's eyes.

"Please…Arodiel…if you don't leave…I will never make you mad again…I'm sorry about the Manyan stone…why didn't you just let it kill me? Then you could stay and we wouldn't be so sad?" Legolas questioned. Tears fell down his cheeks when he heard that.

"No Legolas…I could never have let that stone kill you. You are my brother and as my brother I have sworn I oath to myself that you come before I do. This is not your fault…do not blame yourself because you could not have stopped it…I will see you again. I will see you when you and father come to Valinor…I promise," Arodiel explained hugging his brother.

*****

"Arodiel…I'm so sorry…I wish you could come back…" Legolas whispered as tears slipped from his eyes, he closed them trying to get away from the bleak blackness.

"I wish I could to you little emp," A voice said from behind him. Legolas spun and gasped. There stood Arodiel…Arodiel his big brother…a cry escaped his lips as he ran forward and held tightly to his brother. Arodiel's arms wrapped around his waist and he felt Arodiel's chin on the top of his head. "You've missed me a lot I see. Really Legolas there is no need for that…you will see me again," Arodiel whispered.

"Sooner if I can cut everyone off from me," Legolas answered in his quiet voice. Arodiel's arms loosened and he was pushed back. He looked searchingly up into his brother's eyes and saw an angry flare in them.

"Legolas…is that what all this has been about? You stopped talking, stopped making friends, pretty much stopped caring just because you think if you die of grief you will see me again? My brother if you remember correctly I didn't die. I am waiting here on the shores of Valinor waiting for the day when you and father will join me. But I know that day will not be for a long time. Legolas you have a purpose on Middle Earth, there are things you must do before you are any where close to joining me," Arodiel explained.

Pictures of Estel at different stages of his life appeared and Legolas had to smile as he remembered each one. Next was the twins, their antics could never be replaced. The times he had first spoken after that year, the words had not been much but their meaning was what really mattered. Finally pictures of some he didn't know started to appear, there were some he knew but most he didn't. He gasped when he saw a young man watching him with hard eyes as they sat at some great council. He knew those eyes, was this Estel in the future?

"You see you will be needed," Arodiel said as more pictures appeared. He was older now but still young in most eyes, running across some barren land with Estel and a dwarf. Horse riders surrounded them and the leader threatened the dwarf Legolas was surprised to see himself defending the smaller being. A great war was beginning, so many were lost but still so much to be gained.

"I see…but Arodiel I just miss you so much," Legolas whispered.

"I know Legolas but you must be strong. For adar, Estel and yourself, I will see you again when you and adar come to the Undying Lands. Until then goodbye gwadoren," Arodiel whispered and then he disappeared.

~~~~~

Elrond sat beside Legolas's bed waiting for him to awaken. The cut Baranfal had given him had been deep and he had lost a lot of blood before Elrohir had gotten him in here. It had been three hours since then and he figured that Legolas should be waking up soon.

"Umm…" Legolas moaned his head turning from side to side.

"Legolas?" Elrond asked leaning forward. Legolas turned his head toward him and opened his eyes.

"Lord Elrond…my arm…it hurts…" He whispered. Elrond smiled and mixed some Calendula into a salve to rum on Legolas's arm. Legolas hissed as the salve burned but then he settled as Elrond redid the bandage.

"The wound was deep but you should recover within the next few hours to tomorrow. Do not worry about Estel, he was shaken up but I have Elladan and Elrohir watching him. I'm sure when they hear you are awake they will come in to keep you company," Elrond explained with a smile.

"Thank you Lord Elrond," Legolas thanked him. It was only moments later when the twins and Estel came running into the room happy to see their friend awake.

"How did you find out so fast?" Elrond asked.

"I was standing outside the door listening for when you started talking and then I heard Legolas's voice and I went and got them," Elrohir answered.

"Estel? Are you alright?" Legolas questioned. Estel sat beside Legolas and smiled.

"Of course. I have you and you will never let anyone hurt me," He replied. Legolas returned the smile and stroked the dark hair.

"Well you must be getting hungry I will send for some food to be brought up to you and I must write Verion. He will not be pleased that this happened and he wasn't here but I feel it is good that you are taking up for yourself, Legolas. Maybe Elladan and Elrohir should take some time and tell you the elves who you should not pick fights with," Elrond smiled before he walked out the door.

*****

A/N: The part explaining the stone is mainly from Adromir's Take My Heart Away but I changed a few words. If you want to learn more about the stone of Manya read Adromir's The Manyan Series, believe me you won't regret it! Things are about to start heating up, are you guys ready? Again this was a bit short but I wanted to get this out before I left on fall break so please forgive me. I will have a new chapter maybe two for ya when I get back and Friday the 24th! Calendula or Marigold is used as a antiseptic and pain/swelling reliever. Mithrandir in case you don't know is another name for Gandalf. Baranfal is the name of Baltafea's son, you remember him the elf from the second chapter? Don't worry he's coming back in about 3 more chapters. Review thanks for both chapters 3 & 4 will be at the end of chapter 5.

Elvish translations

Gwadoren- My brother

Ada- Dad

Adar- Father

Next chapter: Choices, A new character comes in…who do you think it is?