Leralonde I like him dripping wet too. Make me want to lick all that water off him and…errr…ehem! Forget I said that. You're right, though. What Thranduil did to Leggy in 'The Evil Bride' broke the king's heart. He hurts still.
Deana Adrian Paul! That's right! That's the guy's name. Ooo, I just love his hair!
BitterLee I never meant to create any types of manyans, but this new one is sure one helluva baddie!
Tania NZ : Yep. Leggy looked so cute when he said, "Game over."
Beginning-end-314 : Okay, mate. It's a draw. (Now we sound just like Leggy and Gimli! LOL!)
Tbiris Why? I'll explain it here.
Nessa er Feiniel Nope. This Maglor has nothing to do with that other Maglor. I just pick up his name on a whim.
Astalder27 You don't know how very accurate your premonition was! You'll find out what I mean at the end of this chapter. Be prepared to scream bloody murder at me!
Jedi Gollum : Definitely evil.
Dur En Thurin Naur Heh heh heh…Witty dialogue, there. Oh, can I use the 'No brothers allowed' sign on my next fic? Arwen and Leggy is having their own adventure.
Legosgurl Congrats on your new job! Remember, no more mouthing of your customers. Got it? But you can keep your hot outfit. It's awesome!
KeluinLossehilin Leggy can't touch that bodies because he can feel the evil soul of the other manyan. Eek! Now he sounds like a bloody psychic! You drew Lady Arulin? Oh, goody! Let me see it! And, gee, gosh. I love it when you love Kel!
Moonshine44 Thank you, thank you, and thank you. I'm so glad that you like this series. Now that I know how you love Kel so much, please carry on reading. There's a BIG surprise waiting for you in the end.
Sailor Elf : You guessed right. Here's the cruelest cliffie ever!
NOTE : This chapter touches on the subject of kinslaying. If you don't agree with such topic, please do not read.
WARNING : Evil cliffie from Mordor up ahead! I repeat, evil cliffie from Mordor up ahead! Don't say I didn't warn you!
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The tense atmosphere in the king's study was so thick it could be severed with a knife.
Thranduil was at his usual seat behind the desk, one hand grasping his chin. He was frowning, his mind deep in contemplation. Gandalf the wizard sat on the chair opposite him, puffing away at his pipe, equally thoughtful.
Legolas was the only one who remained standing, his back to the room. With his arms folded across his chest, the prince had planted himself in front of the large opened window and had not moved from the spot since. Thranduil didn't need to see his son's face to know that the prince was darkly brooding, his temper simmering beneath the surface.
And that truly worried the Mirkwood king because Legolas was not known for such cool anger. His youngest son was so much like him, always yelling and shouting—turning completely red in the face—whenever he blew his fuse. To see Legolas so calm yet ominous this way gave Thranduil the goose-bumps. He had to admit, though, his son could be very formidable when crossed. A trait that proved how extraordinary a person Legolas was.
"There can be only one. Yet, now there are two," the manyan prince finally broke the silence. He slowly turned to face his father and the wizard. "Stop hiding all the facts from me. You can't protect me anymore. Now, I want you to explain, either one of you."
Thranduil sighed, exchanging glances with Gandalf. The wizard just shrugged in reply, smiling slightly.
After that episode in the courtyard, the king had ushered the other two into his study so they could talk in private, the plan to visit his people postponed to some other time. It was actually an excuse to sooth Legolas' ruffled feathers. Besides, the prince had been badly shaken by what he had discovered.
Clearing his throat, Thranduil met his son's glare head on. "How do you know there's another manyan?"
Legolas moved closer, stiff yet graceful, his fair face looked even more beautiful in the high glow of his contained wrath. "I knew it the moment I touched that body," he said. "I could feel the trace of a manyan power in its veins. The sign was very distinctive that no one else could feel except for me."
He then turned to Gandalf. "But why is this other manyan so…so different? Instead of compassion, I could sense that he is very dark and evil, greedy even. Instead of healing, he is actually destroying. I don't understand this at all."
The wizard took a last puff on his pipe before putting it away. "Come, sit down, Legolas. This is going to be quite a long talk."
Thranduil expected his son to refuse the request, but to his great relief, Legolas nodded and took the seat next to Gandalf. The wizard turned slightly so that they sat facing each other.
"Now, where should I start?" Gandalf glanced upwards as if searching for answers.
"How about you start by telling us this new manyan's name," Legolas curtly suggested.
Gandalf had to smile at that. "Oh, but my prince, this is not a new manyan. In fact, this is an ancient one. Very ancient. Your father wasn't even born when he existed."
Legolas leaned closer, staring intently at the wizard with widened eyes. "How can that be? I thought there could only be one manyan at a time, something to do with the history of my mother's ancestors."
"That's true." Thranduil nodded. "That's what Marwana had told me once. Due to a certain horrific event concerning one of her ancestors, the line of the manyan must be carried on by a single person at a time to avoid conflict, or something like that."
The king then sadly shook his head. "'There can be only one', she actually said. By the stars. I just remembered that phrase but an hour ago."
"That was why you abruptly ended our talk just now." Legolas scowled at his father. "You did know something and wanted to hide it from me."
"Legolas, what I know confuses even me." Thranduil sighed, gazing at his son with a rare pleading look. "I can't figure out head nor tail of all this so I know I'm not qualified to give you any correct answers. Luckily for us, Gandalf is here to explain everything."
"I will if somebody here would just give me the chance," the wizard quipped.
Legolas was slightly abashed. "Oh. Sorry, Gandalf. Carry on."
Chuckling softly, the kind-faced wizard continued, "His name is Galdor."
"The old manyan? That was his name?"
"Yes. And his twin sister was called Uruviel."
"What?" Thranduil was as surprised as his son. "This dark manyan has a twin?"
"Had. Not has," Gandalf corrected. "Uruviel is long dead. She had been murdered. Like Galdor, she was also a manyan."
Legolas whistled. "Who would have thought? A pair of manyan twins. The plot thickens."
"Precisely." Gandalf looked grim. "That definitely did not sit well with Galdor. He is a proud one, very formidable, and quite jealous of his own twin. Between the two manyans, the people liked Uruviel better. Soon, after they came of age, Galdor's desire to dominate the powers of Manya escalated and shadowed even his love for his sister."
The prince grew pale. "Oh, no. Please don't tell me…"
"He killed her. Galdor shot an arrow through her throat." The wizard's voice was strangely emotionless. "Uruviel was heavily pregnant with her first child at that time. Miraculously, the baby was not lost. Her husband managed to cut Uruviel open and get their daughter out before the child could suffocate. Then he hid the baby somewhere safe so that her uncle could not kill her too."
"What of Galdor then?" Thranduil asked, feeling sick to the heart by the dark manyan's merciless conduct.
"He tried to run to escape penalty, feeling regret for what he had done. He still loved his sister somewhat, but he also knew there was no turning back for him. It was either living as a fugitive, or becoming the most powerful healer of all time. He chose neither."
"He chose to use his ability for his own benefit, instead," Legolas said quietly. "He chose to kill. How could a manyan turn into something pure evil?"
"Greed could turn someone completely, especially when you're craving for power, even if it was the pure and sacred power of healing." Gandalf looked sharply at Legolas. "Even you have the choice to abuse your powers."
Legolas smiled without humor. "I'm not Galdor."
The wizard smiled in return. "No, you're not him. Clearly, your heart is pure. You have been deeply blessed with love since you were still in your mother's womb. It shows in what you've become now."
Thranduil glanced between them. "Excuse me. I'm a bit lost here. Why did you say my son have the choice to abuse his powers, Gandalf?"
Cocking one eyebrow, Gandalf sent the prince an odd look. "You never told your father about it," he stated.
"Told me what?" Thranduil was intrigued. He stared hard at his son. "What exactly are you hiding from me?"
Legolas shrugged. "Nothing serious, really."
Gandalf scoffed. "Oh, I would object to that!"
The prince scowled. "I never would have used it anyway, unless I was forced to. Besides, it's against my code of ethics."
"Oh, for crying out loud, what the heck are you talking about!" Thranduil snapped.
"As male manyans, Legolas and Galdor shared a unique ability," Gandalf decided to answer for Legolas when he saw the prince keep his mouth tightly shut, arms folded across his chest like a shield. "Adding to their skill of drawing the sickness out of a breathing life form, they can also extract its soul and inner energy. In short, Legolas' touch can heal as well as kill. And that was how Galdor killed those two elves in the woods."
Thranduil's mouth dropped open as he gaped at his son.
"You can do that?" he asked, awed. He knew his wife Marwana had not had such ability, or she would have told him. But Legolas…well, this particular son of his had lots of secrets.
"I won't be like Galdor," Legolas spoke, sounding defensive. "I won't misuse my powers."
"I know that, my son!" Thranduil immediately got out of his chair and came to Legolas' side. He grasped the prince's shoulders comfortingly. "You are nothing like Galdor. Nothing at all. You are a much better person compared to him."
Legolas had the grace to blush. "Not really, father. I…did use it…Once."
"And when was that?"
"A long time ago, when I was still a young boy. Remember that ugly orange kitten I brought home one day?"
The king shook his head. "Err…I cannot recall. Why?"
"Well, one night, I let her sleep in my bed. But the next morning when I woke up, I saw that she had shredded a difficult painting that I had spent hours on. I was so angry with her that I never gave a thought to what I did next. I picked her up, squeezed her in my hands and started to absorb all her soul. I was lost to her cries for mercy, so deep I was in ecstasy of being the more powerful. Only when she ceased moving did I stop. But by then, she had turned very cold."
A lone tear trailed down Legolas' cheek. "I never told anyone about it because I hate myself for what I did, and I expect that everyone will hate me too. The worst of it all, I seemed to like it when it happened. The new energy seeping through my veins was almost euphoric. But, afterwards, I only felt shame for myself. I buried the dead kitten under a rose bush in the garden, hoping that someone would never know that she had been murdered by a manyan who was supposed to keep her safe."
Long silence reigned after Legolas' heartfelt confession.
Thranduil sent Gandalf a knowing glance. There goes another secret. What more of his pain that my son is keeping from me?
"Legolas." Thranduil wrapped an arm around his son's shoulders and hugged him to his side. "That incident did not prove that you were evil like Galdor. You were just a child."
"But I could have given in to temptation as I grew older…"
"But you didn't. And you never will," said Gandalf. "You are a lot stronger than that. Galdor is weaker. That was why he fell into darkness."
Stroking his son's head, Thranduil looked up. "He was never caught?"
"We caught him, yes," Gandalf explained. "The people asked for help from the Maiar, and we came. But by the time we had him cornered, he had already taken hundreds of unlucky souls. It made him extraordinarily powerful, but he was destined to fall. Alas, to kill a manyan is a sacrilege to us, even when the manyan in question has turned bad. So we decided to keep him locked away in a prison of a large rock, in the depths of the Long Lake of Esgaroth. He has been staying there since."
"But how did he escape?" Legolas wondered. Then he understood. "The earthquake."
Gandalf nodded, smiling. "Very good, your highness. You are sharp. Indeed, the earthquake last night was centered at the lake. The rock crumbled to pieces from the force, letting Galdor out of its cage."
"And you think he is coming right here, to continue the carnage he has started," Thranduil said.
"Yes, but mostly he needs to remove his equal. And that will be Legolas." The wizard was back to looking grim. "Remember, he wants to be dominant. That's why he killed his sister."
"I am the descendant of Uruviel then?" the prince asked, seeming not to care that Galdor would come after him. "Her baby was safe?"
"Definitely, or you wouldn't be here, giving your father grey hairs!" Gandalf chortled. "After Uruviel's death, Ainur intervened and permitted that, from then on, there would never be more than one manyan at a time to avoid such conflict. Even when Uruviel's granddaughter bore twins, only one of them carried the skill. The same will happen when Legolas' has twins."
Legolas stared at Gandalf as if the wizard had grown horns. "If you're trying to scare me, Gandalf, it's not working."
The wizard only laughed, delighted that Legolas was obviously quite rattled by his statement. If only the prince could see his future…
"So, what are we to do, Gandalf," asked Thranduil. "In what manner should we treat this Galdor person?"
"Firstly, we must look to the safety of the people. They are all in danger. Galdor is definitely heading this way to get to Legolas, but he is not stupid. He knows what he is up against and will not joyfully show up at your door to request a meeting. He is a skillful warrior, I have to tell you this, and a cunning one at that. Definitely an elf in his prime. Legolas should be protected at all times, at any cost."
As expected, Legolas balked at the last sentence. "What are you going to do with me then? Lock me in my chamber?"
Thranduil sighed ruefully. Ai. More grey hairs on my head.
"What you are going to do is follow all my instructions and stay out of trouble, is that clear?" The king gave his son a stern gaze.
Legolas rose and stalked to the opened window, sulking like a berated child. "Sure. It's not as if I'm not used to it!" he responded churlishly. He knew all kinds of protection were necessary to keep him safe, but that didn't mean he had to like it!
Thranduil shook his head as he turned to Gandalf. "See what I have to put up with?"
The wizard had to smother his laughter because the manyan prince was glowering his way.
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Very late that night, as he was heading towards his room after having another long conversation with his father and Gandalf, Legolas was alerted by the sound of thundering hoof beats approaching the palace. Curious and slightly alarmed, he ran back down the stairs and burst through the great doors. He came to a stand still at the receiving terrace by the courtyard, staring in horror at what met him there.
It was part of the army squadron that his brother Keldarion had taken with him for his campaign to Dol Guldur. Most of the riders were already dismounted, waiting for an audience with the king. And they all looked grim.
But where is Kel?
Legolas quickly ran his gaze all over them, searching for his brother's tall form but seeing no sign of him. His heart beat a little faster when his eyes caught sight of several bodies wrapped in blankets tied to the back of the horses.
The dead warriors from the battle, perhaps?
"Your highness?" An officer came forward and bowed to the prince.
"Jaden." Legolas nodded once. "We did not expect you to return tonight."
His eyes searched the group of warriors once more. "Where's my brother? Is he staying behind at the border?"
The officer named Jaden hesitated, distress clearly written on his face. "No, your highness. He is right here with us."
"So why doesn't he show himself? Where is he?" came Thranduil's sudden voice. Legolas jumped slightly, unaware that his father had come to stand next to him.
A mounted warrior moved to the front then, holding another elf before him.
Legolas' eyes widened. Thranduil gasped.
It was Keldarion, lying so still and unresponsive in the rider's clutches, wrapped in several layers of blanket from head to toe with only his face visible.
And that said face—which was handsome and always graced with kind smiles—had turned deathly blue.
TBC…
See? I told you it's gonna be an EVIL cliffie.
What's that I hear? People screaming?
He he he. Sorry, guys. I really, really can't help it. It's a sickness, I know.
