Of Elves and Trees

Elrohir POV

Wherein Elrohir contemplates Legolas' connection with nature

I had always been fascinated with Legolas' connection to the trees. Many things during his growth had made me think that there was something special with the elfling. He was more in tune with the nature than any other wood-elf. Somehow, nature itself seemed to want to protect him. We'd seen this the first time a long while ago, when the branches of the tree had closed below us to hide us from orcs. This was but the first of many times, but the latest occurrence, it had me filled with worry.

We had been hunting for food. Having scouted the areas a day before, we were not worried when Legolas had asked to join. He was not yet of age, but had been on many hunting trips with us. He had become quite prominent with a bow, and was a real asset.

That however, did not matter, when an orc had gotten a drop on him. Actually, I was not sure it had taken him completely unawares, for he had fired two arrows already, at orcs that were closing up on Elladan and I. Being full Elf, he has better hearing than we, so the ones caught of guard was us. There had been no time for Legolas to turn and shoot the last one before its arrow flew into his back.

I shivered when I remember how he had stumbled a few steps forward from the force, and how I had seen his eyes glaze over as he fell. I had ran towards him.

'No!' Elladan cried when he saw Legolas fall, and let an arrow of his own fly, but he was too far away, and it could not reach.

The orc was moving towards Legolas, apparently intent on finishing what he started. A small groan from Legolas was the only indication that he was still alive. It was almost by him when a thick branch moved and hit it in its detestable face.

I had thought naught of it at the time, but considering it once again, the wind had been calm, definitely not enough to cause the entire tree to move quite like such. And no other trees had moved. This type of interference from the trees was just not normal. Although, I could not help but be a little perturbed at the fact that, if they now were so protective, they should have never let him be shot, although it is possible that the arrow never travelled in their path.

'Elrohir?' I heard Elladan ask from the door. 'How is he?'

I looked down at the pale face of Legolas. The arrow had penetrated his lung, and it had been coated with poison. Even with his Elven healing abilities, it could have been fatal. Had it gone but an inch higher, it would have penetrated his heart.

'No change.' I said, and Elladan sat down on the other side of the bed.

'Of what are you thinking?'

I sighed, and smiled.

'Have you ever considered how nature appears to love Legolas?'

'He is a wood-elf.' Elladan said, but he sounded unsure of himself. He had noticed the same.

'But it is more than that. The tree today that pushed the orc to the ground, it did it with meaning.'

'Thank the Valar it did, or we would not have been able to slay it in time.' He smiled.

'No indeed.' I said, knowing him to be correct, but I still could not shake the feeling that something about this Elf was special.

'Did you notice, when we leaned him against the tree to treat the wound, it seemed to wrap around him, almost…'

'…as though it wanted to consume him.' Elladan nodded. 'I thought I'd dreamt it.'

'Nay, for I saw it too.'

'He is a child of nature.' Elrond said from the door, making both of us jump. 'More so than others.' He walked through the room and put the back of his hand against Legolas' forehead.

'The poison is finally leaving.' He said, relieved. 'I feared for him.'

'Are not all wood-elves children of nature?'

'That is the general belief, and it's not entirely wrong. Legolas, however, was born into it. His mother had been walking the woods of Mirkwood when the spiders attacked her. She managed to kill all, but knew she would succumb to her wounds if help did not arrive soon. All she could think of was her son, still in her belly, and in some miraculous way, she stayed alive during the delivery. She asked the tree that she was resting against to care for her son until Thranduil would arrive, thus she passed to the Halls of Mandos. The tree wrapped the newborn in the warmth of its leaves, and lifted it up high, out of sight from any passing foe.'

'I found my wife, dead by the tree, dead spiders surrounding her.' Thranduil joined the conversation and snorted in memory. 'The tree tapped me on my shoulder. I had never before had a tree do that, so I turned to it in anger. But it held out its charge to me and I was grateful, for it had saved me from succumbing to grief.'

'Since then, the trees think of Legolas as a child of their own.' Thranduil smiled. 'May I have some time alone with my son?' he asked then and we all cleared out.

Elladan wrapped his arm around my shoulders and pulled me close as we walked.

'I wonder how the trees handled all his mischief.' He grinned and I chuckled.

'With more grace than us, I am sure.' I grinned before toning it town to a much gentler smile. 'He is lucky, our brother, to have so many families.'