Thanks to JaydeRayne for reviewing chapters 5 and 6 and to Maiden for reviewing chapter 4! A note to Jayde: Here is your update, before Friday, as well! Now you CAN'T re-diagnose me with Orcishness! (or maybe you will anyways, after this chapter...)
Now, a plea:
I have been looking EVERYWHERE on FFnet for a fic that I read in 2008, but I can't find it at all. Here's what I remember: Legolas visits Gimli in Aglarond (or a cave of some sort). The other dwarves there hate the elf and Legolas gets locked in a room that is completely dark. Gimli doesn't know about it. Legolas goes a little crazy before he is let out. Does it sounds familiar? If it does, PLEASE tell me what it's called! I know that's not much to go on, and there are a few other fics I found that could almost fit the bill, but they're not it.
A few people have suggested DipDab500's "No Place Like Home" to me, and I thank you, but that's not it (I had read DipDab's story before, and remembered it because it was similar!).
This chapter contains implied dark themes. There is also violence. Read with caution.
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7: Innocence
by Caelhir
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Year 2210 Third Age of Middle Earth
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Darkness.
Pain.
Terror.
Picked up roughly, dragged for an eternity, pain jolting him at every stair he was pulled down, voices sounded, laughing, jeering, darkness again, then light, the sound of jangling keys, the sound of an opening door, and he was tossed to the ground.
Whimpering in pain, crawling away from the men, memories and pain overwhelming him, he curled into a ball and shuddered, unable even to weep with the intrusive pain.
Vaguely the sound of the door closing reached his ears, and another voice cried out. Legolas could do nothing but shiver and wait for the next attack to be over. Again and again it had happened... tears finally leaked from his eyes at the terrible pain of the memory.
He shuddered and trembled. There was no way to have it undone to him...
/\/\/\/\
Thoronsul held his silence with difficulty as the men leered at him. They threw Legolas to the ground and left laughing. Thoronsul cried out as they did and fell to his knees next to Legolas.
His brother was trembling violently, face hidden behind clenched fists. Thoronsul placed a hand on his brother's shoulder only to have Legolas cry out and scramble away from him.
Thoronsul stared at his brother. What had these men done to him? What had that beast, that creature who called himself a man done to cause his younger brother to flinch at Thoronsul's touch?
A terrible thought entered Thoronsul's mind and he shook his head angrily. Surely not that, these men were surely not that cruel... were they? Thoronsul sighed as he thought of men and their grudges. He had known men to take out their anger and hurt on others in that way, by dominance and forcing themselves upon others, but he would never understand it. Elrond had explained it to him once after tending to an elf who had been attacked and violated.
"When men commit that act, they do not do it out of desire or lust. Rather, it is sprung from violence and hatred. Sometimes it is because they themselves were treated so, and wish to pass on the same pain to others. Many of these men are of the belief that they have the right to control and punish others. They are not mentally stable, Thoronsul. Remember that."
Thoronsul felt tears in his eyes at the memory. It had seemed like just another topic of uncomfortable conversation with the lord of Imladris, but now it was a real thing. It applied now, and Thoronsul desperately wished that he had become a healer instead. He might have been some help then! He turned back to Legolas.
"Legolas? My brother, can you answer me?"
Legolas turned his face away from Thoronsul, voice muffled by his hands pressed against his mouth. Thoronsul frowned as he caught the words.
"Don't look at you? Why?"
Legolas sank his head onto his knees, sobs overtaking his frame. Thoronsul crept closer, slowly, as though he was approaching a injured and unpredictable animal. In a way, he thought grimly, he was.
When Thoronsul was about an arm's length away. He stopped, not wanting to cause his brother any more distress. Legolas cracked his fingers and looked at Thoronsul.
"I'm sorry."
Thoronsul gaped at Legolas, then his face softened.
"It wasn't your fault, Legolas! You must never think that!"
Legolas shuddered and drew tighter in upon himself.
For many minutes they sat thus, Legolas sitting tense and weak, and Thoronsul crouching an arm's length away, watching his brother. Finally, Legolas raised his head. Without even looking at Thoronsul, Legolas flung himself into Thoronsul, who stumbled back, but caught the other elf. He held his brother, calming the wounded elf and silently promised to destroy the ones who had done this to his brother.
/\/\/\/\
Legolas sobbed without restraint, the pain and violation destroying his very core as it ate away at him. It burned through him, seeming to devour his heart as the memories and pain welled up, bringing fresh tears to his eyes. Dalmon had kept his promise to Thoronsul: Legolas would never forget the man's foul name.
Legolas drew what stark comfort he could from Thoronsul. Ever had his older brother been his protector, and Legolas had always idolized him. They had been very close growing up, and that had not changed with time. Not only was Thoronsul his brother, but he was also a close friend and confidant.
Legolas eventually ceased to weep, and he sat up, pulling away from Thoronsul, who watched him with his own pain. But there was anger in Thoronsul's eyes, and it burned like a fire.
"We will cause them to suffer, Legolas," Thoronsul stated grimly. "I promise."
The sons of Thranduil sat in silence, each contemplating different things.
Legolas was trying to take his mind to the times he had when he was young: picnics with his parents, playing tag-you're-it with Thoronsul and reading stories in the library with his father. These thoughts eased the terrible, aching pain.
Legolas opened his eyes and stared blankly at the slits of light coming in through the thin walls. He knew what it meant to be violated so as and elf: he was dying. He had seen it happen once before, in Imladris. Elrond didn't know he had been there, but Legolas had been curious, and had even spoken to the patient.
Young as he had been, not quite at his full height yet, but nearly there, Legolas had grasped what had happened to the elf as Elrond left, overhearing a snatch of conversation. He had then spoken to the patient, a warrior of many years who had been overpowered and outnumbered, eventually subdued and violated in the worst ways.
Legolas remembered shivering when the dying soldier had flinched away from Elrond's touch at the attempt of healing. Now Legolas understood why.
For his part, Thoronsul was thinking of ways to escape. Legolas needed a healer, and to be frank, so did he. His stab wound had not gotten better during their "visit" to Rohan.
Further thought was stopped as the door opened. Both had been so engrossed in their separate musings that neither had been alert for entering humans.
Dalmon walked through the door with four burly men. Two each went the brothers and held them fast before either could struggle.
"So," Dalmon drawled, "Enjoying your stay, gentlemen?"
Thoronsul spat on the ground, incensed. Legolas said nothing, simply refused to look up. Dalmon noticed.
"My my, pretty! Why the long face? You don't seem happy at all!"
Walking over to Legolas, much like an executioner walks to the beheading, Dalmon took hold of the elf's chin. The grey eyes of the elf were filled with dull fear. Dalmon removed his hand from Legolas' face and stood back to run his eyes over the elf instead, like a horse breeder examines a stallion.
"I believe we have damaged goods, men!"
Thoronsul hissed in anger, but it was drowned by the men's jeers and laughs. Dalmon strode forward and seized Legolas' hips, shaking the stricken elf slightly. Dalmon shouted at the room at large.
"Damaged! Damaged and broken just like my family was when those damn elves came in the night, killing our children and women, and crippling the men! Were you there, elf? Did you help them? You look like him!"
Thoronsul stared at Dalmon, who had shoved Legolas away form him. Only the men's hands on Legolas kept him upright. Who was the "him" Dalmon was shouting about? And what on earth was he talking about? As far as he knew, the only time elves from Greenwood had been this far south was when they took particularly long scouting trips, or missions to Lorien, Edoras and Gondor.
Dalmon was not finished.
"I watched them kill our families! They attacked, with their pointy ears and all! I watched them, elf, I watched!"
Thoronsul was half grateful that Dalmon's rage was directed elsewhere, and half enraged that that "elsewhere" was Legolas.
"...and made playthings out of the men, made toys out of us! How do you like it, elf? Do you like being beaten and broken, injured and crippled? You are my plaything now, elf!"
At these words, Legolas lifted his head, and Dalmon stepped back at the rawness in the elf's eyes.
"I am no plaything," said Legolas. "Treat me as you will. I belong to none."
Thoronsul felt a flash of pride at his brother's strength.
Dalmon's eyes narrowed.
"Perhaps not. But I find I grow tired of you. Perhaps..." The man trailed off and made to move towards Thoronsul.
Legolas' eyes widened and he shouted at Dalmon.
"No!"
Dalmon gave Legolas an evil smile.
"Then what, pretty? Would you like to come with me again? Are you wanting more?"
Legolas' eyes went dull again. His whisper was nearly unheard.
"If it must be."
Thoronsul wrenched himself away form his captors and threw himself at Dalmon, tackling him to the ground before the other guards realized what was occurring.
Thoronsul was single-minded in his primeval rage. His instincts were what guided him to leap at the man who had violated and tormented his brother, his dear Leaf. Now was time for revenge.
Thoronsul reached his hands out, his vision tunneled onto Dalmon's fearful face. His hands reached out and placed themselves on either side of the man's head and twisted sharply.
A sickening crack filled the air, and the four guards stopped in shock. Before anyone could say anything else, a horn sounded from outside.
The guards exchanged glances and made to run out of the room. Thoronsul stepped in front of them. they skidded to a halt, looking fearful.
"What's happening?"
The guards glanced at each other again. One spoke up.
"That horn– it sounds when the Riders of Rohan ride through here to– well, to destroy it. This isn't actually a village. It's just Dalmon's place where he takes his victims..."
The guard seemed to realize his slippery tongue and shut his mouth with an abashed look.
Thoronsul nodded, and continued. He felt very powerful, with these men cowering before him.
"And what of yourselves? Why do you follow this man?" He nudged Dalmon's body with his foot.
The men mumbled incoherent answers about families killed, promises of payment, and other things. Thoronsul shook his head, deciding they were not to blamed for one crazy mans actions.
Stepping aside, he said, "Get out."
The men nearly tripped over themselves in their haste to leave.
Sounds of battle from outside told Thoronsul that now was not a safe time to leave. Moving over to his brother, Thoronsul sat next to Legolas. Together they waited the battle out.
/\/\/\/\
One week later...
The elves had escaped form the wreckage of the storage room. Thoronsul decided they needed to head north, and off they had gone. They had made their slow and painful way in a random fashion, stopping every hour or two for rest. Legolas was having difficulty walking due to his wounded leg and the abuse he had received at the hands of the men. As for Thoronsul, his wound had worsened. He neglected to tell Legolas this, however. The younger elf's dreams were dark and haunted, and Thoronsul often woke hearing Legolas begging an unseen person for mercy.
Hearing his brother so gave Thoronsul a deep and violent urge to kill humans. They had passed within sight of two human villages already, and the two elves fell to watching the smoke tendrils rising from the establishments each time, Thoronsul's mind flying into wold rage at the very sight of human dwellings.
But each time Thoronsul made to go near the villages, Legolas would place a hand on his brother's arm and guide him away. These were not the times to go attacking anyone. Neither of them was in suitable condition to even be walking, in reality.
Thoronsul now raised his head, surveying the landscape critically.
"I think we're near Lorien," he said hesitantly. "It is starting to seem familiar to my eyes."
Legolas said nothing. He hadn't spoken since his defence of himself against Dalmon in Rohan. Thoronsul sighed and they continued in silence.
Several hours later, they ran across a Lorien border guard as they entered under the mallorn tress. Thoronsul was hailed cheerfully by his friend Rumil and his brother Orophin. Their brother Haldir was less cheerful. The cheeky and fun-loving Thranduilion brothers had never really gotten along very well with the serious elf who was a stickler for rules.
However, now was no the time to be nursing old wounds. It was the recent ones that needed attention now, and hence, the Lorien elves led the princes of Greenwood to one of the outposts of Lorien. There they would be guaranteed rest, food and safety.
The Lorien elves pressed, but Legolas would not speak and Thoronsul would say nothing pertaining to their whereabouts of the past week.
In no time, the brothers were presented to the Lord Celeborn and Lady Galadriel, and a group of Lorien elves were given permission to escort the weary princes home.
Under the gaze of the kind Galadriel, Legolas felt the horror of situation being probed at, and he snapped his eyes away, glaring at the trees until she looked away. Those memories belonged to him along. They were not for everyone to view!
In short order, the Greenwood princes were returned to their father, who was overjoyed to see them. They had been expected back two days ago, and news of the slaughter of their party had reached the ears of the Greenwood elves via Sermathor and two others who had survived the attack.
Thoronsul related the events of their capture to their father in front of the court of advisors. He left out Legolas' violation, of course, and his own actions against Dalmon. Whatever anyone else said, at the time, it was justified.
Legolas never spoke to anyone but Thoronsul regarding what had happened in that place. When he did speak, i twas as though something held him back so that he could not truly be free from the memories. But when Legolas was woken in the night by the nightmares and memories, it was Thoronsul who sat with him, singing or reading, and sometimes it was simply the presence of someone familiar that comforted Legolas.
That experience they shared had changed both elves. Thoronsul held a flashing hatred of humans, violent and bright, but Legolas also held hatred in his heart. Legolas' hatred was slow-burning where Thoronsul's was quick and furious, running in him and festering in his heart. Thoronsul wondered at this, at Legolas' seeming calmness, save for when traders from Laketown visited. At those occasions, Legolas disappeared, and not even Thoronsul could find the elusive prince.
Even Mithrandir the Maia, who sometimes visited Greenwood, was spurned by the younger of the princes, for his likeness to men was too great for Legolas' preference. The wizard had told Thranduil that Legolas would have a future that was involved with men, but when Thranduil told Legolas of this prediction, Legolas scoffed at it. He declared that no business of his would ever lead him to where there were men.
Yet Fate is a difficult thing to sway when she is set in her course, and only time would tell if Legolas' adamant refusal of contact with men would be swayed.
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That was intense, both to write and re-read. I don't think I'll make another chapter/another story like that again. I think it goes with where I have future stories going, however. Remember me saying something about how Legolas and Aragorn meet, at the end of Long, Long Journey? Yeah, this will have something to do with that. ;P If you add 100 Themes onto you favorites or alerts, leave a review if you can!
