Chapter 9, everyone!
A bit late, perhaps, but it's here now! And now, I've seen Battle of the Five Armies and I've got a bit of mixed feelings about it, but still it was a rather good movie. If you've seen it, what do you think? :)
Thanks to all readers, followers, favourites and reviewers! As always, it's a joy to read your comments and I really appreciate all of your support!
I do not own any characters (except some OCs) or places; J.R.R Tolkien or Peter Jackson and Co do.
The italics in the beginning and the end of a chapter come from either one of the Lord of the Rings books/Movies or from one of The Hobbit Movies/book. All of them will have some connection to Elves. So I don't own them as well!
Enjoy!
Chapter 9: Summoned
"I came to reclaim something of mine."
"My Lord!"
Legolas blinked. Slowly, he sat up; still not quite his usual alert self. The magical haze from last night had not yet left him.
"It's urgent!"
Blinking again, he recognized the voice to belong to Tatharon. The Guardian sounded not as calm as usual, but had an edge to his voice that Legolas had never heard before. The blond Prince leapt to his feet immediately and hurried to the door.
Tatharon was standing outside, wringing his hands. His eyes snapped in Legolas's direction the instant the door opened.
"My Lord", he repeated and before Legolas could chastise him for using his title the older Elf continued: "A messenger from the castle has arrived, demanding to speak with you. She drew quite the attention to herself – we do not get many visitors here as you know – but I managed to get her to my house without too much of trouble. I thought I might warn you", he finished and his green eyes had a calculating look to them.
Legolas got a sour taste in his mouth at the news and he repressed an annoyed sigh. Apparently his father must have gotten impatient. He gave Tatharon a nod of gratitude at the news, though feeling as if he had aged considerably the last seconds.
"Thank you", he said. "If you could hold her at yours for a moment, I would be most grateful. I just need some time to prepare."
He was still dressed in a loose nightshirt and light-brown trousers. His long, blond hair was slightly tousled and his feet bare. It was not an attire fitting for a Prince in a meeting.
Tatharon made a noise of agreement before turning on his heels and following the path down to the village. Legolas shut the door again, leaning against it and run a hand across his face. Last night appeared to be a dream and now reality was calling.
He dressed quickly and splashed his face with water from a bowl placed at the table. After fastening his bow and quiver, he picked up a lonely apple from a bowl that had been filled with fruits and then he was out of the cottage, locking the door behind him.
It was not the early hours, Legolas could tell, because there were quite a lot of people out and moving about. As he made his way towards Tatharon's home, he was greeted by many that passed him and it surprised him. A slightly warm feeling spread in his heart at this easy show of being included even though he was barely more than a stranger to these people.
Tatharon's home was lightened up; Legolas could see candles shine even though the sun was able to shine through the trees' crowns of leaves. He was reluctant to go inside, but – as he had spoken to Tauriel the night before – he had a strong sense of duty that almost came before anything else.
The Guardian opened the door before Legolas had managed to do more than raise his hand, prepared to knock. The older Elf wore no smile, though he was as polite as ever.
"My Lord."
Legolas stepped inside the same room he had been in the first day of his arrival. It looked the same, save for the Guard sitting at the table with a stoic expression. When she spotted Legolas she sprung to her feet and bowed.
"Heru en amin", she said, straightening up again.
"Rìnthel", Legolas acknowledged her, knowing her from before as she was second in command of the Guards. He was surprised and touched in a strange way that Thranduil had sacrificed one of the best to collect him. "What do you have to report, what is the King's demand?"
"Perhaps we could speak in private?" suggested the Guard with a sharp look in Tatharon's direction.
The Guardian smiled a thin smile, still looking weary. A small wrinkle appeared between Legolas's eyebrows as he thought the situation over. Tatharon had been very kind and helpful, but Legolas wondered what had put the man on edge now. Rìnthel had a hard expression fitting for her position as a Guard. Legolas could only agree with her.
"If you follow me, I am sure we can talk somewhere else…."
"No need to trouble", interrupted Tatharon with a shadow of his usual bright smile. "I can see myself out, do not bother."
Before Legolas could thank him or offer any words of kindness, the other Elf had disappeared. Legolas was left with a queasy feeling in his stomach. He turned to face Rìnthel again. She looked tense, ready to draw weapon should it be needed. Legolas sat down in a chair opposite her and gestured for her to speak. Instead of obeying his wishing, Rìnthel took out a scroll from her inner pocket and handed it to him. It was sealed with his father's sigil, but it did not surprise him. He opened it in silence, recognizing his father's writing. Many might not have believed so, but the King was skilled when it came to write. Legolas had always found his father's letters to be something of the prettiest things he had seen. His eyes darted back and forth across the short letter. The scroll smelled of the perfume that usually was sprayed around Thranduil's chambers, a scent Legolas associated with 'home'.
The letter was short and to the point. Legolas was frowning when he was done reading it.
"He wants me to return to the castle", he told Rìnthel and folded the letter and put it in a pocket of his own. "Did you know?"
"The King did hint something of the sort", admitted the Guard. "And I was allowed to drag you home by the ear, should you not do as the letter said." She broke out into a teasing smile. "Though since you are no longer an Elfling, I do not think treating you as one should be necessary."
Legolas refused from answering, but the tip of his ears grew hot. He thought back to the days when he had been so young that many of the Guards had to drag him by the ear to where he should be no matter if it was from his room to meet with some high lord or another, or from the training grounds to his lessons.
"How long was it since you left the castle grounds?" he asked the older woman as a change of subject, neither agreeing nor disagreeing to leave.
"The King sent me two days after you had left."
Legolas frowned even though he should be used to his father's fickle behavior. Then he thought of something else.
"If he sent you so soon after my departing, why did you not arrive until now?"
If his eyes did not deceive him, the Guard did something close to blushing. He could feel his eyebrows rise.
"I had to gather knowledge about the way here", she said defensively. "The forest has changed and it has been a long time since I ventured this far south."
A silence stretched after that in which Legolas utilized to gather his thoughts and think. The letter had clearly expressed that he was to return home and report and that Thranduil wanted to speak with him. Legolas felt that he could not obey his father's wish, since he did not think that he had enough to report. Something about the thief and the village puzzled him. His conversation with Tauriel the previous night had got his head spinning and left him with a lot to ponder on.
"What will you do if I refuse to come?"
Rìnthel gave him a calculating look, her eyes hard.
"My duty is foremost to the Realm and its King. I am sorry, my Lord, but I will not stand for you to refuse."
Legolas had thought as much. He inclined his head towards her, a sign that he understood. Understanding did not mean that he liked it.
"I suggest you gather your things", said Rínthel and threw a suspicious glance around the room, her gaze lingering on the windows. "We should depart as soon as possible."
A single nod was all Legolas could muster as he pushed his chair back and stood up. When Rìnthel did the same, Legolas stopped her by asking her to wait there and let him pack by himself. He explained that he did not want to attract attention and that him being seen with a Royal Guard could just do that. Rìnthel was not too pleased.
"Do they not know who you are?" she asked sharply. "My Lord, what possessed you to act this way?"
"I found it to be more effective", answered Legolas truthfully, but did not elaborate.
He had channeled his father, for his eyes turned cold and Rìnthel had lived long enough around the King and his son to know when to not step over boundaries that could not be seen but were there. She kept silent, only reminding Legolas to hurry and the he left the room. He had suspected to run into Tatharon, but the Guardian was nowhere to be seen. Legolas tried not to dwell on it.
He hurried back to his cottage and did not even stop to chat with the Elves that tried to engage him in their talk. However polite he brushed them off, Legolas still felt a pang of remorse at having to leave them when he had just begun to get their acceptance. Another part of him wondered if Rìnthel was right to express her surprise and doubt; by not revealing his identity – except to Tatharon and the strange Lady Amabres – he was lying, in a sense, and did he deserve the people of Bendaeenorod's trust then?
Packing was something he did quickly. He had not had too much with him to begin with and he had not caused a mess during his stay so his things were easy to find. The only other thing he packed was some bread and fruit for the journey back.
One last time, he looked around the cottage, feeling a bit nostalgic as he locked the door a final time. He took a firm grip around his bag and took off down the path, a slight hurry to his steps. After thinking, he realized that he wanted to find Tauriel. What he wanted to say to her, he was not entirely sure of. Perhaps he just wanted to say goodbye, as he doubted they would meet again. No matter what reason his mind and heart had come up with, he wanted to see Tauriel.
Legolas made his way towards Tauriel's house. It was in the opposite direction of where he should be going. On his way, he noticed Elves climbing down the tall trees with agile movements from their houses that were hidden up amongst the branches and leaves.
He was not going to admit that he might have been a little bit lost as to where to go. The forest looked different during the day and if he was being honest, he had not paid much attention to the paths they had wandered the night before. His attention had been on the red-haired woman next to him.
When he realized that he was wasting time when running around like a fool, he thought of trying to look for Tauriel in the House of Green instead. That was a way he knew how to find.
A small distance from the House of Green, he ran into Glingaerwen. He stopped her and asked if she knew where Tauriel was, if she was working today. The young Elf appeared to be flustered at the sudden attention and told him – eyes flickering nervously around – that Tauriel was not working today and that she did not know where she could be, if she had not accompanied the archers to their training, but that was only a guess.
Legolas involuntarily cursed, though not so Glingaerwen would hear. Things had not gone his way today. He contemplated if he should try at the archers' place, but at the same time he knew that if Rìnthel had to wait much longer he would have to deal with an overprotective Guard on his trail and that wasn't something he was eager to deal with.
Trying not to show his disappointment, Legolas thanked Glingaerwen and made his way back to Tatharon's home. Despite the disappointment, he knew that it was perhaps for the best that he left without seeing Tauriel. He had a duty to the Realm and his father, a duty Tauriel made him forget when he was with her, if only for a moment. He ignored the slight twist in his chest.
When he arrived at the Guardian's home, Rìnthel was standing outside and waited for him, Tatharon by her side. He did not look as nervous now, more like his usual calm and merry self. Neither of the two was speaking.
"I am ready to go", said Legolas as he approached them.
Rìnthel nodded and her posture betrayed that she would be ready to run at any moment. Legolas had never really understood how the Guards could be so stiff, yet wild at the same time. Legolas shot her a look as if to tell her to wait. Then he turned towards Tatharon.
"I would like to express my gratitude for letting me stay here", said Legolas. "And for your help." He put a hand to his chest as a sign of respect. "Aa' menealle nauva calen ar' malta."
"It has been an honor", bowed Tatharon and when he straightened up, he wore the same smile and gleam in his eyes that he had had when Legolas first had met him. "And the best of luck with catching the thief."
He sounded sincere, but Legolas only managed a nod. How low he had fallen when he had to depend on luck to succeed?
"You will not turn away."
Heru en amin - My Lord (nonfamiliar)
Aa' menealle nauva calen ar' malta - May your ways be green and golden
So, that was that! Any thoughts?
Some of you might be a bit disappointed in the lack of LegolasxTauriel, but I assure you that in a couple of chapters' time, things will change.
I cannot say when the next chapter will be up, hopefully next week, but I can't make any promises.
Thanks for reading & "Merry Christmas" (or whatever holiday you might celebrate) to you all! :)
