A/N: In this chapter, I talk about the different aging of men and elves. All the information referring this topic is found on Tolkien's essay Laws and Customs among the Eldar.
Chapter 8: Rather die standing than live on my knees
The trees on Legolas' left had started to grow dark, to look smaller. The Prince turned so he was looking directly at them. The scar hurt, but not enough to cover his rage. He could fight with it.
"COME AND FIGHT!" He shouted, passion and a satisfactory sense of anger impregnating his words.
A dark figure emerged from the woods, tall and strong. A halo of cold and darkness surrounded it. Just for a second, blood stood still in the elf´s veins and his heart refused to work. Just for a second. The next one his wish to destroy that creature overpowered any other feeling no matter how strong it could be. The dark being stopped just on the edge of the forest and said:
"Well met, elf. Well met again."
"May I ask you something, my King?" Elrond joined the man, who was riding with his men some paces behind the elves.
"Of course." He answered, looking at the elf.
"I hope you forgive my curiosity and you don't find me too inquisitive, but I've been wondering about the moment you found Legolas. I know you found him and the ones who were holding him prisoner near the Misty Mountains. I know that Legolas told you he had been living with that elf, Vanwe, in an underground fort, which existence I can prove, for we got to see it. Because of a mysterious reason that he never told you, they had to flee from there. Some days later, you found them. But, what I don't know is when you saw him for the first time."
The man sighed "You are not at all inquisitive, my Lord. I myself have been wondering how long it would be before you asked me about my son. And, if I may say, I hadn't expected you to wait so long." Elrond smiled, but said nothing. "As I told you once, I don't know very much about Legolas' life with Vanwe, nor I wanted to press him to tell things about it. I only know what he wants me to know, and I'm fine with that. He was kidnapped, right?..when he was a child."
Elrond confirmed it with a short nod. "Yes, he was around seven years old in the reckoning of men."
"And he was thirteen when we came across with the orcs and men who were retaining him." Jaimy added.
Elrond's eyes widened and, even though he had been sort of expecting it, he could not suppress a gasp when he realized the size of the gap of years between his loss and his finding.
"Valar… Twenty-five years…."
Jaimy frowned "Twenty-five? What do you mean? It is just… six years?" The last sentence sounded more a question than an assertion.
The elf Lord shook his head. "It is not six years, it is twenty-five. Let me explain." Elrond started. "As you know, we, elves, are immortal. Our immortality allows us to grow more slowly than men, both physically and mentally."
"I can't comprehend what you mean, my Lord." Jaimy's frown grew even deeper.
"Imagine a newborn human baby and a newborn baby elf. In their first year of life, the human baby grows, his limbs become stronger and he is about to start walking on his own. He can say some words, although he has not reached the level of comprehension which would allow him to have a fully knowledge of language. The elf, on the other hand, is able to talk and walk. His mind has developed quicker than his body, for elves' minds develop at a great speed in their first year. Now, picture them fifty years later. The human has grown, he is now a man of fifty one years. He is tall and strong. He has a family to take care of and a farm in which he lives and works."
"I see." Jaimy conceded. He had started to glimpse, if only slightly, what Elrond was saying.
"But the elf has not grown as the human has. In fact, he is just a teen. In your vision of years, he is around thirteen or fourteen years. Legolas was kidnapped when he was twenty-three, although he had only reached the physical develop of a six years old human children. You say that, when you found him, he was about thirteen years." Jaimy nodded. "But he was not really that age. He had the physical appearance of a thirteen years old boy, which is the equivalent of fifty years. Legolas had lived fifty years when he was rescued by your men."
"Fifty years?" Jaimy repeated. He could not believe it. His son had been fifty when they had found him? Legolas was almost older than the King himself?
"Yes, but with the body and mind of a thirteen year old boy. That's how we grow, my King. If it weren't like that, we wouldn't be so fast, strong or agile. Our wounds wouldn't heal so fast. So, returning to Legolas, he was kidnapped when he was twenty three, which makes-"
"Twenty seven years in the hands of Vanwe. Long time being a prisoner, even for an elf." Jaimy pointed out.
"Indeed. Even for an elf. "
Legolas rolled on the ground and managed to get up before the blade of the Nazgûl could touch him. It landed on the ground, and got partially stuck on it. The Prince took advantage of that few seconds to direct an attack towards the Dark Rider. However, with an alarming speed, the Nazgûl pulled the sword out of the ground and blocked the blow. Legolas turned his head to prevent the dirt raised by the blade from the ground getting inside his eyes. He immediately ducked and dodged the sword that was coming just to his heart.
Such an agile and fast movement, which had been guided by instinct rather than reason, would have pleased Legolas and he would have boasted of it for days. But the elf did not want to lie himself. The Nazgûl was playing with him. He could have killed him too many times during the fight, but he hadn't. A sudden slowing down just when the blade was going to touch the elf; or a weak blow; definitely strange and unexpected movements that had kept Legolas alive.
What was he waiting for?
"You cannot overcome me, my young elf" The voice of the once man sounded like a growl.
Legolas grabbed firmly his two knives and took a shaky deep breath. He was right. He could surely not win that fight. But as far as his heart beat, and he kept breathing, he would not give up.
"You´d rather admit your defeat, elf. That way I may have pity and grant you a quick death."
"You can keep your compassion for another one, slave of Sauron; I don´t want it."
That word "slave" seemed to disturb the Nazgûl. "Slave?" He repeated. "Slave he calls me? He, who was in the hands of an elf for most of his life and had not the strength to fight him? Who was not able to stand with a man and instead ran towards safety leaving him to face a slow death alone? Who let the one he called brother die in his place?"
The Prince felt blood bolding on his veins. Suddenly, the ache of his arms was replaced by a new strength he did not know it existed. The tiredness turned into adrenaline. The weakness of his legs did not matter anymore. Nor did his own wellbeing. He would make that assassin pay for what he had done. For what he had said. And if, on the way, he resulted dead, it would not matter. Because his death was only a lesser evil in the middle of a whole sea of wickedness.
'Immortal.' His father's voice sounded on his mind, reminding him of his long life. The corner of his mouth curled into a half smile. No, he would not live forever. He did not want to live forever. And if that day would be the last of his life, let it be.
"I'm not giving up, monster. Not today nor tomorrow nor any day. Because I'd rather die standing than live on my knees. So stop wasting your words."
He ran towards the Nazgûl and discharged a blow on him. The Morgul blade met his knives immediately. They stood like that for a few seconds, in a demonstration of strength.
Legolas smiled when he noticed the Dark Rider's blade giving in.
"We are approaching, Elrond." Glorfindel rode near the Lord and communicated the news. "The explorers you sent report of orcs in the woods. They may be the same ones whose tracks we found when we came here looking for Legolas' brother."
"Tell the warriors to be ready for any sudden attack. They have permission to fire at will if it should happen, but they will organize themselves immediately after the first wave of arrows. I will warn the King."
With a short nod, Glorfindel obliged. Elrond turned his horse and trotted to the men.
"My scouts have seen evidences of orcs near the glade. They have not been able to see Legolas, but I'm told we are getting near."
The man turned and shouted orders to his soldiers. With precise movements, they all loosened the straps that held their swords, in order to have them at reach in case they needed them. The archers adjusted the quiver so the arrows would come out easily.
Elrond nodded in approval. "Be ready for any suspicious movement on the back. We'll guard our front."
"Agreed" The King said.
Elrond rode away until he reached the head of the army. Sighing, he thanked once more Celebrian for having been able to convince the twins to stay in Imladris. They were good warriors, but they would only add one more worry to the elf's already full of worries mind. Glorfindel joined him on his left.
"They could attack at any moment. I'm told they are in a large number. Let's hope the Valar are with us today."
The shout that filled the air prevented Elrond from showing his agreement.
"Orcs!"
Celebrian looked tenderly at his sons, who were sitting on his father's study looking out the window.
"You know that, for much you look, it is quite improbable they return this quickly." She told them, smiling at their worry and impatient.
"We know, nana, but we can't help it." Said Elrohir back. "We should be with them, and not here, sitting idly as if we were a young pair of novices."
"What use is our training for if we cannot use it when we are needed?" Complained Elladan, getting up from the window and nearing his mother, who had sat on the armchair.
"Your father has experienced warriors with him. He will be fine." He told them, knowing their nagging was only due to worry. "Besides, you have to stay here in case you have to put in practice your condition of sons of Elrond. Imagine an urgent diplomatic conflict takes place. Someone with enough influence would have to manage it."
"Erestor is wonderful solving 'urgent diplomatic conflicts'." Elladan countered.
"But I am not son to Elrond, Elladan." Erestor entered the study without bothering to knock. He bent his head before Celebrian with a soft murmur of 'My lady' and then looked at the twins. "I may have certain skills which allow me to 'convince' stubborn messengers to calm their chiefs down, but I'm not son to the Lord of the Haven and you are. That's why you had to stay here."
"What of naneth? She is the Lady of the Haven. She has power enough." Elrohir interrupted.
"Sometimes, men trust strength over wisdom. They prefer to talk to a pair of young yet strong warriors rather than to an elleth who lacks muscle." Explained the she elf.
"Moronic." Said Elladan.
"Ignorance, I prefer to call it but, yes, both concepts are quite similar." Erestor corrected. Sitting on the chair Elrond used when receiving guest on his private room, he sighed and added. "Which reminds me why I am here."
"Oh, so you didn't come to visit your old friends?" Elrohir pretended offense.
Grimacing Erestor kept talking. "That's one of the reasons. The other is the information I have just been given by the frontiers guards."
The other three elves leaned on, interested.
"Unless Elrond appears all of sudden with a harmless Legolas right now, we may need both my facility and your status to prevent a very urgent diplomatic conflict," he looked at Celebrian and her sons "for Thranduil has just crossed the borders of Imladris."
We have Legolas fighting with a Nazgûl; Elrond, Glorfindel and Jaimy trying to overcome the orcs; and now here comes a furious Thranduil who wants to know why he has been risen from his nap in order to go to Imladris. Trouble is ensured!
Did you like it? If so, please, let me know! An 'I liked it' or 'You should stop writing, lock yourself in your house and stay there until the end of the world' are very much appreciated! ;)
Reviews Replies:
Guest: Was this soon enough? ;) Thanks!
Cute little girl: Thanks so much! Yes, it seems they had already met… mystery everywhere!
Ivi Towers: English is my second language, you are right. I am still learning it, which makes me write stupid mistakes such as the ones you signaled. I always revise each chapter before publishing it, but there are some mistakes that elude my revision. I'm so sorry about them! I'll try to pay more attention to such errors in the future! Thank you very much for telling me! I hope that, if you notice any other mistake in future chapters, you will tell me as well! And you are not at all 'super picky'! ;) Thank you very much! I'm so happy you like my story! Thanks for your reviews, they make my day!
LOTCR: OH MY VALAR! BUT WHAT THE….. WHAT?! I don't know if I should laugh or cry. Gandalf himself? Wow, now that was unexpected! Guess I should laugh, for we have been saved! But Tolkien…. Where is he? He can't be dead. And Gandalf, where did he came from? NOW! KEEP ON! I NEED TO KNOW! Lol, this week's review-story was great. Ermm…20 C? Hot? When we are at 20 we feel like we are in Heaven. We are having now a heat wave from Sahara (quite usual in summer) and we are over 40 C. In some cities they are at 43 C. The main worry now are the fires. We have pretty bad fires each day in Spain, let's hope we are lucky this one and they are not too bad. There must be quite cold in Canada, which is the lowest temperature you've felt? Glorfindel should hear you wise advice. It is obvious he won't be able to stop Legolas. Completely obvious. Muahahahaha, yessss, vengeance is a great feelinggggg. That's my personal pay back to you ;) Thank you so much for you reviews, they mean worlds to me! I hope you enjoyed this chapter!
