After a quick bath, Legolas changed into his daily, grey robe. He sat on his bed, waiting for someone to call him and to start his work. No one was coming.

He started to feel waves of tiredness and his eyelids were becoming heavier and heavier within every minute. He couldn't stand it anymore.

The Elf lowered himself down on the bed, closing his eyes. Within every second he was slowly falling into so needed dream. His breathing went slower and his body finally relaxed. His vision went blank.

Light fingertips that caressed his hair woke him up. He squirmed and opened his eyes. Legolas was dizzy and he shook his head in order to clear the view.

He was lying on his stomach and his head was laid on the other side, his back turned to the person who was behind him.

He wasn't yet conscious of the fingers until one pulled his lock too hard and he felt small pain. He jerked his head in order to get it off.

The Elf supported himself onto his elbows and rose up. His hair fell over his shoulder and hid his face. Legolas sat on the bed and throw his hair back with his hands. He looked up.

"What are you doing here? Did someone call for me?"- he asked, not even trying to hide his clear surprise.

He was quiet, not emitting a sound.

"What time is it? I have fallen asleep."- Legolas started to talk, stretching his limbs.

When he received no reply, he carefully studied Meanor's face. The boy was just staring at him with wonder.

"Meanor? Is everything fine?"- The Elf asked slowly.

Meanor came into life again.

"Yes, it is."- he replied in absent voice.

"You are so.. bemused. Are you sure?"

Meanor's face went icy cold. He smiled. That wasn't a happy smile.

"I am just wondering who you are."

Legolas stilled himself. He was silent as he was gazing at the new, strange face of his friend.

"What is wrong with you?"- Legolas asked deadly serious. This didn't look good. At all.

But Meanor didn't reply. His smile widened.

"You have overslept almost whole day. Don't worry. I told them that you are not felling well which is correct."

Legolas only nodded his head and continued to gaze at Meanor with wary eyes.

His throat was burning him and he realized that he was thirsty. His eyes caught the glass of water on the nightable next to Meanor. He stretched his arm in order to take it, but Meanor was faster.

"Don't move! You are sick. Don't worry, I will give it to you."- he was smiling when he took the glass.

Legolas opened his palm with confusion and waited for his glass.

Meanor stood up and stretched his arm. Instead of giving the glass, he poured all the water on the floor. He was staring at the Elf's eyes. His smile faded away.

After he emptied the glass, he simply let it fell down. The glass broke into hundred pieces with short-lived, sharp noise.

Silence filled the room.

"Well? What are you waiting for? Why don't you drink it?"- he asked in trembling voice.

Legolas was just sitting down, all the color drifting away from his face. He thought that his heart had stopped beating.

"I am sure you wouldn't mind all the dirt. It is almost same like you."- Meanor hissed with obvious disgust in his dark eyes.

Legolas didn't respond. It drove him crazy.

"WHY ARE YOU SO SILENT?! WHY DON'T YOU TALK OR MOVE?! ARE YOU TOO DRAINED FOR THAT?! – his voice was extremely loud. Legolas almost felt the urge to cover his ears but his confusion and consternation have frozen him. Instead, he only jerked.

Meanor became insane of his pain and rage. He looked down at the Elf, his masked calmness and numbness just sprinkling salt on his raw wounds.

"I saw you."- he said.

Legolas lowered his gaze down: "So, it was you. I didn't know you spy on people."

Meanor was startled at this. His blinked few times.

"What?"

Legolas lifted his eyes: "You spied."

Meanor stared down with opened mouth.

"After I was done with my work, in the morning, I went to your room. To check if you are fine, considering your state when you left last night. I have found only an empty room. I didn't take me long to think of the only other place you may be at..."- his voice died and he felt another blast of horror and pain.

"When I saw you there.."- he tried to find a right word- "sitting on him and… looking like an average.."- he didn't finish.

He closed his eyes and cupped his nose with his thumb and forefinger in order to delete the scene he saw.

Legolas didn't feel his heart anymore. It was drowned somewhere deep within him. He understood what this meant to Meanor. He did, and it was slowly killing him. Same he knew he couldn't explain to Meanor why he had done it. After all, he wasn't even sure will Meanor believe him or not. He bit his tongue, trying to pull back the words he had told to Meanor just a second before. He was worried about him. That's why he came.

Legolas stood up too and went closer to Meanor's still form. It pained him to see his friend like this. With his hand he touched the boy's wrist and shook him.

"Meanor.."- he spoke in slow voice.

Meanor jerked his hand down his face and pulled back his wrist as if fire licked him and not the Elf's cold fingers. He jumped back. Legolas was startled and his eyes went wide. There was no pain on Meanor's face- only pure, mad rage.

"Don't you dare to tell me it is love. You haven't been able to feel the love for two years. You couldn't feel it just after two days."- Meanor hissed in dangerously low tone.

The Elf's limbs started slowly to betray him.

"Meanor, please.. You wouldn't understand."- he started to explain.

"You are just right. I wouldn't understand any other explanation but the one that says you are just…"- he stopped again and took a deep breath.

"Don't talk. Just shut up."

Legolas was standing and tears started slowly to gather in his eyes.

"Don't talk like that of me."- he whispered but it was too late. He already did.

Meanor grinned at him.

"Just look at yourself. Don't you feel shame? Everything is written all over your face and skin. Do you really think he will give you a better life?"- Meanor laughed like he heard a very funny joke.

"I had heard this story many times before. And I know exactly how it ends. But tell me.. What haven't you had here? We provide you everything! Food, water, roof above you head.. "

"Everything except freedom and pride. I am not a toy, Meanor.. I am not born to be a slave. I want to live and I can't do that here. Don't you see it? I am slowly dying here."- his eyes were full of tears and he was staring at Meanor with pure plea, wanting him to understand. He wanted so bad to get closer to him and scratch that ugly mask off his face but he was scared that there was no mask. Only a newborn man.

It seemed that Meanor had heard only a one word.

"Pride? Are you insane? You are the last being on this damned Earth who is allowed to talk about pride!"

Legolas felt another knife in his stomach. There was a reason behind this whole sad comedy but he couldn't make himself to tell it. After all, Heist was his father. He couldn't take away Meanor's family, no matter how freaky and spiteful it was. He was silent again. Tears started slowly to kiss his face.

He outstretched his arms again towards Meanor but he jumped back again like a demon who saw eternal light of Undying lands.

He let his arms to fell limp on his sides. There was no use of it.

But after few minutes, Meanor went closer to him. He hesitating got closer and stood in front of him. Weak hope started to rise in him when Meanor lifted his hand up. He gently put his palm on wet elven cheek.

The boy was looking at that flawless face. He was indeed beautiful. He had hoped that one day it just might be all his before this had happened. In one split second white skin darkned and became dirty. He saw beauty no longer. Just an empty, stressed and tortured face that had no meaning to him. The face that was always there but the face he didn't see through his blue clouds of imagination. He removed his hand and took a step back.

"I don't want you here anymore. You are allowed to go with him, I do not care what will happen to you. I won't tell anything until they ask me. When Heist notice that you are not here, I will tell him everything. Where did you go, with whom and what I saw. The rest is your problem."- his voice was as full of emotions as the air was. He was talking about it like he was talking about the weather or dirt on the floor.

The little spark of hope faded away. Meanor's face was of stone now. He didn't regonize his one and only friend. A part of his cracked soul tore away. He felt like he was all alone on this unknown world. With no clothes, money or place to call home. He was wandering across muddy roads while the rain was lashing his naked body.

"I would come back to you. I wouldn't ever forget you. I am your friend and I couldn't be anything else to you except that. I am sorry if I have disappointed you but I can't force my heart that way. I had hoped that it was enough to you. It was all I had back then."- Legolas was whispering, knowing that these were his last words to Meanor.

The boy who turned into a man so alike to his father was still. Nothing could touch him anymore.

"It wasn't enough. But it is pointless to talk about it now. You are nothing now. It will follow you wherever you go."- Meanor spoke and turned around. He left.

Legolas was standing in his room, unable to see or speak anymore. He wanted to call out for Meanor but his voice was dead. Dead like everything inside of his body and soul. Only white, empty walls beaten by constant rain that has finally reached its goal- all happy colors were flushed. There was nothing left except pale, wet misery.