If the board said there are twelve chapters, don't believe it! It has gone crazy again! LOL!!!!
@Alkvingiel ; I'm processing the story about Eldarion. It will appear maybe in the post LOTR, about five more fics to go? I think.
Now, the last chappie for this fic!!! Enjoy!
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Keldarion swung his sword with utmost skillful precision, striking down every Norsemen who dared to be in his way. His objective was one of the buildings where he knew the men had dragged his brother into several hours ago. The Rivendell twins were right by his side, adding their strength to the fray even when the Norsemen were totally outnumbered against the mighty battalion of Mirkwood elves.
Commander Linden was in charge, but he let the crown prince have his own way because he knew how badly Keldarion wanted to rescue his own brother. The prince's face was now a stony handsome façade, filled with determination and anger. His raven hair swirled as he turned and parried gracefully, while his beautifully crafted blade shone brilliantly in the afternoon sun from every powerful swing.
His eyes drew to a slit when he saw the human leader came rushing out through the door. Azmir also stared. This was the tall stranger who killed my son!! Crying out in rage, the man raised his sword and swung it at Keldarion's throat. The prince simply sidestepped and knocked the man down by hitting the back of Azmir's head with the hilt of his sword. The man tried to get up but the twins were already onto him.
"Tie him up!" Keldarion ordered. "I want him alive." With that, the prince spun on his heels to resume to the door. After sending another Norsemen to his maker, Keldarion went inside and started searching for his brother.
"Legolas? Legolas?!" He looked into all the three rooms and found his brother in the last room he checked. When Keldarion saw his brother lying so still on the floor, the first thought that came to his mind was that Legolas was already dead. "No! Legolas!!"
As he pulled his brother into his arms, Keldarion was greatly relieved to find that Legolas still breathed, but he looked so pale. As pale as…death. "Legolas?"
"How is he?" Elladan asked quietly. After he and Elrohir had finished tying up Azmir and put him under Linden's custody, they had followed their friend into the shack.
Keldarion shook his head worriedly. "I don't know. He's not responding." He glared at the chains around Legolas's wrists and ankles. "They've kept him like one would keep a wild animal! They are animals!!!"
Elrohir also knelt down beside the two princes. He touched Legolas's forehead and jumped in surprise. "Ai! He's cold to the touch! What else have they done to him?"
"He…he tried to…bring the dead man…back to life…" came a weak voice from the corner of the room. It was the boy Hamil, and Elladan was tending to him.
Their eyes widened in shock. "What?!!" Keldarion exclaimed. "What are you saying, boy?"
Hamil was sitting up with Elladan's help, grimacing in pain. "I heard them force him…to heal my master's son, to make him alive again…so that they wouldn't kill me…And he did…for many hours, but Garret still lay dead…"
Keldarion stared open mouthed at the boy. "Are you telling me that that man outside was your master and he had used my brother to bring back his dead son?!!"
The boy cringed when he saw the great wrath on the prince's face. "Y…yes, my lord. But not only that. Your…your brother had to heal all the wounded men all day yesterday."
The elves blanched in horror. Valar! This is unspeakable! How terrible for Legolas! How they have used him so!
Keldarion hugged his brother tighter and gazed down at his brother's serene face. What's terribly ailing Legolas now? Had he succumbed too far?
Legolas suddenly stirred and fluttered his eyes open. "Kel…"
"Yes, brother. I've come." Keldarion forced a smile. "Are you crazy, little one? What is this I hear about you healing a dead body?"
"Kel, I'm dying…" Legolas said weakly, not really hearing his brother's slight tease. The twins looked at each other worriedly. Legolas truly looked like he was at death door right now.
"No! You are not going to die!" Keldarion yelled vehemently. "Whatever makes you think that way? We'll take you home and we'll pamper you and you'll get better again!"
Legolas smiled weakly. "I'd love that…to have you all pamper me. But I don't have much time. The mortal's death…is already within me…"
There was silence for a full moment, then the three elves shouted, "What?!"
"How is that possible?" Elladan was looking at Legolas from head to toe, as if looking for the sign of death that Legolas had told them.
"I…I've given him too much…and absorbed everything in the process…including this dark forces of mortality. It's eating me alive…pulling me along with him, with the dead…I need to find another breathing life form…to channel it all out."
"Then give it to me," Keldarion said without any hesitation, putting his hand in Legolas's.
"No." Legolas said weakly, pulling his hand away. "It would…kill you…"
Keldarion's eyes narrowed briefly before he positioned Legolas firmly in his arms and stood up, then went rushing outside. With Elladan carrying the boy, the twins also followed.
Linden looked up as Keldarion approached. "Your highness, how's Prince Legolas?"
"Not good, Linden," Keldarion shortly replied.
Azmir, who was kneeling on the ground with his arms tightly bound behind his back, was immediately startled. Your highness? Prince? I've captured an elf prince? Damn it! If I had known, I should have asked for bountiful of ransom instead! He raised his head and could not miss seeing the blazing fury on the face of the raven-haired elf prince. Or maybe not.
In spite of his angry manner, Keldarion was extremely gentle when he lowered his brother to sit on the ground beside the captured Norsemen leader. "Here you are, Legolas. The other breathing life form that you need."
Cradled supportively in his brother's arms, Legolas stared deeply at Azmir. Then he slowly raised his right palm and placed it on Azmir's forehead. The man flinched at the touch, his eyes wide. "What are you doing?"
"You want your son, human? I'll give you back your son," Legolas said softly.
At first, Azmir could only feel the heavy coldness emanating from Legolas's fingertips before it spread all over his body. Then he could feel the horrible darkness that pulled him deeper into unknown places. Azmir began to spasm violently, his eyes bulging, but Legolas still did not pull away. He needed to get it all out. A little bit more. Just a little bit more…
Legolas was actually brightly glowing in his strenuous effort and everyone couldn't help but stare in amazement, especially the other captured Norsemen. Every one of them was looking at this spectacle with terror and wonder on their face. Even the elves had never seen anything quite like it before. They had known Legolas as a powerful healer. To know that he could also create great pain at his mere touch was incredible to swallow.
A terrible scream burst from Azmir's throat. As if hit by lightning, his body suddenly snapped and flung backwards to land several feet away, unmoving. Dead.
Legolas's arm fell limply to his side. He closed his eyes, his body completely drained of all energy. It's all over…
Keldarion and the twins looked down worriedly at him. "He…he's not dead, right? He has gotten it all out of him, hasn't he?" Elrohir was asking.
Keldarion nodded. "I think so. He's asleep."
"Let's take him home, your highness," Linden suggested quietly, pulling off his cloak and draping it over the sleeping prince who was clad only in his leggings.
"Yes. Let's go home," Keldarion answered, but hesitated as his eyes fell on the chains that still bound his brother.
"Here. I've found the key." Elrohir returned from inspecting Azmir's body. "I found it in his coat pocket."
The sun was about to set when they finally reached the Mirkwood palace several hours later.
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Lord Thranduil quietly entered Legolas's chamber and found both his sons deeply asleep. Legolas lay curled on his side on the big bed, covered by layers of quilts up to his shoulders. Keldarion was resting on a huge sofa that he'd pulled along side the bed, his elegant fingers wrapped around one of Legolas's limp hands.
Ever since they had brought Legolas home yesterday, Keldarion never left his brother's side. He had stayed awake in the room overnight, too afraid that Legolas would fade away from him in his absence. The welts on his back and his other bruises had been fully tended to and were healing nicely. Still, Legolas never regained consciousness.
The elder prince stirred awake then. "Oh, hello father." He straightened and blinked, before bending over his brother. "He's still not awakened."
The king smiled softly. "Don't worry, Kel. He needs the rest."
"Yes, I know. But shouldn't he be awake by now?" Keldarion checked Legolas's pulse and breathing. It's normal, but his skin was still cold to the touch.
Thranduil sat on the bed and gazed at his two children, feeling such pride and love for them both that his heart felt it could burst. Look how wonderful they are! So beautiful, both of them. And they are mine. Aye, I've raised them well. I wish you were here to see them now, Marwana my love.
"That was terrible, what those men did to him," Keldarion spoke suddenly, a tinge of anger still evident in his voice. "They have used him, thoroughly manipulated him of his powers, nearly killing him. Father, you should have seen how he channeled the death out of his being! It was incredible! I didn't know he could do that."
"A manyan is full of mystical secrets, my son. I've seen them in your mother many times before," Thranduil replied, stroking the golden tresses of his youngest son. "Always expect the unexpected."
"Legolas is full of surprises, a manyan or not!" Keldarion laughed, then he sobered. "And I've failed to protect him like I've sworn to."
Thranduil shook his head. "Stop blaming yourself so. You can't protect him all the time," he said. Keldarion looked up when he felt his father's comforting hand on his shoulder. The king continued, "Not with a bullheaded person like Legolas, you can't. He's bound to crash into trouble now and again, as stubborn as he is."
The door suddenly opened and the Rivendell brothers walked in. "Has he awakened?" Elladan asked quietly.
"Not yet," answered Keldarion.
"Actually, I have," came Legolas's voice.
The others instantly turned to him, and heaved a sigh of relief to see his eyes bright and lucid. "Well, about time!" Keldarion exclaimed, giving his brother a quick hug. "What took you so long?"
"Sorry about that," Legolas said, his voice still unsteady. "I was quite afraid to wake up, truthfully."
"And why is that?" Thranduil asked. He clasped his youngest son's hand, and frowned at its coldness.
Legolas smiled weakly. "Well, for the past few days, every time I woke up, something bad happened; either I woke up drenching wet, or found myself in a strange place bound in chains…or waking up to feel roaming hands all over me…"
"They did what?!" the other elves shouted in horror, imagining all kinds of other dreadful things that the men had done to Legolas.
"Easy, everyone. I believe that stupid one-eyed man regretted doing so. He no longer lives. I had smashed his eye to bits." Legolas then told them that it was the reason for his whipping, causing the other elves to curse. Legolas grimaced when he continued, "The one-eyed man thought I was a girl."
Keldarion and the twins broke into laughter. "See?" Elrohir said gleefully. "I was right after all! You look like a maiden!"
"Yeah, and what was the word you used, Ell? Embarrassingly beautiful?" Keldarion added, and they roared with mirth all over again. Thranduil's lips were twitching in amusement, while Legolas glared at his brother and their friends. "Ha. Ha. Ha. You guys are a bunch of comedians!"
Trying hard to control his bubbling laughter, Thranduil asked, "How are you feeling, really?"
Legolas shrugged. "Very tired…and a little weak, but I'll be fine. Give me a few days to recuperate, then I'll be like new again."
"That's good to hear," Thranduil said, and narrowed his eyes. "Is that true? You had sneaked out for a beer?"
Legolas's smile instantly fell flat. Blimey! I'm in trouble! "Err…yes, father."
"You should be grounded for that!" Thranduil's voice rose, and the other three elves began to get nervous.
The younger prince lowered his eyes. "It was just a beer…well, two glasses of beer actually."
"Two?" The king's eyes bulged.
"All right, all right! Three glasses! What's so wrong with that?"
"I bet you still remember the hangover, right Legolas?" Keldarion couldn't help but point out. The elder prince instantly stopped smiling when their father turned to glower at him.
"And you," Thranduil said, pointing at Keldarion and the twins. "The three of you are responsible for introducing that blasted drink to him!"
"Us?!!" they exclaimed in shock.
"Yes. I don't have any choice but to punish you!"
"Aw, come on, father! Legolas forced us into this whole thing!" Keldarion protested.
"No, I did not! You all followed me at your own free will!"
"Legolas, you used blackmail!!"
"What, for saying 'I'll go alone if you refuse to come with me'? That's not blackmail. It's what I call strategic persuasion."
"Strategic, my ass!!"
"Children!!" Thranduil roared. The youngsters jumped in surprise and blinked at the king uncertainly. Thranduil had his arms crossed over his chest as he stood up tall to look down at them, his face impassive. "For introducing this innocent mind to the terrible effects of hard drinks, …"
Elladan snorted, "Innocent?"
Thranduil glared at the younger elf before he continued, "I sentence the three of you to…" At this, Thranduil broke into a huge grin. "…a full day work in the grand kitchen!"
"What?!!! No…." the youngsters moaned in distress.
"Ai! Father, this is too much!" Keldarion whined.
"Why us? What about him?" Elrohir pointed at Legolas who was laughing like crazy.
"He is recuperating so he is excused. After all, he had experienced the worst," the king replied and started for the door. "You begin work today. How I long to sample you boys' cooking!" With that, he walked out of the room, smiling happily.
Keldarion and the twins turned at the still laughing Legolas, glaring at him. They began to advance on him menacingly. Suddenly, the king reappeared in the doorway, "Oh, I forgot to tell you one other thing. Do not throw him into the garden pond, got that? Or you'll answer to me." Then he disappeared once more.
Legolas stopped laughing when the others kept coming for him. "Err…guys? What are you doing?"
"He said not to throw you into the garden pond," Elladan spoke.
"That's correct. But he said nothing about the backyard stream," Keldarion was smiling evilly.
"No! Wait! Aaaa!!!! Put me down this instant!!" Legolas yelled when they grabbed his arms and legs and carried him out of the room.
A while later, from his position at the balcony, Thranduil could hear his youngest son screaming, "Father! Help me!!!!!!!!!" Then he saw the boys flashed through the garden towards the stream behind the palace.
Linden beside him chuckled. "Well, that was interesting. Are you going to help him, my lord?"
Thranduil laughed. "Nope."
The two of them stood there laughing as their ears finally caught the sound of a big splash, followed by Legolas's wild shriek and the others' loud laughter.
Everything in Mirkwood was now back to order…before the boys would scramble it all out of proportion again.
But that was another story…
THE END
A prequel finished already! Hope you enjoy that one, and thank you so much for suggesting it to me! And thanks a lot for reading and reviewing it! You all keep me alive!
To Meagan, my beta, you're so wonderful! Such nice help you've given for me. THANK YOU!!!
As tradition, here are the faithful reviewers in alphabetical order; - amb_009; Ailsa; Alexy; Alkvingiel/Kuramaswildfire; Android Jennifer; angelbird1224; Aurienia; Cat; caz-baz; Cestari; DiamondD; Elven-Spirit; Enigma Jade; Erhothwen; Fairylady; Faith; Fantasia; feanen; fiery-eyed-elf; Gemini72; goblz; Goma Ryu Immortal Vampire; helms-deep2234; jambaby1963; Katherine; Kayo; Kristy South; Lady Lenna; Legawien; LegolasLOver2003; Lirenel; Lizzle; LOTRFaith; lucy; Menthol; MoonBolt; MoroTheWolfGod; nAdzReen; PokethePenguin; purplesmackers; randomramblings; Sailor Elf; ShawnaC; Stephanie Lou; szhismine; Tapetum Lucidum; tbiris; The Fire-Breathing Ferret; ThE iNsAnE oNe; Tinnuial; White Wolf; x01Legolas10x; ZeldaDragon; Zerah Star; Zoya. Thank you, everyone. You are GREAT!!!!!!!!My next fic would be LOTR (like I've promised before), and the title would be Trust. (See? Another T!)
Until next time, guys! See you soon! I'LL BE BACK!!!!!!!
