Standard disclaimer – not mine, no money, just for fun
Thanks to my wonderful beta Sarah and to those who are reading this story. I can't thank you enough too, for letting me know you are out there, either through reviews or alerts or choosing this as a favorite story.
Galvreth – Thranduil's closest advisor and friend
Ivran – Legolas's oldest brother, the Crown Prince of Mirkwood
Ellarian – Legolas's middle brother
Tûrin – Captain of the Mirkwood Home Guard and friend of Legolas
Rissien – Lieutenant of the Mirkwood Home Guard and friend of Legolas
Tathar – Mirkwood's greatest archer, set to compete in an archery competition in Imladris that takes place every 100 years
Chapter 12
Legolas had managed to put off any further questioning from Rissien and Tûrin by falling into a deep sleep once arriving back at the barracks and his bed. They had tried to rouse him but they could see that his exhaustion was no act and so left him alone to his dreams. The next morning, his shoulder ached abominably and he knew he would not be able to compete without more help from Elladan's potion. But how to escape his keepers? He had slept in his clothes and shrugged off the questioning look shot him by Tûrin when he said he did not need to change before breakfast.
"'Las, I have never known you to be so lax in your dress. It appears that if it were not for the help of your servants, you would be a lazy, slovenly mess," the Captain said.
"Shush," Legolas hissed. "Watch what you say!" he whispered, glancing about the room to see if anyone had noticed the slip. The fear that he had been overheard was enough to distract Tûrin from his suspicions. But not Rissien, who arrived shortly after from his bath. He eyed Legolas up and down with interest and had just opened his mouth to speak when Estel, Elladan and Elrohir arrived at the door to the barracks.
"It is about time you three awoke," Elrohir boomed, cheerfully, as he strode into the room and joined the Mirkwood Elves by their bunks. "We have come to collect you for breakfast."
"There are fresh strawberries and cream this morning," Estel said, smacking his lips.
"Can you tell they are Estel's favourite?" Elladan laughed.
"Mine too," Legolas said. "I'm ready. Let's go!"
"Now, just a minute, Tathar," Rissien said, still drying his hair with his towel. "I need to finish getting ready and Tûrin needs to check on the Prince first."
"We'll take him with us," said Elrohir. We'll make sure he gets to the dining chamber. If it is all right with you, we would like to show him our collection of bird feathers before we go. We should meet up to eat at about the same time then."
"Bird feathers?" Rissien asked, his suspicions rising again. He trusted the sons of Elrond, but what could be Legolas's interest in bird feathers?
"We have collected quite a few and are putting together a study of which make the best fletching for arrows."
The connection with archery at once lay to rest the guard's doubts. "Ah, I see. Of course, you may go, Tathar, if Captain Tûrin agrees."
Tûrin cocked an eyebrow at Rissien's last minute attempt to include him, trying hard not to smile at the guard's over-protectiveness. At times, Rissien would overrule Ellarian even in decisions concerning what Legolas was and was not allowed to do. Yet, he would never admit his devotion to anyone, least of all Legolas. "You may go, Tathar," Tûrin agreed, emphasizing the name in a veiled apology to his charge. "We will see you at breakfast."
The four escaped to Elladan's room where the older twin once again cleaned and examined the wound. He did not like what he saw. "Your shoulder has not healed enough," he said.
"We have gone over this already, Elladan," Legolas replied. "It will do. It must. Especially now that my father is coming. I don't know how long I will have before he arrives and once he does, I will be going home. If I do not win, I will be going home in disgrace." Legolas shifted uncomfortably on the bed where he lay. "Please. I haven't much time." Elladan bit his lip and helped Legolas to sit. Estel handed him fresh bandages while Elrohir cleared away the soiled ones and the older twin began to carefully rewrap the wound in silence. When he was done, he stood and offered Legolas a hand.
Legolas gazed at it for a moment before swallowing heavily and raised his head. "I thank you for your help. But I must ask even more of you."
Elladan withdrew his hand and frowned. "What is it you need?"
"I – I need more of your – your tea. Otherwise the pain – it will distract me."
"No!" Elladan thundered, folding his arms across his chest. "If you cannot do this on your own…" a hand on his shoulder stopped him and he turned to find Elrohir at his side.
"Daernaneth said we were to help, Elladan. I think that this is what we were meant to do." Elladan growled, looking away to the balcony doors, while he calmed his frustration and fear. At last, with a heavy sigh, he turned without a word and left the room. "He will help, Legolas. Do not despair."
"I am sorry to cause such trouble."
"Nonsense. You are our friend and taking care of one another is what friends do. I cannot say that I understand why you need to do this so badly but I do know that if Galadriel says we are to help, then there must be a very good reason. We will help," he said, handing Legolas's shirt and tunic to Estel, who had remained silent through the exchange. "Here, help him dress. We need to get him ready to go. The keepers will be getting suspicious if we take too long."
Estel took the proffered garments and with a pensive look on his face, took Elladan's place on the bed. Elrohir watched him ease the shirt carefully over Legolas's wounded shoulder and smiled. "You talk about Legolas's skill at deception, Estel, but I find you to be a fitting companion for our little impostor. The two of you escaping from here together, traipsing after Orcs in the dead of the night – you terrify me beyond words."
"Because we remind you of you and Elladan, no doubt," Estel said, moving on to the tunic.
"Yes, but not as mischievous."
"Give us time, brother. We have only just met while you two have had several millennia to perfect your art."
"True, true. I shudder to think…"
The door opened and Elladan re-entered the room, carrying a clay pot with steam ghosting around the spout, in one hand and a mug in the other. He placed the mug on the table by the bed and filled it with the malodorous brew. He shooed Estel from the bed with a wave of his hand, then sat himself, passing the mug carefully over to Legolas. "Drink it all and then I will give you another cup. You will need all of the help you can get today, I think."
Legolas swallowed the drink in one gulp, without complaint, though it tasted like hot vinegar, and held the cup out for a refill. The second dose was harder to stomach, now that he knew what was coming, and the smell, too, began to assault his senses, the acrid steam causing his eyes to water. It took him several attempts to get it all down. By the time he had finished, his face was flushed and his stomach was doing somersaults.
"Good," Elladan said, taking the empty cup in hand. "And now if you are up to it, we had best go. I saw Rissien and Tûrin entering the dining chamber on my way back from the healing wing.
"Aye. You had better hurry before they become any more suspicious than they already are," Elrohir said.
Estel reached out a hand to help Legolas up from the bed, grasping the Elf about the waist when he sagged from the effort. Elladan and Elrohir exchanged knowing looks behind the Prince's back.
"You go on Estel. We'll be right behind you," said Elrohir. "Keep hold of him. He doesn't look like that second cup went down as easily as the first."
"I have him," Estel answered, tightening his hold on Legolas's waist. "Yes, yes, I know you don't need help but you're getting it anyway," he said, the tone of his voice brooking no argument. He turned back to glance at his brothers, his storm grey eyes clouded with worry.
After they had gone, Elladan, too, rose from the bed. "I have just the tiniest inkling of what Galadriel saw," he said to his twin.
"Oh?"
"Those two," he answered, his head nodding toward the empty doorway. "They have become very close in a short period of time. They seem comfortable together and protective of each other. It remains to be seen if they take each other's counsel, but they do seem to care very much for one another."
"Yes, I agree. Estel worries over Legolas like I've never seen him do before with anyone and Legolas was willing to risk his life to save Estel, admirable behaviour between warriors and fellow soldiers but Legolas is no warrior and they are not even of the same race much less kin or countrymen. You think they are destined to be friends?"
"Aye. Perhaps more than just friends."
"Well, our little brother rarely does anything without putting all of himself into it. Shall we go see what this day will bring?"
Legolas dragged his feet all through breakfast, not anxious to arrive at the archery field too early. He did not want to waste any shots practicing, not certain how many he might have in him. The drug Elladan had given him had already taken affect and he felt a gentle hum flowing through his body. He hoped it would keep the pain at bay even once he began to use the damaged muscles in his shoulder, but he had no choice whether it did or it didn't – he would still have to perform.
Estel on the other hand, tarried for quite a different reason. He could not put aside his worry over his friend and had seen the looks shared between his brothers. He would know what it was they were thinking. He hung back as Legolas, Tûrin and Rissien excused themselves to get ready for the contest, holding both Elladan and Elrohir by the arms as they attempted to follow. "What is it you know," he asked when the others were out of earshot.
Elladan quirked an eyebrow. "Know?"
"Yes. You two are either conspiring about something or you are keeping something from me. If it has to do with Legolas and this contest, or his health, I want to be told the truth."
Elrohir nodded at his brother and Elladan sat back down to his place at the table. Elrohir and Estel returned to their seats, as well. "I believe Estel – Aragorn – that Galadriel was referring to something that Legolas would do for you, in your future when she asked us to aid him. It might be simply that you two will be friends and support each other."
"That we are and I think we already do."
Elladan smiled. "Yes, I think you do, too. You have grown very close in a short period of time. And given a chance, you might grow closer still. Doesn't that surprise you? That you would feel as you do about someone you have only just met?"
Estel nibbled at his bottom lip while he considered the question. "I – I like him. I like how he thinks and acts. He is humorous and can be silly but then in the same breath he can be quite serious about things. He is also caring and concerned for others. He isn't full of himself though he has every reason to be – he is an amazing archer. He is the son of a king! He turns every female head any place we go, Elf or human and he doesn't seem to notice in the least. He treats them all with the same fine manners and respect no matter who or what they are."
"Oh, so you noticed that too?"
"How could I not? It is rather irritating."
"So you like him."
"Yes. And we are friends. So what has that to do with why Galadriel says that he should compete?"
"She did not say he should compete, only that we should aid him. We have given him the ability to make a choice about whether or not to compete. That is all. The rest is up to him to decide."
"And do you think he should compete?"
Elladan glanced at Elrohir and then back to his youngest sibling. "No. I do not."
Estel stared down at the table, his eyes absently tracing the pattern in the gleaming wood. He could not for any reason present, or future, agree with Legolas harming himself whether it was for his sake or even for Legolas's own sake. There had to be another way, as Elrond had stated. They would have to be able to convince King Thranduil but not about whether or not the Prince should be allowed to compete in an archery contest but something that would be even more difficult for the Elven king to stomach - to allow him to grow up, to be the warrior that he so wanted and deserved to be. There had to be a way other than this competition, which might permanently bring an end to Legolas's warrior days before they had even begun. Estel stood quickly and without another word to his brothers, hurried from the room.
Legolas timed it right – he arrived at the field just as the four other archers still in the contest had completed their practice shots and the archery master was instructing them to get ready. Tûrin bemoaned that now Legolas would have no chance to practice while Rissien merely raised an eyebrow, leaving Legolas to wonder if he were perhaps suspicious.
Crowds already filled the seats arrayed behind the archers and spilled out onto the sides, as close as safety allowed. Lord Elrond and the twins arrived and sat themselves on a raised dais, directly behind where the archers would be shooting. Various lords and ladies from Imladris and Lórien spread out around the dais. Rissien and Tûrin were waved into chairs next to the twins and beside an empty seat that Legolas assumed was for Estel. He glanced uneasily to where the judges were seated, taking comfort in Glorfindel's sturdy presence. He did not think the Imladrin Lord would show him favour but he would be fair and that was all Legolas asked for. If he did not deserve to win, he most certainly would not expect, or even want to, regardless what it might mean for his future. He continued to search the crowd for Estel, wondering to where the Adan had vanished. He gave up and began to check over his weapon, when a hand appeared beneath his nose, bearing a water skin.
"Here, take a drink," Estel said.
Legolas looked up. "I'm not thirsty, really Estel, though I thank you for your thoughtfulness."
"I think you should take a drink, mellon nîn," Estel insisted, shoving the pouch into Legolas's hand. Legolas took it and with reluctance, brought it to his lips, his nose detecting the potent smell of Elladan's pain relieving potion. He grimaced but drank, deeply. He handed it back with a shaky hand. "Thank you," he said. "I think."
"Oh, you will thank me later, mellon nîn, if you don't now. I can tell your shoulder is hurting you." Legolas glanced around warily; concerned someone could be listening in on their conversation. Estel took the opportunity to grasp Legolas by his uninjured shoulder and pull him close. "It does hurt. Admit it!"
"Of course it hurts. I will admit it readily enough."
"And you should admit too, that you should not be doing this," Estel all but hissed.
Legolas pulled back, unable to keep the surprise and dismay he felt from his face. Estel had been most supportive through this whole ordeal. Legolas had not realized, until just this moment how much that support meant to him - to lose it now would be difficult – nay, it would be devastating. "Estel, please – " he murmured.
"No, it is my turn to plea. I beg you listen to me."
Legolas bowed his head. "Say what you will Estel. I will listen. I promise. I owe you that and more."
Estel took a deep breath and clasped the shoulder beneath his hand tightly. "Do you remember what I said to you, that first time we met? When I thought you were too young to leave alone?" Legolas's brow creased as he thought back to what seemed now a very long time ago, so much had happened since. "I asked you if you knew when you should fight and when fighting is better left for another day."
Legolas nodded slowly. "I remember."
"This is not the time for you to fight. Leave it for another day, Legolas, another day when you are well. I know you haven't known me long, but I feel like I have known you forever. I would do anything for you, mellon nîn. I would stand by your side through anything and do whatever you ask of me. But I think the most important thing I can do for you now is to tell you the truth – do not do this!"
The archery master's voice boomed out across the practice field. "Take your places, please, one and all. The contest is about to begin."
Legolas shot the archery master a glance and then turned again to Estel. "Estel, I must. Please, understand…"
"No, Legolas. I believe in the depths of my soul that you are wrong. You mustn't do this! Heed my words. I am your friend…"
"Clear the field. Only competitors on the field!" a soldier announced, eyeing Estel.
With a final desperate glance at his friend, Estel at last turned and climbed the dais to his seat. Legolas watched him as he climbed feeling an emptiness like he had not felt in years, not since the loss of his naneth. The surety that he had held since beginning this trip had been shaken by Elladan's words the day before and now, Estel's had sent him careening out of control. He had relied more than he had realized on his friend's support. Now that it had been retracted, he was left awash in a sea of confusion and doubt.
"The competitors will be shooting in order of their standing in the points – last will be first, and so on." The archery master announced. He then called for Rúmil of Lórien to ready himself to compete. Haldir's brother stepped up, drawing an arrow from his quiver and nocking his bow. Legolas turned to watch, seeking that quiet centre that he could always call upon in times of stress, that allowed him to focus on what he needed to do, to block out all else, trying to calm the discord tearing through him. The more he tried to concentrate and to relax though, the more tense he became, Estel's words and face filling his mind.
Rúmil's turn came and went in a blur. For the first time in recent memory, Legolas found himself incapable of focusing. He become more and more nervous with each twang of the bow, a sound that had always been as soothing to him as the gurgling of water in a stream, or a gentle breeze in his hair. Siril of Imladris was next up. Legolas tried not watching this time, to see if that made a difference. It didn't. Each time he glanced behind him he could see Estel and Elladan sitting, side by side, watching him, their faces solemn.
He did not want to hurt or disappoint them. And they had faith in him to do the right thing, to make the right decision. But what was right? Siril completed his turn and Valdaglerion of Imladris stepped up next. Another blur of shots took place. Legolas couldn't have said who was ahead or behind if his life had depended upon it. It seemed only seconds had passed and the archer was turning to stand next to Rúmil and Siril. Haldir came next. Legolas forced himself to watch, to attempt to concentrate. The Lórien Elf improved on his score from the first time they had tried the machine but not enough, Legolas was certain. As long as his shoulder did not give out, Legolas would win this contest and be named the best archer in all of the Elven realms.
There was a sudden murmur in the crowd. Legolas turned back to see Elrond's seneschal leaning close to whisper something to his lord. Elrond stood at once and raised his hand, calling all to attention. "We will take a short break," he announced. And with no other words, he left and headed swiftly up the path toward the last Homely House, his seneschal and Glorfindel following briskly, in his wake. It turned out to be not a short break but one long enough that Haldir began to pace, uncharacteristically – he had always been calm and collected during previous events and long enough too that Legolas began to feel a twinge of pain coming from his shoulder, reminding him that Estel's words held some merit.
He was considering requesting another drink of potion when the crowd began to murmur again. Elrond's dark head appeared on the path. But this time, he was flanked by another tall and regal figure whose blond hair streamed back in the breeze created by their fast pace. Where the seneschal and Glorfindel had had to work to keep up with Elrond on his departure, it was evident that this time it was Elrond hurrying to keep pace with the Elf at his side. No, not just Elf but King, noble and mighty King. Furious King was more like it, Legolas thought as he caught sight of his adar's flushed face. He had never seen him look so angry.
Dictionary:
Daernaneth - grandmother
mellon nîn – my friend
Penneth – young one
Adar - father
Naneth – mother
Anon – Thank you so much for your wonderful review! I'm so glad you like my take on Legolas – I wanted him to be young and innocent but definitely not girly. And, oh, yes – I would be hoping for Ellarian to be at the least accompanying dear old dad if I were Legolas – he's going to need someone on his side – a lot of someone's I would think! We're going to find out just what it means to have hell to pay. Thank you again so very much for your support – it really means the world to know that people are reading and enjoying!
