Only 5 more chapters to go...

For silverarrow: I am glad that you thought there were some good things in there :) Please do not kill me when you read this chapter mellon! And these hard times will pass (things will already be easier when my finals are over next week!). Loving languages I appreciate what Êmand's name means in... I want to say Estonian (right?)

For my guest reviewer Hello_LOTR: I completely understand where you are coming from and I appreciate your review. In terms of Thranduil's character I do also get what you mean by this and I can promise you that I do not only see him in a "bad light". While you might have to wait just a little bit longer I have already (hopefully) started to bring about a "better side" ;)

And thank you to elvenmaia, without whom I would have crumbled long ago and you all would not be reading this chapter...

Out of Mirkwood

Scribbles-on-Parchment

December 5, 2020


Chapter 70 – Gone

Legolas was startled from his conversation with Estel by his brother suddenly leaping to his feet and crying out,

"Adar!"

The young ellon jerked his head up as Kélion took off running across the clearing towards a certain silver-haired ellon who had now fallen to his hands and knees on the ground, one hand clutching at his chest. What in the Valars' name was this?

Legolas scrambled to his feet as he watched the elven king collapse to the earth, his adar's body shuddering. Panic and fear immediately took over the prince's mind; he didn't even hear Êmand calling out to him to wait as he started running after his brother. By now the entire clearing had been alerted to the unfolding scene and many ellyn were now staring in shock at Thranduil's limp body.

A second later Kélion reached his adar and crouched down beside him, lifting the Sinda's head gently into his lap and calling out to him to wake up; but the eldar did not move. The only sign that the ellon was still alive was the faint rise and fall of his chest.

Legolas noted that the elven glow that always surrounded the king was almost non-existent and seemed to be almost flickering as if trying to decide whether or not to die out completely. This sight brought to the elfling's mind his dream he had had several nights before. The pale king in his older brother's arms looked so similar to how Kélion had looked in his arms…

His face turning pale, the young prince cast one horrified look at Estel before he too followed in Kélion's footsteps, running towards his adar.


"Muindor," Legolas knelt down beside the crown prince, his adrenaline pumping, "What happened? Is he hurt?"

The elfling laid his hand gently on the king's cheek, brow creasing in worry at the coolness of the skin beneath his fingertips. This entire scene reminded him so clearly of his dream.

"I do not know," the young elf glanced briefly at his brother as the ellon spoke, "He has been well up to his point. Is the poison still in his system?"

These words sent chills down Legolas's spine.

"Poison? What poison?"

Kélion opened his mouth to explain when he was interrupted by Êmand who had come beside the princes,

"This is not a result of the poison. Narril said it was gone from his system."

"Then what is it?" the elfling demanded.

The Silvan elf sighed deeply as he felt for the pulse on the elven king's neck.

"He is experiencing a vision. I have seen him have this before, only this time it is like the vision is attacking him in some way," Êmand paused for a moment as he moved his hand to rest on Thranduil's chest, "It is like something is draining his very súlë."

Both princes glanced at one another and in that moment it was as if an unspoken message had been sent between the two. Legolas quickly sat on the ground and gently helped Kélion guide the eldar's limp body into his arms.

"What are you doing?" Êmand glanced skeptically at both Sindar as he said this, "We need to get a healer. Where is Elrond's son? Where is Elladan?"

The ellyn who had now crowded around the princes echoed the question and a moment later the Noldo healer pushed his way to the center of the circle.

"Give me some room to work," Elladan's voice broke through the trance that everyone seemed to have fallen into, "I need my healing pouch and a dry cloak if anyone can spare it."

Legolas heard all of these things going on around him yet he tried his best to ignore them. He needed to focus right now and could not afford to get distracted. Placing his hands softly on his adar's chest the young ellon glanced one more time at his older brother before his eyes closed in deep concentration. A moment later as Estel too arrived at the scene, the prince flared his inner light with all of the strength he had left in him.

Though not as bright as it had been before, the soft white light did cause several of the nearby Noldo to step back. The glow enveloped the young ellon and his adar, but then, as soon as it had appeared, Legolas's light suddenly went out.

Kélion lunged forward as the young ellon began to fall forward as if in a dead faint. However, it was Estel's strong arms that wrapped around the elfling's lithe frame, keeping him from collapsing on top of Thranduil. The crown prince pulled back seeing that his brother was in safe hands.

"Maer?" The edan's voice was full of worry.

A second later Legolas's eyes flashed open and he jerked out of the man's grasp with gasp. Kélion frowned at the frantic look on his brother's face and moved forward to grab the ellon's as he pulled away from Estel.

"Legolas, you need to calm yourself. What is the matter?" Kélion's voice was gentle yet firm as his brother began to struggle in his grasp.

At the sound of the Sinda' voice the elfling went still, chest heaving and a bead of sweat appearing on his forehead. Both princes watched as Elladan came to crouch next to the Sindar that still lay in Legolas's lap and checked on the king. Seeing the worried look on the Noldo healer's face the young elf tried to push his brother's strong arms off of him as he protested,

"You need to let me go. I have to try again."

"Try again?" Kélion shook his head, "You almost passed out. There is why in arda I am going to allow you to do that again."

"You don't understand. I know I can reach him, you just have to let me try," Legolas had once again resumed his struggling as Elladan and Estel began to carefully move the unconscious king from his lap.

"Be still," Êmand's commanding voice came from behind the princes and the young ellon went still instantly, "You are only going to end up killing yourself penneth. I will not allow you to endanger your life after I have just gotten you back. Healing the súlë is something that only a powerful, mature, and skilled eldar can accomplish. You are none of these things. Now stop being foolish. Elladan is a great healer and will watch after your adar with great care. He will be fine."

"No, you need to listen to me," Legolas's eyes were full of intensity, "I have to do this. There is something attacking his mind. I can help him; trust me. I have done this before to Kélion."

"But that was in a dream. This is in real life, muindor. You have already tried once and you will listen to me and Êmand when we tell you that you will not do it again."


Elladan felt the faint heartbeat under his fingertips as he turned his focus to the elven king. He had been worried half to death when he had seen the young Sinda start to collapse. He had thought he was about to have another patient on his hands, but Legolas appeared to be fine. No doubt the princeling's actions had just put a great strain on his elven magic. It took much strength to flare one's inner light to such a great intensity twice in such a short amount of time.

The Noldo healer ignored the heated debate between the two brothers and the Silvan, Êmand. If Thranduil was facing an attack on his súlë then he needed to work quickly. Elladan placed his hands gently on either side of the Sinda's forehead and pushed a light swell of magic through the king. His ada had taught him to do this in order to strengthen an eldar's súlë enough to bring them back to consciousness should they be too weak to awake on their own.

Though he had used this before, it had never been to bring someone out of a vision or attack on their spirit and therefore he had no idea if it would work. Pulling his hands away Elladan sat back and waited patiently for any signs that the eldar was awakening. To his great relief after several long moments the icy blue eyes flickered open.

The Noldo felt as if a great burden had been suddenly removed from his heart and he let out a sigh of relief. He smiled softly,

"Welcome back hîr nín. You gave us all quite a scare. How do you feel?"

At the sound of his voice the king's eyes flickered towards him. Recognition flashed in them and in an instant the deep blue iris darkened and filled with a look of loathing.

"Get away from me orvelethronion," Thranduil spat.

Elladan frowned at the insult but backed away nonetheless. What in Eru's name had caused this reaction? Did the Sinda not realize he had just helped heal him?

"Adar?"

The Noldo watched as both princes looked in shock at Thranduil either surprised by the fact that the ellon was conscious or at the hate filled insult that he had just spoken. Elladan watched as the elven king sat up slowly with the help of his oldest son, his eyes dark and unreadable.

"Are you well adar?"

Legolas's voice came again as the elfling's eyes clouded with concern; but the king did not seem to pay any heed to his youngest son and turned to look at Kélion instead, growling,

"Help me up."


Estel heard the elven king's words from where he stood next to Elrohir and felt his heart drop. The Sinda's voice was deathly cold and so full of anger that the human felt a shiver run down his spine. What in the Valars' name was this? Had the king's resentment been rekindled anew?

The human watched as Kélion helped his adar get to his slowly to his feet before Estel turned his attention towards Legolas. The elfling was still sitting on the ground, Êmand at his side, his blue eyes turned towards Thranduil.

"Toron," the young man tore his gaze away from the Sindar as Elladan's voice came from beside him, "You must help me with something."

"What?"

Estel did not like the worried look on the older twin's face.

"I need you to find Tamír. I saw him walk away into the forest not half and hour ago and he has yet to come back."

The human frowned. Why had the Silvan wandered into the woods in the first place?

"Would not Elrohir be a better option than me? He is much better at tracking the light footprints of the eldar."

"No. I am sure he did not wander far and I am confident you have the skills needed to find him," Elladan then lowered his voice so that only his brothers could hear his next words, "Did you not see the look in Thranduil's eyes when he awoke from the vision? It was as if a bottomless pit of darkness and anger had been opened in his very súlë. Something is not right."

The Noldo glanced at his twin, "Elrohir, you and I will need to stay here to make sure that the Sinda does not do anything foolish. I wish Tamír had not left for he knew Thranduil well and could be of great help. No doubt he will know how to speak to the king without angering him further."


Estel cursed loudly as he once again lost sight of Tamír's light footprints. He had been searching and calling out for the ellon for what now seemed like hours and there was still only silence. He had been careful to always keep within sight of the light of the clearing as he followed the eldar's trail for the last thing he wanted was to get lost out here. However, now the path seemed to have ended abruptly.

The young human let out a low growl of frustration. He already missed the open clearing, as small as it was, and the fresh air that had been in it. The atmosphere in the forest felt oppressive and heavy and he longed to be free of it.

Why in arda had the stupid Silvan wandered in here and why had his brothers thought it a good idea to send him in to look for Tamír? He had some skills in tracking, yes, but not in these conditions.

The edan yelled out the eldar's name again, but no response came.

Great, now he had lost the Silvan's trail and there was still no sign of Tamír. Estel glanced behind him again at the alluring lights from the clearing and then gave one last look around him. He sighed disappointingly. He could not do this anymore and desperately needed to get out from under the trees. More than likely the ellon had doubled back at some point and had already returned to the clearing.

With shoulders slumped in defeat, the young human began to trudge back the way he had come. If Tamír was in fact there in the clearing when he got back then he swore he would strangle the elf with his own two hands.

After what felt like a maddeningly long time, Estel once again found himself stumbling out of the woods and into the clearing. He breathed a great sigh of relief and closed his eyes relishing the feeling of the sun on his face. It felt great to be out of the forest.

"Where have you been toron? And where is Tamír?"

Estel's eyes opened at Elladan's words and he turned to glare at his brother,

"What do you mean where have I been? You sent me looking for Tamír, only I could not find him. Is he still not here?" The Noldo shook his head and for the first time the human noticed the sorrowful look on the ellon's face and demanded, "What happened?"

"I am so sorry Estel. I tried to stop them. I really did, but there was nothing we could do to prevent them from leaving."

"What do you mean?" the edan felt dread spread through his body, "Who left?"

Elladan just shook his head and Estel glanced around the clearing now taking notice of how quiet it had become. The human's grey eyes widened in horror at what he saw or rather what he did not see.

The Mirkwood elves were gone. Thranduil, Kélion, Êmand, Maer. There was no one left but the Noldor they had traveled with. Estel felt as though his mind had gone entirely numb. This could not be happening. He glanced back at Elladan and said softly,

"I never got to say goodbye."


Elvish Translations:

adar – father

muindor – brother (Sindarin)

súlë – spirit

maer – golden

penneth – young one

ada - dad

hîr nín – my lord

orvelethronion – son of orcs (Sindarin insult)

toron – brother (Noldorin)