My dear readers - thank you all for sticking with me for another week! I must admit that my life is going to be turned upside down around the time of chapter 25 and I would expect for there to be a long chunk of time in which I am unable to post. However, that is still many weeks away! Just give you all a fair warning...
For silverarrow - I was worried that I had killed you after reading your last review! But I am glad that I continue to not disappoint in the realm of cliffies at least :) I guess we shall just have to wait and see what happens to Maer...
And thank you to elvenmaia who is a great source of my motivation to write for almost 2 years now!
In Times of Trouble
Scribbles-on-Parchment
May 1, 2021
Chapter 7 – An Act of Selfless Love
Legolas lay as still as though he were dead under the warm blankets that had been piled upon him to try and warm his cold flesh. His normally bright azure eyes continued to stare at the ceiling seeing nothing, the light in them seeming to have vanished all together. Yet a faint flicker when one looked carefully, deep within the empty depths and it was upon this that Êmand all but clung too.
This was hope – hope that his charge, his elfling was in fact still in the ice-cold body somewhere and was fighting to break free from whatever forces held him captive. However, the Silvan could not help but feel a shiver of dread race through his body. There was something more to Legolas's collapse than simply exhaustion, something darker and more evil, something that had led the princeling to push him out of that tree. There had to be.
"Agh!"
Êmand's head jerked up as he heard Meldir's frustrated cry and watched as the commander kicked the bedpost with all of his might. The bed shook at the force of the impact, but this did nothing to awaken the still form that lay upon it.
"By the Valar Meldir," Kélion's annoyed rebuke came from the other side of the room, "What do you think you will accomplish by doing that? Break the bed?"
The Silvan ellon just sent the prince a dark scowl before he once again returned to his anxious pacing as he grumbled,
"I do not understand. He should have woken up by now. It has been almost eleven hours."
"No," Êmand's reply was soft as he reached out to brush a strand of soft golden hair from Legolas's cold brow, "He should not have done anything. There is very little known about this ailment. For all we know he may never aw…"
"Do not say that." Kélion's voice cut through the air like a knife, "Such things will not be spoken of here. He is fine and will be fine. There are things that can be done to remedy this. My adar…"
"Your adar was in a coma for almost a week," a voice spoke by the door, causing all of the three ellyn to turn to see who the intruder was, "And there was nothing we could do for him. This is Legolas's fight and he must win it on his own."
"Tamír," Meldir inclined his head in greeting towards their new visitor, "What brings you here? I do not think the King would be pleased to find you in this room should he come."
Tamír only snorted softly to himself,
"No doubt, but I come only to see to Legolas and offer any help that I can give. I hardly think that this is a grievous crime. After all, both my wife and son are the healers entrusted to the young prince's care. I do not see why I should be forbidden from seeing him as well."
Kélion sent a look at Meldir before turning and beckoning for the ellon to come into the room. Tamír nodded his head in gratitude and made his way swiftly over to Legolas's bed.
Êmand watched closely as the ellon reached out to touch the elfling's pale hand. He had still not come to fully trust Tamír and was prepared to act should the eldar try to do anything that would bring pain to Legolas in any way.
Tamír could feel the tension in the air as he reached out to place his hand on the young prince's hand. Out of the corner of his eye he could see Êmand visibly tense, his hand beginning to reach for the sword that always seemed to hang at his hip. With a sigh the Silvan dropped his hand back to his side even before he had felt the smooth, pale skin of Legolas's hand. He knew all too well that the cold flesh would feel like and he was content to not feel it again; besides he was half worried that he would get his arm slashed if he laid even one finger on the elfling.
"What is it?"
"Nothing," Tamír did not look at Kélion, but continued to stare at the death-like look on Legolas's face, "He just reminds me so much of the way that your adar appeared when this happened to him so many long years ago…"
The Silvan drifted off in deep thought before he turned suddenly to Êmand,
"How was it that it has come to this? Why was Legolas never offered aid when he was given control over the barrier? Surely you must know what that amount of draining power can do to one so young. He was not ready."
Êmand's eyes narrowed at this.
"Perhaps you have, as of yet, not stumbled upon our issue. You see we had no knowledge that Legolas had taken control of the barrier. We knew only that Kélion had tried and ultimately failed to withstand the power needed to support it. We had assumed that it had fallen that day; the day that you and the blasted Noldor stumbled upon us."
Tamír ignored the obviously targeted remarks. He would never truly understand what Thranduil and his people still held against the Noldor, surly they would be smart enough to realize… the ellon shook his head. No. He would not allow his thoughts to be full of such frustration against his people. Tamír turned back to look at the princeling,
"Legolas never told you? Any of you?"
There was a moment of silence before Êmand said quietly,
"No. He never said a word. He suffered for such a long time and told us nothing."
"Which was a selfish and foolish thing to do," The crown prince cut in, "Why in the Valar would he not tell us? I could have helped him! I could have taken this burden from him. Adar would have…"
"Would have what? Even now he has neither the power nor the will to care for the barrier. Do you not see why Legolas did this?" Meldir had come to stand next Kélion and placed a hand gently on his shoulder as he spoke, "Mellon nín, he was trying to protect you. He was trying to save you from having to experience the same exact thing he was going through. He was doing it because he loves you. He was not acting out of his own selfishness but out of his commitment and loyalty to his people and to his adar."
Thranduil violently yanked the door open that led out of his private chambers causing the two royal guards stationed outside to jump in surprise. The king ignored this however and brushed past them. The hem of his elaborate silver robes brushed the floor as he strode down the hall in the direction of his youngest son's room. He could find no sleep tonight and Valar help anyone who try to persuade him from his course. He was going to be with his son there was nothing anyone could do to stop that. In fact, he wanted to see them try. His temper was already steadily on the rise and he was all too aware of how easily it would be for someone to get on his nerves.
"Hîr nín, may I inquire as to where you are going?"
Thranduil stopped mid stride as the voice called out to him. He turned around to face the young guard who had just spoken.
"You may inquire mellon but I shall only respond should I feel you need to know." The Sinda's voice was laced with irritation that caused the soldier to quickly step back.
"Goheno nin, hîr nín," the young eldar bowed deeply, "I did not mean to pry. It is just my duty to be concerned for you safely."
At these words Thranduil felt a pang of regret at his harsh response. The ellyn were only trying to do their job to protect him. With a slight nod the king turned and continued walking away, this time calling out behind him,
"If anyone is in dire need of me then they can find me sitting beside my son."
Thranduil could almost feel the guards' relief at his words. They were no doubt grateful to know his whereabouts so as to avoid getting into trouble later. Meldir was quite harsh to those who did not follow through with their jobs, particularly when it pertained to protection of the royal family.
The Sindarin king reached the familiar wooden door that led to Legolas's room and gently pushed it open. He hoped that Kélion might have gone to rest as to allow him to be alone in the room with Legolas. He was in no mood for conversation right now and wanted only to hold his elfling's hand. He had let his son down too many times in the past and he was not going to do it again. Not when he personally knew the horrors of what Legolas was going through.
"Adar!" Kélion's surprised voice was the first thing to greet Thranduil as he stepped through the door, "What are you doing here?"
The elven king paused and looked around the large room, his eyes narrowing as he saw those gathered around the bed of the youngest prince.
"Am I not allowed to come and see my son? I was not aware that you had wanted me to stay put in my chambers," Thranduil's gaze came to rest on Tamír who stood tensely at the foot of Legolas's bed, "If anything I think I should be asking you all what you are doing."
There was silence as the three ellyn simply looked at the king as though waiting for him to say something, but the king remained silent as he strode across the room towards them. If anything, he hoped that his presence would at least make the eldar increasingly uncomfortable until they decided to leave him in peace. He was well aware that he had a greatly unnerving effect on others, particularly when he was silent.
"Hîr nín?" It was Meldir who spoke, "Is there something that is bothering you? For I would like to portray my greatest assurance in our safety here. My soldiers have scoured the entire palace and surrounding woods and there is no sign of any intruders. I have also sent out another patrol party. If anything should enter this forest you will be the first to know."
The Silvan commander's voice died away as Thranduil held up his hand to silence the elf.
"I am not worried about this Meldir, for I am sure that if anything even moves I shall hear of it. Now I did not come here to question you about the state of things; I came only to see Legolas, nothing more."
Meldir quickly bowed his head, his tense posture betraying his awkwardness; he did not say another word. Thranduil ignored this and instead came to stand beside Legolas's bed.
As he drew close he could see the haunting eyes of the elfling still staring up at the ceiling. He had not moved at all since he had last seen him several hours ago.
"Kélion," Thranduil did not look at the crown prince as he spoke unable to tear his gaze away from the pale face of his youngest son, "I would like to ask you to please accompany Meldir down to the front gate. I have heard rumors of unrest being displayed by some of the soldiers and I would like for you both to see to it that nothing gets out of hand."
"Adar? Wh…"
Thranduil cut him off, "Are you questioning what I have commanded you to do ion nín? You may return when you are finished, now go."
Kélion sent a frustrated glance at the elven king before storming out of the room with Meldir. Thranduil could only imagine the grumbled words that his eldest son would say about him but he cared not. He had desired to get Kélion and Meldir out of the room, and now he was left alone with Tamír and Legolas. The Sinda turned to look at his former friend with an unreadable gaze. Tamír quickly bowed his head to avoid the look and began to back away towards the door,
"If you will excuse me hîr nín, I shall leave you in peace to care for your son."
But as the Silvan turned to leave Thranduil's voice stopped him,
"Dar mellon. I wish to speak with you alone before my son returns. Now come and sit; I have much to ask you."
Elvish Translations:
adar – father
mellon nín- my friend
hîr nín – my lord
mellon – friend
goheno nin – forgive me
ion nín – my son
dar- wait
mellon – friend