Legolas and Gonlyn arrived with the rest of the company of Elves and Orcs
just before the sun set. While the Orcs were being led away, the two of
them went on to the Elvenking's Halls.
Gonlyn noticed the odd soberness in his friend's eyes as they entered the main hall.
"What troubles you, cousin?" he asked.
Legolas sighed. "I feel almost loath to be in these confining halls."
"Confining?" Gonlyn asked. "I thought they were rather open myself."
Legolas began to slow his pace, looking at his surroundings as though he wished they were not there.
"There is so much more out there, Gonlyn," he said. "There are other forests and mountains and caves."
"Caves? Legolas, I am very aware of what lies beyond Mirkwood. What on Middle Earth are you going on about?" Gonlyn had the feeling his friend was not really speaking to him, but more to himself.
"There is adventure out there. Dangers untold and secrets to be found. There is more then just Mirkwood." Legolas now had a far off look in his gray eyes.
Gonlyn shook his head. "My friend, the yearn for adventure courses in you. If I didn't know better, I would say you were a Ranger."
Legolas looked at Gonlyn as if he had just noticed him standing there. Then his eyes seemed to return to the Halls and the forest around them. He sighed and began walking again. Gonlyn followed, feeling pity for his friend.
* * *
"Ah, Legolas, I was expecting you," Thranduil said as Legolas and Gonlyn entered the great hall. "I heard you went gallivanting off in search of Orcs."
"King Elessar received word a few days back that there was a company of the creatures heading toward the Southern borders of Mirkwood. He requested that I meet him there." Legolas replied, standing before his father.
"I heard the same as well," Gonlyn put in. "But I was a bit late to witness the beginning of the battle."
The Elvenking considered his son and his nephew for a moment. "I see. I trust the matter was taken care of then?"
"A good number were slew by King Elessar and myself. The few that were left alive are being taken to Erebor and Esgaroth," Legolas replied.
Thranduil nodded approvingly. "You handled that very decisively, Legolas. I believe you will wear the crown well when your time comes."
Legolas cringed at these words, but it went unnoticed. He felt his heart sinking.
* * *
After discussing a few other matters with Thranduil (somehow the subject of his kingship kept slipping into those matters) Legolas slipped away from the Halls and disappeared.
He soon found himself deep in Mirkwood. The trees seemed to whisper to him, trying to comfort him in his longing. But as much as he loved the trees, he wanted something more. He had never felt this way before and it pained him. Slowly it had grown worse over the past five years. Now it was growing unbearable.
"I must leave you soon," he said, looking around. "There is something I must find." He sat down in the bend of a great root and folded his arms over his knees. Laying his head back against the root, he listened to the soft murmurs of the old tree. It seemed to tell him not to worry, that all things that come must pass.
Legolas opened his eyes. He was not certain how long he had slept, but the light around him was still the same. Perhaps he slept into the next day? No, his conscious would not have allowed him to do that.
Slowly he got to his feet and looked around. Everything was the same, but in a way it was not. He put his hand to the old tree, but its murmurs had ceased. And something else was odd. It did not feel old, nor young, as an Elf could feel in a tree.
Suddenly Legolas heard the sound of water splashing down as if from a fall. But he knew there were no falls in that part of the wood, even small ones. He began to make his way toward the sound.
As he neared, he heard the sound of laughter. It was as clear as the sound of the water itself. Legolas hurried on and soon found himself at the edge of a small clearing.
In the center of the clearing was a crystalline pool. A small hillside inclined over the pool and a sparkling fall spilled into it. It all seemed to have sprang out of the very earth. And Legolas thought he could smell the faint sent of the sea.
Kneeling at the edge of the pool, with her back to him, was an Elf maiden. She dipped her cupped hands into the pool and took forth a small blue, spiral seashell. Then she stood and turned. Her face was young, yet like Legolas it only masked the ageless being within. Her white hair fell softly around her shoulders and her light blue eyes danced with mirth. Her gown was white and like the spray of ocean waves. She smiled as she saw Legolas and walked toward him.
Legolas did not speak, nor could he if he had wanted to. He suddenly felt unworthy to behold such a vision of beauty.
Still smiling at the dumbfounded look upon his face, she took his hand and placed the blue seashell in his palm.
Legolas looked down at the shell. "Is this a dream?"
She nodded. "Yes. But I am real. This token will prove that."
Legolas looked at her. "I.I don't understand."
"No, but you will soon. All of your questions shall be answered. And," she placed her hand upon his chest above his heart. "You will understand why the place you call home does not console your heart as it once did."
"Where will I learn these things?"
"That I cannot say. But when you do, you shall return." She placed her hand on his cheek and Legolas suddenly opened his eyes.
He was still sitting on the ground in the crook of the great root. He touched the tree and felt its life beneath his hand. He could hear it murmuring again. Everything was again as it should be. Then he held up his open hand and stared at the small blue shell lying on his palm.
Gonlyn noticed the odd soberness in his friend's eyes as they entered the main hall.
"What troubles you, cousin?" he asked.
Legolas sighed. "I feel almost loath to be in these confining halls."
"Confining?" Gonlyn asked. "I thought they were rather open myself."
Legolas began to slow his pace, looking at his surroundings as though he wished they were not there.
"There is so much more out there, Gonlyn," he said. "There are other forests and mountains and caves."
"Caves? Legolas, I am very aware of what lies beyond Mirkwood. What on Middle Earth are you going on about?" Gonlyn had the feeling his friend was not really speaking to him, but more to himself.
"There is adventure out there. Dangers untold and secrets to be found. There is more then just Mirkwood." Legolas now had a far off look in his gray eyes.
Gonlyn shook his head. "My friend, the yearn for adventure courses in you. If I didn't know better, I would say you were a Ranger."
Legolas looked at Gonlyn as if he had just noticed him standing there. Then his eyes seemed to return to the Halls and the forest around them. He sighed and began walking again. Gonlyn followed, feeling pity for his friend.
* * *
"Ah, Legolas, I was expecting you," Thranduil said as Legolas and Gonlyn entered the great hall. "I heard you went gallivanting off in search of Orcs."
"King Elessar received word a few days back that there was a company of the creatures heading toward the Southern borders of Mirkwood. He requested that I meet him there." Legolas replied, standing before his father.
"I heard the same as well," Gonlyn put in. "But I was a bit late to witness the beginning of the battle."
The Elvenking considered his son and his nephew for a moment. "I see. I trust the matter was taken care of then?"
"A good number were slew by King Elessar and myself. The few that were left alive are being taken to Erebor and Esgaroth," Legolas replied.
Thranduil nodded approvingly. "You handled that very decisively, Legolas. I believe you will wear the crown well when your time comes."
Legolas cringed at these words, but it went unnoticed. He felt his heart sinking.
* * *
After discussing a few other matters with Thranduil (somehow the subject of his kingship kept slipping into those matters) Legolas slipped away from the Halls and disappeared.
He soon found himself deep in Mirkwood. The trees seemed to whisper to him, trying to comfort him in his longing. But as much as he loved the trees, he wanted something more. He had never felt this way before and it pained him. Slowly it had grown worse over the past five years. Now it was growing unbearable.
"I must leave you soon," he said, looking around. "There is something I must find." He sat down in the bend of a great root and folded his arms over his knees. Laying his head back against the root, he listened to the soft murmurs of the old tree. It seemed to tell him not to worry, that all things that come must pass.
Legolas opened his eyes. He was not certain how long he had slept, but the light around him was still the same. Perhaps he slept into the next day? No, his conscious would not have allowed him to do that.
Slowly he got to his feet and looked around. Everything was the same, but in a way it was not. He put his hand to the old tree, but its murmurs had ceased. And something else was odd. It did not feel old, nor young, as an Elf could feel in a tree.
Suddenly Legolas heard the sound of water splashing down as if from a fall. But he knew there were no falls in that part of the wood, even small ones. He began to make his way toward the sound.
As he neared, he heard the sound of laughter. It was as clear as the sound of the water itself. Legolas hurried on and soon found himself at the edge of a small clearing.
In the center of the clearing was a crystalline pool. A small hillside inclined over the pool and a sparkling fall spilled into it. It all seemed to have sprang out of the very earth. And Legolas thought he could smell the faint sent of the sea.
Kneeling at the edge of the pool, with her back to him, was an Elf maiden. She dipped her cupped hands into the pool and took forth a small blue, spiral seashell. Then she stood and turned. Her face was young, yet like Legolas it only masked the ageless being within. Her white hair fell softly around her shoulders and her light blue eyes danced with mirth. Her gown was white and like the spray of ocean waves. She smiled as she saw Legolas and walked toward him.
Legolas did not speak, nor could he if he had wanted to. He suddenly felt unworthy to behold such a vision of beauty.
Still smiling at the dumbfounded look upon his face, she took his hand and placed the blue seashell in his palm.
Legolas looked down at the shell. "Is this a dream?"
She nodded. "Yes. But I am real. This token will prove that."
Legolas looked at her. "I.I don't understand."
"No, but you will soon. All of your questions shall be answered. And," she placed her hand upon his chest above his heart. "You will understand why the place you call home does not console your heart as it once did."
"Where will I learn these things?"
"That I cannot say. But when you do, you shall return." She placed her hand on his cheek and Legolas suddenly opened his eyes.
He was still sitting on the ground in the crook of the great root. He touched the tree and felt its life beneath his hand. He could hear it murmuring again. Everything was again as it should be. Then he held up his open hand and stared at the small blue shell lying on his palm.
