Alas, it has arrived, the final chapter of my fic, sob. thank you so much to all of you who have reviewed my fic, and given me the feedback i need to go on. Please, enjoy this final chapter!
disclaimer: I don't own the characters, they're JRR Tolkien's wonderful creations.
Legolas hung limply in the darkness, his mind awash with tears and painful thoughts. By his decreasing elven senses, he could sense that the time that his uncle would return was approaching. Legolas was not wrong, he barely ever was. As if by some sort of magic, the chamber door swung open, and Legolas winced against the dim light that was brought forth to his eyes.
"How are you Legolas", his uncle asked him, his voice dripping with mock sympathy.
Legolas was unable to reply to the heartless question, for the piece of cloth that had been tied over his mouth remained strong and tight, so all he could do was shake his filthy and blood stained head, and glance at his uncle with narrow piercing eyes, wishing that his bow was in his hand.
"I asked you a question Legolas", his uncle said quietly, his voice rising in anger,"How dare you not reply to me. Answer me!"
Legolas looked away, not wishing to look upon his uncle's treacherous face for a second longer than he had to.
Suddenly, Legolas felt a sharp pain explode in his stomach, as if his body had burst open. He reeled his head in pain, winced at the kick Thandiul had just administered. He swung limply from the pole, his body as fragile as a babies, even though he was so much stronger.
"I see this hour has made no difference to you Legolas, you are still the insolant brat you were before", Thandiul slapped him hard across the cheek, leaving his nephew's face a painful red colour.
Legolas closed his eyes, trying in vain to ignore his mentor, so as not to give him the satisfaction he craved so much.
"She doesn't love you Legolas", Thandiul whispered, causing Legolas to tremble violently,"She doesn't love you.......she loves me. You have no friends Legolas, you are an insult to your family, your father sees you as a nuisance, Elrond despises you, and even your oldest, dearest friend Aragorn could not wait to be rid of you. No one cares about you elf, no one."
The tears streamed down Legolas's slender cheeks, as he fought against himself, fighting against his conscience.
Thandiul leant forward, and ripped off Legolas's gag."There. Speak to me now, defend yourself, stand up for the pityful beliefs you have, it shall do you no good. You are so much younger than me, no one is going to listen to you, you would do well to remember that. It fills me with so much delight to see you squirm inside."
Legolas opened his mouth, inhaling the dark, damp, musty air, but it felt fresh to him, since he had not taken a breath from his mouth in hours."Why?", was all he could manage to say,"Why are you telling me these things?"
Thandiul only laughed as he stroked his nephew on the cheek, squeezing it hard as Legolas flinched in pain."Why Legolas? Why do you think? I have loathed my brother for so long. This, along with gaining the hand in marriage of Arwen shall be the ultimate revenge against my brother, for once i become the ruler of Rivendell, i will order Mirkwood destroyed. What say you now, Prince Legolas?"
Legolas remained silent, for there was no need to answer the question, his uncle knew exactly how he felt.
"In a matter of hours Arwen Evenstar will be mine", he uncle continued, drawing out Legolas's fraying temper even further,"She'll have forgotten all about you.......she won't remember anything about you....she'll be much too enthraled with me."
Legolas tryed unsucessfully to block his uncle's voice out of his mind, he shook with jealousy and worry as he hung from the pole, replaying his uncle's words over in his head.
"You know what i speak of is true Legolas, that is why you squirm in jealousy. I am impressed nephew, you keep your feelings aside, they come second to your elvish pride", Thandiul smiled as he ran his long knife down Legolas's front, but an inch from his bone,"I leave you with your happy thoughts. I shall return within the hour with Elrond, and then, your torment shall end.....be it swiftly, or slowly.........", Thandiul left the cell, cackling madly as Legolas hung from the wood silently, his body swaying slightly in the slight draft.
Arwen still lay on Thandiul's bed, her face swollen and cracked, for she was distraught, both over Legolas's betrayal and his punishment.
"It is clear to me now", she whispered softly, into the dying light of the chamber,"That is why he has been acting so strangely, he must have felt guilty over what he did to his uncle."
But even as she tryed to convince herself with these words, Arwen knew she did not believe them.
"How could he do that?", she questioned, remembering all the fun times that she and Legolas had had since they had met,"How could he go so low, just to win a competition. It just does not seem within Legolas's character to cheat, he is honest, an elf of stature, i refuse to believe that he did this, even if all the evidence points in his direction."
There was a muffled sound from the nearby cupboard, and Arwen had to strain her eyes to hear it.
"Who goes there?", she called, scared of the answer she might recieve.
"I...i...Thranduil", a weak shout returned.
Arwen lept off the bed, and rushed to the closet. She undid the lock, and to her surprise, Thranduil's body tumbled out, blood stained and stiffened from the hours of non movement.
"But........Why......How...?", Arwen asked in vain, taking note of Legolas's father's condition,"What happened?", she eventually cried as she undid the bonds that restricted Thranduil's movement even further.
Thranduil brushed her questions aside."Where is my son? Where is Legolas?!"
Arwen quivered inwardly, for she took no pleasure in describing Legolas's demise to his own father, but she had to.
After her quick explaination, Thranduil shook his head violently."No, that is not what happened! My brother has turned the tide against my son......to get even with me! Legolas is innocent!"
"How so?", asked Arwen, desperately, for she knew that she would do whatever it took to save Legolas from the fate that her father had told her he would recieve.
"I was looking for my son, to congratulate him", Thranduil began slowly,"When i heard my brother talking. There, did i overhear his plans for Rivendell and Mirkwood. He is going to destroy everything, and he raped my son, purely because of his hatred for me, and everything i stand for. It is my fault that Legolas has experienced such pain, and i am deeply sorry. Thandiul shall destroy everything, once he is announced your suitor, and the Midsummer's Ball shall begin soon. My son........my son shall die."
"No....", Arwen whispered,"Legolas shall not be left to die. After he was caught by Thandiul, your brother locked him in the cells below the main area of the house. We must go there and release him."
"You must not Arwen", Thranduil replied gravely, sorrow setting in upon his bones,"You cannot venture down there, you know it is against your laws. I cannot allow you to put yourself in danger for my son - however much i love him. The celebration shall begin in an hour."
"Please", Arwen begged,"What must i do. I cannot let him die, i love him."
Thranduil took pity on the raven haired elf, glanced into her stricken eyes, and seeing for the first time that Arwen truely did love his youngest son. "Then go", he whispered quietly,"Go to the dungeons and release Legolas, i shall hasten to the celebration, and speak for you if things do not go as planned."
Arwen's eyes sparkled with thankful tears. She sprung from the floor, and ran down the winding staircase, thanking Thranduil happily as she went.
"I hope she is in time..........", Thanduil muttered as he cleaned himself up for the celebration,"For if she is not, then surely we all shall die."
"Come Legolas Greenleaf", Elrond's voice boomed through the silence of the chamber,"Your time has arrived."
Roughly, one of Elrond's guards unhooked Legolas's wrists from the pole, and threw him quickly to the ground.
Too exhusted to move, Legolas lifted his arms in the air for the guards to grab them, and drag him through the house to his fate. His bare, cold skin scrapped along the ground freely, a trickle of blood staining the beautiful marble floors. He opened his eyes dimmly, to find himself in the courtroom once more. He was pulled swiftly to the stand at the front of the hall. He glanced around, but to his surprise, there were only a few elves there, watching him silently, their own hands readied for the occasion, with black roses spilling from the fingertips.
"This is the end", he thought sadly, blinking furiously at the bright light that had escaped from the ceiling,"I shall never see Arwen again, or my father.......i shall die the evil of Rivendell, they most probably shall burn my dead body."
There was a dull sound as he was pulled onto his feet by a guard elf, and the few faces in the crowd shook their heads at him.
"Legolas Greenleaf", Elrond said slowly. So slowly in fact that Legolas could almost detect a note of sadness in his weary voice."You were banished from the relam of the elves. Do you deny that you entered the depths of Rivendell house freely, knowing of your exile?"
Legolas nodded slowly, glancing at the weary figure of Elrond. He knew that it would do no good to argue with the elder elf, for he would not win."I entered the house of my own freewill", he admitted ashamedly.
Elrond sighed, wishing beyond his own life that he did not have to do what he was about to."Then, i must sentance you to the highest possible punishment for your offence. Death."
Legolas hung his head, boring his eyes into the floor so as he did not have to look into the firey eyes of Thandiul.
"Do you have any last words Prince Legolas?", Elrond questioned, before beggining to move from his seat.
"I am innocent", he muttered under his breath so that Elrond was unable to hear him. To the wisened elf, it appeared that Legolas was portraying his defiance.
"Then step forward Thandiul", Elrond ordered him, saddened to see that the dying day of such a young elf would come so soon.
Thandiul come into full view of Legolas, his thirst to take the life of his nephew burning brightly in his eyes.
Legolas locked eyes with his uncle, his own bright sparks ingagaed in combat with his uncle's grey slates. Then, something caught Legolas both off guard and by surprise. For, prised in his uncle's slnder hand, was Legolas's own bow, one of his precious arrows fitted on the string.
"Shoot him", Elrond commanded, before looking away quickly, not wanting Legolas to know how sorry he was.
"But i must be allowed adimittance", Arwen argued with the brazen elf guard,"I must speak with Prince Legolas."
"He is not here", the guard told her gruffly.
Arwen's mouth hung open in astonishment."Where is he - quickly!"
"Elrond arrived here around ten minutes ago, and he took the Mirkwood Prince with him. They have gone to the courtroom."
Arwen sped off, running as fast as her nimble feet would allow."I must reach them!", she gasped, clutching her side,"I must!"
"I shall enjoy this", Thandiul said gleefully, letting his carefully planned act drop for a second.
Elrond caught on to the lust in his eyes in surprise.
"I'm sorry Arwen", Legolas whispered, standing still in defiance of his penalty."I will always love you."
Suddenly the door burst open, an extremely out of breath Arwen rushing through."Wait!", she cried frantically,"Wait! Don't do it!"
Ignoring the cry, Thandiul fired the arrow heavily into the air, it's shrieking sound piercing the sky.
"NO!", Arwen bellowed, running forward to grab Thandiul, her anger in the evil elf spilling out into her voice.
Legolas braced himself for the impact.......but it did not come.
"Father!", Arwen cried desolately, her eyes covered in tears.
Legolas opened his eyes and recoiled at the sight in front of him. There, at his feet, Elrond, master of Rivendel house lay, centre of a pool of blood that had escaped from the arrows forceful impact.
"You.....you saved me", Legolas breathed, for once in his life in awe and respect of arwen's father.
"Yes.....", replied Elrond slowly, a weak smile resting upon his face.
"But why?", Legolas questioned, astonished to find his own eyes awash with tears of sorrow.
"Because i knew he was lying", Elrond replied simply,"I knew that your uncle was not telling the truth as soon as i saw the flash of delight on his face when i informed him to kill you. A true elf would not have done that. My daughter loves you Legolas Greenleaf, i pray that you make her happy till the end of both your days."
Legolas gave the dying elf a warm smile."I shall try my best Elrond", he said thickly.
"Then so be it", Elrond declared to the watching elves,"I do proclaim Legolas Greenleaf the suitor wholm i would choose for my daughter. Do you agree with my choice daughter?"
Arwen nodded vigorously."Yes father, i do. Thnak you so much father, for everything you've done for me. I love you."
Elrond clasped his hands as he smiled at the young lovers."Then, i do proclaim Legolas Greenleaf as the master and mentor of Rivendell house. Serve him well my subjects, for he is loyal, and truthful to the end. Goodbye my subjects. Arwen. Legolas."
And so it was that the great elf Elrond died in his daughters arms, a deep smile borne across his withered face.
Legolas turned as glanced quickly around the chamber for his uncle, but his fears were confirmed.
"He is gone", he whispered, cracking the arrow that had slain Elrond in half.
"It does not matter Legolas", Arwen embraced him,"We are together now."
Legolas returned the embrace, but deep inside his heart he simmered with fury. One day. One day Thandiul would return to Rivendell.
And Legolas would kill him.
Or he'd die trying.
The End
Well, i hope you enjoyed that fic, and thanks to all you nice people out there, a sequel is in the works! Thanks for reading it, and if any of the issues in this story have been a problem for you, please, tell someone. Thanks!
disclaimer: I don't own the characters, they're JRR Tolkien's wonderful creations.
Legolas hung limply in the darkness, his mind awash with tears and painful thoughts. By his decreasing elven senses, he could sense that the time that his uncle would return was approaching. Legolas was not wrong, he barely ever was. As if by some sort of magic, the chamber door swung open, and Legolas winced against the dim light that was brought forth to his eyes.
"How are you Legolas", his uncle asked him, his voice dripping with mock sympathy.
Legolas was unable to reply to the heartless question, for the piece of cloth that had been tied over his mouth remained strong and tight, so all he could do was shake his filthy and blood stained head, and glance at his uncle with narrow piercing eyes, wishing that his bow was in his hand.
"I asked you a question Legolas", his uncle said quietly, his voice rising in anger,"How dare you not reply to me. Answer me!"
Legolas looked away, not wishing to look upon his uncle's treacherous face for a second longer than he had to.
Suddenly, Legolas felt a sharp pain explode in his stomach, as if his body had burst open. He reeled his head in pain, winced at the kick Thandiul had just administered. He swung limply from the pole, his body as fragile as a babies, even though he was so much stronger.
"I see this hour has made no difference to you Legolas, you are still the insolant brat you were before", Thandiul slapped him hard across the cheek, leaving his nephew's face a painful red colour.
Legolas closed his eyes, trying in vain to ignore his mentor, so as not to give him the satisfaction he craved so much.
"She doesn't love you Legolas", Thandiul whispered, causing Legolas to tremble violently,"She doesn't love you.......she loves me. You have no friends Legolas, you are an insult to your family, your father sees you as a nuisance, Elrond despises you, and even your oldest, dearest friend Aragorn could not wait to be rid of you. No one cares about you elf, no one."
The tears streamed down Legolas's slender cheeks, as he fought against himself, fighting against his conscience.
Thandiul leant forward, and ripped off Legolas's gag."There. Speak to me now, defend yourself, stand up for the pityful beliefs you have, it shall do you no good. You are so much younger than me, no one is going to listen to you, you would do well to remember that. It fills me with so much delight to see you squirm inside."
Legolas opened his mouth, inhaling the dark, damp, musty air, but it felt fresh to him, since he had not taken a breath from his mouth in hours."Why?", was all he could manage to say,"Why are you telling me these things?"
Thandiul only laughed as he stroked his nephew on the cheek, squeezing it hard as Legolas flinched in pain."Why Legolas? Why do you think? I have loathed my brother for so long. This, along with gaining the hand in marriage of Arwen shall be the ultimate revenge against my brother, for once i become the ruler of Rivendell, i will order Mirkwood destroyed. What say you now, Prince Legolas?"
Legolas remained silent, for there was no need to answer the question, his uncle knew exactly how he felt.
"In a matter of hours Arwen Evenstar will be mine", he uncle continued, drawing out Legolas's fraying temper even further,"She'll have forgotten all about you.......she won't remember anything about you....she'll be much too enthraled with me."
Legolas tryed unsucessfully to block his uncle's voice out of his mind, he shook with jealousy and worry as he hung from the pole, replaying his uncle's words over in his head.
"You know what i speak of is true Legolas, that is why you squirm in jealousy. I am impressed nephew, you keep your feelings aside, they come second to your elvish pride", Thandiul smiled as he ran his long knife down Legolas's front, but an inch from his bone,"I leave you with your happy thoughts. I shall return within the hour with Elrond, and then, your torment shall end.....be it swiftly, or slowly.........", Thandiul left the cell, cackling madly as Legolas hung from the wood silently, his body swaying slightly in the slight draft.
Arwen still lay on Thandiul's bed, her face swollen and cracked, for she was distraught, both over Legolas's betrayal and his punishment.
"It is clear to me now", she whispered softly, into the dying light of the chamber,"That is why he has been acting so strangely, he must have felt guilty over what he did to his uncle."
But even as she tryed to convince herself with these words, Arwen knew she did not believe them.
"How could he do that?", she questioned, remembering all the fun times that she and Legolas had had since they had met,"How could he go so low, just to win a competition. It just does not seem within Legolas's character to cheat, he is honest, an elf of stature, i refuse to believe that he did this, even if all the evidence points in his direction."
There was a muffled sound from the nearby cupboard, and Arwen had to strain her eyes to hear it.
"Who goes there?", she called, scared of the answer she might recieve.
"I...i...Thranduil", a weak shout returned.
Arwen lept off the bed, and rushed to the closet. She undid the lock, and to her surprise, Thranduil's body tumbled out, blood stained and stiffened from the hours of non movement.
"But........Why......How...?", Arwen asked in vain, taking note of Legolas's father's condition,"What happened?", she eventually cried as she undid the bonds that restricted Thranduil's movement even further.
Thranduil brushed her questions aside."Where is my son? Where is Legolas?!"
Arwen quivered inwardly, for she took no pleasure in describing Legolas's demise to his own father, but she had to.
After her quick explaination, Thranduil shook his head violently."No, that is not what happened! My brother has turned the tide against my son......to get even with me! Legolas is innocent!"
"How so?", asked Arwen, desperately, for she knew that she would do whatever it took to save Legolas from the fate that her father had told her he would recieve.
"I was looking for my son, to congratulate him", Thranduil began slowly,"When i heard my brother talking. There, did i overhear his plans for Rivendell and Mirkwood. He is going to destroy everything, and he raped my son, purely because of his hatred for me, and everything i stand for. It is my fault that Legolas has experienced such pain, and i am deeply sorry. Thandiul shall destroy everything, once he is announced your suitor, and the Midsummer's Ball shall begin soon. My son........my son shall die."
"No....", Arwen whispered,"Legolas shall not be left to die. After he was caught by Thandiul, your brother locked him in the cells below the main area of the house. We must go there and release him."
"You must not Arwen", Thranduil replied gravely, sorrow setting in upon his bones,"You cannot venture down there, you know it is against your laws. I cannot allow you to put yourself in danger for my son - however much i love him. The celebration shall begin in an hour."
"Please", Arwen begged,"What must i do. I cannot let him die, i love him."
Thranduil took pity on the raven haired elf, glanced into her stricken eyes, and seeing for the first time that Arwen truely did love his youngest son. "Then go", he whispered quietly,"Go to the dungeons and release Legolas, i shall hasten to the celebration, and speak for you if things do not go as planned."
Arwen's eyes sparkled with thankful tears. She sprung from the floor, and ran down the winding staircase, thanking Thranduil happily as she went.
"I hope she is in time..........", Thanduil muttered as he cleaned himself up for the celebration,"For if she is not, then surely we all shall die."
"Come Legolas Greenleaf", Elrond's voice boomed through the silence of the chamber,"Your time has arrived."
Roughly, one of Elrond's guards unhooked Legolas's wrists from the pole, and threw him quickly to the ground.
Too exhusted to move, Legolas lifted his arms in the air for the guards to grab them, and drag him through the house to his fate. His bare, cold skin scrapped along the ground freely, a trickle of blood staining the beautiful marble floors. He opened his eyes dimmly, to find himself in the courtroom once more. He was pulled swiftly to the stand at the front of the hall. He glanced around, but to his surprise, there were only a few elves there, watching him silently, their own hands readied for the occasion, with black roses spilling from the fingertips.
"This is the end", he thought sadly, blinking furiously at the bright light that had escaped from the ceiling,"I shall never see Arwen again, or my father.......i shall die the evil of Rivendell, they most probably shall burn my dead body."
There was a dull sound as he was pulled onto his feet by a guard elf, and the few faces in the crowd shook their heads at him.
"Legolas Greenleaf", Elrond said slowly. So slowly in fact that Legolas could almost detect a note of sadness in his weary voice."You were banished from the relam of the elves. Do you deny that you entered the depths of Rivendell house freely, knowing of your exile?"
Legolas nodded slowly, glancing at the weary figure of Elrond. He knew that it would do no good to argue with the elder elf, for he would not win."I entered the house of my own freewill", he admitted ashamedly.
Elrond sighed, wishing beyond his own life that he did not have to do what he was about to."Then, i must sentance you to the highest possible punishment for your offence. Death."
Legolas hung his head, boring his eyes into the floor so as he did not have to look into the firey eyes of Thandiul.
"Do you have any last words Prince Legolas?", Elrond questioned, before beggining to move from his seat.
"I am innocent", he muttered under his breath so that Elrond was unable to hear him. To the wisened elf, it appeared that Legolas was portraying his defiance.
"Then step forward Thandiul", Elrond ordered him, saddened to see that the dying day of such a young elf would come so soon.
Thandiul come into full view of Legolas, his thirst to take the life of his nephew burning brightly in his eyes.
Legolas locked eyes with his uncle, his own bright sparks ingagaed in combat with his uncle's grey slates. Then, something caught Legolas both off guard and by surprise. For, prised in his uncle's slnder hand, was Legolas's own bow, one of his precious arrows fitted on the string.
"Shoot him", Elrond commanded, before looking away quickly, not wanting Legolas to know how sorry he was.
"But i must be allowed adimittance", Arwen argued with the brazen elf guard,"I must speak with Prince Legolas."
"He is not here", the guard told her gruffly.
Arwen's mouth hung open in astonishment."Where is he - quickly!"
"Elrond arrived here around ten minutes ago, and he took the Mirkwood Prince with him. They have gone to the courtroom."
Arwen sped off, running as fast as her nimble feet would allow."I must reach them!", she gasped, clutching her side,"I must!"
"I shall enjoy this", Thandiul said gleefully, letting his carefully planned act drop for a second.
Elrond caught on to the lust in his eyes in surprise.
"I'm sorry Arwen", Legolas whispered, standing still in defiance of his penalty."I will always love you."
Suddenly the door burst open, an extremely out of breath Arwen rushing through."Wait!", she cried frantically,"Wait! Don't do it!"
Ignoring the cry, Thandiul fired the arrow heavily into the air, it's shrieking sound piercing the sky.
"NO!", Arwen bellowed, running forward to grab Thandiul, her anger in the evil elf spilling out into her voice.
Legolas braced himself for the impact.......but it did not come.
"Father!", Arwen cried desolately, her eyes covered in tears.
Legolas opened his eyes and recoiled at the sight in front of him. There, at his feet, Elrond, master of Rivendel house lay, centre of a pool of blood that had escaped from the arrows forceful impact.
"You.....you saved me", Legolas breathed, for once in his life in awe and respect of arwen's father.
"Yes.....", replied Elrond slowly, a weak smile resting upon his face.
"But why?", Legolas questioned, astonished to find his own eyes awash with tears of sorrow.
"Because i knew he was lying", Elrond replied simply,"I knew that your uncle was not telling the truth as soon as i saw the flash of delight on his face when i informed him to kill you. A true elf would not have done that. My daughter loves you Legolas Greenleaf, i pray that you make her happy till the end of both your days."
Legolas gave the dying elf a warm smile."I shall try my best Elrond", he said thickly.
"Then so be it", Elrond declared to the watching elves,"I do proclaim Legolas Greenleaf the suitor wholm i would choose for my daughter. Do you agree with my choice daughter?"
Arwen nodded vigorously."Yes father, i do. Thnak you so much father, for everything you've done for me. I love you."
Elrond clasped his hands as he smiled at the young lovers."Then, i do proclaim Legolas Greenleaf as the master and mentor of Rivendell house. Serve him well my subjects, for he is loyal, and truthful to the end. Goodbye my subjects. Arwen. Legolas."
And so it was that the great elf Elrond died in his daughters arms, a deep smile borne across his withered face.
Legolas turned as glanced quickly around the chamber for his uncle, but his fears were confirmed.
"He is gone", he whispered, cracking the arrow that had slain Elrond in half.
"It does not matter Legolas", Arwen embraced him,"We are together now."
Legolas returned the embrace, but deep inside his heart he simmered with fury. One day. One day Thandiul would return to Rivendell.
And Legolas would kill him.
Or he'd die trying.
The End
Well, i hope you enjoyed that fic, and thanks to all you nice people out there, a sequel is in the works! Thanks for reading it, and if any of the issues in this story have been a problem for you, please, tell someone. Thanks!