Note: None of these are my characters! This will be an A/L slash fic! That means a male/male pairing. Sorry that Legolas will be back to normal, after spending some time in Rivendell. *is still hiding, and waves to Mercuria, who is also hiding* Elvish speech is in ''. Takes place the night after the last chapter. Um, and please don't throw any more boulders at Elladan… I need him alive! At least for a while…
Painful Truths
Part 9
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Rivendell
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Elladan was pleased that he had reached his home so early. He galloped his horse to the stables and dismounted. The Elf then raced into the castle, searching for his father.
Lord Elrond had retired for the evening, but awoke at the commotion he heard. The Elven lord yawned, and climbed out of bed, before making his way over to the door.
'Where is my father?' Elladan asked sharply. 'I need to speak with him at once!'
'Elladan, keep your voice down,' Elrond said sternly, as he opened the door to his room and peered out. 'You'll wake everyone.'
Elladan bit back anger at the reprimand. 'Forgive me, but I bring an urgent message from Aragorn.'
Elrond frowned slightly, but gestured for Elladan to enter his room. The Elven lord saw that many of his people were watching, as his son walked into his room.
'Return to your dreams,' Elrond told them. 'I will deal with this.' He followed Elladan into his room, and closed the door behind them. The calm and stoic Elven lord then looked at his son. 'What is so urgent, Elladan?'
'Prince Legolas of Mirkwood needs a haven, my father. Aragorn and I discovered that his father…' Elladan pretended to wince in sympathy. 'Thranduil beats him every day. We saw it for ourselves, and are gravely concerned. His father came to close to killing him.'
Elrond's lips tightened. He was fond of Legolas, for he regarded him as one of his own children. 'And both of you did nothing to stop Thranduil?' he asked, frowning slightly. Elrond knew that Elladan had been none too fond of Legolas when the blond elf was younger. But he was surprised that Aragorn had not acted to defend his best friend.
'Legolas said we would be hurt, as well, if we tried to stop his father,' Elladan explained.
'Legolas is always welcome in Rivendell, Elladan. Have him brought here for safety, for Elves should not strike other Elves, father or not,' Elrond said neutrally, which showed his displeasure. The Elven lord was willing to face Thranduil's wrath over this matter. He did not want another case of Elves killing their own Kin.
Elladan was pleased. 'I shall go fetch Legolas, then. He and Aragorn snuck out of Mirkwood and are hiding in his secret cave.'
'Do so after you rest a bit, Elladan. You tremble with exhaustion. Mayhap I should send Elrohir to bring them here,' Elrond mused.
Elladan started to protest, then stopped. If he stayed here, he could clean up and get refreshed before Legolas arrived. He could also ensure that Legolas and Aragorn had rooms far apart from each other.
Elrond looked at his son. 'I believe that there are no spare rooms, so they will share a room again. Get some rest, my son.' The Elven lord left his room, and went to find Elrohir.
Elladan gritted his teeth, before he stormed off to his room to grab some clean clothes. He then went to the bathing room and cleaned himself off. In the distance, he heard a horse gallop off,
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The Cave
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Legolas and Aragorn sat next to each other. They didn't dare to light a fire, for it might attract unwanted attention. They hadn't spoken too much, either.
The cave was cool and clammy, and dark. Only Elves could have seen each other in a place like this. Nothing living grew inside the cave, which made Legolas uneasy. He did not like caves very much.
Legolas winced as he adjusted his position. His back felt like it was on fire. The blond Elf hissed softly. Aragorn looked over and saw the wince. He stood and walked over to his pack. After grabbing his medicine bag, as well as his water bag, he went over and knelt behind Legolas.
Aragorn removed Legolas's shirt and cloak silently.
'What are you doing?' Legolas questioned.
Aragorn sighed. 'Treating your back, Legolas. I can see the pain in your eyes when you move.'
A gasp echoed in the cave as Aragorn removed the dirty, blood-stained bandages, and poured some water from his water bag down the bare, mutilated back. The half Elf took a cloth out of his medicine bag and cleaned off the dried blood. He then split some herbs and gently began rubbing the aloe on.
Legolas tried to stifle a soft moan as the medicine numbed his sore back. He didn't quite manage it, however.
'Am I hurting you?' Aragorn questioned, as he applied more aloe on the lower part of Legolas's back.
'No,' Legolas said quietly. He licked his lips, trying not to think of how good this felt. Though it did hurt, as well.
Aragorn was relieved. 'Good.' He took out some bandages and tenderly began wrapping Legolas's back again.
Legolas yawned a little. 'How am I going to sleep, Aragorn?' He was too tired to even care about his hair any longer.
'You could sleep on your cloak face-first,' Aragorn suggested. 'I'll keep watch.'
'You need to sleep too,' Legolas protested. 'I'll take the second watch.' The blond Elf painfully stretched his cloak out on the ground. Legolas then lowered onto it, face-first. He yawned again, and placed his head on his arms.
Aragorn removed his own cloak and placed it over Legolas, when the Elf was truly sleeping. He then sat nearby, his gaze mostly on his best friend. Legolas had grown so beautiful since the last time that he had seen him, Aragorn thought. He cared for him so much, but he was not certain of Legolas's feelings. And Legolas needed time to recover from what his father had been doing to him.
A few hours drifted by, and in spite of himself, Aragorn nearly dozed off. He was awakened, however, by the sounds of an approaching horse. The half Elf jumped to his feet and ran lightly over to the entrance of the cave.
'Aragorn?' Elrohir called softly, as he searched for his younger foster brother.
Aragorn was relieved that it was Elrohir. 'Elrohir!' he said, just loudly enough for the other Elf to hear him. Elrohir dismounted and walked over to Aragorn. His face broke into a relieved smile.
'Father sent me here to bring you and Legolas to Rivendell. He is most unhappy of what Elladan has told him,' Elrohir said quietly. He glanced around. 'Where is Legolas?'
'He's asleep, Elrohir. He needs a Healer for his back, for it is beyond me to do more than ease the pain,' Aragorn said. He led Elrohir into the cave, and over to where Legolas lay sleeping.
Little whimpers of pain emerged from the blond Elf's lips, as he shifted position.
Elrohir knelt down, and saw the bandages across the younger Elf's back. He gently lifted Legolas in his arms, careful to not press on his back.
'Let's get him to Rivendell,' Elrohir said. Slight anger was in his eyes.
Aragorn grabbed Legolas's shirt and cloak, as well as his weapons, before he followed Elrohir. Jealousy coursed through him, as Elrohir carried Legolas to his horse and mounted easily. Aragorn's own horse had been tethered nearby, so he untied it and mounted.
The three then rode for Rivendell, galloping hard.
Legolas did not awaken on the journey, though he cried out softly in pain a few times.
To be continued