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Everlasting Road ch. 25
The next day came quickly, and Legolas and Gimli were preparing themselves for departure, this time for good. Legolas stood in front of Thranduil once again. Thranduil was not understanding why Legolas was leaving. He questioned Legolas for perhaps the tenth time, "Why are you so eager to leave when you have only just arrived?"
"I have explained, father," Legolas pleaded, "I am no longer needed in Mirkwood. And I find I cannot stay here any longer. It seems that problems arose as soon as I came. And though I do not know if this will be any solution, I will at least feel I am getting something accomplished and will therefore have some distraction from other matters. I cannot explain any further."
Thranduil frowned slightly. "As you wish. I cannot force you to stay here, you can come and go as you please." He looked like he wanted to say more, but he stopped himself. Legolas bowed low and then stepped forward to embrace his father. It was brief and Legolas turned to walk out of the great hall.
When Legolas reached outside, Gimli was already waiting with their horses and packs ready to go. Legolas had to pause to smile briefly. He remembered when Gimli would not get on a horse for anything, now he was willing to ride one on his own. Gimli saw the smile and spoke up, "And what do you find so humorous?"
"Did I not say that you would become a horseman?" Legolas inquired. Gimli frowned for a moment, then relented and laughed. Legolas laughed as well as he stepped forward and swung up onto his horse. He waited as Gimli clambered onto his horse equipped with saddle and bridle. Legolas of course rode bareback.
They started out immediately, and Gimli had to wonder where everybody was. Nobody was out to see them off, there was no celebration or anything. It was almost as if Legolas and Gimli had not returned at all. Legolas' thoughts were elsewhere. He had not seen Liria since that night in the glade before he had left. He found himself wondering if he would ever see her again. There had been no report of her in the city and scouts had not seen her in the forest. Legolas had a dull feeling that something might be wrong, but pushed it away. Liria was fully capable in the forest.
Guilt was starting to eat at him as well. Liria was in the forest in the first place to look for him, and now he was leaving without so much as sending out scouts and trackers for her. He felt as though he was leaving in secret, trying not to be heard by dangerous beasts. His emotions were mixed up more than ever now. He still loved Liria, and thus felt guilty as if he was abandoning her, but there was now an edge of aversion since he had found out that she had physically hurt Gimli. Obviously, the two could not be together without serious problems ensuing, so the only option was to keep them apart. And if that meant risking one of them, then so be it. But Legolas knew the answer was not as clear cut as all that.
Gimli and Legolas traveled through an uneventful day. They were now past the borders of the elven city and in the wild regions of Mirkwood. The sun had disappeared, and the two decided to make a camp and continue the next day. Gimli had been in a pleasant mood all day, he and Legolas were finally leaving together without the she-elf, whereas Legolas had been silent and distant. Gimli had not pressed him though, knowing he would need time before he got over Liria. Not a lot of time, of course.
Once camp was made, Gimli fell asleep right away. Riding a horse was hard work. Legolas stayed on his feet, pacing softly. There was no way he could sleep, his thoughts were too occupied.
There was a sudden noise in the underbrush to his left. Legolas whirled, hope making his heart pound. But there was nothing. Liria was not going to magically appear and make everything better. Even if she did come, what would happen then? More fights with Gimli, that's what. Legolas stayed awake the entire night.
Morning came, as it always does, and Gimli and Legolas set out once again. It looked like the passage of yet another uneventful day. The two travelers were silent, Legolas with his troubled thoughts and Gimli troubled by those thoughts.
Legolas sensed another presence in their vicinity, but since lack of sleep was making his senses unreliable and he had been striving to sense Liria, he paid no attention to it. It was not until a burden was unexpectedly lifted off of his back that he checked his horse and turned. Gimli stopped with Legolas, looking around uncertainly.
It took Legolas a moment to realize that his bow was gone. That was what had been taken off of his back. He looked around, thinking maybe it had fallen off, when a movement in the top of the trees caught his eye. An elf suddenly swung down, landing smoothly on his feet, Legolas' bow held firmly in his hands.
Legolas looked at his bow first, marveling that somebody would dare to have the audacity to take it, a gift from Galadriel, so he did not note right away who held the bow. When he finally looked at the elf, his face showed recognition and surprise. "What are you doing here?" he asked the elf.
The elf-guard stood before them, the same elf-guard that had been following Legolas ever since stopping them before Mirkwood. He looked unsettled and his eyes darted from Gimli to Legolas, Legolas' bow held tightly with an arrow in the other hand just itching to be fitted. Fine tremors ran throughout his body.
"You have to go back," the elf-guard said, his voice wavering.
Legolas was picking up on his mannerism, the other elf seemed extremely agitated and distressed over something. For a moment, Legolas thought that something must have happened to Thranduil after they had parted. "Prithee, tell us why we are to go back so soon?" he asked the elf carefully.
"Because they will all blame me," the elf-guard said, his face cracking with emotion, as if he would sob any minute.
"Blame you for what?" Gimli spoke up.
The elf-guard jumped at his voice, as if he had forgotten Gimli was there, and raised the bow with an arrow fitted to it. He pointed it at Gimli, who held his hands up in surprise. Legolas jumped off his horse, his hand going for his dagger, but the elf-guard turned at the sound and pointed the bow at Legolas. Legolas stopped moving, confused. Something was wrong, and this elf felt like he was about to snap.
"Do not move, either of you," the elf demanded, then, "I will be blamed for you leaving. They think I don't know that they are all talking of me. How I did not recognize my own Prince, and how I was dismissed from his service. But I know, I know that they see me as a disgrace. Now with you gone again, they will all say that it was my fault. They might even make songs about it, the guard who drove away a prince, I will be exiled! You must come back and explain to them, explain to them all that I was only trying to serve you and your kingdom."
Legolas had no idea what to make of what he was hearing. He had no doubt that it was all made up, but why the elf would make up such ridiculous things were beyond him. Something was terribly wrong with this elf, and something told Legolas to treat him with caution. He was unpredictable.
Legolas tested the elf carefully, "Nobody blames you. They all know why it is that I have to leave. King Aragorn is in need of my help."
The elf hung his head, and Legolas thought for an instant that he was crying, but he pulled his head up again, shaking it. "No, they don't know, or they do not care. They were just waiting for me to mess up. I drove you away, that is what they will say."
Legolas shook his head, his voice calm, "No."
"Yes!" The other elf's cry was so loud and sudden that he startled both Legolas and Gimli. Gimli's horse reared and Gimli, being inexperienced, fell off of the horse. The horse then bolted when the elf- guard shot wildly at the sudden movement and struck the horse in the flank. Legolas watched the wounded animal run off, more in amazement than anything else. An elf actually shot a horse, such a thing was very rare. The situation was more precarious than he thought.
A/N: I know this is a bit of a plot twist, but I swear it will make sense, just bear with me!
Everlasting Road ch. 25
The next day came quickly, and Legolas and Gimli were preparing themselves for departure, this time for good. Legolas stood in front of Thranduil once again. Thranduil was not understanding why Legolas was leaving. He questioned Legolas for perhaps the tenth time, "Why are you so eager to leave when you have only just arrived?"
"I have explained, father," Legolas pleaded, "I am no longer needed in Mirkwood. And I find I cannot stay here any longer. It seems that problems arose as soon as I came. And though I do not know if this will be any solution, I will at least feel I am getting something accomplished and will therefore have some distraction from other matters. I cannot explain any further."
Thranduil frowned slightly. "As you wish. I cannot force you to stay here, you can come and go as you please." He looked like he wanted to say more, but he stopped himself. Legolas bowed low and then stepped forward to embrace his father. It was brief and Legolas turned to walk out of the great hall.
When Legolas reached outside, Gimli was already waiting with their horses and packs ready to go. Legolas had to pause to smile briefly. He remembered when Gimli would not get on a horse for anything, now he was willing to ride one on his own. Gimli saw the smile and spoke up, "And what do you find so humorous?"
"Did I not say that you would become a horseman?" Legolas inquired. Gimli frowned for a moment, then relented and laughed. Legolas laughed as well as he stepped forward and swung up onto his horse. He waited as Gimli clambered onto his horse equipped with saddle and bridle. Legolas of course rode bareback.
They started out immediately, and Gimli had to wonder where everybody was. Nobody was out to see them off, there was no celebration or anything. It was almost as if Legolas and Gimli had not returned at all. Legolas' thoughts were elsewhere. He had not seen Liria since that night in the glade before he had left. He found himself wondering if he would ever see her again. There had been no report of her in the city and scouts had not seen her in the forest. Legolas had a dull feeling that something might be wrong, but pushed it away. Liria was fully capable in the forest.
Guilt was starting to eat at him as well. Liria was in the forest in the first place to look for him, and now he was leaving without so much as sending out scouts and trackers for her. He felt as though he was leaving in secret, trying not to be heard by dangerous beasts. His emotions were mixed up more than ever now. He still loved Liria, and thus felt guilty as if he was abandoning her, but there was now an edge of aversion since he had found out that she had physically hurt Gimli. Obviously, the two could not be together without serious problems ensuing, so the only option was to keep them apart. And if that meant risking one of them, then so be it. But Legolas knew the answer was not as clear cut as all that.
Gimli and Legolas traveled through an uneventful day. They were now past the borders of the elven city and in the wild regions of Mirkwood. The sun had disappeared, and the two decided to make a camp and continue the next day. Gimli had been in a pleasant mood all day, he and Legolas were finally leaving together without the she-elf, whereas Legolas had been silent and distant. Gimli had not pressed him though, knowing he would need time before he got over Liria. Not a lot of time, of course.
Once camp was made, Gimli fell asleep right away. Riding a horse was hard work. Legolas stayed on his feet, pacing softly. There was no way he could sleep, his thoughts were too occupied.
There was a sudden noise in the underbrush to his left. Legolas whirled, hope making his heart pound. But there was nothing. Liria was not going to magically appear and make everything better. Even if she did come, what would happen then? More fights with Gimli, that's what. Legolas stayed awake the entire night.
Morning came, as it always does, and Gimli and Legolas set out once again. It looked like the passage of yet another uneventful day. The two travelers were silent, Legolas with his troubled thoughts and Gimli troubled by those thoughts.
Legolas sensed another presence in their vicinity, but since lack of sleep was making his senses unreliable and he had been striving to sense Liria, he paid no attention to it. It was not until a burden was unexpectedly lifted off of his back that he checked his horse and turned. Gimli stopped with Legolas, looking around uncertainly.
It took Legolas a moment to realize that his bow was gone. That was what had been taken off of his back. He looked around, thinking maybe it had fallen off, when a movement in the top of the trees caught his eye. An elf suddenly swung down, landing smoothly on his feet, Legolas' bow held firmly in his hands.
Legolas looked at his bow first, marveling that somebody would dare to have the audacity to take it, a gift from Galadriel, so he did not note right away who held the bow. When he finally looked at the elf, his face showed recognition and surprise. "What are you doing here?" he asked the elf.
The elf-guard stood before them, the same elf-guard that had been following Legolas ever since stopping them before Mirkwood. He looked unsettled and his eyes darted from Gimli to Legolas, Legolas' bow held tightly with an arrow in the other hand just itching to be fitted. Fine tremors ran throughout his body.
"You have to go back," the elf-guard said, his voice wavering.
Legolas was picking up on his mannerism, the other elf seemed extremely agitated and distressed over something. For a moment, Legolas thought that something must have happened to Thranduil after they had parted. "Prithee, tell us why we are to go back so soon?" he asked the elf carefully.
"Because they will all blame me," the elf-guard said, his face cracking with emotion, as if he would sob any minute.
"Blame you for what?" Gimli spoke up.
The elf-guard jumped at his voice, as if he had forgotten Gimli was there, and raised the bow with an arrow fitted to it. He pointed it at Gimli, who held his hands up in surprise. Legolas jumped off his horse, his hand going for his dagger, but the elf-guard turned at the sound and pointed the bow at Legolas. Legolas stopped moving, confused. Something was wrong, and this elf felt like he was about to snap.
"Do not move, either of you," the elf demanded, then, "I will be blamed for you leaving. They think I don't know that they are all talking of me. How I did not recognize my own Prince, and how I was dismissed from his service. But I know, I know that they see me as a disgrace. Now with you gone again, they will all say that it was my fault. They might even make songs about it, the guard who drove away a prince, I will be exiled! You must come back and explain to them, explain to them all that I was only trying to serve you and your kingdom."
Legolas had no idea what to make of what he was hearing. He had no doubt that it was all made up, but why the elf would make up such ridiculous things were beyond him. Something was terribly wrong with this elf, and something told Legolas to treat him with caution. He was unpredictable.
Legolas tested the elf carefully, "Nobody blames you. They all know why it is that I have to leave. King Aragorn is in need of my help."
The elf hung his head, and Legolas thought for an instant that he was crying, but he pulled his head up again, shaking it. "No, they don't know, or they do not care. They were just waiting for me to mess up. I drove you away, that is what they will say."
Legolas shook his head, his voice calm, "No."
"Yes!" The other elf's cry was so loud and sudden that he startled both Legolas and Gimli. Gimli's horse reared and Gimli, being inexperienced, fell off of the horse. The horse then bolted when the elf- guard shot wildly at the sudden movement and struck the horse in the flank. Legolas watched the wounded animal run off, more in amazement than anything else. An elf actually shot a horse, such a thing was very rare. The situation was more precarious than he thought.
A/N: I know this is a bit of a plot twist, but I swear it will make sense, just bear with me!