A/N: Another part! I know that the chapters have been short lately, but I
figured that it's better to make them short and keep them coming than
trying to write longer parts and not getting them finished. So, here's the
next one, and hopefully there will be another tomorrow! And I'm so
grateful to everyone who's been reviewing this story for me! It helps so
much to know what people think while I'm writing this.
Part 19:
Legolas strode through the halls of the Great House, his sapphire eyes intent on a single purpose. No one was in the halls, as it was still early and all were convened in the Hall of Fire. The great carved doors were thrown open in welcome, and the massive hall echoed with song and laughter. It was warm in the hall in comparison to the cold early spring air that circulated in the corridor.
Legolas blended into the shadow, only half-listening to those around him. He saw Glorfindel, singing along with some lay he did not recognize. Elrond was smiling, his head resting on a hand. He caught Legolas's eye and beckoned him over. Legolas took a seat next to the lord.
"How goes it with Elladan?" Elrond asked worriedly.
"He is sleeping. The day's events were too much for him," Legolas said.
Elrond nodded. "I will look in on him before I retire, to see for myself that he is not hiding some ailment from you."
Legolas smiled genuinely at the fatherly concern. "I came here seeking someone, my lord," he said. "Do you know an Elf who goes by the name of Thalion?"
Elrond's brow knitted as he thought over the question. "Perhaps. I recall a young elf, of blue eyes and brown hair. Is that whom you seek?"
"I know not his description. I was only told his name, and that he was a stranger to this household."
Elrond nodded. "There is only one Thalion I can think of who is among us tonight. He is over there," he said, indicating a far corner of the room where the younger, noisier Elves has convened. "He is part of an envoy from the east; a wandering company if I remember correctly."
Legolas stood. "Thank you, Lord Elrond. I will see for myself if he is the Elf I am looking for."
He rose and made his way through the crowds to the small group in the corner. The one called Thalion was there, along with two other young male Elves and a few maidens as well. They quieted as they saw the Prince approach, for they knew full well who he was, and had seen him in the archery contest earlier.
"Prince Legolas, you honor us with your presence," Thalion spoke, though there was a hint of uncertainty in his voice.
Legolas turned on him. "You are Thalion?" he asked with his best court manners.
"Yes…yes I am," the brunet Elf answered, taken aback by the politeness in the Prince's tone.
Legolas smiled. "I would like to have words with you…in private as the words I wish to choose should not be spoken in polite company."
Thalion paled. "If this is about the conversation I had with Lord Elladan, I can explain!"
He was cut off as Legolas grasped his arm and hauled him out of the nearest door. He slammed Thalion against the stone of the hallway. The corridor was drafty, though Thalion was the only one who shivered.
"You know not what you did this afternoon," Legolas said in a low and dangerous voice. "If we were in my father's court I would have your honor. However, as I am a guest here as much as you are, I will not take that right. I deliver a warning instead: Elladan is tied to me and I to him; to affront one of us is to affront the other. I would tread lightly in Imladris if I were you, and be glad that I have not told Lord Elrond about your little 'encounter' with his son!"
Legolas spun on his heel and disappeared down the hall. Thalion leaned against the stone wall for a long time before he could gather himself enough to join the others back in the hall.
Elladan felt sick. He was hot and cold at the same time, as though someone had carved him in ice and then threw him into a furnace. Strange, he thought, I feel sick though I have never been sick before. He wondered if that was true, or if it was some falsehood his mind made up to trick him with. Perhaps he wasn't an Elf at all. Perhaps he was a young Man in a dream, or a Dwarf hallucinating in the dark under a mountain. Then he would wake up and everything would be different.
There was a hand on his brow—it was hot and cold at the same time, too, but it felt good there. He wanted to open his eyes and see what it was, but he was too tired and thought that if he moved the hand might go away.
"He still sleeps with his eyes closed," a voice said. Legolas. The voice had a name.
"He always has," another voice replied. That was his father. "Elladan, do you want to wake up?"
"No," he found his own voice saying. He was surprised that it worked at all, much less normally.
Elrond chuckled. "That is fine, but you will feel better if you drink what I have brought you."
Feeling better sounded good to Elladan. He forced his eyes open and blinked blearily in the candle light. "It is still night?"
"Yes. You have only slept for two hours. How do you feel?"
Elladan frowned. "I don't know. Strange."
Elrond smiled. "You have a bit of a fever, though you are much inexperienced in those types of things." He handed his son a cup. "Drink this and the fever will break before morning."
Elladan obediently drank down the contents of the glass, grimacing at the bitter taste. He allowed his father to guide him back down, but he tried to push the covers away when they were drawn up to his chin. It was Legolas who quieted him enough to let the heavy blanket finally be settled over him. He seemed to drift off again into an uneasy sleep.
"Keep him warm tonight. The fever is not dangerous—merely the effects of too much sun and his tiredness—but do not allow him to become chilled from pushing off the blankets at night," Elrond instructed Legolas.
"I will do as you say," Legolas assured him.
"I shall retire for the evening, but do not hesitate to send for me for anything," he said.
Elrond bent and kissed his son on the temple, murmuring some words that Legolas could not hear. Elladan sighed in his sleep in response, but seemed to rest easier. Legolas was then left alone with Elladan. He snuffed out the candles that still glittered around the room and crept into the bed beside his love. He snaked one long arm around Elladan's waist, molding his body against him. Elladan did not stir and Legolas relaxed as his contact was not outright refused, even if Elladan was asleep.
It felt right, Legolas mused, to be sleeping so closely to Elladan again. He remembered the first night they had sought comfort in each other's arms. Elladan had accompanied him on a trip to Dale, to deliver some correspondence for his father. They had tarried along the way back to King Thranduil's fortress, and spent the night sleeping under the stars. It had been so beautiful, the starlight mirrored in Elladan's grey eyes. It had been a simple thing, really, that Elladan had moved his bedroll so close to his own. Nothing more than a few stolen kisses and then they had slept, much as they did so now. Except then it had been Elladan curled around Legolas, the warmth of his breath tickling his ear as they watched their fire slowly die. They had returned to Mirkwood the next day, to Elrohir who was waiting for them. Elrohir knew, as sure as he knew that the sky was blue, that there was love between them. It had taken the lovers far longer to realize that for themselves. Almost too long…
Legolas was surprised at the tears that escaped his eyes and the dry sobs that stuck in his throat. He hadn't truly cried since he arrived at Imladris; the thought that maybe he should have never occurred to him. Elladan shifted in his arms to face him, awakened by the soft noise of hitching breath. His eyes blinked open.
"Don't cry," Elladan soothed. "I'm still here."
"I don't want to hurt you," Legolas whispered.
Elladan moved closer to Legolas, wrapping his own arms around the slender frame so they were cocooned together under the blankets. He laid his head on Legolas's chest, above his heart.
"You couldn't hurt me," Elladan said before drifting off to sleep again.
Legolas stayed awake for a long time, letting his tears subside and thanking every star he knew for the gift he held in his arms.
Part 19:
Legolas strode through the halls of the Great House, his sapphire eyes intent on a single purpose. No one was in the halls, as it was still early and all were convened in the Hall of Fire. The great carved doors were thrown open in welcome, and the massive hall echoed with song and laughter. It was warm in the hall in comparison to the cold early spring air that circulated in the corridor.
Legolas blended into the shadow, only half-listening to those around him. He saw Glorfindel, singing along with some lay he did not recognize. Elrond was smiling, his head resting on a hand. He caught Legolas's eye and beckoned him over. Legolas took a seat next to the lord.
"How goes it with Elladan?" Elrond asked worriedly.
"He is sleeping. The day's events were too much for him," Legolas said.
Elrond nodded. "I will look in on him before I retire, to see for myself that he is not hiding some ailment from you."
Legolas smiled genuinely at the fatherly concern. "I came here seeking someone, my lord," he said. "Do you know an Elf who goes by the name of Thalion?"
Elrond's brow knitted as he thought over the question. "Perhaps. I recall a young elf, of blue eyes and brown hair. Is that whom you seek?"
"I know not his description. I was only told his name, and that he was a stranger to this household."
Elrond nodded. "There is only one Thalion I can think of who is among us tonight. He is over there," he said, indicating a far corner of the room where the younger, noisier Elves has convened. "He is part of an envoy from the east; a wandering company if I remember correctly."
Legolas stood. "Thank you, Lord Elrond. I will see for myself if he is the Elf I am looking for."
He rose and made his way through the crowds to the small group in the corner. The one called Thalion was there, along with two other young male Elves and a few maidens as well. They quieted as they saw the Prince approach, for they knew full well who he was, and had seen him in the archery contest earlier.
"Prince Legolas, you honor us with your presence," Thalion spoke, though there was a hint of uncertainty in his voice.
Legolas turned on him. "You are Thalion?" he asked with his best court manners.
"Yes…yes I am," the brunet Elf answered, taken aback by the politeness in the Prince's tone.
Legolas smiled. "I would like to have words with you…in private as the words I wish to choose should not be spoken in polite company."
Thalion paled. "If this is about the conversation I had with Lord Elladan, I can explain!"
He was cut off as Legolas grasped his arm and hauled him out of the nearest door. He slammed Thalion against the stone of the hallway. The corridor was drafty, though Thalion was the only one who shivered.
"You know not what you did this afternoon," Legolas said in a low and dangerous voice. "If we were in my father's court I would have your honor. However, as I am a guest here as much as you are, I will not take that right. I deliver a warning instead: Elladan is tied to me and I to him; to affront one of us is to affront the other. I would tread lightly in Imladris if I were you, and be glad that I have not told Lord Elrond about your little 'encounter' with his son!"
Legolas spun on his heel and disappeared down the hall. Thalion leaned against the stone wall for a long time before he could gather himself enough to join the others back in the hall.
Elladan felt sick. He was hot and cold at the same time, as though someone had carved him in ice and then threw him into a furnace. Strange, he thought, I feel sick though I have never been sick before. He wondered if that was true, or if it was some falsehood his mind made up to trick him with. Perhaps he wasn't an Elf at all. Perhaps he was a young Man in a dream, or a Dwarf hallucinating in the dark under a mountain. Then he would wake up and everything would be different.
There was a hand on his brow—it was hot and cold at the same time, too, but it felt good there. He wanted to open his eyes and see what it was, but he was too tired and thought that if he moved the hand might go away.
"He still sleeps with his eyes closed," a voice said. Legolas. The voice had a name.
"He always has," another voice replied. That was his father. "Elladan, do you want to wake up?"
"No," he found his own voice saying. He was surprised that it worked at all, much less normally.
Elrond chuckled. "That is fine, but you will feel better if you drink what I have brought you."
Feeling better sounded good to Elladan. He forced his eyes open and blinked blearily in the candle light. "It is still night?"
"Yes. You have only slept for two hours. How do you feel?"
Elladan frowned. "I don't know. Strange."
Elrond smiled. "You have a bit of a fever, though you are much inexperienced in those types of things." He handed his son a cup. "Drink this and the fever will break before morning."
Elladan obediently drank down the contents of the glass, grimacing at the bitter taste. He allowed his father to guide him back down, but he tried to push the covers away when they were drawn up to his chin. It was Legolas who quieted him enough to let the heavy blanket finally be settled over him. He seemed to drift off again into an uneasy sleep.
"Keep him warm tonight. The fever is not dangerous—merely the effects of too much sun and his tiredness—but do not allow him to become chilled from pushing off the blankets at night," Elrond instructed Legolas.
"I will do as you say," Legolas assured him.
"I shall retire for the evening, but do not hesitate to send for me for anything," he said.
Elrond bent and kissed his son on the temple, murmuring some words that Legolas could not hear. Elladan sighed in his sleep in response, but seemed to rest easier. Legolas was then left alone with Elladan. He snuffed out the candles that still glittered around the room and crept into the bed beside his love. He snaked one long arm around Elladan's waist, molding his body against him. Elladan did not stir and Legolas relaxed as his contact was not outright refused, even if Elladan was asleep.
It felt right, Legolas mused, to be sleeping so closely to Elladan again. He remembered the first night they had sought comfort in each other's arms. Elladan had accompanied him on a trip to Dale, to deliver some correspondence for his father. They had tarried along the way back to King Thranduil's fortress, and spent the night sleeping under the stars. It had been so beautiful, the starlight mirrored in Elladan's grey eyes. It had been a simple thing, really, that Elladan had moved his bedroll so close to his own. Nothing more than a few stolen kisses and then they had slept, much as they did so now. Except then it had been Elladan curled around Legolas, the warmth of his breath tickling his ear as they watched their fire slowly die. They had returned to Mirkwood the next day, to Elrohir who was waiting for them. Elrohir knew, as sure as he knew that the sky was blue, that there was love between them. It had taken the lovers far longer to realize that for themselves. Almost too long…
Legolas was surprised at the tears that escaped his eyes and the dry sobs that stuck in his throat. He hadn't truly cried since he arrived at Imladris; the thought that maybe he should have never occurred to him. Elladan shifted in his arms to face him, awakened by the soft noise of hitching breath. His eyes blinked open.
"Don't cry," Elladan soothed. "I'm still here."
"I don't want to hurt you," Legolas whispered.
Elladan moved closer to Legolas, wrapping his own arms around the slender frame so they were cocooned together under the blankets. He laid his head on Legolas's chest, above his heart.
"You couldn't hurt me," Elladan said before drifting off to sleep again.
Legolas stayed awake for a long time, letting his tears subside and thanking every star he knew for the gift he held in his arms.
