Disclaimer: I don't own anybody but Legolas' mom. I wish I were her
in this chapter though lol ;)
Author's Notes: I was really sad 'cuz I got like no reviews. Plus it was really hard to review in the first place because I just started school again and the teachers are assigning homework like they'd die if they didn't. Just please send a little review, you know, to keep me going because I almost didn't finish this up. Thanks!
Legolas' mom took Legolas' hand and led him over to a marble bath. Water fell from a basin at the far left side and the water babbled happily.
"Okay, Leggy, I have to look at your wounds," his mother said.
Legolas stepped out of his clothes and into the water. He stifled a gasp of surprise. The water was pleasantly warm, not at all cold like he had expected. His mother shook her head sadly and waded into the bath too, her dress swirling slightly in the bubbling water. She produced a strong smelling salve from a pocket of her dress and started to rub them into Legolas' cuts along his arms and shoulders and neck. The salve burned at first, then melted away into coolness. Legolas saw in amazement the cuts close and disappear completely. His mother handed him a soft green towel and gave him a clean forest green tunic and leggings and left him. Legolas was pulling on dark brown boots when his mother came back.
"Legolas," his mother said softly. "We have to talk some more." Legolas rubbed the towel through his hair to dry it.
"About what?" he questioned. His mother passed him a crystal plate filled with bread and fruit.
"You know I haven't healed you completely." Legolas nodded slowly, eating grapes one by one, each bursting with a sweet flavor.
"Only you can heal yourself Legolas but you cannot do it alone."
"You make no sense, Mother," said Legolas, frowning in thought.
"Legolas, everyone is a chest. When someone loves you, a treasure is put in the chest. When you are hurt, a treasure is taken away. You, my love, have been hurt so deeply that you are locked within yourself. No treasures would escape but at the same token, none can come in. When you return, you can either chose to go back to your old self, quiet, never sharing, or you can open yourself up to others and have them help heal old wounds. Don't lock yourself up," she said, nearly pleading.
Legolas looked into his mother's eyes, they were full of pain and worry yet a tiny sliver of hope shined like a light in a dark and dismal place.
"You can be loved by so many," she continued. "Don't throw away the key, learn to love. In a dark world like the one you are forced to live in, Legolas, only love can heal you. Only love can close old, open wounds."
Legolas closed his eyes in thought.
"Thank you," he said simply.
His mother smiled at him and stroked his hair. As Legolas finished his meal, they both stayed silent.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
"Aragorn," said Gandalf. "I must speak to you. It is about Legolas."
Aragorn glanced at Gandalf then slowly turned to face him. Gandalf sat before him.
"Master Legolas will awaken," said Gandalf, in a quiet voice.
Aragorn's eyes lit up.
"But," said Gandalf. "Even if he does, he could still die very quickly."
Aragorn sobered.
"How could we keep that from happening?" he asked. "There is a way to keep him alive, isn't there?"
Gandalf nodded.
"You must love and care for Legolas, Aragorn. You are the one who has to show him that friends do not always hurt each other."
Aragorn frowned.
"Legolas does not wish for my love," he said.
Gandalf tutted.
"How do you know this to be true?" he questioned, gray eyebrows raised.
Aragorn shrugged.
"He's never asked for it."
Gandalf sighed, slightly exasperated.
"Aragorn, for a ranger and the king of Gondor, you can be quite blind in some ways."
Aragorn started to open his mouth in protest but was silenced by Gandalf.
"When a baby needs its mother's love, does it ever ask?"
Aragorn frowned.
"It's different. Babies cannot talk. Legolas certainly can," said Aragorn.
"It is not different," answered Gandalf. "Legolas is still a child, Aragorn. Can you not see that? He is a lost and lonely child wandering in a world. He has been hurt like no one should ever be. You have to guide him back home Aragorn."
"How can I?" asked Aragorn.
"Be gentle, Aragorn," advised Gandalf. "He must trust you. He half does already."
Aragorn pressed his lips together and nodded.
"Now wait, Aragorn. That is the only thing you can do now."
For some unexplainable reason, Aragorn felt that change was coming. He hoped it was for the good.
Author's Notes: I was really sad 'cuz I got like no reviews. Plus it was really hard to review in the first place because I just started school again and the teachers are assigning homework like they'd die if they didn't. Just please send a little review, you know, to keep me going because I almost didn't finish this up. Thanks!
Legolas' mom took Legolas' hand and led him over to a marble bath. Water fell from a basin at the far left side and the water babbled happily.
"Okay, Leggy, I have to look at your wounds," his mother said.
Legolas stepped out of his clothes and into the water. He stifled a gasp of surprise. The water was pleasantly warm, not at all cold like he had expected. His mother shook her head sadly and waded into the bath too, her dress swirling slightly in the bubbling water. She produced a strong smelling salve from a pocket of her dress and started to rub them into Legolas' cuts along his arms and shoulders and neck. The salve burned at first, then melted away into coolness. Legolas saw in amazement the cuts close and disappear completely. His mother handed him a soft green towel and gave him a clean forest green tunic and leggings and left him. Legolas was pulling on dark brown boots when his mother came back.
"Legolas," his mother said softly. "We have to talk some more." Legolas rubbed the towel through his hair to dry it.
"About what?" he questioned. His mother passed him a crystal plate filled with bread and fruit.
"You know I haven't healed you completely." Legolas nodded slowly, eating grapes one by one, each bursting with a sweet flavor.
"Only you can heal yourself Legolas but you cannot do it alone."
"You make no sense, Mother," said Legolas, frowning in thought.
"Legolas, everyone is a chest. When someone loves you, a treasure is put in the chest. When you are hurt, a treasure is taken away. You, my love, have been hurt so deeply that you are locked within yourself. No treasures would escape but at the same token, none can come in. When you return, you can either chose to go back to your old self, quiet, never sharing, or you can open yourself up to others and have them help heal old wounds. Don't lock yourself up," she said, nearly pleading.
Legolas looked into his mother's eyes, they were full of pain and worry yet a tiny sliver of hope shined like a light in a dark and dismal place.
"You can be loved by so many," she continued. "Don't throw away the key, learn to love. In a dark world like the one you are forced to live in, Legolas, only love can heal you. Only love can close old, open wounds."
Legolas closed his eyes in thought.
"Thank you," he said simply.
His mother smiled at him and stroked his hair. As Legolas finished his meal, they both stayed silent.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
"Aragorn," said Gandalf. "I must speak to you. It is about Legolas."
Aragorn glanced at Gandalf then slowly turned to face him. Gandalf sat before him.
"Master Legolas will awaken," said Gandalf, in a quiet voice.
Aragorn's eyes lit up.
"But," said Gandalf. "Even if he does, he could still die very quickly."
Aragorn sobered.
"How could we keep that from happening?" he asked. "There is a way to keep him alive, isn't there?"
Gandalf nodded.
"You must love and care for Legolas, Aragorn. You are the one who has to show him that friends do not always hurt each other."
Aragorn frowned.
"Legolas does not wish for my love," he said.
Gandalf tutted.
"How do you know this to be true?" he questioned, gray eyebrows raised.
Aragorn shrugged.
"He's never asked for it."
Gandalf sighed, slightly exasperated.
"Aragorn, for a ranger and the king of Gondor, you can be quite blind in some ways."
Aragorn started to open his mouth in protest but was silenced by Gandalf.
"When a baby needs its mother's love, does it ever ask?"
Aragorn frowned.
"It's different. Babies cannot talk. Legolas certainly can," said Aragorn.
"It is not different," answered Gandalf. "Legolas is still a child, Aragorn. Can you not see that? He is a lost and lonely child wandering in a world. He has been hurt like no one should ever be. You have to guide him back home Aragorn."
"How can I?" asked Aragorn.
"Be gentle, Aragorn," advised Gandalf. "He must trust you. He half does already."
Aragorn pressed his lips together and nodded.
"Now wait, Aragorn. That is the only thing you can do now."
For some unexplainable reason, Aragorn felt that change was coming. He hoped it was for the good.