Chapter 3
The night air was crisp to the point of biting with the coming of winter. The remaining leaves of the trees rustled as the breeze moved through them. Sounds of the night filled the darkness.
The Gurth-Oneth were perplexed with their Lord. Alnaron had bandaged the wounded hand of his Prince while Ciriel and Ancaleb tried to calm him. Legolas' sudden actions and outcry had startled and frightened them, but this silence, which had taken its place, was even more ominous.
Legolas sat on the ground with his head bowed. Both hands covered his face and his eyes were tightly shut. If he ignored them, they would go away. If he ignored them, they had to go away! This was not happening; this could not be happening!
Alnaron knelt before his best friend, "Legolas, what is wrong? You must speak to me!" He gripped the prostrate Elf's leanly muscled upper arms with firm hands.
"Eru! Aagghhh!" Legolas entire body shuddered as a loud sob was wrenched from him. He deftly shook off the offending hands and writhed out of reach, all the while holding his hands over his face.
The cry made the three of them jump. Alnaron gathered Ancaleb and Ciriel and walked a short distance into the trees, then stopped while the form of Legolas was still nigh.
"What ails the Prince? I see no wounds!" Cirion's blue eyes could not leave the form on the ground.
"He suddenly turned and looked at us as though we were unknown. I saw nothing previous to indicate such behavior. Alnaron?" Ancaleb was ever the pragmatist, turning over in his mind earlier events warranting scrutiny. His raised eyebrow emphasized this assessment.
Alnaron had also been studying Legolas but turned his attention back to his brother at the question. "This malady seemed to have spontaneously appeared." A frown came across his handsome face as he turned back to Legolas, "Perhaps it will spontaneously disappear as well."
Cirion tried not to sound bitter, "Aha! I am so glad to see that you have not lost your sense of humor. Remember the purpose of our hunt? Our prey will not await us for slaughter."
"Cirion, our prey will remain. There will always be another day and another hunt. We must take Legolas back to the palace and seek remedy for him." Alnaron was adamant. "What say thee, my brother?"
"We are in agreement, Alnaron. The sooner we begin home, the better."
With a slight nod of his head, Cirion assented. All three turned to look at Legolas, who had not moved during this exchange.
TBC
The night air was crisp to the point of biting with the coming of winter. The remaining leaves of the trees rustled as the breeze moved through them. Sounds of the night filled the darkness.
The Gurth-Oneth were perplexed with their Lord. Alnaron had bandaged the wounded hand of his Prince while Ciriel and Ancaleb tried to calm him. Legolas' sudden actions and outcry had startled and frightened them, but this silence, which had taken its place, was even more ominous.
Legolas sat on the ground with his head bowed. Both hands covered his face and his eyes were tightly shut. If he ignored them, they would go away. If he ignored them, they had to go away! This was not happening; this could not be happening!
Alnaron knelt before his best friend, "Legolas, what is wrong? You must speak to me!" He gripped the prostrate Elf's leanly muscled upper arms with firm hands.
"Eru! Aagghhh!" Legolas entire body shuddered as a loud sob was wrenched from him. He deftly shook off the offending hands and writhed out of reach, all the while holding his hands over his face.
The cry made the three of them jump. Alnaron gathered Ancaleb and Ciriel and walked a short distance into the trees, then stopped while the form of Legolas was still nigh.
"What ails the Prince? I see no wounds!" Cirion's blue eyes could not leave the form on the ground.
"He suddenly turned and looked at us as though we were unknown. I saw nothing previous to indicate such behavior. Alnaron?" Ancaleb was ever the pragmatist, turning over in his mind earlier events warranting scrutiny. His raised eyebrow emphasized this assessment.
Alnaron had also been studying Legolas but turned his attention back to his brother at the question. "This malady seemed to have spontaneously appeared." A frown came across his handsome face as he turned back to Legolas, "Perhaps it will spontaneously disappear as well."
Cirion tried not to sound bitter, "Aha! I am so glad to see that you have not lost your sense of humor. Remember the purpose of our hunt? Our prey will not await us for slaughter."
"Cirion, our prey will remain. There will always be another day and another hunt. We must take Legolas back to the palace and seek remedy for him." Alnaron was adamant. "What say thee, my brother?"
"We are in agreement, Alnaron. The sooner we begin home, the better."
With a slight nod of his head, Cirion assented. All three turned to look at Legolas, who had not moved during this exchange.
TBC