THANK YOU!!!!!! Nice reviews! Great compliments! You guys are cool!! And to those who just discover my works, THANKS A MILLION for reading my creations! Now you know how crazy I can get! LOL!!
@szhismine : So, that's where the creature's been hiding, hmm? I'll make sure he suffers for that trick!
@Erhothwen : You want Keldarion? I'll make sure you won't get him! I'm thinking of…Wait! I can't tell you!
He! He! Read on, guys!
As soon as he heard that his sons were sighted approaching from the woods, Thranduil went rushing out the great door. He sighed in great relief to see them both walking. If they can walk, that means they're fine, right? Then his smile faltered as soon as he caught sight of their faces. Valar! Something's wrong. Something is terribly wrong!
The two brothers had been escorted by the woodland guards. Strangely though, all the guards had dismounted and followed the brothers on foot. Shouldn't they have offered their mounts to the two princes like courtesy claims them to do? Why are they all walking instead? Thranduil was very uneasy, especially when he saw Legolas's trembling form.
"Father." Keldarion did not know what to say when they came face to face with the king. Legolas only stared back at Thranduil in silent. The king snapped himself back to attention then, giving orders to the servants to send herbs and medicine as well as warm water to the princes' chambers. With an arm around Legolas, Thranduil led his sons upstairs.
After they'd deposited Legolas onto his bed, Keldarion insisted to stay beside his brother despite Thranduil's protest. "Father, I'm not hurt. I don't need any medical attention." He swept the blanket off his shoulders, showing the king his unmarred body beneath. "I'm healed, father. It's Legolas that needs to be tended to…but not by the servants. Please, father, send the servants out."
Thranduil reluctantly complied, ordering the hovering servants out of the room after they'd brought in a basin of warm water, towels and some medicinal salves and herbs. As the door closed, the three royalties were left alone.
Legolas was lying unmoving on the bed with his eyes wide opened. He was still conscious but he looked incredibly lifeless. Thranduil looked up to Keldarion for answers, but his elder son only shook his head as he pulled out the manyan stone from the pocket of his leggings.
The king crouched down, sitting on the bed and peeled the blanket away from Legolas's body. At first he was relieved to see no injuries or wounds on the porcelain skin, but his heart suddenly beat faster as he found out that his youngest son was almost naked underneath, his hips covered only by a tunic that was obviously belonged to Keldarion. Several thin lines of blood were running down Legolas's legs.
Thranduil snapped his gaze back towards his elder son, his eyes wide in disbelief and anguish. Please, don't tell me that he'd been…Keldarion closed his eyes and nodded, confirming Thranduil's greatest fears.
The king wanted to scream in enrage with all his might, but gripped hard at the mattress instead. He was totally blinded by fury and anguish for a full minute, nearly losing control of his emotions. No! Don't lose it! Not in front of these boys! They've been through hell and I must be their anchor! Not now, Thranduil! Not now! Taking a deep calming breath, he then turned back to his youngest child, lifting Legolas's head and laid it on his lap.
Keldarion had put the healing stone inside a glass of water. Putting the glass to Legolas's lips, he told his brother to drink it. Legolas took it without any protest, like a strung puppet. His worry mounting in high degree, the king stroked the prince's hair as Keldarion started to gently tend to his brother's injury.
Legolas couldn't help cringing in shame. He repeatedly told himself; This is my brother, my father. They've known me forever. But why do I feel so dirty and soiled? Tears of humiliation trickled down the corner of his eyes, dampening the king's clothes.
As he willed himself to sleep, Legolas could hear his mind screaming; I want to die! Ai Mandos! Take me now! Take me away from this nightmare!!!
************
Fully dressed now, Keldarion rushed out of his chamber back towards Legolas's. Thranduil was still sitting beside his youngest child, watching over him sleep. The king looked up and was startled to see the sword gripped hard in Keldarion's fist. The crown prince's face was filled with determination and coolness. "Where do you think you're going?"
"I'm going after them, father. I'll make them regret of ever touching my brother that way."
"But…" Thranduil halted, staring hard at Keldarion's tired face. He knew that anything he said would not deter the prince's resolve, no matter how exhausted he must be feeling right now. Nodding, the king finally said, "Go, then. And promise me you'll return safely."
"I will, father. I promise." Bending down, Keldarion kissed Legolas's golden head. After murmuring some consoling words, the elder prince straightened up and walked out of the room.
Thranduil sighed heavily. A child of mine is hell-bent on revenge, while the other one is already broken to pieces. What will become of my family now? He looked down at Legolas. The young elf's countenance appeared so tranquil that no one would guess that he'd just gone through a hideous experience. Only his fading glow could tell differently. How much more can a person take? Will Legolas ever be himself again?
Can the stone of manya heal his body, and his soul as well?
**************
The captain of Lothlorien saw the approaching Mirkwood warriors, led by the crown prince Keldarion. The prince nodded at his long time friend. "Haldir."
"Kel." Haldir nodded in return, frowning at the prince's stiff features.
"Looks like you got to them first before we did," Keldarion said as he dismounted. He glared at the bound human marauders that were kneeling on the ground; right in front the entrance to the dwarves' cave. The dwarves were standing quietly aside, reluctantly allowing the elves to take care of their business in their own way. There were also several dead human bodies lying around, killed by either a dwarf's axe or an elven arrow. Jongos was glaring back at Keldarion, and sneering evilly.
"My Lord and Lady had received a request for help from Lord Thranduil. We came here as soon as we were able to, and stumbled into a fight between the dwarves and these humans. We found out that you had escaped and returned to the palace," Haldir told him. "What do you plan to do to them now?"
Keldarion was staring directly at Jongos, pondering heavily, clenching his fists in fury. Jongos cried out suddenly, "So, prince, how's your brother doing?!! Is he well? Does he miss me?"
Keldarion exploded then. He advanced forward and struck Jongos on the face with all his might. Jongos's head snapped to the side from the hard blow, blood pouring heavily from his mouth and nose. "Untie him!" Keldarion ordered. "And give him a sword!"
Without a word, Haldir reached forward and cut through Jongos's bond before handing over his sword to the man. As soon as the sword was in his hands, Jongos sprang up and swung the blade at Keldarion. The elf prince had already drawn his own sword, waiting in full stance. He simply stepped aside, and Jongos stumbled forward. The man straightened upright, trying to gather his balance, and faced Keldarion once more. He started swinging again; obviously the man had skill in swordplay.
But Keldarion was an excellent swordsman himself, the best in Mirkwood. This was like a simple game to him. He was only toying with the man, deliberately letting Jongos make a fool out of himself. The man was getting more and more frustrated when Keldarion managed to dodge or block his attacks with little movements, and even without breaking into sweats. Jongos then knew he was doomed to die a terrible death.
After sparring for nearly fifteen minutes, Keldarion finally lost his patience. He swung his blade in an arc, right through Jongos's groin. Jongos's eyes bulged in extreme pain and shock, his mouth hung wide opened but no sound came out. As the sword fell down from his grasp, Jongos crumbled to the ground, and went into horrible spasms, a painful cry burst through his lips then.
But Keldarion didn't stop. With his sword, he stabbed at the same place again and again, cursing and swearing all the while. Jongos was already dead but the prince still kept swinging, blinded by great wrath and the overwhelming pain in his heart.
"Keldarion! Cease, your highness! Please!" Haldir stepped forward, grabbing Keldarion's raised arm. The elven captain could feel the tensing muscles beneath his grip. The prince turned to him slowly, his eyes glassy with unshed tears. Haldir was stunned to see the intense anguish on Keldarion's face. Never had he seen his friend losing control like this. Whatever the two Mirkwood brothers had experienced at the hands of this man must've been worse than death. "Kel, he's dead. It's over now," Haldir said softly.
Keldarion looked down at Jongos's mutilated body. He was a little shock by the length of his own fury. Still, his heart bled. Stabbing his sword into the ground, the prince knelt down on one knee, lowered his head and closed his eyes in exhaustion. With one hand placed on top of the hilt of his sword while another rubbing his pounding temple, Keldarion shook his head in sorrow. "Yes, he's dead. But why does my heart still hurt so? And why do I have this feeling that Legolas will be forever lost to me?" He wasn't even aware that he'd said it out loud.
The other elves had respectfully avoided their eyes, keeping themselves busy by herding the frightened human captives towards the Mirkwood palace. The dwarves were looking in awe at the dejected Mirkwood prince. They've known him as a cool and calm-collected elf of noble birth. To see him moving in such graceful madness just now was a sight to behold, something that will be told to their children for many generations.
Haldir grasped the prince's shoulder consolingly. "Why do you lose hope, Keldarion? Legolas is still alive, is he not?"
Keldarion rubbed his hand against the tears that came streaming down. "Alive in body, but dead in soul. I don't know how to get him back, Haldir. I don't think killing Jongos would change anything."
"As long as Legolas is still breathing and his heart still beats, there is always hope, Kel. I've known him long enough to tell you that your brother is strong, inside out. But you need to be strong too, because he can't do it alone…not after the dreadful things that had been done to him."
Keldarion looked up to see Haldir staring at Jongos's dead body in disgust. Keldarion was not surprise that Haldir could guess correctly of what had happened. The captain of Lothlorien was always known for his sharp mind. Only by looking at the way Keldarion had repeatedly stabbed at the same spot on the man's body, Haldir had managed to put two and two together and came out with the painful answer.
The Mirkwood prince stood up gracefully, sheathing his sword. He was aware of an approaching dwarf then. Gimli. "Keldarion, I'm still angry with your brother for ignoring me early this morning," the dwarf said. Keldarion frowned. But before the prince could reply, Gimli added, "No one ignores me and get away with it! No one! Not even a high and mighty elf prince like him!"
Keldarion was stunned when Gimli thrust a woven basket into his arms. He peered inside to see a golden bald eagle lying within a fold of cloth. The prince looked back at Gimli in puzzle.
"I found him up in the mountain yesterday. He'd broken his wing somehow. I'm terribly hopeless in taking care of injured animals so…" Gimli shrugged. "I think Legolas knows better of what to do. He still has that healing stone, doesn't he?"
Keldarion opened his mouth to say something but closed it back, having no idea what to say. He stared directly into Gimli's eyes and saw deep compassion there. He finally understood what Gimli was trying to do. "I'll make sure he receives this, Gimli."
If Legolas's natural fondness towards helpless animals could not bring the light back into his dark and shredded heart, then nothing else would…
TBC…
You like that ass kicking, or was it too gory and cruel? Tell me!
