Glorfindel held his sword tightly in one hand, listening for any sound of the spiders, while his sharp eyes scanned the area around him.
"The trail splits here," Thranduil said, glancing down at the faint spider tracks before him, "One set leads to the cellars, the other leads to..."
Thranduil suddenly went pale, and Glorfindel noticed where they led. To the royal chambers, where Legolas slept, unaware of the danger coming to him.
"Two of you, go to the cellars that vile thing. Glorfindel, with me," Thranduil ordered, and hurried down the hall, Glorfindel right on his heels.
They raced down the hall, both fearful of what may have happened. Suddenly the high-pitched cry of an Elfling split the air, and made them increase their speed. Thranduil's heart beat fearfully in his chest as he ran, for he feared what the creature had done to his fair young son.
They arrived at the room, and burst into it, their weapons drawn. There before them stood Legolas, cowering in a corner, his tiny dagger, coated with spider blood, clenched in one hand, his other arm hanging limply, and soaked with blood. Before him was a giant spider, easily three times the size of the Elfling.
Thranduil growled, his anger boiling up in him at the thought that this creature had hurt his son, and leapt at the spider. The spider turned and hissed at him, swiped at him with its clawed legs. He leapt away from the attack, but relentlessly cut at the spider with all the rage he possessed. Glorfindel joined in, battering at the spider on the other side. Together they pressed the spider away from the terrified child, and in one swift movement, Thranduil cut its head off. The spider fell dead to the floor, spilling its foul blood upon the woven carpets under it.
Thranduil turned from it to his son, who was still cowering in the corner, his dagger still held out to ward off danger. He frowned slightly as he noted that Legolas's eyes were glazed, and he seemed to be looking at something that wasn't there.
"Legolas, it is alright, the spider is dead," Thranduil said soothingly, coming closer towards his son.
Legolas swiped at him with the dagger, causing Thranduil to back away quickly. He paled as he recognized the effects.
"He's been bitten, Glorfindel, and he is hallucinating. We have to get the dagger away from him and get him to the healers now. But how can we without hurting him? We cannot let that dagger stab either of us, the blood on it is as poisonous as the spider's venom, Thranduil said softly, reluctantly showing his worry and fear.
"I only have a single idea, my Lord," Glorfindel said.
"Then do it," Thranduil said sharply, trying to control his fear for his son.
"Very well," Glorfindel murmured.
He reached into himself, to that part of him that was always there. Memories of his past life enveloped him, nearly dragged him into their depths, but he fought away from them, and pulled forth the power that was his to wield alone, as the only one to have ever returned from the Halls of Mandos, and as one of the beloved. He did not pull it all forwards, only enough to combat this evil. Light and power enveloped his skin, turning him into some otherworldly figure, as he might have appeared in Aman.
Thranduil backed away in awe as Glorfindel stepped forward towards Legolas.
"Legolas, all is well. The shadows deceive you, strong one. There is no danger here," Glorfindel said soothingly, his voice ringing with his power, shattering the illusions that surrounded Legolas's mind.
"Glorfindel?" Legolas said softly, turning glazed eyes to him as numb fingers dropped the dagger.
"Yes, it is I," Glorfindel said softly, and nodded slightly to Thranduil.
Thranduil realized what Glorfindel wanted him to do, and though he was loathed to do it to his own son, he had little choice. Reaching out to the music of his son's soul, he enveloped it with his own, calming and controlling it to an extent that the little one could not refuse his command for rest.
Glorfindel quickly caught Legolas as he fell, his will collapsed under his Father's.
"I hate to do that to him. He is not my enemy but my son," Thranduil said softly, sorrowfully.
"It was necessary. My power would smother him if I tried such a thing. Come, we must get him to the healers quickly," Glorfindel said, picking up the child and handing him to his father.
Thranduil nodded, and ran out the door. Glorfindel let his power subside, and the glow around him sank into his skin. He then ran off after Thranduil.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
"Thank the Valar you got him here quickly, King Thranduil. I think he shall be alright, as soon as he is given the antidote," the Healer said, not turning from her young patient to look at Thranduil.
Thranduil nodded, thanking the Valar himself, and smiled at Glorfindel who looked ready to drop.
He frowned slightly as he asked, "Are you hail, Glorfindel?"
Glorfindel looked at him, and offered a wane smile, "I have only done that once before, and I am not used to the draining effects yet, Thranduil. But I am fine."
Thranduil nodded, "Perhaps you should get some rest?"
"I would like to know that the little one is out of danger first," Glorfindel said.
"He shall be fine. Do you doubt my skills, Lord Glorfindel?" the Healer snapped playfully, mock glaring at him.
"Nay, dear lady, I do not doubt them. Forgive me," Glorfindel said.
"Then you had best rest before you drop," the Healer said, "And I shall have no arguments."
Glorfindel nodded, much to weary to argue anyways, "Then I shall be in my quarters. Can someone awaken me when he awakens?"
"Of course," Thranduil said.
"Thank you, my lord," Glorfindel said, and headed to his quarters.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
When he arrived, he quickly went to his bed, not even thinking of changing his clothes. Quietly he slipped into his bed, and sleep claimed him the moment he lay down. He did not hear the slight clicking sounds in the shadows of his room...
"The trail splits here," Thranduil said, glancing down at the faint spider tracks before him, "One set leads to the cellars, the other leads to..."
Thranduil suddenly went pale, and Glorfindel noticed where they led. To the royal chambers, where Legolas slept, unaware of the danger coming to him.
"Two of you, go to the cellars that vile thing. Glorfindel, with me," Thranduil ordered, and hurried down the hall, Glorfindel right on his heels.
They raced down the hall, both fearful of what may have happened. Suddenly the high-pitched cry of an Elfling split the air, and made them increase their speed. Thranduil's heart beat fearfully in his chest as he ran, for he feared what the creature had done to his fair young son.
They arrived at the room, and burst into it, their weapons drawn. There before them stood Legolas, cowering in a corner, his tiny dagger, coated with spider blood, clenched in one hand, his other arm hanging limply, and soaked with blood. Before him was a giant spider, easily three times the size of the Elfling.
Thranduil growled, his anger boiling up in him at the thought that this creature had hurt his son, and leapt at the spider. The spider turned and hissed at him, swiped at him with its clawed legs. He leapt away from the attack, but relentlessly cut at the spider with all the rage he possessed. Glorfindel joined in, battering at the spider on the other side. Together they pressed the spider away from the terrified child, and in one swift movement, Thranduil cut its head off. The spider fell dead to the floor, spilling its foul blood upon the woven carpets under it.
Thranduil turned from it to his son, who was still cowering in the corner, his dagger still held out to ward off danger. He frowned slightly as he noted that Legolas's eyes were glazed, and he seemed to be looking at something that wasn't there.
"Legolas, it is alright, the spider is dead," Thranduil said soothingly, coming closer towards his son.
Legolas swiped at him with the dagger, causing Thranduil to back away quickly. He paled as he recognized the effects.
"He's been bitten, Glorfindel, and he is hallucinating. We have to get the dagger away from him and get him to the healers now. But how can we without hurting him? We cannot let that dagger stab either of us, the blood on it is as poisonous as the spider's venom, Thranduil said softly, reluctantly showing his worry and fear.
"I only have a single idea, my Lord," Glorfindel said.
"Then do it," Thranduil said sharply, trying to control his fear for his son.
"Very well," Glorfindel murmured.
He reached into himself, to that part of him that was always there. Memories of his past life enveloped him, nearly dragged him into their depths, but he fought away from them, and pulled forth the power that was his to wield alone, as the only one to have ever returned from the Halls of Mandos, and as one of the beloved. He did not pull it all forwards, only enough to combat this evil. Light and power enveloped his skin, turning him into some otherworldly figure, as he might have appeared in Aman.
Thranduil backed away in awe as Glorfindel stepped forward towards Legolas.
"Legolas, all is well. The shadows deceive you, strong one. There is no danger here," Glorfindel said soothingly, his voice ringing with his power, shattering the illusions that surrounded Legolas's mind.
"Glorfindel?" Legolas said softly, turning glazed eyes to him as numb fingers dropped the dagger.
"Yes, it is I," Glorfindel said softly, and nodded slightly to Thranduil.
Thranduil realized what Glorfindel wanted him to do, and though he was loathed to do it to his own son, he had little choice. Reaching out to the music of his son's soul, he enveloped it with his own, calming and controlling it to an extent that the little one could not refuse his command for rest.
Glorfindel quickly caught Legolas as he fell, his will collapsed under his Father's.
"I hate to do that to him. He is not my enemy but my son," Thranduil said softly, sorrowfully.
"It was necessary. My power would smother him if I tried such a thing. Come, we must get him to the healers quickly," Glorfindel said, picking up the child and handing him to his father.
Thranduil nodded, and ran out the door. Glorfindel let his power subside, and the glow around him sank into his skin. He then ran off after Thranduil.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
"Thank the Valar you got him here quickly, King Thranduil. I think he shall be alright, as soon as he is given the antidote," the Healer said, not turning from her young patient to look at Thranduil.
Thranduil nodded, thanking the Valar himself, and smiled at Glorfindel who looked ready to drop.
He frowned slightly as he asked, "Are you hail, Glorfindel?"
Glorfindel looked at him, and offered a wane smile, "I have only done that once before, and I am not used to the draining effects yet, Thranduil. But I am fine."
Thranduil nodded, "Perhaps you should get some rest?"
"I would like to know that the little one is out of danger first," Glorfindel said.
"He shall be fine. Do you doubt my skills, Lord Glorfindel?" the Healer snapped playfully, mock glaring at him.
"Nay, dear lady, I do not doubt them. Forgive me," Glorfindel said.
"Then you had best rest before you drop," the Healer said, "And I shall have no arguments."
Glorfindel nodded, much to weary to argue anyways, "Then I shall be in my quarters. Can someone awaken me when he awakens?"
"Of course," Thranduil said.
"Thank you, my lord," Glorfindel said, and headed to his quarters.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
When he arrived, he quickly went to his bed, not even thinking of changing his clothes. Quietly he slipped into his bed, and sleep claimed him the moment he lay down. He did not hear the slight clicking sounds in the shadows of his room...
