Disclaimer: I don't own anything, except unknown characters.
Tenshiamanda and Kelli M, thanks for your reviews =)
This chapter is set over a millennium after the first chapter, when Legolas is young and a couple hundred years after Last Alliance.
Thoughts denoted by .
As promised, my favorite elf's debut in this fiction. Apologize in advance that this is again kind of long for set-up purposes.
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Chapter 2: Gilded Cage
It was a beautiful day in Mirkwood. It smelled of the morning rain. The sun shone brightly over the forest, creating shafts of light through the dense foliage. Elm branches swayed under the gentle caress of a soothing breeze. Sparks of light danced on the forest floor under the music of rustling leaves. Eyes closed, the lone figure hidden amidst the branches let out a content sigh. It is good to be out in the tranquility of the forest.
He had been quietly listening to the beautiful symphony of nature for some time. It had filled his heart with song and he could not help lifting his voice to sing. " My gift is my song." At the sound of his golden voice, a hush fell over the forest. It seemed that all had stopped to listen.
"And this one is for you." He paused, waiting for nature to join him. It was not long before the wind and the forest chimed in to provide background music for his song.
"You can tell everybody, this is your song. It may be quite simple but now that it's done. I hope you don't mind, I hope you don't mind, that I put down in words. How wonderful life is, now." His song abruptly ended as he felt slight movements in some faraway trees. Even the keen eyes of an elf could not discern the cause of the disturbance, but Legolas knew they were coming for him.
"I am sorry my friends, but I must go. My song has brought the attention of my keepers here," Legolas whispered as he leapt to his feet. He began to climb higher up the tree. From his vantage point at the treetop, he waited silently as his six pursuers gathered on the branch where he sang.
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"Where could he have gone? We tracked his voice here," said Lehnirer, senior guard of the Mirkwood palace.
"We will be in so much trouble if our king finds out we have lost him," Arana grimaced at the mental image of an angry King Thranduil.
"Perhaps the tree will help us find him," suggested Elenor. This was his first time on guard duty, a position reserved for the best and most loyal warriors of Mirkwood. He had worked hard to prove his prowess as a warrior; he would not let a child make a fool of him. He proceeded to address the trees softly in Elvish. Customarily, the trees were always willing to help a wood-elf in need, his request, however, was met with silence.
Seeing the young guard frown, Haldir explained " The forest will offer us no aid in finding Legolas if he does not wish to be found. The forest loves him and will not betray him. We can divide into teams of three to search for our prince, though I suspect he will return to the palace on his own when he wishes."
All except Elenor nodded in acknowledgement. It was not the first time their prince had escaped the palace walls. Usually, he would return before the king noticed that he was missing, especially if Haldir was on guard duty.
"Why teams of three? Would we not cover more ground if we search individually? We do not have much time before our king returns." Elenor suggested.
All in the party broke into laughter, except for Elenor, who was now scowling. "What is the joke? I made valid point." He did not like being laughed at. I dislike that prince already and I have not yet met him. If it is up to me, he should be punished for leading us on this chase.
Not sensing the young elf's dark thoughts, the Lorien archer patted him on the shoulder and answered, "Our prince has been trained in all possible forms of combat since the age of ten. I doubt there is anyone in Mirkwood who can defeat him in single combat. Actually, three is an optimistic estimate. If Legolas decides to give us a serious fight, it will all six of us to bring him back to the palace."
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Legolas watched in silence as the royal guards left to search for him in the forest. His plan had worked; his keepers did not expect him to stay in the same tree.
He never understood why his father was so over-protective of him. It was not his choice to take after his dead mother. His perfect almond-shaped face, exquisite cheekbones, large glittering sapphire eyes and rosy sensual lips were a curse to him, giving him an unwanted air of vulnerability. His porcelain skin and silken golden hair, of course, made matters worse. But his father should know how capable he was, despite his delicate looks. He had bested all his combat instructors years ago. Yet, his father would not even allow him to participate in the Trials of the Warrior. He was almost 100 years old; most elves passed their Trials by 75. The fact that he could not wear a warrior's braids irked him intensely. His free-flowing long hair was always falling into his eyes or getting caught in things.
Other elves would have laughed at him if they had the chance, but his father hid him from everyone. In fact, aside from his family and his keepers, the only people he had ever met are the Lord Celeborn, Lady Galadriel, Lord Elrond, Lord Glorfindel and Mithrandir. For reasons that were beyond him, they all seemed to approve of his father's over- protectiveness; not to mention they all look at him strangely. It was the lord and lady of Lothlorien who sent Haldir to Mirkwood to be his protector when he was just a babe.
Haldir. his protector. his only friend. All the others either wished to bed him or held him prisoner forever in the palace. Though protective, Haldir believed in him and his abilities. Haldir was content with being just his friend, often lending him strength with a sympathetic smile. Haldir was the reason he still remained in Mirkwood. As his protector, Haldir would be blamed if he ran away. As much as he wanted his freedom, he would not use Haldir's honor to buy it. For the same reason, he gazed once more at the setting sun before turning back towards the palace.
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As the last rays of the sun disappeared from the horizon, King Thranduil and his troops returned from inspecting the borders. It was as Mithrandir suspected, darkness was encroaching Mirkwood. Orcs, spiders and other creatures of darkness had multiplied in the forest. The troops were lucky that none was gravely wounded on their journey. It was time for his golden son to know the truth and rise to his destiny. He knew that this day would come, but why so soon? Legolas was not even 100 and still so much of a child. As much as heart wished to deny it, he knew there was no other choice. With a heavy heart, the King of Mirkwood entered his youngest child's chambers.
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Legolas was still in shock from what his father had just said. He was once again alone, his father's words echoing in his mind.
Me? A Bearer of Light? Not just of a star, but of the Stars! This cannot be. How can I be the chosen one to fight Sauron in the case that the dark lord regains the One Ring? I have not even passed the Trials of Warriors. His thoughts were interrupted as he sensed Haldir at the door. " Come in, the door is not locked."
"You do not look very happy. I thought you would be jumping with ecstasy at the prospect of traveling to Lothlorien by now," Haldir remarked.
"How can I be happy? It is true I hate being shielded from everything in life; I even believe I am a very capable warrior, but I do not have the abilities to hold the fate of Middle Earth. I am just the youngest prince of Mirkwood who has yet to earn his warrior braids. I cannot do this. I."
But Haldir would not let him finish. " Are you a liar and a coward then, my prince?" Legolas flinched at the contempt in his best friend's voice. Haldir hated to see his young charge hurt in anyway, but he knew that he must continue. " All your life, you tell me that you want the freedom to live in the reality, even if it is harsh. Now you are given what you wanted and a chance to prove your worth, you just sit there and complain like a child. You disappoint me so, my prince." Without another word, Haldir turned and walked out.
For a long while, Legolas remained silent, lost in thought. Finally, he whispered, "You are right, Haldir, and I am sorry. I do not know what strength is in me, but I will not let you down again."
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Upon making the necessary preparations for his departure for Lothlorien with the help of his father, Legolas returned once more to his chamber. He lay in bed and drifted into sleep. That night, he dreamt of a bird, soaring high in the blue sky, finally free from its gilded cage.
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I changed the tense and inserted Legolas description because I think it kind of fits in there. Let me know what you think and feel free to add more stuff.
Tenshiamanda and Kelli M, thanks for your reviews =)
This chapter is set over a millennium after the first chapter, when Legolas is young and a couple hundred years after Last Alliance.
Thoughts denoted by .
As promised, my favorite elf's debut in this fiction. Apologize in advance that this is again kind of long for set-up purposes.
***********************************************************************
Chapter 2: Gilded Cage
It was a beautiful day in Mirkwood. It smelled of the morning rain. The sun shone brightly over the forest, creating shafts of light through the dense foliage. Elm branches swayed under the gentle caress of a soothing breeze. Sparks of light danced on the forest floor under the music of rustling leaves. Eyes closed, the lone figure hidden amidst the branches let out a content sigh. It is good to be out in the tranquility of the forest.
He had been quietly listening to the beautiful symphony of nature for some time. It had filled his heart with song and he could not help lifting his voice to sing. " My gift is my song." At the sound of his golden voice, a hush fell over the forest. It seemed that all had stopped to listen.
"And this one is for you." He paused, waiting for nature to join him. It was not long before the wind and the forest chimed in to provide background music for his song.
"You can tell everybody, this is your song. It may be quite simple but now that it's done. I hope you don't mind, I hope you don't mind, that I put down in words. How wonderful life is, now." His song abruptly ended as he felt slight movements in some faraway trees. Even the keen eyes of an elf could not discern the cause of the disturbance, but Legolas knew they were coming for him.
"I am sorry my friends, but I must go. My song has brought the attention of my keepers here," Legolas whispered as he leapt to his feet. He began to climb higher up the tree. From his vantage point at the treetop, he waited silently as his six pursuers gathered on the branch where he sang.
************************************************************************
"Where could he have gone? We tracked his voice here," said Lehnirer, senior guard of the Mirkwood palace.
"We will be in so much trouble if our king finds out we have lost him," Arana grimaced at the mental image of an angry King Thranduil.
"Perhaps the tree will help us find him," suggested Elenor. This was his first time on guard duty, a position reserved for the best and most loyal warriors of Mirkwood. He had worked hard to prove his prowess as a warrior; he would not let a child make a fool of him. He proceeded to address the trees softly in Elvish. Customarily, the trees were always willing to help a wood-elf in need, his request, however, was met with silence.
Seeing the young guard frown, Haldir explained " The forest will offer us no aid in finding Legolas if he does not wish to be found. The forest loves him and will not betray him. We can divide into teams of three to search for our prince, though I suspect he will return to the palace on his own when he wishes."
All except Elenor nodded in acknowledgement. It was not the first time their prince had escaped the palace walls. Usually, he would return before the king noticed that he was missing, especially if Haldir was on guard duty.
"Why teams of three? Would we not cover more ground if we search individually? We do not have much time before our king returns." Elenor suggested.
All in the party broke into laughter, except for Elenor, who was now scowling. "What is the joke? I made valid point." He did not like being laughed at. I dislike that prince already and I have not yet met him. If it is up to me, he should be punished for leading us on this chase.
Not sensing the young elf's dark thoughts, the Lorien archer patted him on the shoulder and answered, "Our prince has been trained in all possible forms of combat since the age of ten. I doubt there is anyone in Mirkwood who can defeat him in single combat. Actually, three is an optimistic estimate. If Legolas decides to give us a serious fight, it will all six of us to bring him back to the palace."
***********************************************************************
Legolas watched in silence as the royal guards left to search for him in the forest. His plan had worked; his keepers did not expect him to stay in the same tree.
He never understood why his father was so over-protective of him. It was not his choice to take after his dead mother. His perfect almond-shaped face, exquisite cheekbones, large glittering sapphire eyes and rosy sensual lips were a curse to him, giving him an unwanted air of vulnerability. His porcelain skin and silken golden hair, of course, made matters worse. But his father should know how capable he was, despite his delicate looks. He had bested all his combat instructors years ago. Yet, his father would not even allow him to participate in the Trials of the Warrior. He was almost 100 years old; most elves passed their Trials by 75. The fact that he could not wear a warrior's braids irked him intensely. His free-flowing long hair was always falling into his eyes or getting caught in things.
Other elves would have laughed at him if they had the chance, but his father hid him from everyone. In fact, aside from his family and his keepers, the only people he had ever met are the Lord Celeborn, Lady Galadriel, Lord Elrond, Lord Glorfindel and Mithrandir. For reasons that were beyond him, they all seemed to approve of his father's over- protectiveness; not to mention they all look at him strangely. It was the lord and lady of Lothlorien who sent Haldir to Mirkwood to be his protector when he was just a babe.
Haldir. his protector. his only friend. All the others either wished to bed him or held him prisoner forever in the palace. Though protective, Haldir believed in him and his abilities. Haldir was content with being just his friend, often lending him strength with a sympathetic smile. Haldir was the reason he still remained in Mirkwood. As his protector, Haldir would be blamed if he ran away. As much as he wanted his freedom, he would not use Haldir's honor to buy it. For the same reason, he gazed once more at the setting sun before turning back towards the palace.
************************************************************************
As the last rays of the sun disappeared from the horizon, King Thranduil and his troops returned from inspecting the borders. It was as Mithrandir suspected, darkness was encroaching Mirkwood. Orcs, spiders and other creatures of darkness had multiplied in the forest. The troops were lucky that none was gravely wounded on their journey. It was time for his golden son to know the truth and rise to his destiny. He knew that this day would come, but why so soon? Legolas was not even 100 and still so much of a child. As much as heart wished to deny it, he knew there was no other choice. With a heavy heart, the King of Mirkwood entered his youngest child's chambers.
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Legolas was still in shock from what his father had just said. He was once again alone, his father's words echoing in his mind.
Me? A Bearer of Light? Not just of a star, but of the Stars! This cannot be. How can I be the chosen one to fight Sauron in the case that the dark lord regains the One Ring? I have not even passed the Trials of Warriors. His thoughts were interrupted as he sensed Haldir at the door. " Come in, the door is not locked."
"You do not look very happy. I thought you would be jumping with ecstasy at the prospect of traveling to Lothlorien by now," Haldir remarked.
"How can I be happy? It is true I hate being shielded from everything in life; I even believe I am a very capable warrior, but I do not have the abilities to hold the fate of Middle Earth. I am just the youngest prince of Mirkwood who has yet to earn his warrior braids. I cannot do this. I."
But Haldir would not let him finish. " Are you a liar and a coward then, my prince?" Legolas flinched at the contempt in his best friend's voice. Haldir hated to see his young charge hurt in anyway, but he knew that he must continue. " All your life, you tell me that you want the freedom to live in the reality, even if it is harsh. Now you are given what you wanted and a chance to prove your worth, you just sit there and complain like a child. You disappoint me so, my prince." Without another word, Haldir turned and walked out.
For a long while, Legolas remained silent, lost in thought. Finally, he whispered, "You are right, Haldir, and I am sorry. I do not know what strength is in me, but I will not let you down again."
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Upon making the necessary preparations for his departure for Lothlorien with the help of his father, Legolas returned once more to his chamber. He lay in bed and drifted into sleep. That night, he dreamt of a bird, soaring high in the blue sky, finally free from its gilded cage.
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I changed the tense and inserted Legolas description because I think it kind of fits in there. Let me know what you think and feel free to add more stuff.