Gwend (Friendship)
By: Alilacia
Rating: PG-13
Feedback:
Spoilers: None that I can think of.
Disclaimer:
I do not own the Lord of the Rings, or anything to do with the film or books. That honour goes to Peter Jackson (et all) and J.R.R Tolkien. I have no permission what so ever to use these characters, will not receive any money for this, and am doing this for my own enjoyment. And to get away from doing my college assignments
Series:
Gwend (Friendship)
Mortality
Lessons
Wandering
Learning Curve
Sickness
Summary:
Elladan and Elrohir are nearing 50 years of age, and are taken on a trip to Greenwood. This is their first walk into the fair woods, and neither know what to expect. Neither do the elves of Greenwood, and nothing turns out the way you plan.
Mae govannen!
This is the first instalment in The Lennath Series. According to the site I found on the internet 'Lennath' is apparently journey's in Sindarin. I apologise if it isn't, my elvish skills are not the best in the world.
So in English it is basically 'The Journey's Series'. I decided to call it The Journey's Series, because that is basically what all the stories are about: Legolas' and Aragorn's journey's though life, and the paths it takes them on.
This is a story called Gwend, which is Sindarin for Friendship. I know before I said that Mortality was the first story in this series, but I recently got the idea for a back story, and so there could be many more stories before Mortality, Gwend being the first.
First I am going to make it clear that this is a NON-SLASH, so you won't be finding any relationship between Legolas and Aragorn that is any closer than brothers. I'm sorry if you don't like that, but I'm not going to make it any different.
I have finally gotten around to reading the Silmarillion (or at least part of it) and am working on the Unfinished Tales. There is still so much I need to read though, so bear with me.
Namárië mellyn nin
Alilacia
Gwend (Friendship)
"WHAT!"
Elladan stalked right up to where Legolas was standing and pressed his nose right into the elven princes face.
"I didn't just hear you say that we are stuck in a dark, dank prison cell with NO WAY OUT!" Elladan's voice had been steadily rising since he started talking, and Elrohir frantically shushed his brother.
"Quiet Elladan, there are still elves down here." Elladan recognised the warning tone in his brothers voice and took several deep breaths.
"I know that you are not happy with me, but there is not much that I can do about it." Legolas looked down, and glanced back up at the door. It was true, there wasn't anything that he could do about it, and it wasn't as though he had wanted to be stuck in here either.
Elladan conceded defeat this time, and sat down in the corner. He didn't want to be stuck down here, and felt the whole thing was Legolas' fault for taking them down here. He was ignoring the fact that he and his brother had both followed Legolas down here willingly.
Legolas sighed and lingered around the door. He really felt bad for getting them stuck down here, and thought that perhaps he should have just entered the palace when he was told to. Maybe they wouldn't be in this mess now...
Elrohir had moved over to sit next to Elladan and was staring at the ground. If the ground held the secret to getting out of here, then Elrohir was well on the way to an answer mused Legolas dryly as he kicked a lump of dirt out of the way. With another sigh, he leant against the door and looked around. There had to be something around here to help with the door. There had to be.
His fingers automatically closed around the broach he always kept in his pocket. It was small, shaped like a lily, and had been a gift from his mother. Or at least, that was what he had been told by his father who had given it to him.
For occasions such as the feast that took place tonight, this broach could not have been worn on his tunic. There was always the desire to keep it on his person, and so as he had left the room with the twins, he had slipped it into the inner pocket of his tunic.
His fingers started tracing the edges of the ornate design, and Legolas drew in a small, sharp breath as his finger pricked caught on the sharp tip of the pin. Instinctively he drew his hand out of his pocket and sucked his finger into his mouth. Slowly an idea dawned on him and he slowly pulled the broach out of his pocket.
He slowly turned the broach around in his fingers, a smile forming on his lips. He glanced at the door, back at the broach in his hand, and gently pulled the pin out of its clasp.
With quiet steps he walked to the door and gently eased the pin into the key hole. This actions had caught the attention of Elladan and Elrohir and they moved to stand beside him. Legolas' brow furrowed in concentration as he listened for that tiny click.
He redoubled his efforts when he still heard no click, and the twins behind him were starting to get restless again.
A satisfied smile spread over his face when he heard the click, and he slowly eased the door open again, careful not to let it shut. With a single motion to the twins, he crept out of the door. The twins were more than eager to get out of the cell, and followed Legolas silently down the hall.
Something teased at the edges of Legolas' senses, and he slowed his pace somewhat. He came to a grinding halt as once again he found himself face to face with someone who should not have been there. He gulped as he looked upwards.
Boots.
Finely embroidered tunic and leggings.
The start of long blond hair.
A slight smirk.
Grey eyes.
He blinked and looked again. For a heartstopping moment, he thought he was looking at his father. But his father didn't have grey eyes. A small sigh of relief spilled past his lips as his brain informed him that he was looking at Glorfindel.
"And what are you doing out here so late little ones?"
The twins felt their breath leave them in a rush and looked to Legolas in support. They may have grown up with Glorfindel around, indeed he had become somewhat of a uncle to them, but they could not think of anything to say as fear started to grip them.
"We were out taking a walk my lord." Legolas answered after a long pause. It was the only thing he could think of to say, and wished more than anything he was in his room right now.
"A walk." The look on Glorfindel's face made it clear he did not believe them. The elder elf nodded once and cast a look in the direction of the Main Hall. "Your father was looking for you little prince." His lips quirked slightly to the side as Legolas paled and glanced frantically towards the Main Hall. "He was not in the bests of moods I fear when I left."
"Hannon le for letting me know my lord." Legolas took a deep breath as he composed himself, refusing to let Glorfindel know just how rattled he was by those words. "The hour grows late as the moon travels across the sky. It would be best for me to seek out my father in the morning. If you would excuse me, I would like to retire to my chambers, and I wish you all a good night."
Legolas inclined his head, and nodded at each elf standing before him. Without another word, he quickly turned and took the quickest route away from the Main Hall. It didn't matter to him that it would take him longer to get to his room this way.
As Glorfindel shook his head slightly, and started to lead the twins back to their room, they turned their heads back and looked where the prince had retreated.
They had never heard anyone talk like that - save perhaps their ada and some of the other more stuffier elves that frequented their ada's councils. For an elf so young to be speaking like that... it seemed wrong.
Glorfindel was thinking much along the same lines, and shook his head again as they neared the twins rooms. He supposed that the way Legolas had acted back there was a product of his upbringing and nothing more, but it saddened him to see such a young elf act in such a way. Legolas should be out walking amongst the trees, cherishing his childhood before it became lost to him forever. Not hunting spiders, and bearing the mantle of a title that was not even his to carry.
"Ai little one. Would that you could simply leave here and discover that there is more than the iron cage of responsibility and duty." Glorfindel muttered under his breath. The elf sighed and pushed those thoughts away. Legolas could no sooner leave here than he could set up residence in Mordor. Thranduil would never permit it.
With a stare at the twins to be good, he ushered them into their room, and waited by the window as they got ready for bed. Elrond breezed into the room moments later, and Glorfindel retreated into the shadows. As he slipped out of the door, he smiled as Elrond started weaving a tale of adventure and mystery. The tale was all too familiar to him. It was his after all.
As the story moved on to the brave warrior from Gondolin, Glorfindel closed the door softly behind him. Leaving the family to themselves.
Legolas slipped quickly out of the door to his fathers study. The light from the sun had barely started to touch the edges of the horizon when a servant had slipped reluctantly into his room, saying that the King requested that he come to the study immediately.
Legolas had had no choice but to agree, and had headed out to his father study.
Now, two hours and several lectures later, Legolas was eager to breath in the early morning air. He walked swiftly, yet quietly, down the halls and entered his room quietly. An ornate quiver and a finely crafted bow were lying in a chest at the end of his bed. He didn't want anyone getting their hands on his weapons. Opening up the chest, he reached down past the tunics and formal wear neatly folded in rows. His fingers curled around two small gaps in the wood, and he gently pulled the upper most tray out. Reaching in and pulling out his bow and quiver, he smiled. Perhaps it was overly cautious to hide his weapons like this, but Legolas could not have cared less about his decision to hide them.
Over on the bed was a small belt, with two small holders sewn tightly into the material.
With practiced fingers, Legolas tied the belt around his waist and pulled out two daggers from inside the chest. Small, thin leaves had been carefully carved into the hilt, and the design spread down towards the blade. Where the blade met the hilt, the design changed slightly, weaving trails of leafy branches etched brightly in gold. The blade glinted in the morning light, and cast spots of light over Legolas' face.
With a slight smile, Legolas observed the play of light over the blade and wondered if he would have to go out and hunt again today. Although his father did not know it, Legolas had been travelling out into the woods by himself, doing his best to fight back the ever growing population of spiders.
Although Legolas did not know what drew him out into the woods each day, armed and wary. But something spoke of a nameless fear brewing. Whispers on the air, and shadows in the night gathered like a shroud around his heart and he constantly felt darkness stirring on the horizon. Legolas had the feeling that this darkness had the potential to be unlike anything seen for ages. He did not know how he knew this, but he knew with certainty that what was brewing heralded trouble.
His feet lead him upwards, and out into the light. He welcomed the voices of the trees that welcomed his arrival, and took the time to talk to them softly as he walked towards a clearing.
His eyes fell upon a small target, hidden somewhat in the trees. It was easy for him to hit this target now, and he found himself walking further back than he normally did. Reaching back into his quiver, he pulled out a yellow and green fletched arrow. in one smooth motion, the young elf notched the arrow and sighted in on the target. He had moved so far back that to mortal eyes, he could never have been able to see the target, but he could see it easily and released the arrow.
The barb cut through the air and with barely a whisper in the air to mark its passing, the arrow sunk neatly into the target.
A smile spread over his face, and he pulled out another arrow. Placing it in the bow, he once more sighted with the target, pulled the bowstring taut, and was about to release the arrow when there was a rustling to the right.
His eyes narrowed, and he deliberated shooting whatever was there. No elf in their right mind would be walking about the archery courts at this time of day. When there was a strangled noise that didn't sound friendly, Legolas made up his mind and shot the arrow just above where his senses told him the presence was.
A muffled shout made his eyebrows rise and, shouldering his bow, he walked cautiously through the trees. What he saw there made him freeze, and a smirk pulled at his lips.
Elrohir was crumpled in an ungraceful heap by the base of a tree, and Elladan was frozen where he stood, his eyes riveted on an arrow which was embedded in the trunk of a tree about two inches from his head. Elladan gulped, and glared at the smirking elf before him.
"What in Arda's name did you do that for!" cried Elladan as he moved away from the tree as quickly as he could.
"I heard a strange sound and decided to investigate."
"Nice to know that your investigative skills have progressed to shoot first, ask questions later." muttered Elladan darkly.
"What happened to you?" Legolas asked, ignoring the steady stream of curses from Elladan's mouth, directing his question towards Elrohir who was just rising from the ground.
Elrohir blushed slightly and suddenly found the floor at his feet rather interesting. He mumbled something that Legolas could not make out, and the elven prince quickly asked Elrohir to repeat what he had said.
Elrohir sighed and looked up at Legolas, "I tripped over the tree root."
Legolas eyebrow once again threatened to migrate to his hairline. "You're an elf. How did you manage to trip over a tree root? And," something that happened tugged at his mind, "what was that noise I heard then?"
"That," Elladan started with a smirk, "was Elrohir as he tripped. I didn't know an elf could squeak."
"It was not a squeak." Elrohir corrected with a glare.
"Oh forgive me dear brother. It was not a squeak, how could I have ever thought so?" Elladan turned to face Legolas who found this all incredibly amusing. "Well, whatever it was, it was definitely very feminine."
Legolas started laughing when Elrohir growled under his breath and lunged for his brother. Elladan gasped with slight laughter as they both hit the ground.
Legolas was about to turn away and go back to his practice when he heard something behind him. It sounded suspiciously like footsteps. His eyes widened as he recognised the footsteps and ran into the trees. Elladan and Elrohir looked up just as Legolas darted out of sight, and stopped wrestling long enough to see Elrond and Thranduil walk through the trees.
Both elves shot to their feet like they had been burned, and Elrohir managed a hasty bow as Elladan frantically brushed the leaves off of their clothes. Elrohir brushed Elladan's hands away and unconsciously straightened his stained tunic as he caught sight of Lord Elrond's amused gaze.
The silence was starting to wear on him, and Elladan glanced once at the trees before turning to face the two elves standing before him. He cleared his throat softly, and hoped he could think of something to talk his way out of this. "Good morning ada, Your Majesty."
Thranduil noticed the glance at the bushes and raised an eyebrow. Glancing at the bushes himself, the other eyebrow joined the first as he saw Legolas trying to do his best impression of a shrub.
"Elladan, Elrohir. Where is my son?"
"What makes you think we know Your Highness?" said Elladan quickly. Too quickly.
Thranduil inclined his head with an amused smirk, and pointed to the lone arrow lying on the floor behind them. The twins turned around, and Elladan felt his heart sink somewhere in the region of his stomach. Ai Legolas, the whole point of hiding is that you remove all traces of your presence from a room.
"My sons?"
The twins turned back around and pasted fake looks on confusion on their faces. "Well, he was here..."
Thranduil was not amused, and fixed the twins with 'the look'. Something he usually reserved for Legolas. "So, where is my son?" he repeated, annoyance darkening his tone. The twins really wanted to run away, but held their ground. Weighing up which death would be less gruesome: at Legolas or Thranduil's hand, they decided that Legolas was the lesser of two evils and both twins pointed at the same shrub.
The twins chuckled, and Thranduil raised an eyebrow as the shrub in question cursed rather colourfully, and Legolas walked slowly out of the shrub. To say he looked dishevelled was an understatement, and various leaves and twigs were sticking out from his hair. With a dark glare to the twins, Legolas gracefully walked to stand next to his father. As gracefully as one can with half the bush still living in your hair.
Slender fingers started pulling out the remnants of the bush from his hair, and Thranduil fixed his son with a look. Legolas paused, quickly flashed his father a bright smile, and then returned to cleaning his hair. Thranduil shook his head, deciding to lull Legolas into a false sense of security and lecture him later. The King completely ignored the tiny voice that muttered that he was only doing this because his 'on the spot lecture' skills were more than a little rusty.
"Legolas, it is time for your lessons." Thranduil reminded.
Legolas paused in the middle of working through a large, knotted tangle. "But Ada, I don't have any lessons today."
"You do now. I discussed this with Glorfindel last night. Which you would have known about had you been there." Legolas hung his head slightly at the reproving tone in his fathers words. "Archery you may excel at, but little has been taught about history. Glorfindel thinks he can teach you what you do not know."
Legolas grimace was lost in his hair, and he masked his face before raising his head. "Of course Ada." Legolas inclined his head in respect, and followed his father into the palace. His heart sinking with each step he took. Why did it have to be history?
Elrond looked down at his sons, the expression in his eyes enough to let them know he wanted them to follow him inside as well. The twins nodded back, but asked if they could stay out here for a moment more. Elrond hesitated, but could think of no real reason why he could deny his sons this, and nodded once. With one more glance that told them not to do anything funny, he turned around and started walking back towards the palace.
"Hey El," said Elladan, once Elrond was out of earshot.
"What is it?" Elrohir turned to face his twin.
"What are you going to be doing tonight?"
Elrohir frowned as he thought ahead. "Probably nothing. I might hide out in my room for a while. Glorfindel has been doing the rounds trying to get people to drag into the library with him. Honestly, he thinks people really want to read all those books for hours."
"Ada does."
"Yes well, Ada's old." Elrohir commented in the tone that every elf under the age of 200 adopted when talking about their elders. One that clearly said that every elf over 3000 was ancient in every sense of the word. "That doesn't count. Ada's always liked books."
Elladan shrugged, and looked out into the trees. "And Ada's always going to be like that. So, what do you say we do a little exploring of our own tonight?"
Elrohir looked at his brother with an expression that clearly stated he worried for his brothers memory. "But Elladan, we've already been given the tour of Greenwood."
"I don't mean the council rooms, and the libraries. Only stuffy diplomats ever hang around in there. I mean, all the places that we are not supposed to see." Elladan finished with a wide sweep to the woods around them.
Elrohir's eyes widened. "The woods! You want to go into the woods? Elladan, have you lost your mind! Don't you remember what happened last time?"
"Of course I do." Elladan rolled his eyes. "But the chances of us being attacked this time are slim."
"That's what Glorfindel said last time."
"Are you scared brother?"
"No!" Elrohir frowned and looked out into the woods. "I just don't really want to walk headfirst into what could lead to my death."
"Don't you trust me?"
"...Yes... Sometimes I wonder why, but yes."
Elladan grabbed his brothers hand and started pulling him towards the palace. "Well there you go then! Nothing will go wrong."
"I'd feel better if Legolas was with us." Elrohir admitted as he was pulled along. "You saw what he did to that spider. Killed it quicker than we finished off all of the three spiders that attacked us first."
"So he's a better archer. We are capable of taking care of ourselves you know."
Elrohir rolled his eyes, and didn't bother to argue any more. When Elladan was dead set on something, there was nothing you could do to change his mind. As they reached the palace doors, Elrohir wondered just what the woods of Greenwood would set out for them once they ventured in their alone.
TBC…
Reviews:
Kaeera - Hello again! I can't remember when the last one was either. ;
Paris and Berlin! Cool! You'll have to tell me how they went!
Your orchestra is playing in a TV show? If it hasn't already been, is there any chance that I could see it on TV?
Maths shudders hate the subject. Can't stand it. wishes it could be wiped from the syllabus
Ask and ye shall receive. grins here's the next chapter.
Legola Lu - Thanks! I'll try and incorporate more of Legolas' past up until this point in future chapters. Thanks for reading and reviewing :-)
Lady Lenna - Aww, thanks grins I tried to make them as cute as possible without seeming over cavity causing. Glad it turned out okay.
Iawen Londea - chuckles It would have been really funny if Thranduil had known where he wayward son was and sent someone to follow him. Although I don't think he's had locked his son in the dungeons. I know that Thranduil can be a bit harsh at times, but I hope he'd never consider that. --;
Hex Of The Unseelie - Hey, cool name! Aww, thanks Hope you like this chapter.
Elfaer Giliell - People are reading my stories! Cool! Glad you liked this, and hopefully you liked the others as well.
