AUTHOR STUFF: to gemstone, tamara, KarateElf, chrisalin, RuByMoOn, and all
others who reviewed (i know there was more, but those names were the only
ones my computer will show at the moment)- thank you so much. Especially
gemstone- this is a sort of an apology for not coming back with a new
chapter sooner. Please understand, a combination of writer's block and
school work and the like do NOT do wonders for the writing. But anyway,
all's well now- here's a slightly rushed version of chapter 5. it's really
a filler chapter until my planned action in chapter 6, so again- i'm sorry!
Anyway, here it comes.
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Elrond sat down heavily on his bed, sighing, and laying his head in his hands. There had been an unspoken agreement by all not to attend dinner with Thranduil, especially since Arwen was plotting his death. Mekahb agreed to relay the message that they were still tired from their journey and wished to take their evening meal alone. And Elrond was alone, but he was not eating. He could not bring himself to touch the plate of food that sat next to his bed. He had so many emotions running through him: disgust, anger, fear, sadness, and guilt. Guilt. Yes, it was guilt that he felt most of all.
He had known Legolas for all of the younger elf's life. Had, in fact, been there to see him born. And the Prince spent so much time in Rivendell, Elrond practically considered him an unofficial son. To think that for two thousand years this dark secret had been kept from him. . . no, he had just not seen it. If he had only realized what was going on earlier, something could have been done. And now that he does know, what can he do? If anything should happen to Legolas now, it would be at his fault.
"I had a slight hunch I would find you brooding in here," a voice spoke up from the doorway. The Lord of Imladris, not feeling very lord-like at the moment, turned to Gandalf with a slight frown. Gandalf shut the door behind him and sank into a chair with a sigh not unlike the one Elrond had had. Elrond noticed this, and tried to put into words what exactly he was feeling. "Must I assure you this is not your fault?"
"Two thousand years, Gandalf. Two thousand years of. . . all this. How could I not have known?" he said quietly, rubbing his face in frustration.
"How could any of us? You forget, my dear Lord, that you were not alone in this discovery. Your children and even this very old wizard were in the dark about this. As I said to Legolas earlier, this is in no way your fault, or any of ours, save the Mirkwood King," he nearly spat out the word. He continued on more quietly when he saw his words were beginning to have an effect on Elrond. "You are also not the only one to feel this way," he nodded his head towards to the hallway. Elrond obediently turned, and saw that he was indicating the rooms of his children.
With a rueful nod to Gandalf, Elrond stood up and peeked into the twins' room. There sat Elladan on one bed, back against the wall, eyes staring at nothing. If not for the gentle drumming of his fingers against his leg, Elrond would have thought his oldest to be asleep. Across from Elladan, Arwen and Elrohir were sitting on the floor, their own backs leaning against Elrohir's bed. Arwen had her head resting against her brother's shoulder, while he kept one arm around her as if he thought to protect her from Thranduil as well. Last of all, Elrond watched Aragorn as he paced slightly in front of the window, fingering the hilt of his sword that was now strapped to his waist.
Elrond took a deep breath as he felt Gandalf come up behind, urging him on. He took the hint. "Well?" he asked, his voice disturbing the silence in the room and causing the four to jump. They turned at stared at him.
Finally, Elladan found his voice. "Well what?" He sat up a little straighter in confusion. His brothers and sister followed suit, Aragorn taking a place next to Elladan on the bed.
Elrond smiled painfully. "What would you have me do? We all agree that something must be done about Thranduil, but so far, I have come up with naught to fix this," he then paused. "Since we all feel somewhat responsible for this, I think it is best that we find the solution." The others looked down guiltily at their feelings having been found out. He turned to his other son. "Elrohir, would you go awaken Legolas and bring him and Mekahb here? They should be present when we discuss this." Elrohir nodded and quickly left the room.
Gandalf spoke up from the doorway as the young Elf disappeared. "Mirkwood has laws preventing this sort of actions from a king, but if Radames is not found or. . . proven to be dead, then we are still in a dilemma." At the looks of confusion in their eyes, he explained, "Mirkwood also has laws forbidding any but the Crown Prince to take the throne. Which means that until we find out what has happened to Radames, there is not much to be done in stopping Thranduil from remaining king. Oh, we can keep Legolas away from him and the pain he inflicts, but Thranduil will not be punished."
"But that's not fair!" Aragorn whispered almost hoarsely, trying to both volume and emotion out of his voice.
"No, it's not. But that is the laws of Mirkwood. They are not the same as Rivendell's. And as we are guests in this realm, it is not our right to confront this," Gandalf answered, almost as an apology.
"So there is nothing we can do? What about Legolas, what can he do?" Arwen asked from her position on the floor.
"He-" Elrond abruptly stopped speaking. "He should be back here with Elrohir by now. . ." Suddenly alarmed, then entire group rushed down to the Crown Prince's chambers. Elladan, the first to reach the door, stopped shaken at the entrance. The room was empty except for an unconscious Mekahb laying still on the floor.
"Mek!" Elladan cried, rushing forward and pulling the Mirkwood Elf into a sitting position. He slowly opened his eyes, groaning at the effort. The emotions in his eyes caused the group concern. Elrond saw fear, sadness, and once again, that ubiquitous guilt.
"What happened?" Aragorn asked worriedly from a semi-lookout position at the door. The others helped Mekahb to sit on the bed, which they again noted as empty. "Where is Legolas?"
Mek shook his head as if to clear out unwanted thoughts. "Thranduil came. He must have known that we spoke! He knew he was found out and accused Legolas of treason and betraying Mirkwood to the rulers of Rivendell." He cast sorry eyes upon Elrond. The Lord motioned for him to continue. "He had some other elves with him, his own warriors I did not recognize. They. . . seized them and left. I tried to stop them, but one must have hit me from-"
"Seized 'them'? What do you mean by 'them?'" Gandalf broke in urgently.
This time Mekahb looked away, fear evident in his voice. "Legolas and Elrohir. Thranduil took both of them!"
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ANOTHER AUTHOR'S NOTE: yeah, that's my weak attempt at a cliffhanger- sorry. But i added this little note at the end because I want some feedback on how I should end part of this story. I've got two different ending planned out, but I can't decide which one to use. so Oh Readers and Reviewers- would you rather Thranduil killed at the end or just banished or imprisoned or whatever. It's basically up to you- have some fun with your suggestions! Thanks so much!
Elrond sat down heavily on his bed, sighing, and laying his head in his hands. There had been an unspoken agreement by all not to attend dinner with Thranduil, especially since Arwen was plotting his death. Mekahb agreed to relay the message that they were still tired from their journey and wished to take their evening meal alone. And Elrond was alone, but he was not eating. He could not bring himself to touch the plate of food that sat next to his bed. He had so many emotions running through him: disgust, anger, fear, sadness, and guilt. Guilt. Yes, it was guilt that he felt most of all.
He had known Legolas for all of the younger elf's life. Had, in fact, been there to see him born. And the Prince spent so much time in Rivendell, Elrond practically considered him an unofficial son. To think that for two thousand years this dark secret had been kept from him. . . no, he had just not seen it. If he had only realized what was going on earlier, something could have been done. And now that he does know, what can he do? If anything should happen to Legolas now, it would be at his fault.
"I had a slight hunch I would find you brooding in here," a voice spoke up from the doorway. The Lord of Imladris, not feeling very lord-like at the moment, turned to Gandalf with a slight frown. Gandalf shut the door behind him and sank into a chair with a sigh not unlike the one Elrond had had. Elrond noticed this, and tried to put into words what exactly he was feeling. "Must I assure you this is not your fault?"
"Two thousand years, Gandalf. Two thousand years of. . . all this. How could I not have known?" he said quietly, rubbing his face in frustration.
"How could any of us? You forget, my dear Lord, that you were not alone in this discovery. Your children and even this very old wizard were in the dark about this. As I said to Legolas earlier, this is in no way your fault, or any of ours, save the Mirkwood King," he nearly spat out the word. He continued on more quietly when he saw his words were beginning to have an effect on Elrond. "You are also not the only one to feel this way," he nodded his head towards to the hallway. Elrond obediently turned, and saw that he was indicating the rooms of his children.
With a rueful nod to Gandalf, Elrond stood up and peeked into the twins' room. There sat Elladan on one bed, back against the wall, eyes staring at nothing. If not for the gentle drumming of his fingers against his leg, Elrond would have thought his oldest to be asleep. Across from Elladan, Arwen and Elrohir were sitting on the floor, their own backs leaning against Elrohir's bed. Arwen had her head resting against her brother's shoulder, while he kept one arm around her as if he thought to protect her from Thranduil as well. Last of all, Elrond watched Aragorn as he paced slightly in front of the window, fingering the hilt of his sword that was now strapped to his waist.
Elrond took a deep breath as he felt Gandalf come up behind, urging him on. He took the hint. "Well?" he asked, his voice disturbing the silence in the room and causing the four to jump. They turned at stared at him.
Finally, Elladan found his voice. "Well what?" He sat up a little straighter in confusion. His brothers and sister followed suit, Aragorn taking a place next to Elladan on the bed.
Elrond smiled painfully. "What would you have me do? We all agree that something must be done about Thranduil, but so far, I have come up with naught to fix this," he then paused. "Since we all feel somewhat responsible for this, I think it is best that we find the solution." The others looked down guiltily at their feelings having been found out. He turned to his other son. "Elrohir, would you go awaken Legolas and bring him and Mekahb here? They should be present when we discuss this." Elrohir nodded and quickly left the room.
Gandalf spoke up from the doorway as the young Elf disappeared. "Mirkwood has laws preventing this sort of actions from a king, but if Radames is not found or. . . proven to be dead, then we are still in a dilemma." At the looks of confusion in their eyes, he explained, "Mirkwood also has laws forbidding any but the Crown Prince to take the throne. Which means that until we find out what has happened to Radames, there is not much to be done in stopping Thranduil from remaining king. Oh, we can keep Legolas away from him and the pain he inflicts, but Thranduil will not be punished."
"But that's not fair!" Aragorn whispered almost hoarsely, trying to both volume and emotion out of his voice.
"No, it's not. But that is the laws of Mirkwood. They are not the same as Rivendell's. And as we are guests in this realm, it is not our right to confront this," Gandalf answered, almost as an apology.
"So there is nothing we can do? What about Legolas, what can he do?" Arwen asked from her position on the floor.
"He-" Elrond abruptly stopped speaking. "He should be back here with Elrohir by now. . ." Suddenly alarmed, then entire group rushed down to the Crown Prince's chambers. Elladan, the first to reach the door, stopped shaken at the entrance. The room was empty except for an unconscious Mekahb laying still on the floor.
"Mek!" Elladan cried, rushing forward and pulling the Mirkwood Elf into a sitting position. He slowly opened his eyes, groaning at the effort. The emotions in his eyes caused the group concern. Elrond saw fear, sadness, and once again, that ubiquitous guilt.
"What happened?" Aragorn asked worriedly from a semi-lookout position at the door. The others helped Mekahb to sit on the bed, which they again noted as empty. "Where is Legolas?"
Mek shook his head as if to clear out unwanted thoughts. "Thranduil came. He must have known that we spoke! He knew he was found out and accused Legolas of treason and betraying Mirkwood to the rulers of Rivendell." He cast sorry eyes upon Elrond. The Lord motioned for him to continue. "He had some other elves with him, his own warriors I did not recognize. They. . . seized them and left. I tried to stop them, but one must have hit me from-"
"Seized 'them'? What do you mean by 'them?'" Gandalf broke in urgently.
This time Mekahb looked away, fear evident in his voice. "Legolas and Elrohir. Thranduil took both of them!"
()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()() ()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()
ANOTHER AUTHOR'S NOTE: yeah, that's my weak attempt at a cliffhanger- sorry. But i added this little note at the end because I want some feedback on how I should end part of this story. I've got two different ending planned out, but I can't decide which one to use. so Oh Readers and Reviewers- would you rather Thranduil killed at the end or just banished or imprisoned or whatever. It's basically up to you- have some fun with your suggestions! Thanks so much!