Disclaimer: I do not own Lord of the Rings or any associated characters
and/or places thereof.
Author's Note: This is the sequel to 'Cold Steel' and 'Forever Mithril'. Those two do not have to be read for understanding, but it would certainly help you to have read them first.
*****
"Is this absolutely necessary?" Aragorn asked Legolas. "If you prefer I might relay the message to them, speak on your behalf--"
"Your aims are true," Legolas replied, "but they are not well-founded. My friend, this is a task I must complete myself, without your aid. Save, if you would. . ." The Elf blushed and looked away for a moment, blushing, then turned back to his comrade. "'Tis in slight embarrassing. . ."
"Worry not, I would not tease you of it."
"Would you stand beside me as I spoke? Face my demons with me, if you would?" Legolas faced Aragorn with a small, hopeful smile on his lips.
"Of course," Aragorn assured him. "Shall we go now?"
"'Tis as good a time as any," responded Legolas. The two turned from their small, secluded spot in trees and walked slowly back to the rest of the group. Boromir continued to teach the Halflings swordplay, Gimli sat by himself smoking his pipe, and grunted by way of greeting. Legolas cleared his throat. "If I might have every person's attention for just a moment, if you please?" he asked politely.
Boromir lowered his sword and turned to the Elf, Merry and Pippin copying his every move. "You're getting quite good at this," Pippin whispered to Merry. Merry nodded in acknowledgement, then both were quite and attentive to Legolas.
"Some of you may have noticed my. . .strange behavior recently," he began, swallowing to clear his frightened throat. "In point of fact, I believe all of you did. Before we leave Lothlorien, it is important for you to understand what was going on. When I was younger I used to hurt myself." Beads of sweat broke out on Legolas's forehead, and his lower lip slipped beneath his teeth. Beside him, Aragorn shifted slightly.
Boromir had heard these words, but did not watch Legolas--he watched Aragorn. He noted the way Aragorn was ready at a second's provocation to step forward and support his friend. Boromir even noticed a gleam even Aragorn knew not of--a longing to protect. All this he committed to memory, for it would be useful information, perhaps, later on.
The hobbits were glancing at each other, uncertain. Was this for real? Was it possible? They had seen Legolas as nothing but strong, confident, and self-assured. How could someone like that do something so. . .there seemed no word for it. It was not immature or lowly, but it was definitely negative.
"I used a knife," Legolas said, but his voice was stopped up and too raspy and quiet to be heard. He cleared his throat a second time and went on, "I used a knife and a dagger. I still have the scars. It. . .it seemed to matter that you knew, lest you find out some other way and lose much trust in my abilities--if you have not already."
There seemed to be no sound in all Lothlorien. Aragorn took a step forward but Legolas shook his head slightly to that; he must stand his ground now or never would he be able to. The silence was oppressive. Finally Peregrin Took, the youngest of the hobbits, stepped forward. He took Legolas by the hand and he said to him, "Do not worry, Mister Legolas. We all trust you as we did before."
Legolas wanted to cry with gratitude for the little Halfling. Boromir turned to Gimli. "You knew this?" he inquired.
"For one day past," Gimli replied. "It hardly matters, you know. The Elf is still a warrior of some strength. Even I would trust him--I, a Dwarf!" he proclaimed this last statement proudly, grudging in part his feeling of newfound kinship for the Elf.
Yet in some hearts stirrings of misgivings were present. Trust was pushed to its limitation. The hobbits remembered Legolas, but were somewhat wary of him now, knowing that they could do little to aid him, yet fearing that perhaps it would be folly to place trust in him. Boromir had an idea of sorts far lower than most would expect of such a person: he knew well that Aragorn harbored little trust for him, and much for Legolas. Now that trust in Legolas had waned, and Boromir intended to manipulate this as much as he could.
"Be thou wary," Galadriel warned. She had drawn Legolas aside as the others slept, speaking once more to him in private before the company left her realm the following day. "Much has been lost between you and the Halflings, and be mindful of the Man of Gondor. Ill deeds I see in your future, Legolas Greenleaf, and your strength's test has but begun. Will you look into my mirror?"
"Is that for the best?"
"The mirror knows, I do not," replied Galadriel.
"I shall look," replied Legolas cautiously. "For thou wouldst not deceive me, else I am much mistaken?"
Galadriel led Legolas to the silver bowl, and poured forth an amount of water within. "Go on," she instructed with a nod. "Let fear not keep you from truth."
Legolas eyed her cautiously, but approached the mirror and gazed into the water. Images flashed before his eyes, and though he would never recall most of them certain feelings remained with him. Stirrings of fear he felt, of a time when his bow would be much needed, of much love lost, and of many chances that he might lose if he did not regain the confidence that seemed to have faded slightly from him. What pictures burned with these emotions were forgotten at once.
The younger Elf stepped back. He turned to Galadriel, a question without words trembling on his lips. "Are you afraid now, Prince of Mirkwood?" she asked him.
"Yes," he answered truthfully, "and weary. Your 'magics', as they are called by some, have truly cast a spell on me."
"Seek rest," Galadriel advised. "He will worry about you if you do not."
"How can I stop him from treating me as a child?" Legolas asked.
"By proving yourself," the elder Elf answered, "time and time again."
Author's Note: This is the sequel to 'Cold Steel' and 'Forever Mithril'. Those two do not have to be read for understanding, but it would certainly help you to have read them first.
*****
"Is this absolutely necessary?" Aragorn asked Legolas. "If you prefer I might relay the message to them, speak on your behalf--"
"Your aims are true," Legolas replied, "but they are not well-founded. My friend, this is a task I must complete myself, without your aid. Save, if you would. . ." The Elf blushed and looked away for a moment, blushing, then turned back to his comrade. "'Tis in slight embarrassing. . ."
"Worry not, I would not tease you of it."
"Would you stand beside me as I spoke? Face my demons with me, if you would?" Legolas faced Aragorn with a small, hopeful smile on his lips.
"Of course," Aragorn assured him. "Shall we go now?"
"'Tis as good a time as any," responded Legolas. The two turned from their small, secluded spot in trees and walked slowly back to the rest of the group. Boromir continued to teach the Halflings swordplay, Gimli sat by himself smoking his pipe, and grunted by way of greeting. Legolas cleared his throat. "If I might have every person's attention for just a moment, if you please?" he asked politely.
Boromir lowered his sword and turned to the Elf, Merry and Pippin copying his every move. "You're getting quite good at this," Pippin whispered to Merry. Merry nodded in acknowledgement, then both were quite and attentive to Legolas.
"Some of you may have noticed my. . .strange behavior recently," he began, swallowing to clear his frightened throat. "In point of fact, I believe all of you did. Before we leave Lothlorien, it is important for you to understand what was going on. When I was younger I used to hurt myself." Beads of sweat broke out on Legolas's forehead, and his lower lip slipped beneath his teeth. Beside him, Aragorn shifted slightly.
Boromir had heard these words, but did not watch Legolas--he watched Aragorn. He noted the way Aragorn was ready at a second's provocation to step forward and support his friend. Boromir even noticed a gleam even Aragorn knew not of--a longing to protect. All this he committed to memory, for it would be useful information, perhaps, later on.
The hobbits were glancing at each other, uncertain. Was this for real? Was it possible? They had seen Legolas as nothing but strong, confident, and self-assured. How could someone like that do something so. . .there seemed no word for it. It was not immature or lowly, but it was definitely negative.
"I used a knife," Legolas said, but his voice was stopped up and too raspy and quiet to be heard. He cleared his throat a second time and went on, "I used a knife and a dagger. I still have the scars. It. . .it seemed to matter that you knew, lest you find out some other way and lose much trust in my abilities--if you have not already."
There seemed to be no sound in all Lothlorien. Aragorn took a step forward but Legolas shook his head slightly to that; he must stand his ground now or never would he be able to. The silence was oppressive. Finally Peregrin Took, the youngest of the hobbits, stepped forward. He took Legolas by the hand and he said to him, "Do not worry, Mister Legolas. We all trust you as we did before."
Legolas wanted to cry with gratitude for the little Halfling. Boromir turned to Gimli. "You knew this?" he inquired.
"For one day past," Gimli replied. "It hardly matters, you know. The Elf is still a warrior of some strength. Even I would trust him--I, a Dwarf!" he proclaimed this last statement proudly, grudging in part his feeling of newfound kinship for the Elf.
Yet in some hearts stirrings of misgivings were present. Trust was pushed to its limitation. The hobbits remembered Legolas, but were somewhat wary of him now, knowing that they could do little to aid him, yet fearing that perhaps it would be folly to place trust in him. Boromir had an idea of sorts far lower than most would expect of such a person: he knew well that Aragorn harbored little trust for him, and much for Legolas. Now that trust in Legolas had waned, and Boromir intended to manipulate this as much as he could.
"Be thou wary," Galadriel warned. She had drawn Legolas aside as the others slept, speaking once more to him in private before the company left her realm the following day. "Much has been lost between you and the Halflings, and be mindful of the Man of Gondor. Ill deeds I see in your future, Legolas Greenleaf, and your strength's test has but begun. Will you look into my mirror?"
"Is that for the best?"
"The mirror knows, I do not," replied Galadriel.
"I shall look," replied Legolas cautiously. "For thou wouldst not deceive me, else I am much mistaken?"
Galadriel led Legolas to the silver bowl, and poured forth an amount of water within. "Go on," she instructed with a nod. "Let fear not keep you from truth."
Legolas eyed her cautiously, but approached the mirror and gazed into the water. Images flashed before his eyes, and though he would never recall most of them certain feelings remained with him. Stirrings of fear he felt, of a time when his bow would be much needed, of much love lost, and of many chances that he might lose if he did not regain the confidence that seemed to have faded slightly from him. What pictures burned with these emotions were forgotten at once.
The younger Elf stepped back. He turned to Galadriel, a question without words trembling on his lips. "Are you afraid now, Prince of Mirkwood?" she asked him.
"Yes," he answered truthfully, "and weary. Your 'magics', as they are called by some, have truly cast a spell on me."
"Seek rest," Galadriel advised. "He will worry about you if you do not."
"How can I stop him from treating me as a child?" Legolas asked.
"By proving yourself," the elder Elf answered, "time and time again."