@Kawaii ningen Kitsune : Err, yes. That's exactly the general idea of this fic; Leggy's angst. He he he…
@shzismine : A special squad of paramedics is already waiting for you at the bottom. Go ahead, mate! Jump!
@Alkvingiel : Good. Send more to me. My friend fell of her chair laughing at Finding Leggy!
@Lucy : Yes, I know that Chapter 2 was quite fully loaded. Might be too much for some of the readers to swallow. And I will give Dior what he deserves, I promise!
@Kayo : You have such a wild imagination to think that you will cough up blood because of your cold! Now that's freaky! LOL!
@Volcanic Plug : I'm so sorry for frightening you like that. I didn't know that heart problems run in your family (I'm not sure if the problem will skip a generation, though. So be careful when you read the following chapters!) Most of the male elven names I had gotten from the Elven Names Generator sites. But Neléah, Luthwen, Narasene and Marwana are mine. I have been wishing those were my names. LOL! And yes, I really fainted. Hence, only one chapter for yesterday. I'm still on medical leave, so only one chapter for today too!
@feanen : Nope. It won't stop me at all. And, mellon, this next cliffie is dedicated especially for YOU!
@Aranel of Mirkwood : Tell the fire-breathing-ferret that I said 'Get Well Soon'!
@Menthol : You're right. I should have rated Chapter 2 as R. I guess I watched too many CSI Miami that I got used to all that gory details! He! He!
@layla146 : I'm so very not sorry for scaring you! And I'll do it again! ^_^
@Karina : Fables and faerie tales do happen in supermarket, believe me. It was the place where I actually fell in love for the first time. (The boy working at the counter was so cute! But sadly, we didn't live happily ever after. The last I heard of him, he is now working as the supermarket's branch manager!) And see you tomorrow too! (You are right. It does sound funny in the net! LOL!)
@Gerri : To me, Kel is like a sleeping volcano; impassive when he's calm, explosive when he gets angry! Yes. That's my precious baby! Next chapter coming right up!
I just finished watching TTT extended version. And I tell you, it's awesome!
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It was not even morning but the entire household of Thranduil had already awakened.
All the servants and the guards were still gathered in the grand hall, even many hours after Prince Keldarion had urgently summoned them. Commander Linden was also there, interrogating and reprimanding the elven warriors under his charge for letting such a deadly mistake to slip past under their watch.
So far, all the servants and the guards had given out the same explanation. They had seen no stranger entering the palace grand kitchen or lurking in the hallways. The chief cook also confirmed that the two princes had eaten the same food and drinks that the king had taken at dinner. And that threw away the theory of the poison coming from the kitchen because Legolas and Keldarion should have been poisoned as well.
Furious and frustrated when he still didn't get the answer he desired, Keldarion then gave out orders to double the security of the palace. Guards were to be stationed in every hallway and every door. The prince also demanded for at least two warriors to be appointed as personal guardians for the king and prince Legolas to accompany the two royalties wherever they went.
"Your brother would detest this, your highness," Commander Linden pointed out, smiling slightly.
Despite it all, Keldarion almost laughed. "Yes, I know. I can already imagine his reaction when he finds out that he is forbidden to go anywhere alone. The brat won't be happy about this new arrangement at all."
They were correct. Legolas didn't like it. Not one bit.
"You can't be serious!" the younger prince shouted in ire when Keldarion told him about his 'bodyguards'.
"I am serious, brat," Keldarion replied, sharing amused glances with the king at Legolas' immediate reaction.
"But this is preposterous! I'm not a little kid anymore!" The younger prince glared at his brother.
"Legolas, I'm not a...'little kid' either, but I fully accept this arrangement," Thranduil said, smiling benignly. "It's for our own safety, just in case."
"I can take care of myself, thank you very much!" Legolas growled, crossing his arms over his chest in complete defiance. The other two sighed heavily. They knew exactly how obstinate Legolas could be when he was in that kind of mood.
"Legolas," Keldarion started. "I know you are a skillful warrior yourself, but it wouldn't hurt if you have extra protection. I've already appointed three guards for you…"
"Three?" Legolas' eyes widened. "No way! One is more than enough!"
"All right. Two then."
"What is this? A bargain? Look, one guard or nothing at all! And that's final!"
"Legolas," Thranduil narrowed his eyes at his youngest son. "You will have two guards, or no more outings for you at all. And that's final. So, which will it be?"
Legolas opened and closed his mouth repeatedly but no voice came out. In the end, he stormed out of the king's chamber in long strides, slamming the door in the process.
Keldarion looked at the king and they both nodded. "Two guards then."
"Stubborn child," Thranduil added next, half exasperated and half amused. "I wonder where he gets such hardheadedness."
"From you, I suppose," Keldarion replied, chuckling.
"Me? You think so?" The king smiled. "Well, no surprises there. Your mother used to say that I have a head harder than a rock." He then walked outside onto the balcony, his elder son following not far behind. "So, Kel, what do you think? Is Legolas right? Is your cousin responsible behind all these?"
"Right now, father, everyone is a suspect to me," said Keldarion. "But I have a feeling that Legolas may be right. Dior might have returned for vengeance. But I wonder, how did he do it? How did he kill Laiél's family without alerting the patrol? And above all, how did he manage to poison you? There are no signs of him or any other intruders in the kitchen or within the palace, which is absurd."
"Maybe we were looking in the wrong place for the wrong thing," Thranduil said softly. "We haven't checked my chamber yet."
Keldarion stared at his father, and then slapped his own forehead. "Ai! I'm so dense! How could I have forgotten about that?"
Thranduil laughed. "That's understandable, Kel. You have been very busy already. Come, let's inspect this room. We might find something later on."
They began right there at the balcony, trying to find any signs of intrusion. After several minutes of looking, Keldarion noticed a slight disturbance among the wisteria bushes that draped down from the balcony top. Some of the purple blossoms were crushed and wilted, as if they had been carelessly stepped or pressed against.
The prince stretched his neck and looked up. Did the intruder come from the roof?
"Kel, have you found something?" asked Thranduil.
"I believe so," He pointed at the wilted flowers. "See this? Someone has been through here. He could have easily entered your chamber when you were not around…"
"And placed the poison," Thranduil finished the sentence, his eyes busily scanning his room. "But where did he place it?"
Keldarion stared at the freshly changed coverlet and pillowcases. The king's bloodied nightshirt and the previous bed sheet had been taken out by the servants to be washed. A jug of water and a glass were placed on a low chest made of red mahogany that stood beside the bed. The prince took the jug and sniffed. There was nothing wrong with its scent.
The king came closer. He opened the drawer and took something out, frowning thoughtfully. "Kel," he said suddenly. "I think I just found the poison."
The prince turned and saw the small bottle that his father was holding. "Your elixir of honey?"
"I took this last night before I went to sleep," Thranduil explained, still holding the potion he always took for vitality and strength. "It tasted vile at first, not sweet like usual. But I thought nothing wrong of it and took the same dose I always take. It was not long after when I started vomiting and coughing up blood."
Thranduil cringed inwardly as he remembered the agonizing spasms he had gone through last night. His heart had felt as if it was being crushed from within. His bowel had felt like exploding. He had tried calling for help but found he had no strength left. He couldn't breathe, choking on his blood. When he was about to submit to his death, his sons had arrived in time to bring him back to life.
Keldarion took the bottle, staring at it for any kind of answer. "I'll take this to Legolas to analyze. He might be able to sense the same venom he had felt in you. For the time being, I suggest you have a tester for your every meal."
"Is that really necessary?"
"I'm not taking any more chances, father. Legolas was right. If he wasn't a manyan healer, you would no longer be here standing and talking to me. You were near death when I found you." Keldarion's voice broke slightly. "I cannot let the same slip happen again. We need you, father. Legolas and I can not afford living without you."
Thranduil gripped his son's shoulder. "I need you both too. Despite his obvious reluctance, Legolas will let himself be guarded. But what about you?"
"What do you mean?"
"Shouldn't you have protection also? As far as we know, the killer, Dior or whoever that is, might include you as his target."
Keldarion nodded in assurance. "Don't worry about me, father. Linden had appointed his charges to watch over me." Then he grinned. "That 'old chap' thinks I'm not aware of it, though."
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Legolas glanced behind him, saw his faithful shadows still following, and cursed. The prince urged his mount to gallop faster, leaving the two Mirkwood warriors trying hard to catch up, which was not an easy feat considering how excellent a rider Legolas was. Furthermore, he was riding Red Star, the fiery and powerful elven stallion that no other horses in the realm could match in speed.
Legolas lifted his face to the beautiful smiling sun, relishing the nice warmth he had greatly missed since being cooped up within the palace ground for a full week. No other mishaps followed after Thranduil's poisoning, but Keldarion never lifted the tight security of the palace. Legolas had tolerated his guardians' presence, but just barely. In the end, he had become so restless with boredom he nearly chewed on his own hair! His temper flared and his impatience finally snapped. After a heated argument with Keldarion that morning, his over-protective brother had to relent and let Legolas go out for a ride.
Keldarion himself wanted to accompany him but Legolas had loudly protested. "Spare me some space already!" he had shouted. "I don't need to be coddled like a baby!"
"Fine!" Keldarion had cried out in equal frustration, throwing his hands in the air. "Go for your ride! But bring your guards along or you will answer to me!"
"Oh? What will you do, then? Lock me in my room?" Legolas responded, his fists clenching.
"Actually I feel like locking you in your closet!" Keldarion shouted back without thinking, and immediately regretted it. He saw the way Legolas had turned deathly pale and he felt like kicking himself for that blunder. "Elbereth…I…I'm sorry, Legolas. I…"
"I'm leaving now," Legolas had said softly before he turned around and left. He didn't even reply when his brother repeatedly called him back.
Like a speeding arrow, the horse and its rider dashed across the green meadow in synchronized symphony. Legolas' golden tresses flew in the wind like a banner. Feeling its master's exhilaration, Red Star sped up. The stallion's powerful hoofs pummeled the earth like the fists of the gods, scaring away the birds and little critters.
With a skill born out of hundreds of years of practice, Legolas reined in his mount when they reached the woods. Red Star snorted in protest when his fun of high speed was cut short. "I'm sorry, my friend." The prince chuckled as he patted the horse's neck. "You are too fast for the other two horses. Better give them some slack to catch up with us. Besides, I'm not too keen in breaking my neck among these trees."
The stallion neighed, disagreeing with Legolas' notion that it would have the gall to overthrow its own master. The prince laughed again and kicked his mount into a trot. He looked over his shoulder but his guardians were nowhere in sight. "See? I've told you that you are fast. We've lost them."
Legolas paused at a brook so that Red Star could take a drink. While doing so, the prince would cautiously glance at his surroundings, fully alert for any oncoming danger.
He then frowned in curiosity when his guardians still did not appear a long while later. Where in the world are they? the prince thought as he nudged his mount to backtrack the way they had come from. Great. Father will kill me! If Kel doesn't get to me first, that is!
Legolas suddenly realized that the woods had gone eerily quiet. There were no birds chirping or squirrels squeaking. Something is amiss, he deduced. His eyes wildly scanned about, looking for some signs of trouble. Not long after, he sensed the approaching mounts of his guardians. But when the two horses finally appeared, the prince was dumbstruck to see that the warriors were missing. The horses had come without their riders.
"What the…!" Legolas was shock. He instantly knew that danger was near. In one swift motion, the prince took out his bow and notched an arrow, ready to aim and shoot. That's when his ears caught a hissing sound coming fast from his left.
On reflex, he quickly ducked. The flying dart that could have struck his neck shot past above him and hit the nearby tree with a loud thwack. Legolas raised his bow and released the arrow towards a cluster of trees where the dart had come from. He knew he had hit only thin air because more darts kept coming for him.
Using his bow to block the missiles, Legolas whirled his mount around to flee. Sensing its master's desperation, Red Star eagerly bolted. But much to Legolas' dismay, a dart caught him in his lower back. He jerked in his seat from the impact. Still, he held on to Red Star, hoping to reach the open meadow and escape the deadly trap.
But his body was quickly growing numb. Getting incredibly lightheaded, his grip on Red Star's mane grew weaker. Then, to his horror, he lost complete control of his body and fell off his mount, hitting the ground hard.
D…drug…I should have listened to Kel… Those were his final thought before the light went out on him.
TBC….