Chapter Two: Accusations
Legolas peered out of the doorway from his perch on top of the bookshelf. The room he was in was dark, making it perfect for hiding from unwanted attention. When Elladan awoke, Legolas was sure he would come looking for the prince.
If he had known this would happen, he would have stayed in the forest of Mirkwood. Still, he could always return. The window was clearly right there. If Elladan did not wake up soon, he could simply walk out the front gate. Once he reached the ford, there was almost no way they could catch him.
The prince chuckled to himself. What was he so scared of? The human was not his concern, it was Elrond's. He could care less if it lived or died. He couldn't be expected to just forget the past! There was no way to just erase a memory.
Footsteps echoed down the hallway as servants passed across the door, carrying Elladan and Elrohir with Elrond following closely behind. Legolas decided it to be safer if he stayed where he was.
It scared Legolas, slightly, that he could remember a time when he would not have hesitated to help them. This time, he didn't hesitate either-he walked away. He was surprised as well, but only slightly.
"He deserved it," the prince muttered to himself.
More footsteps bounced off the walls of the empty hallway. He stiffened, wondering who it was. A dazed Elrohir stepped into the sight of the doorway. He turned as more footsteps came running at him. Elrond stood just out of sight, but Legolas knew it was him.
"Elrohir," whispered the father softly.
"We didn't protect him," said the younger twin, his voice sounding distant.
"What happened? Exactly how did Estel get taken?" Elrond pressed further.
"They grabbed him! We were caught off guard! We were outnumbered!"
The elf-lord opened his mouth to respond, but a large clatter rang out, stopping him. It sounded as if a bowl had been tossed across a room very hard. Someone let out an exasperated cry. Elrond turned back and rushed off. Elrohir simply stood there, the dazed and confused look still on his face.
Frowning, Legolas lowered himself from the bookshelf and walked over to the poor elf.
"Come now," he said kindly, "let's get you to bed."
"No," protested Elrohir, "I want to see Elladan."
Reluctantly, Legolas agreed to take Elrohir there. The elf was still in shock from what had happened earlier, trying to regain his bearings after being hit so hard. Legolas knew Elladan was probably awake and enraged. He came into the room before Elrohir, and Elladan was immediately upon him. He had the prince by the neck, pinning him against the wall. Strangely, Legolas didn't put up any resistance.
"I can't believe you have the nerve to face me!" exclaimed Elladan.
Even as he stared the elf down, he didn't respond.
"You have something to do with this, don't you? This is all your fault!" accused the eldest brother.
Elrond rushed forward and pulled his son away from Legolas. "Calm down! Someone explain to me what is going on here!"
Elladan had to be restrained as he explained the events of Estel's capture- how Legolas had simply watched, then walked away when Elladan pleaded for his help.
The wise elf-lord looked at Legolas, who stood there with the same look of boredom he had when he was sitting in the window earlier that day. Maybe there was more behind that look than just boredom. Maybe it was remorse? Maybe it was fear? He couldn't figure it out.
"Can you defend yourself against these accusations?" he asked.
"If I did...who in here would believe me?" asked Legolas, instead of answering the question.
A total of seven people were in the room. Not one spoke for Legolas.
"Therefore," he continued, "I have nothing to say."
Legolas turned to walk away, but two warriors came; one bound his arms behind his back while the other grabbed his forearm, leading him away.
"I'm sorry," whispered Elrond.
"I am, too."
----------------------------------------------------------------------
"Send a messenger to Mirkwood. I request Thranduil to be informed of his son's current situation," commanded Elrond. "Have the patrols returned with tidings of Estel?"
The servant standing before him simply frowned. Elrond sighed and dismissed the servant. It looked as if the elf-lord had not slept in days. In fact, he hadn't. It had been nearly three days since Estel had been taken. Worry took the place of sleep, his mind constantly worrying for his new son.
Finding his son was not Elrond's only problem. He had to place guards at the door where Legolas was being held, to keep Elladan from hurting him. The prince was still stubbornly refusing to talk-about Estel and his own problems. It was impossible to break through his outer shell! He had to keep trying, though. Maybe he just wasn't asking the right questions.
With a heavy sigh, Elrond returned to his seat in front of the fireplace, preparing for Legolas's trial tomorrow afternoon. His heart was going against all his instincts, telling him that Legolas was not guilty.
Did Legolas know something about Estel? If he was there, he saw the men who took the boy! Maybe he could describe them. At least there would be something to start the search on.
He sighed once more. The feeling of failure was so strong on him. He failed as a father, he failed as a healer. It was so strong, it wanted to crush him. He couldn't protect his son, he couldn't help Legolas, what could he do?
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
How long had he been confined to that room? Two days? Maybe three? Legolas had lost track of the time. It didn't matter anymore. He was going to be found guilty at his trial tomorrow and probably exiled, he was sure of it. There was nothing to prove that he was innocent, but his actions at the battle could create the illusion of him being guilty.
It was nothing to him. He would go home, his father would punish him, and everything would be back to normal. Well, as normal as things were going to return to for the prince. He was missing so much from his life now-he felt so empty.
Soft footfalls showed that someone was coming quietly down the hallway. They stopped before his door. Legolas stiffened and pulled himself into a crouched position on the bed. An elf clad in the robes of an Imladris servant stepped into the room with a tray of food.
As soon as the door closed, however, he tossed the tray aside. The prince was actually expecting him to produce a knife from inside his robes.
"Legolas Greenleaf, am I correct?" questioned the servant.
"That you are, and you may be?" responded Legolas with a question of his own, but did not relax even the least bit.
"Ryldor, sir," said his visitor with a courteous boy. "I came here to thank you."
"Thank me? I do not recall doing anything worth gratitude."
"But you have," he protested. "You walked away from the battle. It was a courageous thing, I think, to have walked away from your friends that way."
"Funny, most would think it was cowardice," responded the prince. "What makes you think different?"
"The way you did it, with pride in your step," said the elf. "You did it without turning back, with no remorse. Either you truly hate humans, or you are a master of your emotions. Allow me to shake the hand of the one who ensured my victory."
There was hesitation in the moment before Legolas stepped from the bed and stood in front of the man whom he had aided. The man was obviously trying to flatter him, or was unintentionally trying to. He could see nothing in the man's actions that revealed anything. His expression revealed little save for the fact that he was overconfident. There was much about this man to be suspicious of. Reluctantly, he extended his hand.
"You'll thank me later," said the elf.
He pulled Legolas forward. Suddenly, the prince's world went dark...
Legolas peered out of the doorway from his perch on top of the bookshelf. The room he was in was dark, making it perfect for hiding from unwanted attention. When Elladan awoke, Legolas was sure he would come looking for the prince.
If he had known this would happen, he would have stayed in the forest of Mirkwood. Still, he could always return. The window was clearly right there. If Elladan did not wake up soon, he could simply walk out the front gate. Once he reached the ford, there was almost no way they could catch him.
The prince chuckled to himself. What was he so scared of? The human was not his concern, it was Elrond's. He could care less if it lived or died. He couldn't be expected to just forget the past! There was no way to just erase a memory.
Footsteps echoed down the hallway as servants passed across the door, carrying Elladan and Elrohir with Elrond following closely behind. Legolas decided it to be safer if he stayed where he was.
It scared Legolas, slightly, that he could remember a time when he would not have hesitated to help them. This time, he didn't hesitate either-he walked away. He was surprised as well, but only slightly.
"He deserved it," the prince muttered to himself.
More footsteps bounced off the walls of the empty hallway. He stiffened, wondering who it was. A dazed Elrohir stepped into the sight of the doorway. He turned as more footsteps came running at him. Elrond stood just out of sight, but Legolas knew it was him.
"Elrohir," whispered the father softly.
"We didn't protect him," said the younger twin, his voice sounding distant.
"What happened? Exactly how did Estel get taken?" Elrond pressed further.
"They grabbed him! We were caught off guard! We were outnumbered!"
The elf-lord opened his mouth to respond, but a large clatter rang out, stopping him. It sounded as if a bowl had been tossed across a room very hard. Someone let out an exasperated cry. Elrond turned back and rushed off. Elrohir simply stood there, the dazed and confused look still on his face.
Frowning, Legolas lowered himself from the bookshelf and walked over to the poor elf.
"Come now," he said kindly, "let's get you to bed."
"No," protested Elrohir, "I want to see Elladan."
Reluctantly, Legolas agreed to take Elrohir there. The elf was still in shock from what had happened earlier, trying to regain his bearings after being hit so hard. Legolas knew Elladan was probably awake and enraged. He came into the room before Elrohir, and Elladan was immediately upon him. He had the prince by the neck, pinning him against the wall. Strangely, Legolas didn't put up any resistance.
"I can't believe you have the nerve to face me!" exclaimed Elladan.
Even as he stared the elf down, he didn't respond.
"You have something to do with this, don't you? This is all your fault!" accused the eldest brother.
Elrond rushed forward and pulled his son away from Legolas. "Calm down! Someone explain to me what is going on here!"
Elladan had to be restrained as he explained the events of Estel's capture- how Legolas had simply watched, then walked away when Elladan pleaded for his help.
The wise elf-lord looked at Legolas, who stood there with the same look of boredom he had when he was sitting in the window earlier that day. Maybe there was more behind that look than just boredom. Maybe it was remorse? Maybe it was fear? He couldn't figure it out.
"Can you defend yourself against these accusations?" he asked.
"If I did...who in here would believe me?" asked Legolas, instead of answering the question.
A total of seven people were in the room. Not one spoke for Legolas.
"Therefore," he continued, "I have nothing to say."
Legolas turned to walk away, but two warriors came; one bound his arms behind his back while the other grabbed his forearm, leading him away.
"I'm sorry," whispered Elrond.
"I am, too."
----------------------------------------------------------------------
"Send a messenger to Mirkwood. I request Thranduil to be informed of his son's current situation," commanded Elrond. "Have the patrols returned with tidings of Estel?"
The servant standing before him simply frowned. Elrond sighed and dismissed the servant. It looked as if the elf-lord had not slept in days. In fact, he hadn't. It had been nearly three days since Estel had been taken. Worry took the place of sleep, his mind constantly worrying for his new son.
Finding his son was not Elrond's only problem. He had to place guards at the door where Legolas was being held, to keep Elladan from hurting him. The prince was still stubbornly refusing to talk-about Estel and his own problems. It was impossible to break through his outer shell! He had to keep trying, though. Maybe he just wasn't asking the right questions.
With a heavy sigh, Elrond returned to his seat in front of the fireplace, preparing for Legolas's trial tomorrow afternoon. His heart was going against all his instincts, telling him that Legolas was not guilty.
Did Legolas know something about Estel? If he was there, he saw the men who took the boy! Maybe he could describe them. At least there would be something to start the search on.
He sighed once more. The feeling of failure was so strong on him. He failed as a father, he failed as a healer. It was so strong, it wanted to crush him. He couldn't protect his son, he couldn't help Legolas, what could he do?
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
How long had he been confined to that room? Two days? Maybe three? Legolas had lost track of the time. It didn't matter anymore. He was going to be found guilty at his trial tomorrow and probably exiled, he was sure of it. There was nothing to prove that he was innocent, but his actions at the battle could create the illusion of him being guilty.
It was nothing to him. He would go home, his father would punish him, and everything would be back to normal. Well, as normal as things were going to return to for the prince. He was missing so much from his life now-he felt so empty.
Soft footfalls showed that someone was coming quietly down the hallway. They stopped before his door. Legolas stiffened and pulled himself into a crouched position on the bed. An elf clad in the robes of an Imladris servant stepped into the room with a tray of food.
As soon as the door closed, however, he tossed the tray aside. The prince was actually expecting him to produce a knife from inside his robes.
"Legolas Greenleaf, am I correct?" questioned the servant.
"That you are, and you may be?" responded Legolas with a question of his own, but did not relax even the least bit.
"Ryldor, sir," said his visitor with a courteous boy. "I came here to thank you."
"Thank me? I do not recall doing anything worth gratitude."
"But you have," he protested. "You walked away from the battle. It was a courageous thing, I think, to have walked away from your friends that way."
"Funny, most would think it was cowardice," responded the prince. "What makes you think different?"
"The way you did it, with pride in your step," said the elf. "You did it without turning back, with no remorse. Either you truly hate humans, or you are a master of your emotions. Allow me to shake the hand of the one who ensured my victory."
There was hesitation in the moment before Legolas stepped from the bed and stood in front of the man whom he had aided. The man was obviously trying to flatter him, or was unintentionally trying to. He could see nothing in the man's actions that revealed anything. His expression revealed little save for the fact that he was overconfident. There was much about this man to be suspicious of. Reluctantly, he extended his hand.
"You'll thank me later," said the elf.
He pulled Legolas forward. Suddenly, the prince's world went dark...