Author: Mirrordance
Title: Exile
Summary: An elf is exiled as a suspect to his own brother's murder. A young king goes out into the Wild. Two warriors cross paths and embark on a common adventure as one seeks to escape his past and the other to reclaim it. How Aragorn and Legolas met.
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PART 13
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Mirkwood, the 2800's
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Legolas looked at the potion, and it now held more temptation than threat, more promise than pain.
~What were you escaping from?~ he asked her quietly.
~Your father,~ she replied ruefully, making him wonder why, though she changed the subject altogether, ~Will you take it now?~
I could save my father, he thought, I can save Mirkwood, before suddenly realizing, ~He does not know of this, does he?~
~Would he allow it if he knew?~ Caro asked him back, ~He will not lose you. And he will not hide you, or himself and his judgment from Sala or any who oppose him. He is stubborn. It is best this way.~
~He would think I died as well,~ Legolas murmured, remembering his father's sad, quiet eyes and his monarch's voice and King's resolve, just days ago.
~Legolas,~ he had said, ~Bless your heart, child, but you have the blood of Kings in you and you should not despair. You will be King, now. Your people will take their strength from you in times like these. You have to be the strongest of them all.~
Ada is the strongest of them all, Legolas thought, he will weather it. He will not know it, but I shall purchase his kingdom for him with my life. They need him more than they need me. They need him more than he needs me.
Caro removed the binds from his hands. Andrada offered him the vial.
~You will wake in a week,~ she told him quietly, ~I will be waiting for you.~
He didn't say it, because he was never one to quit. But he wondered why in all of Arda they did not offer him a potion that would completely end his life, instead of simply simulating his death. It was the one true escape, and a most tempting road to take. But it was not his way.
~There is one battle yet that I know is no longer mine,~ he told Caro, as he removed the top of the vial, preparing to drink it, ~Find Lesandro's killer.~
Caro looked at him determinedly, ~I will work on it until I find him, or until my breath stills.~
~We all will,~ Andrada promised.
He nodded at them, and took the entire vial in a single gulp. He fell to Andrada's waiting arms just as he heard the scurries of the soldiers, summoning others and calling for reinforcements saying, ~The prisoner has escaped!~
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3011
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"And you've lived in the forests since," said Estel, awed.
"Andrada was good company," Legolas said, "But she fled from me too, after she made sure I could stand on my own. She set out to be alone, after all."
"Why is that?" Estel asked.
"She never told me," replied Legolas, "But I think she was in love with ada," he smiled a little, "Sides of my father I never knew."
"What of this potion?" inquired Estel, "I suppose it worked as it should have, unless you my friend are a ghost at this very moment?"
"Andrada's own concoction," said Legolas, "Caro was aware she was alive, even if ada was not. I think he was in love with her. He came to her with his plan to save me, our father, and our kingdom."
"Whatever became of their promise to pursue your brother's killers?" Estel asked.
"I do not know," admitted Legolas, "And I've been longing to. More so since I met you, and began to speak of it. But dare I stare at the past once again?"
"Take it before it takes you," Estel said wistfully, "Is this why the wind and our feet are taking us back to your forest, Tumbleweed?"
"Perhaps," Legolas conceded.
"Well you shouldn't have escaped from Rivendell after all," said Estel wryly, "if we are headed that way anyways. Do you always like taking the hard road?"
"No," smiled Legolas, "But I like taking my road, at my own time."
"Well I wish you told me," teased Estel, "Then at least I would not be in as much trouble as I am with my brothers."
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Estel convinced the elf to sleep, and knew it was a measure of his exhaustion that he eventually succumbed to the man's wishes. As Estel took the first watch of the night, he played with Legolas' situation in his mind.
An interesting past it was indeed. The embattled crown prince of Mirkwood, too long an exile, now moving towards reclaiming his kingdom. It will pit him against the Rivendell soldiers who were hard on their heels. It will pit him against the orcs that, while not knowledgeable of the situation, still presented a very potent threat along their road. It will also pit him against his own people, who believed he was a criminal.
And you say it is I who is madly hopeful, Estel thought, almost fondly. The situation seemed downright impossible, and yet it reminded him of his own, We are truly brothers in fate, then.
~At least you have me,~ Estel teased the sleeping elf quietly, ~Your friend is with you, Legolas.~
The elf did not stir, even if he was awake. He wouldn't have known what to say. All he knew was that his heart soared as he heard it, but he knew it days and days ago.
* * *
When Legolas woke, he found to his great displeasure that the stubborn human ensconced him in the warmth of one of the coats, and that though the sun was hiding behind the darker clouds of winter, it was a new day. This was profoundly unacceptable on several levels; first, he was displeased that he hadn't noticed the coat and the human's doings when he slept, second, he slept much too long!, and third, the cursed coat was never meant for him and was the man not aware that he was sick?!
"Whatever you are thinking," Estel said, watching his face, "I hope it is not about me."
"I wouldn't be so optimistic," the elf said, but he smiled because they said the same things days ago and it all felt so different. Even in the dire situation, the world suddenly seemed full of possibilities…
And then he frowned. The wily human distracted him from his concerns. He pulled the coat away from his body and shoved it Estel's way. "You are sick and did not go to sleep, you might as well stay the least bit warmer."
Estel shook his head, amused. He took the coat so as not to court any more of the elf's arguments. "I will take it to ease your mind. But you ought to know I am fine and well on my way to complete recovery."
"You should have woken me," Legolas reprimanded him, gathering his belongings about him to prepare to continue with their journey.
Estel shrugged, "You looked at peace. I hated to disturb you. I am rested, you needn't worry."
They had some of the provisions for a light breakfast, before mounting their horses towards the road ahead.
"Have you thought about what you are going to do when you get there?" Estel asked as they urged their horses forward.
"Some," Legolas said, "but not concretely. Perhaps that is why I slept well."
"Are we taking the front door?" asked Estel wryly, "surely you've thought that far at least."
"For now, I prefer stealth," said Legolas, "You and I… we shall have a chat with Lord Sala. And he shall have a chat with a long-dead ghost. I've heard it said that criminals are more truthful in the face of death."
"And if he is Lesandro's murderer?" Estel asked.
"Than he will pay dearly for it," replied Legolas, hesitantly adding, "I would fear more if he was not."
"Why is that?" Estel asked.
"Because it really truly could have been me after all," said Legolas quietly.
"Or someone else whom we have not thought of," Estel pointed out.
"I do not know who else it could be," Legolas said pensively, "Lesandro was extremely well-loved. He was like our mother. He was gracious, and kind."
"But it is not a question of disliking him," said Estel, "as much as it is a question of who gains by his death, and by your persecution."
Legolas frowned. "I can think of only—"
He cut himself off, suddenly alert to his surroundings. Estel knew by the look on the elf's face that as of the moment, more pressing matters had to be dealt with.
"Steel yourself, Estel," said Legolas, drawing his bow, "Orcs."
"How many?" Estel murmured, his hand gripping the hilt of his sword.
"Let's say there are enough of them to actually have a chance against you and I," said Legolas lightly, though Estel read from his eyes that he knew the situation was fairly dangerous and lethal indeed.
"Fight or flee?" asked Estel.
"No more fleeing," said Legolas gravely, "Did you not say I must head places now, instead of just running away from them? Well. These orcs are in my way."
"I did not tell you to kill yourself, Legolas," muttered Estel, "If reason says we must flee now and fight this another day…"
"We can take them," said Legolas determinedly, "No more running. But I cannot ask you to stay with me."
Estel sighed. "You needn't."
They braced themselves for the orcs to appear from the woodworks. Estel let the elf have his way. After all, hadn't he just been mulling about their ridiculous situation? This was just one enemy in a lengthy list, and probably the only one that could be dealt with solely by force. Any chance to eliminate any of them was one he was willing to take, and pay for with his life.
"How did my cause become your own?" Legolas murmured to Estel, not really expecting an answer, just before the first of the orcs appeared from the trees and stalked menacingly their way.
TO BE CONTINUED…