~ To start anew ~

by Ola

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A/N~ A little short. Sorry! *grins sheepishly* but the next one is really long! I swear! =) I have finals starting next week, and after that, vacations!!!!!! Yaahaaa!!! =) so happy! I hope this is not getting boring. A new character will come up in chapter 6 =) *grins*

Oh, does anyone know how to keep my title centered? (It is centered in Microsoft word, but then gets "decentered" in fanfic =(

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Part 5~ Father and son

"How is he?"

"The wound on his back is healing well. He has feeling down to the middle of his upper arms. He might regain some of his abilities." The healer looked at his king, knowing very well how he must be worrying for his son. He had never seen his liege display such nervousness; he seemed to have aged much in a few nights, a phenomenon not uncommon to elves but usually rare, brought on by too much stress.

Stop this Van! The healer admonished himself. Stop thinking like a healer and act like a friend. He needs your support now.

"You are not telling me something friend." Thranduil's voice was soft and weary as he looked into his healer's eyes.

"Honestly?" The king nodded.

"He is unwell. He retreats into himself. I fear for him." The healer inwardly cringed at the change in his king. It seemed as if something suddenly left Tnranduil. Something that he desperately needed, and which hurt to be torn away from him so.

Like father like son. Both want the whole truth but deep down expect me to give them a miracle. It hurts to shatter their hope so, but each of them has the right to know. And should know, although it is a painful truth. Aii Elbereth, let Lord Elrond come soon, and pray he may help our prince.

"Lord Elrond may help. He is far more knowledgeable than I. If anyone can be of aid, it is he. Nothing will happen to Legolas until he arrives. And when he examines him, perhaps something good will come of it. Have hope my friend. Do not give up…be strong for your son, for he will need that strength."

The king patted Vanyar's shoulder. "Thank you Van. I appreciate your honesty." The healer smiled, as much to thank Thranduil as for the words themselves. Exactly the same ones. Strange is the word of the unconscious. And stranger yet are the ties of father and son. Pray they help in this situation as well, for both need each other to heal this hurt.

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Lord Elrond turned back to Legolas's bed and brought a cup full of a cool amber drink to his lips. "Drink."

The younger elf twisted his face. "It smells like skunk. Do you hate me so much Elrond? At least have a little mercy and put a dollop of honey into this vile concoction of yours." A smile –the first in weeks- played on his lips.

A similar smile tugged at the dark-haired elf's own lips before he mock-frowned and used his best stop-a-charging-rhinoceros-in-its-tracks voice to reiterate the commend. The prince heaved a long-suffering sigh before gulping the liquid, his face clearly showing how horrible it tasted. He had grown used to the feeling of drink and food disappearing when it reached the level of his heart and to rely on vision to assess how much he had eaten. It was simply one thing among many others that he had learned perforce during the past few days. Things he would have gladly gone on living without knowing. But…

He turned a face full of surprise and incomprehension toward the Elder, who chuckled. "What do you feel?"

 "It's…it's much akin to … to a low fire smoldering through my veins and…my" he gasped "my feet! And my fingers! they…tingle! They…I…it's the only way I can describe it."

"Good. Very good." A speculative frown fluttered through his face, and he looked at his patient for a long moment, but he did not enlighten the prince any further. "Now we wait."

Legolas wished he could have leaped out of bed and strangled the elf Lord. He was as secretive as Mithrandir, and on a few occasions, even more so; a very irritating quality, especially for the one who was at the receiving end of it. And yet, the prince kept his calm, mostly because he could not do any such things anymore.

He is not sure it will work. He wants me to hope, thinking it will keep the grief at bay. He…he is trying to keep me alive at best he can, using all the resources at his disposition, medical…and others. He knows. He, father and Vanyar…they all know how close I am to the end. I can no more fool them than I can walk. But…they are also very much aware that only I can fight against the darkness that lies in my mind and heart. And at the moment, I do not know whether I wish to. And whether I can.

Legolas kept a brave smile for the time it took Elrond to vacate his rooms. As the door closed, so did his eyes, against the tears that yet again threatened to spill.

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"Legolas?" a hand gently shook his shoulder, a gesture by which the prince would have recognized his father without the voiced greeting, even in the half-sleep he found himself in. He blinked, a faint annoyance, quickly suppressed, at not being able to rub the sleep out of his eyes.

"Good morning father." He forced a cheery smile on lips that felt too heavy to pull up. But it was worth for the responsive smile his father directed at him.

"How are you feeling?" this time, his smile was heartfelt and reached his eyes. Everyday, his father came by, making a little time for his son before he was obliged to attend council. He had not done so since Legolas had reached ninety-two years of age. It was a time of silence, as night gave place to day, and the creatures of the forest began to stir. It was a time for them alone, and a moment Legolas looked forward to, even though it usually started with the same question. That is what made him smile, but the repetition was safe. Routine was safe. Anything stable, in a world that was anything but, was welcomed with open arms.

"My head feels fine. So does my neck. Everything else just took a walk of undeterminable length."

Thranduil sat down on the edge of the bed, his hand unconsciously smoothing his son's hair. "Sunshine…Silviana and Talenor asked whether you were ready to see them. Are you? You do not have to if it is not your wish…"

But the names that flashed in Legolas's mind were those of different friends. Friends who…. His throat closed tightly, and he cast a grief stricken gaze at his father as old memories resurfaced from behind the barricade his mind had put around them. Ghastly memories that made him tremble.

Lenatril! Berlinor! Eru, tell me it is not true! Please! It cannot be true!

But there was nothing wrong with his mind, and he was all too aware that those memories were nothing but the truth. A painful truth he wished he could burry deeply in himself, if he could not banish it altogether. And yet, another voice challenged the first.

They were your friends. Remember them as such. Do not forget them for the pain their memory brings. Remember them, and they will live with you, in your heart, as friends should. Do not let their souls haunt Middle Earth because you hold the key to their peace. Allow them safe passage to the Halls of Mandos. And remember. Always remember the fallen with the living.

"Legolas!" His father's voice finally cut through the darkness of sorrow, as the shaking of his shoulders and hands could not. It was so troubled it hurt. "What is wrong!? H…"

"Peace ada." Twin tears slid down the young elf's cheeks, as he looked at his father with eyes full of resignation, pain and loss. "Lenatril and Berlinor. They both fell in the last leg of the journey. They…ada, they were shot in the head, from behind. I…I saw them fall. And I could do nothing to prevent it. I do not even know exactly where, for my memory of that place is but a blur of flying hooves. Aii, ada. It hurts. It hurts to know what befell them." King Thranduil gathered his son in his arms and let his grief run free. Wracked by sobs, and unable to cling to his father for support, the young prince pressed his head into the king's soft green tunic, and simply cried while his father hugged him close, all matters of council and kingdom postponed without a thought.

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A/N~ so how was it? You're still hanging on in there?!!! =)

I hope Legolas isn't crying too much. He is a very brave elfling, but hey, how would you feel in his shoes?

-cheysuli- nope. No arms and no bow. I'm sorry.          …not yet anyway =)

-ophelia- elrond's here!!! =) and you're right about Elrond and CO! because there's more of them!!! (in chapter 6) *grins*

-eck- hee hee. Thanks!! A cake! *sigh as stomach rumbles and forces herself to finish before making herself something very BIG to eat!* =) my closing lines? Lol. So glad you like them! And beware! Aragorn's coming!!!! *grins* yep. Thank you so much for the long review *grins again* =) you made my day (I'm looking for work, and up to know have been said a polite "no thank you, we already have someone" 5 times!!! =(

-crazygirly- you're back!!!! =) Legolas says thank you for tucking him in. he really appreciates it. =) yep, thranduil is nice. (I don't see how Legolas could have been so…so…well, NICE and perfect, if his ada was mean to him! =) *grins* don't worry, there won't be TOO much of Elrond =) and thanks so much for reviewing all the chapters!!!!! *waves and grins again*

sigh. I'm done. Thanks so much again!