A Heart Lost
By Firniswin
Ok, onto the next story! The one that leads us into Linwen and my co-authored stories. However, this may contain a bit of depressing scenes. Not much angst except for the wounds they got form last time, pretty much emotional angst for both of them.
Um, I will be writing most of this, though I may have a bit of work from one of my close friend's that does not have a pen name yet so I am just going to say 'A good friend'. ;) Anyway, hope you like it!
So! Please enjoy this and review! No flaming!!!!!
Chapter 1
Legolas jogged lightly to his father's bedchamber and private rooms. His head was pounding slightly, but he did not let that stop him.
He wanted to see Ada so bad now; Thranduil did not even know that Legolas was home. He did not at all know that his son was even alive.
The prince looked cautiously at the elves that passed by him, stopping to stare, some gasping, and others starring as if they'd seen a real live ghost of Morgoth himself.
'Well actually, the people who gasp and stare are probably the Morgoth's-ghost ones.' He smiled softly at this remark that his pounding brain seemed to have stirred up.
Stopping at the large oak doors that led to the court, he breathed as sigh as he leaned his pain creased brow against the doors.
He hoped, oh how he hoped, that his father was not in one of his kingly meetings.
It would be Legolas's luck if he were, that was what always happened.
'Well actually, not since I met Aragorn. It did not happen till I met that edan.' He mused as his pale fingers gripped the handle and pushed down on the elegant handle.
As the door opened, he heard no noise from within. That was a good sign; usually people were always in the court. But no light sprang through the crack he had opened.
Only darkness met him, sighing he opened the door fully and stepped through into the dark.
His silver-blue eyes wandered over the room, it seemed as though it had been abandoned, he did not know what had happened since his absence, but it could not be good.
There was dust on the seats and dais, the one where he and his father would sit together during important meetings.
He had hated those meetings, but not as much as he had hated his mind being enslaved just a day or two ago.
That had been the most confusing thing he had ever witnessed, not knowing who he was one moment, then knowing the next but still being the same as he had was supposed to.
He sighed and smiled, even though this was quite awkward for no meeting to be taking place, he was so glad to be home.
He stepped up to the dais and walked to the smaller door to the right. He remembered each time he had sat up here now, or most of them at least. Some of great joy, others of sorrow beyond recall or desire.
Placing his hand, once again, against the ornate door handle, he opened the oak door silently as he could, bringing one hesitant foot through was hard enough, but both pure dread as Legolas looked around the familiar, but dark chambers.
"Father?" he called softly, coming closer to the bed." Ada?"
He heard soft breathing and a little stirring, a crackling fire. He came round the bend and saw the light of a dying fire and a figure on the bed that made him hold the breath within his chest.
A blonde elf lay on the bed, though, he was quite pale and did not seem to be sleeping.
His eyes were closed, but his breathing was not right for someone who was asleep or resting, and that his eyes were closed would have worried the prince more.
Calmly he sat on the bedside, careful not to sit on his elder's legs.
The pale face flinched and the elf's eyes opened slowly to reveal pain-clouded orbs, but not physical pain. It was emotional pain that he saw trapped in his father's usually bright, if not rather angry, eyes.
"Please father? Listen to me." he whispered, the words gave the desired effect, Thranduil turned his head and his clouded eyes widened.
"Legolas? My boy?" he said in fear, the fear that if he said it any louder his son would flutter away like mist and be gone again forever.
He raised himself up higher, the strength coming back to his body.
"Yes Father. It is I."
the prince could hold back none of his surprise when his father lunged at him, and hugged his body so tight that he felt Thranduil had a death wish for him. Though that did not seem to be the case, he relaxed in his father's warm embrace.
It felt wonderful, he had not seen or remembered his own father in so long. It was startling.
"Oh Legolas." he could hear the tears in the king's usually powerful voice. "I thought I had lost you forever in those accursed dwarf mines?!"
The prince wrapped his arms around his father, and smiled. "You should know by now that it takes more than dwarves, maniac elves, and stupid humans to get rid of me. No offense to Aragorn." He chuckled.
His father did also, but did not let go of his son.
"Elladan and Elrohir found us, we were being kept slaves in a neighboring elven town, though, it was man made by the looks of things. I think they inhabited some old edan ruins."
Thranduil nodded lightly and let go of his son to look at him, he frowned and touched the bandage around the prince's forehead.
"What's this?" he asked, looking into his son's eyes." Did these, maniac elves as you call them, hurt you?"
Legolas smiled and shook his head, "No, that was from a fall I took with Aragorn. It was an escape hatch in the barn, the stables were burning and I could find no other way."
Nodding softly, Thranduil smiled and patted his son on the back, his strength returning inch by inch. In truth he had not lost much of it, he had only despaired a little while ago and he had not gone as quickly as one and he himself might have thought, which was rather a good thing.
"So! You hungry, think we should have some breakfast?" the king asked, his son smiled.
Legolas was hungry, but he had one more person to see before he felt good enough to have breakfast.
"You meet me there Father." he said rising from the bed. "There is one more person I must see."
Thranduil's eyes became worried again and he sighed.
"What?"
"Oh, are you sure. I mean, you need to eat and rest. You can see Lingwen after that."
Legolas frowned. "No father, I must see her now."
The king nodded somewhat hesitantly, and legoals rushed out the door. Only one thing more to do, he had no hesitations, he never wanted to be parted from Lingwen again.
~_~
"Easy Estel." Elrond cautioned as his teenage son demanding to leave his bed, the elf lord ahd agreed, but only if Galanion or his brothers walked with him, incase he should grow week or fall.
Aragorn had requested it be Galanion, he liked the elf better then his brothers when it came to walking. He never stopped to talk with some pretty elf maiden or show of his strength as Elladan and Elrohir often did.
He understood, he like girls as much as the next boy, man, whatever you wanted to call it.
But not enough to stop for them when his brother was hurt. Blessed Eru, what had he done to deserve such brothers.
"Careful?"
Aragorn snickered to himself. 'careful?' Oh Valar, it was like his father expected him to bolt through the door.
His body felt stiff and the bandages did not staunch the pain.
He was actually looking rather pitiful, a bandage wound round his middle beneath the deep red tunic that he wore, his arm was bandaged and the gash was sown shut. And as for his dislocated shoulder, it was a bit sore. But nothing to terrible, he could not lift anything with that arm and it bothered him somewhat.
"How are you feeling?"
His father's dark head loomed before him, looking into his eyes.
The young man smiled softly and nodded. "I feel worlds better Ada, thank you. But I am a bit hungry."
The elf lord smiled and turned his eyes to Galanion, who stood a few feet away, awaiting his young friend.
"Lord Galanion will accompany you to the dining hall, we will meet you both there. Here."the elf lord pressed a stick into his son's hands. It was long and the tip at the end was made smaller.
"A walking stick?" he asked, trying to be thankful as he felt the wood beneath his fingers.
"Yes, but it will also help you to 'see' obsticles in your path. But considering that Galanion will be with you, you will not need it this time."
"Oh!" the man hugged his father, smiling though in his heart he felt sorrow at not being able to see his own path. "Thank you Father! It is beautiful, or at leawst it feels that way. I will be proud to use it, can I bring it to dinner?"
Elrond smiled, 'Eru Glorfindel, you have work ahead of you.'
"May you bring it to dinner? Is that what you mean, because I am sure you are capable of carrying it."
Estel smiled, a true smiled that the elf lord loved.
"Yes Ada, that is what I mean."
"Good." he smiled and rubbed his son's pale cheek, it was just cleanly shaved a few hours ago and Estel now had the normal boyish look that he usually wore. "Now off with you. Take care of my boy Galanion"
The blonde captain nodded, spying a peak at his charge that was slowly strugling to the door.
"Whoa! Hold your elven horses! I am not letting you go alone."
The boy smiled, somewhat sheepishly and responded. "I thought you were following me."
"Oh. Well then, sorry. I will tell you when I am behind you next time. Ready to go see Legolas?"
An anxious nod accompanied by a broad grin showed through the cloud that had passed over the young man's face, breaking the fog and sending it away.
"Let us be off!"
~_~
Hesitantly Legolas let his hand knock on Lingwen's door, his smiled broadend as he waited.
"Just a moment." a muffled voice from inside made his grin widen, he stomped impatiently, he held a boque of elven flowers that grew only in Mirkwood, slightly odd, only one beautiful thing still in Mirkwood and it was the flowers.
'Though,' he mused. 'His father would be quite angry at the flowers missing from the courtyard.'
The door opening brought his attention he let his eyes twinkle with anticipation as he waited to see the beautiful young woman on the other side.
His breath caught when he saw a child scamper out, an elven child, and a raven haired elf maiden look into his eyes and almost shriek with horror.
"Prince Legolas?! Back from the dead!" she almost dropped the little baby elfling in her arms.
He smiled soncerely and shook his head. "Nay, I Estel and I were found alive."
"Are you wounded my lord?" she asked, eyeing the bandage wrapped round his head.
Laughing he gently touched the linen. "I fair better than Estel, but I wish not now to speak of this. Where is Lady Lingwen?"
The raven haired elf maiden ushered her older child back into the room and pointed down the hall with her free hand.
"I believe she is down the hall, she will be most thrilled top see you."
The elf prince nodded his thanks and bowed to the young maiden. "Thank you my dear lady, your information was most helpful. I must be going now, I told Estel I woould meet him in the dining hall and iwould like to see Lingwen before I go."
"Oh yes, please do. Please stop by again my prince. You are always welcome."
With a nod, the prince continued his path down the hallway, and was almost jumping when he saw the slender form of the one he sought in a chair in one of the extra halls to the right.
Her back was to him and she was reading a book from the library. She did not even notice his shadow upon her.
With a wide grin upon his face he approached slowly. "How is your book milady?"
Not taking her eyes away, she turned the page. "Just fine, thank you." Stopping her reading, she smiled and turned expecting it to be Taran or Galanion.
The look of happiness diminished andwas replaced with surprise and awe as she gazed on Legolas's light form.
"Well once you are done, I wouldn't mind reading it."He laughed at her face and plopped gently down in the chair beside her.
She could say nothign, all words were frozen to her lips and her eyes showed fear and worry that was filling her heart.
"Lingwen? Is something the matter?" he asked, now a bit afraid of the looked that was spreading across her face, making her body tremble. She let go of the book and it dropped soundlessly to the floor.
"Legolas?" she whispered the name as if it was forbidden.
"Yes. Ye meleth nin, It is I." he came forward and brought the stray strands of hair away from her face, smiling as she relaxed under his touch, though her shivering still came.
Her eyes shot open and she looked at the bandage on his head. "You are-"
"Just a scratch, nothing compared to Estel." he chuckled softly and rubbed her cheek with the back of his hand, "You don;t know how much i've missed you Lingwen."
"I believe I could guess?"she whispered, smiling slightly, though fear still marred her eyes.
Leaning down to place his lips over hers, Legolas felt her push away.
"I-I have to go." she stood up, placing the book down on the seat she began to walk away.
Legolas, starred after her, his features dazed and confused. "What happened?" he asked himself more than anyone else.
He heard voices down the hall and noticed one to be Estel's.
He stood up and stretched his muscles, his thought still running in circles from Lingwen's odd exit.
She had seemed..uncomfortable. As if she was doing something wrong, as if she was not supposed to kiss Legolas, they had before. They had shared many moments together and now it was a very odd thing to see her run off as if she were in trouble.
Shrugging, he watched as Galanion came into view, his arm around Aragorn's slim waist, guiding through the endless halls.
"Why hello Legolas." Galanion spoke, more to inform Estel that his friend was there.
"Suilad mellon nin. Greetings to you also Estel."
The young man nodded softly, willing the pain in his head to stay at the level it was and not rise.
"Would you care to join us mellon nin." Aragorn smiled wryly, looking to the direction the other elf's voice spoke from, hoping desperately that it was right and he was looking in, at least, the correct area.
Legolas nodded, forgetting his friend's disposition, but then saw Galanion's look that served as a reminder, he quickly spoke.
"I would be delighted."
Taking Strider's other side, he made sure that he was near incase the man should need more guidance, with that they continued at a slow pace down the corridor and towards the dining hall, where the festivities for the Estel and the prince of Mirkwood's return were being made.
TBC~
OK! So, that is the first chapter! A grand total of 8 pages!!! Woohoo! We are on a role!!!! Also, this story will not be to incredibly long because the plot bunnies are short and fuzzy. *Grins* No, truly, it has to be short, I am sorry. It should be around 5 chapters or so. Or maybe even less, I am not quite sure and we know what happens when I try and predict things. *Sheepish grins* Anyway, please R&R! No flaming!