The next day, it wasn't Aragorn who came to visit Legolas, but the girl, Eltha. The clothes she had worn on their journey had been exchanged for a well-made dress of pale green. She knocked cautiously, but burst into a grin when she saw Legolas standing at the window.
"Are you..." she began, then broke off, "I was worried."
"You need worry no longer," Legolas said, "I will be well."
"I heard the men talking," Eltha said, "they say that you are not a prisoner any more."
"That's correct, though I think I will still travel with them when they leave."
"I wish we had such a choice." Eltha sat down on the bed. A little unsure of how to act towards one so young, especially one of another race, Legolas sat next to her.
"I think the men will treat you well," he said.
Eltha nodded. "I think so too. But what if we're wrong? They let us wander where we like here, within reason. Should I be trying to get away from here with Marly?"
"I can make no decisions for yourself or your brother. I can only say what I believe, and I believe that Aragorn was being honest when he said he intended to set you free."
There was a silence. "What happened to you?" Eltha asked at last. Legolas looked at her, puzzled, unsure what specifically she meant. She read his expression and explained, "When you tried to escape, some of the men went after you. No one came back, and Ethindal became very worried. He made some of the men stay with us at the wagons, and took the rest out. No one will tell us why you came back hurt."
"I'm not certain you would want to hear it," Legolas replied, thinking that the men would surely know their own kind better and be able to judge if this child was fit to learn the truth.
"I'm twelve years old," Eltha protested, "I'm not a baby."
Legolas almost laughed. "Among elves, a twelve year old still is a baby."
"Well, I'm not an elf! I've had to look after my brother all by myself since Mother died, while Father tried to earn enough money to keep us alive and out of slavery. I'm as good as a grown up!"
"I still don't think I'm the right person to decide what you know."
"And they are?" She jerked her head in the direction of the door.
"Perhaps," Legolas said, "They are only doing this to protect you, and I think that is another sign that you will be well treated by them."
"I don't think it's treating us well to keep things from us."
"Perhaps, if you one day have children of your own, you will think differently." Both elf and girl looked up to the owner of this new voice. Aragorn was standing in the doorway, having heard the end of this exchange.
"May I speak with Legolas alone?" Aragorn asked.
Eltha looked at Legolas. "Legolas? That's your name?" Legolas nodded. "It's pretty." With that she disappeared and Aragorn walked into the room fully. He was holding in his hand an ash bow, which he held out towards Legolas. Legolas took it and inspected it carefully.
It was shaped to fit the hand of the archer, with either end of the bow carved into the image of a horse's head so that when the bow was bent the string would thread between the ears and into the mouth. It was a beautiful weapon.
"A bow worthy of a Prince of Mirkwood?" Aragorn inquired.
"It's for me?" Legolas asked.
"You need not travel unarmed when we continue our journey. There will be a full quiver to match it when we leave here."
"Thank you," Legolas said, feeling that it was somehow inadequate to express his gratitude for this gift. "Why?"
"The bow is an apology," Aragorn answered, "for the way you have been treated so far by my company."
"I have been treated far better than I thought I would be when I was in that slaver's den," Legolas informed him.
"Nonetheless, I feel I should give you something. After all, it is your father's money buying this weapon. Nearly all of that gold is gone now. I used most of it buying you and the children. But I have enough left for this bow, and to provide you with a horse for the remainder of the journey."
"Thank you," Legolas said again.
"It's nothing." He left again, and Legolas sat alone in the room, thinking of his home and his father. It was very surprising that King Thranduil would deal with humans, especially when his son's life was at stake. Lord Aragorn was clearly honourable, but many of his kind were not. How could the king be certain that Aragorn would do as he said, especially when the money was given in advance?
So many questions were as yet unanswered. Above them all rose the question of the elf who had betrayed Aragorn, and Aragorn's strange protection of him.
***
The company rested three more days in Edoras, waiting for Legolas' wounds to vanish completely. Legolas discovered he was free to walk around the town, though Aragorn kept appearing wherever he went. Legolas wasn't certain if the man was checking to make sure his injuries weren't taking their toll, or if he was afraid that Legolas might try to flee.
Legolas met the horse that Aragorn had purchased for the elf's use on the journey. He wasn't the most handsome beast in the stables, but his eyes boasted a sharp intelligence and the horse was lively with spirit. Legolas felt the man had made a good choice, the choice Legolas himself would have made, and wondered at the man's knowledge of horses.
Legolas also encountered the little boy who had been talking to Aragorn. Or rather, talking at him. Legolas discovered rather quickly that the child wasn't interested in conversation, but simply wanted to babble at anyone who'd stand still long enough to listen. He spoke the common tongue readily enough, though sometimes would lapse back into his own language, without making any accommodation for the fact that Legolas didn't understand him.
The boy, it seemed, was the son of the king. The prince, Theoden, was constantly talking about the battles the current king, Thingal, had fought. Theoden kept boasting that when he crew up he'd be as good with a sword as his father. Legolas rather doubted this, unless he learned that a sword shouldn't be waved around wildly as he was rather insistent on doing with a stick, spoon or any other object that happened to be lying within his reach.
Legolas was rather surprised to be rescued from Theoden by Eltha. She asked the prince, since he was such a great warrior, if he could show her how to use a sword. Legolas watched them fencing with sticks for a short while, and discovered that it was in fact Eltha who was making helpful comments. Any half-decent warrior would have knocked her flat in an instant, but she did know something about fighting, it seemed, though where she'd learned it Legolas couldn't have guessed.
Aragorn came across the group, no doubt making one of his regular checks on Legolas, and ended up joining in the lesson. Some might have hesitated about teaching a girl, but Eltha seemed as eager to learn as Theoden, and far more willing to listen.
When the three days came to an end, Aragorn pronounced that Legolas was fit to travel. Legolas felt he'd been fit the day before, but Aragorn wouldn't let his decision be questioned.
Legolas felt glad leaving the town, riding a horse of his own instead of being bound in the wagon, with a bow strapped across his back. He felt far more like the Prince of Mirkwood than he had done since his capture. He was here because he chose to be, and that filled his heart with joy. He was free. Better than that, he was going home.
***
Author's note: Another short chapter, sorry. And as for the cliffhanger. . . it's not even a milddrophanger. I'll just have to do a really nasty cliffhanger in the next chapter. If not, I suppose I can make up for it at the end of the story. I've got a really, really nasty one planned for then.
I needed to bring Eltha into the story more. She's barely had a mention and she's going to be very important in the sequel.
"Are you..." she began, then broke off, "I was worried."
"You need worry no longer," Legolas said, "I will be well."
"I heard the men talking," Eltha said, "they say that you are not a prisoner any more."
"That's correct, though I think I will still travel with them when they leave."
"I wish we had such a choice." Eltha sat down on the bed. A little unsure of how to act towards one so young, especially one of another race, Legolas sat next to her.
"I think the men will treat you well," he said.
Eltha nodded. "I think so too. But what if we're wrong? They let us wander where we like here, within reason. Should I be trying to get away from here with Marly?"
"I can make no decisions for yourself or your brother. I can only say what I believe, and I believe that Aragorn was being honest when he said he intended to set you free."
There was a silence. "What happened to you?" Eltha asked at last. Legolas looked at her, puzzled, unsure what specifically she meant. She read his expression and explained, "When you tried to escape, some of the men went after you. No one came back, and Ethindal became very worried. He made some of the men stay with us at the wagons, and took the rest out. No one will tell us why you came back hurt."
"I'm not certain you would want to hear it," Legolas replied, thinking that the men would surely know their own kind better and be able to judge if this child was fit to learn the truth.
"I'm twelve years old," Eltha protested, "I'm not a baby."
Legolas almost laughed. "Among elves, a twelve year old still is a baby."
"Well, I'm not an elf! I've had to look after my brother all by myself since Mother died, while Father tried to earn enough money to keep us alive and out of slavery. I'm as good as a grown up!"
"I still don't think I'm the right person to decide what you know."
"And they are?" She jerked her head in the direction of the door.
"Perhaps," Legolas said, "They are only doing this to protect you, and I think that is another sign that you will be well treated by them."
"I don't think it's treating us well to keep things from us."
"Perhaps, if you one day have children of your own, you will think differently." Both elf and girl looked up to the owner of this new voice. Aragorn was standing in the doorway, having heard the end of this exchange.
"May I speak with Legolas alone?" Aragorn asked.
Eltha looked at Legolas. "Legolas? That's your name?" Legolas nodded. "It's pretty." With that she disappeared and Aragorn walked into the room fully. He was holding in his hand an ash bow, which he held out towards Legolas. Legolas took it and inspected it carefully.
It was shaped to fit the hand of the archer, with either end of the bow carved into the image of a horse's head so that when the bow was bent the string would thread between the ears and into the mouth. It was a beautiful weapon.
"A bow worthy of a Prince of Mirkwood?" Aragorn inquired.
"It's for me?" Legolas asked.
"You need not travel unarmed when we continue our journey. There will be a full quiver to match it when we leave here."
"Thank you," Legolas said, feeling that it was somehow inadequate to express his gratitude for this gift. "Why?"
"The bow is an apology," Aragorn answered, "for the way you have been treated so far by my company."
"I have been treated far better than I thought I would be when I was in that slaver's den," Legolas informed him.
"Nonetheless, I feel I should give you something. After all, it is your father's money buying this weapon. Nearly all of that gold is gone now. I used most of it buying you and the children. But I have enough left for this bow, and to provide you with a horse for the remainder of the journey."
"Thank you," Legolas said again.
"It's nothing." He left again, and Legolas sat alone in the room, thinking of his home and his father. It was very surprising that King Thranduil would deal with humans, especially when his son's life was at stake. Lord Aragorn was clearly honourable, but many of his kind were not. How could the king be certain that Aragorn would do as he said, especially when the money was given in advance?
So many questions were as yet unanswered. Above them all rose the question of the elf who had betrayed Aragorn, and Aragorn's strange protection of him.
***
The company rested three more days in Edoras, waiting for Legolas' wounds to vanish completely. Legolas discovered he was free to walk around the town, though Aragorn kept appearing wherever he went. Legolas wasn't certain if the man was checking to make sure his injuries weren't taking their toll, or if he was afraid that Legolas might try to flee.
Legolas met the horse that Aragorn had purchased for the elf's use on the journey. He wasn't the most handsome beast in the stables, but his eyes boasted a sharp intelligence and the horse was lively with spirit. Legolas felt the man had made a good choice, the choice Legolas himself would have made, and wondered at the man's knowledge of horses.
Legolas also encountered the little boy who had been talking to Aragorn. Or rather, talking at him. Legolas discovered rather quickly that the child wasn't interested in conversation, but simply wanted to babble at anyone who'd stand still long enough to listen. He spoke the common tongue readily enough, though sometimes would lapse back into his own language, without making any accommodation for the fact that Legolas didn't understand him.
The boy, it seemed, was the son of the king. The prince, Theoden, was constantly talking about the battles the current king, Thingal, had fought. Theoden kept boasting that when he crew up he'd be as good with a sword as his father. Legolas rather doubted this, unless he learned that a sword shouldn't be waved around wildly as he was rather insistent on doing with a stick, spoon or any other object that happened to be lying within his reach.
Legolas was rather surprised to be rescued from Theoden by Eltha. She asked the prince, since he was such a great warrior, if he could show her how to use a sword. Legolas watched them fencing with sticks for a short while, and discovered that it was in fact Eltha who was making helpful comments. Any half-decent warrior would have knocked her flat in an instant, but she did know something about fighting, it seemed, though where she'd learned it Legolas couldn't have guessed.
Aragorn came across the group, no doubt making one of his regular checks on Legolas, and ended up joining in the lesson. Some might have hesitated about teaching a girl, but Eltha seemed as eager to learn as Theoden, and far more willing to listen.
When the three days came to an end, Aragorn pronounced that Legolas was fit to travel. Legolas felt he'd been fit the day before, but Aragorn wouldn't let his decision be questioned.
Legolas felt glad leaving the town, riding a horse of his own instead of being bound in the wagon, with a bow strapped across his back. He felt far more like the Prince of Mirkwood than he had done since his capture. He was here because he chose to be, and that filled his heart with joy. He was free. Better than that, he was going home.
***
Author's note: Another short chapter, sorry. And as for the cliffhanger. . . it's not even a milddrophanger. I'll just have to do a really nasty cliffhanger in the next chapter. If not, I suppose I can make up for it at the end of the story. I've got a really, really nasty one planned for then.
I needed to bring Eltha into the story more. She's barely had a mention and she's going to be very important in the sequel.