Beneath the Surface

Chapter 4

Disclaimer.

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The twins and Arwen were heading back to the palace. They had just reprimanded Arwen on what she said to Legolas. They didn't think she fully understood what Legolas went through after what happened to him so many years ago. When they entered the palace, Thranduil and Elrond were just leaving. "Have you seen Legolas?" Thranduil asked them. They shook their heads.

"We saw him a little while ago, but he came back to the palace." Elladan said.

"By himself?" Elrond asked. The three nodded. "You let him walked back to the palace on his own?" Elrond asked again, in disbelief. The three nodded a little more cautiously this time. "He sprained his ankle!" Elrond spun around quickly and ran up to Legolas's room, with Thranduil, the twins and Arwen all right behind him. Elrond threw open Legolas's door and saw him lying on the bed, his eyes closed. Arwen gasped. An elf with his eyes closed was never a good thing. Elrond rushed to him and pulled him up on the bed more, and propped up his ankle. "Elrohir, go get ice from the kitchen." He said. Elrohir quickly left the room. Thranduil was frantic.

"What's wrong with him? Will he be alright?" He asked. Elrond looked up at his friend.

"I think just him walking on his ankle that wasn't fully healed took a lot out of him. He's unconscious right now." Elrond told him. Thranduil sighed and sank into a chair.

"Legolas doesn't know when to quit." He said. Elrond gave Thranduil a sympathetic look. Elrohir finally came back with the ice, and Elrond placed it over Legolas's inflamed ankle.

"Legolas is not to leave his bed for the next few days, understand?" Elrond said, looking at everyone in the room. They all nodded in acknowledgment. Elrond pulled Thranduil up and took him from the room. Their original task was interrupted and they had to get it done.

That left the twins and Arwen in the room. Arwen sank into the chair that Thranduil had just been in. "Why did I say that to him?" She asked. The twins shrugged. She glanced over at him and sighed.

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Nira'lin laughed at Gilrean's joke. She then started telling him a story about when she and Legolas were younger. Gilrean inwardly rolled his eyes. 'Only a little while longer until the throne is mine. I don't know how much longer I can put up with her. I'll have to get rid of her brother too. She loves him too much. Perhaps if both father and brother died, she would be so depressed she wouldn't even try to run the realm. I think it will work.' He thought to himself.

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During the night, Legolas's eyes had opened but remained unfocused, which meant that he wasn't unconscious, and only sleeping. His sleep was soon interrupted by voices outside his balcony doors. His eyes focused and he shook his head. His ankle was throbbing in pain, but he had to find out what the voices were. He pulled himself out of bed and went across his room to the doors. They were opened part way to let in the night breeze. He pushed them only silently and slipped onto his balcony. He leaned over and saw three elves standing under his balcony. One of them was Gilrean.

"So then it's all set?" One of them asked. Gilrean nodded.

"Yes. I'm glad. She's driving me crazy." Gilrean said.

"I don't know how you put up with her so long. She hangs all over you." One of the others said.

"Indeed she does. But we wont have to worry much longer. The throne will be mine." Gilrean said with defiance in his voice. Legolas gasped. The three elves heard it and looked up. Legolas fell back quietly onto the balcony so they couldn't see him.

"Let's get going now. I'll see you tomorrow night." Gilrean said. The other two nodded and left.

Legolas crawled back into his room and pulled himself onto his bed. He had to warn Nira'lin. He knew something was up. He quickly stood back on his feet and proceeded to the door, opened it and went out in the hall. Luckily, her room wasn't too far. He passed the twins and then Arwen's, then Nira'lin's. He pushed the door open and went inside, shutting it. Nira'lin sat up in her bed quickly, but relaxed when she saw it was Legolas. "Legolas! What are you doing out of bed at this hour?" She asked. "You know you can't walk on your ankle."

"Nira'lin, you are in danger. Gilrean doesn't really love you. You have to trust me. He's using you to get the throne!" Legolas said, stumbling to his sister's bed. Nira'lin glared at him.

"Legolas! I thought you of all people would be happy about me getting married. I had no idea that you were so jealous." She said to him.

"I'm not jealous, I'm scared for your safety!" Legolas replied. Nira'lin rolled her eyes.

"Maybe if you would get to know Gilrean…" She said.

"No!" He interrupted. "I don't want to! He's using you!" Legolas cried. Nira'lin got up from her bed and pushed Legolas to the door.

"If you can't be happy for me, then don't talk to me. You don't understand anything about love, Legolas. Get out!" She said, angry flashing in her eyes. Legolas looked at his sister. Never before had she acted like that. Legolas left her room, and she slammed the door in his face. Legolas sighed and started to make his way to his room. When he was outside Arwen's room, he fell, his ankle giving way.

Arwen awoke when she heard the crash outside her room. She ran to the door and opened it. Legolas was lying on the ground. She gasped and bent down and helped him up. "Legolas! Are you alright?" She asked. Legolas nodded. He tried to stand but fell almost immediately. Arwen caught him and helped him to his room. She helped to his bed and he laid down. She closed the door and sat down on the edge of his bed.

"I'm sorry for what I said." She said. Legolas looked at her weird.

"What?" He asked.

"What I said to you earlier." She replied.

"Oh… it's alright Arwen. I understand." Legolas said sadly. He didn't want to tell her what had just happened. She looked at him sadly and moved up so she was sitting beside him.

"Do you think you will ever get married?" She asked him. Legolas was a little surprised at this question.

"Well, I supposed maybe someday." Legolas replied. "What about you?" He asked.

"I would. I want to have little elflings running around my house. They are just adorable!" She said. Legolas laughed.

"And Elladan and Elrohir will teach them all sorts of tricks and how to get into mischief." Legolas said. Arwen shook her head.

"They will be like that anyway." Arwen said with a smile. Legolas laughed again, and he leaned over and kissed Arwen on the top of the head.

"You should get to bed, Arwen. Thank you for helping me back to my room." Legolas said. She smiled and hugged him around his waist, stood, said good night, and left the room.

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Sorry about the long delay! I seriously couldn't think of a way to continue this story, even though I knew what I wanted to have happen. So I went rollerblading and I thought up this chapter and chapter 5. So that one will be up soon. Thanks for your patience!

For those of you who read my little rant about the actors, well, here's the epilogue. Tom, our tech director, chose me as Stage Manager, so that means they have to listen to me! Isn't that cool?

Review!!

Peace In~

Banana Nut Muffin