Beneath the Surface

Chapter 8

Disclaimer.

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Morning came, and Arwen and the twins waited outside Thranduil's room for a sign from their father. He had been in there since dawn, and so far they hadn't heard anything from him.

Most of the elves of Mirkwood knew something happened in the palace of Mirkwood when a guard found Gilrean's body lying on the ground, dead, with several broken bones and a cracked head. They had panicked and told other guards and those guards told people outside the gates. The new husband of Nira'lin was dead. Elrond had ordered that Legolas's room be cleaned of the bodies and the blood, and there was not to be a trace of what happened.

As they leaned against the wall, they saw Nira'lin walk down the hallway. She looked at them sadly. "I know you think I am the dumbest elf in Middle Earth." She said, holding her hands in front of her and bowing her head. Arwen stepped forward.

"The three of us have decided to not say anything about it, but be prepared for what your brother and your father will have to say." She said.

"Legolas will never let me live it down." She said quietly. The children of Elrond nodded. Nira'lin slumped against the wall and sat down. She pulled her knees up and buried her face in them.

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A few minutes later, the door opened, and Elrond stepped out of the room. He closed the door behind him and looked at the elves waiting outside the door. "Thranduil and Legolas have awakened. Both fell unconscious last night from blood loss. Nothing more." He said. Then, he turned his attention to Nira'lin. "They are not happy about what happened, and they wish to speak with you." He told her. She stood and nodded. She knew it was coming and there was no way of avoiding it. After Nira'lin entered the room, Elrond turned to the twins. "In the mean time, we will clear up any business with Gilrean's body found lying dead outside. Come." He swept past his children and went down the hall. The three followed him.

Nira'lin closed the door, and stood facing the door for as long as she could. Thranduil coughed to get her to turn. She did, and bit her lip, keeping her eyes on the floor. "Nira'lin, it was a mistake. The biggest mistake an elf, human, dwarf, hobbit, ent… any creature can make! I admit that it was partially my fault for not listening to Legolas, but neither did you." Thranduil said. He was sitting in his bed, wearing clean bedclothes, his stomach bandaged. Legolas was sitting in the chair beside the window, wearing his legging from the night before, but had no shirt and his shoulder was bandaged. Anger flashed in his eyes as he stared at his older sister. Nira'lin lifted her eyes to her brother, and met his gaze. She had never seen him so angry before. Dropping her gaze once again, Legolas spoke.

"Nira'lin, I hope you learned a lesson from this." Legolas said. She nodded, her hair falling in front of her face as she kept her head down. "Good. I hope this teaches you to listen to others in the future. And never marry someone you just met. It's not right. I knew for a long time that he was up to something. But no one listened. Only the twins and Arwen. They knew as well." Legolas said.

Nira'lin bit her lip again, holding back the tears. They were there for many reasons. She had been naïve, she didn't listen to her brother, she could have lost her brother and her father the night before, she almost ruined her life, Legolas and Thranduil were being hard on her, she didn't know what to say, and she might have caused a great deal of confusion and resentment among the elves of Mirkwood. The tears would not stay back, so she let them fall, and they rolled down her cheeks. She quickly wiped them away with the sleeve of her dress. She covered her face with her hands and left her hair over her face.

Legolas watched this, and felt a little guilty, but she had to realize her mistake. But that was no reason not to be her brother. He stood up from the chair and crossed the room. He slipped his arms around his sister.

Nira'lin was a little surprised when she realized that Legolas was hugging her. "I'm so sorry Legolas." She whispered.

"We just don't want you to get hurt, Nira'lin. What if he had tried to kill you as well? Or just you? Ada and I would be very upset and heart broken. We love you a lot, iaur gwathel*, and we want to protect you." Legolas told her. Thranduil climbed out of his bed and made his way to his children. Wrapping his arms around both of them, he smiled.

"Legolas is right, iell-nin*. We love you too much to lose you." Thranduil said. Nira'lin brightened a little and she held her family tighter.

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That afternoon, Legolas was walking with Nira'lin and Elrond's children. They were talking about random things that held no importance. Thranduil and Elrond had made them leave the palace so that they could take care of what had happened the night before. They had pieced the story together and Thranduil had called a council of Mirkwood elves. Things would be better soon.

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As night fell, the younger elves were still not allowed into the palace. So they had found a place to sit and were telling stories. Nira'lin was plotting something against Legolas. As Arwen finished her story, Nira'lin spoke up.

"I remember a time when Legolas was an elfling, and the maid gave him a bath. He wanted to get outside so badly, that he didn't even let the maid put his clothes on, and he ran right outside into the courtyard. Luckily, that was the day that Ada had called the elven council together and they were all talking in the courtyard. I did not stop laughing for a long time." She said, shooting Legolas a wicked smile. Legolas glared at his sister. Arwen and the twins started laughing, and Nira'lin changed her smile into a sweet and innocent one. Legolas sighed and shook his head.

"Fine. Two can play at that game. I remember a time when Nira'lin…."

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THE END!!

Well… that wasn't as good an ending has I had hoped I might make it… but it's done now. Sorry about the long wait everyone. To those of you who review, you rock. I feel so special * tear * Well, I'll be back up in a little while with the first chapter of my new story!!

 iaur gwathel ~~ older sister

iell-nin ~~ my daughter