The Wanderers
By: Tsuki no Lomelinde
Disclaimer: No matter how much I wish that I did, I do not own any of the characters of The Lord of the Rings; and never will, however any characters that I create belong to me and no one else. The song that I butchered, (World on Fire) belongs to Sarah McLachlan. This story was created for entertainment purposes and no money is being made.
Summary: Legolas is getting sicker, can he be saved? And who is the mysterious maiden and her companion?
Chapter 6: A Growing Darkness, A Dying Light
~Three great Lights
Were born by the valor
In the age of awakening
To watch over Middle Earth forever
One bound to the lands of the Undying
The second to travel by east and west
And the last bound to Middle Earth until its last breath
Three bound to lead and protect
Immortal yet still seeing death
The sun the moon and the stars all bright
Taking up an endless fight
An enemy in defiance of their very being
A darkness an emptiness an evil all seeing~
"Prophesy of Light"
In the "Book of Remembrance"
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Lord Elrond led the group to the gardens where he'd left Gimli and Legolas, King Thranduil looked at the other elven lord with haunted eyes.
"Do you know what ails my son?" he asked.
Elrond could only shake his head, wishing that he had a better answer for the king.
They came upon the pair, sitting exactly where Elrond had left them, except that Legolas' head rested on Gimli's shoulder and the young elf was singing softly. The pair looked like something out of a story; the gruff dwarf was still wearing his armor, and Legolas was clothed only in his flowing white night shirt, which was delicately embroidered, and flowed nearly past his feet.
Gimli and Legolas looked up at their approach, and Legolas ceased his singing.
King Thranduil rushed over to sit by his son. "Ion nîn…?"
"I am well, ada," Legolas replied, giving his father a slight tired smile, before the question had even been finished.
The group sat down. Elladan and Elrohir sat by their father, Shoran sat by Thranduil, and Aragorn sat by Gimli.
They stayed like this for some time just enjoying one another's company, and trying to forget about all of the death and destruction, if only for a little while.
It was Legolas who broke the silence. His soft voice filled the air as he sang; it was a song filled with sorrow, making tears came unbidden to Aragorn's eyes…
The
world is on fire, its more then I can handle
I'll tap into the
water, try and bring my share
Try to bring more,
more then I can handle
Bring it to you
Bring what I am able
Hearts are worn in
these dark ages
You're not alone in
these story's pages
The light has fallen
amongst the living and the dying
And I'll try to hold
it in
I'll try to hold it in
I watch the heavens
but I find no calling
Something I can do to
change what's coming
Stay close to me while
the sky's falling
I don't wanna be left
alone, don't wanna be alone…
His clear voice faded and silence once again filled the gardens.
"Why do you sing of such sorrows, ion nîn?" Thranduil asked, turning to his youngest son.
Legolas turned away from his father's gaze. "It just seemed to fit."
Thranduil only nodded, hurt that his son turned away, but also worried as to the reason.
"Elrond, do you know what ails my son?" Thranduil said, turning his gaze to the elven lord.
Elrond sighed. "Not as of yet, but I am working on it."
Suddenly Shoran pulled himself to his feet. "I am afraid that I must take my leave for the moment, I must patrol the border."
Thranduil nodded, "Be careful, ion nîn."
Shoran nodded. "I will."
Elladan and Elrohir stood up. "We shall join him," Elladan stated.
Elrond cast a wary eye over his sons. "You will be careful also?" he asked.
The twins grinned, "Of course Ada," they chorused, and followed Shoran out of the garden.
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Two figures stood in a forest, at the very borders of Mirkwood. If anyone had been there to witness this secret conference, they would have seen two elves standing close together.
"We cannot let this continue," the smaller one, a female said. "The darkness is too strong for us to battle with alone. I have Seen the darkness." (a/n: Seen is capitalized for a reason. Seen: meaning she has cognitive powers and saw a future event.) "It is growing, soon it will swallow everything and we will be powerless to stop it."
The other nodded. "I know."
"Is that all that you have to say?"
"Yes, there is nothing that we can do at this moment. They must find their own way; we can not stay the hands of fate."
She put her head down. "I know, forgive me mellon nîn?"
He smiled impishly. "Of course, I know that you are worried. We can not stop fate, but perhaps…we can alter her course…"
She caught on immediately to his plan "You are cunning, mellon nîn," she said with a smile.
"I know," he replied.
"And not very modest," she muttered.
"Come, we will set my plan into motion as soon as we retrieve my errant companion," he told her with a playful grin, and with a laugh he ran off into the forest, leaving the maiden, who after a moment turned her gaze to the dark empty sky.
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The sun had just begun to set. Gimli had gone inside a while ago, just after the twins and Shoran had returned, and Elrond could hear the four laughing over some tale. Aragorn was dozing nearby, since he was unwilling to leave Legolas' side and return to his room. Legolas had fallen asleep some time ago and Thranduil was holding his son close.
"We should return to the palace, it is beginning to get cold," Elrond said. Thranduil nodded and both elven lords attempted to rouse their sons.
Aragorn muttered incoherently, but did not awaken. Elrond sighed; in no mood to deal with Aragorn he merely scooped the man into his arms. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Thranduil mimic his actions and pick up Legolas. The two made their way back into the palace.
Having placed Aragorn in his room, Elrond made his way to Legolas' chambers. The door was open when he arrived, so he entered, and smiled at the scene before him.
Thranduil was gently stroking Legolas' silver hair. The young prince's hair had always been a marvel, for most elves had blond hair, or brown in the case of Elrond and his children, but Legolas was different; all of his siblings had vibrant blond hair, yet Legolas had silver. No one had ever figured out why.
Elrond made his way over to the bed and placed his hand on Legolas' forehead. He recoiled in surprise, for the heat radiating off the elf's body was even more pronounced.
"Thranduil?" he asked.
"It started rising about an hour ago, just after he fell asleep," the king replied to the unvoiced question, his voice a mere whisper.
"And you did not think to inform me?" Lord Elrond hissed, shocked.
"You do not know what it is, so what can you do?"
"I can try and lower the fever," Elrond stated.
"He always looked like his mother," Thranduil suddenly said, wistfully, apparently having not heard Elrond.
Elrond nodded, trying to placate the king. "I know."
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Flashback
Lady Lyetha wailed in the pain of childbirth. Her husband King Thranduil hovered close by; it had been a hard pregnancy, for both of them.
"Come on Lyetha, push, just a few more and it will be over," Elrond soothed.
She gritted her teeth, and used all of her strength, and then the baby was in Elrond's bloody hands.
Thranduil ran his fingers through his wife's hair. "You did it, Lyetha!" he said, gently.
Lyetha smiled, but then turned away from her husband. "Lord Elrond?" she said fearfully, straining her ears for any sound. "He's not crying? Why isn't he crying?" she asked, her voice shaking.
"Elrond?" Thranduil asked, leaving his wife to come over to the elven lord.
Suddenly a wail broke the silence. Elrond breathed a sigh of relief, and wrapped the child in a blanket.
"He wasn't breathing, but I got him back. It's a boy, you have a new son," Elrond said, handing the child to his mother.
"He's beautiful!" she breathed, taking the child into her arms.
"Thank you, Lord Elrond," Thranduil said, standing next to his wife, to see the child. When he did his head shot back up in surprise.
"Lord Elrond? His hair…it's…"
"I know, I do not understand it myself," the elven lord responded.
"He's beautiful," Lyetha repeated, looking meaningfully at her husband. "It does not matter the color of his hair, he is alive and healthy. Is he not, Lord Elrond?"
Elrond just nodded, his thoughts already drifting elsewhere.
"He looks just like you, Lyetha," Thranduil whispered, and kissed the top of his wife's head.
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A/N: Just to let everyone know, I know that Legolas' hair is blonde, but for the purpose of my story his hair is silver, it will mean something later. I promise. Also, the prophesy in the beginning belongs to me, because I made it up. ^_^
I'm sorry! I know that it's short! I'm trying really I am, but with SAT's approaching and the hundreds of papers I have to write for my classes, I'm a little short on time. I'll try to update as soon as I can. Please keep sending me all of those wonderful reviews! It's the only thing that keeps me going with this story.