Karri : There might be. I'll think about it.
Legolas Greenleaf : Not a problem to me 'cause Leggy really does look like a girl!
Trista : Yes I will! Thanks!
Someone Reading : No hunters in my family though, thank God!
Jamie : You will know how Kel and Thranduil had coped with Leggy's disappearance in this and coming chapter.
beginning-end-314 : I saw Leggy in Paris when he shoot that arrow into Achilles' heel! Those eyes. Those determined, narrowed eyes.
Aranel of Mirkwood : You have to scribble Thranduil's name off the list now. Nasty Kel will be leaving sooner or later, don't worry.
Clover : No, I won't change it. Thanks for the support. Oh, yes. I already have the plot for a Troy fic. Wait n see, mellon!
Sailor Elf : Glad to know you have the bazooka but please don't point that darn thing at me! I need to stay alive to finish this story!
Mellaithwen : Ha ha ha! Paris should spend more time with Athena, that's for sure! Or Apollo. Or Eros. Or Artemis. Or Sauron. Or anyone who can teach him things other than the beauty of his face!
Young Storyteller : I'm about to be 29, and my mom still treats me as if I'm 9, so go figures! LOL! The rating amused me too! U? Kah kah kah! The kissing scenes were too short for my taste! Darn the censorship board! And my mom thought I watched Troy because of Brad Pitt! I forgot to tell her that Brad Pitt had stopped being my pin-up idol starting from the day he got married to Jennifer! Yes. I was so heartbroken. I still am. Sigh…
Fairylady : I want that chocolate cake with Leggy, Kel and Thranduil-shaped icing on top, plus the pearl necklace from the sea of Propontis, now give them to me!
Fire Breathing Ferret : Yes. Big Nose was gonna do what we thought he was gonna do. I'm glad I killed him off.
LegolasLover2003 : Oh, he got mad skills, all right. Be very afraid. So, you have bed discussion, too? He he he…
mogcat : I pity your cat. LOL!
Neoma : You are sick? Oh, poor you. Get well soon!
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Keldarion rode towards home at breakneck speed, but I was deeply asleep during the entire journey that I didn't even notice.
"Prince Legolas has returned!"
"…he is still alive?"
"How did he survive…?"
Animated voices stirred me awake when Keldarion reined in his mount right in front of the palace great door. Half conscious, I did not fully understand what the entire excitement was about. I just lie there, content within the cradle of my brother's arms as he quickly dismounted and ran inside, heading for the royal chambers.
Still dazed, I gazed through heavy lidded eyes as my brother carried me into my room and deposited me onto the bed. More voices hit my ears then, making me dizzy from the confusing exchange.
"…prepare the bath water…"
"…go get the healer now!"
"Need some bandages and salves here…!"
"Legolas! Thank the Valar, Kel. You found him!" This came from my father. He eagerly gathered me into his arms, embracing me like he didn't want to let go.
I watched numbly as my father's tears fell and hit upon my temple. With trembling fingers, I reached up and touched his wet cheek. "Why…are you crying?" I asked weakly.
"Why?" He blinked back at me. "Because I'm glad you've returned. I thought you were already dead."
"You…you are not…mad at me?"
My father shook his head and ran a hand through my hair, smiling. "Let's talk about that later. I'm just happy that…Ai! Elbereth! There's so many blood on you!" Alarmed, he checked me all over, gasping in dismay to see the many wounds I had acquired during my captivity.
"Not…entirely my blood," I croaked, swallowing repeatedly around the dryness in my throat. "They dumped…a cup of stag's blood…onto my head…after they forced me…to drink it."
Two pairs of blue eyes stared back at me in horror. I then realized what I had just said, and instantly felt hot bile rising up from my bowels. "I…I think…I'm going to throw up…" I mumbled, quickly putting a hand over my mouth.
A chamber pot suddenly appeared in front of my face mere seconds before I went horribly sick. I retched and retched for quite some time, gagging and sobbing uncontrollably. My belly hurt, my throat burned, my head throbbed. Still, I was aware of gentle hands rubbing down my back comfortingly. Someone was gently pulling strands of hair away from my face, tucking them behind my ears. I also heard soothing crooning voices, encouraging me to stay strong.
After I had finished, my stomach muscles had gone cramp from all the vomiting. My body was drenched in sweat, while my entire limbs felt so laden that I didn't even have the energy to move my fingertips.
"Here. Rinse your mouth," Keldarion said, putting a glass of water to my lips. Propped upright against my father, I did what I was told without complain. Then he refilled the glass and ordered me to drink. By then, I was only half awake, my eyes already closed. I nearly choke on the cold water as it ran down my throat, chasing away the great thirst that had been plaguing me before.
"The bath is ready, my lord," the servants announced a while later.
"Good," I heard my father replied as he and Keldarion began tugging at my soiled leggings. "Now, leave us. We'll tend to him."
I heard the servants' shuffling feet as they exited the room, closing the door quietly behind them. Then I was lifted from the bed and carried across the chamber towards the full bathtub waiting in the corner. As I was gently lowered into the warm water, I couldn't help but whimper at the way it smarted against the welts and cuts all over my body. I weakly struggled, trying to get out of the tub.
"Shh…Easy, Legolas. The pain will fade," Keldarion was saying as he started washing my hair.
"Yes, son. Relax. We will take care of you," my father said next. "Go to sleep, little one. Go to sleep."
And so I did.
##################################
I burned with fever for two days.
Terrible dreams plagued my sleep. I would repeatedly jerk awake whenever they came to haunt me. Delirious, I would scream and shout, yelling at those nightmares to go away and leave me in peace. Then I would slump against the pillows, sobbing and crying myself back to sleep.
But I was never left alone during all this. Twice I found myself buried in Keldarion's embrace as he comfortingly rubbed a hand down my back, telling me that I was safe, that I was no longer in danger. My father would also be there, bathing my burning forehead with a damp cloth, singing lullabies to me in his soft velvety voice.
And this time, it was no different.
With a scream lodged in my throat, I felt myself jerked upright like a released bowstring, breathing fast as if I had been running for many leagues. The truth was, I had been dreaming of Hadrian. He had escaped from the Hall of Mandos and came swinging at me with his sword, trying to behead me. I was pinned to the ground by the orcs, and they were cheering him on. I instantly woke up when the blade ran through my neck.
"Legolas?" My father was beside me in a flash, putting an arm around my shoulders before pulling me against his side. "Bad dreams again?"
I nodded, willing my racing heart to calm down. "The worst."
My father smiled ruefully. He gave a brief kiss on my temple before reaching for the water decanter on the bedside table. He poured into a glass and told me to drink. Then he asked, "Would you like to eat something?"
I was hungry, so again I nodded, giving back to him the half-empty glass. As my father busied himself with a bowl of porridge on the table, I glanced at the opened window and saw that it was early afternoon. "Where's Kel?"
Smiling, my father replied, "I told him to take rest. He spent the entire night watching over you. That boy was already dead on his feet when I came in here this morning." He then placed a spoonful of porridge to my lips. "Open up," my father ordered.
I parted my lips and took the sweet tasting offering, chewing and swallowing slowly. But after taking not more than three bites, my appetite deserted me. I feebly pushed another spoonful away, shaking my head, signaling to my father that I had had enough.
Frowning, my father reluctantly put the bowl back onto the table. "You should eat more. You need to gather your strength."
"I can't," I said. "Too tired."
Stroking my cheek, he said next, "Then go back to sleep, Legolas."
"I don't want to sleep. The nightmares will drive me crazy."
"All right. What do you want to do then?" he asked.
I shrugged, looking down at my hands resting on top of the coverlet, which covered me from the waist down.
"Do you want to talk?"
I glanced at my father before I quickly dropped my gaze once more so that he could not see the tears that were pooling in my eyes.
"Legolas, what's wrong?" my father asked as he gently tipped my chin so I would look directly at him.
"I…I'm sorry."
He was perplexed to hear me saying that. "Why?"
"Because…I've caused you grief, worrying about me again…like usual."
My father chuckled. "Oh, yes. That you did. Still, I'm proud of you. They told me you killed those orcs all by yourself. Very impressive."
My lips trembled to hear those compliment. A high praise indeed if it came from the great king to the last elven kingdom. I felt as if I was not worthy enough to receive it.
"I thought no one would come for me," I softly said.
My father was flabbergasted. "What? Why would you think that way?"
"I…I thought no one cares. I thought everyone hates me," I explained, already sobbing. "Hadrian is dead b…because of my…stupidity. I know I…do not deserve any forgiveness for causing his death, let alone your love…"
"That's not true!" My father grasped my shoulders and squeezed, staring deeply into my tear-filled eyes. He sighed. "Now I can see how deeply I've hurt you with my words that day, my son. I'm very sorry. But believe me, no one hates you. I may be a king, but I'm a father first. I just want to make a better person out of you. I have to point out the mistakes you've done so that you won't repeat them again. I admit, I was too harsh on you. But let me tell you this; I didn't scold you out of spite. I scolded you because I love you."
He leaned down and kissed my brow before he pulled my trembling form into his arms. "You are my son. I would never hate you. Not then, not now…and never will. Love is all I have for you, Legolas. Always."
"I love you too, father," I said brokenly, clutching at his tunic. "I'm sorry I've disgraced you. I'm so sorry…"
"I'm sorry, too. I'm also proud to see how you've matured in just mere days," he replied, his tears evident in his voice. "But do me a favor, Legolas. Don't grow up too fast. It's very hard for me to catch up with you."
I weakly chuckled, and hugged him tighter.
When I went to sleep afterwards, the nightmares finally ceased.
TBC…Okay. Enough tears for one day. Save them for the day after tomorrow. Sob.