Author's Note: In this chapter, I have added some things that Tolkien never
wrote about, or if he did, he perceived them in a much different way than I
did. If you don't like stories that don't go by the rules, I suggest you
stop reading this story. I haven't changed a lot, but I added a little bit
to make the defense of Rivendell a tiny bit more interesting.
Chapter 17
Laurelin stepped into her chambers and noticed that a huge, battered trunk was on the floor of her bedroom. She bent down and opened it. Inside, were a bow and quiver, an old sword, a good sum of money, and a gorgeous leather bridle. She picked up the bridle and noticed that "Mortal" was inscribed on the broadband. Mortal was the name of her father's deceased war-horse.
"Why do I have all of these things?" she wondered as she laid down the bridle and picked up the sword. Its handle was cracked, and there was a chip in the metal. She swung it around and it nearly knocked her over. It was a very heavy sword.
The Elf-princess put the sword back in the trunk, pondering why she had received all these possessions. She dug through the trunk, hoping to find a clue. She finally came upon a letter with torn edges. She instantly recognized it as the letter her father had written her before he had departed. She then remembered that he had given her all of his belongings since he had been leaving.
Laurelin smiled faintly, refolded the letter, put it in her pocket, and closed the trunk. She picked up the beautiful bridle, noticing that it was in fact, an ancient bridle, for the seal of Oropher was stamped on the noseband. She ran her hand along its leather finish, now missing Legolas more than ever.
"I'll go ride," she thought. "It'll keep my mind off him."
***
Legolas caught up with Elladan as they made their way to Elrond's spacious chambers. He grabbed him by the arm and they moved to the back of the crowd so they could talk privately.
"Have you figured out what to do about your situation with Lizule yet?" Legolas inquired of Elladan. "She is extremely upset, and I fear that she may consider leaving Imladris and head back to Mirkwood. But she cannot leave until we have the Balrog destroyed. I don't think the danger matters to her, though. She'll leave anyway."
Elladan sighed. "I don't know what I am going to do," he said, glaring at Glorfindel, who was some way ahead. 'I wish things wouldn't be so complicated. If only she would make amends with Glorfindel, and then we could get on with the rest of our lives."
"Yes, but Glorfindel is still quite angry. I think you should be the one to ask for his pardon and blessing. It isn't exactly fair to Glorfindel for his fiancée to abandon him, just because he refused to heal Gloried."
Lord Elrond's son frowned at the Mirkwood Prince. "Whose side are you on, anyway?" he sneered. "I thought you would support both of us, with Lizule being your wife's friend and all."
"I am on your side, but I am just trying to think reasonably. You can't hide the fact that Glorfindel did not deserve this."
"Maybe, but he need not get so upset about it," Elladan murmured. "He is always quicker to anger than most Elves, with you know, his special power and all."
Legolas wanted to ask what power that was, but he was interrupted by their arrival at Lord Elrond's chambers. The Elf-lord bowed graciously.
"Please, each of you, take a seat. We have much to plan, and so little time to do it. I will start this meeting on the understanding that all of you know the risks involved in slaying a Balrog. It is a highly dangerous task, however, it has been done before and we just have to practice to make sure we do it right and we suffer no casualties. In the event that we do lose one of you, it will be a serious loss and we may not have time to recuperate. "The army is milling around outside our borders as we speak. Although our boundaries are well protected, the magic is slowly giving in. We must therefore proceed with as much haste as possible. If we do not, we will be defeated by next week."
Dead silence. The only sound made was the crackling of wood as it burned in the huge fireplace. Finally, someone dared to speak.
"What are our weapons of choice?" asked Erestor as his eyes slid over an arrangement of swords on a wall. "There are not many blades that can cut through the hide of a Balrog."
There were several murmurs of agreement.
"Balrogs are an ancient evil, the servants of Melkor himself. Therefore, I have selected swords that have proved many Elves right in battle, back in the First and Second Ages," said Elrond.
Lord Elrond went over to a table and laid out seven swords on a red cloth. He then picked up the sword nearest to him.
"This is Gil-galad's sword. He fought with it in the Battle of the Last Alliance, at the end of the Second Age. Although he was slain, his sword survived and I will bear it as my own."
The King of the Elves raised the sword up, and it sparkled in the weak light. Rubies flecked the handle of the sword, and the long, flowing script of Elvish writing traced its edges. He sheathed the sword in his scaffold, which was attached to his robes. He then motioned for Elladan to come forward. He handed him a sword, and Legolas recognized it immediately. It was the sword of Gandalf, Glamdring. Legolas started to wonder how Elrond had come by all these spectacular swords as he handed Elrohir the sword of Narsil, reforged.
When it was Legolas's turn, Elrond gave him the very last sword he wanted to see. Legolas dropped it, and it clattered to the ground. Its sound echoed as a distant memory that did not want to be resurfaced.
"I can't wield that," he croaked. "It was Totholain's."
Lord Elrond smiled knowingly. "Aye, yes, it was. It was a very good sword for the valiant Elf-lord. He was a brave warrior, and it is a shame that his own sword killed him."
Legolas started to shake slightly. He rested his hand on the fireplace mantle to try and steady himself.
"How did you come by it?" Legolas breathed. "It was buried with him."
~ I can't believe he disturbed the peace of the dead ~
Elrond didn't answer him. Instead, he said,
"Legolas, there is something you need to know about Totholain's death. Something I think everyone is this room should hear."
The Elf-king took a deep breath. "Totholain was one of the Maiar, who was sent down to protect Laurelin from being murdered when she was young. The night that he died, Elbereth visited him and told him he had to depart, and leave Laurelin to her dreaded fate. He refused, and then he killed himself."
Legolas swayed. His mind was going fuzzy, and dark circles blinded his eyes. He did not want to believe it. He couldn't believe it. He would never believe Totholain to kill himself.
"No," he whispered softly under his breath. "No."
Lord Elrond grimaced. "I am sorry it has to come as such a shock. I always knew he was a Maiar, but the fact that he stabbed himself when told he had to leave Laurelin with a death sentence would never occur to me."
"WHAT?" Legolas shouted, his arms shaking uncontrollably. "WHAT DEATH SENTENCE?"
The Elf Prince strode over to where Lord Elrond was standing. Although Elrond was slightly taller, Legolas bore his blue eyes into Elrond's wise green ones.
"WHAT is going on?" he said, as he clenched and unclenched his hands. "Laurelin is not going to die anytime soon."
~ She can't die ~
"Legolas, the only way she will die is if you die."
Legolas's mouth fell open. He closed it quickly.
"Therefore, I have given you this sword, which has been stained with a Maiar's blood. You are as good as invincible. This sword is as powerful as Gil-galad's, if not stronger."
Legolas stared blankly at Elrond. He had no idea what he was talking about.
"Don't you see? Totholain killed himself in a last, hopeless attempt to save you and Laurelin, if you still came to Rivendell and ignored his warnings. He meddled with fate, which is an extremely dangerous thing to do. But he has succeeded, as long as you bear his sword, Glamdrigul. If you don't, you will die, and so will she."
Legolas opened his mouth, but no words came out. He tried again, all to no avail.
~ How will she die if I refuse to bear this sword? ~
Elrond, however, answered the unasked question for him.
"She will die of grief. The rose will tell her of your fate."
The Mirkwood Prince nodded in vain. Still, though there was one thing that was bothering him.
"My Lord," he said weakly, "how do you know all of this?"
The Elf-lord smiled. "Ask Glorfindel. He has the power."
Legolas turned to Glorfindel and gasped. The Elf's eyes were sparkling in the shadow, and a light, misty glow was surrounding him. In Glorfindel's face, he saw not only the image of Totholain, but Oropher, Haldir, and Gil- galad. Glorfindel stood, his presence filling the room suddenly with hundreds of memories, and he withdrew a beautiful necklace from inside his white robes. Legolas recognized it immediately.
"The Evenstar!" He cried, joy lighting up on his face as he saw it once again. "I thought it was lost!"
"It may be lost in the mind, but never in the heart," Glorfindel said, his voice sending a chill down Legolas's bones. He sounded exactly like Aragorn.
"You see, Legolas, Glorfindel has an unusual gift, just like Totholain and me. I can foresee the future, Totholain could read minds, and Glorfindel is able to enter the heart of anyone and withdraw most precious items, like possessions, but also, he can take out the intentions of a person and put it into words. It is not what our mind and thoughts lead us to do, but our heart itself," Elrond said.
Legolas froze in shock. He glanced over at Elladan, and was surprised to see that the prince was not taken aback at all by Glorfindel's power. He was staring at the ground, and murmuring something so soft Legolas could not hear. Legolas's eyes fell to the ground and he saw the sword, which was lying there, forgotten.
"So that is how you got Totholain's sword," Legolas said, forcing his voice to stay calm. "I can't believe it."
He went over, picked it up, and sheathed it. He then turned quickly to Elrond. "Is there any other powers I should know about?" he said, not bothering to keep his voice lowered anymore.
"Elladan," he said, and Lord Elrond's son looked straight at him, not blinking. "What were you trying to do before? Transfix the sword? Are any of you Elves here just ordinary Eldar, trying to save Imladris from destruction? Except for Isitur, I bet each and every one of you have some freak talent! I am so glad I have been informed of this, for I am leaving."
He headed to the door, but Elrond stopped him. "Getting angry will not solve our problems. We must work together, each with our special gift, to rid ourselves of this Balrog. It is the only way to do it."
Legolas glared at Lord Elrond, fixing his stare on those warm, gentle eyes. He tried to blink, but he found it impossible.
"I have other powers you know not of," Elrond said softly, keeping his voice dangerously low. "I do not wish to make you stay, but if I must, I will."
"You took Totholain's sword from its resting place! You have deliberately lied to me, and used Glorfindel's power to your advantage! I will not have it!" Legolas's mind screamed. He mouthed the words, for no sound was coming out.
Legolas attempted to move, but it was like his feet were stuck to the floor. He withdrew Glamdrigul and pointed it straight at Elrond, breathing hard.
"Move, my Lord," he snarled, "or I will make you."
"Please, be reasonable. I know you are upset and confused, but taking this out on others is not wise. You are very clever, Legolas, but you are also very naïve. Please, come sit down, and I will try to explain everything to the best of my ability. Do not make me fight you."
Legolas felt his arm guide his sword back into the scaffold. His feet shuffled across the ground as he made his way to his seat, in a sort of trance. He sat down and crossed his arms, determined to keep his mind closed to whatever Elrond was talking about. Glorfindel was standing beside the Elf-lord, the images in his face gone and replaced by a very fowl stare. He seemed livid. Legolas ignored the occasional glances from Isitur, who looked very confused. The Mirkwood Prince sank lower in his chair, going over the scenario in his mind.
~ The only way to save Laurelin, according to these fools, is to stay here. I may as well listen, and kill this Balrog, but as soon as I get home I am never leaving again ~
****
"Master Legolas?" Legolas jumped at the words. He had never been called that since the end of the War of the Ring. It brought bittersweet memories back to him like a tidal wave. He turned around, looking for the source of the voice.
He saw that a tiny Elf-girl was standing in his chambers, holding the Evenstar necklace in the palm of her hand. Legolas reached for it instinctively, but she backed away, keeping a small distance.
"Lord Glorfindel wishes to give this necklace to you, on one condition." She paused, and then continued. "He wants to speak to you personally and try to explain everything that has been going on these past days. If you will go see him, this necklace is yours."
"Why can't his Lordship give the necklace back to Aragorn? That is were it belongs, doesn't it?"
~ Even though Aragorn is dead ~
"Oh, no, Master Legolas, once a possession is taken by Lord Glorfindel, it can never be given back."
"I see," said Legolas angrily. "Well, tell your Lord that I was just going to have a little chat with Lizule, and if he doesn't mind, I cannot speak to him tonight." The Mirkwood Prince headed for the door.
"You were not going to see Lizule. You were pondering about whether or not to tell her to flee this place."
Legolas gasped and spun around. Lord Elrond was standing by his closet, his eyes closed and his face laden with distress. Small, white stars lined his forehead in the shape of a crown.
"How did you get there?"
Elrond smiled weakly and waved his hand. The Elf-girl made to leave the room, but Legolas stood in front of the door and would not let her pass.
"I want that necklace," he said. "It belongs to me more than to Glorfindel. Aragorn would want me to keepsake it, in honor of Arwen. Give it to me."
The Elfling took Legolas's hand and opened it. She traced the shape of the Evenstar on his hand, and then she withdrew the necklace from her fist and gave it to him. He stepped aside, and let her out.
"You frightened her," Elrond said, after she had gone. "No one in Rivendell has ever spoken to her in that kind of tone."
"Well, I am sorry I scared her, but who is she? And why is she so fond of Glorfindel?"
"I did not come here to answer your questions. I came here to persuade you not to tell Lizule anything you heard at that council. If she knew the powers that we withhold, she would probably go mad."
"I can pardon her for that. I am about to go mad myself! This is getting more unusual by the hour." Legolas opened his door and threw a comment back at Elrond.
"I think if anyone deserves to know, it is Lizule. She was about to marry Glorfindel, for Valar's sake! She has no perception of the powers Glorfindel has, or Elladan. Speaking of Elladan, what power does he have?"
The King of the Elves sighed. "He is quite skilled with flowers and herbal remedies. He has discovered the potency of certain flowers, and he knows which ones have a positive impact, and which ones have a negative impact."
"That's grand. I better tell Lizule her lover has a soft spot for flowers."
The Prince of Mirkwood went to step through the doorway, but the door closed in his face. He tried to open it, but it stayed firmly shut. Groaning, he spoke at Elrond with words that stung.
"So, besides being a fortune teller and a plunderer, you are telekinetic too? This just keeps getting worse! What other secret powers do you have? Can you fly as well?"
Elrond bore his eyes at Legolas, penetrating through his skin and making his heart drop. It was the most horrible feeling Legolas had ever experienced. He staggered to the ground.
"Enough! Enough!" He called from the floor. "I surrender! I apologize for being so obnoxious! I'm sorry! I am just upset that Laurelin has been fated to die, and that her survival depends on me. It is very tough to understand." He broke off and took a deep, shaky breath.
Lord Elrond blinked, clearing away the dark fire in his eyes. He gave his hand to the Elf Prince and pulled him up.
"Will you just listen?" Elrond asked, his eyes now warm and gentle. "I will try to explain everything."
Legolas nodded and sat down in a chair. Elrond remained standing, as if trying to show Legolas that they were both equals.
"First off, the reason I have all of these unnatural gifts is because my brother and I were given a choice: we could either be of Elven kind, or of the Men race. I chose Elven kind, but he chose Men. The Valar gave us this choice because we were born of a mortal father and immortal mother. My father was favored among the Valar, and we were blessed with extraordinary powers. I was given the gifts of the gods, or in other terms, I have the gift of foresight, I am telekinetic, as you just figured out, and I can transport myself from place to place much easier than other beings. All of those powers belong to the Valar, and so I too received them. I also received some other unknown powers, powers I am trying to figure out and learn how to control. It is not an easy task.
"So, when I was presented with these "talents", I took them with high confidence. The War of the Last Alliance was to be fought soon, and Lord Gil-galad, the King of all the Elves called for my help, and I of course accepted, putting full faith in my powers. He promised me that if he was slain, his ring, Vilya, would be passed on to me, and I would be crowned the King of the Elves. In the end, we did indeed lose him, and our grieving period was very great. Sauron was the cause of his death, and we have sworn revenge upon him until we are compensated for Gil-galad's loss. Of course, nothing could ever come close to making up for the death of Gil-galad.
"My powers could not save him that day, so I learned that they too have their own limits, and I can not do everything within myself. My powers could not bring him back, but it made me aware that I cannot save everyone. That is a tough lesson to learn."
There was a long pause. Finally, as if pondering over his choice of words, Legolas said,
"I understand your powers, and your sons, since they are you, in a way. What I don't comprehend is why Glorfindel and Erestor, for example, have powers. Were they also gifted from the gods?"
"Glorfindel was an extremely brave Elf when he lived in Gondolin, a beautiful city that saddens my heart to name. When Gondolin fell, he was forced to battle with a ferocious Balrog, but he had no weapon. He used his mind to buy him time, but the Balrog still killed him. When Manwe granted his request to come back to Middle-earth, he endowed him with the gift he has today. It enables him to almost anything to his enemy, since he can withdraw a very powerful sword or bow and use it against his opponent by surprise. They then stand little or no chance.
"Erestor, though, was born with his power. He is incapable of lying, and he can read intentions off of anyone, whether their intentions were good or bad. Why he was born with this power I believe we may never know, but it has proved quite important endless times."
"So basically, we are unbeatable when we go up against this Balrog. We practically have a death sentence on him right now!"
"Yes and no. Even the best-laid out plans can go wrong. Although we will probably kill him, we might lose one of our own number in the fight. You never know what may happen."
"But you have the gift of foresight. Do you not know who will die and who will live?"
"I only know what the Valar wills me to know. They will not let me see certain fates of certain Elves, and you, Legolas, are one of those Elves. But there is some good news. You are perfectly safe as long as you keep Totholain's sword with you to fight with and you never let it out of your sight. If you do, it could prove fatal. Understand?"
"Yes."
"Good, I am glad." Elrond patted him on the shoulder. He then opened the door to the dark hallway outside.
"I hope you can reach a mutual understanding with Glorfindel and the rest of us. It will help you enormously later on."
Elrond stepped through the doorway, but Legolas blurted out a question that had been bothering him for so long.
"My Lord, when do we attack?"
Elrond stopped. He closed his eyes and said,
"The day after tomorrow, at sunrise."
Chapter 17
Laurelin stepped into her chambers and noticed that a huge, battered trunk was on the floor of her bedroom. She bent down and opened it. Inside, were a bow and quiver, an old sword, a good sum of money, and a gorgeous leather bridle. She picked up the bridle and noticed that "Mortal" was inscribed on the broadband. Mortal was the name of her father's deceased war-horse.
"Why do I have all of these things?" she wondered as she laid down the bridle and picked up the sword. Its handle was cracked, and there was a chip in the metal. She swung it around and it nearly knocked her over. It was a very heavy sword.
The Elf-princess put the sword back in the trunk, pondering why she had received all these possessions. She dug through the trunk, hoping to find a clue. She finally came upon a letter with torn edges. She instantly recognized it as the letter her father had written her before he had departed. She then remembered that he had given her all of his belongings since he had been leaving.
Laurelin smiled faintly, refolded the letter, put it in her pocket, and closed the trunk. She picked up the beautiful bridle, noticing that it was in fact, an ancient bridle, for the seal of Oropher was stamped on the noseband. She ran her hand along its leather finish, now missing Legolas more than ever.
"I'll go ride," she thought. "It'll keep my mind off him."
***
Legolas caught up with Elladan as they made their way to Elrond's spacious chambers. He grabbed him by the arm and they moved to the back of the crowd so they could talk privately.
"Have you figured out what to do about your situation with Lizule yet?" Legolas inquired of Elladan. "She is extremely upset, and I fear that she may consider leaving Imladris and head back to Mirkwood. But she cannot leave until we have the Balrog destroyed. I don't think the danger matters to her, though. She'll leave anyway."
Elladan sighed. "I don't know what I am going to do," he said, glaring at Glorfindel, who was some way ahead. 'I wish things wouldn't be so complicated. If only she would make amends with Glorfindel, and then we could get on with the rest of our lives."
"Yes, but Glorfindel is still quite angry. I think you should be the one to ask for his pardon and blessing. It isn't exactly fair to Glorfindel for his fiancée to abandon him, just because he refused to heal Gloried."
Lord Elrond's son frowned at the Mirkwood Prince. "Whose side are you on, anyway?" he sneered. "I thought you would support both of us, with Lizule being your wife's friend and all."
"I am on your side, but I am just trying to think reasonably. You can't hide the fact that Glorfindel did not deserve this."
"Maybe, but he need not get so upset about it," Elladan murmured. "He is always quicker to anger than most Elves, with you know, his special power and all."
Legolas wanted to ask what power that was, but he was interrupted by their arrival at Lord Elrond's chambers. The Elf-lord bowed graciously.
"Please, each of you, take a seat. We have much to plan, and so little time to do it. I will start this meeting on the understanding that all of you know the risks involved in slaying a Balrog. It is a highly dangerous task, however, it has been done before and we just have to practice to make sure we do it right and we suffer no casualties. In the event that we do lose one of you, it will be a serious loss and we may not have time to recuperate. "The army is milling around outside our borders as we speak. Although our boundaries are well protected, the magic is slowly giving in. We must therefore proceed with as much haste as possible. If we do not, we will be defeated by next week."
Dead silence. The only sound made was the crackling of wood as it burned in the huge fireplace. Finally, someone dared to speak.
"What are our weapons of choice?" asked Erestor as his eyes slid over an arrangement of swords on a wall. "There are not many blades that can cut through the hide of a Balrog."
There were several murmurs of agreement.
"Balrogs are an ancient evil, the servants of Melkor himself. Therefore, I have selected swords that have proved many Elves right in battle, back in the First and Second Ages," said Elrond.
Lord Elrond went over to a table and laid out seven swords on a red cloth. He then picked up the sword nearest to him.
"This is Gil-galad's sword. He fought with it in the Battle of the Last Alliance, at the end of the Second Age. Although he was slain, his sword survived and I will bear it as my own."
The King of the Elves raised the sword up, and it sparkled in the weak light. Rubies flecked the handle of the sword, and the long, flowing script of Elvish writing traced its edges. He sheathed the sword in his scaffold, which was attached to his robes. He then motioned for Elladan to come forward. He handed him a sword, and Legolas recognized it immediately. It was the sword of Gandalf, Glamdring. Legolas started to wonder how Elrond had come by all these spectacular swords as he handed Elrohir the sword of Narsil, reforged.
When it was Legolas's turn, Elrond gave him the very last sword he wanted to see. Legolas dropped it, and it clattered to the ground. Its sound echoed as a distant memory that did not want to be resurfaced.
"I can't wield that," he croaked. "It was Totholain's."
Lord Elrond smiled knowingly. "Aye, yes, it was. It was a very good sword for the valiant Elf-lord. He was a brave warrior, and it is a shame that his own sword killed him."
Legolas started to shake slightly. He rested his hand on the fireplace mantle to try and steady himself.
"How did you come by it?" Legolas breathed. "It was buried with him."
~ I can't believe he disturbed the peace of the dead ~
Elrond didn't answer him. Instead, he said,
"Legolas, there is something you need to know about Totholain's death. Something I think everyone is this room should hear."
The Elf-king took a deep breath. "Totholain was one of the Maiar, who was sent down to protect Laurelin from being murdered when she was young. The night that he died, Elbereth visited him and told him he had to depart, and leave Laurelin to her dreaded fate. He refused, and then he killed himself."
Legolas swayed. His mind was going fuzzy, and dark circles blinded his eyes. He did not want to believe it. He couldn't believe it. He would never believe Totholain to kill himself.
"No," he whispered softly under his breath. "No."
Lord Elrond grimaced. "I am sorry it has to come as such a shock. I always knew he was a Maiar, but the fact that he stabbed himself when told he had to leave Laurelin with a death sentence would never occur to me."
"WHAT?" Legolas shouted, his arms shaking uncontrollably. "WHAT DEATH SENTENCE?"
The Elf Prince strode over to where Lord Elrond was standing. Although Elrond was slightly taller, Legolas bore his blue eyes into Elrond's wise green ones.
"WHAT is going on?" he said, as he clenched and unclenched his hands. "Laurelin is not going to die anytime soon."
~ She can't die ~
"Legolas, the only way she will die is if you die."
Legolas's mouth fell open. He closed it quickly.
"Therefore, I have given you this sword, which has been stained with a Maiar's blood. You are as good as invincible. This sword is as powerful as Gil-galad's, if not stronger."
Legolas stared blankly at Elrond. He had no idea what he was talking about.
"Don't you see? Totholain killed himself in a last, hopeless attempt to save you and Laurelin, if you still came to Rivendell and ignored his warnings. He meddled with fate, which is an extremely dangerous thing to do. But he has succeeded, as long as you bear his sword, Glamdrigul. If you don't, you will die, and so will she."
Legolas opened his mouth, but no words came out. He tried again, all to no avail.
~ How will she die if I refuse to bear this sword? ~
Elrond, however, answered the unasked question for him.
"She will die of grief. The rose will tell her of your fate."
The Mirkwood Prince nodded in vain. Still, though there was one thing that was bothering him.
"My Lord," he said weakly, "how do you know all of this?"
The Elf-lord smiled. "Ask Glorfindel. He has the power."
Legolas turned to Glorfindel and gasped. The Elf's eyes were sparkling in the shadow, and a light, misty glow was surrounding him. In Glorfindel's face, he saw not only the image of Totholain, but Oropher, Haldir, and Gil- galad. Glorfindel stood, his presence filling the room suddenly with hundreds of memories, and he withdrew a beautiful necklace from inside his white robes. Legolas recognized it immediately.
"The Evenstar!" He cried, joy lighting up on his face as he saw it once again. "I thought it was lost!"
"It may be lost in the mind, but never in the heart," Glorfindel said, his voice sending a chill down Legolas's bones. He sounded exactly like Aragorn.
"You see, Legolas, Glorfindel has an unusual gift, just like Totholain and me. I can foresee the future, Totholain could read minds, and Glorfindel is able to enter the heart of anyone and withdraw most precious items, like possessions, but also, he can take out the intentions of a person and put it into words. It is not what our mind and thoughts lead us to do, but our heart itself," Elrond said.
Legolas froze in shock. He glanced over at Elladan, and was surprised to see that the prince was not taken aback at all by Glorfindel's power. He was staring at the ground, and murmuring something so soft Legolas could not hear. Legolas's eyes fell to the ground and he saw the sword, which was lying there, forgotten.
"So that is how you got Totholain's sword," Legolas said, forcing his voice to stay calm. "I can't believe it."
He went over, picked it up, and sheathed it. He then turned quickly to Elrond. "Is there any other powers I should know about?" he said, not bothering to keep his voice lowered anymore.
"Elladan," he said, and Lord Elrond's son looked straight at him, not blinking. "What were you trying to do before? Transfix the sword? Are any of you Elves here just ordinary Eldar, trying to save Imladris from destruction? Except for Isitur, I bet each and every one of you have some freak talent! I am so glad I have been informed of this, for I am leaving."
He headed to the door, but Elrond stopped him. "Getting angry will not solve our problems. We must work together, each with our special gift, to rid ourselves of this Balrog. It is the only way to do it."
Legolas glared at Lord Elrond, fixing his stare on those warm, gentle eyes. He tried to blink, but he found it impossible.
"I have other powers you know not of," Elrond said softly, keeping his voice dangerously low. "I do not wish to make you stay, but if I must, I will."
"You took Totholain's sword from its resting place! You have deliberately lied to me, and used Glorfindel's power to your advantage! I will not have it!" Legolas's mind screamed. He mouthed the words, for no sound was coming out.
Legolas attempted to move, but it was like his feet were stuck to the floor. He withdrew Glamdrigul and pointed it straight at Elrond, breathing hard.
"Move, my Lord," he snarled, "or I will make you."
"Please, be reasonable. I know you are upset and confused, but taking this out on others is not wise. You are very clever, Legolas, but you are also very naïve. Please, come sit down, and I will try to explain everything to the best of my ability. Do not make me fight you."
Legolas felt his arm guide his sword back into the scaffold. His feet shuffled across the ground as he made his way to his seat, in a sort of trance. He sat down and crossed his arms, determined to keep his mind closed to whatever Elrond was talking about. Glorfindel was standing beside the Elf-lord, the images in his face gone and replaced by a very fowl stare. He seemed livid. Legolas ignored the occasional glances from Isitur, who looked very confused. The Mirkwood Prince sank lower in his chair, going over the scenario in his mind.
~ The only way to save Laurelin, according to these fools, is to stay here. I may as well listen, and kill this Balrog, but as soon as I get home I am never leaving again ~
****
"Master Legolas?" Legolas jumped at the words. He had never been called that since the end of the War of the Ring. It brought bittersweet memories back to him like a tidal wave. He turned around, looking for the source of the voice.
He saw that a tiny Elf-girl was standing in his chambers, holding the Evenstar necklace in the palm of her hand. Legolas reached for it instinctively, but she backed away, keeping a small distance.
"Lord Glorfindel wishes to give this necklace to you, on one condition." She paused, and then continued. "He wants to speak to you personally and try to explain everything that has been going on these past days. If you will go see him, this necklace is yours."
"Why can't his Lordship give the necklace back to Aragorn? That is were it belongs, doesn't it?"
~ Even though Aragorn is dead ~
"Oh, no, Master Legolas, once a possession is taken by Lord Glorfindel, it can never be given back."
"I see," said Legolas angrily. "Well, tell your Lord that I was just going to have a little chat with Lizule, and if he doesn't mind, I cannot speak to him tonight." The Mirkwood Prince headed for the door.
"You were not going to see Lizule. You were pondering about whether or not to tell her to flee this place."
Legolas gasped and spun around. Lord Elrond was standing by his closet, his eyes closed and his face laden with distress. Small, white stars lined his forehead in the shape of a crown.
"How did you get there?"
Elrond smiled weakly and waved his hand. The Elf-girl made to leave the room, but Legolas stood in front of the door and would not let her pass.
"I want that necklace," he said. "It belongs to me more than to Glorfindel. Aragorn would want me to keepsake it, in honor of Arwen. Give it to me."
The Elfling took Legolas's hand and opened it. She traced the shape of the Evenstar on his hand, and then she withdrew the necklace from her fist and gave it to him. He stepped aside, and let her out.
"You frightened her," Elrond said, after she had gone. "No one in Rivendell has ever spoken to her in that kind of tone."
"Well, I am sorry I scared her, but who is she? And why is she so fond of Glorfindel?"
"I did not come here to answer your questions. I came here to persuade you not to tell Lizule anything you heard at that council. If she knew the powers that we withhold, she would probably go mad."
"I can pardon her for that. I am about to go mad myself! This is getting more unusual by the hour." Legolas opened his door and threw a comment back at Elrond.
"I think if anyone deserves to know, it is Lizule. She was about to marry Glorfindel, for Valar's sake! She has no perception of the powers Glorfindel has, or Elladan. Speaking of Elladan, what power does he have?"
The King of the Elves sighed. "He is quite skilled with flowers and herbal remedies. He has discovered the potency of certain flowers, and he knows which ones have a positive impact, and which ones have a negative impact."
"That's grand. I better tell Lizule her lover has a soft spot for flowers."
The Prince of Mirkwood went to step through the doorway, but the door closed in his face. He tried to open it, but it stayed firmly shut. Groaning, he spoke at Elrond with words that stung.
"So, besides being a fortune teller and a plunderer, you are telekinetic too? This just keeps getting worse! What other secret powers do you have? Can you fly as well?"
Elrond bore his eyes at Legolas, penetrating through his skin and making his heart drop. It was the most horrible feeling Legolas had ever experienced. He staggered to the ground.
"Enough! Enough!" He called from the floor. "I surrender! I apologize for being so obnoxious! I'm sorry! I am just upset that Laurelin has been fated to die, and that her survival depends on me. It is very tough to understand." He broke off and took a deep, shaky breath.
Lord Elrond blinked, clearing away the dark fire in his eyes. He gave his hand to the Elf Prince and pulled him up.
"Will you just listen?" Elrond asked, his eyes now warm and gentle. "I will try to explain everything."
Legolas nodded and sat down in a chair. Elrond remained standing, as if trying to show Legolas that they were both equals.
"First off, the reason I have all of these unnatural gifts is because my brother and I were given a choice: we could either be of Elven kind, or of the Men race. I chose Elven kind, but he chose Men. The Valar gave us this choice because we were born of a mortal father and immortal mother. My father was favored among the Valar, and we were blessed with extraordinary powers. I was given the gifts of the gods, or in other terms, I have the gift of foresight, I am telekinetic, as you just figured out, and I can transport myself from place to place much easier than other beings. All of those powers belong to the Valar, and so I too received them. I also received some other unknown powers, powers I am trying to figure out and learn how to control. It is not an easy task.
"So, when I was presented with these "talents", I took them with high confidence. The War of the Last Alliance was to be fought soon, and Lord Gil-galad, the King of all the Elves called for my help, and I of course accepted, putting full faith in my powers. He promised me that if he was slain, his ring, Vilya, would be passed on to me, and I would be crowned the King of the Elves. In the end, we did indeed lose him, and our grieving period was very great. Sauron was the cause of his death, and we have sworn revenge upon him until we are compensated for Gil-galad's loss. Of course, nothing could ever come close to making up for the death of Gil-galad.
"My powers could not save him that day, so I learned that they too have their own limits, and I can not do everything within myself. My powers could not bring him back, but it made me aware that I cannot save everyone. That is a tough lesson to learn."
There was a long pause. Finally, as if pondering over his choice of words, Legolas said,
"I understand your powers, and your sons, since they are you, in a way. What I don't comprehend is why Glorfindel and Erestor, for example, have powers. Were they also gifted from the gods?"
"Glorfindel was an extremely brave Elf when he lived in Gondolin, a beautiful city that saddens my heart to name. When Gondolin fell, he was forced to battle with a ferocious Balrog, but he had no weapon. He used his mind to buy him time, but the Balrog still killed him. When Manwe granted his request to come back to Middle-earth, he endowed him with the gift he has today. It enables him to almost anything to his enemy, since he can withdraw a very powerful sword or bow and use it against his opponent by surprise. They then stand little or no chance.
"Erestor, though, was born with his power. He is incapable of lying, and he can read intentions off of anyone, whether their intentions were good or bad. Why he was born with this power I believe we may never know, but it has proved quite important endless times."
"So basically, we are unbeatable when we go up against this Balrog. We practically have a death sentence on him right now!"
"Yes and no. Even the best-laid out plans can go wrong. Although we will probably kill him, we might lose one of our own number in the fight. You never know what may happen."
"But you have the gift of foresight. Do you not know who will die and who will live?"
"I only know what the Valar wills me to know. They will not let me see certain fates of certain Elves, and you, Legolas, are one of those Elves. But there is some good news. You are perfectly safe as long as you keep Totholain's sword with you to fight with and you never let it out of your sight. If you do, it could prove fatal. Understand?"
"Yes."
"Good, I am glad." Elrond patted him on the shoulder. He then opened the door to the dark hallway outside.
"I hope you can reach a mutual understanding with Glorfindel and the rest of us. It will help you enormously later on."
Elrond stepped through the doorway, but Legolas blurted out a question that had been bothering him for so long.
"My Lord, when do we attack?"
Elrond stopped. He closed his eyes and said,
"The day after tomorrow, at sunrise."