Chapter 2: An Unanswered Question
Legolas changed into the brown tunic and leggings he wore while hunting and practicing archery and turned to the wall his Lorien bow hung upon. He picked it up, slung his quiver over his shoulder, and turned to leave. Thanks to Lothien's determination, his grief for Aragorn had been pushed aside. . . for now. What had once been a stabbing pain had subsided to a dull ache.
The Elf was just about to head out to meet his sister when Lothien ran into his room, yet again. "Legolas!" she cried, nearly in tears. "Soldiers! From Minas Tirith! They're here for you! They say. . . they say you killed the King and Queen."
"What?" Legolas cried, the pain coming back to him in a heartbeat.
"They have a warrent," Lothien continued, "Ada tried to find a loophole, but there is none," She hung her head, "you have to go with them."
All of a sudden, Legolas felt like a child again. "You'll come with me, won't you, Lothien?"
She regarded her brother with pity. He was innocent; she was sure of it. He had revealed to her his secret thoughts about the King just minutes before; there was no way he could have murdered Elessar. "Yes, Legolas," she said, embracing her brother, "of course I'll come with you."
"Prince Legolas?" the two Gondorian guards were standing at the door with a displeased Thranduil. The Men walked into the room and one began to bind the Elf's hands while another recited, "You are under arrest for suspicion of the murder of King Elessar Telcontar and Queen Arwen Undomiel. You will be taken to Minas Tirith to be held trial. Should you be proven guilty, you will be sentenced to death."
Every word hit Lothien like a blow. Her little brother was being arrested for a crime he didn't commit, and if these thick-headed Humans couldn't open their eyes long enough to see the truth, Legolas would die.
Legolas took it all in stony silence. There was nothing he could do to prove his innocence. He allowed himself to be led out of his room to the waiting prisoner convoy below.
~~~~~~~
No sooner had the convoy left, had Lothien hurried to her own room and begun to pack. Already wearing her archery clothes, she grabbed her own bow and quiver. Before heading out of the room, she opened the wardrobe and took out Legolas' dagger. It served as a rememberance of her brother as well as a handy form of protection should bow and arrow fail.
On her way down the hall, she was stopped by Thranduil. "Just where do you think you are going?"
"To the kitchens," Lothien answered, quite truthfully. She needed food for her journey, didn't sh?
"And then where are you going?" Thranduil wasn't as dense as Lothien was playing him for.
"The stables," said Lothien, her voice faltering under her father's gaze.
"And where, dear daughter, do you plan to go from the stables?"
Lothien hesitated for a moment, then hung her head. "Minas Tirith, Ada. I want to be there for Legolas."
Thranduil seemed to be contemplating something and Lothien's mind raced to think up arguements for whatever her father would say, but instead, his reaction surprised her. "All right. I have work here that restrains me, but I will meet you in Gondor's capital in a week's time, but please take an escort with you. It would give me so much more peace of mind than if you went alone."
"But Ada. . ."
"Lothien. . ."
"Fine." Them the Elf maiden smiled and hugged Thranduil. "Namarie Ada."
"Namarie Lothien."
With no more words spoken, Lothien left to prepare for her journey.
~~~~~~~
"Look at him. Do you think he's really a murderer?"
"Quiet! He'll hear us!"
Legolas sat straight and tall on the horse provided for him. His bound hands clutched the from of the saddle, and he could only rely on the two guards in front of him, each holding the end of a rope with the other ends tied around Legolas' horse's neck, to lead him in the right direction.
These Men were quite young, according to Human standards. They looked about 20 years old, and had obviously never seen an Elf before, as both of them kept trying to sneak inconspicuous glances at him whenever they thought he wouldn't notice.
There was another guard riding behind him. This one seemed older than the first two by 10 years or so, and instead of being curious, like the first two, this one was just rude. He had not said a word to Legolas, but had greeted him with a sneer and a rough shove when the 'ELf had attempted to mount the horse with his hands bound.
The group had traveled all day, and stopped for the night as the sun was beginning to set. Soon, the guards had a fire going and a meal cooked. Legolas was ordered to sit between the two youngest guards, inside the circle of warmth given off by the fire, but was not offered any food.
"I hear Elves don't have to eat," one of the younger guards said, no longer bothering to hide his words from Legolas.
"Good," said the elder guard, tearing off a piece of bread with his teeth, "More for us."
The second guard looked a little worried. "Maybe we should give him a little food. . ." he began.
"Why?" the older Human had his mouth full of food. "He's a cold blooded killer. He killed your King and Queen!" he swallowed. "But, if you insist. . ." The guard took a piece of bread and held it in front of Legolas' face. "Are you hungry, Elf?"
Legolas' eyes narrowed. He would not talk to this pig trying to pass himself off as a mortal.
"Answer the question!"
Legolas nodded. He had barely eaten for the past week.
"All right then." The guard dropped the bread on the ground and scuffed in with his boot. "There you go, Elf. Are you fuller now?" He returned to his seat laughing.
Legolas ignored the rest of what happened during the meal and wished they would go to sleep.
When the time for rest finally came, Legolas laid down, grateful the taunting was over. He maneuvered his bound hands so that they were resting under his head and got as comfortable as possible on the hard, rocky ground.
The fair haired Elf stared into the smoking remains of the fire. All of a sudden, LEgolas was hit with a vision of Aragorn right before he killed himself. The look in the Man's eyes was much like an extinguished flame. Something so great and powerful all of a sudden going silent.
Legolas wanted to scream. He wanted to sob. He wanted to feel the strong arms of the Man he loved holding him tight. Comforting him. But that would never happen. Even if Aragorn was alive today, could he ever find it in his heart to fall in love with Legolas? Never knowing the answer to such a question was enough to make one go mad. At least, when the Lady Arwen had died, Aragorn had known she loved him and he loved her back with all his heart. Legolas and Aragorn, however was just a love that was never meant to be.
Legolas swallowed the tears threatening to spill over. For years he had imagined what he would say and when he would say it. He had imagined what Aragorn would say once he knew, but never in any of his wildest fantasies had anything like this happened.
Aragorn, he asked the stars silently, I need to know. Do you love me? Legolas closed his eyes as his tears splashed to the ground and drifted into and uneasy sleep.
Namarie: Farewell
A/N: I hope you all enjoyed this chapter. Any feedback is welcome. Don't be afraid to review (hint, hint)! Not sure how long the next chapter will take, but keep checking back.
~~Elendil
Legolas changed into the brown tunic and leggings he wore while hunting and practicing archery and turned to the wall his Lorien bow hung upon. He picked it up, slung his quiver over his shoulder, and turned to leave. Thanks to Lothien's determination, his grief for Aragorn had been pushed aside. . . for now. What had once been a stabbing pain had subsided to a dull ache.
The Elf was just about to head out to meet his sister when Lothien ran into his room, yet again. "Legolas!" she cried, nearly in tears. "Soldiers! From Minas Tirith! They're here for you! They say. . . they say you killed the King and Queen."
"What?" Legolas cried, the pain coming back to him in a heartbeat.
"They have a warrent," Lothien continued, "Ada tried to find a loophole, but there is none," She hung her head, "you have to go with them."
All of a sudden, Legolas felt like a child again. "You'll come with me, won't you, Lothien?"
She regarded her brother with pity. He was innocent; she was sure of it. He had revealed to her his secret thoughts about the King just minutes before; there was no way he could have murdered Elessar. "Yes, Legolas," she said, embracing her brother, "of course I'll come with you."
"Prince Legolas?" the two Gondorian guards were standing at the door with a displeased Thranduil. The Men walked into the room and one began to bind the Elf's hands while another recited, "You are under arrest for suspicion of the murder of King Elessar Telcontar and Queen Arwen Undomiel. You will be taken to Minas Tirith to be held trial. Should you be proven guilty, you will be sentenced to death."
Every word hit Lothien like a blow. Her little brother was being arrested for a crime he didn't commit, and if these thick-headed Humans couldn't open their eyes long enough to see the truth, Legolas would die.
Legolas took it all in stony silence. There was nothing he could do to prove his innocence. He allowed himself to be led out of his room to the waiting prisoner convoy below.
~~~~~~~
No sooner had the convoy left, had Lothien hurried to her own room and begun to pack. Already wearing her archery clothes, she grabbed her own bow and quiver. Before heading out of the room, she opened the wardrobe and took out Legolas' dagger. It served as a rememberance of her brother as well as a handy form of protection should bow and arrow fail.
On her way down the hall, she was stopped by Thranduil. "Just where do you think you are going?"
"To the kitchens," Lothien answered, quite truthfully. She needed food for her journey, didn't sh?
"And then where are you going?" Thranduil wasn't as dense as Lothien was playing him for.
"The stables," said Lothien, her voice faltering under her father's gaze.
"And where, dear daughter, do you plan to go from the stables?"
Lothien hesitated for a moment, then hung her head. "Minas Tirith, Ada. I want to be there for Legolas."
Thranduil seemed to be contemplating something and Lothien's mind raced to think up arguements for whatever her father would say, but instead, his reaction surprised her. "All right. I have work here that restrains me, but I will meet you in Gondor's capital in a week's time, but please take an escort with you. It would give me so much more peace of mind than if you went alone."
"But Ada. . ."
"Lothien. . ."
"Fine." Them the Elf maiden smiled and hugged Thranduil. "Namarie Ada."
"Namarie Lothien."
With no more words spoken, Lothien left to prepare for her journey.
~~~~~~~
"Look at him. Do you think he's really a murderer?"
"Quiet! He'll hear us!"
Legolas sat straight and tall on the horse provided for him. His bound hands clutched the from of the saddle, and he could only rely on the two guards in front of him, each holding the end of a rope with the other ends tied around Legolas' horse's neck, to lead him in the right direction.
These Men were quite young, according to Human standards. They looked about 20 years old, and had obviously never seen an Elf before, as both of them kept trying to sneak inconspicuous glances at him whenever they thought he wouldn't notice.
There was another guard riding behind him. This one seemed older than the first two by 10 years or so, and instead of being curious, like the first two, this one was just rude. He had not said a word to Legolas, but had greeted him with a sneer and a rough shove when the 'ELf had attempted to mount the horse with his hands bound.
The group had traveled all day, and stopped for the night as the sun was beginning to set. Soon, the guards had a fire going and a meal cooked. Legolas was ordered to sit between the two youngest guards, inside the circle of warmth given off by the fire, but was not offered any food.
"I hear Elves don't have to eat," one of the younger guards said, no longer bothering to hide his words from Legolas.
"Good," said the elder guard, tearing off a piece of bread with his teeth, "More for us."
The second guard looked a little worried. "Maybe we should give him a little food. . ." he began.
"Why?" the older Human had his mouth full of food. "He's a cold blooded killer. He killed your King and Queen!" he swallowed. "But, if you insist. . ." The guard took a piece of bread and held it in front of Legolas' face. "Are you hungry, Elf?"
Legolas' eyes narrowed. He would not talk to this pig trying to pass himself off as a mortal.
"Answer the question!"
Legolas nodded. He had barely eaten for the past week.
"All right then." The guard dropped the bread on the ground and scuffed in with his boot. "There you go, Elf. Are you fuller now?" He returned to his seat laughing.
Legolas ignored the rest of what happened during the meal and wished they would go to sleep.
When the time for rest finally came, Legolas laid down, grateful the taunting was over. He maneuvered his bound hands so that they were resting under his head and got as comfortable as possible on the hard, rocky ground.
The fair haired Elf stared into the smoking remains of the fire. All of a sudden, LEgolas was hit with a vision of Aragorn right before he killed himself. The look in the Man's eyes was much like an extinguished flame. Something so great and powerful all of a sudden going silent.
Legolas wanted to scream. He wanted to sob. He wanted to feel the strong arms of the Man he loved holding him tight. Comforting him. But that would never happen. Even if Aragorn was alive today, could he ever find it in his heart to fall in love with Legolas? Never knowing the answer to such a question was enough to make one go mad. At least, when the Lady Arwen had died, Aragorn had known she loved him and he loved her back with all his heart. Legolas and Aragorn, however was just a love that was never meant to be.
Legolas swallowed the tears threatening to spill over. For years he had imagined what he would say and when he would say it. He had imagined what Aragorn would say once he knew, but never in any of his wildest fantasies had anything like this happened.
Aragorn, he asked the stars silently, I need to know. Do you love me? Legolas closed his eyes as his tears splashed to the ground and drifted into and uneasy sleep.
Namarie: Farewell
A/N: I hope you all enjoyed this chapter. Any feedback is welcome. Don't be afraid to review (hint, hint)! Not sure how long the next chapter will take, but keep checking back.
~~Elendil