A stunned silence fell on those in the courtyard, as the realisation of
Calaen's words sank in. Legolas slowly looked towards Airëlus, his eyes
widened in shock, though the healer merely remained calm, a vague and
knowing smile playing on his lips.
"What did you say?" demanded Thranduil.
Calaen rolled his eyes and gave an exaggerated sigh. "You heard. Still, I understand it must be a bit of a shock to you, so I will repeat my words. That Elf is my son."
'Ai, this keeps getting better,' thought Thranduil, sighing as he turned away from Calaen. "Aradan, what do you have to say about this? Are his words true or not?"
The dark haired Elf swallowed nervously, and slowly raised his eyes to meet the King's. "Your Highness, he speaks truly. I....I am his son."
"Valar..." muttered Legolas.
Thranduil took a deep breath to try and calm himself. "I trusted you, Aradan. Foolishly I let you fight with us, and foolishly I believed you really wished to be free from Calaen's clutches. My judgement was poor, I see that now."
"Your Highness, I am indeed his son, but I mean no harm to you or anyone else," said Aradan desperately. "Your judgement was far from poor, and I wish to continue fighting with you and for you."
"Why should I believe you?" spat Thranduil.
"Because you will be condemning a young and innocent Elf if you do not," said an authoritive voice from across the courtyard. "Do you really wish to be guilty of that?"
Thranduil snapped his eyes across to where the voice had come from, and sighed when he saw that the speaker was none other than Gandalf. Now he was in an even worse dilemma, for the Wizard had never been wrong in his judgement, yet Aradan was the son of a sadistic torturer. How could he be any different from his father?
"Mithrandir, your counsel has always been wise, but this time I need to think," said Thranduil slowly. He hesitated for a moment, before nodding to some Elves standing with the patrols who had not yet left.
"Ada, don't do this," said Airëlus suddenly, as guards stepped forwards and caught hold of Aradan. "I do not believe he means us any harm."
"Why would that be?" asked Thranduil coolly. "Have you learnt nothing from your brother's dealings with his father?"
Airëlus winced at the comment, but tried to pretend he hadn't heard it. "There is no cruelty in Aradan's actions, and no malice in his voice. He is as different to Calaen as Legolas is to Gimli."
"Has it not crossed your mind that he may have been putting on an act?" asked Thranduil, arching an eyebrow.
"No, for there is no reason for me to think that. Ada, I cannot order them to release him, but you can," said Airëlus softly. "Will you not put faith in me? I would not be saying any of this if I thought him to be dangerous. You know this."
Thranduil regarded his son for a moment, before turning and waving his hand at the guards. Calaen cursed as Aradan was set free, and he fixed the younger Elf with a murderous and venomous glare.
"Thank you, Your Highness," said Aradan quietly.
"This is not the end. Airëlus, you will come inside so we can discuss this," snapped Thranduil. "Mithrandir, will you be able to join us? Your counsel will be greatly appreciated."
"Of course," said the Wizard, inclining his head.
"Guards, follow Aradan wherever he goes. Do not let him out of your sight," said Thranduil coldly. "As I said before, this is not the end."
"Ada, I do not think it necessary to have him trailed like that," said Airëlus quietly.
"The decision is not for you to make. It is for me, and I have already made it," replied Thranduil. With that, he turned away from the crowd and swept into Elrond's house.
Gandalf shook his head slightly, and looked sympathetically at Aradan. "Do not fear, young one. We know the truth and will set him straight in no time at all."
"Thank you, I appreciate it," said Aradan. "Prince Airëlus, you did not have to stand up for me in the way that you did. I am very grateful to you. But will this not put you in a bad situation with your father?"
The healer looked up, and smiled vaguely. "Maybe, but that does not worry me. I suggest you go to your room and lock the door, so you will not be followed by the guards. Prepare yourself though, for the King will summon you later."
"Have you taken leave of your senses?" Legolas demanded, following his brother as he turned and began walking away. "Aradan is Calaen's son, yet you treat him no different from the way you did before."
"Why should I?" asked Airëlus calmly. "There is nothing wrong with him. He is no more dangerous to us as that Halfling called Sam is to Frodo."
Legolas paused on the steps as realisation suddenly hit. "You knew. You knew all along of Aradan's true identity, yet you kept silent. Valar, why didn't you tell me?"
"Because you were in no fit state to hear news like that," replied Airëlus. "I didn't tell you because of your health."
"If it had been the other way around, and I was the one who found out something like that, you would've wanted to know," said Legolas sharply. "You should've told me, Airëlus."
The healer put a hand on his brother's shoulder. "Maybe you think so, but I am happy with my decision. Finding out from Calaen was not ideal, but at least you are a little stronger now, and are able to deal with the shock."
"No, you should've told me about this, regardless of my health. We are brothers, but clearly that means nothing to you," snapped Legolas. "And where does Ada come into the scheme of things? Did he not have the right to know?"
"I kept it from him because he had enough to cope with, and added problems were definitely not what he needed," replied Airëlus. "Look, I am sorry for making you feel like this, and for keeping you in the dark. Does that make it any better?"
"No, because you should've told us in the first place!" shouted Legolas. "An apology cannot make me feel any better, Airëlus. I never expected anything like this from you."
A look of anger crossed the healer's face then, and he glared at his brother. "I have apologised to you, and I have explained the reasons behind my actions. You clearly cannot accept what has happened, so I suggest you do not bother coming with me to speak with Ada, Lord Elrond and Mithrandir. Leave the serious matters to the true adults here, Greenleaf, and maybe you'll be told some of the more minor points."
Legolas blinked; stunned at the mocking way his brother had just spoken to him. He stared at the healer for a moment, before lowering his gaze to the ground. Airëlus' eyes remained cold for a second, but he suddenly realised how cruel he must've sounded.
"I didn't mean that," he said, putting a hand on the younger Elf's shoulder. "Legolas, I-
"Leave it," spat the Prince. "Go and talk with Ada, I will do as you wish, and stay away. And do not trouble yourself to tell me any of the minor points, for I care not. I will see you later."
Legolas...." called Airëlus, as his brother spun on his heel and stormed away. "Ai, this is not what we need now."
"He will get over it," said a sudden voice. "Just give him some time alone so he can come to his senses. We have more pressing matters to deal with."
Airëlus looked across at Gandalf, and sighed deeply. "You saw the whole argument? I did not mean to hurt him like that, but I suppose I must wait until later before making up with him. Alright, let us get this over with then."
............................................................................................................
"I have no problems with Aradan walking freely around Rivendell," said Elrond. "Why did you order guards to follow him? He means no harm to anyone. Thranduil, he is only a young Elf. What can he possibly do?"
"He is Calaen's son, I would put nothing past him," hissed the Elven-king. "His father is twisted and sadistic, so why should he be any different? I know that you think otherwise, as do Mithrandir and Airëlus, but I do not. Incidentally, you knew all about this before, didn't you?"
"Yes," said Elrond calmly. "So did Gandalf."
Thranduil sighed, and nodded slowly. "I would rather you had told me about this before, but I suppose we can do nothing about it now. Airëlus was also aware of the situation, was he not?"
"Yes," replied Elrond. "So were all three of my sons."
"Valar, is it only Legolas and I who were oblivious?" asked Thranduil in amazement. He shook his head once more, confusion flashing through his eyes. "What am I supposed to do now? What does Aradan want? Am I supposed to welcome him into my family with open arms?"
"It would do no harm," mused Elrond. "After all, he is part of your family."
Thranduil was about to reply to this, though he remained silent, for the door opened. Airëlus came in, and was followed by Gandalf. The healer inclined his head to the two Elven-lords, and took a seat in front of the desk, whilst the Wizard sat at the back of the room.
"Are you alright, ion-nin?" asked Thranduil. "You look somewhat troubled."
"I...I had a slight disagreement with Legolas. He will not be joining us, for I think my words had an effect on him," replied the healer guiltily. "I was mocking him, and I said that he...should leave serious matters to the true adults."
Thranduil rolled his eyes slightly. "I would've expected you to be able to keep your thoughts private, and I would've expected him to not take them to heart. Well, it has happened now."
"Hmm. Ada, I am sorry for acting that way down in the courtyard," said Airëlus softly. "I know you only wanted him watched by guards because you had everyone's best interests at heart. But I could not let him be treated in that way."
"All of you say that he is an innocent Elf, yet how can you possibly be sure?" asked Thranduil.
"He told me so himself," replied Gandalf.
"I've spoken with Galadriel," added Elrond. "Surely you cannot doubt her word? She sees all, Thranduil."
The King narrowed his eyes slightly. "Mithrandir, there is a possibility that he was telling you lies. Calaen definitely knows how to put on an act, and I'm sure he has passed that down to his son."
"There was no lie in Aradan's eyes," said Gandalf firmly. "I would know if he was telling anything but the truth."
"Ada, you have the word of myself, Mithrandir, Lord Elrond and the Lady Galadriel," said Airëlus. "Why do you still believe Aradan to be potentially dangerous?"
"Because he is Calaen's son," hissed Thranduil.
"And I am yours, but we are not entirely alike. We have similarities, but there are also many differences between us," said Airëlus. "It is the same with you and Legolas. Do you have the same opinions as each other?"
Thranduil sighed as he realised he had been caught out. "No, but that is beside the point. This is not about how alike you and Legolas are to me. What if Aradan turns out to be the person I believe him to be, and not the person you believe him to be?"
"That will not happen," said Elrond firmly. "Will you at least give him a chance to prove himself?"
"I have already given him a chance, and if he really wanted to prove himself, then he would've revealed his true identity in the first place," snapped Thranduil.
"I can assure you that he wouldn't," said Gandalf. "From the moment I laid eyes on him, I knew there was something different about him. I sensed that being underground in those caves was not his destiny, and he would be better off in the open air. None of you have encountered Calaen's soldiers, but I have. I can tell you now that Aradan is nothing like those he was forced to work with."
"Again, maybe he was putting on an act," muttered Thranduil.
"When we were travelling from Síriel to Mirkwood, we rested for a few hours, and that was when he told me who he really was," went on Gandalf, ignoring the comment. "He also spoke of his life with Calaen. Did you know that he was told many stories as a child? Yes, the main characters were yourself and Legolas. You were always described as bad people, whilst Calaen was made himself out to look like the victim. Aradan believed nothing of his father's words."
Thranduil laughed quietly. "Alright, if he says so."
"All that Elf wants is a family," said Gandalf sharply. "All he wants is to be accepted by you and Legolas. However, he did not wish to reveal his true identity to you, because he did not think that was his path. You are being too rash in judging him."
"Do not expect me to change my thoughts just because I hear of some sad story he has poured out," said Thranduil, though all noted how the Elven- king spoke quietly, and somewhat falteringly.
"Did you know that when we were held captive, he freed Legolas for a while, and then got into trouble for it?" asked Gandalf. "We were all chained up, and Aradan came in with food. When he got to your son and offered to give him bread and water, Legolas refused, saying he wished to keep whatever pride and dignity he had left."
"Understandable," said Thranduil, inclining his head.
"Yes, but then he said he would eat if he were free and did not have to be fed by someone else's hand," went on Gandalf. "It did not take a lot of persuading for Aradan to comply with his wishes."
Thranduil bit down on his lip, and slowly ran over what the Wizard had said. "So, he actually helped my son? He got in trouble because he went to pains to help Legolas?"
"Exactly," replied Gandalf. "I watched him when he first entered our cell, and he could not keep his eyes away from Legolas. He already knew of his true identity, and there was nothing but sadness in his eyes."
"Valar..." muttered Thranduil. "This changes everything."
"So, what will you do?" asked Airëlus quietly. "He wants a family, Ada, and we can give him that. Maybe it will be hard at first, but we can do it."
Thranduil sighed, and went over to stand by the window. He leant against the wall and looked directly opposite the room they were in. A dark haired Elf was sitting on a balustrade, his face buried into the crook of his arm, which was resting on his knees. The Elven-king's sharp eyes caught the way Aradan's shoulders shook, and he sighed once more.
"His tears flow because all hopes he had for his future have just been destroyed," said Elrond quietly. "Give him back those hopes, and make them become a reality."
"If I regret doing this, I will be blaming all three of you," sighed Thranduil. "Yes, he can...he can come back to Mirkwood with us. I will try and accept him as part of the family."
Airëlus laughed in delight, and embraced the King. "Hannon le, Ada."
"Like I said, if anything bad comes of this, I will be blaming you three," replied Thranduil, shaking his head slightly.
"Nothing bad will come of it, nor will you regret your decision," said Gandalf. "I can assure you of this."
............................................................................................................
Deana: Hey, no problem! It is a great story, and I wish I'd found it sooner!
GollumGirl: I can only be nice for a limited amount of time, but then I start to miss being horrible to these poor innocent characters!
tHeBlOnDeinEveRkNew: Yeah, it was only fair really, to let Legolas do that!
Rachel13: Yeah, I have the same problem at the moment cos I have exams, and have to do aloada boring studying!
Lirenel: Well, you got what you wanted, but happiness doesn't last forever....I'm saying nothing else!
eleanor rigbey: Hee hee, you're a poet but you didn't know it! Wow, that rhymes to!
kathysidle: Yeah, I'm really glad that Legolas got to hurt Calaen a bit as well. I mean, the poor Elf has been taking so much from him, so it's only fair to let him re-pay a bit of the favour!
Sorry this took an extra day to get up, but I've been really busy what with band rehearsals, concerts, work, revision and all. I also had real trouble writing this chapter, and I had to redo it about three times until I was happy with it. Anyway, Airëlus and Legolas argued a bit in that chapter, which was a bit sad, but don't worry, cos I'm sure they'll get back to normal soon enough. Luv Misto x-x
"What did you say?" demanded Thranduil.
Calaen rolled his eyes and gave an exaggerated sigh. "You heard. Still, I understand it must be a bit of a shock to you, so I will repeat my words. That Elf is my son."
'Ai, this keeps getting better,' thought Thranduil, sighing as he turned away from Calaen. "Aradan, what do you have to say about this? Are his words true or not?"
The dark haired Elf swallowed nervously, and slowly raised his eyes to meet the King's. "Your Highness, he speaks truly. I....I am his son."
"Valar..." muttered Legolas.
Thranduil took a deep breath to try and calm himself. "I trusted you, Aradan. Foolishly I let you fight with us, and foolishly I believed you really wished to be free from Calaen's clutches. My judgement was poor, I see that now."
"Your Highness, I am indeed his son, but I mean no harm to you or anyone else," said Aradan desperately. "Your judgement was far from poor, and I wish to continue fighting with you and for you."
"Why should I believe you?" spat Thranduil.
"Because you will be condemning a young and innocent Elf if you do not," said an authoritive voice from across the courtyard. "Do you really wish to be guilty of that?"
Thranduil snapped his eyes across to where the voice had come from, and sighed when he saw that the speaker was none other than Gandalf. Now he was in an even worse dilemma, for the Wizard had never been wrong in his judgement, yet Aradan was the son of a sadistic torturer. How could he be any different from his father?
"Mithrandir, your counsel has always been wise, but this time I need to think," said Thranduil slowly. He hesitated for a moment, before nodding to some Elves standing with the patrols who had not yet left.
"Ada, don't do this," said Airëlus suddenly, as guards stepped forwards and caught hold of Aradan. "I do not believe he means us any harm."
"Why would that be?" asked Thranduil coolly. "Have you learnt nothing from your brother's dealings with his father?"
Airëlus winced at the comment, but tried to pretend he hadn't heard it. "There is no cruelty in Aradan's actions, and no malice in his voice. He is as different to Calaen as Legolas is to Gimli."
"Has it not crossed your mind that he may have been putting on an act?" asked Thranduil, arching an eyebrow.
"No, for there is no reason for me to think that. Ada, I cannot order them to release him, but you can," said Airëlus softly. "Will you not put faith in me? I would not be saying any of this if I thought him to be dangerous. You know this."
Thranduil regarded his son for a moment, before turning and waving his hand at the guards. Calaen cursed as Aradan was set free, and he fixed the younger Elf with a murderous and venomous glare.
"Thank you, Your Highness," said Aradan quietly.
"This is not the end. Airëlus, you will come inside so we can discuss this," snapped Thranduil. "Mithrandir, will you be able to join us? Your counsel will be greatly appreciated."
"Of course," said the Wizard, inclining his head.
"Guards, follow Aradan wherever he goes. Do not let him out of your sight," said Thranduil coldly. "As I said before, this is not the end."
"Ada, I do not think it necessary to have him trailed like that," said Airëlus quietly.
"The decision is not for you to make. It is for me, and I have already made it," replied Thranduil. With that, he turned away from the crowd and swept into Elrond's house.
Gandalf shook his head slightly, and looked sympathetically at Aradan. "Do not fear, young one. We know the truth and will set him straight in no time at all."
"Thank you, I appreciate it," said Aradan. "Prince Airëlus, you did not have to stand up for me in the way that you did. I am very grateful to you. But will this not put you in a bad situation with your father?"
The healer looked up, and smiled vaguely. "Maybe, but that does not worry me. I suggest you go to your room and lock the door, so you will not be followed by the guards. Prepare yourself though, for the King will summon you later."
"Have you taken leave of your senses?" Legolas demanded, following his brother as he turned and began walking away. "Aradan is Calaen's son, yet you treat him no different from the way you did before."
"Why should I?" asked Airëlus calmly. "There is nothing wrong with him. He is no more dangerous to us as that Halfling called Sam is to Frodo."
Legolas paused on the steps as realisation suddenly hit. "You knew. You knew all along of Aradan's true identity, yet you kept silent. Valar, why didn't you tell me?"
"Because you were in no fit state to hear news like that," replied Airëlus. "I didn't tell you because of your health."
"If it had been the other way around, and I was the one who found out something like that, you would've wanted to know," said Legolas sharply. "You should've told me, Airëlus."
The healer put a hand on his brother's shoulder. "Maybe you think so, but I am happy with my decision. Finding out from Calaen was not ideal, but at least you are a little stronger now, and are able to deal with the shock."
"No, you should've told me about this, regardless of my health. We are brothers, but clearly that means nothing to you," snapped Legolas. "And where does Ada come into the scheme of things? Did he not have the right to know?"
"I kept it from him because he had enough to cope with, and added problems were definitely not what he needed," replied Airëlus. "Look, I am sorry for making you feel like this, and for keeping you in the dark. Does that make it any better?"
"No, because you should've told us in the first place!" shouted Legolas. "An apology cannot make me feel any better, Airëlus. I never expected anything like this from you."
A look of anger crossed the healer's face then, and he glared at his brother. "I have apologised to you, and I have explained the reasons behind my actions. You clearly cannot accept what has happened, so I suggest you do not bother coming with me to speak with Ada, Lord Elrond and Mithrandir. Leave the serious matters to the true adults here, Greenleaf, and maybe you'll be told some of the more minor points."
Legolas blinked; stunned at the mocking way his brother had just spoken to him. He stared at the healer for a moment, before lowering his gaze to the ground. Airëlus' eyes remained cold for a second, but he suddenly realised how cruel he must've sounded.
"I didn't mean that," he said, putting a hand on the younger Elf's shoulder. "Legolas, I-
"Leave it," spat the Prince. "Go and talk with Ada, I will do as you wish, and stay away. And do not trouble yourself to tell me any of the minor points, for I care not. I will see you later."
Legolas...." called Airëlus, as his brother spun on his heel and stormed away. "Ai, this is not what we need now."
"He will get over it," said a sudden voice. "Just give him some time alone so he can come to his senses. We have more pressing matters to deal with."
Airëlus looked across at Gandalf, and sighed deeply. "You saw the whole argument? I did not mean to hurt him like that, but I suppose I must wait until later before making up with him. Alright, let us get this over with then."
............................................................................................................
"I have no problems with Aradan walking freely around Rivendell," said Elrond. "Why did you order guards to follow him? He means no harm to anyone. Thranduil, he is only a young Elf. What can he possibly do?"
"He is Calaen's son, I would put nothing past him," hissed the Elven-king. "His father is twisted and sadistic, so why should he be any different? I know that you think otherwise, as do Mithrandir and Airëlus, but I do not. Incidentally, you knew all about this before, didn't you?"
"Yes," said Elrond calmly. "So did Gandalf."
Thranduil sighed, and nodded slowly. "I would rather you had told me about this before, but I suppose we can do nothing about it now. Airëlus was also aware of the situation, was he not?"
"Yes," replied Elrond. "So were all three of my sons."
"Valar, is it only Legolas and I who were oblivious?" asked Thranduil in amazement. He shook his head once more, confusion flashing through his eyes. "What am I supposed to do now? What does Aradan want? Am I supposed to welcome him into my family with open arms?"
"It would do no harm," mused Elrond. "After all, he is part of your family."
Thranduil was about to reply to this, though he remained silent, for the door opened. Airëlus came in, and was followed by Gandalf. The healer inclined his head to the two Elven-lords, and took a seat in front of the desk, whilst the Wizard sat at the back of the room.
"Are you alright, ion-nin?" asked Thranduil. "You look somewhat troubled."
"I...I had a slight disagreement with Legolas. He will not be joining us, for I think my words had an effect on him," replied the healer guiltily. "I was mocking him, and I said that he...should leave serious matters to the true adults."
Thranduil rolled his eyes slightly. "I would've expected you to be able to keep your thoughts private, and I would've expected him to not take them to heart. Well, it has happened now."
"Hmm. Ada, I am sorry for acting that way down in the courtyard," said Airëlus softly. "I know you only wanted him watched by guards because you had everyone's best interests at heart. But I could not let him be treated in that way."
"All of you say that he is an innocent Elf, yet how can you possibly be sure?" asked Thranduil.
"He told me so himself," replied Gandalf.
"I've spoken with Galadriel," added Elrond. "Surely you cannot doubt her word? She sees all, Thranduil."
The King narrowed his eyes slightly. "Mithrandir, there is a possibility that he was telling you lies. Calaen definitely knows how to put on an act, and I'm sure he has passed that down to his son."
"There was no lie in Aradan's eyes," said Gandalf firmly. "I would know if he was telling anything but the truth."
"Ada, you have the word of myself, Mithrandir, Lord Elrond and the Lady Galadriel," said Airëlus. "Why do you still believe Aradan to be potentially dangerous?"
"Because he is Calaen's son," hissed Thranduil.
"And I am yours, but we are not entirely alike. We have similarities, but there are also many differences between us," said Airëlus. "It is the same with you and Legolas. Do you have the same opinions as each other?"
Thranduil sighed as he realised he had been caught out. "No, but that is beside the point. This is not about how alike you and Legolas are to me. What if Aradan turns out to be the person I believe him to be, and not the person you believe him to be?"
"That will not happen," said Elrond firmly. "Will you at least give him a chance to prove himself?"
"I have already given him a chance, and if he really wanted to prove himself, then he would've revealed his true identity in the first place," snapped Thranduil.
"I can assure you that he wouldn't," said Gandalf. "From the moment I laid eyes on him, I knew there was something different about him. I sensed that being underground in those caves was not his destiny, and he would be better off in the open air. None of you have encountered Calaen's soldiers, but I have. I can tell you now that Aradan is nothing like those he was forced to work with."
"Again, maybe he was putting on an act," muttered Thranduil.
"When we were travelling from Síriel to Mirkwood, we rested for a few hours, and that was when he told me who he really was," went on Gandalf, ignoring the comment. "He also spoke of his life with Calaen. Did you know that he was told many stories as a child? Yes, the main characters were yourself and Legolas. You were always described as bad people, whilst Calaen was made himself out to look like the victim. Aradan believed nothing of his father's words."
Thranduil laughed quietly. "Alright, if he says so."
"All that Elf wants is a family," said Gandalf sharply. "All he wants is to be accepted by you and Legolas. However, he did not wish to reveal his true identity to you, because he did not think that was his path. You are being too rash in judging him."
"Do not expect me to change my thoughts just because I hear of some sad story he has poured out," said Thranduil, though all noted how the Elven- king spoke quietly, and somewhat falteringly.
"Did you know that when we were held captive, he freed Legolas for a while, and then got into trouble for it?" asked Gandalf. "We were all chained up, and Aradan came in with food. When he got to your son and offered to give him bread and water, Legolas refused, saying he wished to keep whatever pride and dignity he had left."
"Understandable," said Thranduil, inclining his head.
"Yes, but then he said he would eat if he were free and did not have to be fed by someone else's hand," went on Gandalf. "It did not take a lot of persuading for Aradan to comply with his wishes."
Thranduil bit down on his lip, and slowly ran over what the Wizard had said. "So, he actually helped my son? He got in trouble because he went to pains to help Legolas?"
"Exactly," replied Gandalf. "I watched him when he first entered our cell, and he could not keep his eyes away from Legolas. He already knew of his true identity, and there was nothing but sadness in his eyes."
"Valar..." muttered Thranduil. "This changes everything."
"So, what will you do?" asked Airëlus quietly. "He wants a family, Ada, and we can give him that. Maybe it will be hard at first, but we can do it."
Thranduil sighed, and went over to stand by the window. He leant against the wall and looked directly opposite the room they were in. A dark haired Elf was sitting on a balustrade, his face buried into the crook of his arm, which was resting on his knees. The Elven-king's sharp eyes caught the way Aradan's shoulders shook, and he sighed once more.
"His tears flow because all hopes he had for his future have just been destroyed," said Elrond quietly. "Give him back those hopes, and make them become a reality."
"If I regret doing this, I will be blaming all three of you," sighed Thranduil. "Yes, he can...he can come back to Mirkwood with us. I will try and accept him as part of the family."
Airëlus laughed in delight, and embraced the King. "Hannon le, Ada."
"Like I said, if anything bad comes of this, I will be blaming you three," replied Thranduil, shaking his head slightly.
"Nothing bad will come of it, nor will you regret your decision," said Gandalf. "I can assure you of this."
............................................................................................................
Deana: Hey, no problem! It is a great story, and I wish I'd found it sooner!
GollumGirl: I can only be nice for a limited amount of time, but then I start to miss being horrible to these poor innocent characters!
tHeBlOnDeinEveRkNew: Yeah, it was only fair really, to let Legolas do that!
Rachel13: Yeah, I have the same problem at the moment cos I have exams, and have to do aloada boring studying!
Lirenel: Well, you got what you wanted, but happiness doesn't last forever....I'm saying nothing else!
eleanor rigbey: Hee hee, you're a poet but you didn't know it! Wow, that rhymes to!
kathysidle: Yeah, I'm really glad that Legolas got to hurt Calaen a bit as well. I mean, the poor Elf has been taking so much from him, so it's only fair to let him re-pay a bit of the favour!
Sorry this took an extra day to get up, but I've been really busy what with band rehearsals, concerts, work, revision and all. I also had real trouble writing this chapter, and I had to redo it about three times until I was happy with it. Anyway, Airëlus and Legolas argued a bit in that chapter, which was a bit sad, but don't worry, cos I'm sure they'll get back to normal soon enough. Luv Misto x-x