To Mirkwood
Chapter 10: Reward
Don't own.
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One Week Later…The edge of the forest was finally in sight. Legolas kicked his horse to get there faster. He was finally home. He could finally clear things up with his father and hopefully get his place back in the family. Excited that he might see his father that day, he leaned forward to help the horse faster. Suddenly, something made him stop. There were pieces of parchment tacked up on the trees. He slowed his horse to a stop and he hopped off. He walked to the trees and ripped off one of the pieces of parchment. He gasped.
There was a sketch of Legolas's face on the parchment, and underneath the picture, words were written.
"Reward. To anyone who finds Former Prince Legolas of Mirkwood, dead or alive, will receive 40,000 pieces of gold. Issued by Crowned Prince E'thane of Mirkwood." Legolas dropped the parchment. He was being hunted.
Before he could do anything, he heard voices and hoof beats coming from the forest. He ran to his horse and him along until they were hidden in the trees. He waited, and finally, a group of elves on horses came out of the trees. Another horse followed them that was pulling a small wagon covered with a canvas. Legolas couldn't ever remember things being transferred in this manner. He leaned forward a little and he was able to pick up part of their conversation.
"I wonder if he will even make it to Rivendell."
"I hope so. He's a good king."
"Poor E'thane. Things have been hard for him these last days." The elf's voice lowered. "I honestly don't think Tylen is doing much good for the kingdom. I feel sorry for Prince Legolas. I wonder what he would do if he found out he was being hunted."
"And that his father is ill." Their conversation stopped and they rode on in silence. Legolas's mouth hung open. Tylen… he's probably the cause of this. Legolas thought to himself. He had always felt that something was not right about that elf.
Legolas now had a choice to make. Should he go into Mirkwood and try to find E'thane and risk being captured and possible killed, or should he make haste to Rivendell to see his father. He is not a hunted man in Rivendell, or at least he hoped he wasn't.
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Tylen was smiling to himself as he walked through the halls of the palace. Now that the king was out of his way, he could focus on E'thane. Earlier that day, he had suggested to E'thane that he make Tylen his Royal Advisor. Tylen knew that if something happened to E'thane that he would then take over rule of the kingdom, seeing as there was no royal family left. Thranduil would be dead soon, E'thane could be taken care of, and Legolas was being hunted. Everything was going according to plan. E'thane was slowly falling into Tylen's hands. Now that his older brother influence and his father influence were gone, he would turn to the next person he trusted the most. Tylen. It would all go well.
Tylen reached E'thane's study and went in through the door. He saw the young elf prince reading a piece of parchment. When he heard the elder elf enter the room, he looked up. "Tylen." He said, slightly surprised. Tylen nodded and sat down on the other side of the desk from him. "I have thought about your proposition, and I decided to allow you to be my Royal Advisor. You are already doing it anyway." He said. Tylen nodded.
"Thank you, your highness." He said respectfully. E'thane smiled a little and went back to reading the parchment. Tylen rose. "I will leave you now, for I have some things to take care of." He said, then left the room.
Once he was gone, E'thane lowered the parchment and sighed. Something was not right. He didn't want to trust Tylen, but he had no other choice. His father and brother were both gone, and there was no one he trusted to tell his feelings to.
E'thane left his chair and went to the window. The last days had been so bleak and dark in Mirkwood. The dark clouds constantly covered the sky and the rain fell in sheets, as if a curse had been place upon the once green city…
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Legolas still had not decided on a course of action, and it was beginning to rain. He needed shelter more than anything, for the rain was coming down hard. He pulled out his cloak from Lothloríen and wrapped it around himself, pulling up the hood. This suddenly gave him an idea. He pulled off another one of the 'wanted" signed and rolled it up, and tied it with a piece of string. It now looked like an important message. He climbed his horse and kicked it, flying through the forest. He did his best to get wet, dirty, muddy and tired before he reached the city.
When he got closer, he saw that there was a group of soldiers standing outside the dirt path the led into the city. They stopped him. "Where are you going?" They asked him.
"Please! I must get this message to King Thranduil. It's urgent news from Lothloríen!" Legolas panted, changing his voice to sound different than his own.
"King Thranduil has just left on business to Rivendell. However, Prince E'thane was left in charge." The guard said. Legolas nodded beneath his hood.
"Then I must see Prince E'thane." He said. The guards allowed him to go into the city. He rode swiftly, slashing through every puddle he came across. Finally, he reached the gate to the palace. The guards allowed him through after hearing his story, and he raced up to the doors. Pushing them open, he stumbled inside. The foyer was empty. He was about to climb the stairs to E'thane's room when a guard came down the stairs.
"You there!" He shouted. Legolas stopped. "What are you here for?" He asked.
"Important-message-from-Lady-Galadriel." Legolas panted. The guard's eyes widened slightly and he took Legolas up the stairs and into E'thane's study. E'thane was standing at the window, his back facing the door.
"Your Highness, you have a message from LothLorien!" The guard said. E'thane turned and saw a guard standing with a strange man, dressed in a dark cloak, his face hidden in shadows. He was clutching a piece of rolled up parchment.
"Thank you." E'thane said, waving the guard away. When he was gone, Legolas turned and kicked the door shut and moved forward. E'thane took a step back. Leoglas threw back the hood of his cloak. "Legolas!" E'thane cried in surprise.
"Hello E'thane." He said. E'thane had joy in his eyes, but they soon turned to anger.
"Why are you here?" He asked.
"E'thane…" Legolas said, trailing off.
"You are the cause of all this!" E'thane shouted at him.
"Of what?" Legolas asked, growing angry.
"You cause Ada to become ill, and since you did not want to return, I was forced to become the Crowned Prince. I'm not ready Legolas!" E'thane cried. Tears formed in his eyes and they threatened to spill.
"Little brother, I meant no harm to our family! Why can't you see that! You are as blind and selfish as Ada!" Legolas shouted at him. E'thane blinked.
"Legolas." He whispered.
"Besides! I have a right o be just as angry with you. What is this all about?" Legolas asked, unrolling the parchment.
"What is that?" He asked.
"What do you mean "what is that?' It's a reward for my head!" Legolas shouted.
"I didn't issue this." E'thane said. Legolas's arm dropped to his side and the parchment fell to the ground. The brothers stared at each other.
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Getting a little intense. Haha.
Haldir's Heart and Soul: Let's hope.
Jedi Gollum: The missing of Mistopurr's stories/reviews? I don't get it. But thanks though!
"Inspirational" Quote:
"I can't believe it. I'm losin' to a rug." –Genie from Aladdin.
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