Disclaimer:
I own nothing…still…
Rating:
R – to be safe.
A/N: Reviewers, see bottom of chapter once again! Thank you!
CHAPTER SEVEN
Elrohir ducked a tree branch as he raced through the tangled maze of the woodland, skidding to abrupt halts and dashing left and right in attempt to keep up with the Elven Prince. Legolas had led him in a harsh chase, but the blonds tracks were easy enough to follow as he tore through the woodland. It appeared as if Legolas did not care for covering his trail, he just ran.
"Legolas!" Elrohir called out, just as he lost sight of the Prince.
Pressing onward, the elf-twin unleashed a final burst of speed, closing the distance between himself and Legolas with far more haste than the archer had expected. Uncertain how else to bring his friend to a halt and hinder the Prince for long enough so that Elladan might appear, he lunged forward, ramming his body into Legolas' from behind. With a yelp of surprise, the archer's knees buckled and he hit the earth. Whipping his head around, he glared up at Elrohir through fierce blue eyes, but it appeared that the wild flare of animosity had dimmed, as if the flight had drawn the energy from the Prince. Gazing down at Legolas, the twin shook his head, uncertain what to think or feel.
"You struck Elladan…" Was all that came out. A whisper. The lilt of anger evident in his tone.
With those words, recognition and realisation that had so swiftly dimmed in Legolas' heart, resurfaced, slowly…. A frown tugged at Legolas's brow and he dropped his eyes to the earth beneath his knees, lips drawn into a tight line as he fought with his new enemy…himself.
Ai…Why do they torment me?
Elrohir witnessed this inner struggle with hesitation, but unwilling to condemn his friend, he reached out a hand toward the archer, to help him to his feet. However, the gesture was sharply declined as Legolas slapped the hand away, rising on his own. He had utterly failed to conceal his ordeal and now he could no longer run from it, or Elrohir, so it would have seemed. The twin had chased him relentlessly and for that, he did not know whether to be angry or moved. The latter did not agree with his fierce jumble of emotions and lifting his head he met the eyes of Elladan's brother with a cold stare. Elrohir shook his head, trying to understand.
"Why?" the dark-haired elf asked, voice small, hiding none of his confusion.
Legolas drew a weak breath and squared his shoulders. He did not answer. There were no words.
Elrohir frowned at this, confused.
"You struck Elladan!" He announced once more, disbelief still swaying his heart as he played emphasis to his words, trying to gauge a reaction or at least invoke one.
"I did..." Legolas replied, eyes lowering, the same frown touching his brow as he wrestled with that knowledge.
Elrohir did not know what concerned him more, the detachment in Legolas' eyes as he sought to pull away, or the occasional flicker of emotion that drew one to the certainty that he was in pain. Even so, Legolas turned, as if making to walk away.
"Where are you going?" Elrohir demanded more than asked.
The archer did not answer. He did not even know himself. He just wished to be alone.
Run. It is so much easier to just run…Do not make me remember…
"Legolas!"
The grip to his shoulder was viciously unwanted and turning, Legolas shoved Elrohir away from him, eyes sparking in warning.
"Can I no longer find peace!?" Legolas snapped, "Even in Imladris?" he muttered more to himself, a pitiful laugh escaping his lips as he shook his fair head.
At this point Elrohir was convinced that Legolas had either gone mad, or was playing some terribly cruel jest. The reality of the situation was just too unreal…it did not make sense. So suddenly. Too quickly, it all made so little sense.
"Legolas, you are unwell."
Elrohir did not deny that the statement sounded absurd. Elves did not get ill...or so he had believed. He found himself questioning that now that he gazed at his friend. At these words, Legolas lifted bright eyes toward the twin.
There gazes held for a moment and then…the archer burst into laughter. He laughed, though there was no heart to the sound of it, no joy or mirth, just a strange, detached hilarity which edged on lunacy. It was a cruel and bitterly false illusion…which effectively shrouded the despair welling within the Elven Prince.
Aragorn ran swiftly through the forest, weaving between the trees, eyes fixed on the ground as he tracked the path laid before his eyes by the Mirkwood Prince and his Elven brothers. Questions raced through his mind at the same time, lashing his conscience wildly.
Why? How did that root end up in Legolas' flask?
Why? Why did he strike Elladan?
Why does he run?
Why? Why?
Desperately he tried to recall all that had happened the moment he had met Legolas on the path to Rivendell. Desperately he tried to still the biting doubts and the concern that had driven Legolas to strike Elladan. Concern, yes, harm it had done, though it was not misplaced. No longer could Legolas look any of them in the eye and say that all was well.
Why would he lie? What does he hide?
Leaping a tree root, Aragorn skidded to a halt, just as a strange, hollow laughter echoed through the forest. Its sound was unfamiliar, though he guessed immediately who it was, and veering off to his left, continued his race toward the echo.
Legolas...
Elrohir stood motionless, watching in utter bewilderment as Legolas paced back and forth for a moment, shaking his head as if disagreeing with some internal voice. It appeared as if a debate was raging on within the tortured elf. It was disconcerting to witness and not knowing what to do, Elrohir took a careful step forward.
"Legolas, enough of this, saes." He cautiously murmured.
Legolas did not heed him, all that snared his mind now were the endless words and taunts.
Saes…please…Saes…
The word he had cried out, once. Only once…but in vain. Words had not saved him. He had not saved himself….anger burned inside of his heart, consuming all else and turning it to the bitterness of ashes. Anger, shame, fear…it burnt. Never had he known such emotion.
Immediately concerned, Elrohir moved forward to comfort this friend. He could not have foreseen the unstable walls that crumbled around Legolas. He could not have felt the emotion flooded the Prince and corroded Legolas' control. So swift was this, that he did not see the back of archer's hand as it lashed out, striking his face when he dared step too close. Elrohir reeled at the strike, but unlike his brother, his immediate reaction was to strike back, and he did, catching Legolas across the jaw with his knuckles.
That was all it took. An open invitation. And Legolas lunged at Elrohir as if the elf were the embodiment of his torment, willing to beat and thrash the feeling into non-existence. Elrohir's back hit the earth with a loud thud and he barely caught his breath before Legolas was astride him, raining blows. Shielding his head, Elrohir deflected the strikes and rolled them over, reversing their positions he pinned the archer beneath him. Immediately Legolas' lip curled in a sneer and his eyes flashed with anger.
"BAW!" he roared.
The cry was filled with more than rage…Fear? He was afraid. Elrohir had no time to pity his friend, for Legolas had already started bucking wildly.
Stop this. End it now! Weak. Are you this weak, elf?
The words drilled into his conscience; over and over they screamed their meaning until Legolas wished for it to stop. All of it, to just stop. It had happened too fast, it had all happened too fast.
Please stop…
In the midst of the struggle, Elrohir gasped audibly, pulling his head back in shock, pale eyes wide as he stared down at Legolas. There, in stark contrast to the ivory skin, was an ugly, dark bruise on the back of Legolas's neck. Upon closer examination, one could see the ring of teeth marks indented into the flesh, red and raw.
Sweet Eru... Elrohir sat back, momentarily stunned at his discovery.
Seeing the twin distracted, Legolas unthinkingly rammed his palm into Elrohir's nose, causing the elf to fall back with a cry. Immediately he struggled from underneath the reeling twin, who barely had time to recover before he found himself the victim of a harsh stream of violence. Helpless rage tore through Legolas' body as the image of Elrohir contorted before his eyes, and no longer did he look upon the face of his friend. All he could see in his angst stricken mind was a dark face, never clear, always in shadow, concealed…evil.
Baw! Leave me! Give me peace!
The Prince curled his fingers around the twin's pale throat. Elrohir gazed up into the haunted eyes, but the violent jerk, ready to tear out his windpipe, never came. It was Legolas, who cried out, as he was dragged off Elrohir. Thrown back against the earth, a blade that was his own, came to rest against his neck. Elladan's calm, yet stern eyes bore down upon the Prince.
"Daro sen." The elf demanded, but the rest of the words died on his lips when his gaze fell upon the marks Aragorn had described.
Elladan's eyes widened in horror and his lips parted slightly, though no words would escape him.
Valar…is that…?
His distraction cost him dearly, as Legolas rolled suddenly, gripping Elladan's wrist as he went, nearly snapping it as he twisted the blade from the twin's hand. Kicking his foot out, he swept Elladan's feet from beneath him and the elf tumbled to the earth. Elrohir blanched.
"Elladan!"
Flipping onto his feet, Legolas advanced with a fierce stalk, blade glimmering in the moonlight. Elrohir froze, in the midst of reaching out to his brother. Legolas' eyes flashed, once, twice….emotions fighting and coiling as he glared down at the older twin. Elladan, panting, started back up, braced on his elbows.
I shall have my peace…The Prince's mind snarled...You shall not take it from me.
Ere either could speak or act, two arms banded around a startled Legolas, interlocking his arms and tugging them back. He tried to bolt, but he was held firmly and despite his wild struggle, a calm voice reached some part of him as his new attacker whispered into his ear.
"Legolas! Mellon nín, saes. Daro sen bregolas, sen rûth. Sîdh Legolas…Sedho. Saes."
Slowly, with those words, the fight died in Legolas. The anger faded away and the pain swiftly replaced his wrath. It was there that he wilted like a dying flower, dropping the blade from his hand with no care for wielding it.
I could not protect myself then…and even now...
As Aragorn's arms loosened around the elf, Legolas sank to his knees and slid his fingers into his hair. He shook his head, a pitiful sound catching in his throat.
"Anna enni sidh…" he whispered.
The words caused the twins' hearts to sink and as they met each other's gazes, both exchanged the same look of confusion and sorrow. Yet it was Aragorn, who stared at Legolas with an unknown emotion in his eyes, a strange impassiveness as he observed his broken friend, trying to understand from a detached mind-set.
How had this happened? So suddenly, with no time to have understood? Unfolding, like some terrible nightmare…Legolas, the proud, regal archer. Now he appeared as if he were no more than a mere shadow of his former self.
If even that…
Aragorn touched a hand to Legolas's shoulder in comfort. But the elf shied away from the contact, not wanting the comfort.
Anna enni sidh…saes…
It had all happened too fast. One event, shaping him, contorting him and in that moment. Legolas closed his eyes. He had failed. Failed to conceal what his friends sought to take from him. The truth…
He shook his head again, pain erupting in his skull. He barely noticed the concerned glances, the soft whispers of the twins and the gentle calling of his name. It mattered not…and in that moment, one question taunted him. He had failed, he was changed. And now, they would know. All that he was...all he had been was now no more than a past recollection in the face of this new reality.
Who am I?
Wey! Chapter 7 done! Please, please review!
Sindarin Elvish Translations
BAW! – NO!
Saes – Please
Legolas! Mellon nín, saes. – Legolas! My friend, please.
Daro sen bregolas, sen rûth. – Stop this fierceness, this hate.
Sîdh Legolas…- Peace Legolas…
Sedho – Be still/Be quiet
Anna enni sidh – Give me peace
Wonderful Reviewers:
IMTrinity – Heya there! [smiles] As always, I'm most happy to hear you enjoyed the last chapter and I certainly hope you enjoyed this one! Your fic was great! And I am determined to read the other ones too! Hopefully on Monday I shall have the day to myself to do whatever I want, so I shall get to read more! So I ask you to keep up your own writing, mellon nin! Thanks again for reviewing, you make my day, my dear!
Deana – [laughs] Yes, I finally posted! Lol! At the risk of sounding cliché, all shall be revealed soon! Lol! Thank you so much for your review! And I'll catch you again next post! I hope you enjoyed this chapter!
Irish Anor – [happy smile!!] Oh! Thank you for that lovely Elvish greeting you posted in your review! Hannon le! It was beautiful! [smiles] Thank you so much for your feedback, it is so lovely to hear that people appreciate what one writes – however tardy the updates! Lol! So please forgive me that! [laughs] You dear reviewer! I am nearly done with the next chapter for the sequel so that should be up soon! Thank you again for your patience and for taking the time to leave me such lovely reviews! Hannon le, mellon nin!
Ashaselle – Hello there, new reviewer! What a lovely name you have there! I'm glad that you are enjoying the re-post of this old fic. Not too much has been changed, just things here and there. Thank you so much for taking the time to review it! It's always such a wonderful feeling to get such encouraging feedback. [smiles] I hope that you enjoyed this chapter and continue to enjoy the rest of the story!
Thank you again, reviewers!
Silver Thorne