Hi guys, lady Nierwen here again. Thank you so much for your reviews, I appreciate every word that is written. Except, maybe flamers.
It's getting increasingly difficult for me to write these chapters, because at the moment, I am trying to get to the death scene, but not getting there too fast, otherwise I am afraid that I will spoil it. This chapter is for the people who wanted to see why Eldarion hated Legolas so much. I tried guys, and for the first time, feel free to flame me if you don't like it.
Oakey dokey, here we go…
Review responses:
Lindahoyland: Thank you for your review. I'm glad you liked the chapter. I suppose, for a lot of people, story telling was and probably still is a regular part of their lives.
Alexandra: Hey, I know you!! I cannot believe I made you cry!! Really, seriously? Unbelievable!! I'm glad you liked symbelmyne. I wanted to get across the fact that even the strongest men have emotions that brew away under the surface, but there will come a time when it gets too much to stand. Thanks very much for your review.
Neoinean: I'm glad you liked the chapters. They were tricky to write, especially symbelmyne. I will definitely bear in mind what you said about ample narration. Flashbacks, for me, are quite tricky to do. Thanks for the reminder.
She can be very judgemental from time to time, my friend. She's one of those people who you can spend time in their company, and the good parts are really good, but the bad parts are unbearable. She has an accomplice too!! Anyway, thanks for listening to my ramblings. I'm surprised you could bare them.
Shadowfaxgal7: HI!!!!! How are you? I'm glad you didn't wake your sister. Siblings can be cranky sometimes, can't they? I'm not lying though, you are a wonderful writer. I'm glad you like my lyrics; I really wasn't sure about them myself. Do you like this flash back idea? I find it tricky to write them, so I hope its o.k., but I couldn't think of anything else to do.
Have you seen seriously wrong elsewhere? I haven't. Thanks for trying to find out when they joined the site. Bit of a weird name for a long term user don't you think?
Remarkable? Wow, that's nice.
I need your opinion, in my bio, there is a work in progress thing in there. Look at the unnamed thingy there and tell me what you think of it. I would appreciate it if you had the time.
It's so great to be called 'such a talented author' by someone whose stories, in my opinion, tower above mine. Thank you, or as we lord of the rings obsessives say, Hannon Le Mellon-nin!!
Right, let's get this stuff out the way.
Disclaimer: If you really think I own anything in this story, you obviously haven't read the books. But this isn't a bad starting point!!!
Summary: Same as always.
Warnings: Sad, angst, sad, angst, what else is there?
Rating: PG
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chapter 9: Weakness.
Snapping out of his thoughts by a small knock at the door, king Aragorn of Gondor turned to regard the source of the noise.
"Come" called the king with his usual gentleness.
The door opened slowly, and Eldarion, the king' son, peeped cautiously around the door. A look of confusion flashed across the young face as he saw Legolas was not there.
Legolas of Mirkwood had become a permanent fixture of not only the room, but the entire family's hearts. It was a turn of events that Legolas was surprised at to say the least, as the children of the king and queen, especially Eldarion, had regarded the king with much ice. Now there was only warmth.
Legolas hardly left the king's side, except in an emergency.
"Eldarion, good to see you my son. How do you fare?" questioned the king with usual vigour.
"I am well, father" replied the young man softly. "Where is Legolas?" he asked, a frown creasing his brow.
"He is outside with his mare." Replied the king shortly, smiling at his son and motioning for him to sit down. Doing so, Eldarion questioned him again.
"He would not leave your side just for that" stated the prince of Gondor.
"He did not want to, but I ordered him too. It does him no good to be trapped here. He needs to see the sky every now and then." Said the king, smiling as he thought of his stubborn friend.
"Good" said the prince. He could think of nothing else to say. His father was right. Even though the prince hid it well, he longed for the outdoors.
The pair sat in silence for a while. A multitude of thoughts running through their minds. They were father and son, but they had little to say to each other anymore. The king was getting old and weaker by the day, and was no longer an active part of the boy's life.
There was something however. Aragorn had to say it; else it never would be said.
"On the subject of Legolas, Eldarion" began the king, instantly grabbing his son's attention.
"Yes father?" asked the boy, foreboding crushing his soul. There was only one path for this subject to take.
"I wish to know what happened to make you so wary of him. So cold. For I cannot see it my son, what did he do to make you so… disrespectful. I would have you tell me the truth, no lies my son." Concluded the king. His arms folded across his chest, and a frown fixed upon his weathered face. He was decided.
After much deliberation, the prince sighed and began to tell his father what had caused his icy actions.
Flashback…
Eldarion, prince of Gondor sat upon his chair on the balcony of his chamber. The feast had indeed been satisfying, and he had had the pleasure of meeting for the first time, Legolas prince of Mirkwood, his father's truest friend.
He had indeed heard many great stories of their friendship, including his father's time spent in the fellowship's company.
A smile greeted thoughts of the prince. He was handsome, intelligent and very pleasant to socialise with, if a little standoffish in large gatherings.
Eldarion could see why his father favoured the elf.
"My prince?" came a quiet voice from the door to the balcony.
Turning round swiftly to see the source of the sound, his eyes rested upon Legolas.
"Legolas" came the startled Gondorian's reply.
"May I join you?" asked the elf. "The hall is getting rather too loud for my liking. It is peaceful here."
"Of course" said Eldarion, quickly motioning to a chair which Legolas proceeded to take.
The boy was startled, if a little shocked and confused that the prince had chosen to sit with him. He wondered what to say to such a creature.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
After a long conversation, which had surprisingly been very easy to initiate, they began to talk about immortality, namely Arwen's decision to become mortal.
"Would you become mortal?" inquired the boy. His inquisitive eyes dancing in the moonlight. Surprisingly, this was a question that Eldarion had dreaded hearing the answer to.
"No, I would not" replied the elf quickly.
Eldarion regarded him silently. If the elf was saying what he believed he would say…
"Unlike your mother, I have no one in that respect to love" continued the prince, grabbing the boy's attention immediately.
"I would not be so rash as to discard my intended immortality without good reason" he finished.
Eldarion was immediately angered by this statement. He was sure to make the prince see it.
"You are describing my mother to be rash in her decision?" asked the boy, incredulous.
"No" said the elf. Startled at the boy's quick and sharp response to his answer.
"Your mother loves your father. She had good reason to become mortal." Completed the elf quickly, regarding the boy as he seemed, instead of to calm, to become more angry.
"You still believe her to be rash, do you not?" questioned Eldarion, glaring at Legolas through burning eyes.
"No, Eldarion, understand me…" began the Legolas before he was cut off by the human.
"Leave me." Said the quick tempered human. The elf thought it wise to comply, and left the human to his anger.
"Namarie, mellon-nin, until we meet again" said the voice of the king Aragorn of Gondor. Legolas was leaving to return to Mirkwood this day, to bring the remainder of his people to Ithilien. The woodland that bordered the main part of Gondor.
Standing in the background, swallowed by the shadows, was Eldarion. He felt left out, and in response, had decided not to pay notice to anyone. Except the elf. Legolas.
Eldarion's blood boiled every time he heard the name of the elf that had, in Eldarion's view insulted his mother. Adding insult to injury, was the fact that his mother thought of him as a friend. A friend would not say such things thought Eldarion as he watched the elf mount his white mare. He felt a swooping sensation in his stomach as the elf turned to regard him for a moment before kicking his horse into action and riding away at full speed.
The king turned to Eldarion and walked to his son, who quickly wiped the look of venom off his face.
"I am lucky to know him, Eldarion. I live safe in the knowledge that he will return when he will." Said the king to his son warmly.
"He will not return soon" snapped back Eldarion.
"No, and he should not" replied the king sharply. Eldarion looked up quickly to meet his father's stormy grey gaze.
"It is not good for him to be near stone walls for too long too quickly. He will grow ill" said the king, seeing his son's look.
"Ridiculous" muttered the young prince of Gondor under his breath.
"How is that?" asked his father, anger evident in his voice. This made Eldarion snap.
"Oh father, do you not see? He will abandon you. He is immortal, you are mortal. The sooner you learn that we cannot mix is the better." Cried the boy before he stormed away.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Eldarion looked away from his father's gaze when he had finished. Unable to stand the silence that followed his explanation, he stood from his seat before Aragorn could stop him, and ran from the room. Legolas happened to be walking through the door as Eldarion fled from the room and had to leap aside as the human raced past him.
"Eldarion!" he cried. The man did not stop.
Legolas turned to Aragorn on the bed.
"What has happened?" he inquired shortly.
Aragorn turned away, his stormy eyes troubled and his neck burning under the prince of Mirkwood's glare.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I tried. If you think it is bad, then by all means tell me, I will wipe and re-write, it's not a problem.
Reviews: You know the drill
Spelling/Grammar mistakes: Yep. That always helps.
Ideas: That really helps, especially now, because these are getting trickier to write.
Flames: For the first time, I will say yes, but any real insults and I will ignore and block. Simple as that.
Well seeya, try not to be sick when you read this.
Lady Nierwen
XX