DISCLAIMER: Yessss.... they are mine, my own, my precioussssss. And then I fall from the tree I was sleeping in and woke up.
Author Notes: Remember Quenya and Sindarin are my mother tongue not English, sorry for the mistakes.
Thanks a lot to all your wonderful reviews! They mean a lot to me and inspire me to write faster. Good Karma to all of you!!!
Answering some questions from Irish QT, AU means Alternative Universe and it refers to the fics that doesn't follow canon or that altere something of the original story; Legolas past is a blank line, nobody knows how many years he has or if he has sibilings or even a wife and a family since Tolkien didn't write anything, so all we can do is guess, I like him to be younger than the twin sons of Elrond but not as young as to be the younger of all elven race so I made that date up. And yes, the world is very small and we elves lost in it are mean to encounter each other.
For all you lovely reviewers here is chapter II
The Truth in those sad eyes
By Fantasia of the Moon
Chapter II
Legolas and Thranduil spend the rest of the morning and good part of the afternoon making plans and discussing the situation the south was in.
"How many elves had died in the patrols of the south?" the king asked
"Seven approximately"
"Approximately? Do you not know the exact number?"
"I..."
"Legolas we need to know how many"
"I know, I..." Legolas said biting his lower lip as he usually did when he knew he had disappointed his father, he was really cold and the fire on the chimney didn't seem to warm him a bit. If Thranduil let him think for a moment before getting angry with him...
"I trusted you with that, you told me you could handle it!"
"Father..." Legolas tried again
"Can you do nothing good?"
"Seven! Five elves and two she elves!" Legolas shouted at last before Thranduil could said anything else, the king looked at his son severely. "Seven elves had exactly died" the prince continue quieter, almost whispering "Glorterian, Kliounter, Huiwhinter, Niaolfe..."
"That is enough and do not shout to me again or you will regret it."
"I am sorry my Lord, please forgive, but I ask you to listen to me first before you jump to conclusions"
"Then do not be so insecure."
"How can I not?" Legolas thought, "If you always say that all I speak is stupid, idiotic or foolish"
"Did they had a proper funeral?" Thranduil took him out of his thoughts.
"Yes my lord, Vinyaron saw to it"
"Good, he can handle it better than you, since you are too introvert"
"I am not timid!"
"How many times do I have to tell you? Introvert and timid are not the same. It will be better if you were timid instead of being so reserved. Anyway, I want you to see this map" Thranduil changed the subject without noticing how it had hurt Legolas. As his father was searching for said map the prince came closer to the fireplace in an attempt to make his hands stop shivering.
When Thranduil finally found the map he saw that his son had came near the fire, the flames giving the young fair face a light that make him look younger.
"Come here Legolas" Thranduil said and when the prince came closer the king pointed to a spot in what was representing Mirkwood, he then traced an imaginary line that crossed the Gray River and the Misty Mountains to finally stop in Imladris. "You will follow this path to Imladris"
"To Imladris? What for?" Legolas said surprised and a little uncomfortable. He had just arrived and he wanted to spend some time with his trees.
"You will take a letter to Elrond. It is time you meet the other elven realms, and the other realms to meet you and Vinyaron as the princes of Mirkwood and the letter I am going to give you is very important. It is a perfect chance. By the way, you will acting like my ambassador"
"So Vinyaron is coming as well" The prince couldn't keep the disdain on his voice.
"Why are you so cruel to him?" Thranduil asked angry "Why do you despite him so? Do you blame him for your mother's dead?"
"Father..."
"Do you hate him because at your eyes he killed your mother?!" Thranduil's voice grew louder and louder and every time angrier.
"I..."
"Do you know how does he feel? He had grown up to be a very nice child despite everything, your disdain included!
"Father he..." Legolas wanted to tell the king that his brother was not what he thought, that HE was not what he thought.
"Do you know how he must feel because his only brother hates him?!"
"I DO, I really do" Legolas shouted "You know nothing" he then whispered "You do not want to know" Thranduil threw him to the closest wall in anger. Legolas felt a wave of dizziness when his head hit the wall.
"How you dare boy?! Even if you are a spoiled prince you must not forget that I am still your father, no, your King! I better see you as one of my subjects than like my son. Go now, you will depart tomorrow at first light"
Without a word Legolas left. As he walked through the corridors he fought the tears that menaced to show. He was really unwanted. Many times had he tried to explain Thranduil the truth of Vinyaron hypocrisy, but never had succeed. So the conclusion was that he was an unwanted child. He knew he was considered rather eccentric, but he had never thought that his personality was going to make most of the people, including his parents, hate him.
Walking in the direction of the healing wing he wonder why nobody wanted him. He wasn't that bad, was he? Was he?
"My lord?" a healer called Glunderel said startling him "Can I do something for you?"
"Yes please. Could you give me something for a headache" the prince said
"Of course my lord, please wait a minute" when the healer left Legolas closed his eyes in an attempt to make the ache fade a little. Suddenly he sensed something wrong and moved to his right by pure instinct, a loud crash could be heard. Legolas looked at the crystal broken bottle that was smashed on the wall. Turning around he was not surprised to see his brother.
"What did you do that for?" he asked annoyed
"Not your business" Vinyaron said
"When someone threw me something that could have harmed me I consider it to be my business"
"Well Legolas, since you manage to evade it, then no harm done" and Vinyaron left.
"My prince?" Glunderel arrived too late to saw the younger son of Thranduil "What did you do that for?" the healer asked trying to be calm to his prince when he was really angry
"I did not" Legolas said a bit cold
"But my lord, no one has been here"
"I told you I did not do it"
"As you say my lord, but the least you can do is to clean it up"
"I will not do it because I was the one who threw it, but to help you"
"No thank you my lord, I can manage" Glunderel said always respectful, but annoyed. Taking the herbs the healer had brought with him Legolas left. "A shame the crown prince is a spoiled child. If he was more like Vinya..." Glunderel thought "But Vinya is not as good fighter and tactician as Legolas..."
"Did you called me father?" Vinyaron said as he entered Thranduil's study. Calmer now, the king sat on his chair redacting the letter to Elrond.
"I did, what took you so long?"
"Oh! I was on the gardens a little far away"
"I understand. Sit down. Vinya, as you know a letter from Elrond has arrived. It needs to be answered as soon as possible and I am sending you and your brother to Imladris to deliver it. A discussion will take place, without doubt, but Legolas will handle it, since he is capable of it and knows the situation." Vinyaron felt the ire consuming him, but show nothing of it.
"And you want me to accompany him? It will be a great opportunity for us to better know each other. And he even will learn to like me!" the hypocrite younger prince said. Thranduil smiled tenderly.
"Take care my son, the roads are dangerous"
"I will take care of Legolas" Thranduil laughed at the comment.
"Commendable Vinya, even more so since Legolas is one of Mirkwood's best warriors" Vinya just smiled, but inside him he was already planning something to discredit his brother.
*****
The next morning Thranduil and Galion stood on the doors on the elven realm to say farewell to the princes. No scout was coming with them at the princes insistence, for now every warrior in Mirkwood was need there. Thranduil allowed them at last, thinking that it will be good that the two traveled together for their relationship as well as for a training.
"Farewell, may the winds carry you save to your destination" Thranduil hugged Vinyaron, then the younger prince rode his mount and started heading to the path. Legolas waited to his father, hoping that at least he will looked at him, but as soon as Vinyaron left Thranduil turned around and returned to the palace. So Legolas was left standing there with the words in his lips.
Galion frowned at the prince, for he looked so lost. Sighing he reached Legolas' mount and touched the prince's shoulder lightly.
"I hope you return soon my lord" the manservant said
"You would be the only one" Legolas' voice was so sad.
"Do not forget the trees" Galion said trying to make Legolas feel better. "They and I will miss your mischief" at this Legolas smiled a little and his eyes shone a little impish.
"Be prepare Galion, because early winter is ending and soon the worst of the icy season will be upon us, so I doubt that we will be able to return before Spring. But when we return, Spring will have melted the lakes" Galion laughed. He well knew Legolas' habit of throwing him to every lake he could.
"I will be waiting my lord with some surprises of my own" Laughing Legolas mounted his white stallion and went away.
Legolas and Vinyaron traveled without talking until night was upon them.
"We need to make a camp" Legolas said "The weather will decrease more"
" I not want to" said Vinyaron
"Listen, I am in charge and you will do as I say. I have been on several patrols while you have not even left the palace, so do not be stupid and follow my counsel"
"I will tell father that you ordered me all the journey"
" Foolish spoiled brat"
"At least father loves me"
"That does not mean that you are not foolish, stupid and a poor warrior"
"I am not!"
"Low your voice idiot!" Legolas said annoyed "Orcs and other evil creatures can be close. Do you want them to come?"
"If they kill you" Vinyaron said
"If they kill me you will follow, for you have not even finished your warrior training. Not that it matter, you lack of ability to weapons anyway. But you know, on second thought, if we cross with orcs, they will not kill you, for they will recognize in you one of them"
"You will pay for all that you are saying Legolas"
"I know, you will run to father and tell him one of your lies, but father is far away now. Listen, I do not want to fight all the journey and back"
"Neither do I, so you do as you want. I do not want to camp" and with that the younger prince went away. Legolas dismounted and after tending his horse, climbed up a tree to rest making himself a little ball, if his foolish brother didn't want to listen, it was his problem.
With the timing difference of riding, the princes separated his ways. On the second day, Legolas had encountered his brother asleep in a tree at midday. Sighing in annoyance, he took out his tunic a folded map and put it next to the sleeping prince. The tree made a sound as if it agreed with Legolas and the blond elf smiled at it.
"Vinyaron" Legolas said shaking his brother "I left you the map, try not to get lost and be on your guard, the roads are not safe and be aware of the weather too" Legolas had memorized the way to Imladris, so he didn't need the map. After giving the advice, he left his brother to continue.
It was on their tenth day of journey that things went bad.
It was late afternoon when Legolas heard the trees whispering of evil and danger, some time later, he could heard a group of orcs, not too numerous. He stopped not knowing what to do. Vinyaron was there not far behind him, he had taken care of it and he didn't know if he should warn him or if his warn will prejudice him. A sudden shout that was no orc made the decision. Heading to the place he had heard his brother shout he make haste, for even if he didn't like his brother, he still was an elf.
Arriving at the scene of the battle, he quickly took notice of the situation. There were twenty orcs, two of them were fighting with the younger prince while the others enjoy the spectacle. Taking out his bow and notching an arrow, Legolas attacked them trying to distract their attention to him.
Before the orcs knew there was a second elf, the two attacking Vinyaron were dead. With rage fourteen foul bests attacked Legolas who had to use his twin knives due of the proximity of the enemy. After defeating ten of them, Legolas started having troubles with the other four and he noticed that two were with Vinyaron. Tired already, he keep fighting receiving an injury on his shoulder that trespassed the flesh. Taking force of desperation and pain, he managed to defeat them just to see how his brother was hit on the head by one of the orcs. Falling unconscious, Vinyaron was vulnerable.
Legolas started running to help him when one of the orcs hold up his scimitar to gave the final blow. Without time to make a proper plan, Legolas did the only thing he could thought. He put himself between the scimitar and his brother's body. If someone had asked him later why he had defended Vinyaron risking his own life, he would be unable to answer.
The blow cut Legolas' abdomen making a deep gash that went from one side of his waist to the other. Pressing his lips hard he hold tighter his twin blades and faster than the wind, he cut both orcs' throats.
Legolas fall to his knees, he could felt the blood flowing freely out of his body, so taking off his tunic he press it trying to stop the blood. With his other hand he checked Vinyaron who hadn't stir. The younger prince was too cold and Legolas gave him his cloak even if he was cold as well.
Afraid that his brother had received a fatal wound, he called his mount and lifted Vinya. He needed to get him to Elrond, for the lord of Imladris was a well-known healer. Getting to his horse with his brother made Legolas almost pass out, the pain he was feeling was too much and he could feel his tunic already soaked in blood. He will bleed to dead if he didn't stop it, but then, Vinya's condition could be worse.
Imladris was one day from where they were, he could make it, he must make it. Telling his horse to make haste, he ride pressing his brother with one hand and with the other pressing his wound, that hurt so much that more than once he was about to faint.
Soon the time lost all its meaning as the weary prince rode to Imladris, dying in the process with each drop of blood that left his body, that was colder with every second.
To be continue...
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