A/N hey everybody! Oh no way! I haven't updated this in 5 MONTHS!!!! Oops. But I have been quite busy with my other fic. Also, I haven't been able to get this chapter right, I've re-written it like three times. In fact I've re-written most of it form this point and I'm still not happy with it, but alas, it will have to do!
Thanks to my reviewers and stuff, you've all probably forgotten about this by now right?
Anyways. 76 DAYS TILL ROTK EE DVD!!!
Chapter 6- Back With You
He blinked up at her, his vision coming into focus. A pair of bright emerald eyes stared down at him. But he did not speak. His bore so many lines of pain now that had not been there before. "You are back," he said at last.
She nodded, a smile touched her lips. "Yes," she answered. Legolas nodded his head slightly. He had missed her so much, had waited so long hoping to see her face again- the same face he had first fallen in love with on first sight. So why did he feel so ashamed, embarrassed that she was looking down at him when they should both be rejoicing at their return to Rivendell?
At that moment Lord Elrond entered. He beckoned her to him with a slight wave of his hand and she silently stood from her chair and went to the lord of Rivendell. Just behind him stood King Thranduil, an anxious look on his face. "Lord Thranduil wishes to see his son," Elrond said quietly. She nodded in understanding and left.
From inside the room Legolas cringed. He dreaded having to face his father. Elrond and Thranduil entered quietly. Legolas slide down a little in his bed, a blank expression on his face. "Legolas?" his father called to his son. "Ion nin?" Thranduil was shocked at the state of his son. "What have they don?" he whispered to himself.
Legolas did not reply. "Perhaps it would be best to leave Legolas in peace Lord. He still has mush healing to do," said Elrond placing a comforting hand on the Elven King's shoulder.
Thranduil shook his head. "No Elrond, I intend to get answers now. Then revenge can he immediately taken on those-"
"Ada! Stop. No revenge can be taken," Legolas spoke up at last.
"Legolas, my son, what do you mean? Do you not wish vengeance on those barbaric men?" said Thranduil.
"You did not see what they did to Malfin and Curudol. Revenge is not an option right now," Legolas croaked.
"Revenge is easy, I know whom it was who caused you this grief. And the people of the Lake-town shall pay. They shall have not our allegiance any longer!" Thranduil said in his rage, his face reddening and flashing in fury.
"Ada please. Not all the people are to blame, they no not of my grief at the hands of those above them. You must not go charging in bent on revenge. Now please, I beg you leave me awhile, I am still weary and aching." Said Legolas.
Thranduil did not move. "Come Lord, we must leave your son in peace as I have advised. You may speak of these dark matters with Legolas when he is better disposed," Elrond said forcefully ushering the Mirkwood King out of the room. "Besides, I must change his bandages." With that, Elrond closed the door behind Legolas' father.
He came over to the younger Elf and drew back the sheets, opening his shirt to check his ribs which were still covered in dark purple bruising and hurt when any pressure was applied, though they were beginning to heal well enough thanks to Legolas' Elven healing abilities. "Legolas, I know that an attack on the Lake-town is not the right thing to do, as is the decision of your father. Tell me, after all the pain they have obviously put you through, why do you shun revenge so readily with little explanation?" asked the Elven healer.
"I can not let him be the first step to destroying an innocent life-" Legolas paused and swallowed. "Lives, innocent lives that had no part in my treatment.
"And who are the innocent- lives?" said Elrond choosing his words carefully.
"The town's people," Legolas replied quickly. "If but one hundred good Mirkwood archers attacked the town the people would stand no chance."
"And will you not tell anyone of what you endured or do you wish to keep it locked up inside?" asked Elrond now sitting Legolas up against his pillows.
"I wish to forget all about it," Legolas said blankly. He took in a sharp in take of breath as Elrond began to rub some salve onto his ribs.
"You know that can not be Legolas," Elrond said glancing up at him gravely.
Legolas looked back with meaningful eyes and shook his head to Elrond's unspoken question. "I can not re-live it my Lord. I am sorry but I can not."
-:0:-
"And still he will say nothing of it?"
"Not a word, and he does not wish for revenge on the people that did this to him either," said Elrond as he leaned back in his over stuffed chair behind his desk in his study. "But I fear there may be more Estel, a reason exactly why he does not want to take revenge."
"What makes you say this Ada?" asked the young man.
"Just something he said," Elrond answered vaguely. "Estel, I think that Legolas may be protecting someone in the Lake-town, the way he spoke just gave me that idea. An innocent life...I could be completely wrong though. Estel, when you went to get Legolas, was there anything, or anyone you noticed that could have been linked with him?"
"None other than the Master and the guards, it is my guess that those men had the most to do with Legolas' torment. And it is no wonder he desires not to speak of such things, after the state he is in, do you think he wants to recall all that so soon? Said Estel.
Elrond shook his head. He longed to hear all Legolas could tell so that he may help him over come it all, but if the Elf desired to keep everything to himself, then so it must be.
"We could speak with Valia about it, she helped him with the loss of his mother, and of his friend, long ago it seems now, but she helped him, maybe she can do it again," Estel suggested. "It is worth a try is it not?"
-:0:-
Estel squinted down the shaft of the arrow notched in his bow. He took aim and fired, narrowly missing the bulls-eye of the target. He cursed to himself and tried again. "Not up to your best today Estel, what troubles you?" asked Valia, sliding down form her seat on the picket fence.
Estel rolled his eyes and handed her the bow. "Go on then, you try!"
She nodded and took her position in front of the target. She pulled back the bow string and released the arrow which flew with ease on the light evening breeze to the bulls-eye. Turning back to look at Estel she smiled smugly. "My my, bettered by a girl."
Estel cast her a dark look. "I shoot better at long range," he said defensively.
"Well then, let us move the target to sixty paces, how does that suit your skill?" she said teasingly. Estel rolled his eyes and did as she suggested. He tried again, and missed. "Hmm, is it me or are you concentrating too little? Or I think may be too much. Come, tell me what is on your mind."
Estel handed his bow to Valia. "Legolas. Ada is concerned about him. he thinks it ill for him to keep his torments to himself. He said saw him this morning, when he woke. Did he say anything to you?"
Valia held the bow loosely in her hand and cast her head down to look at the ground. "yes I saw him this morning," she said quietly. Her cheerfulness fading. "But we barely exchanged two words. His father came to se him and I had to leave. Form what I heard, Thranduil is angry and wants to attack the Lake-town on his son's behalf. But Legolas is not like that."
"Yes I know, Ada told me. He thinks Legolas may be hiding something, or protecting someone so seemed his speech with my father this morning. Do you notice anything odd about him, like that?" said Estel.
Valia thought for a moment. "I know he is tormented, when I was watching over him, as I have done every night while he was in that deep sleep. He tosses and turns a lot. But that can only be expected can't it? When he saw me first, he smiled as if some light of his former self had returned. But it was not so. He seemed- seemed as though h did not wish me to see him. I can not explain it," she shook her head and notched an arrow, firing it at the bulls-eye.
"Bested again," Estel muttered frowning.
"In fact, he seemed almost- cold," said Valia taking another arrow.
"Yes," Estel agreed. "I meant to ask you, on behalf of Lord Elrond, if you would perhaps talk to him, like you did last time when his mother and Galadmir died. Maybe you are the one who can comfort him."
Valia looked on the young human with narrowed eyes. Then they became bright again. "Yes Estel, you are right. Maybe I can. I can at least try can't I? I shall go and see him now, just before sun set. The light is fading and soon archery will become more difficult."
With that she drew back the bow and fired a last time, hitting the bulls-eye. She smiled at Estel and ran off back towards the House. Estel fired one last shot, and missed. He sighed and went to collect the arrows form the target. "How does she do it?" he muttered to himself plucking out the three arrows Valia had shot into the bulls-eye.
-:0:-
-Dream-
"Uncle please I beg you!" a sharp hand hit her across the face. Then that same hand turned on him. The girl had collapsed on the floor, clutching her face which bore the distinct mark of a hand. He too was thrown to the floor; he heard the girl cry out, scream as her uncle took hold of her, shouting furiously at her. He struggled to his feet and lunged at the one who was causing her so much pain, pulling him off the young girl- telling her to run, to get out. There were guards who seized him at the command of the Master.
-End Dream-
Legolas woke up suddenly drenched in cold sweat and panting furiously. He remembered that night well. That was when his torment had begun. She too had been caught, she had not even got as far as the door when she was seized and dragged away. He knew not what became of her. The one that had tried to help him.
He flopped back on his pillows, it was getting dark. The sun was setting in the sky away to the east. It seemed he had not seen such a sight for an age. He climbed out of bed, his limbs stiff and aching, and went to his window. Pulling back the lace drape revealing the valley below. The sky had turned deep pink, sprinkled with gold as the sun sunk down quietly. He stood there for a while until the sun disappeared entirely and night took hold of Imladris and the sky now bathed in deep velvet blue was dotted with a million tiny sprinkles of stars.
That was how Valia found him; she entered quietly and stood in the doorway. Legolas did not turn to face her, but said quietly "It never gets old does it- watching the sun set over Imladris?"
"No, it remains forever beautiful," she replied closing the door behind her and coming over to stand next to him.
"It seems so long since I last saw one this beautiful," Legolas said, his voice seemed far away. "And the stars as lovely as ever."
"Legolas," Valia sighed.
"I know why you have come," he said quietly drawing the lace drape back across the window. "But it is a waste of time, I have no wish to talk of what befell me in the Lake-town. I simply desire to put it behind me."
"And for that no one can blame you. But perhaps first it must be spoken about to be forgotten instead of bottling it up inside to flood out in a moment of weakness in an overwhelming tidal wave and emotion," Valia said reasonably.
"Wise words Valia. And no doubt true, but no one could ever wish to hear of what I have been through and I will not lay it on you to hear of it," said Legolas.
"Not even if I offer to be your listener, and in turn your healer in your time of weakness as I was a time ago," said Valia.
He turned to her and gently cupped her face in his hand which was far rougher than she remembered. "Would you look into a face as broken as mine and not turn away?" he asked.
She had not seen his face in this light, it looked so sad and she longed to pull her eyes away, but she resolved herself to keep them locked with his. "Appearance matters not to me Legolas Greenleaf. But there is one thing I would do to improve it, if you would allow it, they may marginally improve your look until all your hurts are fully mended."
He tilted his head slightly and narrowed his bright blue eyes in question. She drew away from him then and told him to stay where he was. Retreating into a side room off of the chamber Legolas was staying in she came to the small store room. Rummaging quickly through a draw she soon found what she sort.
Returning to Legolas she stopped before him and held up something silver that glinted in the moonlight that was now spilling in unchecked through the thin lace drapes and a few leather bands. He looked down at her, frowning and trying to fathom her idea. Then he caught on as she ran her fingers through his ragged hair.
"Valia..." he questioned her.
"Shh, I promise this will work. Let me re-do your braids, you look strange without them. Now come and sit down and be quiet, let me see what I can do," she steered him over to a chair next to the window, lighting some candles so that she would have sufficient light to see, she began her work. Snipping carefully at the burnt hair, getting rid of the charred strands. When she was finished she gently started to plait his hair into his distinctive warrior braids.
"I seem to remember an event similar to this, years ago just after my mother was killed by the Spiders of Mirkwood. And I remember also what you said to me, about sharing heart aches and feelings," said Legolas, a little more talkative then he had been in a long long time.
"Oh, and that was?" said Valia, pausing a moment in her braiding to listen to him.
"Friends are quiet angels, who lift us to our feet when our wings have trouble remembering how to fly," he quoted, recalling the memory well.
"Yes, and now I know where I got that from," answered Valia.
"Where?"
"My world. It was something my grandmother said to me when I was very young. It has stuck with me ever since," she replied.
"What was it like? Been back in your world, with all of your family and friends you left behind when you came to Middle earth?" asked Legolas curiously.
"It was- good, for a time," she answered frowning at the question. "I mean, I was not gone for that long, only a year or so."
"No," Legolas cut in suddenly. "It was ten, ten long years."
"Ten years?" she stuttered. She tied off the last of Legolas' braids and came round to kneel in front of him. "Legolas, how can it be that I was gone for that long?"
Legolas shook his head. "But you are back with me now, and for that at least I am thankful."
"Ten years, I do not believe that! But- you are right, I am back now," she said standing again. She rubbed her eyes and yawned. "So Legolas Greenleaf, will you consent to speak with me of all your problems?"
Legolas shook his head. "Not this night. You are weary, as am I. But I will consent to speak with you of what happened to me Valia, just not yet. I am content thus far to simply be back with you."
A/N Ok then. A rubbish chapter in my opinion. I completely changed what I had written in the draft because I didn't think it made much sense, not that this does much but hey, I tried and I'm just getting back into this. And I will start updating this more often, in between my other fic and school work!
So, review and tell me what you think. Also pointers on how I can improve this. I was reading through On The Other Side while writing this to get some facts to use and I think it was terrible and I desperately want another attempt at writing that fic and improve it, but then it was my first fic but still I think I will when I have little else to write.
Laters
Lolly pop