~ -*~ * ~*- ~
Chapter Two
~ -*~ * ~*- ~
Traitor
~ -*~ * ~*- ~
There's another world inside of me
That you may never see
There's secrets in this life
That I can't hide
Somewhere in this darkness
There's a light that I can't find
Maybe it's too far away...
Maybe I'm just blind...
-Three Doors Down-
~ -*~ * ~*- ~
10 years before...
Mirkwood Palace
~ -*~ * ~*- ~
Legolas laughed and celebrated with his company, his heart high and joyful, as the company lounged around the courtyard, awaiting the king. Thailden clapped him on the arm as he passed, shoving a tankard of ale into his hand. The prince set this down beside him, untouched, as he nursed a deeply cut hand- the same scar that would mark him as he was years later.
"Comrades!" Thailden bellowed merrily, raising his glass to salute the young elf by is side. "Here's to the bravery of Prince Legolas, and his victory against the evils of the enemy!"
The men cheered with a deafening roar and wooden mugs pounded together as the warriors drank the toast to their prince.
Legolas smiled awkwardly as the men cheered once more and congratulated him on another victory. Granted, it had been a major victory, but he was not used to such attention, for, even being the prince that he was, the men had always though of him as one of their own. Now he was being paid attention he did not want, or in his mind, deserve. He had been counted as one of them for as long as he could remember, and he wanted to keep it that way.
"My dear Thailden!" Legolas shook his head, quieting the men with a hand motion so he could speak.
"It was your brave company that did the work; the praise is not duly paid. Without them, all would have been lost. Let us say instead-" He stood and raised his tankard as he rotated to face the men. "Here is to the brave Guards of Mirkwood, and our victory against the evils of the enemy!"
A deafening shout rose up again from the elves, ten times louder, if it was possible than the one before.
Legolas was seated again and, as the cheering and congratulatory remarks ceased and the men returned to their merry-making, his thoughts turned to his beloved father.
His uncle, Mahtan was continuously with his father, and Legolas was not sure why. He did not trust his uncle, and had always found it best to avoid him when possible, as the older elf seemed intent on making the prince's life miserable.
But his father... He wanted more then anything to go up and see him, and he was only waiting for the messenger to come for him. His father meant the world to him, and the two had been close all their lives, since Legolas' mother had gone to Valinor long ago and Legolas was an only child.
He couldn't wait to tell the king about the success of the prince's border patrol, and began to grow impatient. He was about ready to go up to his father's room himself when he looked up to the balcony.
Legolas' heart froze as he saw a dark face looking down at him, twisted into a cruel, sneering grin.
~ -*~ * ~*- ~
A cold face watched darkly from the balcony above. It might well become challenging to dispose of the prince, he realized. The guards, as well as the people, loved their young prince, and would not take easily to what was going to happen to him. Yes, It might indeed prove more difficult then he had imagined. He scoffed amusedly to himself as he realized the prince was looking up at him. He tried to read the younger elf's expression, but it was impossible.
Unable to stand the sight of the elve's innocent revelry below, he turned and stormed from the balcony, walking near to the bed where the king of Mirkwood lay.
The young prince did not know that his father was so sick, but he would soon. The black-eyed elf sneered musingly. He knelt besides his brother, and Thranduil turned his head with a moan.
"My Lord, the prince has returned." Mahtan spoke, letting false compassion seep through his voice. "You know the laws of our people. Shall I have him summoned?"
~ -*~ * ~*- ~
The voice in Thranduil's throat was not his own, but his mind did not care. He was too weak to even realize he was talking most of the time, not to mention who he was talking to. He relied on the voice of his brother, which seemed to make it through his darkest phases, and was glad for his encouragement in the affairs of the kingdom.
Little did he know that his brother's grip was slowly tightening on his mind, strangling him, weakening him until the woodland realm would be under his own power. The time was ripe, and Mahtan was ready to seize the throne under the guise of the king's word.
There was now only one small thing that stood in the way of that power, threatening Mahtan's complete control and absolute dominion, and that was the young Prince.
By law, Legolas would take the throne if anything should happen to the king. That is, if there was still a Prince of Mirkwood. And if Mahtan's orders were carried out as planned, there would not be.
~ -*~ * ~*- ~
I know, I know! This chapter was WAY too short, I have no idea why! It's um... *looks around room* It's the dogs fault! Yeah, that's it....
Hmm, so moving right ahead- Just to make things just a bit clearer, Mahtan has the same kind of hold over Thranduil's mind that Saruman had over Theoden's in Two Towers. Mahtan's hold is so strong Thranduil just practically does whatever Mahtan wills him to do. So now that that's cleared up, great big thanks to all my wonderful reviewers!
LSpencer: Glad you like it! Well, since his father's crazy, he doesn't have much of a chance to convince him of anything since any elf that sees him will kill him! But you'll find out more about that in the next few chapters!
MacCionaith: Thanks! More chapters on the way!
Aranel of Mirkwood: Thanks! And trust me, it does get a lot more interesting... In the 3rd chapter it tells exactly what happened to get him banished...
Laswen: Thanks, and here's the next chapter! It's up a lot quicker than I imagined it would be, just don't get too used to this.... ;-)
Chapter Two
~ -*~ * ~*- ~
Traitor
~ -*~ * ~*- ~
There's another world inside of me
That you may never see
There's secrets in this life
That I can't hide
Somewhere in this darkness
There's a light that I can't find
Maybe it's too far away...
Maybe I'm just blind...
-Three Doors Down-
~ -*~ * ~*- ~
10 years before...
Mirkwood Palace
~ -*~ * ~*- ~
Legolas laughed and celebrated with his company, his heart high and joyful, as the company lounged around the courtyard, awaiting the king. Thailden clapped him on the arm as he passed, shoving a tankard of ale into his hand. The prince set this down beside him, untouched, as he nursed a deeply cut hand- the same scar that would mark him as he was years later.
"Comrades!" Thailden bellowed merrily, raising his glass to salute the young elf by is side. "Here's to the bravery of Prince Legolas, and his victory against the evils of the enemy!"
The men cheered with a deafening roar and wooden mugs pounded together as the warriors drank the toast to their prince.
Legolas smiled awkwardly as the men cheered once more and congratulated him on another victory. Granted, it had been a major victory, but he was not used to such attention, for, even being the prince that he was, the men had always though of him as one of their own. Now he was being paid attention he did not want, or in his mind, deserve. He had been counted as one of them for as long as he could remember, and he wanted to keep it that way.
"My dear Thailden!" Legolas shook his head, quieting the men with a hand motion so he could speak.
"It was your brave company that did the work; the praise is not duly paid. Without them, all would have been lost. Let us say instead-" He stood and raised his tankard as he rotated to face the men. "Here is to the brave Guards of Mirkwood, and our victory against the evils of the enemy!"
A deafening shout rose up again from the elves, ten times louder, if it was possible than the one before.
Legolas was seated again and, as the cheering and congratulatory remarks ceased and the men returned to their merry-making, his thoughts turned to his beloved father.
His uncle, Mahtan was continuously with his father, and Legolas was not sure why. He did not trust his uncle, and had always found it best to avoid him when possible, as the older elf seemed intent on making the prince's life miserable.
But his father... He wanted more then anything to go up and see him, and he was only waiting for the messenger to come for him. His father meant the world to him, and the two had been close all their lives, since Legolas' mother had gone to Valinor long ago and Legolas was an only child.
He couldn't wait to tell the king about the success of the prince's border patrol, and began to grow impatient. He was about ready to go up to his father's room himself when he looked up to the balcony.
Legolas' heart froze as he saw a dark face looking down at him, twisted into a cruel, sneering grin.
~ -*~ * ~*- ~
A cold face watched darkly from the balcony above. It might well become challenging to dispose of the prince, he realized. The guards, as well as the people, loved their young prince, and would not take easily to what was going to happen to him. Yes, It might indeed prove more difficult then he had imagined. He scoffed amusedly to himself as he realized the prince was looking up at him. He tried to read the younger elf's expression, but it was impossible.
Unable to stand the sight of the elve's innocent revelry below, he turned and stormed from the balcony, walking near to the bed where the king of Mirkwood lay.
The young prince did not know that his father was so sick, but he would soon. The black-eyed elf sneered musingly. He knelt besides his brother, and Thranduil turned his head with a moan.
"My Lord, the prince has returned." Mahtan spoke, letting false compassion seep through his voice. "You know the laws of our people. Shall I have him summoned?"
~ -*~ * ~*- ~
The voice in Thranduil's throat was not his own, but his mind did not care. He was too weak to even realize he was talking most of the time, not to mention who he was talking to. He relied on the voice of his brother, which seemed to make it through his darkest phases, and was glad for his encouragement in the affairs of the kingdom.
Little did he know that his brother's grip was slowly tightening on his mind, strangling him, weakening him until the woodland realm would be under his own power. The time was ripe, and Mahtan was ready to seize the throne under the guise of the king's word.
There was now only one small thing that stood in the way of that power, threatening Mahtan's complete control and absolute dominion, and that was the young Prince.
By law, Legolas would take the throne if anything should happen to the king. That is, if there was still a Prince of Mirkwood. And if Mahtan's orders were carried out as planned, there would not be.
~ -*~ * ~*- ~
I know, I know! This chapter was WAY too short, I have no idea why! It's um... *looks around room* It's the dogs fault! Yeah, that's it....
Hmm, so moving right ahead- Just to make things just a bit clearer, Mahtan has the same kind of hold over Thranduil's mind that Saruman had over Theoden's in Two Towers. Mahtan's hold is so strong Thranduil just practically does whatever Mahtan wills him to do. So now that that's cleared up, great big thanks to all my wonderful reviewers!
LSpencer: Glad you like it! Well, since his father's crazy, he doesn't have much of a chance to convince him of anything since any elf that sees him will kill him! But you'll find out more about that in the next few chapters!
MacCionaith: Thanks! More chapters on the way!
Aranel of Mirkwood: Thanks! And trust me, it does get a lot more interesting... In the 3rd chapter it tells exactly what happened to get him banished...
Laswen: Thanks, and here's the next chapter! It's up a lot quicker than I imagined it would be, just don't get too used to this.... ;-)