CHAPTER TWO – 'Strange Hues'
It was a perfect day for hunting. The sun seemed to cooperate fully, its radiance well suited for an activity such as this.
Legolas and Lehramie rode in front of the hunting party. There were eight of them in all: Legolas, Lehramie, palace guards Gleofur, Aidyl, and Edval, warriors Pelrem and Gerhea, and Feniel.
It was a surprise to both Legolas and Lehramie when Feniel came into the stables this morning, all dressed up for the hunt, and began to saddle his own horse. After all, he was very vocal in the past about having to go to these 'valueless' trips that, for him, are a complete waste of time. However, they thought it better not to comment on it. Besides, what's the harm in having him along?
Feniel was surprisingly in spirits better than usual, although he addressed only his cousin Legolas, not even giving a moment's notice to the palace guards, except a few words here and there to the warriors. Lehramie, of course, he blatantly dismissed, not even acknowledging him with a glance. Legolas peeked a smile at Lehramie who gave an unconcerned shrug.
They stopped well before midmorning and set up camp, tethering their horses and making ready to continue the hunt on foot. They were to go out in pairs. Legolas and Lehramie, Aidyl and Pelrem, Edval and Gerhea, and Feniel and Gleofur. Satisfied with their pairs, the hunters went off in separate directions after agreeing to come back to camp at midday.
* * * * * * * * * *
Legolas sensed something was amiss. He's not sure, but the thought suddenly came to him, nagging at him, out of nowhere. Ridiculous, he thought to himself. No strangers would dare venture enter the realm of the Wood-elves and risk the ire of its inhabitants.
But still it plagued him, quite like the sound of the palace bells tolling: Danger.
"Legolas," Lehramie called from behind and Legolas turned to look at him. "You go on ahead," he said. "I shall not be far behind."
Legolas asked, puzzled. "What is it?"
"It is nothing." Lehramie smiled reassuringly. "I just thought I saw something I should check out. Go on," he urged Legolas.
Legolas resumed walking, his senses alert. Lehramie must have sensed the same sense of foreboding that overcame him. His bow at the ready, he scanned the woods, making sure he stayed within Lehramie's sight.
More than an hour went by and Legolas did not notice anything out of the ordinary. He thought it was just his imagination working overtime and so he became even more comfortable, turning every now and again to find Lehramie not far behind, with some twenty yards between them.
Just as he was about to dismiss all thoughts of danger and caution and really get into the spirit of the hunt, he heard Lehramie call out.
Legolas whirled around at the sound of his name, just in time to see Lehramie draw on his bowstring and shoot at something. Bewildered, he turned to look at the direction Lehramie shot at and was taken aback at the sight of Gleofur crumpling to the ground, an arrow embedded on his right, just where his shoulder and arm met.
"What...?" Legolas voice trailed as Lehramie tore his gaze away from Gleofur to look at the Prince, a concerned look on his face.
"Are you alright?" Lehramie called out, walking towards him.
Legolas did not seem to hear his friend's query. Looking past Lehramie's shoulder, he saw Feniel appear, bending over the downed Gleofur, his back to them. "What...Was that Gleofur?"
"Yes. Yes, it was him," Lehramie replied quite distractedly, his face now flooded with relief as he stood before Legolas. "I thought you were hurt."
Lehramie's earlier look of worry and now this relieved expression finally penetrated Legolas' dazed consciousness. He turned to look at Lehramie. "Of course I am alright. What made you think otherwise?"
"Gleofur. He took a shot at you," Lehramie explained. "I had to shoot him first. Are you sure you aren't hurt?"
Legolas shook his head, not quite believing what just happened and what Lehramie was saying. "I am fine. If I were hit by an arrow, don't you think I would have felt it by now?" His eyes returned to Gleofur's direction, Feniel still bending over me. "Gleofur shot at me? Whatever for?" he asked incredulously.
"I do not know. I was puzzled myself. I had to do it. I had no choice. There was no time to warn you, Legolas. I would have spared him the shot if I were sure what he was up to. But I could not be sure." Lehramie was about to say something else when Feniel's voice rang in the air.
"Cousin!" Both Legolas and Lehramie turned to find Feniel on his feet, standing over the still body of Gleofur.
Feniel's face was troubled. "He is dead!"
Their other four companions were now approaching from various directions but stopped at Feniel's loud declaration. All eyes turned towards Lehramie, including Legolas' own distressed ones.
Lehramie's mouth set in a grim line as he shook his head. "But that's not possible!" he exclaimed, looking at Gleofur's body, still and unmoving.
Feniel spread his hands widely, and said, "Well, he is. Why don't you come see for yourself?"
Lehramie became subdued all of a sudden as he checked on Gleofur himself. He bent down, felt for any signs of life and, after a moment, straightened and said in a puzzled tone, "He is gone."
He looked at Legolas then, who stood there, stunned upon confirmation of Feniel's declaration. "I do not understand..." Lehramie began.
"The guard was shot dead. What is there to understand?" Feniel's harsh words interrupted Lehramie, a deeper meaning running through his words, eyes gazing contemptuously at him.
But Legolas was not hearing any of this. The words 'He's dead' kept ringing in his ear, only to be replaced by Feniel's words some nights ago. 'There is a darkness in him...' 'Danger...'
"By the gods, Lehramie," Legolas whispered finally, shocked. "What have you done?"
* * * * * * * * * *
The hunt was cut short; the company turned back to home, Gleofur's corpse borne by Aidyl & Edval. For Legolas it seemed the day had ended abruptly before it had even begun. And what an end it was.
He could not forget the look on Lehramie's face when Legolas had spoken earlier. Lehramie looked as though he was hit hard in the middle. He paled, his eyes suddenly becoming stormy, his fair face on the verge of crumpling to tears. But in an instant his face smoothed, calmed...yet his eyes suddenly became chilly, like two splints of ice. He had given a slight nod at Legolas, then said, "I guess I have just killed Gleofur," in an equally cold voice.
Then he turned away, and had not spoken since.
Legolas could not keep from giving Lehramie a glance now and then, just to make sure he was all right. But Lehramie showed no outward signs of any expression. His face remained stoic throughout the ride home, his face carved like granite, his eyes unreadable as he kept his gaze ahead, oblivious to the others, including Legolas.
The Prince half-longed, half-dreaded to finally reach the palace gates. As much as he wanted to get home to finally put Gleofur in the rightful hands, he feared what would befall his friend - who suddenly seemed to become a stranger - the minute they reach the palace and everyone found out about the incident. Although the people of Greenwood are not ones who are quick to judge, still...an elf was slain by another elf. And that is enough.
Uneasily, Legolas stayed his horse and, noticing this, the others drew to a halt as well, looking at the Prince questioningly.
He turned to look at Lehramie, who also stopped but remained impassive. "Lehramie," he called out softly, flooded with an overwhelming need to know...or just to hear his friend speak. "Lehramie, please-"
"The day grows old, your Highness," Lehramie replied crisply, turning to Legolas but his eyes directed somewhere on the Prince's shoulder, not meeting his eyes. "Let us not tarry any longer," he added and, with a slight kick to his horse's side, resumed moving.
Legolas heard Feniel speak beside him. "We must proceed, cousin. Once we reach home, everything will be resolved."
The Prince looked at his cousin, as though needing reassurance that what the older elf said had any chance of coming true. Feniel smiled in encouragement. "At least let us hope it will."
* * * * * * * * * *
The rest of the day passed in such a daze that Legolas had hoped it was all a bad dream. It seemed everything went by in an instant...a flurry of movements of which he had no control over, an onslaught of questions that he seemed to have answered and yet he had no recollection of ever understanding what was being asked of him.
In the great hall of the palace there was pandemonium. Outrage and disbelief reigned amongst everyone who came in to find out what had happened. Even as the incident was recounted the elves still could not seem to grasp the full meaning of what had transpired.
Legolas had watched Lehramie taken away by the hesitant palace guards after being presented to Thranduil. The King didn't seem to quite understand what the other members of the hunting party were telling him. All the time his scrutinizing eyes were fixed on Lehramie, unmoving and silent before him, as though trying to read what the young elf was thinking.
But Lehramie had not shown any outward signs of emotion, yet his eyes met Thranduil's, never flinching. Not once did his eyes stray to the others around them, not even Legolas. It seemed he became carved of stone, his face etched in granite.
Thranduil had raised his right hand to silence everyone in the room, and when the din ceased, he sighed wearily, lines already appearing on his face. It seemed for the past few minutes he had aged a hundred years.
"Lehramie, son of Gerian, you shall be taken to your own cell, while awaiting trial. You will be given the chance to tell your tale then. For now..." he shook his head and, in a soft but firm voice, said to the guards, "take him now."
Lehramie showed no resistance as he was led out of the great hall, his head held high, ignoring everyone on his way, his face blank.
Now, as Legolas finally noticed the hall had been emptied, he slowly turned to his father and found Thranduil gazing upon him with unfathomable eyes, his face serene.
"Son," he motioned for Legolas to come nearer and the Prince obeyed. When he was within an arm's reach of the King, Thranduil spoke. "What truly happened?"
Legolas bowed, his mind a jumble of incoherent thoughts. "I have told you all what I know...what I have seen. There is nothing more I could tell you."
"This seems...a bad dream," Thranduil whispered, but Legolas did not say anything, knowing his father was speaking to himself more than his son. Suddenly the great wooden door of the hall burst open and the King and the Prince turned around to find a distraught Reeneal hurry in, followed by a displeased Feniel.
Thranduil straightened as Reeneal gave a small bow before him. "Your Highness," she breathed.
"Reeneal," the King acknowledged, with an idea of what brought his sister- daughter into the great hall. He gave a small nod at Feniel, who stopped some distance behind his sister.
Without much provocation Reeneal launched into an impassioned speech. "I have heard what happened, but I do not believe a word of it. Lehramie is not capable of such an atrocity Feniel and the others accuse him of!"
It was Feniel's turn to speak. "If you knew what you are saying, you would know Lehramie is more than capable! And it is not only I who witnessed it. Legolas," he nodded at the Prince, "saw more than anyone of us what Lehramie had done."
Incredulous eyes turned towards Legolas and there was much question and disbelief in those eyes that the Prince turned away, afraid of what Reeneal might see in his. "Legolas," she said softly, "pray tell me this is all a mistake."
When Legolas could not reply to this, Reeneal became aghast. "But you cannot believe Lehramie meant to do it! Kill Gleofur..." She shook her head, as though the very thought was unthinkable. "Do you believe it, Legolas? Do you believe Lehramie meant to kill the guard?"
"Reeneal, I---"
"He did not do it, not my Lehramie. You know him, Legolas. We grew up together. He is not capable of such...monstrosity!"
"All evidences point to him!" Feniel declared, and Reeneal whirled on him.
"Lehramie is innocent! I know he is, and no amount of evidence would make me believe otherwise!"
"Would you defy me, Reeneal? Your own brother?" Feniel was beginning to get angry and Thranduil tried to calm the young ones.
"Now, Reeneal," the King said in a soothing voice. "There will be a proper trial for Lehramie. I am sure the truth will come out then."
At the mention of a trial, Reeneal turned to Legolas once again. This time, dread could be heard in her voice. "Will you speak at the tribunal, Legolas?"
Legolas stiffening was not lost on the King, who met his son's stunned look, as though Legolas had just realized the answer to Reeneal's query.
"Of course, he will," Feniel told her. "It's his responsibility. His duty."
Thranduil felt sorrow clutch at his heart, gazing upon Legolas' stricken face and Reeneal's defeated stance. Tears threatened to flow from her but she shook them away as she gave a small curtsy before him. "Your highness," she murmured and silently walked out of the hall, leaving them in its deathly stillness.
It seemed an eternity before any of them spoke, and when Legolas did, Thranduil's heart threatened to break at the misery he saw his son was under. "Please, Father...Don't ask it of me. I could not..."
Thranduil reached out and touched his son's shoulder, wanting nothing more than to comfort the child, but not knowing how to go about it.
Feniel spoke in a low tone beside them. "You must do it, cousin. As much as we are loath to heap the responsibility upon your young shoulders, it has to be done. You saw what happened."
"You cannot ask me to stand at Lehramie's trial and accuse him!"
"We do not ask that you accuse him," Feniel explained as though to a child. "We only ask that you tell the truth, what really happened." Feniel took a deep breath, calming himself. "You are a Prince, cousin. Before you make any rash decisions, ask yourself first where your loyalties lie. Your friend of your loyal subjects who depend upon you to uphold what is right, and what is just."
Legolas sought his father's reassurance against Feniel's argument but saw none. Thranduil could not bear to lie to his son, so he merely gave a slow nod. "It has to be done."
Before the King's eyes the Prince's look of helplessness mirrored Reeneal's. Ah, but why did it have to come to this?
When Legolas had gone to his rooms Thranduil turned to find Feniel still standing there, a solemn expression on his fair face.
"Such tragedy," Feniel whispered, but the King heard. "My heart breaks to see him this way." He turned to look at his uncle. "This seemed to prove my assumptions were right, but I find no joy in the knowledge, if it meant sorrow for both my cousin and sister."
"And me as well," Thranduil said distractedly. "And yet, let us not be quick to judge, Feniel. Let us leave that to the tribunal. I myself find it hard to acknowledge all this is true."
Feniel gave a small bow. "As you wish, my King," he said and went out of the hall, leaving the Elvenking to his thoughts.
* * * * * * * * * *
"No," Legolas whispered for the hundredth time since he entered his rooms. He could not do it. He would not.
Yet he has to. But what would he say at the tribunal? That he saw Lehramie pull his bow on Gleofur? That he saw Lehramie's arrow pierce the guard's flesh, sending him to his untimely death?
That Lehramie had indeed slain Gleofur?
Reeneal's words came back to haunt him, and the condemnation in her face seemed to float before his very eyes. He shut her out by closing his eyes tightly against her vision.
"Earendil, come to my aid," he prayed, although what good it would do, he was not too certain. He had no notion as to what he would do, or say.
The next day when he went to the chamber where Lehramie was held he still did not know what to say. When he gazed upon the vacant look on his friend's face and encountered only silence, his misery became all the greater.
He sat on a chair across Lehramie, who acknowledged her presence with a slight bow of his head.
"Lehramie," he began, "what happened? I do not understand..."
A flicker of emotion appeared in Lehramie's eyes but it was gone before Legolas could interpret it. Instead a dry smile came upon his friend's face. "That makes two of us, your Highness."
Legolas dreaded to ask but he did so anyway, just to assuage his curiosity, perhaps. "Did you mean to take his life?"
"Why are you asking me this?"
"I have to know! I saw---"
"What did you see, Legolas? What did your eyes tell you?" The question was met with uncomfortable silence, and Lehramie visibly recoiled. He stood up and, in a weary voice, said, "With respect to your stature, I ask that you leave my chambers, your Highness."
"Just answer my question, Lehramie. Tell me---"
Lehramie's blue eyes suddenly glinted, becoming almost murderous that the Prince was taken aback. "I will not ask again."
Legolas, dismayed, gazed upon his friend. Without another word he got to his feet and walked out of the chamber, oblivious to the guards waiting outside. Feniel's words rang over and over in his head. 'He has a dark side to him...'
Was that what he had just witnessed?
It was a perfect day for hunting. The sun seemed to cooperate fully, its radiance well suited for an activity such as this.
Legolas and Lehramie rode in front of the hunting party. There were eight of them in all: Legolas, Lehramie, palace guards Gleofur, Aidyl, and Edval, warriors Pelrem and Gerhea, and Feniel.
It was a surprise to both Legolas and Lehramie when Feniel came into the stables this morning, all dressed up for the hunt, and began to saddle his own horse. After all, he was very vocal in the past about having to go to these 'valueless' trips that, for him, are a complete waste of time. However, they thought it better not to comment on it. Besides, what's the harm in having him along?
Feniel was surprisingly in spirits better than usual, although he addressed only his cousin Legolas, not even giving a moment's notice to the palace guards, except a few words here and there to the warriors. Lehramie, of course, he blatantly dismissed, not even acknowledging him with a glance. Legolas peeked a smile at Lehramie who gave an unconcerned shrug.
They stopped well before midmorning and set up camp, tethering their horses and making ready to continue the hunt on foot. They were to go out in pairs. Legolas and Lehramie, Aidyl and Pelrem, Edval and Gerhea, and Feniel and Gleofur. Satisfied with their pairs, the hunters went off in separate directions after agreeing to come back to camp at midday.
* * * * * * * * * *
Legolas sensed something was amiss. He's not sure, but the thought suddenly came to him, nagging at him, out of nowhere. Ridiculous, he thought to himself. No strangers would dare venture enter the realm of the Wood-elves and risk the ire of its inhabitants.
But still it plagued him, quite like the sound of the palace bells tolling: Danger.
"Legolas," Lehramie called from behind and Legolas turned to look at him. "You go on ahead," he said. "I shall not be far behind."
Legolas asked, puzzled. "What is it?"
"It is nothing." Lehramie smiled reassuringly. "I just thought I saw something I should check out. Go on," he urged Legolas.
Legolas resumed walking, his senses alert. Lehramie must have sensed the same sense of foreboding that overcame him. His bow at the ready, he scanned the woods, making sure he stayed within Lehramie's sight.
More than an hour went by and Legolas did not notice anything out of the ordinary. He thought it was just his imagination working overtime and so he became even more comfortable, turning every now and again to find Lehramie not far behind, with some twenty yards between them.
Just as he was about to dismiss all thoughts of danger and caution and really get into the spirit of the hunt, he heard Lehramie call out.
Legolas whirled around at the sound of his name, just in time to see Lehramie draw on his bowstring and shoot at something. Bewildered, he turned to look at the direction Lehramie shot at and was taken aback at the sight of Gleofur crumpling to the ground, an arrow embedded on his right, just where his shoulder and arm met.
"What...?" Legolas voice trailed as Lehramie tore his gaze away from Gleofur to look at the Prince, a concerned look on his face.
"Are you alright?" Lehramie called out, walking towards him.
Legolas did not seem to hear his friend's query. Looking past Lehramie's shoulder, he saw Feniel appear, bending over the downed Gleofur, his back to them. "What...Was that Gleofur?"
"Yes. Yes, it was him," Lehramie replied quite distractedly, his face now flooded with relief as he stood before Legolas. "I thought you were hurt."
Lehramie's earlier look of worry and now this relieved expression finally penetrated Legolas' dazed consciousness. He turned to look at Lehramie. "Of course I am alright. What made you think otherwise?"
"Gleofur. He took a shot at you," Lehramie explained. "I had to shoot him first. Are you sure you aren't hurt?"
Legolas shook his head, not quite believing what just happened and what Lehramie was saying. "I am fine. If I were hit by an arrow, don't you think I would have felt it by now?" His eyes returned to Gleofur's direction, Feniel still bending over me. "Gleofur shot at me? Whatever for?" he asked incredulously.
"I do not know. I was puzzled myself. I had to do it. I had no choice. There was no time to warn you, Legolas. I would have spared him the shot if I were sure what he was up to. But I could not be sure." Lehramie was about to say something else when Feniel's voice rang in the air.
"Cousin!" Both Legolas and Lehramie turned to find Feniel on his feet, standing over the still body of Gleofur.
Feniel's face was troubled. "He is dead!"
Their other four companions were now approaching from various directions but stopped at Feniel's loud declaration. All eyes turned towards Lehramie, including Legolas' own distressed ones.
Lehramie's mouth set in a grim line as he shook his head. "But that's not possible!" he exclaimed, looking at Gleofur's body, still and unmoving.
Feniel spread his hands widely, and said, "Well, he is. Why don't you come see for yourself?"
Lehramie became subdued all of a sudden as he checked on Gleofur himself. He bent down, felt for any signs of life and, after a moment, straightened and said in a puzzled tone, "He is gone."
He looked at Legolas then, who stood there, stunned upon confirmation of Feniel's declaration. "I do not understand..." Lehramie began.
"The guard was shot dead. What is there to understand?" Feniel's harsh words interrupted Lehramie, a deeper meaning running through his words, eyes gazing contemptuously at him.
But Legolas was not hearing any of this. The words 'He's dead' kept ringing in his ear, only to be replaced by Feniel's words some nights ago. 'There is a darkness in him...' 'Danger...'
"By the gods, Lehramie," Legolas whispered finally, shocked. "What have you done?"
* * * * * * * * * *
The hunt was cut short; the company turned back to home, Gleofur's corpse borne by Aidyl & Edval. For Legolas it seemed the day had ended abruptly before it had even begun. And what an end it was.
He could not forget the look on Lehramie's face when Legolas had spoken earlier. Lehramie looked as though he was hit hard in the middle. He paled, his eyes suddenly becoming stormy, his fair face on the verge of crumpling to tears. But in an instant his face smoothed, calmed...yet his eyes suddenly became chilly, like two splints of ice. He had given a slight nod at Legolas, then said, "I guess I have just killed Gleofur," in an equally cold voice.
Then he turned away, and had not spoken since.
Legolas could not keep from giving Lehramie a glance now and then, just to make sure he was all right. But Lehramie showed no outward signs of any expression. His face remained stoic throughout the ride home, his face carved like granite, his eyes unreadable as he kept his gaze ahead, oblivious to the others, including Legolas.
The Prince half-longed, half-dreaded to finally reach the palace gates. As much as he wanted to get home to finally put Gleofur in the rightful hands, he feared what would befall his friend - who suddenly seemed to become a stranger - the minute they reach the palace and everyone found out about the incident. Although the people of Greenwood are not ones who are quick to judge, still...an elf was slain by another elf. And that is enough.
Uneasily, Legolas stayed his horse and, noticing this, the others drew to a halt as well, looking at the Prince questioningly.
He turned to look at Lehramie, who also stopped but remained impassive. "Lehramie," he called out softly, flooded with an overwhelming need to know...or just to hear his friend speak. "Lehramie, please-"
"The day grows old, your Highness," Lehramie replied crisply, turning to Legolas but his eyes directed somewhere on the Prince's shoulder, not meeting his eyes. "Let us not tarry any longer," he added and, with a slight kick to his horse's side, resumed moving.
Legolas heard Feniel speak beside him. "We must proceed, cousin. Once we reach home, everything will be resolved."
The Prince looked at his cousin, as though needing reassurance that what the older elf said had any chance of coming true. Feniel smiled in encouragement. "At least let us hope it will."
* * * * * * * * * *
The rest of the day passed in such a daze that Legolas had hoped it was all a bad dream. It seemed everything went by in an instant...a flurry of movements of which he had no control over, an onslaught of questions that he seemed to have answered and yet he had no recollection of ever understanding what was being asked of him.
In the great hall of the palace there was pandemonium. Outrage and disbelief reigned amongst everyone who came in to find out what had happened. Even as the incident was recounted the elves still could not seem to grasp the full meaning of what had transpired.
Legolas had watched Lehramie taken away by the hesitant palace guards after being presented to Thranduil. The King didn't seem to quite understand what the other members of the hunting party were telling him. All the time his scrutinizing eyes were fixed on Lehramie, unmoving and silent before him, as though trying to read what the young elf was thinking.
But Lehramie had not shown any outward signs of emotion, yet his eyes met Thranduil's, never flinching. Not once did his eyes stray to the others around them, not even Legolas. It seemed he became carved of stone, his face etched in granite.
Thranduil had raised his right hand to silence everyone in the room, and when the din ceased, he sighed wearily, lines already appearing on his face. It seemed for the past few minutes he had aged a hundred years.
"Lehramie, son of Gerian, you shall be taken to your own cell, while awaiting trial. You will be given the chance to tell your tale then. For now..." he shook his head and, in a soft but firm voice, said to the guards, "take him now."
Lehramie showed no resistance as he was led out of the great hall, his head held high, ignoring everyone on his way, his face blank.
Now, as Legolas finally noticed the hall had been emptied, he slowly turned to his father and found Thranduil gazing upon him with unfathomable eyes, his face serene.
"Son," he motioned for Legolas to come nearer and the Prince obeyed. When he was within an arm's reach of the King, Thranduil spoke. "What truly happened?"
Legolas bowed, his mind a jumble of incoherent thoughts. "I have told you all what I know...what I have seen. There is nothing more I could tell you."
"This seems...a bad dream," Thranduil whispered, but Legolas did not say anything, knowing his father was speaking to himself more than his son. Suddenly the great wooden door of the hall burst open and the King and the Prince turned around to find a distraught Reeneal hurry in, followed by a displeased Feniel.
Thranduil straightened as Reeneal gave a small bow before him. "Your Highness," she breathed.
"Reeneal," the King acknowledged, with an idea of what brought his sister- daughter into the great hall. He gave a small nod at Feniel, who stopped some distance behind his sister.
Without much provocation Reeneal launched into an impassioned speech. "I have heard what happened, but I do not believe a word of it. Lehramie is not capable of such an atrocity Feniel and the others accuse him of!"
It was Feniel's turn to speak. "If you knew what you are saying, you would know Lehramie is more than capable! And it is not only I who witnessed it. Legolas," he nodded at the Prince, "saw more than anyone of us what Lehramie had done."
Incredulous eyes turned towards Legolas and there was much question and disbelief in those eyes that the Prince turned away, afraid of what Reeneal might see in his. "Legolas," she said softly, "pray tell me this is all a mistake."
When Legolas could not reply to this, Reeneal became aghast. "But you cannot believe Lehramie meant to do it! Kill Gleofur..." She shook her head, as though the very thought was unthinkable. "Do you believe it, Legolas? Do you believe Lehramie meant to kill the guard?"
"Reeneal, I---"
"He did not do it, not my Lehramie. You know him, Legolas. We grew up together. He is not capable of such...monstrosity!"
"All evidences point to him!" Feniel declared, and Reeneal whirled on him.
"Lehramie is innocent! I know he is, and no amount of evidence would make me believe otherwise!"
"Would you defy me, Reeneal? Your own brother?" Feniel was beginning to get angry and Thranduil tried to calm the young ones.
"Now, Reeneal," the King said in a soothing voice. "There will be a proper trial for Lehramie. I am sure the truth will come out then."
At the mention of a trial, Reeneal turned to Legolas once again. This time, dread could be heard in her voice. "Will you speak at the tribunal, Legolas?"
Legolas stiffening was not lost on the King, who met his son's stunned look, as though Legolas had just realized the answer to Reeneal's query.
"Of course, he will," Feniel told her. "It's his responsibility. His duty."
Thranduil felt sorrow clutch at his heart, gazing upon Legolas' stricken face and Reeneal's defeated stance. Tears threatened to flow from her but she shook them away as she gave a small curtsy before him. "Your highness," she murmured and silently walked out of the hall, leaving them in its deathly stillness.
It seemed an eternity before any of them spoke, and when Legolas did, Thranduil's heart threatened to break at the misery he saw his son was under. "Please, Father...Don't ask it of me. I could not..."
Thranduil reached out and touched his son's shoulder, wanting nothing more than to comfort the child, but not knowing how to go about it.
Feniel spoke in a low tone beside them. "You must do it, cousin. As much as we are loath to heap the responsibility upon your young shoulders, it has to be done. You saw what happened."
"You cannot ask me to stand at Lehramie's trial and accuse him!"
"We do not ask that you accuse him," Feniel explained as though to a child. "We only ask that you tell the truth, what really happened." Feniel took a deep breath, calming himself. "You are a Prince, cousin. Before you make any rash decisions, ask yourself first where your loyalties lie. Your friend of your loyal subjects who depend upon you to uphold what is right, and what is just."
Legolas sought his father's reassurance against Feniel's argument but saw none. Thranduil could not bear to lie to his son, so he merely gave a slow nod. "It has to be done."
Before the King's eyes the Prince's look of helplessness mirrored Reeneal's. Ah, but why did it have to come to this?
When Legolas had gone to his rooms Thranduil turned to find Feniel still standing there, a solemn expression on his fair face.
"Such tragedy," Feniel whispered, but the King heard. "My heart breaks to see him this way." He turned to look at his uncle. "This seemed to prove my assumptions were right, but I find no joy in the knowledge, if it meant sorrow for both my cousin and sister."
"And me as well," Thranduil said distractedly. "And yet, let us not be quick to judge, Feniel. Let us leave that to the tribunal. I myself find it hard to acknowledge all this is true."
Feniel gave a small bow. "As you wish, my King," he said and went out of the hall, leaving the Elvenking to his thoughts.
* * * * * * * * * *
"No," Legolas whispered for the hundredth time since he entered his rooms. He could not do it. He would not.
Yet he has to. But what would he say at the tribunal? That he saw Lehramie pull his bow on Gleofur? That he saw Lehramie's arrow pierce the guard's flesh, sending him to his untimely death?
That Lehramie had indeed slain Gleofur?
Reeneal's words came back to haunt him, and the condemnation in her face seemed to float before his very eyes. He shut her out by closing his eyes tightly against her vision.
"Earendil, come to my aid," he prayed, although what good it would do, he was not too certain. He had no notion as to what he would do, or say.
The next day when he went to the chamber where Lehramie was held he still did not know what to say. When he gazed upon the vacant look on his friend's face and encountered only silence, his misery became all the greater.
He sat on a chair across Lehramie, who acknowledged her presence with a slight bow of his head.
"Lehramie," he began, "what happened? I do not understand..."
A flicker of emotion appeared in Lehramie's eyes but it was gone before Legolas could interpret it. Instead a dry smile came upon his friend's face. "That makes two of us, your Highness."
Legolas dreaded to ask but he did so anyway, just to assuage his curiosity, perhaps. "Did you mean to take his life?"
"Why are you asking me this?"
"I have to know! I saw---"
"What did you see, Legolas? What did your eyes tell you?" The question was met with uncomfortable silence, and Lehramie visibly recoiled. He stood up and, in a weary voice, said, "With respect to your stature, I ask that you leave my chambers, your Highness."
"Just answer my question, Lehramie. Tell me---"
Lehramie's blue eyes suddenly glinted, becoming almost murderous that the Prince was taken aback. "I will not ask again."
Legolas, dismayed, gazed upon his friend. Without another word he got to his feet and walked out of the chamber, oblivious to the guards waiting outside. Feniel's words rang over and over in his head. 'He has a dark side to him...'
Was that what he had just witnessed?