Chapter 06: Over by a Thread

The pounding light was there again. Damn it! Why must the sun be so damn bright? And if the light footsteps were any indication, the outcasted elleth was there again as well.

"I've been called up to wake you again, heru-nín," Luin-gil murmured, putting a hand on a bare shoulder, the only thing visible of the prince beneath the pillows and sheets.

"Are you my permanent handmaiden now or something?" Legolas growled from under the pillow. He shook her hand away from his shoulder and, without even looking, he could feel the frown gracing her face. If he was slightly more sober, he would have wondered how he could perceive such subtle expressions from her. Unfortunately, his attention was on his throbbing head.

"I've been assigned to your post for an indefinite period of time... Since Elda left, I was left with many of her chores. You happen to be one of them."

"I'm NOT a chore," Legolas snapped.

"Of course, heru-nín. I apologize for that implication..." she murmured. Luin-gil was still frowning, however. The place was a mess and would take hours to clean up. There were broken glass bottles and food everywhere. She couldn't understand how such chaos could have been made within twelve hours and she began to clean up.

"Get out," Legolas ordered. "I don't want you cleaning." He had heard her shuffling around the room, picking things up and tutting at the different messes of his usually immaculate chamber.

"Cleaning is my job, heru-nín. I have to or I get no pay to feed myself," she answered, her thoughts bitter but her tone patient.

"You don't even need to feed your self anymore," Legolas huffed. "You're fat enough as it is." The hand that was cleaning some glass clenched and the shards ripped through her skin easily.

"You may be a prince but your father and his orders outrank you," Luin-gil hissed. "If he has said to clean after you, then clean I shall." She shook her hand and quickly wrapped the hand with a rip from her dress. She could still feel shards in the cut but she would have to ignore it for now.

Silence met her and she just shook her head, praying to the Valar that her patience would outlast this prince's hangover.

"The king would also like to remind you that Lord Gimli is staying another night and would like you to give our guest a tour of the palace..."

"Whatever suits him," Legolas grunted, ignoring the stench of her blood.

Luin-gil closed her eyes, counting slowly to three before taking a step towards the door.

"I take my leave, heru en amin," Luin-gil forced through gritted teeth.

"Good..." Legolas felt the breeze of the doors slamming shut so he closed his eyes and tried to fall asleep again.

"Bastard... that's what he is, Thalinar," Luin-gil muttered. "The nerve of that boy."

"Well, 'tis true Legolas has his dark sides, but nothing like you describe," Thalinar tutted as she cleansed Luin-gil's wound of foreign objects. "He's a bit arrogant sometimes... Maybe lacks a bit of tact but not rude."

"He was rude..." Luin-gil stared at her wound... Glowered more like. "Flat out called me fat... If that's not disrespect, I don't know what is." As soon as her palm and fingers were bandaged, she snapped it out of Thalinar's hand. "At least, leave me the bloody dignity of being talked about BEHIND my back. Don't actually say it in front of me!"

"Maybe he's having a bad day?" Thalinar suggested. "He was drinking quite a lot last night."

"Humph," Luin-gil scoffed. "Some prince... drunk enough to drink his dwarvish friend under the table... Now that DWARF was more likable. How the prince managed to acquaint himself with such a good creature is beyond my comprehension." She studied her hand for a second and looked up. "I have more things to get to. Thank you for tending me."

"Of course, Luin-gil."

It wasn't just the outsiders who noticed the amount of alcohol Legolas drank but Legolas himself. It was strange. For once, his dreams didn't haunt him. Nightmares, more like. He hadn't told anyone about the nightmares.

How he saw his comrades one after the other...

How many elves had met their maker right before his very eyes...

The Pain... The Suffering... The torments that the One Ring had wreaked on his psyche.

The One Ring was gone but the doubts and insecurities he had felt then still echoed in him. He knew that the world was somuch happier now but to empty, shriveled daze in Frodo's eyes would keep with him forever.

The wine had erased it all... Even for a night... And though it still caused his head to pound, Legolas would have taken that pain in exchange for the pain in his memories. Hmm... Another round for me, then, thanks.

AN)) Done!! Review if you can PLEASE! This chapter is proof that reviewing spurs me to updating! I just got a review for this and now I worked on it and I wrote a chapter! Yay!!