Disclaimer: I do not own.
This chapter is rated pg13, yeah, the same rating as all the others, for violence, for threateningment (?), and for Legolas's...er...temper. (that sounded odd...ok. But I think that all falls in with the word violence...like I needed to just say all that I did, anyway.)
Anyway, read and review please!
I'd like to give a thank you to my reviewers first:
Andunewen1 – you were my first reviewer! Thank you so much! I will try my best to continue posting more chapters. Thank you!
Moonyasha – Thank you. No, Legolas is MINE, not yours....lol
Trista Rosa Mora – Thank you. And I decided to do what you suggested- I now accept anonymous reviews.
They had walked for hours, covering much ground, neither saying a word to the other, as both were deep in thoughts. They were beginning to feel hunger spread upon them and darkness was beginning to fall as well. "We must find a place to rest." Thranduil said suddenly, breaking their silence. "I am quite tired...my legs feel so weak. I am sorry."
Legolas smiled lightly at him, "Do not be sorry. I know we must rest and it is not your fault that you have been wounded. I am tired myself. We have made progress today. I recognize these fields. I used to take day-trips down here during the summer with a friend of mine. We are almost to Mirkwood."
"But riding is so much quicker my son." Thranduil replied. "I too recognize our location, but on foot it will be several days."
Legolas nodded in agreement, before scanning the river ban k for any sort of shelter. Down by the water's edge there were so brambles, large and winding enough for they to sit beneath and not feel the blinding rain anymore. He might be able to even start a fire. He took his father and led him over to this place. "Here we will stay Adar until morning. Then we must move on once more."
The river was rushing wildly, its sound loud and echoing. The bank of the river was muddy and soaked from the rain water. The brambles were sharp and tore at their clothes as they crawled beneath them. They huddled together as the wind howled about them and slowly steadied the day into darkness.
Legolas struck up a fire with as best skill as he could and tried to keep it going for a while. Unfortunately, he could only keep the flame burning long enough for them to dry off. They still shivered in the cold night air, knowing that they needed to move faster the next day, or their hope would fade with the hours. They ate little, knowing that what food they did have might not be enough for more than a day or two.
During the night, neither elf slept quite soundly. The ground was wet and the air only grew colder. They shivered and sputtered out rain water when they woke quite frequently, and tried not to speak unless they needed.
When the morning sun had risen, they ate slightly more and left the brambles. They were covered completely in mud and barely unrecognizable, but were too cold, even for elves, to care. They continued to follow the river upstream and spoke little once more. Their thoughts traveled to home and of how their lives would surely improve once they reached it. They were almost there, in several more days they would be there.
They continued to travel in this fashion until nightfall. By then, the rain had ceased and they watched the sunset slowly across the lands. They were much closer to Mirkwood and in two more days by foot, knew that they would be standing at the doors of their castle, as it was only a half day on foot until they were to reach Mirkwood's borders. They slept underneath the stars, hidden by surrounding bushes, and slept much better than when it had rained, as the air had turned warmer on them.
In the morning, they ate slightly more lembas bread and continued their long journey. The weather was fair in their direction and they traveled with much more ease. Thranduil was weak, but he managed to keep up well with Legolas.
It was midday that they reached the borders of Mirkwood. It was like a dark cloud that cast its eerie shadow upon that land, but they found it to bring hope. They were almost home. They stepped inside of the forest eagerly, feeling the bark on the trees and the smelling the musty air inside.
They decided since their means of making a fire of some type were hopeless and rather unneeded, they decided to follow the pathway. It was easier and chances were they would find someone from their realm. Their walking was quicker underneath the great bows of the trees and their spirits were much lighter.
Legolas and his father broke out into several songs along the way, sharing the last of the lembas bread, until darkness fell. They could see in this darkness much easier and their eyes sparkled through it eagerly. They slept soundly that night, feeling rather refreshed by the reaching of their own forest.
Legolas opened his eyes to find that an arrow was pointed directly between his eyes. He blinked and noticed the arrows to be of an elven quality, but not Mirkwood's. "Elladan..." he rolled over onto his stomach.
A rather tall elf with long dark straight hair and the greenest of eyes had come into Legolas's focus. He tucked away his arrows and smiled grimly as he knelt by Legolas's side. "I was going to look for you. All of Mirkwood was in such an uproar when I arrived." He helped him to his feet.
"Elladan, why are you here?" Legolas inquired.
Elladan brushed his long brown locks away from his face, so that his pale, glowing skin was visible through the darkness of the forest. "I overheard from Mithrandir that there was a great battle of disarray at the Lonely Mountain." He sighed crisply, "I was disappointed I couldn't be there. Anyway I came to see how you were, it always worries me you know, the way you fight." He shook his head and ruffled the younger elf's hair. "Last time we were in battle..."
"I know," Legolas replied curtly. "I remember."
"Your father," Elladan said suddenly. "How is he?"
"He is not well Elladan." Legolas answered, worry wavering through his voice. "I treated his wounds as best I could, but it is deep inside of him. He has not had proper care yet."
"That is why," Elladan answered, "That I came to look for you. Although I must state that I thought it was –you- who would be injured. And I didn't expect you to be in Mirkwood. I even lost a bet with Elrohir off of –that-."
Elladan and Elrohir were twin brothers, the sons of the Lord Elrond of Rivendell. They and Legolas knew each other quite well. As set apart from one another as Rivendell and Mirkwood were, they had still managed to see each other every once and a while.
Legolas smiled grimly. It was such a fortune for Elladan to have stumbled across them on that forest floor. Perhaps he could send his father back with Elladan to receive the proper aid he needed for his wounds. When Legolas requested this, Elladan laughed and replied, "Legolas, if we were going to retrieve two people, we would be able to carry two people back." He whistled and his twin Elladan, who looked exactly like him, rode out of the bushes, two white Mirkwood steeds following his own Imladris horse.
Thranduil opened his eyes and shouted in surprise at the site of seeing two of the same elf.
Legolas laughed lightly, "Adar do you remember Elladan and Elrohir? The sons of Elrond?"
Thranduil stood to his feet and greeted the two elves, who bowed in return. He smiled, "Come to rescue us?"
The warm summer air caressed them as they ran through the trees, coming into view of the stone castle, built into the forest caves. It was a tall castle, elegantly standing, yet simple. It hovered over them as they approached, the trees thickly covering the area. The sunlight shone through the trees only above the castle and it glowed through the dark forest.
Elrohir called sharply to the gatekeeper, who slept soundly at his post. A bottle was still held limply in the elf's left hand and it fell to the ground and cracked when he opened his eyes, startled. "You!" he shouted back angrily.
"I have brought back your king." Elrohir replied, overlooking his tone.
The white horses strode into the sunlight, their manes golden and flowing. Upon their backs, rode the King Thranduil and the Prince Legolas.
The gatekeeper expressed deep surprise, bowed clumsily several times and cranked open the gate for them, watching all four elves carefully trot their steeds inside.
They dismounted upon entrance and a servant took their horses, also bowing. Immediately speaking erupted from servants of all kinds and a counselor, Gonnon, stepped into their view, whom they had left in charge during their absence. He greeted them warmly, bowing and ordering medical help to be given to Thranduil.
Legolas watched as his father left inside the castle and Elladan went to order a feast to be served for them, for they must have been hungry.
Legolas knew immediately whom he wished to see first. He ran down the halls, not caring that he was drenched in mud and quite a wrecked site to see. She was a maid, so she would be anywhere inside of their castle. He threw open a door to an office.
His jaw dropped. Faerfain had a feather duster lying at her feet and she was pushing and throwing at a man who was shouting at her, beating her.
"Astald! I don't love you!" she screamed, hugging onto the curtains.
Astald roughly grabbed her neck and the back of her head and kissed her. "You are beautiful. Why will you not have me!?"
"Leave me in peace!" Faerfain begged. "Please, leave me in peace!"
Legolas's eyes narrowed in anger and he rushed to Astald, holding a knife tightly under his throat. "Don't move." Legolas growled. "Or I will slice your throat and leave you here to bleed."
Astald, an elf of green eyes and golden hair, began shaking, his eyes growing wide. He had not expected the prince. "Your highness," he whispered. "I-I meant nothing."
Legolas pressed the knife against his skin. "I will kill you Astald. I will!"
"She disobeyed orders." Astald replied.
"And you are disobeying mine!" Legolas answered. "Now leave my site you filthy wretch before I change my mind and decide not to spare your life! Tell me why I should go through with releasing my knife from underneath your chin!? Tell me!"
Astald swallowed hard and replied, "Be-Because I-I-"
"Tell me!" Legolas snarled, throwing him onto the floor. "Or I will drive this knife through your heart!"
"It was wrong of me your highness." Astald choked quietly, sweat rolling down his cheek.
"Leave my site!" Legolas shouted.
Astald scrambled to his feet and fled the room as quickly as he could. He had never even suspected Legolas to ever hold any such anger inside of him, to be capable of threatening him like so. It had frightened him.
"Faerfain!" Legolas said, sheathing his knife and crouching next to Faerfain, who was curled up against the window curtain, sobbing uncontrollably into it. He cradled her head against his chest. "It is alright Faerfain. He will no longer bother you."
"Oh Legolas!" she cried, throwing her arms about his neck and rubbing her face against him, not minding the dirt or the sweat from his travels. "He has been haunting my every step since the moment you left me."
"He will haunt you no more." Legolas answered, brushing his lips against hers. "I will make sure of that. He will deeply regret what he has done to you."
Faerfain kissed him and cried softly, "I thought of you every hour Legolas."
"And I the same of you." Legolas answered, breaking away from the kiss and examining her neck, where bruises were forming. A tear slipped down his face to see Faerfain in such agony, and he rocked her softly in his arms for quite a while longer.
"Where is my son?" Thranduil questioned, several hours after they had returned home. "I hope he is alright."
They were seated in the main throne room, Elladan and Elrohir in chairs beside him. They were all in much better spirits and had been given much more presentable appearances since they had arrived. Thranduil was almost completely healed and was wearing royal robes. A wreathe of summer flowers had also been placed upon his head. He looked much more like a king would have.
It was as if on cue, that Legolas stormed through the room, still in his traveling tunic, covered in mud. He was incredibly angry and had his knife out. He suddenly lunged at Astald, who was in the corner, fixing up drinks for the visitors. He held the knife under the elf's throat.
"Legolas!" Thranduil scolded, standing to his feet. "What are you doing!? Drop the knife! Immediately!"
Legolas had no option but to obey him and he quickly sheathed the weapon, still glaring into Astald's eyes. "There were bruises around her neck," he hissed to Astald. "So I will put bruises around yours."
"What is this all about Legolas?" Thranduil demanded.
Legolas kicked Astald in the shins and said to his father, "I want this elf beaten! Beaten and executed!"
"Legolas," Thranduil said softly, coming to his son's side. "What happened?"
"This elf has been harming Faerfain." Legolas snapped in reply. "He has been harassing her and kissing her and laying his filthy hands upon her!"
"Faerfain?" inquired Thranduil. "The maid?"
"Yes Adar. The maid." Legolas answered. "Do something about Astald, Adar! I beg of you!"
"And what mingling do you have with the maid Faerfain?" Thranduil asked quietly.
"I love her." Legolas replied boldly.
"So do I." Astald replied. It was almost the last thing he had ever said, if Thranduil had not grasped Legolas's wrist before the knife had come down.
"Enough of this nonsense Legolas." Thranduil said gently. "Put the knife away. And I will do as you have asked to Astald."
Contented with this statement, Legolas did as he was told. "I meant to cause you no worry Adar. But this elf has done ill! Kill him for what he has done!"
"I will not execute Astald," Thranduil said. (At this, Astald groveled at his feet. "Such a kind and compassionate king!") "But he will be beaten severely."
Astald's face fell and he grasped the hem of Thranduil's robe. "Please sir, please show me mercy!"
"I have spared your life," Thranduil said in discomfort. "That is enough for what you have done."
"You take his word!" Astald accused, pointing at Legolas. "He lies! As he always has lied! You remember your highness? When he went on that hunting trip!? He lied your highness! Hunting trip indeed! He was off fighting a battle with Gondor-"
"I have heard enough." Thranduil said angrily. "Take this elf away!" At this, the guards came forward, seized Astald and dragged him out of the room.
"I do not lie." Legolas said in protest. "I do not lie! That filthy wretch! I do not lie!"
"I know Legolas," Thranduil replied softly. "You have never lied to me- except when you fought that battle with Gondor." He smiled weakly and said into his tear-stricken son's eyes, "I would trust you above anyone else." He then turned to a servant and ordered, "Retrieve this Faerfain. I desire to meet her." The servant bowed and disappeared out of the room.
Ok hope you enjoyed! Please read and review! Chapter 4 is coming soon!