Chapter 15

Legolas was laying his bed, unable to sleep. Another day had passed, and they still hadn't left Biddy and Artamir's home. The dark circles under the siblings' eyes had slowly disappeared, but Legolas could see they still weren't ready. If he talked to them about leaving, they always answered: "not yet," or "Please Legolas, can't we just stay here just one more day?"

They didn't understand why he was in such a hurry. They agreed with Artamir.

What is one more year to an immortal?

They didn't feel the way he felt. They didn't feel the urge to be home. Legolas' siblings had found a safe place to rest here with Biddy and Artamir. Biddy took care of them as if she was their mother. She would bake cookies, and listen to their stories. She would solve their little problems, such as untying Lainfea's boots if the laces got stuck, or braiding Limloeth's hair for her. Artamir offered a different kind of help. He would practice combat with them, or would talk hours with Lanthir, discussing literature, history and religion, as well as other such matters.

Legolas didn't join them. He stood at the side, watching his brother and sisters, waiting until they were ready to go. He would sometimes spar with Lanthir, or smile at something Limloeth said, or comfort Lainfea, placing a kiss on her wounded knee, but he felt detached from them. As if, by trusting Biddy and Artamir, his siblings had gone somewhere he could no longer follow.

He watched them recover from wounds that still bled in his mind. He observed them silently as they laughed, danced, and played games, unable to join them.

For he could not. When they had escaped from Mordor, he had left a part of himself behind. Years ago, when their mother had died, his siblings had turned to him with large, frightened eyes, and asked him what to do. It had been that moment that the child inside Legolas had died, leaving behind the adult. The one responsible for his brother and sisters.

He was still responsible for them. He had to be on guard. He watched Artamir and Biddy like a hawk, ready to step between them and his siblings the moment one of the humans did something wrong. He was the assassin in the corner. Silent, deadly, and ever aware.

He would not speak to Biddy or Artamir unless spoken to, and even then his answers were short and terse. He did not allow himself to trust them, or even to like them. Artamir was not their Ada, and Biddy was not their Nana. He made sure his siblings realized that.

At night the weight of his responsibility would come washing over him, as if it could crush his body. He would hear Limloeth cry in her sleep. He could see Lanthir fighting the sheets. He watched as Lainfea clutched to the new stuffed animal. A stuffed animal he had not been able to give her.

Didn't the Valar see that he was still young, still not quite reaching adult-hood? Didn't his siblings realize that maybe he needed an Ada too? "Please," he whispered to the night. "Please, let

me be a child again. I want to play and dance with them. I don't want this darkness anymore. I want to be home. Please, let me go home."

The few nights he managed to fall asleep were not much better. In his dreams he could see Lanthir lying on the floor, eyes closed. He could see Lainfea fighting corsairs and failing, one small body between a thousand larger ones.

He could see Limloeth ripped apart by the ghost of Biddy and Artamir, still telling him that they could be trusted.

Every night he endured those images, waiting for the dreams to change.

It always started with the soft whisper of his name. "Legolas… Legolas where are you? We have lost you, child. Where are you? Come to us... Why are you crying, child? Are you not happy? Then come to us…. Come to us…" It was the voice of the trees of Greenwood, calling him home. He could see them, there leaves swaying slightly in the soft breeze, their fresh, green smell hanging the air.

He would dance passed them, running home, leaping into the waiting arms of his father. Feeling his ada's strong muscles beneath his tunic, smelling soft scent that always surrounded him. His father would lift the weight of the responsibility that hung about him, putting it upon his own, more suitable, strong shoulders, where it didn't appear so heavy anymore. Legolas would be safe.

Each day as he woke, he would feel the disappointment nearly breaking his heart. He would wake Limloeth and Lanthir up, asking them if today would be the day to leave. If maybe today they would be rested enough to start moving. He didn't want to push them, so he didn't beg. But each day he

prayed to the Valar that they would understand him. That they would see how much he wanted to be home. Needed to be home.

And each day again they would tell him. "Not yet…"

He went to find Lainfea, the one he could still cuddle for no reason, hoping that her smile could make him feel a little less alone. But she wasn't in the garden, or in Biddy's kitchen.

He walked into the living room and stood in shock. Lainfea was sitting on Artamir's lap, talking lively about their escape from Mordor, using their real names.

Artamir looked up and smiled at him. "Good morning, Legolas."

"Lainfea, come here," Legolas said, his voice barely betraying his panic.
"Why?" the girl asked innocently.
"We have to go. Now come here!" Legolas' voice was starting to sound frantic.
"I want to stay here," Lainfea said. "I like it here." She snuggled a little closer to Artamir.
"This is not home. We have to get home. Do you know, there is an Ada waiting for you at home?"
"I want an ada now."
"I understand," Legolas said, trying not to lose his patience and his composure. "But Ada is not here, he is home, in Greenwood." Legolas supposed that if Artamir knew their names, then where they came from wouldn't matter much. "The sooner we get there, the sooner you will get an ada."

"Artamir can be my ada." The face of the little girl lit up. "I like him."
"NO!" Legolas shouted, "ARTAMIR CAN NOT BE YOUR ADA! You already have an ada! He is at home waiting for you! He is real and he loves you, SO WE HAVE TO GO HOME! Artamir is human! He doesn't know us! He can not be your ada, AND IF YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND THAT, IF YOU DON'T COME WITH ME NOW, THEN YOU WILL BE LEFT HERE.ALONE!"

Lainfea stared at him in shock. Large tears welled in her eyes. But she climbed of Artamir's lap, stiffly walking towards Legolas, as if every step caused her great pain. She didn't say a word and refused to look at him, but she was ready to go.

Legolas could see her body shake from sobs that she didn't let escape. He could see the blisters on her feet, as well as the bruises on her upper body that still hadn't fully healed. Most of all, he could see she didn't want to go.

It radiated from her. Her entire body was telling Legolas that she wouldn't make it. That she was too small for such a big journey. That she needed a rest first. And love. Most of all love.

He got down on one knee, trying to hug her, trying to tell her they would be alright, but she turned her back on him.

"Let's go," She said, her voice hoarse with tears.

What in the name of Valar was he doing? Lainfea didn't want to go. Limloeth and Lanthir didn't. Who was he to force them? Why should his needs be more important than theirs?

"No," he said. "No, Lainfea. You're right. I'm sorry. We will stay here for a while. I'm sorry… I just… I just…"

As he fell to his knees, defeated by the weight of his responsibilities, a few tears escaped past the guard he had put up.

TBC.

Sam611: See I told you you needed more Kleenex.

Aly K: By human standard Legolas is 15, Limloeth 13, Lanthir 11, Lainfea 5.. But I believe elven standard is not the same: see.. Lainfea is a 5 year old, but she had 20 years of life experience.. so she can act far above her human age at some times.. Same goes for Lanthir and the others.

CapriceAnn Hedican-Kocur: Well Today I'm only publising 1.. I think rest is needed after this one..

Karone Evertree: I really like it you likemy Thranduilhen..

Rutu: WOW You are always so nice to me! But I'm not posting twice a day.. I write these cliffies for a reason you know! evil grin

Nessa Ar-Feiniel: What it is going to take? hmmm I think only a magical transformation into Thranduil could make Legolas trust them ( a little.)

Moriarwen: It was not meant to becreepy.Legolas just saw hisNana's eyes and wished it was her so badly he didn't see it was actually Lim.

moonshine44: Thanks!

That was it! See you all tomorrow..

greetz Liek