Hello again! Yes it's me again…
(oooh…new review pages….)
Astalder27: Ah yes, poor Legolas. sniggers And Aragorn, well he's being thick. No really, he's concentrating too much on escaping to notice, and well Legolas isn't wanting to tell him. In fact, there's only one person our elf would tell. But that person has to do a lot of apologising first.
Elven Kitten: When is the easy way out ever fun? A bit of danger just makes things so much more exciting!
So, yes, here is chapter 9, or 'Big Battle, and Thranduil does something very stupid!'
Chapter 9
The ten soldiers ran at the pair, and at the same time, two fell dead. Both victims to Legolas' unrivalled skill with his weapon, then three more lay dead, another two with arrows protruding from various places on their body, Estel had slain the other, and now he was fighting with a second, while the other four tried to bring Legolas down. Estel swung his sword once more gutting the man, watching as Legolas, now using his twin blades, brought down another man. He was about to aid his friend when he felt the Lady move towards him…
With every step she took, Estel took two backwards, truly afraid of the madness in her eyes, not only was she mad, she was upset. And Estel knew it was his fault, "There are few things more dangerous than a woman scorned" Elrond had once said to Elladan, after the twins had got into serious trouble after leaving a woman who had loved the elder twin.
Before Estel had scoffed, thinking the notion ridiculous.
How very wrong he had been.
The mortal staggered backwards, tripping over a corpse, and falling on his backside. The lady towered over him grinning maliciously, but her grin suddenly turned onto a look of pain and dismay. She looked at Estel, their eyes meeting for a moment longer then she fell down dead, Legolas arrow protruding from her breast. A strangled cry met his ears then, and he turned to see Legolas pinned to a tree by two men, Sannyn stood before him. Estel tried to move towards him, but found another man blocking his path.
Legolas shuddered as Sannyn approached him, his eyes glinting dangerously, the mortal balled his fist and hit Legolas in the stomach, twice, then once in the face, making his head snap back into the tree, he cried out softly then, Sannyn smirked, then cruelly kneed the elf in the groin.
Legolas screamed, more so as Sannyn kicked him twice in that same spot, tears in his silvery eyes, so agonising was the pain.
"It'll teach to run away, whore!" spat Sannyn in Legolas' ear. Before punching the elf in the face once more, following this with another knee to the groin, Legolas cried out in agony.
Estel slew the man and watched the brutal treatment of his fried. Without thinking he snatched his throwing dagger and threw it at Sannyn.
Legolas cringed away from Sannyn, as he raised his fist once more, but the blow never came, instead Sannyn fell to the ground Estel's dagger in the back of his neck. On seeing the formidable young man the two men holding Legolas fled, and Legolas slumped to the ground, whimpering from pain. Estel reached his side quickly, and helped the elf to his feet. Legolas grinned weakly at him and the pair strode weakly to the horses. Who surprisingly hadn't fled, then a soft moan met their ears, and both turned to the body of Lady Morévende. Estel walked up to her, she was still alive, but briefly. Her eyes flickered open
"Wh…what have I done?" she rasped, tears in her eyes, the coldness gone from them "Ai! Elbereth forgive me!" with those as her last words she died, Estel bent down and closed her eyes "She was not wholly evil" he commented, her bitterness had just hidden it well.
He turned and returned to Legolas' side and together they left the clearing, heading back towards Mirkwood
On entering Mirkwood, the two stopped, Legolas feeling slightly more relieved, if rather weak. He climbed off his horse, swaying slightly on his feet, an action that was not missed on Estel. The mortal walked up beside his friend and placed a hand on his shoulder. "Legolas, we shouldn't stop"
The elf opened his mouth to reply but before he could speak dropped into a dead faint. Estel caught him before he hit the ground and swore. Pulling the elf into his arms he mounted his horse, placing Legolas before him, and riding back towards Thranduil's halls, Legolas' horse running beside them, concerned for its master.
They arrived at Thranduil's halls not long later, Estel leapt off his horse and into the halls carrying Legolas' limp body with him. Halfway across the receiving hall Thranduil ran out to meet him, panic showing on his already distressed face.
"He's not…"
Estel shook his head "He still lives" he confirmed, "but he has been cruelly used"
Thranduil shook his head "this is my fault,"
They entered the Prince's chamber and Estel laid him on the bed and removed his shirt and tunic, revealing his scarred back to the King, who looked like he was going to be sick. He fell to his knees tears in his eyes, "No…If only I had not said those foolish words!" he scolded himself "Oh Legolas…"
Estel laid a sympathetic hand on the King's shoulder "Thranduil, do not blame yourself. He will be fine, and I'm sure he will forgive your words"
Thranduil settled down in the chair beside the bed and watched the mortal treat Legolas' wounds. Seeing his son in this state hurt him, and to think that he could have caused his wounds…it did not lighten the king's mood. He sighed and grasped his son's hand willing him to wake, but Legolas did not.
Estel shot the king a sympathetic look as he finished treating Legolas wound, he knew how much the King loved his son, and how much he regretted the words he had said, and maybe it is time I returned to make peace with my Father.
He strode to the balcony and pulled his long pipe from his pocket, filled with pipeweed from the shire. He had had his first taste of the stuff last summer, courtesy of Gandalf, looking back at the grieving elven king he sighed deeply, and then turned away, giving Thranduil some privacy.
The Elven King sat beside his son, tears in his eyes. "I'm so sorry" he whispered, hoping his son could hear him; he stroked Legolas' hair softly, knowing that he would have a lot of explaining to do once his son woke. But that could wait. "How many times has this occurred" the king muttered "I sitting here, fearing for you…" he sighed deeply, running a hand down his face, "Ai, ion-nin" he whispered, knowing it was folly, that Legolas could not hear him. He sat back in his chair, and looked at his son, his fair faced mottled with bruising. Reaching down the King placed a hand on Legolas cheek, tears in his eyes.
"My Lord?" an hour later, Thranduil turned at his name, facing Tirinvo. The captain looked slightly worried "My Lord, we have a problem you should see to."
Thranduil frowned "Can you not see my son, Tirinvo? Can you not see how worried I am for him?"
The captain looked at the King sympathetically, "My Lord, this is very important, and it shall not take long."
Thranduil sighed and rose "This had better be important!" he said, turning to Estel "Inform me if he wakes," Estel nodded his agreement, extinguishing his pipe and taking Thranduil's seat, not long later Legolas woke. With a sinking heart the prince realised that his Father was not there. He must have spoken the truth; maybe he cares not if I wake…his Father had never left his side when he was unconscious before…
"Your Father shall be back soon, there was some important business he had to attend to"
Legolas climbed out of bed then and dressed, pushing Estel out of the way when the mortal tried to protest "I can't stay here" he said, gliding out of the doors.
It was in the stables when Estel came across Legolas "How about we go to Rivendell for a while" he suggested, Legolas nodded and prepared to mount his horse. But was stopped by a booming voice,
"Legolas! Where are you going?" Legolas turned to see his Father striding towards him, he reached out and grasped Legolas' arm, pulling him towards him,
Legolas pulled away angrily "Rivendell" he said
"No, you are not" Thranduil objected "You are still badly wounded"
Something then in his Father's angry voice made Legolas break "You can't stop me! You've always said you loved me, but I can see now that you don't, you don't love me and you never have!" Legolas yelled, his voice catching in his throat "You can't control me anymore, because I don't love you! I hate you! I hate you!"
Thranduil saw red; he slapped his son across the face. Hard. The Prince cried out in surprise, and stared at his Father for a moment, before turning and mounting his horse. This time Thranduil didn't try to stop him, so horrified by what he had done. "Legolas, I…I'm…" he stammered
"tell it to someone who cares" Legolas said bitterly "For I do not"
Legolas rode through Mirkwood at full speed, his golden hair streaming behind him, with tears falling fast down his face. Never before had his Father hit him, and the action had further convinced the Elven Prince that his Father did not love him.. If he could have seen his Father now, he maybe would have been convinced otherwise. But he could not, Estel's voice echoed in his mind, or maybe he could hear the ranger, stopping the ranger appeared by his side in mere moments. He wiped the sweat from his brow and looked at the Prince "Legolas…are you…"
"I'm fine" whispered the Prince, "he hit me, Estel. He hit me."
Estel leant across and embraced the Prince, "Legolas, he loves you, talk to him,"
"No!" Legolas' voice rang out clearly, he was visibly distressed, but then so Thranduil had been. Estel sighed deeply, hating to see his friend in this state.
"Legolas." He said softly "You did not mean those words before"
Legolas looked at him for a moment, and Estel at first was certain he would inform him that in fact he did mean what he had said, but a moment later he was surprised when Legolas shook his head "No," he admitted "I always shall love my Father; I did not mean what I said. But I cannot go back. Not yet" he rode off then westwards, heading towards Rivendell.
TBC…
Sob…
What did I say about things always being difficult? Ai! Thranduil has a pitchfork! AND HE'S WAVING AT ME!
Aranel