Chapter 10: Cield confesses

"Well- I- it's not important." Cield frowned, again trying to get up but failed.

"Go on, tell me."

"Well... I was to be the crowned prince of Mirkwood. But when Legolas was born, Ada and Naneth both agreed that their youngest son would be the crowned prince, despite the fact that Tonus should have been crowned from the beginning. I had yet to be crowned and so they chose to crown Legolas when he became mature. Naneth is gone now and I really wished to be crowned, it had been my dream until Legolas came."

Haldir sighed. He was hoping it could have been something easier that related to his own experience, but since he was un-royal this had nothing to do with him or his family.

"It gives you no reason to do what you did. Legolas was scared and you cut him!"

Cield sighed and nodded his head.

"I'm... well... It's not only that... I'm... I'm... well... Please don't tell anyone." Cield looked up at Haldir.

"I wont."

"I'm... jealous of him... Ada only pays attention to him, and not me, or Tonus..." Cield bit his lip, knowing these where not good excuses. But he was getting Haldir's attention.

"That is still no reason to do such a thing, for I was jealous of my brothers, being first born. But that stopped when I became mature, like you, but it seems that you are still jealous even now that you are a grown elf and he only a babe."

Cield looked away, and then back at Haldir. Haldir could see Cield was upset, for Cield was having a mood swing and now was saddened by his behavior instead of a twisted, evil elf. "Here, come closer." Haldir said, and Cield did as he said. Haldir wrapped his arms around the younger elf, and Cield was hesitant but then embraced Haldir.

"You are still a prince, and I would not expect your father to pass away any time soon so crowned or not no one will be king aside from your father for quite some time."

Cield looked at the floor, much to ashamed to look at Haldir anymore, now out of the embrace.

"Now. I am going to punish you for this terrible behavior and I have made up my mind how. These kind guards are going to give you a nice cell in the dungeons. You will be fed well, and also cared for just as usual, with the one exception that you will be behind bars and from your brother's reach."

Cield gasped as the guards grabbed him by his arms. Cield was not too pleased with this, and to his luck, as the guards were dragging him from the room, his hand came close enough to a blade on an end table. Cield grabbed it, and threw it (with very poor aim) at Haldir, who had his back turned.

"Haldir!" One of the guards shouted. Haldir turned just in time to have the knife go straight into his left arm. Haldir frowned.

"Guards, I don't think prince Cield will need food that much, so don't bother feeding him for a couple of days. I hope you like the feeling of starvation, Cield, it should teach you." Haldir smirked as Cield's jaw dropped.

"You cant do that!" Cield managed to say.

"Yes I can. It wont kill you, so at least you'll live. BUt the feeling of starvation is not very good, so you may not enjoy yourself."

---Haldir goes to see Legolas, after having the knife removed---

"How is he Tonus?" Haldir suddenly asked. Tonus turned around and smiled. "Fine, fine. He put up a good struggled at the bath even in his conditions, but I managed to bathe him as well and re dress him without turning the bathroom into a swamp of clothes, elves and water."

Legolas looked up. His tunic was unbuttoned and Tonus seemed to be soothing the deep gash across his chest.

"Haldiw!"

Haldir pulled the elfling into his arms and kissed him gently.

"My chest hurts... so does my bum."

"Its okay Legolas, everything will get better, I promise."

Haldir gently cuddled the elfling, carefully avoiding all his wounds.

"When is Ada coming home?"

"In a while Legolas, but don't worry, you will be perfectly safe."

"Good. I'm... tirred..."

"Then I will tuck you in bed."

Haldir, along with Tonus, went up to the elfling's bedroom and gently laid him in bed, pulling blankets up to his neck and giving him a glass of nice, ice cold, clean, water.

"Goo' night Haldiw, Tonus..."

"Good night little elfling. I know you just woke up a few hours ago, but you can have nap time now, just to heal up and get ready to be a happy, hyper young elfling as always."

Legolas shut his eyes and drifted off. Tonus wondered why his brother shut his eyes, but Haldir just told him to ignore it, so Tonus finally agreed.

"I must go... do something..." Tonus smiled as he left the room. Haldir did not bother following, but instead kissed the little elfling as he watched him sleep.

---Where Tonus went---

Cield sat on the floor of his cell in the dungeons. He had the nicest cell, but he was not at all happy. Then he saw Tonus and believed things might get better and he might be able to tease Tonus, for Tonus was too easy to tease.

"Hullo there." Tonus smiled. Cield got up and came to the bars, in reach of Tonus, just as Tonus wanted.

Before Cield could even insult his brother or tease him, he was backhanded by Tonus.

"You harmed your own baby brother!" Tonus yelled as Cield fell on the floor. Cield tried to back away but his elder brother held him by the front of his tunic.

"You did not like that? Well try being sliced across your chest! And because of how wide your chest is, it would hurt even more! You are a cruel monster Cield!" Tonus yelled as he punched Cield a few times, backhanded him again in the same spot, then released him and stormed out of the dungeons.

Cield could tell that Tonus had turned the side of his face red, so Cield just stayed in the corner of his cell, away from everyone.

To Be Continued...

Alce Peredhil, thank you, she gave me all the story's chapters!