WOW!! Look at all those reviews!! I am SOO happy, please keep that up and I'll do my best to supply you with a post a day!! :D Oh, just so you know, I am a bit new to LotR, I only got to see FotR the week TTT came out, and so I saw them the same week, two days apart. I fell in love with the story, and so I started reading the books. Right now I have read The Hobbit and I am halfway through FotR, but I haven't got to the elves yet, so I'm kinda shooting in the dark. Please bear with me and feel free to tell me what things should be done differently according to the books, and I'll do my best to fix it!!
Disclaimer: Tolkien owns everything, and he can have anything I invented that he wants except Ranisida, I'm kinda partial to her.
*****
Ranisida looked up to her mother as they walked. "Nani?" She asked, using her special name for her mother.
"Yes, dearest?" Kalika looked down to her daughter fondly.
The five year old's green eyes were worried as she bit her lip. "Why did the elves take Las away?" She asked, using the name many had taken to calling Legolas, since the prince didn't want his own name used.
"I don't know, Rani." Kalika admitted. "I guess Las had to go home."
Ranisida's gaze turned angry. "But Las didn't want to go, Nani!! He didn't want to, and they made him go!! They're bad, and mean!!"
Kalika kneeled down and gathered her child in her arms. "I know. I know." She paused. "But sometimes, we have to do things even though we don't want to."
"That's not fair." Ranisida murmered into her mother's curly red hair. Tears started down her cheeks. "I want Las back."
Kalika made shushing sounds. "I know you do." She assured her child.
Ranisida sniffed and drew back. "Do you think Las will be ok?" She asked in a quavering voice.
Kalika bit her lip and stood, lifting her small daughter. "I don't know, Rani. I just don't know."
*****
Legolas clambered down from his horse as they reached Rivendell. Coming down the steps was a small blur of dark hair and green clothes, followed more serenely by two dark haired elf brothers.
"ADA!!" Arwen cried, flinging herself in her father's waiting arms.
Elrond smiled and hugged his child to him. "Hello, Arwen. Have you been good?"
Arwen lifted her head and smiled. "Yes." She answered.
"No." Elladan chimed in with a grin from behind her. Elrohir nodded in agreement.
Arwen stuck out her lower lip. "Have to." She murmured with a pout.
"Then how do you explain all the messes you made?" Elrohir asked, folding his arms.
Elrond laughed and held up a hand. "Enough, enough!" He seemed to remember Legolas. Elrohir, Elladan, Arwen, this is Prince Legolas of the Mirkwood realm." He gestured to Legolas. "Legolas, these are my children."
Legolas nodded slightly, looking nervously about himself and not really paying attention. Elladan and Elrohir both blocked a gasp. "But Ada, wasn't he thought…" Elladan began, but was cut short by his brother elbowing him in the ribs.
"Show Legolas to a guest room where he can clean up, Elladan." Elrond said to his son. "And Elrohir, have dinner prepared." Both his sons nodded.
"Come, Legolas." Elladan said as his brother made for the kitchens, leaving their father with the youngest of his three.
*****
Legolas stood on the balcony, looking out over the Rivendell woods. The breeze caressed his wet hair and face, tugging at his new clothes. He sighed as he looked out, tears running down his face. He couldn't do this. Lord Elrond was being so nice, but he didn't deserve it, and it only made him uncomfortable.
As he realized he was crying, his head hung in shame. He had been doing a lot of that lately. //Baby!// He chided himself, but he couldn't seem to stop. Knowing his adar was so worried about him hurt, but he couldn't know, couldn't see. The hot tears fell down to his lips and tasted salty against his tongue, mixing with the flavor of blood from the lip he had bitten.
*****
Flashback
*****
"Aw, look, Revenhal! The little elf is crying!" The man jeered down at Legolas, who lay curled on the floor, hugging his legs to his bruised chest, tears running down his face.
Revenhal came over and looked down before making a disgusted noise in his throat. "That's not an elf. An elf doesn't cry. They're perfect." He sneered, and drove a foot into an exposed part of the blond Mirkwood elf's stomach.
Legolas moaned and tried to pull away. "Please." He asked softly, turning sad blue eyes up at his captors. "I just want to go home to my ada. Please…" The tears came stronger, and ashamed, he let his head drop.
"Shut up!" Revenhal boomed, reaching down and dragging him to his feet before striking him solidly across the face with a back of his hand. Legolas felt his lip split open, and he could taste his blood mixed with his tears.
*****
End Flashback
*****
Legolas shook as he remembered, and angrily wiped at his face. //Ada wouldn't have cried!! A baby, that's what I am!!// He felt like kicking himself. However, thinking about his father reminded him that Elrond might send for him.
Legolas looked down from the balcony. It was only a few stories up…If he jumped, could he hurt himself badly enough that he couldn't be moved? He thought so. It looked far enough. He clambered up the railing of the balcony and sat down on it, swinging his legs on the other side. He started to lean forwards…
"Legolas!" Elladan cried. "What are you doing?" He rushed to the balcony and grabbed the younger elf's arm.
Legolas turned his face away. "Nothing…" He muttered. "Just sitting here."
"Well, be careful, you could fall." Elladan chided. "It's time for dinner, come." Legolas obediently climbed down and followed Elladan. He would get another chance.
*****
Elrond watched Legolas carefully. The elf didn't speak unless he had to, and he had not eaten anything that Elrond could see. He simply pushed the food around his plate and looked lost. Elrond sighed and finished his dinner. Something was very wrong, and he would have to discover what.
"Legolas?" He called to the blond elf sitting a few seats away.
Legolas' head flew up, and he looked to Elrond nervously. "Yes?" He asked quietly.
Elrond tried to put on his most reassuring smile. "How about accompanying me for a walk before we retire?" He asked, continuing to smile. He wanted Legolas to feel secure, not pressured. There was no telling how the elf would react to that, since Elrond did not know what he had been through.
Legolas looked away quickly, biting his lip. After a moment, he answered. "All right, Lord Elrond."
Elrond smiled. "Good."
*****
Legolas played with a leaf absently as he walked, feeling more calm than he had felt in a long while, breathing in the scents of the forest around him. He could almost forget that Elrond was with him, as the Rivendell elf had been quiet since they had begun their walk.
Elrond walked alongside the other elf, pondering how to broach the subject of Legolas' disappearance. He didn't want to drive the elf away, nor cause him to mistrust him. He cleared his throat. "Legolas." He said softly.
Legolas turned to look at him, and for the first time since he had found him, the elf did not look nervous at the sound of his own name. "Yes?" He asked, his expression calm and almost content.
Elrond sighed, and then decided to just ask. "How did you come to be with those exiles?" He asked.
Legolas immediately lost the calm look, and looked away. "They…I just…" He was silent for a long moment. "They found me." He finally said.
Elrond frowned at that. "Where?" He asked.
Legolas took even longer to answer that one. "Outside of Rivendell."
Elrond decided to leave that particular question, since Legolas was being so tightlipped about it. "How did you end up near Rivendell?" He asked, trying to seem as if he was just curious, not worried.
Legolas walked a few paces ahead, and ran a hand through his hair, tugging hard on the blond strands in a way that made Elrond's head hurt in sympathy. "I was made at my father while we were riding, and…I ran away. I ended up in Rivendell by accident."
Elrond sighed and walked in front of Legolas. "Legolas, it doesn't take four months to get to Rivendell on horseback." He said.
"I know." Legolas whispered, and Elrond noticed the tears running down the prince's face.
"What happened between running away and being found that you won't tell me about?" Elrond asked. There was no answer. He drew the younger elf's face up to look at him. "Legolas, I only want to help you. You can tell me what happened, no one will be angry with you. It would be so much easier for you if you would just tell me the truth." Elrond looked sincerely at Legolas, but Legolas eyes went strangely blank.
*****
Flashback
*****
"It would be so much easier for you if you would just tell me the truth, elf." Revenhal said.
Legolas dropped his gaze. "I did." He insisted. "I swear to you, that's the truth."
Revenhal sighed. "Continue." He instructed the other human man who stood next to Legolas.
Legolas' eyes went wide, and a protest formed on his lips, but he never got a chance to say anything. The man drove the club into the elf's midsection brutally, and Legolas gasped in pain, but was allowed no reprieve as the man struck him in the back the moment he leaned forward, knocking the elf off his feet. Legolas landed roughly on the ground, his head striking a rock. Blood welled up and dripped down into his eyes. "Please…" Legolas started, but gasped as the man struck him again, feeling his ribs strain against the beating.
"The truth, elf!!" Revenhal screamed, and Legolas flinched.
"I told you." Legolas insisted. "I told you the truth, you must believe me!!" He looked up, his eyes pleading for mercy, but he received none.
*****
End Flashback
*****
"No!!" Legolas screamed, tearing himself away from Elrond and running back the way they came.
"Legolas!" Elrond called, confused. "Legolas!!" Legolas did not stop, though, and Elrond sighed before he started walking back.
*****
Ok, now I will reply to the lovely reviews I got.
Cheysuli: Thank you!! LOL. I know the feeling, so I hurried and wrote that next chapter. I hope it was satisfying!!
Ola: I know, isn't it terrible?!! I always end up being just as surprised as my readers at each chapter. I have this horrible habit of writing as I go. Well, I wrote more!!
Metrophobia: Happy to feed an addiction! :p
Lady of Legolas: I'm glad. Believe it or not, I dreamed the beginning of this story. *Laughs*
Goblz: Thank you!!! I'm glad you liked it. I thought it rather…weird, cause it is has so many questions. Glad you have as many questions as I do! :D
Lock Owl: I know, I tend to be too short, so I try to write more often to make up for it. Eek, I've got you unable to finish sentences? That sounds serious! :p
Littlesaiyangirl: I dunno! :D LOL. Your wish is my command!
White Phoenix Erialis: Ya, it was the first chapter so I had to set a lot up. Glad you're still hear, and I hope you are mor interested now. Elrond? God? I'm sorry he's coming off that way. I'll do my best to fix that, thank you. Like I said, I'm new to LotR and still haven't read much about the elves, so please bear with me.
Disclaimer: Tolkien owns everything, and he can have anything I invented that he wants except Ranisida, I'm kinda partial to her.
*****
Ranisida looked up to her mother as they walked. "Nani?" She asked, using her special name for her mother.
"Yes, dearest?" Kalika looked down to her daughter fondly.
The five year old's green eyes were worried as she bit her lip. "Why did the elves take Las away?" She asked, using the name many had taken to calling Legolas, since the prince didn't want his own name used.
"I don't know, Rani." Kalika admitted. "I guess Las had to go home."
Ranisida's gaze turned angry. "But Las didn't want to go, Nani!! He didn't want to, and they made him go!! They're bad, and mean!!"
Kalika kneeled down and gathered her child in her arms. "I know. I know." She paused. "But sometimes, we have to do things even though we don't want to."
"That's not fair." Ranisida murmered into her mother's curly red hair. Tears started down her cheeks. "I want Las back."
Kalika made shushing sounds. "I know you do." She assured her child.
Ranisida sniffed and drew back. "Do you think Las will be ok?" She asked in a quavering voice.
Kalika bit her lip and stood, lifting her small daughter. "I don't know, Rani. I just don't know."
*****
Legolas clambered down from his horse as they reached Rivendell. Coming down the steps was a small blur of dark hair and green clothes, followed more serenely by two dark haired elf brothers.
"ADA!!" Arwen cried, flinging herself in her father's waiting arms.
Elrond smiled and hugged his child to him. "Hello, Arwen. Have you been good?"
Arwen lifted her head and smiled. "Yes." She answered.
"No." Elladan chimed in with a grin from behind her. Elrohir nodded in agreement.
Arwen stuck out her lower lip. "Have to." She murmured with a pout.
"Then how do you explain all the messes you made?" Elrohir asked, folding his arms.
Elrond laughed and held up a hand. "Enough, enough!" He seemed to remember Legolas. Elrohir, Elladan, Arwen, this is Prince Legolas of the Mirkwood realm." He gestured to Legolas. "Legolas, these are my children."
Legolas nodded slightly, looking nervously about himself and not really paying attention. Elladan and Elrohir both blocked a gasp. "But Ada, wasn't he thought…" Elladan began, but was cut short by his brother elbowing him in the ribs.
"Show Legolas to a guest room where he can clean up, Elladan." Elrond said to his son. "And Elrohir, have dinner prepared." Both his sons nodded.
"Come, Legolas." Elladan said as his brother made for the kitchens, leaving their father with the youngest of his three.
*****
Legolas stood on the balcony, looking out over the Rivendell woods. The breeze caressed his wet hair and face, tugging at his new clothes. He sighed as he looked out, tears running down his face. He couldn't do this. Lord Elrond was being so nice, but he didn't deserve it, and it only made him uncomfortable.
As he realized he was crying, his head hung in shame. He had been doing a lot of that lately. //Baby!// He chided himself, but he couldn't seem to stop. Knowing his adar was so worried about him hurt, but he couldn't know, couldn't see. The hot tears fell down to his lips and tasted salty against his tongue, mixing with the flavor of blood from the lip he had bitten.
*****
Flashback
*****
"Aw, look, Revenhal! The little elf is crying!" The man jeered down at Legolas, who lay curled on the floor, hugging his legs to his bruised chest, tears running down his face.
Revenhal came over and looked down before making a disgusted noise in his throat. "That's not an elf. An elf doesn't cry. They're perfect." He sneered, and drove a foot into an exposed part of the blond Mirkwood elf's stomach.
Legolas moaned and tried to pull away. "Please." He asked softly, turning sad blue eyes up at his captors. "I just want to go home to my ada. Please…" The tears came stronger, and ashamed, he let his head drop.
"Shut up!" Revenhal boomed, reaching down and dragging him to his feet before striking him solidly across the face with a back of his hand. Legolas felt his lip split open, and he could taste his blood mixed with his tears.
*****
End Flashback
*****
Legolas shook as he remembered, and angrily wiped at his face. //Ada wouldn't have cried!! A baby, that's what I am!!// He felt like kicking himself. However, thinking about his father reminded him that Elrond might send for him.
Legolas looked down from the balcony. It was only a few stories up…If he jumped, could he hurt himself badly enough that he couldn't be moved? He thought so. It looked far enough. He clambered up the railing of the balcony and sat down on it, swinging his legs on the other side. He started to lean forwards…
"Legolas!" Elladan cried. "What are you doing?" He rushed to the balcony and grabbed the younger elf's arm.
Legolas turned his face away. "Nothing…" He muttered. "Just sitting here."
"Well, be careful, you could fall." Elladan chided. "It's time for dinner, come." Legolas obediently climbed down and followed Elladan. He would get another chance.
*****
Elrond watched Legolas carefully. The elf didn't speak unless he had to, and he had not eaten anything that Elrond could see. He simply pushed the food around his plate and looked lost. Elrond sighed and finished his dinner. Something was very wrong, and he would have to discover what.
"Legolas?" He called to the blond elf sitting a few seats away.
Legolas' head flew up, and he looked to Elrond nervously. "Yes?" He asked quietly.
Elrond tried to put on his most reassuring smile. "How about accompanying me for a walk before we retire?" He asked, continuing to smile. He wanted Legolas to feel secure, not pressured. There was no telling how the elf would react to that, since Elrond did not know what he had been through.
Legolas looked away quickly, biting his lip. After a moment, he answered. "All right, Lord Elrond."
Elrond smiled. "Good."
*****
Legolas played with a leaf absently as he walked, feeling more calm than he had felt in a long while, breathing in the scents of the forest around him. He could almost forget that Elrond was with him, as the Rivendell elf had been quiet since they had begun their walk.
Elrond walked alongside the other elf, pondering how to broach the subject of Legolas' disappearance. He didn't want to drive the elf away, nor cause him to mistrust him. He cleared his throat. "Legolas." He said softly.
Legolas turned to look at him, and for the first time since he had found him, the elf did not look nervous at the sound of his own name. "Yes?" He asked, his expression calm and almost content.
Elrond sighed, and then decided to just ask. "How did you come to be with those exiles?" He asked.
Legolas immediately lost the calm look, and looked away. "They…I just…" He was silent for a long moment. "They found me." He finally said.
Elrond frowned at that. "Where?" He asked.
Legolas took even longer to answer that one. "Outside of Rivendell."
Elrond decided to leave that particular question, since Legolas was being so tightlipped about it. "How did you end up near Rivendell?" He asked, trying to seem as if he was just curious, not worried.
Legolas walked a few paces ahead, and ran a hand through his hair, tugging hard on the blond strands in a way that made Elrond's head hurt in sympathy. "I was made at my father while we were riding, and…I ran away. I ended up in Rivendell by accident."
Elrond sighed and walked in front of Legolas. "Legolas, it doesn't take four months to get to Rivendell on horseback." He said.
"I know." Legolas whispered, and Elrond noticed the tears running down the prince's face.
"What happened between running away and being found that you won't tell me about?" Elrond asked. There was no answer. He drew the younger elf's face up to look at him. "Legolas, I only want to help you. You can tell me what happened, no one will be angry with you. It would be so much easier for you if you would just tell me the truth." Elrond looked sincerely at Legolas, but Legolas eyes went strangely blank.
*****
Flashback
*****
"It would be so much easier for you if you would just tell me the truth, elf." Revenhal said.
Legolas dropped his gaze. "I did." He insisted. "I swear to you, that's the truth."
Revenhal sighed. "Continue." He instructed the other human man who stood next to Legolas.
Legolas' eyes went wide, and a protest formed on his lips, but he never got a chance to say anything. The man drove the club into the elf's midsection brutally, and Legolas gasped in pain, but was allowed no reprieve as the man struck him in the back the moment he leaned forward, knocking the elf off his feet. Legolas landed roughly on the ground, his head striking a rock. Blood welled up and dripped down into his eyes. "Please…" Legolas started, but gasped as the man struck him again, feeling his ribs strain against the beating.
"The truth, elf!!" Revenhal screamed, and Legolas flinched.
"I told you." Legolas insisted. "I told you the truth, you must believe me!!" He looked up, his eyes pleading for mercy, but he received none.
*****
End Flashback
*****
"No!!" Legolas screamed, tearing himself away from Elrond and running back the way they came.
"Legolas!" Elrond called, confused. "Legolas!!" Legolas did not stop, though, and Elrond sighed before he started walking back.
*****
Ok, now I will reply to the lovely reviews I got.
Cheysuli: Thank you!! LOL. I know the feeling, so I hurried and wrote that next chapter. I hope it was satisfying!!
Ola: I know, isn't it terrible?!! I always end up being just as surprised as my readers at each chapter. I have this horrible habit of writing as I go. Well, I wrote more!!
Metrophobia: Happy to feed an addiction! :p
Lady of Legolas: I'm glad. Believe it or not, I dreamed the beginning of this story. *Laughs*
Goblz: Thank you!!! I'm glad you liked it. I thought it rather…weird, cause it is has so many questions. Glad you have as many questions as I do! :D
Lock Owl: I know, I tend to be too short, so I try to write more often to make up for it. Eek, I've got you unable to finish sentences? That sounds serious! :p
Littlesaiyangirl: I dunno! :D LOL. Your wish is my command!
White Phoenix Erialis: Ya, it was the first chapter so I had to set a lot up. Glad you're still hear, and I hope you are mor interested now. Elrond? God? I'm sorry he's coming off that way. I'll do my best to fix that, thank you. Like I said, I'm new to LotR and still haven't read much about the elves, so please bear with me.