I'M SO SORRY I WAS GONE!! FAMILY HECTIC-NESS…FORGIVE ME???!! *holds out post like peace offering* I hope everyone hasn't run away after that huge wait.
*****
Elrond sighed as he lay in bed, trying to sleep. However, he could not stop thinking about Legolas. Elladan had told him how he thought Legolas was going to jump off the balcony, even though Legolas had said he was just sitting. If he was just sitting, why was he leaning forwards and letting go of the rail as if to fall? Elladan had reasoned to him.
Elrond has to agree with his son. Something was dreadfully wrong with the prince of Mirkwood, and he was going to find out what, whether Legolas liked it or not. He stood from his bed, admitting to himself that he would find no sleep this night. He walked to his balcony and looked up to the stars, wishing they could tell him the answers to his questions.
A soft breeze played across his face, and he heard the leaves of the trees rustling with that same breeze, drawing his attention down to them. Elrond watched the limbs of the trees sway gently in the night, as if beckoning to him. His attention was caught by a light streak that was moving quickly between the trees. He focused on it, and realized it was Legolas. He was covered by a dark cloak, but the wind had blown down his hood, and he was now hurrying to pull it back up. He did not know it was already too late. Elrond frowned. Where was Legolas going at this hour of night? Where was he going? Elrond watched as Legolas hurried to the stables, looked both ways, and went in, shutting the doors behind him.
Turning, Elrond dressed and left his room.
*****
Legolas stepped soundlessly into the stables. He glanced around from beneath his cloak. He would be found if he did not take a horse, much as he disliked stealing from the elf lord that had showed him such kindness.
He went past many stalls, glancing in quickly at the horses until he came upon a beautiful whit horse, it's mane and tail practically silver in the moonlight coming through the cracks of the roof. The horse looked to him as he approached, but made no sound. Legolas stroked it's neck softly, and briefly wondered who's horse this was. He brushed that thought away. It didn't matter. Legolas opened the gates to the stable just enough to let him and the horse out. He quickly grabbed a blanket and threw it over the horse's back, and climbed up, gently taking a handful of mane to steady himself.
Legolas dug the heels of his boot gently into the horse's sides, encouraging it to move with small sounds. The horse immediately started forwards, and Legolas directed it towards the gate…to come face to face with Lord Elrond.
Legolas halted the horse, his eyes going wide. //Oh no…// He thought to himself, not knowing what to say.
Elrond sighed as he looked up to Legolas atop the horse. "Where are you going, Legolas?" He asked. Legolas dropped his gaze, embarrassed and not having any reply. "I don't think my son would appreciate you taking his horse without his permission, which, by considering the hour, I'm guessing you don't have."
Legolas sighed and shook his head, climbing down. "No, Lord Elrond, I don't. To be honest, I did not know who's horse this was." He admitted.
Elrond nodded, walking up and gently stroking its mane. "This is Manaseth. She is Elrohir's horse." He smiled. "Beautiful, isn't she?" He asked, trying to make Legolas more comfortable.
Legolas laid a hand atop the horse's neck. "Yes." He said. "That's partly why I chose her."
Elrond nodded. "I understand." He paused. "So…Where were you going, Legolas? Home to Mirkwood, perhaps?" //Please say yes.// He thought.
Legolas looked down to his feet. "No, I was not." He confessed.
Elrond frowned. "Where then?" He pressed. Legolas made no reply, and Elrond sighed, turning to look out the gate into the night life. "You were running away." He said. It was not a question; it was a statement.
Legolas looked up, surprised that Elrond had guessed that, but nodded. "Yes, Lord Elrond." He said.
Elrond turned and gently led Manaseth back into her stall. "Walk with me, Legolas, since it seems that neither of us can sleep." He said, starting out. Legolas wordlessly followed him. "Legolas…Even an elf's life is not long enough to run away from his problems forever."
Legolas looked away into the trees on the edge of the path, running his hand over the bark of one. "Then what does one do when he cannot face them?" He asked.
Elrond was quiet a moment. "He finds his true friends, and they help him through the time when he most needs them." He said. "Why will you not let your father come to you?" He questioned.
Legolas wouldn't look at Elrond no matter how he coaxed. "He would be ashamed of me, and I cannot face that." He whispered.
Elrond froze and turned, grabbing Legolas by the shoulders. "What makes you think that?" He demanded.
Legolas eyes were damp, but he would not allow himself to cry. "Because of something I did…" He would not say anymore.
Elrond's eyes narrowed, but could not get anything else out of Legolas. "Legolas, nothing you have done will make your father love you less." He said with conviction, but Legolas made no reply. Elrond sighed. "Stay tonight at least, Legolas." He suggested, and started back to his chambers, when he turned. "When you are ready to face whatever happens to you, a great burden will be lifted. You will be amazed how much easier life becomes."
Legolas watched him go. He sighed. //I don't know if I can ever face it. It hurts too much.// He admitted to himself as he made his way to his own room. //Remembering Luminal…It was my fault…If I cannot forgive myself, how can anyone else?// He shut the door to his room behind him, and sat cross legged on the bed, facing the balcony. He stared up into the stars, his blue eyes almost seeming to glow. //I should have been the one to die. I don't deserve to live.// He licked his lips,, which suddenly felt very dry as he stared into the beauty of the night. //I can never go home to father. I cannot face the disappointment he would have.//
Legolas sighed and rolled over, lying on his stomach. //Elrond said one night. I will stay that one night. It is the least I can do in exchange for his kindness.// With those thoughts, he fell asleep.
*****
Elrohir frowned as he made his way to his father's council room, where he was getting ready for a meeting with someone from…Rohan, Gondor, someplace, he couldn't remember which. He was meeting with a man, he knew that much.
He opened the door. "Ada?" He asked.
Elrond looked up to see his son in the doorway. "Come in, Elrohir, I still have a few minutes." He said with a smile.
Elrohir nodded and came in. "Ada, was Manaseth ridden that you know of? Her stall door was open, and she was wearing a riding blanket this morning." He said, perplexed.
Elrond nodded. "Yes, Legolas rode her. I hope that is all right." He replied.
Elrohir nodded. "Of course." He turned to go. "Ada…" He was hesitant to bring it up.
Elrond looked up. "Yes, Elrohir?" He asked.
Elrohir blew out his breath quickly between his teeth. "I have not seen Legolas this morning. He did not come to breakfast, and he was not in his chambers…" He admitted.
Elrond nodded. He had noticed that Legolas had disappeared early that morning, but decided to give him his space. If the prince of Mirkwood had decided to leave, he had stayed one night just as he had been asked, and if he was wandering somewhere, he probably needed time to think. "Don't worry about it, Elrohir. Legolas needs time to himself." He assured his son. "Will you take Arwen riding this morning? She asked me too, but I have my meeting. I would like her to at least be able to, and I don't want her to go into the woods alone. I will join you as soon as I am done." Elrohir nodded and left to find his sister and see if his brother wanted to come along.
*****
You guys have been the absolute greatest. I'm REALLY sorry I was gone, but I will try to get back to my post a day promise. Life has been hectic, sorry. Meanwhile, I promise your questions will be answered soon.
*****
Elrond sighed as he lay in bed, trying to sleep. However, he could not stop thinking about Legolas. Elladan had told him how he thought Legolas was going to jump off the balcony, even though Legolas had said he was just sitting. If he was just sitting, why was he leaning forwards and letting go of the rail as if to fall? Elladan had reasoned to him.
Elrond has to agree with his son. Something was dreadfully wrong with the prince of Mirkwood, and he was going to find out what, whether Legolas liked it or not. He stood from his bed, admitting to himself that he would find no sleep this night. He walked to his balcony and looked up to the stars, wishing they could tell him the answers to his questions.
A soft breeze played across his face, and he heard the leaves of the trees rustling with that same breeze, drawing his attention down to them. Elrond watched the limbs of the trees sway gently in the night, as if beckoning to him. His attention was caught by a light streak that was moving quickly between the trees. He focused on it, and realized it was Legolas. He was covered by a dark cloak, but the wind had blown down his hood, and he was now hurrying to pull it back up. He did not know it was already too late. Elrond frowned. Where was Legolas going at this hour of night? Where was he going? Elrond watched as Legolas hurried to the stables, looked both ways, and went in, shutting the doors behind him.
Turning, Elrond dressed and left his room.
*****
Legolas stepped soundlessly into the stables. He glanced around from beneath his cloak. He would be found if he did not take a horse, much as he disliked stealing from the elf lord that had showed him such kindness.
He went past many stalls, glancing in quickly at the horses until he came upon a beautiful whit horse, it's mane and tail practically silver in the moonlight coming through the cracks of the roof. The horse looked to him as he approached, but made no sound. Legolas stroked it's neck softly, and briefly wondered who's horse this was. He brushed that thought away. It didn't matter. Legolas opened the gates to the stable just enough to let him and the horse out. He quickly grabbed a blanket and threw it over the horse's back, and climbed up, gently taking a handful of mane to steady himself.
Legolas dug the heels of his boot gently into the horse's sides, encouraging it to move with small sounds. The horse immediately started forwards, and Legolas directed it towards the gate…to come face to face with Lord Elrond.
Legolas halted the horse, his eyes going wide. //Oh no…// He thought to himself, not knowing what to say.
Elrond sighed as he looked up to Legolas atop the horse. "Where are you going, Legolas?" He asked. Legolas dropped his gaze, embarrassed and not having any reply. "I don't think my son would appreciate you taking his horse without his permission, which, by considering the hour, I'm guessing you don't have."
Legolas sighed and shook his head, climbing down. "No, Lord Elrond, I don't. To be honest, I did not know who's horse this was." He admitted.
Elrond nodded, walking up and gently stroking its mane. "This is Manaseth. She is Elrohir's horse." He smiled. "Beautiful, isn't she?" He asked, trying to make Legolas more comfortable.
Legolas laid a hand atop the horse's neck. "Yes." He said. "That's partly why I chose her."
Elrond nodded. "I understand." He paused. "So…Where were you going, Legolas? Home to Mirkwood, perhaps?" //Please say yes.// He thought.
Legolas looked down to his feet. "No, I was not." He confessed.
Elrond frowned. "Where then?" He pressed. Legolas made no reply, and Elrond sighed, turning to look out the gate into the night life. "You were running away." He said. It was not a question; it was a statement.
Legolas looked up, surprised that Elrond had guessed that, but nodded. "Yes, Lord Elrond." He said.
Elrond turned and gently led Manaseth back into her stall. "Walk with me, Legolas, since it seems that neither of us can sleep." He said, starting out. Legolas wordlessly followed him. "Legolas…Even an elf's life is not long enough to run away from his problems forever."
Legolas looked away into the trees on the edge of the path, running his hand over the bark of one. "Then what does one do when he cannot face them?" He asked.
Elrond was quiet a moment. "He finds his true friends, and they help him through the time when he most needs them." He said. "Why will you not let your father come to you?" He questioned.
Legolas wouldn't look at Elrond no matter how he coaxed. "He would be ashamed of me, and I cannot face that." He whispered.
Elrond froze and turned, grabbing Legolas by the shoulders. "What makes you think that?" He demanded.
Legolas eyes were damp, but he would not allow himself to cry. "Because of something I did…" He would not say anymore.
Elrond's eyes narrowed, but could not get anything else out of Legolas. "Legolas, nothing you have done will make your father love you less." He said with conviction, but Legolas made no reply. Elrond sighed. "Stay tonight at least, Legolas." He suggested, and started back to his chambers, when he turned. "When you are ready to face whatever happens to you, a great burden will be lifted. You will be amazed how much easier life becomes."
Legolas watched him go. He sighed. //I don't know if I can ever face it. It hurts too much.// He admitted to himself as he made his way to his own room. //Remembering Luminal…It was my fault…If I cannot forgive myself, how can anyone else?// He shut the door to his room behind him, and sat cross legged on the bed, facing the balcony. He stared up into the stars, his blue eyes almost seeming to glow. //I should have been the one to die. I don't deserve to live.// He licked his lips,, which suddenly felt very dry as he stared into the beauty of the night. //I can never go home to father. I cannot face the disappointment he would have.//
Legolas sighed and rolled over, lying on his stomach. //Elrond said one night. I will stay that one night. It is the least I can do in exchange for his kindness.// With those thoughts, he fell asleep.
*****
Elrohir frowned as he made his way to his father's council room, where he was getting ready for a meeting with someone from…Rohan, Gondor, someplace, he couldn't remember which. He was meeting with a man, he knew that much.
He opened the door. "Ada?" He asked.
Elrond looked up to see his son in the doorway. "Come in, Elrohir, I still have a few minutes." He said with a smile.
Elrohir nodded and came in. "Ada, was Manaseth ridden that you know of? Her stall door was open, and she was wearing a riding blanket this morning." He said, perplexed.
Elrond nodded. "Yes, Legolas rode her. I hope that is all right." He replied.
Elrohir nodded. "Of course." He turned to go. "Ada…" He was hesitant to bring it up.
Elrond looked up. "Yes, Elrohir?" He asked.
Elrohir blew out his breath quickly between his teeth. "I have not seen Legolas this morning. He did not come to breakfast, and he was not in his chambers…" He admitted.
Elrond nodded. He had noticed that Legolas had disappeared early that morning, but decided to give him his space. If the prince of Mirkwood had decided to leave, he had stayed one night just as he had been asked, and if he was wandering somewhere, he probably needed time to think. "Don't worry about it, Elrohir. Legolas needs time to himself." He assured his son. "Will you take Arwen riding this morning? She asked me too, but I have my meeting. I would like her to at least be able to, and I don't want her to go into the woods alone. I will join you as soon as I am done." Elrohir nodded and left to find his sister and see if his brother wanted to come along.
*****
You guys have been the absolute greatest. I'm REALLY sorry I was gone, but I will try to get back to my post a day promise. Life has been hectic, sorry. Meanwhile, I promise your questions will be answered soon.