Sorry I was gone for so long, I have a horrible case of bronchitis. I'm in codine and all I want to do is sleep/ Sorry. Here is your post, and I finally figured out how to end this story, so there shouldn't be many more delays. Hope you like this post!
*****
For two days Elrond steered clear of Legolas, knowing he had made a massive breakthrough and the elf could bear to go no further. Legolas never emerged from his room, and though he was brought food, he refused to open the door and take it. Elrond silently worried but decided to give him one more day of refusing before he would bound in and force the young elf to eat.
That's what Legolas was. An extremely young elf. Though he had been raised a prince and carried himself as such, in reality he was between his twins and daughter in age. Legolas had been born a few years after his twins, who were not even quite considered adults yet, and they acted much younger. Elrond had never kept specific track of the Mirkwood royal house. His daughter, on the other hand, was very young indeed. Legolas' sister had barely been older than Arwen, but she too acted above her age. Elrond thought it was probably because the princes and princesses of Mirkwood carried much more responsibility than his own children did. There was nothing wrong with that of course, it was just one of their cultural differences. However, it did make the age gaps much more considerable than they were.
Suddenly, it struck Elrond that it was amazing Legolas had survived! At his age, and in those circumstances, holding on showed a very rare quality. The youngest prince of Mirkwood was indeed special.
*****
Legolas watched the clouds above him move along silently in the sky, the wind blowing his blonde hair in all directions. He rarely moved from this spot anymore, and he thought that perhaps he never would. If Lord Elrond was right, and he was fading, than this was the most peaceful death he could imagine. He was in so much emotional pain anymore that death seemed a relief, which was a terrifying thing for an elf.
He shifted slightly and frowned as a thought came to him. He was not ready to die. He had to face his father first. He knew that now. He would have to tell Thranduil in person what had happened to Luma. However, he could not seem to raise the courage.
There was an knock on the door, but Legolas ignored it, as servants were always coming. However, this time, he heard the door open and soft footsteps make their way towards him. Legolas gave an aggravated sigh and pushed himself to his feet, turning to face the intruder.
Arwen blinked innocently up at him, a small smile gracing her features. "Maer aur, Legolas." *Good morning.* She said with a polite bow of her head.
Legolas had planned to demand the person leave, but found that he couldn't when faced with the beautiful young elf before him. "Maer aur, Arwen." He managed to say, frowning.
Arwen smile became bigger. "I brought you something." She said shyly, and handed him a small painting she had been carrying but Legolas had failed to notice.
Legolas took it. The painting was a bright portrait of himself, sitting atop a beautiful white horse that reminded him strongly of Manaseth. While obviously made by a young person, the painting was still wuite good for Arwen's age. The horse was galloping, and his blond hair streamed behind him as he leaned forward, his eyes bright but his face…almost blank. Legolas frowned at that, but looked down to Arwen. "Thank you. It is very beautiful." He said.
Arwen was frowning. "I don't like it." She declared, folding her arms and glowering at the painting.
Legolas looked back down to it, seeing nothing lacking in it. "Why ever not?" He asked in confusion.
Arwen let out a long breath and took a moment before answering. "I wanted you to be happy in the painting, but I couldn't make you look happy." She said.
Legolas' frown became deeper. "Why is that?"
Arwen briefly looked at her feet. "I've never seen you smile, so I could not paint you smiling." She admitted hesitantly.
Legolas started. She was right! This was probably his first visit that Arwen had any memory of, and not once had he smiled. He had never been able to.
Legolas pulled the younger elf to him in a hug. "I am sorry that I made your painting harder, but it is beautiful anyway." He said.
"Thank you." Arwen said, slightly muffled. She obviously didn't believe him.
Legolas felt strange hugging Arwen. It reminded him strongly of his sister. For the first time in weeks, the thought of his sister made him smile, and it surprised him. Suddenly, he realized that he could remember happy times with Luminal rather than the time with the Turs, if he tried. He could think about her without horrible pain.
*****
(Flashback)
Legolas stood in front of his open window, listening to the trees quietly speak to each other. The door behind him opened, but he did not turn around. There were soft footsteps, and suddenly they quickened until he was tackled from behind, thrown out the window along with his attacker.
His attacker gave a yelp, having obviously not expected this to happen, and Legolas identified the person as his younger sister. He wrapped his arms around her to absorb their fall. Fortunately, they did not have far to go, and struck the ground softly, getting nothing worse than scrapes and bruises. When they finally came to a halt, they looked at each other slowly before breaking out in hysterical laughter at the situation. Their faces quickly became red as they gasped for breath, the trees seeming to lean in to watch.
Thranduil came running out of the door, out of breath and looking nothing like a king. He had a worried look, and his hair and clothes were slightly disheveled, his crown at an odd angle. "Are you both all right?" He asked quickly.
Legolas and Luminal looked at each other, and slowly lifted their heads to look at their father before fresh laughter overtook them. Thranduil simply shook his head at them and turned to go inside, passing his oldest son as he went. Kadorin was sure that the king of Mirkwood was grinning.
(Flashback)
*****
Legolas laughed at the memory, drawing back. Arwen was looking up at him in surprise. "Prince Legolas, are you all right?" She asked.
Legolas was grinning when he looked down to her. "You reminded me of something. More importantly, you reminded me to laugh. Thank you." He said.
Arwen looked puzzled, but she nodded. "You're welcome." She said slowly. She took one last look at his grin before breaking out into a smile and turning to leave, almost running.
"Where are you going?" Legolas asked, wondering what was the Rivendell elf's hurry.
Arwen looked back to him, still smiling. "Now I can paint you looking happy!" She said, before disappearing out the door.
Legolas shook his head and sat down on the bed, looking down at the painting. For the first time in a long while, he realized that he was hungry.
*****
Again, sorry it took so long. Review, anyone? :D
*****
For two days Elrond steered clear of Legolas, knowing he had made a massive breakthrough and the elf could bear to go no further. Legolas never emerged from his room, and though he was brought food, he refused to open the door and take it. Elrond silently worried but decided to give him one more day of refusing before he would bound in and force the young elf to eat.
That's what Legolas was. An extremely young elf. Though he had been raised a prince and carried himself as such, in reality he was between his twins and daughter in age. Legolas had been born a few years after his twins, who were not even quite considered adults yet, and they acted much younger. Elrond had never kept specific track of the Mirkwood royal house. His daughter, on the other hand, was very young indeed. Legolas' sister had barely been older than Arwen, but she too acted above her age. Elrond thought it was probably because the princes and princesses of Mirkwood carried much more responsibility than his own children did. There was nothing wrong with that of course, it was just one of their cultural differences. However, it did make the age gaps much more considerable than they were.
Suddenly, it struck Elrond that it was amazing Legolas had survived! At his age, and in those circumstances, holding on showed a very rare quality. The youngest prince of Mirkwood was indeed special.
*****
Legolas watched the clouds above him move along silently in the sky, the wind blowing his blonde hair in all directions. He rarely moved from this spot anymore, and he thought that perhaps he never would. If Lord Elrond was right, and he was fading, than this was the most peaceful death he could imagine. He was in so much emotional pain anymore that death seemed a relief, which was a terrifying thing for an elf.
He shifted slightly and frowned as a thought came to him. He was not ready to die. He had to face his father first. He knew that now. He would have to tell Thranduil in person what had happened to Luma. However, he could not seem to raise the courage.
There was an knock on the door, but Legolas ignored it, as servants were always coming. However, this time, he heard the door open and soft footsteps make their way towards him. Legolas gave an aggravated sigh and pushed himself to his feet, turning to face the intruder.
Arwen blinked innocently up at him, a small smile gracing her features. "Maer aur, Legolas." *Good morning.* She said with a polite bow of her head.
Legolas had planned to demand the person leave, but found that he couldn't when faced with the beautiful young elf before him. "Maer aur, Arwen." He managed to say, frowning.
Arwen smile became bigger. "I brought you something." She said shyly, and handed him a small painting she had been carrying but Legolas had failed to notice.
Legolas took it. The painting was a bright portrait of himself, sitting atop a beautiful white horse that reminded him strongly of Manaseth. While obviously made by a young person, the painting was still wuite good for Arwen's age. The horse was galloping, and his blond hair streamed behind him as he leaned forward, his eyes bright but his face…almost blank. Legolas frowned at that, but looked down to Arwen. "Thank you. It is very beautiful." He said.
Arwen was frowning. "I don't like it." She declared, folding her arms and glowering at the painting.
Legolas looked back down to it, seeing nothing lacking in it. "Why ever not?" He asked in confusion.
Arwen let out a long breath and took a moment before answering. "I wanted you to be happy in the painting, but I couldn't make you look happy." She said.
Legolas' frown became deeper. "Why is that?"
Arwen briefly looked at her feet. "I've never seen you smile, so I could not paint you smiling." She admitted hesitantly.
Legolas started. She was right! This was probably his first visit that Arwen had any memory of, and not once had he smiled. He had never been able to.
Legolas pulled the younger elf to him in a hug. "I am sorry that I made your painting harder, but it is beautiful anyway." He said.
"Thank you." Arwen said, slightly muffled. She obviously didn't believe him.
Legolas felt strange hugging Arwen. It reminded him strongly of his sister. For the first time in weeks, the thought of his sister made him smile, and it surprised him. Suddenly, he realized that he could remember happy times with Luminal rather than the time with the Turs, if he tried. He could think about her without horrible pain.
*****
(Flashback)
Legolas stood in front of his open window, listening to the trees quietly speak to each other. The door behind him opened, but he did not turn around. There were soft footsteps, and suddenly they quickened until he was tackled from behind, thrown out the window along with his attacker.
His attacker gave a yelp, having obviously not expected this to happen, and Legolas identified the person as his younger sister. He wrapped his arms around her to absorb their fall. Fortunately, they did not have far to go, and struck the ground softly, getting nothing worse than scrapes and bruises. When they finally came to a halt, they looked at each other slowly before breaking out in hysterical laughter at the situation. Their faces quickly became red as they gasped for breath, the trees seeming to lean in to watch.
Thranduil came running out of the door, out of breath and looking nothing like a king. He had a worried look, and his hair and clothes were slightly disheveled, his crown at an odd angle. "Are you both all right?" He asked quickly.
Legolas and Luminal looked at each other, and slowly lifted their heads to look at their father before fresh laughter overtook them. Thranduil simply shook his head at them and turned to go inside, passing his oldest son as he went. Kadorin was sure that the king of Mirkwood was grinning.
(Flashback)
*****
Legolas laughed at the memory, drawing back. Arwen was looking up at him in surprise. "Prince Legolas, are you all right?" She asked.
Legolas was grinning when he looked down to her. "You reminded me of something. More importantly, you reminded me to laugh. Thank you." He said.
Arwen looked puzzled, but she nodded. "You're welcome." She said slowly. She took one last look at his grin before breaking out into a smile and turning to leave, almost running.
"Where are you going?" Legolas asked, wondering what was the Rivendell elf's hurry.
Arwen looked back to him, still smiling. "Now I can paint you looking happy!" She said, before disappearing out the door.
Legolas shook his head and sat down on the bed, looking down at the painting. For the first time in a long while, he realized that he was hungry.
*****
Again, sorry it took so long. Review, anyone? :D