Authors notes: - Thank you to my reviewers for their kind words. I hope you enjoy this chapter and again any comments would be greatly appreciated.
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The rat paused in its rummaging and raised its nose, sniffing the air. It sensed there were creatures near that were not of its own kind. Frightened it bolted for the safety of its hole and watched cautiously the approach of the two creatures.
Legolas marched ahead of his brother, moving with confidence despite the fact he had no idea where he was going or what specifically he was looking for. He had told Azian that it was their salvation but he doubted it, he had only said it to try and instil some confidence in his brother. From what he had overheard his father saying the relic produced unpredictable power at best, dangerous at worst, that was why it had been hidden. Millennia ago it had been used to prevent the downfall of Mirkwood by an advisor who thought he knew better than Thranduil. The advisor died in what can only be called horrible circumstances as soon as he touched it. Thranduil had ordered it to be hidden but he had not seen a ten year old Legolas watching through the crack in the door. If he could harness its power then he could make a difference. If it killed him then so be it, he cared not either way.
"Legolas?" A voice called. He turned to face his brother who was regarding him with a strange expression.
"What?" he demanded impatiently.
"I thought you said you did not know what this 'salvation' is?" Azian questioned as he stumbled to a halt, the exhaustion and pain of his wounds overshadowing his usual elven grace.
"I do not." Legolas stated looking past his brother to the corridor behind, as if worried that they were being pursued.
"And you do not know where it is?"
"No...I have told you this already. What is your point?" he demanded a touch of irritation entering his voice.
Azian frowned. "My point is that you seem to know exactly where to go! These cellars and tunnels are a maze; even the most well travelled in this area take a wrong turning every so often. We have not doubled back and you have never paused as if the direction of the next turn eludes you."
Legolas shrugged his shoulders and began walking again. Azian was not to be dismissed and he hurried after his brother, moving in front of his and forcing him to stop.
"That is not a good enough answer. How did you come by the knowledge of this 'salvation' again?" Before Legolas could respond Azian continued. "Ah yes you overheard father speaking about it! How old were you?"
Legolas stepped backwards in an attempt to distance himself from his brother. Azian moved forward refusing to let Legolas worm his way out of answering.
"What does it matter?" Legolas demanded.
"It matters a lot. Our father and brother, your friends, are hostages of Sauron." Azian watched as Legolas winced at the mention of the Dark Lord's name. He continued. "I will not wonder this wretched place hoping to come across some relic of the past!"
"It will save us!" Legolas snapped. "And you do not have to remind me of the dire situation we are all in."
"If that is so answer my question. How old were you?"
"Ten!" Legolas shouted. "I was ten years old. Happy now!" Legolas shoved past Azian who stumbled into the walls, clutching them for support he turned to face his brother, who was again walking away from him.
"Do not turn your back on me!" Azian shouted angrily. Legolas paused.
"Ten years old! How, by the Valor, do you even remember that? If it meant nothing to you at the time, how come you suddenly remember it very accurately? And if you have known about it for so long how come this is the first time you have ever mentioned it? Surely it would have been more helpful before this disaster impacted so deeply that we have little chance of recovering?"
Legolas turned, a furious look marring his pale features. "Why do I have to justify myself to you?" he snarled. "I am your brother you should take me at my word."
Azian shook his head slightly. "Once I did just that but not anymore." Azian winced at the harshness of the words but they had been uttered and he could not take them back. It was the truth and as it is said, the truth hurts. Legolas was different and they had been deceived by Sauron before. As much as it pained him to admit it he did not trust his brother like he used to. Granted he loved him and nothing would ever change that, but the situation was too serious and precarious now to allow the reliance upon Legolas's word.
Legolas's face held a mixture of betrayal, hurt and anger. "Fine do not come with me then. Go on...leave!" he said angrily and gestured back the way they had come.
"I am not going to leave you but I want you to answer my questions." Azian said once more approaching his brother.
"The reason I did not mention it before to prevent Sauron from gaining any knowledge of it. There is that what you needed to hear?"
"What about before Sauron? You were not captured instantly. You saw the size of the army; you were fighting in the first attacks, why did you not mention it then?"
Legolas's face darkened again.
"Is this an interrogation? Do you want me to break down and tell you everything I know? Do you want me to bare my soul to you? What do you want of me?!" he cried out.
Azian sighed as weariness swept over him.
"I just want you to consider the possibility that maybe this is not your memory at all. That maybe Sauron has planted this false memory in your mind to discover this weapon and gain control of it."
"Consider the possibility?!" Legolas said outraged. "You mean to say that Sauron has sent me back to discover this relic and as soon as I have it I will bring it to him. You think I will betray you again! All of you do!" Legolas screamed his frustration and thumped the wall, hard.
"Look at this from my point of you. You are freed and suddenly you remember a 'salvation' that will save us, never before mentioning it and no one else but our father who is not with us knows of its existence..." Azian faded off as Legolas slumped to the floor, tears of both frustration and angst trailing shimmering lines down his face.
"Do you want to know how I remember that day so well?" He whispered. Azian nodded and joined him on the ground.
"It was the day nana was killed." Azian gasped.
"What?"
"I remember everything about that day, everything I did because I felt...I feel that I could have done something. I remember playing warriors with Jaron and Tirnith in the gardens. I remember starting a food fight over breakfast that caused both nana and ada to yell at us. I remember everything because while I was playing orcs slaughtered my mother and the guilt of that will stay with me for eternity." Legolas whispered.
"You were ten Legolas. You could have done nothing."
"I know that but then neither could you because you were in Rivendell, or Kahari because he was on patrol many miles away or even Aeolian who was stabbed six times and was unconscious, yet we all blame ourselves." Legolas faltered and neither he nor Azian could speak for a minute.
"I was walking along the corridor outside ada's office." Legolas said suddenly. "I heard him talking and I couldn't help it. I wanted to know why he was working when Aeolian was gravely injured and I so wanted him. I heard him tell two guards to hide the relic because it was dangerous and should never be used again. I was so angry; that I didn't really grasp the significance of the conversation until recently. Being trapped in your own mind allows a lot of time for thought." Legolas said with a wry smile. "I was so angry at him for being able to do anything but think of nana...that's why I remember it."
Azian rubbed Legolas's arm soothingly.
"If it is dangerous and killed that advisor how do we know it will not do the same with us?"
"I don't. That is why you are not coming with me."
"What? Of course I am coming with you." Azian stated.
"If it is dangerous then I want to be the only one in danger. I do not fear death, after what I have been through I would welcome it."
"Do not speak like that Legolas! I do not fear death either."
Legolas smiled slightly. "But I fear death for you." Quicker than Azian could follow Legolas punched him. It wasn't hard but in Azian's weakened state it knocked the elf unconscious.
"Sorry." He said laying Azian down gently. "But I do not trust you not to stop me."
Legolas got up and left, following the route that his mind gave him.
OOOO
OOOO
The rat paused in its rummaging and raised its nose, sniffing the air. It sensed there were creatures near that were not of its own kind. Frightened it bolted for the safety of its hole and watched cautiously the approach of the two creatures.
Legolas marched ahead of his brother, moving with confidence despite the fact he had no idea where he was going or what specifically he was looking for. He had told Azian that it was their salvation but he doubted it, he had only said it to try and instil some confidence in his brother. From what he had overheard his father saying the relic produced unpredictable power at best, dangerous at worst, that was why it had been hidden. Millennia ago it had been used to prevent the downfall of Mirkwood by an advisor who thought he knew better than Thranduil. The advisor died in what can only be called horrible circumstances as soon as he touched it. Thranduil had ordered it to be hidden but he had not seen a ten year old Legolas watching through the crack in the door. If he could harness its power then he could make a difference. If it killed him then so be it, he cared not either way.
"Legolas?" A voice called. He turned to face his brother who was regarding him with a strange expression.
"What?" he demanded impatiently.
"I thought you said you did not know what this 'salvation' is?" Azian questioned as he stumbled to a halt, the exhaustion and pain of his wounds overshadowing his usual elven grace.
"I do not." Legolas stated looking past his brother to the corridor behind, as if worried that they were being pursued.
"And you do not know where it is?"
"No...I have told you this already. What is your point?" he demanded a touch of irritation entering his voice.
Azian frowned. "My point is that you seem to know exactly where to go! These cellars and tunnels are a maze; even the most well travelled in this area take a wrong turning every so often. We have not doubled back and you have never paused as if the direction of the next turn eludes you."
Legolas shrugged his shoulders and began walking again. Azian was not to be dismissed and he hurried after his brother, moving in front of his and forcing him to stop.
"That is not a good enough answer. How did you come by the knowledge of this 'salvation' again?" Before Legolas could respond Azian continued. "Ah yes you overheard father speaking about it! How old were you?"
Legolas stepped backwards in an attempt to distance himself from his brother. Azian moved forward refusing to let Legolas worm his way out of answering.
"What does it matter?" Legolas demanded.
"It matters a lot. Our father and brother, your friends, are hostages of Sauron." Azian watched as Legolas winced at the mention of the Dark Lord's name. He continued. "I will not wonder this wretched place hoping to come across some relic of the past!"
"It will save us!" Legolas snapped. "And you do not have to remind me of the dire situation we are all in."
"If that is so answer my question. How old were you?"
"Ten!" Legolas shouted. "I was ten years old. Happy now!" Legolas shoved past Azian who stumbled into the walls, clutching them for support he turned to face his brother, who was again walking away from him.
"Do not turn your back on me!" Azian shouted angrily. Legolas paused.
"Ten years old! How, by the Valor, do you even remember that? If it meant nothing to you at the time, how come you suddenly remember it very accurately? And if you have known about it for so long how come this is the first time you have ever mentioned it? Surely it would have been more helpful before this disaster impacted so deeply that we have little chance of recovering?"
Legolas turned, a furious look marring his pale features. "Why do I have to justify myself to you?" he snarled. "I am your brother you should take me at my word."
Azian shook his head slightly. "Once I did just that but not anymore." Azian winced at the harshness of the words but they had been uttered and he could not take them back. It was the truth and as it is said, the truth hurts. Legolas was different and they had been deceived by Sauron before. As much as it pained him to admit it he did not trust his brother like he used to. Granted he loved him and nothing would ever change that, but the situation was too serious and precarious now to allow the reliance upon Legolas's word.
Legolas's face held a mixture of betrayal, hurt and anger. "Fine do not come with me then. Go on...leave!" he said angrily and gestured back the way they had come.
"I am not going to leave you but I want you to answer my questions." Azian said once more approaching his brother.
"The reason I did not mention it before to prevent Sauron from gaining any knowledge of it. There is that what you needed to hear?"
"What about before Sauron? You were not captured instantly. You saw the size of the army; you were fighting in the first attacks, why did you not mention it then?"
Legolas's face darkened again.
"Is this an interrogation? Do you want me to break down and tell you everything I know? Do you want me to bare my soul to you? What do you want of me?!" he cried out.
Azian sighed as weariness swept over him.
"I just want you to consider the possibility that maybe this is not your memory at all. That maybe Sauron has planted this false memory in your mind to discover this weapon and gain control of it."
"Consider the possibility?!" Legolas said outraged. "You mean to say that Sauron has sent me back to discover this relic and as soon as I have it I will bring it to him. You think I will betray you again! All of you do!" Legolas screamed his frustration and thumped the wall, hard.
"Look at this from my point of you. You are freed and suddenly you remember a 'salvation' that will save us, never before mentioning it and no one else but our father who is not with us knows of its existence..." Azian faded off as Legolas slumped to the floor, tears of both frustration and angst trailing shimmering lines down his face.
"Do you want to know how I remember that day so well?" He whispered. Azian nodded and joined him on the ground.
"It was the day nana was killed." Azian gasped.
"What?"
"I remember everything about that day, everything I did because I felt...I feel that I could have done something. I remember playing warriors with Jaron and Tirnith in the gardens. I remember starting a food fight over breakfast that caused both nana and ada to yell at us. I remember everything because while I was playing orcs slaughtered my mother and the guilt of that will stay with me for eternity." Legolas whispered.
"You were ten Legolas. You could have done nothing."
"I know that but then neither could you because you were in Rivendell, or Kahari because he was on patrol many miles away or even Aeolian who was stabbed six times and was unconscious, yet we all blame ourselves." Legolas faltered and neither he nor Azian could speak for a minute.
"I was walking along the corridor outside ada's office." Legolas said suddenly. "I heard him talking and I couldn't help it. I wanted to know why he was working when Aeolian was gravely injured and I so wanted him. I heard him tell two guards to hide the relic because it was dangerous and should never be used again. I was so angry; that I didn't really grasp the significance of the conversation until recently. Being trapped in your own mind allows a lot of time for thought." Legolas said with a wry smile. "I was so angry at him for being able to do anything but think of nana...that's why I remember it."
Azian rubbed Legolas's arm soothingly.
"If it is dangerous and killed that advisor how do we know it will not do the same with us?"
"I don't. That is why you are not coming with me."
"What? Of course I am coming with you." Azian stated.
"If it is dangerous then I want to be the only one in danger. I do not fear death, after what I have been through I would welcome it."
"Do not speak like that Legolas! I do not fear death either."
Legolas smiled slightly. "But I fear death for you." Quicker than Azian could follow Legolas punched him. It wasn't hard but in Azian's weakened state it knocked the elf unconscious.
"Sorry." He said laying Azian down gently. "But I do not trust you not to stop me."
Legolas got up and left, following the route that his mind gave him.
OOOO
