Cale au Aratar 18
A week had passed since their little Greenleaf had last opened his eyes, had last reacted to their voices, their touch, their mere presence. No matter how much Luimîr hoped that his sisters son would survive – or even wake up for a last time – he knew that it would not happen. Only a day after Lord Elrond had left had they been forced to give Legolas the antidote to Sereg-Nen as it was only doing for what it was created for: driving the blood out of its victim, yet while Legolas was slowly bleeding to death Morgoths Tears remained in his body.
It had been gut-wrenching to see the acceptance in his nephews eyes as he had given him the antidote, the acceptance of his own impending death. One of the first impressions he had of Legolas were his eyes, startling blue, even moments after he was born. His eyes had always been sparkling and full of life, even while grieving. Not now though, when he had told him that he would have to give him the antidote to Sereg-Nen his nephews eyes had been dull and lifeless, the only emotions he was able to discern were acceptance and regret – but also love. Not once in all those years since his nephew had drawn his first breath had he seen him defeated, not when Celebrimbor or later his grandfather and mother and sister had been killed or his grandmother had faded out of grief.
He had been with Legolas when he found the mortally wounded man, he had seen the pain in his sisters sons eyes but behind the pain he had still be able to see determination and love. Never had he seen those sea-blue eyes loose their spark and the fact that they had done so now told him more than anything that Legolas would die if not a miracle happened.
Why was it that almost everytime Legolas loved someone he was the one that got hurt? Thranduil was not the only one who saw with worry that Legolas befriended so many mortals, knowing that he himself would be the one that would be hurt in the end, that he would be the one who would see every single of them die... A sad smile flickered through Luimîrs grey eyes at that thought. No, it would not be Legolas who had to watch his friends die, not this time. This time they would have to watch him die, watch him at first slowly than ever faster fading.
He knew that it was partly Aragorns fault that the first born of his sister was fading but he could not blame the young king for this for everytime he looked into the mans eyes he saw the pain and guilt the man felt. No, he could not put the blame on someone who felt so clearly remorse for whatever it was that had caused the breaking of Legolas heart. How could he blame him, who had in the eyes of the Eldar barely passed his coming of age? Of course you couldn't count the years of the edain in elvish terms – but than Aragorn had grown up among their people and was himself of the blood of the Numenorians and aged therefor different than the "normal" mortal...
On the first evening after they had arrived in Minas Tirith Legolas had told them of Lady Eowyns shock at hearing Aragorns true age, in the eyes of the mortal the king of Gondor was old – yet in the eyes of the First Born he would forever remain a child. So how could he blame a child for a mistake however fatal that mistake turned out to be? It was so easy to break the fragile heart of an Eldar, much more easy than most would think, one wrong word, one wrong gesture from the right person... No matter how much Elrond and everyone else may have taught the son of Arathron he was sure that no-one taught him how easily killed the Eldar really were. Few outside of their race were aware of that piece of information, Saruman had been one of them.
Whatever it was that Aragorn had therefor done or said had not had the intention to kill Legolas behind it, hurt – maybe but certainly not kill. As much as he wanted to interfere in whatever had happened between his nephew and his friend he knew that he would only destroy whatever chance his sisters son still had to survive.
With an inaudible sight Luimîr trained his eyes on the still form of his nephew and prince, marvelling how cruel fate was to take his life now that he was finally able to fulfil his destiny – and follow his love. He had been one of the few who were opposed to the betroths idea to postpone their marriage till a later time when it would be safe to be known at the Cale au Aratar. By no way was he a seer but he had felt that it would take a long time before it would become safe if at all. When his sister and niece had been slain by Orcs he had feared that he would loose also his sisters husband and her son. Surprising them all Legolas had saved his father and therefor himself from fading when Thranduils heart broke.
He himself was one of the few who knew how the crown prince had saved the king and if he hadn't been there when it happened he would have never believed that their soft-spoken prince would dare such a move. Everyone who knew Legolas since his childhood or had heard of his first encounter with Erenion knew that he was anything but mild-tempered but no one would have thought that anyone would do what Legolas did after he recovered the mangled bodies of his mother and sister.
When he had brought their bodies back to the palace Thranduil had wished to sees his wife and daughter for a last time but Legolas who knew in what state their corpses were threatened his father to take his own life if he would go to see them. No one who had seen or heard Legolas while he spoke those words doubted that he would carry through with the threat and Thranduil relented to his sons wish.
A week after they had been found the queen and princess were buried and Thranduil was fading at such a rate that the council was already discussing his burial thinking that nothing could bring their king back to them. Yet none of them had counted on the stubbornness of their prince, even after his display a week earlier they still thought of him as their fragile prince who could be felled by the slightest storm. Even though he had still been alive Thranduil had no longer had had the strength to leave his bed, ordering his advisors to seek either his son or come to him. It had been while he himself as well as several of Thranduils advisors had been present that Legolas had entered the room, for once clad in a silver robe that would have let him seem even more fragile than normal if it hadn't been for one of his fighting knives that he carried in his right hand.
All of them had feared what would happen, none of them willing to fight against their prince should he raise the weapon against one of them or even his father the king. But none of that had happened instead Legolas had calmly placed the handle of the knife into his fathers hand and had told him to kill him for he would surly die if he would also loose his father so soon after he had lost not only his grandfather and so many friends at Orodruin but also his mother and sister and that it would be kinder of Thranduil to kill him with a blade than to break his heart with his passing.
Four days later Thranduil had again held court in his throne room for the first time after his wife's and daughters passing.
Now Luimîr was wishing that someone would do the same to Legolas, even though his nephew had confessed to him that he sometimes wished that he had allowed his father to pass as it would have been kinder to him than to force him to live the rest of his life with the pain and anguish a broken heart brought to him.
Hearing soft footsteps Luimîr turned his head slightly to the side to be able to better discern who of Legolas friends was nearing the door and was startled to realise that it were Lady Eowyns steps he was hearing. During the whole time they had been in Minas Tirith she had visited Legolas only once and even that had been a rather brief visit – so why was she coming to see him now that he was no longer conscious? Before he could marvel further he heard a light knock on the door and motioned to the other guards that he would answer the door.
Without a question he let her enter the room and watched carefully as she walked over to the bed on which Legolas lay. For moments her steps faltered before she visibly pulled together and stepped to a vacant chair at Althilwens side were she sat down. Anxious he watched as Lady Eowyn reached hesitantly a hand out and clasped one of Althilwens into it, the one that was not holding Legolas'. Startled out of her thoughts Althilwen looked for the first time in hours up to see who was squeezing her hand and surprise flickered for seconds over her face as she recognised the Shieldmaiden of Rohan.
"Prince Legolas was the first of your race that ever ventured into Meduseld, we were all in awe of him when he came, accompanying Lord Aragorn and Gandalf and Master Gimli and we didn't even know that he was a prince of your people.
None of us had ever met one of the First Born and all we had heard were that you were faire beyond imagination and possessed magic to ensnare every other race. As children we had all heard tales of the Elven Witch in the north... and there came an Elf who was willing to fight for us. Never had we seen someone who fought with such grace and ease..."
In the moments of silence Luimîr marvelled the courage of Lady Eowyn to call Lady Galadriel an Elven Witch in not only the presence of several of the best trained Elven warriors but also her daughter. He knew that he was not the only one who had those thoughts as all of his fellow guards as well as Thranduil were watching the Lady of Rohan even more carefully after her words but the Lady seemed to pay their glances no heed and continued in the same quiet voice she had used earlier.
"On our way to Helms Deep he took me aside while we were resting, we had barely met two days ago, and told me that I should not loose my heart to Lord Aragorn as it would bring me only pain. I did not listen to him and tried to pursuit the king further, he warned me a second time after the battle at Helms Deep was won with the help of your people. We only learned who he really was when one of your warriors called him Prince Legolas shortly before the battle, he was known to us only as Legolas of the Woodland Realm.
I did not see the battle for myself as I was banned with the other women and children to the caves of the Deep but every warrior of Rohan spoke of the skill and daring of your people. Since the war is over I have often wondered about something, I was there when your people arrived at the Deep and even though Lord Aragorn and Master Gimli were surprised to see them Prince Legolas was not. He knew that they were coming, he had known even before we reached Helms Deep yet I can not understand how he knew.
So many of your people fell that day, warriors who came to defend the people of Rohan who had feared them only days ago... They sacrificed their life so that we could live and to learn now that the prince was wounded in the same battle, a battle that was not his to fight but that he fought so that others had a chance to live."
Once again Eowyn fell silent and all present elves wondered why she was telling them all these things as it was clear that she did not know Legolas that long or well.
"My mother died of a broken heart after my father was slain, I was still a child when she died and we were send to live with our Uncle King Theoden but I still remember what she taught me before she died: to always fight for what we believe in and if it is only the right to chose whom to love.
Milady, the prince was not felled by the wound he received in Helms Deep and I will not believe that he will be defeated because of words spoken in despair. As long as we don't give up fighting for him he WILL survive, the people of Rohan have survived Sarumans army because your people brought us hope, allow us to return it and give to you now the hope that you need."
Not waiting for an answer Eowyn squeezed Althilwens hand before she stood swiftly up and left the room, leaving its occupants in wonder at what she had said. For the first time since her betrothed had fallen unconscious Althilwen smiled. In the short time she had spend in Minas Tirith she had already met more mortals than during her whole life and she finally saw why Legolas was so fascinated by them, even though they had such short life's compared to their own immortality they possessed a wisdom that could equal their own as the White Lady of Rohan had just shown her.
Legolas had once said to her that the edain and the other mortal races were races who took action, something their own races had in most cases no necessity for, they had eternity to complete their life while the edain had only a few years. Lady Eowyn had opened her eyes to the reasoning of her brother in law who opened his Realm and his house to mortals of any race, she had always believed it to be merely for sentimental reasons as his grandfather had been an edain and his own twin-brother had chosen mortality over an eternal life but now she understood that living with mortals brought also humility and a different respect for the gift their immortality really was.
With a small smile playing around her lips Eowyn left the bedroom of Prince Legolas, she had succeeded in what she set out to do. She still remembered the day she had first seen Legolas – as well as Aragorn and Gimli; how could she ever forget the day her beloved cousin Theodred died and her Uncle was freed from Sarumans grasp and she no longer had to fear Grimas advances?
She had just run out of the hall of Meduseld when she had first seen the four riders, Gandalf she had recognised as once but the others had been strangers to her. One of the riders had raised his head and had looked in her direction only to look away moments later but as soon as the first looked away the second had looked directly at her and even though she was sure that it could not happen she felt as if he looked directly into her soul. Under that intense stare she did the only thing she could, she fled. When she later learned that he was an elf she had been torn between anger, fascination and awe. Anger at how exposed and useless he made her feel, fascination with his race and beauty and awe at his skills.
Till their first rest on their way to Helms Deep she had heard him speak only once in a language she did not understand. Shortly after she had learned Aragorns age he had sought her out – even eating some of her Stew – and told her in no uncertain terms, though all the while friendly and polite, that she should not pursue Aragorn for it would bring her only pain. She had been furious at his audacity and had walked next to Aragorn when they started again and had asked him about the necklace he was wearing that certainly belonged to a Lady. As Aragorn had told her that the Lady would be sailing West with her people she had barely been able to suppress an exclamation of triumph yet her moment of elation had vanished as she saw that Legolas had turned around to them before walking to the very beginning of their treck.
It was only when she was confined to the caves that she was thinking of him in other ways that furious. Only hours ago had she learned that he was a prince to his people and had wandered why she had not fallen for him instead of Aragorn: he was handsome and would stay so, he was a excellent warrior from what she had seen till then, he was polite and friendly, he was a prince... but he was not of the race of man.
He intimidated her with his mere presence and when he spoke to her she felt as if she was once again a child – in a way she still did around all those elves that were currently residing in Minas Tirith but seeing them all so worried made them somewhat more...human.
That night beneath the Deep she had had time to marvel about that handsome warrior, no prince, she had heard and seen earlier that evening the argument between Aragorn and Legolas and even though she had understood only the last sentence she had immediately known that it was not something she wished to hear or worse understand. The moment Aragorn had spoke that sentence she had seen an emotion flicker through the elf's eyes so fast that it had taken her till her stay in the halls of healing there in Minas Tirith to recognise what she had seen: raw anguish. Looking back now she knew that that had been the moment prince Legolas heart had broken.
Somehow she knew that she could not help him directly but at least she could try to make Aragorn see what he had done, she owed at least that to the Elven prince as well as Aragorn.
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
I have update my bio – there is also a hint how this story will continue as well as my other stories!