Chapter 14:
The Beginning of Healing

Arminas woke up to find himself laying in his own bed. Was that just a dream? He blinked, clearing his eyes, as he thought. It occurred to him, suddenly, that something was missing. Something that had been with him a long time…

His whole body convulsed when he realized what it was. That dark presence that had lurked in the back of his mind for the longest time (or so it seemed), was gone. Not a shadow of it remained.

He sat up now, relieved when it didn't result in renewed pain to his head. The door to his room opened, and he turned, expecting to see the King and his guests. It was Legolas. The elfling was holding a piece of paper in his hands.

There were guards outside the door, but strangely enough, they didn't seem worried about leaving the prince alone in the room with him as he closed the door.

"Ada said that you went to sleep in the council room 'cause you didn't feel good." Legolas said, scrambling onto the bed. Arminas repressed the urge to laugh. Didn't feel good? That was certainly an understatement.

"Do you feel better now?" The elfling asked, looking up at him with those big eyes.

"Yes, I do." The councilor answered, smiling fondly.

"I drew a picture for you. Ada said it would make you feel better." He presented him with a very colorful piece of parchment. On it was a drawing of three people. One of them was the elfling himself, standing between what looked to be his father (a brown squiggle in his hand must be his staff) and another adult.

"That's you. You got a book." Legolas pointed to the other adult, who held a smaller, purple scrawl in one of its 'hands.' Arminas smiled wider. Tathar had made countless pictures, which he had presented to him mother and father, along with any other adult he knew. The picture was completed with a green line to symbolize the ground, a blue line to represent the sky, and a lopsided sun with yellow sticks poking out of it.

"Thank you, Legolas." Arminas said, truly touched.

"You're welcome. Ada said to go to the…" He trailed off, thinking hard. "He said to go to the… something when you feel better."

"The throne room?"

"No…"

"The Council Chamber?"

"No… Oh! He said to go to his room!" Legolas looked very proud of himself for managing to deliver the message.

"Alright. Thank you." He got up and looked down at himself. He was wearing the same clothes he had been wearing before, and they were wrinkled. His hair one tangled mess, and when he looked in the mirror, he saw that he still had circles under his eyes.

It was an informal meeting if it was going to take place in the King's chambers, and after his… performance in the council chamber, he didn't think that they would care how he looked. And he just didn't feel like changing, nor did he care at the moment who saw him like this.

"I'm 'spost to take you there so you don't fall asleep again." That said, he grabbed the councilor's hand and proceeded to lead him to the King's chamber, for all the world as if he didn't know the way himself. Arminas wasn't complaining.

King Thranduil smothered a laugh at the sight in the doorway. Arminas, far from looking his best, was being led by the hand into the room by Legolas, who looked very pleased with himself.

"He didn't fall asleep again." The elfling announced importantly.

"Thank you, Legolas." Elrond said, seeing as Thranduil could hardly keep from laughing, much less talk. "Why don't you go see if Elladan and Elrohir are up to something?" He suggested.

The councilor sat down on a comfortable chair as Legolas exited, closing the door behind him.

"So it isn't… permanent." Arminas said, his heart sinking.

"Not at the moment. It will take time, but as long as you stay away from that tower and the necromancer, you should have nothing to fear." Thranduil said. Arminas laughed bitterly.

"There is nothing you could do that would convince me to go near it." He said, rubbing at his eyes for the umpteenth time.

"Aside from the name, do you know anything else about the necromancer?" Elrond asked.

"He is planning to overthrow Mirkwood, using spiders and orcs. Though, I think his ultimate goal goes beyond Mirkwood." He suddenly remembered something. "Where is Mithrandir?"

"He… has chosen to inspect this tower for himself. Lord Celeborn has gone to inform the White Council." Elrond said.

"I hope the wizard knows what he's doing." The councilor murmured with a shudder.

A/N: Finally! The story is getting somewhere! Also, when I have finished writing this story, I will write small explanations for some of the characters and why they acted the way they did. This is in response to some very good questions that were put forward.