:sigh: im starting to sound a bit like a broken record, aren't I? Sorry again for the long wait…no excuses…I'm just a loser…forgive me?
Happy reading! Please review, I really appreciate every single one of them J
Chapter 16
Childish cries of glee welcomed Mordoe home as he entered his family's small but warm cottage located on an utterly non-descript and well-hidden strip of land in the English countryside. His wife looked up from her ancient wood burning stove and with a warm, loving smile announced to the three small boys wrestling on the floor, "Papa's home!"
To his great pleasure, Mordoe was instantly bombarded by warm, clean smelling bodies. One son on his shoulders, one wrapped around his middle and the little third child clinging tightly to his right leg, Mordoe shuffled over to his wife.
"You took too long," murmured the wife between kisses.
"Forgive me," he replied, his sons beginning to search for the gifts they knew were hidden in their father's heavy black cloak.
"Are you going to tell me what was so important that it detained you from returning to your family?" asked his wife, feigning anger. She was, after all, the wife of an Elessa and as such knew that her beloved husband had many important obligations. She moved to dish her stew into well worn bowls, awaiting her husband's answer.
His eyes on his sons, who had found their assorted trinkets and were cavorting about on the floor, Mordoe said to his wife, "Well, I happened to meet with an old friend."
Her interest captured at the sly tone in her husband's strong voice, Marie stopped her bustling and turned a long probing look on her husband.
After having been married for ten years, Murdoe easily recognized this particular facial expression to mean 'I know you have something up your sleeve and I want to know what it is.' As usual, his response was to laugh and, drawing the attention of his sons, announced that the family would be having a visitor for a few nights.
This announcement, of course, sent the three young boys into raptures (though the smallest didn't quite understand what a 'visitor' was).
"A visitor?" inquired Marie anxiously over the clamor of their sons. "Who is it? Where is this visitor? Do you think it's safe?"
"Questions, questions!" laughed Mordoe as he embraced his worried wife! "I assure you, my darling, that this particular visitor is nothing but safe."
"But Mordoe," continued Marie in a hushed voice, with a quick glance at her sons, "Are you sure he can be trusted? You-know-who has so many spies…"
Marie's worrying was interrupted by two loud thumps on the door. Darion, the middle boy, ran to the door and, using all of his small boy strength, swung it open before his parents could say a word of reprimand.
"Legolas!" cried Darion and his older brother, throwing themselves at the snow covered elf with as much energy and excitement as they had shown their father. Laughing musically, the long lived elf scooped up the little mortals with the strong arms of an archer. He twirled them about gracefully until they were sufficiently dizzy while the boys' parents happily watched the antics of the three. The smallest boy, this being his first encounter with such a strange creature in the short expanse of his life, was not sure whether he should be frightened or excited so he clung tightly to his mother's long robe and watched the goings-on with a wary eye.
"Enough, enough!" cried Marie with bubbling laughter (the elf always did have such an effect on the poor woman). "You shall make them sick!" she continued as she deftly lifted her sons out of the prince's arms and onto the slick wooden floor. The adults watched as the two stumbled about laughing until finally falling not so gently onto their small rumps. Marie, who like so many others was greatly enamored of the elf prince, turned and enfolded Legolas in a tight embrace, which he accepted with pleasure.
"Oh, dear me, I'm so pleasantly surprised!" she babbled as she removed him of his damp cloak and pushed him into a warm chair by the fire.
Mordoe chuckled to himself as he watched his family fawn over his old friend. Even his youngest son was inching his way toward the elf. It was always the same when the elf blew into their lives. Marie would busy about trying to feed him everything in the house, as would any good matronly witch, while simultaneously bestowing upon him looks of utter adulation. Of course, the boys would clamor and wrestle and beg for stories, just as he and his siblings had when he was a child, and would argue that they should be allowed to stay up much later than normal for Legolas' visits were special occasions indeed. Naturally, all of their wishes would be granted for Legolas' visits were indeed too few and far between.
Several hours into the night, after everyone had been fed and the children put into their bed clothes, the lady of the house glanced at the clock and gasped at how long the hour had grown. "Alright, now," announced Marie firmly, hands on her hips and a no-nonsense gleam in her eyes, "That's quite enough for one night. It is far past your bed time's children." Her proclamation was met by looks of pure horror from her three children, all of whom were either sitting nearby the elf or upon him directly.
"No, mama, we can't!" cried Darion, voicing the opinions of his brothers as well as his own. "Legolas has only told us 3 stories tonight," he continued, holding up three small fingers to further prove his point.
Legolas and Mordoe chuckled at the obvious indignation in such a small boy's voice and drawing the attention of the children, Legolas said, "Little ones I have stories enough to last lifetimes of men. Does not the proposition of sleep seem more inviting when you know that yet hours more of tales await your waking?"
By the looks on the boys' faces, Legolas doubted that his little speech had very much impressed them. Turning his gaze to their mother, who had now begun to tap her foot impatiently, the prince smiled in his most charming fashion and in a rich, musical voice said, "Yet, perhaps we might convince your mother that as one last, very small story would not keep small boys up much later and would certainly send them too sleep much more happily than had they not been given one, such a story could not be at all detrimental. Such an intelligent woman could not possibly deny the legitimacy of such logic, I am sure." This statement, of course, sent the three children flying to their mother begging for that one last, very small story and though she tried very desperately not to smile at the cheeky elf and her young sons, Marie knew that she was hopelessly outnumbered, outwitted and out charmed.
Throwing her arms up in exasperation, Marie said, "Very well, very well! One last story! But you must ask your father first." Mordoe merely laughed as his children quickly rushed at him, instantly peppering his face with sloppy kisses and, of course, he gave in directly. Cries of victory ringing throughout the house, the three Elessa boys scampered onto the lap of the tale weaver, their eyes wide and glistening in expectation of the wondrous people they would come to know and the magnificent new worlds they would see through magical words of a wood elf.
"Let me think," murmured Legolas as he attempted to situate himself as comfortably as an elf possibly can when he has three skinny human boys using him as a chair. "Tonight I have told you about my childhood adventures, which I believe led to tales of your father's own misspent youth…and the last tale was about the twins, wasn't it?"
"Yes, Legolas," chorused the boys. "I liked that one lots," said Darion with a giggle, "They were silly, weren't they?"
"Yes," grinned Legolas, "Very silly. Well, for your one last, very small story, would you like to hear the story of your house?"
"Do you mean, how it was built?" asked the oldest Elessa boy with a confused look upon his face. "I think Legolas is referring to our family history," answered Mordoe as he and his wife settled into a settee a few feet away.
"That is certainly correct," replied Legolas, "Your line is most ancient and noble among mankind. In fact, very far back in time your ancestors were descendents of elves."
"Like you?" asked the youngest child timidly.
"Yes, little one, elves exactly like me," replied Legolas with a smile. "Though by the time I first became acquainted with one of your ancestors the elven blood in your line was all but spent."
"Was that very long ago?" asked Darion, stifling a yawn from his sharp eyed mother.
"Mmm…" murmured Legolas, obviously lost in memories. "Yes, it was long, long ago when I met Aragorn. Of course, when I first made the acquaintance your ancestor in his foster-father's house he was a small child and was commonly known as Estel. The man had an insatiable penchant for acquiring names," he said with mock consternation. "Aragorn, the twins and I had many…many wonderful, exciting and, to be perfectly honest, quite dangerous adventures," continued Legolas softly, almost sadly. "Yet I think his most excellent achievement was winning the heart and hand of the ethereal Lady Arwen, an elf-maiden of Imladris and the Evenstar of our people. She, as the daughter of Elrond the half-elven, was gifted with the right to choose between a mortal and immortal life. Ultimately, she decided that she would rather spend a few years with the man who owned her heart than live an eternity without him."
"How heartbreakingly romantic…" said Marie, her eyes moist with feminine tears.
A soft smile coming upon his face, Legolas agreed and continued, saying, "Now, Aragorn was a mighty king…"
" A king!" chorused the two oldest boys sleepily (the youngest had fallen fast asleep and his brothers weren't far behind). "Our ancestor was a king?"
"Yes, and a powerful one at that," grinned Legolas. " His descendants reigned for hundreds of years, but they eventually lost their throne after a series of debilitating wars. However, as you already know, this was not the end of Aragorn's line. Rather than slink away and slowly die out, they began to hone certain practices that had been passed down through the many years. Practices that were made possible through the enchanted elvish blood of Arwen, through the secret teachings of certain wizard friends of Aragorn, and through the sheer insensibility of those who are descended from Aragorn."
"Do you mean magic?" asked Darion
"I do exactly. Your forefathers are the very ones who not only learned magical ways for themselves but taught them to others as well. They are responsible for the creation of the entire wizarding world! Yet, rather than lord that fact over the rest of your kind, your family humbly and nobly decided to stay in the shadows, discreetly using their powers to help those who are helpless. The line of the King is ever strong." ended Legolas, expecting his audience to be very excited at the revelation of their noble heritage.
Darion, the only one of the boys who had managed to stay up for the end of the story (it was very late for such small children), smiled sleepily, said "Cool" and fell asleep.
Darion sat up with a jolt as one of the twins shook him repeatedly.
"It's about time! C'mon, we're going down for breakfast."
"I'll be right along, go ahead," said Darion as he tried to orient himself. 'That was a strange dream…it was so clear,' thought Darion, slowly getting dressed. 'I haven't thought about that visit for ages. We didn't see Legolas again for years…not until Dad's funeral. He told us stories about the twins…Elladan and Elrohir….and now they guard Gryffindor tower. What a small world.'
The door flew open and Legolas stood in the doorway. " Darion, come child, before those Weasley boys will have eaten everything in sight." When Darion turned to follow the elf he was met with an annoyingly superior elven smirk and the words, "You aren't presenting yourself in that bedraggled state, are you? Your hair looks worse than Aragorn's after a week long trek and that, my friend, is saying something." Scowling at Legolas' back as he walked away, Darion thought, 'Hmm…I wonder if Elladan and Elrohir know any embarrassing stories about him…'
A different chapter than usual, I think. A lil trip down memory lane. I kinda just wanted to get more info on Darion 'cause I think people like him ( I know I do) and he's definitely gonna be playing a large role in the rest of the fic but that's all I'm saying!
Oh and in case anyone is wondering about Darion's dad's name…it doesn't mean anything or have any significance whatsoever…I was playing Lord of the Rings with my pastor's 4 year old son (he got to be Legolas and I was an orc) and that's how he was saying Mordor and I thought it was cute…
Reviewer Responses:
Crimson Archer- gah sorry for not updating! No offense taken, I like those guys too! Yay! I'm glad you liked my house-elf theory he he he…thanks for the review!
Zammy- zammy…he he he that's fun to say…ahem anyways…thanks for the review, sorry I took too long to update and I'm so glad you like my lil fic! I agree…it would be really cool if the real life twins met their portrait…I dunno…we'll hafta see…
Moonyasha- is 'Moonyasha' any relation to Inuyasha? Dude I love that show…but yeah thanks for the review! I'm so glad everyone likes the elf twins…I knew I had to work in some more LOTR characters somewhere…thanks again!
EverKitsune- he he he…poor Legolas…ever the hostage of semi-mad fans (no offense ;) thanks for both reviews!
Yami Youkai- wow I love it! Thank you so much….no worries I swear this fic will not be abandoned…I'm just….slooooow…he he he but please don't give up on me, I always get them out eventually! Thanks again!
Just another stupid idiot- ahh you….thanks ;)
Jedi-Bubbles- aww sorry but I couldn't think of a reason why Sirius should still be alive L but I'm glad you at least have the twins! Thanks for the review!
Manders1953- Yay! Yay! I'm glad you likey! Thanks for the review!
Aragorn and Arwen- thanks for another review that makes me all happy and giggly! I'm sure this chapter answered some of those questions…I hope it was still worth the wait (which I'm sorry for)!
Laure- Aww please forgive me! I promise to work in more Elladan and Elrohir…most definitely, I love those guys…yeah they have cute lil names for our Legolas…silly boys…thanks for the review!
Andromeda-elf- amazing? Pshaw…he he he thanks so much!
Legosgurl- sorry-for-the-wait-and-you're-very-welcome! J
Emma Laraliean- I'm glad you enjoyed the last installation! Thanks for a great review!