I am sooooo sorry for the delay! Real life interfered for a while. But I'm afraid I won't be able to post this Friday either. But I will as soon as I can! Sorry for the shortness of this chapter. The next will be longer.

Princes of the Earth

Chapter 5

A Brief Respite

Even in the safehaven of Lothlórien Legolas felt a strange grief upon him. True, the company had all made it safely to the great Elven realm and all around was a joyful song of welcome for the weary travelers, but Legolas could not find peace.

The last sight of Mor as he stood upon the Bridge to face the Balrog, his sharp silver eyes filled with an unreadable emotion, haunted Legolas. He felt as if he had actually grown quite close to the strange Elf, almost like the renewal of an old bond. To see him face certain doom, alone, unaided, for their sakes, stabbed at Legolas's heart.

And then there was Los, the other strange Elf they had met upon Caradhras. Legolas yearned to return to the Mountain and speak more with him, for their meeting had been all too brief in his eyes.

An interesting pair the two brothers made.

"What holds your thoughts so deeply, woodland prince, that you notice not that which goes on around you?"

Legolas nearly jumped at the soft, deep voice. "Lady Galadriel," he greeted, standing swiftly and bowing to her. She and the Fellowship had already met a few hours before, and Legolas had left the others after being shown to their sleeping place. He had aimlessly wandered through the fair forest for a while until he had come upon this small clearing.

Galadriel smiled slightly, bidding Legolas sit as she gracefully seated herself on a large root. "Something weighs heavily upon your mind," she stated, rather than asked again.

"It is the brothers, Los and Mor, my lady. They somehow remind me of how—" he quickly shut his mouth, having surprised himself at how easily the words had come forward. He was never so open and talkative with anyone, it simply not being in his nature to do so.

Galadriel smiled slightly. She knew well of the quiet, rather reclusive prince. "Remind you of what?" she gently prodded, and after a moment of silence, spoke again. "Of how your own brothers might have been?"

Legolas glanced at her sharply, peering into her deep eyes. His own gaze softened as he relaxed his inner defenses. "Tell me of them," he pleaded softly. His father had told him of his four elder brothers, of course, but being ever curious about them, he always wanted to know others' thoughts and experiences with them.

The Lady smiled softly, recalling memories of the four elder princes of Mirkwood—or Greenwood the Great, as it was still called back then.

"I first met your brothers when young Ransûl was barely old enough to talk, and Telepsîr was already maturing into quite the young prince," Galadriel began. "Your entire family came here for the Winter Festival, I believe it was.

"I remember how Telepsîr would spend time with the warriors, copying their every move, or lecturing his brothers on 'how to be a proper prince.'" She laughed. "Laurëfin was always off exploring everything he could find, and Ransûl—well, he was too young to do much of anything, but he somehow got into the most mischief a child of that age possibly can."

The two laughed lightly at that notion before Legolas asked, "And what of Lindil?"

"Ah yes." Galadriel smiled again at the memories. "Lindil's first action upon arriving was to seek out the minstrels and haunt their every step until departure a week later."

Legolas smiled again at this. It certainly fit the picture of the music-loving Lindil he had been told of.

"It was quite amusing seeing them being followed everywhere by a small child," Galadriel continued. "He even performed with them during the feasts and activities when not forcefully dragged away by your mother or father. He had quite a talent with his voice and any instrument he picked up, especially the harp…" Her voice faded away.

"Was that the only time you saw them?" Legolas queried.

"Oh, no. We saw them from time to time, usually at special occasions or festivals. They grew and matured into four of the greatest, noblest princes Arda has ever seen."

Legolas bowed his head, hiding his face behind his long golden hair. "I wish I could have known them."

Galadriel stood, softly placing one white hand atop the prince's bowed head. "Perhaps you shall, on the other side. I have faith that Illúvatar shall not keep you apart forever."

She tilted his chin up with two slender fingers, and looked deep into his eyes. "Have hope. You shall meet again." She smiled softly at him, then departed as quietly as a whispering wind.

Legolas sat there for a few minutes more, thinking over all that had been said. Then he rose and made his way back to the Fellowship with a smile on his lips and peace in his heart.