Sorry it's late, blah blah blah…Maybe I'll just stop apologizing each chapter. Although I do apologize in advance for the tackiness and fluffiness and sobiness of this chapter. …sigh…
Princes of the Earth
Chapter 8
Talks and Revelations
Amarth and Legolas walked until they were out of earshot from the rest of the Company. "Where shall I begin?" the silver Elf asked with a small smile.
"Who are you?" Legolas asked without hesitation. "What are you?"
"Ah, so you have guessed that my brothers and I are more than we appear. You are correct." He smiled, barely, but it was more sad than amused, as if he were remembering something that caused him great pain. "We are…well, I'm not quite sure what we are. I suppose you could think of us as unofficial Maiar. But many long years ago we were Elves, just like you." The smile faded completely.
"What happened?" Legolas asked, entranced.
"We died."
Legolas did not know what to say to that, so Amarth simply continued. "I am sure you have noticed that my brothers and I all have some power. When we returned to Arda, we were each granted the power over what had killed us. Los, snow and ice; Nen, the waters; Mor, the darkness."
"And you?" Legolas asked in a small voice.
"Yrch," he answered shortly, and did not elaborate.
"Why…why were you returned to life?"
"Illúvatar and the Valar took pity on us, for our great love for our youngest brother, who lived still. So we were granted life again and have been watching over him ever since, though he was unaware."
"And where is he now?" Legolas asked, even though a faint suspicion was beginning to form in his mind, however unbelievable.
Amarth could see the growing light of understanding ready to dawn in the other's eyes. This was the moment he had been waiting for for hundreds upon hundreds, even thousands, of years.
"He remained in Greenwood, for the most part, protecting his home and family against the growing shadow, becoming more than we could have ever hoped. Just recently, though, he went to Imladris and there joined a quest to destroy the One Ring of Power."
Tears had been growing in Legolas's eyes all while Amarth was speaking. "Telepsîr." He launched himself into his brother's arms. For many long minutes, they simply held each other, neither fighting the tears that fell freely.
"Why could you not tell me sooner?" Legolas finally asked.
"You were not ready. Believe me when I say that there were so many times over the years when we wanted to tell you so badly…"
"And father?"
Amarth closed his eyes. He missed his father just as badly as he had his brother. "I think…it would be best if Father did not know of us."
"What!" Legolas started up. "He grieved for you four so long! Your names are still an open wound to him!"
"Do you not think I know that?" Amarth returned, but his heart ached to hear another say it. "You were the only thing that has kept him alive all these years. If he knew that we had returned, only to lose us again so soon afterwards, it would surely kill him."
"What do you mean, lose you again?" Legolas asked in suspicion.
"We were given a task when we returned to Middle-earth," Amarth explained. "The time has almost come for the task to be completed, then I know we must return to Valinor."
"What is the task?" Legolas asked, trying not to think of how soon he would lose his recently re-discovered brothers.
"To destroy Saruman," Amarth answered quietly. "It is essential that we do this. You know that."
"But why must you leave?" Legolas asked, eyes again brimming.
Amarth quickly gathered him into another hug. "You are grown now, a warrior full capable of taking care of yourself. You no longer need us." He smiled, though his voice was choked. "Besides, we will all be in Valinor someday, and we'll be a complete family again, with Father and Mother, too."
"I'm sorry," Legolas suddenly sobbed.
"What ever for, little Greenleaf?" Amarth asked in surprise.
"No one ever comes right and says it, but I know that it is my fault you all died," Legolas gushed. "If it were not for me, you would not have ridden out and all those terrible things would not have happened, and everyone would have been spared so much heartache…"
Amarth firmly gripped the younger Elf's chin in his hand, forcing him to look him in the eyes. "Listen to me. That is the most ridiculous thing I have ever heard. You were just a babe. You could not have stopped anything that happened. Understand? No one blames you."
Legolas nodded, casting his eyes to the ground. Amarth smiled gently. "Do you know our only regret was that you would never know us?"
Legolas looked back into his eyes. "But…I did. I-I never told anyone, but I can remember so distinctly silver eyes smiling down at me. I think that is why, when I first saw Los, then Mor, then you and Nen, I felt as though I should have known you from somewhere."
"Aye, little brother. You should have. I wish we could have been there for you, throughout the years." Amarth sighed wearily. "But it was not the will of the Valar. We cannot now change that. Now come, the others should be finished talking by now." Amarth stood, pulling Legolas up with him, but kept an arm around his shoulders as they headed back.
Nen was now sitting on the ground with the Hobbits and entertaining them by showing an old Elfling hand game he had played when he was young. They all looked up when Amarth and Legolas returned, Nen taking note of the faded tear tracks on both's faces.
Nen stood as Legolas quickly approached, and both threw their arms around the other in a tight embrace, ignoring the Fellowship's stares.
"Lindil," Legolas whispered.
"Aye, baby brother," Nen whispered back, clinging tightly to the other.
Legolas laughed slightly as he sniffled and pulled away. "Before today I would never have suspected I would be called that. But I rather like it."
"Um…guys?" Pippin interrupted the touching reunion. "What is going on here?"
"You were wondering what had happened to our fifth brother, Master Dwarf," Nen started.
"Yes…" Gimli looked puzzled. "But how did you…you weren't…" He looked suspiciously between Amarth and Nen. Both simply smiled.
"Legolas is our other brother," Amarth said.
The Company's eyes all widened in surprise. "I did not know you had any brothers, Legolas!" Aragorn exclaimed.
'Neither did I,' Legolas considered saying, but merely shrugged. "It is a long story."
Gandalf did not say anything, but he observed all from he sat quite forgotten on the fallen log.
"So…" Pippin began slowly. "Do you have any special powers?"
Legolas smiled. "I'm afraid not."
"Why not? Maybe you just do not know it. Can you fly?"
The Elf laughed. "I do not have any 'powers,' Master Peregrin."
"Oh." Pippin looked disappointed, but suddenly brightened with, "So what's your special power?" to Nen.
"I can bend the will of water to my own."
"Really? Wow. Sort of like how Los can control the snow?"
"Sort of." Nen smiled.
Bringing up Los had reminded Merry of something, and he shifted guiltily. "There's something we probably should have told you a long time ago. Mor—" Merry cut himself off, suddenly realizing that Mor was Legolas's brother too. Or rather, had been. He winced, and quickly blurted our, "Mor fell in Moria!"
The Hobbit expected to hear a shout of surprise, denial, even a gasp from Amarth or Nen, but nothing came. The rest of the Fellowship waited in uncomfortable silence as they awaited the brothers' reactions.
"No…he is not dead," Legolas said, smiling slightly. "I can feel it."
Pippin looked up in surprise to see all three Elves smiling. Did they not know…?
"Legolas is right," Amarth said. "Did you actually see him die?"
"Well, no, but—it was—a Balrog," the young Hobbit stuttered. "Aren't Balrogs—really…?"
Nen laughed at the Hobbit's confusion. "No, Master Perian. I can assure you that Mor is quite well." The Fellowship seemed to accept this, as the Elves all seemed quite certain.
"We have lingered here long enough," Amarth suddenly changed the subject before anyone else could say anything. "We should be on our way."
"But where are we going?" Pippin asked him.
"That has already been decided," Amarth smiled down on him. "Your company shall continue on to Rohan, then Minas Tirith in Gondor, to warn them of the growing threat. Nen and I shall go with you a while and meet Los and Mor on the way. We have business with Saruman."
"I am coming with you," Legolas immediately told the other Elf.
Seeing that there was no dissuading Legolas at the moment, Amarth merely shook his head. "We shall discuss it later."
……………No sooner had the company of nine reached open ground then there came up a shout, and Los and Mor suddenly appeared at the top of the rise before them. They sat astride two great white horses, and slowly made their way downhill to the others.
"I apologize for our tardiness," Mor said when they were close enough, "but I had to wait for Snow here." He gestured to the white-clad Elf beside him.
A moment later he was off his horse and had Legolas grasped in a firm embrace. "My brother."
"Ransûl. I am glad…" Legolas faltered.
"I know." Mor just smiled.
"What about me?"
Legolas quickly turned and grabbed in Los up in a hug. "Laurëfin. Forgive me."
Los smiled, savoring the embrace. "How you have grown, little brother! The last time you touched me was only to grasp my little finger!"
Legolas laughed and pulled away. "So, did you bring enough horses for all of us?"
"As a matter of fact, we did," Mor replied. "They await us over the hill."
Sure enough, there were three more white horses, along with three brown ones, already packed with supplies. The Elves took the white ones, while Merry and Boromir, Pippin and Aragorn, and Gimli and Gandalf shared the others.
After an hour of hard galloping they slowed to a walk to rest the horses. Legolas rode in the middle of his four brothers, talking non-stop with them. "And then that time when I was but a little child and had escaped my nurse, and nearly fell in the Enchanted River but the waters suddenly parted and I fell onto dry ground instead!" Legolas exclaimed all in one breath. "Was that you?"
Nen laughed out loud. "Ai, Legolas! You should have seen your face! You looked as if the water might next come alive and swallow you whole! You ran yelling all the way back to the palace."
Legolas blushed slightly as his brothers laughed merrily, but could not help joining in. "Adar told me it was just a dream. I went back to the River every day for a month just to check it. I finally convinced myself it was just a dream, after all. But thank you. I know now that I would have surely drowned otherwise."
There was a short pause, then, "That time I was out on patrol! Our scouts came back and told us we were surrounded by Orcs and hopelessly outnumbered. But they never attacked and we never heard of them again."
Amarth smiled softly at Legolas. "It was our job to protect our little brother, if we could do nothing else."
Legolas suddenly gasped. "That Yule two winters before the River incident! I told everyone it was to going to snow, but they all said I was silly for thinking so. But it did! That was your doing, was it not, Laurëfin?"
Los smiled. "Aye. Amarth did not wish me to—he said it was too conspicuous. But it was more than worth it to watch you that day. Do you remember it?"
Legolas smiled fondly at the ancient memory, as clear as if it had happened the day before. "Aye. I finally convinced Ada to take the day off, and he spent the entire day playing in the snow with me."
"I remember how he would push you down the hill on that old shield," Amarth reminisced.
"And your shrieks of laughter as you would fly into a pile of snow at the base," Mor smiled. "You were so happy that day."
"But you could not pull the shield back up the hill because you were so tiny, and Ada would end up having to carry you both back up," Nen laughed.
Legolas only briefly wondered how they all knew about it, but decided it really did not matter. "That was a good day," he agreed. "Oh! That time I was lost in the forest at night, barely more than a child. But, I remember, the Moon came out from behind the clouds and perfectly illuminated my path home," he said to Mor.
"I only regret that I could not have done more for you that night," his brother replied.
"Do not. I got home safely, thanks to you." Legolas smiled again, thinking over all his life, and realizing how much his brothers had been watching over him. "Did you four really have nothing better to do than watch me my whole life?"
But what could be better than protecting our little brother from himself?" Amarth grinned.
"Plenty of things. And I was not really that bad, was I?"
"Of course not," Los quickly assured. "You always were much too solemn…" All five fell silent.
Suddenly becoming aware of their surroundings, the Elves realized that they were stopped, and probably had been for a while, and everyone was staring at them. Merry and Pippin were sniffling.
Aragorn cleared his throat. "We will rest here tonight." Indeed, it was already dusk.
……………A couple hours later and the five brothers were still talking, though they had switched from Common to Elvish, speaking so rapidly that even Gandalf could have barely kept up had he wanted to.
"How long are they going to talk?" Pippin asked the Wizard.
"Hush! Patience, young Took," Gandalf replied in a low voice, not wishing to disturb the Elves. "They have nearly three thousand years to catch up on."
"Three—three thousand?" Pippin repeated in amazement, looking over at the seemingly young Elves. He noticed that the one in blue—Nen—was looking back at him and smiling—mischievously? The Elf nodded to Boromir, who was just raising his water skin to take a drink.
No water touched his lips, though. "What the—?" the Man exclaimed in bewilderment, shaking the flask. "I filled this just this morning and have not drank half since!"
"I guess you drank more than you realized," Gimli, who sat nearby, offered. "It was a long ride."
"I suppose so. I will go refill it at the stream now." Neither Man nor Dwarf noticed the tiny river of water creeping along the ground…
…until it suddenly leapt up and splashed Gimli full in the face.
Pippin fell back laughing as the Dwarf spluttered and yelled in absolute surprise. All the others turned to see what the commotion was, then they too started laughing as one by one they realized what had happened.
For a moment, Gimli looked murderously at Nen as he at last pieced together what had happened. But then he too burst into loud rounds of laughter, probably thinking it best not to get on the bad side of four brothers who could control nature.
………………The Company had been riding steadily for nearly an hour the next day when Legolas repeated to his brothers that he was going with them to Isengard.
"No, Legolas," Amarth sighed.
"But I want to help!"
"You will be of more help with the Fellowship," Los told him gently. "I feel they will have need of as many good warriors as they can get their hands on soon."
"Coming with us is much too dangerous, Legolas," Nen told him.
"Danger!" Legolas exclaimed. "On the one hand you tell me it is too dangerous to accompany you, yet on the other you seek to send me into battle with mortals! You do not think this entire Quest has been dangerous, that I have not faced danger at every turn?"
"But this is a different danger, Legolas. You know this," Amarth said. "You have fought Orcs before—many of them. But this is a Wizard we are speaking of, an Istar, one of the very Maiar!"
"Are you not nearly Maiar yourselves now?" Legolas argued.
"That may be so, but you are not," Los reasoned.
"You would only be in danger the entire time—a hindrance to us," Amarth stated firmly, though it hurt him to say so. Of course he did not mean it. He knew his youngest brother's capabilities, and knew that he could take care of himself well enough while they dealt with Saruman. But the Istar was not to be underestimated, and he feared for Legolas.
The youngest Elf stiffened and looked away.
"Forgive me, Legolas," Amarth said softly, grasping his brother's hand. "I did not mean it that way. I only fear for your safety. We could not bear it if anything were to happen to you."
Legolas looked back at him, eyes misty. "I will not be parted form you. Not again."
"Please, baby brother," Amarth pleaded hopelessly, using the familiar term in one last vain effort.
"I will not be parted from you," Legolas repeated.
"I think it would be good if he came along with us," Mor spoke up for the first time. "After all, we shall be more than busy with Saruman, shall we not? It would be good to have someone keeping on eye on other things."
"He is right," Nen agreed. "And besides, he shall not be in that much peril. We will take care of most of the Orcs before Saruman."
"But who will keep on eye on you, Legolas?" Amarth murmured to himself.
"I shall be fine, you will see." Legolas smiled brightly and pressed his brother's hand.
Los nodded in agreement. "I do not wish for us to be parted, either. The five of us have not been together since Legolas was born."
Amarth sighed again, but smiled slightly. He had not been looking forward to telling his brother goodbye again. "Very well. You shall come with us to Isengard."
End of chapter. How many of you honestly did not see it coming that Legolas was their brother? I tried to be subtle but apparently it didn't work.
I hope I didn't make anyone sick or cry from the total fluffiness of this chapter. Haha, that bit with Legolas saying "You did this! And this! Was that you?" was fun to write. And that bit with Gimli getting splashed. Thought it was stupid? Better get used to it…dun dun duuun. Eck. I'm really not happy with this chapter, nor the next one. Eck eck. Uh-oh. I only have one more chapter written. And there's a 99.9 chance that that will not be posted on time either, since I'm making a multi-state move this week. Maybe I can type it up in the car, though…
Please check out my journal on Livejournal! It's this same name, Daethule.