Disclaimer: I own nothing of Tolkien's work.
Chapter Twenty-Six
Tales
"So are you going to explain to me what just happened there?" Asked Aragorn as they walked back to the palace.
Legolas was clutching the medallion tightly in his hand and his usually calm expression was over-wrought with anger. But the Prince was hardly listening to anything his friend said just then, what had happened to Mirkwood in so short a time? His home now had a ghost and a murderer, (or number of murderers) added to his list. Five years was so short a time for him...and yet...and yet what? He himself could not fit the pieces together.
"Legolas?" Aragorn called, a little louder this time.
The elf turned to him, his grey eyes flashing. "Not yet. I need time to think. I will explain everything once I speak to my father concerning this matter."
Thranduil was frowning, a look that was all too familiar to Legolas from his youth, but an expression nonetheless that he did not find welcoming. "This is indeed grave tidings, my son. We have been searching for the slayer of Gilloth ever since our warriors saw its destruction."
"Why was I not informed of this?" Legolas asked irritably.
"You were fighting in the east for a cause that led you away from our people, and away from your home. Even if you had heard, would you have come home?"
Legolas opened him mouth to answer, but then shut it once more. He had no answer to that. True, he would have wanted to return home immediately to deal with this elf-slayer. But would he have abandoned Aragorn? His friends? All that he had fought to accomplish in the east?
"That is what I thought." The elven king said wisely. Father and son were standing alone on a terrace at the top of the palace. Most of the palace consisted of extremely ornate caves in the earth. However, a small piece of it still remained above ground. And high above in trees, the terrace stood, as did Legolas and his father.
"Whether or not I would have returned right away is not what I came to discuss here." Legolas was aware that his father had sorely missed his presence during his country's battles with the orcs. But he also knew that they had won, and what had already been done, had been done. "What I came here to ask were for details on a slaughter that I had never heard of but seems to be on the tongue on every elf living in Mirkwood."
"Unfortunately Legolas, this matter has little to do with you now. The prisoner will be tried and found guilty. That will conclude this matter."
Legolas shook his head, "You cannot hide this from me ada. (father) I need to know what has happened to my home while I was away."
"You are often away Legolas." Thranduil said with a regretful sigh.
Legolas frowned, leaned forward to look his father straight in the eye.
"But now I am home."
"That looked as though it went well."Aragorn commented as Legolas retreated from the palace. Aragorn was waiting for him by the stable door, the King of Gondor leaning up against the door with ease. The elf's eyes were aflame with rage as he looked up at his friend.
"It did." Legolas said curtly, his hand was clutched tightly around the medallion which he had carried with him through the entirety of the day.
"I can tell." Aragorn said dryly, he stood upright. "What did Thranduil tell you?"
"He told me a number of things, none of which are comforting." Legolas nodded towards the direction of the lower part of the palace. "Come, I'll explain it on the way."
"On the way to where?" Asked Aragorn curiously.
"To the dungeons of course, it is time I payed this elf-slayer a visit."
"During the war, my country was often attacked by orc-raiding parties." Legolas began as they started the descent into the palace dungeons. "Many warriors from many villages were called up, leaving most of the towns unprotected." Aragorn nodded in understanding, such had been the case in his own country during those dark times.
"Rohan and Gondor were often fighting such raiders." Aragorn mused softly.
"Yes, but this was much different. No one is sure what happened because there were no survivors."At this, Aragorn's eyes widened in surprise. "Gilloth was on the south-eastern borders of Mirkwood, next to an old highway that ran from the eastern territories to the palace. The village was famous for its gilórn, star trees, as they are called. The star flowers of which make remarkable healing herbs."
Here, Aragorn frowned as they started down a steep flight of stares. "I have never heard of these flowers before."
Legolas glanced sideways at his friend. "That is because the trees are now a rarity. They have not grown anywhere else but Gilloth for nearly a thousand years now. No one is sure of their full capabilities because of this reason."
"Ah."
"Anyway, messengers were sent to the palace and fifteen warriors were spared from the front lines to see what had happened. At the time, our southern borders were the center of the heaviest of the fighting and no more could be spared. They met a band of orcs on the road to Gilloth just after the neighboring village, who had been warned of the orcs' approach by an old man whom the villagers called, Caden. They were luck enough to have been spared by the beasts' wrath. But when the warriors arrived at Gilloth..." he paused, stopping suddenly at a large wooden door. Aragorn waited for Legolas to continue as he watched the sorrow and white hot anger written in his friend's emotions.
The Prince looked at him and sighed, "They found all the villagers dead. The men, women, and children. Their murderer stood over the body of a woman, a bloody scimitar in his hand. When he looked up at the warriors, he challenged them and he fought, wounding a few before he retreated."
"Why did he not fight?"
"No one knows. They say because he was wounded and weakening quickly. Many others say this is not the case because he attacked with so much enthusiasm. He disappeared after that and has not been since."
"Until now." Aragorn said quietly.
"Until now." The prince agreed, he moved to open the door when he was met by yet another question.
"But how do you know the man you arrested today is the man you are looking for?" Aragorn asked. "Five years is a long time for a human to stay in Mirkwood, especially if he's being hunted."
"Because the warriors saw that man five years ago wearing this..." He held the medallion out to Aragorn, his features becoming cold and stern. It was a silver medallion, with an image of a blue, rearing horse engraved in its center. "This is what that man was wearing today. There can be no mistake." Legolas finished quietly.
Aragorn stared at the medallion until Legolas removed his hand from the human's sight. "So what will you do?" The human asked calmly.
"I told you." Legolas said evenly, "I have a few questions for this elf-slayer."
"And the medallion? Why did you-"
Legolas cut him off with a sharp jerk of his hand. "I'll explain the rest later." He opened the door with a swift and powerful push, and then walked inside the room.
The prisoner was sitting quite still on a cot. That was the first thing Legolas noted with mild interest as he entered the dungeon. This was unusual, most of the dungeon cells provided only a pile of straw for their occupants. It was not the intention of the elves of Mirkwood to be cruel, but they occupied so few prisoners in these cells that there was little point in constructing cots or suitable sleeping arrangements.
The cloth which had covered the human's face was gone now. Long, matted brown hair fell into his face in clumps of blood and grime. He sat very still, his right shoulder hanging grotesquely out of place. His hands lay lifeless in his lap. Two warriors stood guard at the door and another, a healer by the type of clothing he donned, was talking quietly to the prisoner, who did not speak at all.
The guards stood stiffly at attention as their prince entered, his eyes were bare of emotion, but his face was dark and cold. Boring icily into the downcast face of the man in front of him. "Has he said anything?" He asked of the healer.
The elf bowed his head in respect before answering. "No my Lord." He pointed. "The right shoulder is dislocated and the left ankle is sprained."
Legolas nodded, not taking his eyes off the man. Both were silent for a moment, but Legolas hardly notices. His gaze was fixed upon the human on the cot. The human did not move nor make any detectable sound, he hardly looked like he was breathing. He was clothed all in black, the attire of which consisted of a large tunic and tight trousers fashioned in the way of the elves. His hands rested on his knees, weakly clasped together. The tunic over the right shoulder had been cut away, exposing a pale, but well muscled arm. The human, overall, seemed to be tall in stature and thin...unhealthily thin. Legolas frowned, he had been expecting something...someone...with a little more grandeur.
"Leave us." He said simply to the healer. "Dismiss the guards as well."
The healer frowned, "My Lord, it might be unwise to-"
"I am aware of my actions." Legolas said quietly. "I have been destroying the minions of Sauron before and after the War of the Ring. I will not be in danger from this...elf-slayer."
The human remained still, ignoring and dismantling the thought of showing any signs of life to the two elves who watched him. The healer nodded reluctantly and left, flanked by the two guards.
Now it was just he and the human.
The elf and the elf-slayer.
He looked down at the medallion in his hands, "A curios mark," He began slowly, "for one of your race. Its creator was of the race you slayed."
The man was silent.
"How did you get it? Slay its owner too?"
No Answer.
Legolas frowned, thought he did notice satisfactorily that the human flinched at this statement. "Have you nothing to say in your defense?"
No Answer.
Legolas nodded in acceptance, he could wait. He had time, he would always have time. He clutched the medallion once more, he could come again. Perhaps the man would already be dead by then. It would only be as he deserved. The elven prince stopped suddenly, the human had mumbled something.
"What was that?"
The human looked up, blue eyes blazing into the face of the elf. He had a surprisingly youthful face, dirtied, the brows low in anger that proved true by the fire in his eyes. He was lost of al emotion.
"I did not kill them." He said softly, staring defiantly at Legolas. The Prince blinked in slight surprise, that had not been the answer he had been expecting.
"Really?" Legolas asked dryly, he was beginning to lose any sympathy he had originally held on to. Actually, he had lost it the moment he had seen the medallion. Now there was only the cold, unflinching reality that he no longer cared if the human lived or died. He only wanted answers. And he had so many questions...so many things he still wished to know...things only the human could tell him. The human had not lowered his gaze,
"You were recognized by one of my warriors." Said Legolas smoothly. "The medallion you wore could never be mistaken for another. For there is no other of its like in the whole of Middle-earth."
The human's eyes clouded, the long eye lashes fluttered absentmindedly. He averted his gaze, looking instead at his hands. Then suddenly, his brows met and his lips curled in distaste. "Recognized?" He snarled. "How would they know? The cowards saw nothing. They weren't there."He looked up once more, the anger in his eyes. "You care so much for your people, and yet your warriors could not save them from their elf-slayer." He hissed the last word, his eyes flashing.
"You murdered them." Legolas said in a short, clipped tone.
The human did not answer.
"Why do you remain silent? You are to be executed on this charge. Do you really have nothing to say in your own defense?"
The human shrugged. "No matter what I say, I will be killed. It is the way of your people. Their hunger for vengeance drives their lust for death. My death that is." He sighed, the fire died and he seemed to wither slightly. "Perhaps it will be better that way."
Now it was the elf's turn to become angry. "How did you get this medallion?"
The man shook his head in stubborn silence.
Legolas stared in fury. "SPEAK!"
The man looked away.
Legolas, the medallion cutting into his palm, finally lost his temper, grabbed the human by the shoulders and shook him violently. The human gasped in surprise and pain.
"TELL ME!"
The fire re-entered the blue eyes. Rising with unhuman speed, the human glowered at the prince, cradling his arm. "Tell you what? That I slaughtered that village with my bare hands and tore the hearts out of their chests? Is that the answer you want to hear?"
"Where did you get this medallion?" Legolas pressed again.
"What do you want, dear prince." The man answered sarcastically. "Do you think it would be that easy?"
"I want the truth." Legolas snapped back, standing rigid and tall.
"I told you the truth. I told them all so many times. You have the truth, and yet you have no understanding of it." He growled. The human took a step back, his face twisting into one of pain as he sank to the cot with a cry. Legolas watched him fall, watched the human slide of the cot and kneel before him tentatively. He massaged the wounded shoulder, turned up to look at the elf.
Legolas' eyes widened in surprise, but other then this he portrayed no emotion. There was something different about the man...something strange...
"I have told you the truth I thought truth was." The human said quietly. "You will get nothing more from me."
The pale skin...the lean frame...the long eyelashes... It all suddenly fit together. The elf-slayer, was a woman. Legolas tried to rid himself of showing the disgust in his face, but he could not. The anger came, churning and boiling with the deepest disgust possible. The human turned away, struggling to get herself on the cot once more and then lying back with her eyes closed. The prince made no move to help him.
The elf-slayer...was a woman.
"Healer? Where's the healer!" His voice cracked in fury, he could not stand it. Could feel the emotions burning deep inside of him. The healer was immediately again in the room, his handsomely sculpted face masked with concern.
"My Lord?"
"Why was I not informed that the prisoner was female?"
The healer looked at him in confusion. "My pardon Prince Legolas, we thought you knew."
"I seem to know very little of anything." He muttered darkly in reply. He did not look at the human as he gestured with a jerk to her.
"You said the shoulder was dislocated."
"Yes my Lord."
"Fix it."
"My lord, she refused any medical aid-"
"She is a convicted murder. She has lost the privilege to refuse anything now." He moved towards the door. "I will send in warriors to assist you."
"Yes my Lord." The healer bowed his head once more, and Legolas eyes drifted to the human again. Her shoulders drooped, the flame quenched, she sat in a still silence. He fought the urge to snarl at the healer when he spoke again.
"Heal the shoulder and give her sedative to help her sleep." The woman was looking at him now, the blue eyes meeting the sliver. But her face was expressionless, and the emotion in her eyes unreadable.
"I will return at dawn for further questioning."
And he left.
Well, am I making your little heads spin yet:) Welcome to all my new reviewers! And thanks for all the support from the older ones. :) As I said, this part of the story will be entrenched with more mystery and action then the first part, so brace yourselves. :)
Now, I am experimenting with Legolas' moods right now. This inspiration came from Mirrordance, my FAVORITE author on She has written various stories toying with Legolas' emotions and in this story, I wanted to do a similar method of writing. I wanted to try Legolas with rage and other such emotions to see how he would handle it. So far so good! And you still have no idea what the medallion means...
But I'm sure you all know who the elf-slayer is. :)
Thanks to all who read and reviewed! And a million thanks to my beta, Kiann!
TO BE CONTINUED...