Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Lord of the Ring's characters.
The Wounds of the Past
by: firewingz
This happenes years before the Fellowship of the Ring took place.
The Prince of Mirkwood stormed into the throne room without knocking, which was highly unusual. King Thranduil looked up to see his fuming son who quickly bowed before him. King Thranduil looked surprised but he quickly dismissed his advisors first.
"Rise," The King of Mirkwood commanded which Prince Legolas quickly heeded. "Legolas, how many times do I have to tell you to knock before entering," The King questioned.
"Father, did you not notice that after our last fight, half of Mirkwood's soldiers can no longer fight?"
"Legolas, I have already seen to that."
"How? There are barely enough soldiers to guard the city's borders."
"Legolas, what would you have me do? Ask Lord Elrond and Lord Celeborn and Lady Galadrial's aid?"
"Father, we can ill afford to turn down their aid now. We are a proud race. But our soldiers can barely defend this city. We have no choice."
"They will not be allowed to enter Mirkwood!"
"And why not!" Legolas yelled back. He had lost all sense of composure at this point in time.
"Why?! I already told you!" King Thranduil yelled back.
"They are not to blame for mother's death."
Those words stirred bad memories into the King's mind. He quickly dismissed it and retorted, "Legolas, you do not know what you are talking about. Mirkwood can defend her own borders. You needn't worry."
"Father, is this because of their relations to humans? Is that it too?"
"Men are cruel. They are easily corrupted and cannot be trusted!"
"Some men are cruel and SOME men are corrupted, but not all!"
"Are you referring to Estel?" The King asked his son, but he needn't the answer because his father already knew. "I told you not establish any type of friendship with that human child. Perhaps sending you to Imladris was a fault?"
At this, Legolas felt his anger boiling even more, if possible. Father and son eyed each other, their anger and wrath clearly evident.
"Imladris allowed me to open to the world of ideas. I could not have stayed here all my life, barred from the world's thoughts."
"I told you, humans cannot be friends with Elves."
"That is not the issue here. Father, if you want what is best for the people, we need outside aid. We cannot defend our people anymore."
King Thranduil was boiling with anger. How dare his son tell HIM what to do! How dare his son go against his orders?! Without thinking, King Thranduil flung his hand down on his son's face. The slap was so hard that it flung Legolas half way across the room. The sound of skin on skin echoed throughout the throne room. Everyone froze.
Legolas felt the sting, but that didn't faze him, he was use to pain, being a warrior. But this was the first time his father had EVER hit him. His father had never harmed him before, no matter what the argument had been on. And believe me, they had many heated arguments.
Legolas looked up at his father, disbelief and shock coursing through his veins. His father 's eyes portrayed shock, he was looking at his red hand and then his son's red hand marked face.
"Legolas...Legolas I'm sorry...I didn't mean...I..." King Thranduil tried to explain.
"You hit me even when you know I am right!" Legolas screamed back before bolting through the doors and into his room. The Prince gathered his traveling things quickly, his bow and arrows, his scimitars and a change of clothes before heading to the stables.
King Thranduil was still staring at his hand and the door in disbelief. Oh Valar, what have I done? The King of Mirkwood thundered over to his son's room quickly. The door was closed. The king knocked gently but heard nothing.
"Legolas I am sorry. May I come in please?"
There was no response. The king gently opened the door but found no one inside. He panicked. Where could he have gone? Maybe the archery fields. The King quickly headed there.
Legolas, riding Arod, sprinted through the Mirkwood forest. Legolas' face already had a bruise. The young prince didn't know where he was going, but he knew he had to leave his irrational father. Before Legolas knew what was happened, his horse suddenly stopped, sending the unaware woodland elf into the air and on the ground. The elven-prince had some scratches but nothing serious, but as soon as he stood up, he realized he had stepped into a one of the famous Mirkwood Spider's nests.
This is my first attmpt at a Lord of the Rings Fanfiction. Please read and review!
