Disclaimer: I do not own any of The Lord of the Ring's characters.
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The Wounds of the Pastby: firewingz
Chapter 5: Message
"Your Majesty, the gate will not hold," King Thranduil's advisor said gravely, shaking his head in disgrace. The King of Mirkwood looked devastated. They had managed to hold the spiders at bay for about a week. To make matters worse, the Prince of Mirkwood could not be found; somehow, the King managed to send off a scout to try and locate Prince Legolas.
King Thranduil's world was filled with disarray. 'How could this happening? We have always managed to win against the spiders...but not this time...and what of Legolas? Is he safe?'
"Your Majesty?" The advisor ventured to ask, knowing that they had to make a decision quickly.
His Majesty sighed loudly and replied in a strong but soft voice, "Evacuate the city. We will take to the underground storage area used long ago. We will stay there for a time being."
"Your Majesty?" The advisor spoke, clearly shocked. "To the storage area?"
"Clear the storage area and move everything into their compartments, we will need the food. Ask the healers to carry their patients to the underground cover and have the soldiers slowly retreat back. Do not make me repeat it again," King Thranduil's voice almost cracked. "But do not worry, Mirkwood will resurface again."
"But...Your Majesty, shouldn't we ask for aid from Imladris or Lothlorien. Surely they could help and..."The advisor protested and silently added, 'perhaps know where Prince Legolas is.'
"We will not ask murderers for aid. Evacuate now!" King Thranduil interrupted, anger and frustration clearly evident in his eyes.
"Yes, your majesty." The advisor quickly ran out of the door to obey the commands. King Thranduil's eyes glistened with tears. 'And the worse part of this all,' the King thought, 'I still do not know where my son is. Will he forgive me? Or is he already dead?'
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Prince Legolas opened his eyes, wondering where he was. Suddenly, flashes of what happened in Mirkwood and the coming to Imladris came into mind. He bolted up and noticed he was in the room he usually stayed in while in Rivendell. Clearly, it hasn't been used in a while, the sheets seemed to have just been washed and the curtains didn't seem to have felt the winds in decades.
Legolas quickly got up and washed. As he was about to open the door, Estel knocked. Legolas opened the door and smiled at his human friend.
"Good morning," Legolas greeted.
"Glad to know you're up. Been asleep for a day."
Legolas appeared shocked, but rationed out that he had rarely rested for that one-week travel from Mirkwood to Imladris.
"Care to join me at breakfast?" Estel asked.
"I'd love to." With that, the two friends walked down the stairs and into the dining hall. Lord Elrond and the twins were already seated on the table and they all welcomed the Prince of Mirkwood.
"Lord Glorfindel is sorry that he had to leave early this morning," Elrond said.
"I shall hope that when he returns, we can go hunting again."
"Indeed," Elrond laughed glancing at his sons, while his sons gave a mischievous smirk.
"I swear," Estel exclaimed, "I wasn't the one who accidentally set our camp aflame. It was Elrohir!"
"Pardon me?" Legolas asked, a little shocked, though he realized he shouldn't be. After all, whenever the family of Elrond goes on a camping trip, they were far from being normal or trouble-free.
"Not I," Elrohir immediately countered, though everyone on the table by that time were laughing and Legolas knew it was Elrohir.
"Elrohir...how did you...manage...to set it aflame...per chance?" Legolas said through his laughter.
"Because Estel ...he...he made me drop the torch!"
At this, Legolas gave an almost incredulous look at the younger twin before submitting himself to laughter again. How did a human make an elf drop a torch? On camp of all places?
Elrohir could still remember his father's stern visage, though Elrond tried very hard not to laugh. It was usually Estel that got into trouble, not the twins.
After finishing a joyful breakfast, a messenger rushed into the dining hall. "Lord Elrond, you must come quickly!"
The urgency in his voice made Elrond, his sons and Legolas rush to the gates. Upon coming into full view of the scene, Legolas almost cried out but held his tongue.
There was one elf, his body caked with blood, but the colors of Mirkwood, brown and green, were clearly evident. The ground that he had crawled on to get here left a trail of elven blood and his hands and knees were also covered with blood and blisters, from traveling. Prince Legolas rushed to the elf's side. The Prince quickly stopped the elf from moving any further and placed him gently on his lap, turning his face towards him.
"Rahnir?" Legolas gasped.
"My...Prince...thank the...valar...you live!" Rahnir rasped, trying to give a bow.
Legolas shook his head quickly to dismiss the action. "What has happened?"
"Mirkwood...spiders..." was all Rahnir had to say. Meanwhile, Lord Elrond and Estel had picked the body up and started to carry him to the healing house. Elrond nodded to Legolas, already giving his full consent to let Imladris' soldiers also ride out to Mirkwood.
"Do not worry, mellon nin."
"Hurry...my prince," Rahnir said before falling unconscious. The Prince watched as one of his good friends was carried away into the house of healing with Elrond, the mosted trusted healer in all of Middle Earth. Legolas stood there, dazed from the information he had just received. Suddenly, an image of his mother in the cocoon of a spider nest filled his mind. Legolas thougth with horror that his father and his people might fall to the same fate. He decided to set out for Mirkwood at sunset, he needed to gather supplies and formally ask Elrond to once again aid Mirkwood. Legolas stood gazing at the horizon towards his home, over the Misty Mountains, knowing that it takes at least a week to reach his people. The Prince could only hope that Mirkwood will still be standing when he arrives.
To be continued.
Thank you for the reviews. I hope this chapter is okay. If you have any suggestions, don't hesitate to let me know. RR plz, thank you!
seeing-spots: I'm sorry if I offended you. I didn't mean to imply that I thought your suggestions were flames. I'm very glad for your suggestions and insights. I just wanted to clarify what I know and what I didn't know. I look forward to your next review and input. I haven't read LOTR in a long time and haven't been able to watch the movie either so I'm glad you are remainding me. And I am sorry if I sounded like I was offended, because I really wasn't.
Coolio02: I'm glad you like the story so far. And no prob. You really should continue your story, hopefully soon.
Karri: Thank you for letting me know about Laketown. They will come in shortly. I completely forgot. Thanks.
