Disclaimer: I do not own any of The Lord of the Ring's characters.


The Wounds of the Past

by: firewingz

Chapter 10: Revenge
Rahnir stood in the same place, beside the bed when the door burst open and Estel charged inside. Estel immediately stopped when he saw the scene in front of him. A beautifully intricate knife lay half way into Legolas' chest, whose breathing were more than erratic.

Estel gave a gut-wrenching scream and went to his best friend. Estel looked at the blood that had already soaked the bed and Legolas' clothing. "Legolas...please...you can't die...you're an elf... you can't die...you're suppose to remember me...not the other way around..." Estel kept muttering.

Suddenly, Elrond came inside with his twin sons. They'd rush in right after hearing Estel's torturous screams. Elrond's first instincts were to kill the attacker who stood still in the night with a satisfied grin on his face.

"Guards, seize Rahnir," Elrond ordered while rushing to Legolas' side. "Elladen, Elrohir, get the herbs. Estel step away." Estel was quickly pushed away in a dazed state of mind. He saw Rahnir being escorted to the dungeons in the corner of his eyes. He charged the attacker, meaning to pound his fists into his gut and hope he dies. Just as he pounded on him with wild fury, Rahnir spoke in a loud commanding voice. "Thranduil will want to see this."

Estel stopped before eye-leveling with him. "That's what you wanted isn't it? To kill Legolas and have King Thranduil go through it. Isn't it!" Estel screamed into his face, punching him squarely in the face, sending him into the wall with a bloody nose. "Yes," Rahnir hissed. "My son is avenged. I don't care what you do to me. I'm happy."

Estel lunged at him, but was held back by Elrond. The Lord of Imladris shook his head. "Don't waste your breath with him. Help Legolas. He needs someone to anchor him to reality. come and talk to him, now." Elrond didn't have to say twice before Estel's fury turned to hope. He grasped his best friend's limp, cold hands and called for him.

(In the Caves)

Thranduil bolted up from his slumber, sweat drenching his clothes. It was a nightmare, that's it. Legolas...Legolas...Thranduil suddenly had a sickening feeling that Legolas was inside his room in the palace. Thranduil got up and called some guards to him. Even if spiders paraded up and down the halls of Mirkwood, He will reach his son, no matter the cost.

(In the Palace)

Rahnir sat on the ground, Legolas' blood staining his hands, his nose bleeding and some cracked ribs from Estel's fists didn't deter a blissful smile from crossing his face.

Rahnir closed his eyes and remembered the events that had pushed its final climax to this point.

He remembered, it was some thousands of years ago when he'd been happy, with his son and wife. Everything had been perfect. Until the day Thranduil came into the picture. His son had joined the army of Thranduil's back in the day it was called Greenwood the Great. His son had been sent out to patrol duty.

"The Patrols are back!" Someone had shouted to him. Rahnir had ran to the front gates to welcome his son back. But the face he saw was the only face that came through the gates. His clothes were covered with blood, his face had some bruises, but it was his eyes that Rahnir saw that scared him. His eyes were dead, there was no longer the light of happiness, of life, of youthful innocence shining there anymore. His son, Jaylin, though lived physically, died in spirit.

Rahnir went to the front of the crowd and tried to reach out to his son. Jaylin looked at his father, through the eyes of a stranger and almost jerked away. There didn't seem to be any resemblance of recognition in those once joyful eyes. 'What happened!?' Rahnir wanted to scream to the valor, 'Who...what had taken his son away from him!'

But he kept silent, Jaylin quickly went past the crowd and went directly to the king and reported that Orcs were sighted in the northwest. There'd been hundreds and they fought until daylight broke when the orcs finally fled. He had been the only surviver. Everyone else had been slaughtered.

Jaylin told his entire narrative in a dream like state. No emotion, no pain, no sadness, no grief, no hope. He was a living corpse. Rahnir wanted to run up to his son and shake him awake, but he suddenly heard a cry from behind him and reconized it as his wife. Rahnir quickly went back to his wife and tried to calm her down and took her back slowly...ever so slowly back home.

Jaylin was thrown in the dungeons and later executed, Rahnir had heard. His wife went hysterical. And one day, while Rahnir was sleeping. His wife, sliently crept out at night, knelt by the un-named grave of her son and died of grief.

Rahnir hadn't gone through one day without thinking of revenge. His son died because he was the only surviver of an orc attack. Revenge was all that kept Rahnir dying from grief and joining his family. He changed his name to Rahnir and became the personal guard to Legolas ever since he was born.

Jaylin had been Rahnir's only son...Legolas is Thranduil's only son. His wife had died from grief in the forest...Thranduil's wife died from spiders in the forest. Two lives for two lives. Now, he can rest in peace. Rahnir smiled a happy smile, waiting until he can meet his family in the Halls of Mandos.


To Be Continued:

Don't hurt me. I tried to put the next chapter as fast as I could. I'm going to college soon and I had to start packing I'm sorry. Please tell me any suggestions, I'd be happy to hear them. I can't seem to find a good change setting marker, got any suggestions? Please rr and thanks reviewers!

got-lotr: I'm sorry. I honestly didn't mean for that to happen. But while I was writing...it just happened. Please forgive me. The next chapter will say more about Legolas' condition.

kurafoxgirl: Don't get mad. Don't kill me. If you do, I can't update. That wasn't meant as a threat. But I hope this chapter helps you understand the situation.

mascara freak: I'm glad I'm able to meet your expectations. Hope this one does too. Does it clarify why Rahnir wants to kill Legoals? I hope you still like this story.