Disclaimer:Well, all attempts to gain control of Middle earth have failed, and talk of failure ruins my holiday spirit.
AN:(Edited 5 April, 2010) Hello again, nice to see you've all returned. Much appreciated. Lol, I hope you enjoy this chappy, and the next one should be up--- wait, what am I doing? If I say when the next chappy will be out, I jinx myself… I hope I stopped in time…
Oh happy day… it's FINALLY SNOWING! (I guess you wouldn't particularly care, but it's big deal for me, my arms hurt from all those snow dances I did.)
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Elrond darted back toward Legolas's room empty handed, hoping desperately that one of his sons had managed to find the missing prince. He had raced throughout the entire house, asking if anyone had seen Legolas, only to be met with blank stares and alarm. The prince is missing? No, I haven't seen him, I'll come help look…
Well, even with the entire house out looking, they had come up empty handed.
The elf lord met Elladan and Estel outside the room. Elrohir was nowhere in sight. The near frantic expressions on his son's faces spoke volumes: they hadn't found Legolas either.
Exchanging their search stories, they walked into the room, hoping to find both the missing prince and now missing twin. The little room was empty, but this time, being much calmer, they noticed the curtains blowing in the wind from the storm.
Cautiously approaching the door, they saw two slumped forms in a chair. Darting forward, they were rewarded with the full view of Legolas and Elrohir, both sound asleep as the storm raged around them.
A rush of relief that both were safe quickly dispelled their initial irate feeling. Working together, Elrond and his sons managed to pry Elrohir's grip from Legolas's arm, and move the prince back into his room.
The younger twin didn't so much as stir as he too was carried back to his room. Those tasks complete, Elrond checked Legolas one last time, pleased to find the prince seemingly improved. They departed then each determined to get some sleep before throttling Elrohir in the morning for not telling them that he had found the prince.
Said twin woke the next day feeling slightly nervous, but overall feeling well. As he dressed, he kept getting a feeling that somebody was out to get him. And as he went down to breakfast, he found himself glancing tensely behind him.
As soon as he stepped through the door of the dining hall, conversation ceased. Elrohir eyed the congregation of elves, wondering whether or not he should run.
"Well, well," came a soft voice at his elbow. Elrohir jumped as his twin appeared out of nowhere. "Would you like to explain why you terrified us all last night by not telling us where the missing wood-elf was?"
Elrohir knew then that his earlier feeling was right: he should have fled. He did so now, running fast, but knowing his twin's speed would match his own. He darted outdoors into a courtyard and dove desperately behind a statue. The rain was still falling, and the wind nipped at him mercilessly, but he stayed still, preferring the fury of the storm to the wrath of his brother.
Unfortunately, Elladan had seen the desperate dive, and now he came flying over the statue himself, arms outstretched.
They tussled for several seconds before Elladan sat on him and refused to move.
"Okay, okay!" The younger twin gasped. "I'll come peacefully!"
Elladan frog-marched him into the building and past the cheering elves that had followed the chase in interest. All the way back up to Elrond's study, where Elladan knocked and announced proudly, "I've got him Ada."
The door opened immediately. Estel was standing there, smiling openly at his brother's discomfort.
Elrohir was plopped into a chair, and Elladan and Estel stood at either side to keep him from escaping. Elrond looked at his second-born, eyes stating the obvious.
"Honestly Ada, I swear I would have told you bu—"
Elrond raised a hand and Elrohir broke off mid-word. "I would like the full story, word-for-word if possible."
Elrohir collected his thoughts, which were still tied up in plots for escaping. When his ada used that tone of voice, it was best not to argue.
He told the entire story, as close as he could get, from the beginning, until they had fallen asleep. As he talked, the ire from his families eyes disappeared, followed by concern. And as he spoke of Legolas's reference to the fire, Elladan snapped his fingers.
"I remember that night! When was it brother, fifteen hundred years ago?"
"Longer than that. Perhaps twenty years after we first met him, when he was very young."
Estel listened in amazement, mouth slightly open. He knew, of course, that his brothers were thousands of years old, and still, whenever they spoke of such times, he felt growing awe. That feeling was usually shattered, however, when the two began to speak of such things as pranking the Lord and Lady of Lothlorien, or dumping syrup all over Legolas.
Elrond looked at his sons intently. "What happened that night?"
The twins sighed. They suddenly knew that they would not be escaping the company of their father until they had gone over every single detail of that night, several times over.
The sons of Lord Elrond splashed through the rain, shoving each other and laughing. The storm had come upon them so suddenly they'd had no chance to get back to Imladris on time.
As they neared the great doors of the building, they saw, much to their delight, a familiar group of horses bearing the sign of Mirkwood.
Suddenly filled with energy, the two rushed inside, searching for the person they knew to be in there somewhere. And indeed, they had found their young friend, sliding down the banister on his way to dinner.
They had caught Legolas as he flew off the end of the rail and carried him, struggling and laughing up the stairs. Their combined strength was barely enough to hold onto the little devil as he wriggled, stopping only when they threatened to throw him over the stairs.
The dinner had been pleasant enough, although, as the storm grew in size, the twins noticed their young companion growing more and more quiet. And by the time they went back upstairs to share stories of the latest mishaps, he had become completely silent.
Sensing the change in mood, the twins had inquired as to the reason why Legolas was upset. The youngling had shaken his head and moved to the balcony doors, opening them and stepping out into the storm, heedless of the howling wind.
First Elladan, then Elrohir followed, to find him perched on the rail, already sodden. They came up, one twin on each side, and leaned on the rail. Somehow, they understood the need for silence and comfort, and each put their arm around the prince's shoulders.
Only once did they turn their attention from the scene before them, and that was only because they heard their young companion mutter something beneath his breath. It was too low for either twin to make out, and they eyed Legolas for several more seconds, waiting to see whether he would repeat himself.
He did not, and as they watched, a sharp crack of lightning broke the sky's dark colors apart. The prince's eyes, normally a bright and expressive blue, were rendered cold, turned a brilliant molten silver, the color of hard and unforgiving mithril.
Elladan blinked, and it was gone, Legolas's eyes returning to their beautiful sky blue. He turned his attention back to the storm, as did Elrohir. They could not explain why the sight had so unnerved them, and so they let it slip from their minds.
They did not remember it the next day, and did not recall the incident until centuries later.
Elrond frowned. "He spoke of something? Can you recall any words whatsoever?"
First Elrohir, then Elladan, shook their heads. Though their memory was excellent, and they could recall that night with perfect clarity, they had not heard Legolas's words originally, and therefore could not recall a thing the prince had said.
Estel glanced back and forth, wishing he had been there. The young human sighed, thinking, for an instant that elven hearing wasn'tall it was thought to be, then feeling ashamed of thinking such a thing at a time like that.
A hesitant knock on the door made all of them look up in confusion.
"If it's important, come in."
Elladan smiled. Twas Elrond's standard response, although by now, not a single elf in Rivendell heeded the 'important' part.
The knob turned slowly, as if the elf behind it was reluctant to enter. In Elrond's experience, this most likely meant headaches, as it was usually an elf coming to tell him of the latest thing that had gone wrong.
Instead, the elf eased into the room shakily, back turned as he shut the door. Head down, avoiding the suddenly frozen stares of the Peredhil family, he made his way to a chair that wasn't occupied and sat heavily.
The scrape of the chair against the stone floor jerked everyone out of their daze. They surged forward, scolding, laughing and more scolding.
"Whatexactly do you think you are doing, Penneth?
"You rotten being, do you know how much grief you've caused us?"
"You got me sent outside, and then Ada ate my cake!"
Legolas raised an eyebrow tiredly at Estel. "I do not want to know. I really do not want to know."
Elrohir poked Elladan. "Where are my silver coins? I told you he wouldn't stay in bed when he woke up!"
Legolas smiled briefly. "Come now Elladan, don't tell me you actually took him up on that bet? I thought you were smarter than that."
Elrond shot each of the young elves a glare, silencing them more effectively than gagging them. He then turned his attention to Legolas, who was too exhausted to give much more than a semblance of innocence.
"What on Arda were you thinking? Let me see your side before you say another word."
Sighing, Legolas unbuttoned his tunic and presented his wound. He had taken off the bandages before coming to the study, perhaps knowing that Elrond would want to see the cut.
Elrond's fingers skipped lightly over the skin, keen eyes searching for a sign of wrongness. He found nothing. The wound had finally stopped bleeding, in fact had already scabbed and started to heal. All signs of black had receded, leaving the skin a normal pale color.
Legolas had beaten the poison.
The room turned into a madhouse the second Elrond proclaimed the news. The twins cheered and grabbed each other in a hug, bouncing madly about the room. Estel laughed at their antics and leaped up to join them in their dance.
Elrond smiled at Legolas, his eyes meeting the brilliant blue. They danced with life and happiness, no longer the dull and listless shade they had been for so many days.
That sparkle did not diminish one bit as he was lifted and carried away by the twins and Estel.
That night, having slept most of the day, Legolas was busy. His hands quickly packed a small pack he had retrieved from Elladan's room. It contained precious little for food, several wafers of lembas and a couple of canteen's of water.
His knives went into their sheaths, both items having been cleaned by Estel in a fit of boredom. His bow was slung over a shoulder, and his quiver filled with what was left of his arrows.
Stepping quietly through his door, he was met, rather suddenly by two familiar scowls. "Where do you think you're going?"
"I'm going home. I wish to know what has happened. If your messenger had indeed survived told my ada of the transpiring happenings here, rest assured that he would be here now. I need to go and find out what has happened to my people."
"Well obviously, that's what you were going to do!" Elladan exclaimed.
Legolas's brow furrowed slightly, if they knew then why did they ask?
"You were leaving without telling us," Elrohir supplied. "How are we supposed to go with you if you don't wake us up and tell us it's time to go?"
For the first time, Legolas noticed that, like himself, Elrohir and Elladan were garbed in traveling outfits and carried packs. "What would I do without you two?"
"Get yourself killed." Elladan responded easily. "What were you planning to do, walkto Mirkwood?"
Legolas shifted uncomfortably. "I was actually going to borrow your horse."
Elladan was appalled. "You mean take it off to get slaughtered?"
Legolas shoved him, feeling both annoyance at knowing he was to put up with the twin's chatter all the way until Mirkwood, and grateful for his closest friend's support.
They exited the building and continued to the stables, discussing which horse Legolas would 'borrow' now.
Twas such a shame that they had no idea what they were getting themselves into.
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Iladri'on flew, or as near as he could get, down the corridors, trying to keep ahead of the horde of orcs at his heels. The walls of the palace flashed by so quickly, he had trouble discerning where he was going, and once got so disoriented, he found himself running back atthe orcs.
He corrected that in a hurry.
Darting out into the first sunlight he had seen in a week and a half, he was temporarily blinded, and so tripped and rolled down a flight of stairs. He hit the ground at the bottom of the steps and was up again so quickly that it looked rather like a bounce.
Eyes quickly adjusted to the sunlight, were now blinded by blood: a nasty gash over his eye was bleeding profusely. Nevertheless, he managed to arrive at the stables in more or less one piece. His horse was kept in a stall right near the door, and he had no trouble coaxing the beast to him, mounting it, and fleeing.
His head ached, he was still half blind, and exhaustion was fast approaching. He didn't care. He was free.