Out of Mirkwood
Scribbles-on-Parchment
September 21, 2019
Chapter 11 – When Hope is Lost
Deep in the forest of Mirkwood, a cloaked figure lifted his head at the sound of footsteps approaching.
"What news Hethion?" the ellon asked without even turning to see who it was.
A slender elf dressed in the green and brown tunic of a Silvan soldier stepped out of the trees.
"They found the body Saelil," the eldar stopped several feet away, "It was just as you said. They were easy to deceive. Thranduil believes it is his son who is now lying dead in his halls."
"Galu. You have done well mellon. And did they find the lock of hair?"
"Of course," the elf smirked, "It was the only thing that convinced them that it was the body of the young prince. As soon as they saw it, they were sure that it was the elfling."
"Thranduil and his people are so gullible. They never fail to always see the worst in every situation and are always jumping to conclusions. Thranduil never changes."
"But what of Legolas? We have found no trace of anybody. The spiders did not appear to have killed him. That could prove to be a critical error in your plan. You should have slit his throat while you had the chance."
The cloaked ellon spun around at this comment and in the blink of an eye he had a hand around the other Hethion's neck.
"Do not tell me what I should or should not have done," he spat as the Silvan gasped in surprise as his air supply was cut off, "I have worked for far too long for this to all fall apart now. The spiders may have failed in killing the elfling but you will not."
Hethion gasped for air as the grip on his throat loosened.
"That sorry excuse for a prince could not have gotten far; find him and kill him."
The eldar flung Hethion from him and watched as the elf scampered off into the darkness.
"Now you know how it feels to lose that which you hold most dear Thranduil. When you are out of the way, arda can finally say goodbye to the once-great woodland realm. Vengeance is sweet my old friend."
Êmand was in shock. He looked down at the mangled body of his young charge. Legolas, the young ellon who was once so full of light and life. How could this cold corpse be that Sinda? By Valar, Legolas had not even reached his majority yet. He was still but an elfling!
The young prince was laid out on the ornately carved stone table in the Hall of Mourning. His body had been washed and restored as much as possible, yet the damage to his face could not be undone. Legolas had been dressed in a dazzling silver tunic with a wreath of gold leaves resting on his burned brow.
No matter how long he stared at the body, Êmand could not come to accept that this was the same Legolas that he had watched over and protected for so many years. His still healing leg began to tremble under the fatigue of standing for so long.
Êmand cursed loudly. If it wasn't for him, Legolas would still be alive and none of this would have ever had to happen. Why had he not tried harder to stop elfling from wandering off in the first place? He knew that both Kélion and Thranduil were blaming themselves, but Êmand knew that it had all started with him.
His leg finally gave out and Êmand let himself sink to the cold stone floor beside the Sinda's body. He did not understand. Just two days ago the prince had been alive.
And he should be now, the Silvab thought sorrow tearing at his heart, you should have been there to protect him. He died alone in terror and pain, knowing that you could not save him. You failed him.
Tears began to stream down the ellon's face as deep sobs racked his body. Nothing could stop the overwhelming grief that tore away at him. Legolas was gone and there was nothing he could do to bring him back.
Kélion stood quietly by the door to the Mourning Hall and watched silently as his brother's mentor wept. The Sinda's heart broke at the sound of Êmand's wails. He had remembered feeling grief like this after his naneth had died, yet now this felt ten times worse.
His little brother had been the light and hope for the whole realm. It was as if Legolas had been a sign that there was hope for a new beginning, but like the light had faded from his brother's eyes so had hope faded from the Greenwood.
The crown prince quietly walked over to the older eldar and knelt beside him, placing a comforting hand on Êmand's shoulder; together the two ellyn wept.
Thranduil stood outside of the palace gate and looked out at the forest. There was no longer any beauty in trees or the songs of the birds. Everything felt dull and lifeless. The death of his beloved son had caused the light in his world to go out.
The ever-faithful Thalion stood by his side refusing to leave his friend, even when Thranduil had insisted he was fine. For the first time in his life, the once-proud king looked utterly defeated and he had no tears left to cry to express the agony that filled his heart. They were to bury his son soon and then he would have to find a way to move on. However, he was not sure he would be able to.
Thranduil let Thalion lead him back into the palace. His ears were deaf to the sympathetic words of his friend and guards at the gate. He knew that he had to be strong for his people and for Kélion, but the weight of grief and loss was making it hard for him to even breathe.
FLASHBACK
"Ada!"
Thranduil turned at the sound of his son's cry. Legolas launched himself at the elven king and giggled as the ellon was thrown off balance by the sudden action of having to catch the elfling.
"Ion nín, what are you doing up so late? You should be in bed."
Legolas looked at his ada with large blue eyes and said quietly, "I was in bed but I heard Thalion telling Êmand how sad you were. I don't like being alone when I am sad so I thought that you should not have to be alone either."
A sad smile crossed Thranduil's face at the young Sinda's words; they were so innocent and full of good intentions that he could not bring himself to be mad.
Legolas stared at the eldar for a moment longer before flinging his arms around the ellon's neck.
"Why are you sad? Is it because nana is not here anymore?"
Thranduil pulled the elfling in closer, "Yes penneth. It hurts to lose someone that you love."
At the word hurt the young prince pulled back and looked hard at the king, "I will make you feel better then because Nana was hurt and that is why she had to go away and I do not want you to go away."
"I will not leave you penneth. I love you too much."
"Promise?"
"I promise."
Satisfied Legolas flung himself back around his ada's neck. After a moment he whispered, "And you wouldn't leave Kélion either, would you? I think he would be very sad if you did."
"I will never leave your brother either for I love him just as much as I love you."
"And if I have to go away someday to see nana would you promise to stay with Kélion?"
Thranduil was startled by the question, "You will not be going anywhere as long as I have something to say about it ion nín. You should not be worrying about such things."
"I know," the elfling snuggled deeper into the Sinda's arms, "But do you promise?"
Thranduil hugged his son as a single silver tear snaked down his cheek and fell into Legolas's golden hair, "I promise."
Elvish Translations:
naneth – mother
saelil – wise one
galu – good
mellon – friend
ada – daddy
nana – mommy
ion nín – my son
penneth – young one