Out of Mirkwood
Scribbles-on-Parchment
February 22, 2020
Chapter 31 – Doubt
"My name is Elrond and these are my sons. Elladan, Elrohir, and Estel. We are travelers from Imladris."
Legolas felt all his blood run cold. Elrond. All of the stories of betrayal that his adar and Kélion had told him as a child flooded his mind. The Sinda directed his gaze over to the elf lord who had just spoken, his icy blue eyes scanning the ellon. The Noldo's gentle gaze looked back at him, unfazed. The soft brown eyes spoke of compassion and wisdom, yet the Sinda could still detect a shadow of sorrow and regret.
The elf lord's dark brown hair hung loosely around his shoulders, a light breeze blowing it away from his face and his clothes were similar to that of the human's. The eldar wore a pair of light brown leggings with a dark blue tunic that flared out elegantly at his waist. There was no embroidery on his clothes, but he did not need them. All one had to do was look at the ellon to realize he was an elven lord, wise and powerful. At last Legolas's gaze landed on the sheathed sword that hung on the Elrond's hip.
"There is no reason to fear Maer," the prince turned toward the voice, "Why do you not trust us? Have we given you cause to think us a threat?"
However, the young Sinda did not heed the words for he was too busy staring at the ellon who had just spoken. This Noldo was obviously a true son of Elrond, for the similarities in the features between the two were great. But this was not what had startled Legolas. What had startled him was another younger elf that stood next to the one who had just spoken. They were almost identical. Their faces seemed to mirror one another and they differed only in dress and stance.
Twins. Legolas knew that such things existed but never had he fully believed to be possible. Mostly he had just thought it to be a story Kélion had told him as a child, rumor or myth. Yet here in front of him stood proof. His brother had not been lying.
"I think he is in shock, Ro. I do not think he has ever seen twins before," the human's voice snapped the elfling to his senses and he quickly looked away from the two Noldor.
"Either that or he is stunned by my handsome features."
Legolas's cheeks flushed a pale pink and he quickly lowered his head as the males chuckled softly. He felt slightly humiliated and frustrated. He had not meant to stare as long as he had, in fact, he had not meant for any of this to happen.
His mind was still trying to wrap itself around what had just happened and the fact that Elrond was there in front of him. The very elf who had broken his treaty and had condemned so many of his people to die, to be slaughtered in their very kingdom.
The toes of soft leather boots appeared in front of the prince causing Legolas to quickly look up. He did not want to be caught off guard by anything for now that he knew who these ellyn were, he knew they could not be trusted. They must have captured him for a reason. He needed to figure out what that was so he could plan what to do next.
Elrond shot his youngest sons a harsh look, silencing their soft laughter. He could detect the faint pink that had spread on the elfling's pale cheeks before he had lowered his head shielding his face with his long golden hair. The elf lord cast Tamír a questioning glance before walking over to the Sinda. The ellon reacted in an instant as his head shot up to see who was in front of him. The sky-blue eyes showed no emotion as they fell on him, but Elrond could sense what lay beneath this elf's hard exterior. Maer was angered, yet also fighting feelings of fear, confusion, and overwhelming despair.
The Noldo knelt in front of the young eldar noting the increasingly guarded look the ellon gave him. He needed to find a way to earn the Sinda's trust and that all started with a gentler approach.
"I feel that we have much explaining to do mellon but first let me get you something to eat. I fear you must be famished."
Estel watched Maer look down at the elvish Lembas in his hand. He seemed slightly conflicted about whether to eat it or not but after a moment the ellon gave in and took a small bite. The human shook his head. His ada had told the elfling a shortened version of what had taken place and he had half expected the elfling to react in some way, yet the Sinda had still not said any more, instead, he had continued to look at them all in turn with the same emotionless gaze.
As bad as it sounded, he almost preferred Maer when he was unconscious. Now that he was awake the elf made him uncomfortable for every time the eldar's gaze landed on him, he found himself fidgeting. It was like the young ellon knew something he did not like he held a great secret; perhaps even a deadly one. This elf could not be trusted. Yet there was still a part of Estel that felt protective of the elfling. After all, he had been the one to find him wounded.
"Why did you help me? Why did you not just leave me to die?"
The voice of the Sinda caused the edan to look up, crumbs from the Lembas he had been eating getting caught in his stubble beard. Maer spoke in heavily accented elvish instead of the Westron he had spoken in before. The elf's voice was soft yet was hinted with confusion.
"What cause do we have against you to leave you wounded?" Tamír spoke this time, the Sindarin elvish flowing smoothly from his lips, "Why would we want you to die?"
Estel looked again at the elfling and saw that the eldar's eyes had lost much of their fierce, cold look. Instead, a shadow of doubt and confusion was growing in them.
At last, you begin to show your true self. The young human looked over at his adar and smiled, but the Noldo did not acknowledge him and continued to look hard at the ellon as if trying to figure something out.
Confusion was growing in Legolas's mind. Had they really saved him from the Silvan who had knocked him out or were the Noldor just weaving a story?
"Why would we want you to die?" The Silvan elf's brown eyes were filled with compassion.
This was the same Elrond who had killed his people and almost ended the lives of his family. This was the elf who had brought pain and destruction down onto the Greenwood, onto his adar. Why would this elf not want him to die as well? Did they truly not know or see that he was the son of Thranduil?
His mind was torn. Had they saved him? And if they had then why had they not taken him back to the Greenwood, to his home?
"Do you not know who I am?" The words slipped out of his lips before the young prince could stop himself, "Do you not know the consequences of holding me captive?"
Legolas watched as his words caused Tamír's eyes to narrow in thought.
"Should we know who you are? You have not told us your name, so for us, you remain Maer. And as for holding you captive, we are doing no such thing. We healed you, not kidnapped you. We are not like the yrch for we do not hold our own people captive."
The elfling's eyes widened in surprise. They truly did not know who he was? This had not been some elaborate plan to gain a ransom or revenge from his adar?
"Then I am free to go?"
"We will not hold you here against your will. You are free to go where you choose. However, you are not healed…"
Legolas did not wait to hear the Silvan finish. He pushed himself to his feet and immediately knew it had been the wrong decision for his vision immediately went grey as all of the blood rushed from his head. He stumbled forward and felt strong arms grab him, steadying him. For a moment Legolas thought that he would be fine, the dizzy spell would pass, but instead, his body went completely numb. A second later fire flooded his veins and he was lost in a churning sea of darkness once again.
The Noldo rushed forward as the elfling's face went white as a sheet and he stumbled forward on the verge of passing out. Elrond caught the Sinda in his arms and steadied him. He had expected something like this to happen sooner or later. A moment later the young Sinda went completely limp, his eyes rolling back in his head and the elf lord cried for Elladan to come and help him.
His eldest son was at his side in an instant and was helping him lower Maer to the ground. As the golden locks touched the soft grass the elfling's body went rigid. His back arched off the ground as his limbs began to shake. A horrible gasping noise escaping the lips of the poor elf.
"What is going on ada?"
Elladan's face was full of concern as he gently cradled the Sinda's head in his hands trying to keep the eldar from hurting himself. Elrond pried Maer's mouth open and forced a leaf of altheas between his clenched teeth before saying,
"I expected this would happen. The poison has not completely left his body yet and he is not yet healed. However, do not be concerned, I suspect this will pass soon."
The other ellyn and Estel had gathered around the shaking body of the Sind No one spoke. Everyone just watched as the tremors and convulsions began to die down. Then as quickly as it had started Maer went limp again.
"There. It is over. Though we must be prepared for another to come. His body is weak and he is overwhelmed," Elrond noted the look on his human son's face and added, "But he will be fine. Worry not ion nín."
The elf lord got to his feet and beckoned for Tamír to follow him. The two ellyn walk away from the others before the Noldi said softly,
"I have a horrible feeling I know exactly who our young Sinda is."
Elvish Translations:
adar – father
maer – golden
mellon – friend
ada – dad
yrch – orcs
ion nín – my son