Chapter 13

No, thought Legolas, I can't let that happen! It is my fault my friends are here! I cannot let them die because of me!

So while Thelion was smirking evilly and thinking about revenge, Legolas formed a plan. His plan was: improvise like his life depended on it - which, more or less, it did.

"Say, Thellie," he began desperately. Thelion growled. He always hated that nickname, even before Mother died. Legolas knew that very well; his memories of the time before Mother died were few, but crystal clear. "Remember the time I poured soapy water on you and Mother made me go to nap early?"

"I know you are just stalling for time," snarled Thelion angrily. He hated being reminded of Mother, and how she was murdered by the murderer. He felt a stab of guilt remembering all the beatings he had given his brother, he then shook himself out of it by looking at the murderer.

"Well, what are you going to do to my friends?" Legolas continued improvising, hardly knowing what he was saying.

"Oh, them." Thelion smiled, no, smirked at Legolas. "I will not do anything bad to them. But Sauron might do something worse to them."

That's when everybody (except Thelion) lost control of their rage, fury, anger and vehemence.

And when four elves at once lose their temper, bad things for their enemy will happen.

First, Berthilion found something really hard, sharp and heavy, and threw it at Thelion's head. That was part of the reason Thelion's sword had flown out of his grasp.

Secondly, Laeriel screamed an insult at him, and kicked his shins - hard. That was the one part of the reason Thelion's sword flew out of his grasp.

Galian was too drained to do anything major, so he just made Thelion's hair catch fire with a spell. That was another part of the reason Thelion's sword flew out of his grasp.

Lastly, Legolas brought his knees up and kicked Thelion in the stomach. That was the last part of the reason Thelion's sword flew out of his grasp.

Legolas didn't waste a moment as his infuriated friends started attacking poor Thelion, who was frantically trying to put out his hair. Legolas leapt out of under Thelion and ran as fast as he could towards the sword, which was on the other side of the room.

He grabbed the sword, and even though it was a bit too heavy for his taste, he walked calmly to Thelion, who didn't even notice him.

Legolas was furious. He was angry. He was any synonym for angry or furious anybody could think of. And that's the main reason he walked forwards and impaled his brother in the stomach with his sword.

"What?" said Elrond in a rare lapse of irritability. He made a noble attempt to sit up, but miserably failed, and flopped back on his resting place with a groan. It seemed that he had an even worse hangover than Thranduil. "I said that I'm having a bad feeling about Legolas but I can't quite put my finger on it." In a lighter tone he added, "You look quite the mess, my friend." A very dark look came over the lord of Imladris' face that could probably cause the Witch King to think twice about crossing his path, "What did you expect?! We spent the entire evening last night drinking! This has got to be the biggest hangover I ever suffered through!" Thranduil was not affected in the least bit about Elrond's outburst, "Just remember that you brought it upon yourself. Have you taken something for it?"

"Yes, but it seems to be taking its time in working…Thranduil, Thranduil, what's wrong."

Thranduil had suddenly went as pale as a sheet, "Its Thelion, something terrible has happened, I can feel it. "

There was silence as everyone stared in horror at what Legolas had just done, including Legolas. Right after he made the fatal decision and stabbed his brother, his fury had drained away, leaving horror and nausea.

No one said anything even after Thelion started moaning and groaning from the pain. He dropped on the floor, writhing in agony, clutching his stomach. His vision was going blurry, probably from the rapid blood loss and the acid in his stomach. At least in fifteen minutes, it'd be over.

It was Berthilion who finally broke the silence.

"Let us go," he said, taking Laeriel by the hand. A gesture not lost on Legolas. Laeriel blushed, once again, seen by Legolas's all-seeing eye.

"Can you manage that portal from here?" he asked Galian, getting ready to run all the way back to the cave, for fear that someone will chase them.

"Yes, I can manage," Galian said, before starting the spell.

His chanting seemed to last forever, while Legolas was watching his brother groan, Laeriel thinking of Berthilion and Berthilion jumping at every little noise.

Once he was done, no one said a word, just stepped through the portal. Instantly they were in Legolas's room. There was a servant in the room. He went white and started stuttering and bowing and a number of things Legolas couldn't and didn't want to see. He collapsed on his bed.

While Thelion was more or less evil, they all still liked him and respected him, and felt bad about his death.

And then Thranduil arrived. Legolas noted that he looked like he had a hangover. He also noticed that Thranduil seemed to be yelling and ranting at them. At all of them, even though they didn't care.

They were all seeing in their mind Thelion. His murder seemed extraordinary real in the surreal world right now. His pain and his tears were also real.

Thranduil was very worried about his children and their friends. Even though Elrond healed the injuries and assured Thranduil they'd be fine, none of them were talking or eating much. They were all very pale and tired all the time, and he was sure they were having nightmares. And where was Thelion?

A thing also worrying was that they didn't even seem to hear his shouting at them. Normally Legolas would be very upset, Laeriel very fierce about her side, Galian very agreeable with everything he yelled about and Berthilion glazed over, probably worried about his status as a warrior. But that time they all just stared blankly ahead.

Two days have passed already.

"Hello," said Elrond, surprising Thranduil out of his thoughts. "I was thinking of going to see Legolas and Laeriel."

"Me too," said Thranduil. "I'm worried about him. He's not speaking and hardly eating."

"I think it's time to get the truth out of him. Maybe he will feel better after that."

"I wondered what happened there, anyway?"

Thranduil soon found out. When he went to visit his son, he found out everything. Including that his eldest was dead. Though Thelion injured his siblings and kin, physically and/or emotionally, Thranduil couldn't help mourning him.

After Legolas's confession, Elrond decided they all needed therapy to help recover from their experience. But Thranduil thought they all looked better now, Legolas associating with the twins and Laeriel reading as always and Galian and Berthilion performing their usual duties.
It was over.

Five minutes after Legolas and the others left, Thelion was still alive. He was rather delirious by now from the pain and despair.

That's when the Master came.

He had walked in quickly, full of strength, unsupported. He kneeled down in front of Thelion.

"Hello, Drakken," his master said quite calmly. "I heard the little Prince and Princess and their friends escaped. But how did that happen? Surely you, one of my most loyal servants, wouldn't let them escape? Or, did you?"

"Yes, my Lord," said Thelion through clenched teeth, partly because of pain, partly because of his dislike for his Master.

"Yes?" gasped Sauron, wide-eyed and over-dramatic. "And I thought you were loyal! And you betrayed my trust," suddenly Sauron was deathly calm and grim. "And now you're lying, bleeding, dying on the floor - crying."

He wiped the tears out of Thelion's eyes almost tenderly.

"Never show signs of weakness. That'd be your downfall."

Sauron was now calm but now grim, almost pleasant.

"Now, I'm going to heal you, but you're going to have to do something about you siblings."

He placed his hand on Thelion's stomach and instantly the pain stopped. Thelion felt a wave of sleepiness fighting to take him over. The last thing he heard was soft laughter. Then the world went black.

Thelion was contemplating that memory. Or dream. He wasn't sure. It was probably a dream, the whole kidnapping and almost dying and Sauron being actually likable.

He woke up in his bed as usual. He was even in his nightclothes. He stood up and began dressing. Until he saw something that made his world turn upside down and made him feel sick.

In the exact place where Legolas was supposed to stab him, he had a scar.

The end