Disclaimer: I own nothing in this marvelous universe; it all belongs to J.R.R. Tolkien.
A/N: Hi, again ::grins! Well, my projects are all nearly done, so I'm indulging myself at the moment (even though I probably should not). I hope you like this newest post, because I probably will not be posting again until after all the chapters are finished. Please enjoy!
Reviewers: All 23 of you, thank you! Reviews are always appreciated.
Arwen: ::winces:: I suppose this had to come up at some point. I have absolutely nothing against her, and by the logic I use within my story, she would indeed have as much right to Valinor as Estel. Unfortunately, she is not in this story—nor in any of the flashbacks I feature.
Aragorn and Legolas: I am not going to classify their relationship as one thing or another. I will allow you to interpret it whichever way you wish. However, I will say this: they have known—and loved—each other for over two-hundred and five years at this point. Their relationship is very strong and very deep, and they are closer than brothers. Based on what I have told you, you decide how you want to picture it ::winks::.
'Sindarin (Elvish)'
"Westron (Common Speech)"
/Personal Thoughts/
.:A Man Called Hope:.
By Sentimental Star
Chapter III: Wilting
(The Next Evening, Ship Bound for Valinor)
Legolas was again ready to talk, and did so as Gimli smoked his pipe, the fire between them: "Estel was always a sweet child, and sometimes too serious for his own good. But the night he returned from the foray with his brothers, I was not yet aware of that, though I had seen glimpses of it. I expected him to bring back a particularly smooth pebble or a branch of berries, maybe even a flower." The prince looked away, eyes bright with remembered joy, and yet darkened still by present pain. "He did, he brought me back a flower. But not just any flower…sídh híril o lóth, a rare flower that bloomed perhaps once every three centuries."
"Sídh híril o lóth?" Gimli repeated, puzzled, stumbling over the pronunciation slightly.
Legolas's voice softened, eyes once again in the past, "Sídh híril o lóth, the Lady of Peace flower…"
-I-I-I-I-I-I-I-I-I-I-I-
(Flashback, Two Hundred Five Years—TA 2936; That Same Night)
Legolas had bathed and changed into his more formal tunic after taking his leave of Lord Elrond. He had then taken his meal upstairs in his guestroom, fully intending to join the other Elves in the Hall of Fire later that evening.
He had instead fallen asleep in the large, comfortable armchair near the fireplace in his bedroom.
Several hours later he had woken to find it nearly twilight outside.
He blinked sleepily in the fading light, able to faintly hear the sound of singing in the Hall of Fire below. Tempted to simply fall back asleep, Legolas made a half-hearted attempt to get up…which quickly became decisive when he heard a young voice outside:
'Do you think the prince is still awake?' Estel was asking his brothers eagerly.
'If he isn't, you must be patient and wait 'til tomorrow,' Elladan reminded him with a hint of sternness.
The young Human subsided a bit. 'I know, and I will, 'Dan. I promise.'
Legolas could just imagine Elladan shaking his head. 'Good. Here, why don't you give Elrohir that…'
The prince smiled faintly at the unseen conversation and headed for the door to his guest room. He had told Estel he would be up, and no matter how tired he was, he knew he did not want to disappoint the young Dúnadan.
Making his way quickly and quietly through the halls, he had just gone down the main staircase and into the large foyer in front of the Hall of Fire when the front doors burst open to admit one ecstatic Human child.
'Lirimaer, Lirimaer! You're awake!' the highly pleased five-year-old cried, running forward and embracing the Silvan Elf before Legolas even had time to turn around fully.
He froze a moment in complete shock. /By the Valar…Lirimaer?/ he thought incredulously.
But Estel did not seem to notice his amazement, peppering the slightly overwhelmed prince with a detailed (if somewhat convoluted) account of exactly what had happened on this 'foray' with his brothers.
As the boy chattered on, still hanging onto Legolas's waist, the Silvan Elf finally found it in him to move, crouching down to return the child's hug. Estel beamed at him…and kept talking, moving his arms to hang onto Legolas's neck. Legolas, taking this as an indication that Estel wanted to be held, straightened into a standing position, still holding the young Dúnadan, as the child's narrative wound down, '…And then 'Ro tripped and fell down into the cave. Well, it wasn't really a cave—it was too small—but it was a hole in the mountains. And when we stood up, all around us we saw these flowers and they were glowing almost! It was so pretty!'
'Glowing flowers, young edan?' Legolas repeated in bemusement.
'Close enough, anyway,' Elrohir's voice came from the doorway. He looked appropriately sheepish. 'Estel, did you have to go and tell him everything?'
The child giggled. 'Of course!'
'Elbereth,' the embarrassed twin groaned.
Elladan joined him in the doorway. Estel's ears did not catch their whispered conversation, but Legolas's did. 'At least he's happy. Look at him, he's practically glowing. Like those flowers you became so intimately acquainted with.' The last part was mirthful.
Elrohir scowled and bopped his brother upside the head, before turning back towards Legolas and Estel, smiling softly when he noticed the prince intently watching them. 'You are right, though, El. 'Twas a good day for him, and I think we have Legolas here to thank for that.'
The Wood-Elf gave him a frankly puzzled look just as Estel tugged lightly on one of his braids.
He turned to the boy. 'Hmm? Aye, penneth?'
Estel made a face, but grinned. 'You weren't listening. I said I found your present. 'Ro has it.'
Smiling, Elrohir gingerly held out a small pack as the two twins came to join them. 'Estel insisted, I'm afraid, Legolas. Elladan and I don't even know what it is, exactly.'
Balancing Estel on his hip, Legolas warily stretched out a hand to take it. Well, it wasn't moving so he supposed that was a good sign…
Elladan snickered softly at the prince's caution. 'Careful, Legolas, it might bite you.'
''Dan!' Estel cried indignantly. 'Don't tease!'
The older twin laughed again. 'Sorry, Estel.'
The child pouted at him, but Elladan simply ruffled his hair fondly.
Assured that nothing living would jump out at him, the Silvan Elf finally worked open the draw string. As the small bag fell open on his palm, Legolas inhaled sharply.
Tenderly, the prince ran his fingertips over the delicate white petals which indeed looked like they were glowing, though it was the pure white coloring only that made them seem so. He snapped his head up, tearing eyes locked on Estel's.
The tiny Dúnadan smiled, and to Legolas—at that moment—it was the most beautiful smile in the world. 'You like it,' Estel whispered happily.
'I like it,' the prince choked. Overwhelmed, he buried his swiftly dampening face against the child's small shoulder, 'Oh, tithen pen, I love it.'
A slightly perplexed set of twins smiled at the two. 'What is it, Legolas?' Elrohir asked, intrigued. ''Tis one of the flowers we found, but…'
Legolas gave a half laugh, half gasp. 'Sídh híril o lóth. "Lady of Peace" flower. It blooms but once every three hundred years, and used to bloom in Greenwood before…before…' His voice failed him. But the twins knew what he meant.
Smiling softly, Elladan remarked, 'See? I told you he was very good at giving gifts.'
Legolas gave a strangled chuckle, finally letting down Estel after giving him a tight squeeze. He knelt, cradling the child's gift gingerly in his palm, and gently gripped the young Dúnadan's shoulder with his free hand. 'Hannon lle, Estel,' the prince advised him, voice wavering. 'Amin harmuva onalle e' coramin (I shall treasure your gift in my heart).'
Estel merely smiled. 'I'm glad you like it so much,' he murmured.
The Silvan Elf's smile continued to tremble as several more tears slipped down his cheeks.
'Feel up to seeing Ada with us?' Elrohir asked with a small grin.
Legolas nodded, climbing to his feet, after lightly brushing the backs of his fingers against Estel's smooth cheek.
The child beamed at him, throwing his short arms around the archer's waist in a final, quick hug, before grabbing Elrohir's hand and eagerly dragging the younger twin down the hall towards Lord Elrond's study. 'Did you bring it?' the child was asking excitedly. 'You brought it, right?'
Elrohir chuckled, allowing himself to be pulled along. 'Aye, Estel, I brought it.' He gently patted a second pouch attached to his belt. 'Don't worry, Ada will get his present.'
'Good!'
Elladan and the prince followed behind them at a much calmer pace. Shakily, Legolas brushed away his tears with one slim hand. The other still cradled the flower delicately in his palm.
Elladan gave him a mixed look of worry and amusement. 'Are you all right? I forgot to warn you that Estel's gifts tend to make a rather large emotional impact.'
Legolas gave a thick laugh, rubbing away the last of his tears. 'Fine,' he managed, clearing his throat. 'He is very sweet.'
Elladan smiled—a trifle sadly. 'He is,' the Noldor Elf affirmed, 'and we love him for it. But that sweetness cannot hide the pain.'
The Silvan Elf glanced sharply at him. 'Your adar told me who he is, and we received news of Arathorn's death in Mirkwood. He still remembers?'
Elladan shut his eyes tightly. 'Considering I have had to wake him from nightmares at least once a month…aye, I would say he remembers. If you come to my room later tonight, El and I will explain a bit more. You cannot tell him who he really is, Legolas. Ada wants him to have at least something of a normal childhood.'
Legolas frowned uncomfortably. He saw where Lord Elrond was coming from, he really did, but...'I cannot say I really agree with it, Elladan, but I will not tell him, if only for his sake.'
Elladan blew out a relieved breath. 'Hannon lle.'
The prince suddenly smirked playfully. 'Normal childhood, you say?' He made a big show of examining Elladan, then examining himself, and finally, examining the mosaic inlaid corridors. 'If this is considered 'normal,' I should hate to see what extraordinary is.'
The Noldor Elf laughed. 'Yes, well, if I recall correctly, Ada said something similar—only, his was more of 'With you and your brother, life is never normal.''
Legolas grinned. 'Well, I can't deny that…ow!' The last part was exclaimed as Elladan (none too lightly) slapped him upside the head.
He gave a rueful grin, rubbing the back of it. Of all the twins' habits he had missed, this was not among them. Although he could not really complain—that Elladan acted like this, proved just how much they had healed.
Exactly how much, he was about to find out.
They had reached Lord Elrond's study by now, and were greeted by a misty-eyed Elrohir.
When Elladan caught sight of his twin's expression, he took several quick steps forward and placed a hand on the younger twin's shoulder. ''Ro?' he murmured in concern.
Elrohir shook his head, smiling and looking remarkably similar to Legolas a few minutes prior as several tears wended their way down his cheeks. Reaching out, he wrapped his arms around Elladan and buried his face against the older twin's neck. 'He gave Ada Nana's favorite flower, Elladan,' Elrohir choked.
Elladan shut his eyes again with a wide smile, a few of his own tears escaping to trail down his cheeks. And when Legolas, standing quietly off to the side, looked into Elrond's study, he found the twins' father hugging Estel for all the young child was worth.
On the Half-Elven Lord's desk sat a single sprig of niphredil.
(End Flashback)
-I-I-I-I-I-I-I-I-I-I-
(Present Time, Ship Bound for Valinor)
Legolas laughed faintly. "Ai, I fear from that moment on, that Human child had an irrefutable claim on my heart."
In the moonlight and starlight, Gimli noticed that the fair being's face was wracked with indescribable pain. He could practically feel the ache radiating out from his friend, and not for the first time, wondered if he should have kept silent.
He had stopped smoking somewhere halfway into the prince's tale on this evening, so caught up was he in the memories and emotions the Elf brought forth. Now he knocked his pipe out and stowed it away in a pouch on his belt. For a moment, he just sat there, watching the archer across the fire as he gazed unseeingly out into the night, trying to imagine what it must be like to be immortal and watch your mortal friends die one by one over the long years you had lived. And failed.
"If the child Estel was that precious," Gimli finally grumbled. "How could Lord Elrond and his twin sons find it in them to leave?"
Legolas shook his head, face worn and eyes weary as he turned to his Dwarven friend. "I know not, Gimli. 'Twas not easy, of that much I am certain for I was there. That strength, I hoped never to know. For me, the call of Estel's heart has been stronger always than the sea. And now that that call has been silenced…" He choked bitterly on the rest of his words, "I leave."
Standing quickly, the Elf moved away from the fire and went to stand at the rail of the ship in the shadows of the night.
In the quiet that followed, Gimli put out the on-deck fire and cleared the deck itself for the evening. As he headed towards the hatch, he glanced back at Legolas where the lithe archer's form suddenly seemed terribly small against the backdrop of the star-studded sky. But perhaps 'twas only because he had folded his arms on the rail and hidden his face.
Whatever it was, it made Gimli say softly, "Don't sit up too late, laddie."
Legolas nodded his head into his arms, but otherwise made no response.
Shaking his head sadly, Gimli clumped his way down the ladder to try and get some sleep.
Legolas remained topside, late into the night. A strong, warm, Western breeze began to blow lightly somewhere around midnight, dancing around him in almost a caress. To the keen Elven ears was born a nearly inaudible message, spoken so faintly and in so dear and familiar a voice that he was quite sure he was imagining it: 'Hurry home, dear one…I will be waiting.'
He pushed himself back—almost violently—from the rail with a sharp cry, glancing around wildly. Desperately hoping, yet knowing…knowing…
No one was there.
The pall that settled then over his fragile Elven heart was nearly suffocating. There would be no recovering from this, not unless by some miracle of the Valar his heart should become whole again.
TBC
Elvish Translations:
Nana (Mama)
Ada (Papa)
Hannon lle (Thank you)
Adar (Father)
Estel (Hope; one of Aragorn's many names, given to him by Lord Elrond)
Tithen pen (little one)
Penneth (young one)
Edan (human)
Lirimaer (lovely singer; in the context of my story, used also to represent "Angel")
--(Please note, these are a mixture of online Elvish dictionaries, Tolkien, and my own experience—SS)