Strongbow
Chapter 2, Forget
When Legolas finally awoke, Cuthalion was grinning down at him. "Quel re.(good day)" he chirped, as if less than an hour ago he had not been cutting himself. Legolas smiled tiredly back. Cuthalion helped Legolas to sit up and held a bowl of broth to his lips. Legolas drank the rich broth and then realized his mistake. He began to get sleepy, and soon, he was drifting in oblivion once more.
Legolas healed over the next week, but he also carefully watched the silver ellon. He noticed that his cheerfulness was fake, and that he cut himself almost every day.
That day Legolas got out of bed for the first time. Cuthalion smiled brightly when he came up the ladder. "Finally out of bed my prince?"
Legolas smiled, "Indeed." Legolas looked around him and saw that the wood of the walls were meticulously painted in scenes of a woodland kingdom. "These are very good!" exclaimed Legolas.
Cuthalion blushed lightly and reached to pull a curtain across the walls, but Legolas caught his wrist. Legolas regretted his actions when Cuthalion winced in pain and Legolas saw and felt something wet and red soak through the cloth. "Why do you do that to yourself?" Legolas asked quietly. Cuthalion wrenched his arm out of Legolas's grip and glared coldly at the prince. The cuts were bleeding heavily. With a snarl the ellon turned on his heels and jumped down the ladders.
Cuthalion did not return that night, nor the next morning. Legolas was afraid that Cuthalion had gone and killed himself. And if he had, it would be all his fault. But his fear was in vain, for Cuthalion appeared with some small game for supper. He said nothing to Legolas and simply began to cook. Legolas attempted to put a hand on his shoulder but Cuthalion moved away. "Have you mortal friends Prince Legolas?"
"Yes."
"Do you love him more than your own life?"
"It is because of my love, rather than my wisdom that I have not yet sailed." Legolas replied, thinking of his friend Aragorn.
"I once had such a friend. I would have died a mortal's death to save him from it. But it was not to be so. He, in his confusion, wounded me mortally, and thought me dead. My poor mellon. He killed himself, after many foul deeds that could have been prevented if only I had had the courage to tell him I lived. He died thinking he had killed me, and caused the death of many others. And it is my fault. Truest of friends they called me, but it was not so." he told Legolas coldly.
"What was his name?" asked Legolas quietly.
"He had many names and many have I. Now that you are well you must depart, for your father is no doubt worried sick about you." Cuthalion replied, avoiding the question.
"You must come with me! You deserve great reward for your services." he protested.
Cuthalion shook his silver head. "Nay. No dealings do I have with woodland kings any longer. Forget about me Prince. That is the greatest reward that I would ask for."
Legolas sadly consented, gathering what things he could. "Namarie good prince. May you never walk upon the path I have trodden." was Cuthalion's goodbye.
A/N: Like, don't like? R&R