Chapter Three: The Truth

Legolas's POV

Pain. Piercing, excruciating pain, as if something has ripped me open. It's the first thing I feel when my eyes slowly slide open. Searchlights explore the scene, footsteps draw closer. Voices are crying out in alarm. I try to move my legs, but they are pinned down by something big and heavy. Someone kneels down next to me and holds up a few fingers. They are asking me how many fingers they are holding up. I do not know. Everything is too blurry, my mind is boggled. I am in too much pain to respond.

"Son, can you hear me?" I open my mouth to respond. But no words come out.

"Hey, over here! The kid's badly hurt!" He calls, not taking his eyes off of me. Where is Valanna? Where are my parents? Where is my brother? I need them. And then I remember. The bomb went off seconds before I could kill the second intruder and save my sister.

No. No, no, no! Dead! All of them! Tears leak out of the corners of my eyes as I pray to every god of every religion just to take my life right there. Pain continues to explode through every fiber of my being as the man talks to me. He looks up and yells for someone to come and help, that I'm hurt bad. That's an understatement and no mistake. I feel something slowly being removed from on top of my legs. I can't stay awake anymore. The last thing I remember seeing is the man's face.

****

Narrator's POV

He lay still, but alive, though barely breathing, unconscious in the private recovery room. His body was almost entirely encased in casts and bandages, a life monitor strapped to his wrist, showing his life status. Medical droids came in every thirty minutes to check on him, to make sure the anesthetic had not yet worn off, to change bandages on the less serious injuries, to administer new bacta patches. Legolas Thranduilion was, in all context, a mess.

The elfling had retreated far inside himself, not wanting to wake up again. He could hear the Jedi speaking to him, unknown voices pleading for him to hang on to life.

Hang on for your father, Legolas.

Don't let go!

We still need you!

I won't let you die. So, stop trying to.

He did not understand. He was not trying to die. But he thought he wanted to. There was just too much pain, all he loved and cared about was gone. All gone. There was nothing left for him on this world. There didn't seem like there was anything left for him in the galaxy, either. He started to slowly drift towards consciousness and he was surprised to find that the pain had dulled considerably. Legolas's eyes slowly slid open and he blinked in the suddenly light. A respirator was strapped snugly over his nose and mouth, a long tube connecting to an oxygen tank. He tried to look around, but found that he could not move his head. The entire room was dull grey durasteel, except for one stark white wall. There were superimposed shifting lights on that wall, synchronizing with his own brain waves, and he thought it helped to relax him a bit. Theoretically, that's what they were supposed to do.

A droid floated into the room, a hooded and cloaked figure following behind. Legolas watched with dull blue eyes, not sure what to expect. His gaze fell on the Jedi's shadowed face and found that it looked shockingly familiar. The Jedi smiled at him.

"You remember me, don't you?" He whispered. The Jedi looked up at the droid.

"He should be moved up to the infirmary." Legolas was confused. Wasn't he all ready in an infirmary?

"I don't believe that would be in the best interests of my patient." The droid replied. The Jedi pulled his hood back and sighed.

"I'm his guardian. I've been asked to watch over the boy should anything happen to his mother or father. Since his entire family was killed in that explosion, it is my choice where he receives medical treatment." He replied. The droid seemed to consider this for a moment. Legolas thought the Jedi sounded a little desperate. Or perhaps he was just determined to get his charge back to good health.

"Very well." The droid replied. "But should his health deteriorate, bring him back here." The Jedi nodded.

"Thank you." He replied, sounding particularly relieved.

"I will retrieve a gurney." The droid told him. Legolas regarded the Jedi warily as the droid left. The Jedi turned his gaze onto the elfling and offered a warm, reassuring smile.

"Don't worry, Legolas, the Jedi healers can do a lot more good than those droids. My word as a Jedi." Legolas could only hope that the Jedi could sense that he was fine with being in the care of the Jedi healers. He preferred real live people working on him, rather than emotionless, tin, mechanical healers.

Legolas was situated in his room a few minutes later. Obi-Wan stayed in the doorway while Legolas's injuries were being cautiously checked.

"You seem to be improving much better than anticipated, youngling." The healer remarked. "I have never seen non-force sensitives heal so well in one day." Legolas thought he saw Obi-Wan smile as the healer redressed the injuries. The healer suddenly froze, then looked up at Obi-Wan.

"You did something, Master Kenobi." They stated. Obi-Wan attempted to look innocent, but failed.

"Me?" He asked. "Never."

"And why not? Are you so stone-hearted that you would not help an innocent child?" The healer asked. Legolas saw Obi-Wan grow serious.

"You know I helped him, Bant." He told her. Legolas looked at Obi-Wan in confusion as Bant began to take him off the respirator. He began to panic as she did this, as he did not know how well he would be able to breathe without the respirator. Strong waves of calm and reassurance washed over him, and when the oxygen mask was removed, he found that breathing was just as easy as when he had been using the respirator.

"There, young one. You see, you are a fighter." Bant assured him. Legolas nodded, though it hurt to do so.

"Thank you?" He whispered. Bant nodded and Obi-Wan appeared at the side of the bed.

"Obi-Wan, would you mind watching him for a few moments?" Bant asked.

"I'll do my best." Obi-Wan replied with a soft smile. Silence fell over the infirmary as Bant left. Legolas looked around at the blue-green floors and walls, the pink pillars lining them, and decided that the halls were, in all contexts, quite soothing. He turned to look at Obi-Wan.

"You knew my parents?" He asked softly. Obi-Wan smiled slightly.

"Sort of. My master knew him better. He and I promised your father, your real father, to watch over you. When my master died it was my task, not that it hadn't been before."

"My real parents didn't care enough about me to find a family that could actually take care of me." Legolas spat. Obi-Wan shook his head.

"That is not the truth. But believe what you want." He replied calmly. The dream he had had the previous night flashed before his eyes. The elfling, the two Jedi, one of which he now knew as Obi-Wean, the adult elves. Could it be more than just a simple dream? Could it be a memory? Maybe Obi-Wan could tell him. But did he really want the Jedi to sift through his mind, see things that were absolutely none of his business? No, not really. Unless all Legolas had to do was "bring" the dream to the front of his mind and run through it.

"I've... been having a dream. It could be a memory, I don't know. Could you... take a look?" Legolas said hesitantly. Obi-Wan considered this fir a moment before nodding.

"If you really want me to." He replied. Legolas nodded, but only because he thought he might regret not letting the Jedi see the dream. Obi-Wan slowly put a hand on Legolas's head and the elfling called the dream forth. Only, this time, he could hear the people speaking. He knew what they were saying. His heart broke when he heard the elfling plead with the other male elf and wanted nothing more than to reach out and tell the elfling it would be okay. He heard the older Jedi tell the other male elf that he would keep the elfling safe, that he gave his word as a Jedi.

Obi-Wan retreated from Legolas's mind as the elfling opened his eyes. Legolas looked up at Obi-Wan expectantly. Surely if it was a memory, Obi-Wan would know? He had been in the... whatever it was. Shouldn't he know?

"That, young one, is a memory." Obi-Wan told him softly. Somehow, he had known. For some reason, Legolas Thranduilion had been expecting that answer.

"Who was my father?" He asked.

"I'm not sure if I should tell you that just yet, Legolas." Obi-Wan replied. Legolas gave him a look of confusion.

"Well, why not?" He asked, wanting nothing more than to know who or what he really was.

"Because. It's not the right time." Obi-Wan told him.

"Why was I sent away?" Legolas asked. Obi-Wan seemed hesitant to tell him so Legolas gave a small scowl, which only succeeded in making Obi-Wan smile a little.

"That will get you no where, young one." He said cheerfully. "Besides, if I told you that it would give you an idea as to who your parents are."

"Then just tell me!" Legolas exclaimed in exasperation.

"Very well. Your father is king Thranduil of Mirkwood." Obi-Wan sighed.

"Never heard of Mirkwood." Legolas said emotionlessly. His expressionless façade hid the feeling of shock , disbelief, and sense of duty raging inside of him.

"That's because Mirkwood is in a place not of this galaxy. You were sent here so my master and I could prevent your father's enemies from hurting or, worse, killing you. Now you see why I was so hesitant to tell you. Am I right?" Obi-Wan replied. Legolas nodded.

"So, am I just supposed to sleep on this? Or am I supposed to go home?" He asked.

"Oh, you're not supposed to go home just yet, youngling. You'll know when you're supposed to. And when you know, so will I." Obi-Wan told him. Legolas nodded before looking away. Obi-Wan had been right. This just wasn't the time to tell him about his father, his real father, or about who he really was. He didn't know what he was supposed to do now. No home on Coruscant to return to, no birth home to return to for a while.

"So, I just wander around until fate drops me off in Mirkwood, then? Sounds exciting." Legolas sighed as he looked back at Obi-Wan.