Summary: Legolas and Aragorn ride ahead to Mirkwood to celebrate an
occasion but never make it.
Disclaimer: I don't own them for their own good.
A/N: Written for a challenge issued on Mellon Chronicles.
Chapter 9
Elrond and Thranduil slept in shifts for the next two days, each waking to see that neither Aragorn nor Legolas had woken. The twins also took their turns, begging to stay in the room, begging to be near their brother and friend.
It had been a hard two days on the families, but this night would be the hardest. Elrond sat in the chair beside Estel's bed, his head leaned forward in sleep when he felt the slightest movement. Estel started to mumble in his sleep, speaking of horrible things, things that no father would ever want to hear his child utter.
"Hush Estel. I am here, and you are safe," Elrond whispered to his son, hoping this time that the words would waken him. As if someone heard his prayers Estel's eyes blinked open.
Elrond breathed a sigh of relief only momentarily as Estel did not realize his surroundings at first, and opened his mouth and screamed, backing away on the bed. "Legolas!" he screamed over and over, until at last Elrond could hear the movement behind him.
The screams alerted the rest of the family, the twins, Thranduil, and Erestor came running through the door. Thranduil went to his son who was now awake, his hands wrapped around his knees as he rocked back and forth on the bed. The twins went to Estel side but the sight of their brother shying away from them, broke their hearts. Elrond spoke soothingly to his son, and yet his words fell on deaf ears as Estel crawled further away, his continued screams for his friend rising, even though his throat was garbled from disuse.
"Dartho Estel!" Erestor screamed, and immediately Estel's screams became quiet, turning to whimpers. It was only then he looked at his father who was sitting beside the bed, tears in his eyes.
"Ada?" Estel questioned, hoping that it was truly him and not some illusion. His answer came as Elrond wrapped his arms around his son, embracing him, and rocking him as if he were a child again. The occupants of the room settled both Estel and Legolas, and broth was brought in for them to eat.
"Can you tell us what happened to you?" Elrond asked Estel, but Estel's eyes told him that the his son could give him no answers, not yet. As he gazed at the sadness in his eyes another voice broke the silence in the room.
"We ... they ... it was horrible. They showed no mercy, only laughing as we screamed. Nothing was more frightening than to watch Estel sit alone all night, the arrow in his hand, pinned to the tree, at least I thought not." Thranduil was now at his side, his arms wrapped around his son.
"You do not have to speak if it just yet," he told him.
Legolas swiped away the tears that had fallen, and looked to Estel who could only shake his head. "The dogs, there were so many, and I couldn't fight them off, no matter how hard I tried. They were ripping Estel to pieces and then they turned on me." This is when they heard the wail from Estel, and his muttered words. "I tried Ada, but I wasn't strong enough to pull them all off him."
Estel buried his face into Elrond's robes while Elladan stroked his hair. "Did he hurt you in any other ways?" Elrond asked Estel, gripping his chin so that he could not look away.
"He tied us out in the hot sun, staked to the ground. I couldn't move, I couldn't get away. The sun was so hot, the ants were biting, my arms and legs begged to be released. I just wanted to curl into a ball and die."
Legolas' hiccupped sobs echoed throughout the room. He opened his mouth to say something, but closed it and turned to his father. "Ada, I am so ashamed."
"What would you have to be ashamed of? There were many elves and you are but two. There was no way you could have gotten free so do not feel shamed."
Elladan saw the tears fall from Estel's eyes, the unmistakable shame, and he knew what things the elves tried to do. He had killed them for those very things. He felt no shame in slaying them all for they had tried to take what was not theirs.
"Feel at peace young ones. We shall get you a quick bath, and a fresh set of clothes. By morning perhaps you will feel well enough to open the gifts."
Thranduil nodded his head. "I shall send for them to draw you a bath, and then perhaps a bit more food before you rest for the night."
Mirkwood was quiet, not entirely as Amras sat outside the gate, peering over the expanse of the Realm of Mirkwood. True, the two had made it safe inside thanks to their fathers, but they would not be safe long. Amras would make sure of that. He would wait and tomorrow he would get them. Tomorrow he would finish the job.
It had been two days and Estel and Legolas had recovered enough to go downstairs with a little help. Each of them still limped as they walked, their legs still not recovered from being tied to the stakes, or the gashes left in them by the wild dogs. Eating was another great task as their hands were stitched together and the slightest movement brought about great pain.
It was decided that both were well enough to join the family in the study for tea, and both were relieved to just get out of bed. While in bed they had nothing to do but think about what had happened. Hours were spent in the middle of the night with tears. Estel and Legolas talked about what happened, each trying to console the other, but it was the night that Elladan walked into the room to find his brother curled up in the corner crying.
"What brings about these tears Estel? What hurt is so deep that it wakens you from sleep?"
Estel stared into Elladan's eyes and told him a story of a pain too real to speak of. Elladan listened to Estel, and as he spoke he seemed to revert back to the small child that would come to him in the middle of the night, scared, alone, and fearful of things that could no longer hurt him.
Elladan and Estel were not alone for in the other part of the room sat Legolas. He had woken and sat staring at the discussion between brothers. Elladan saw the trickle of tears on his face, and saw the hurt in his eyes. "Legolas, come here and sit with us."
Legolas shook his head no. "It is a time for family. A discussion between brothers," and Legolas turned away from them both though he didn't want to. It was just a moment later that he felt the hand on his shoulder and turned to face Estel.
"When have you ever been anything but my brother Legolas? We suffered together. I will not leave your side now." The three of them sat there, Legolas and Estel sharing with Elladan what they could not share with the others. They told them of their fears, of how they begged for death if only to escape the horrors that they had lived. He listened to them, but he was not the only one, as outside on the balcony hiding was Amras, a smile on his face for soon he would have his chance. Soon he would kill the elf and man.