AN: Hey. Ah, sorry to leave y'all hanging, I know I said in some review responses I'd have this up Thursday, but...it's kinda been a rough couple of days (I'll tell you if you really want the whole woeful story...yeah, didn't think you would). Barring unforeseen consequences, the next chapter should be up no later than Tuesday, though.
This chapter is mostly just a little more fluff. The action begins in the next chapter.
Chapter Twenty-Seven: Plans and Memories
Lord Elrond smiled as his sons and the prince came down for dinner. He had been slightly hesitant when Thranduil had sent him a message asking for permission for Legolas to visit, only because he knew the coming change in seasons could make the return trip difficult.
But seeing the prince with the twins and Estel, the elf-lord was glad that he had agreed.
That is, of course, if the four of them could manage to stay out of trouble. Which was not very likely. But since the prince was only staying for seven days...Elrond inwardly shook his head. Seven days was indeed plenty of time for all four of them to end up in the healers'.
He studied Legolas critically, his healer's eye noticing the weariness in the young elf. It was easily explainable as travel fatigue, though he wondered momentarily about the burdens on the young prince.
Elrond sighed, smiling at Estel when the young human looked his direction. The bond between the boy and Legolas was remarkably strong for being so new.
He straightened up, drawn out of his thoughts when one of his sons began speaking.
"We should go hunting tomorrow," Elladan was saying.
"Aye," Elrohir agreed, a mischievous smile tugging at his mouth. "I believe Legolas is old enough to accompany us this time."
Legolas grimaced, shaking his head and looking down at the table.
"Why? What are you talking about?" Estel asked, looking from his brothers to the prince and back.
"It is an old story," Elladan began, grinning at his father when he noticed the elf-lord's attention. "Estel, you know that Legolas lived here as an elfling, don't you? Well, a few years after his arrival 'Ro and I had to go hunting."
Legolas groaned, covering his face with one hand. "And they would not let me come with them. Where were you suggesting we go?" he asked, clearly trying to change the subject.
"Aye, we would not let him come because he was too young. But he was determined to accompany us anyway," Elrohir said.
Elrond smiled to himself. He could well remember where this story was going.
"So he tried to follow us," Elrohir continued, "but was not very good at tracking and promptly went the wrong direction."
"He was lost overnight, Estel, and by the time we found him he was covered with mud and stuck in a prickly bush."
"Which I had run into because I thought something was chasing me," Legolas interjected. "You failed to mention that I was out so far because I followed you out and you tried to send me home," he added, pointing at Elladan.
"I had not heard that part of the tale," Elrond commented, smiling at the suddenly-guilty expressions on his sons' faces. The incident was likely well over four hundred years old, but the twins' reactions were still priceless.
"Yes, well..." Elrohir hemmed. "I thought perhaps we could ride through the woods to the north," he began. "There have been reports of deer in that area."
"And it would not have taken any time from your hunt to simply bring me back," Legolas retorted with a grin, not letting Elrohir change the subject. "I could have been eaten by wolves!"
This brought laughter around the table. "Legolas, there were no wolves in that part of the forest. Did we mention that it was a rabbit that was chasing him?" Elladan said, turning to Estel. "A little rabbit...and he thought it was a wolf."
Elrond smiled again. He had been carefully watching the prince, ready to step in and change the subject if the story-telling turned too humiliating for him, but Legolas had been taking it all in good fun. "That reminds me of another tale," the elf-lord interjected, to his sons' surprise. "It seems a little elfling decided to go against his elders' wishes and explore the forest on his own."
The twins and Legolas quieted, each unsure of who this tale was about.
"He had been told not to go out alone, but could not resist the lure of the trees. However, upon reaching the forest he and his brother were separated."
Legolas grinned at the looks on the twins' faces. Apparently this was a story that they had hoped would remain untold.
"The elfling had only been lost for a few moments when he came across the most fearsome of creatures. It was a huge monster with black beady eyes, and it made the most fearsome of rustlings and bellowings. The elfling immediately ran away, and as luck would have it he ran straight home. He convinced his rather anxious father that the monster had eaten his brother, as he could not find his brother anywhere."
"What was it, Ada?" Estel asked eagerly.
"It was a stag," the elf-lord replied. "Its antlers had gotten caught in a thicket. Luckily for the elfling, we found his brother not too far away. It seemed he, too, had heard the monster and tried to escape it by climbing a tree. Unfortunately, when he tried to climb back down he found his tunic was caught in the branches, and his father had to climb up to rescue him."
"Who was it?"
Elrond glanced at the young human with a smile. "Ask your brothers. I'm sure they will tell you."
But from the rather mortified looks on their faces, he doubted they would.
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"Did you really want to go hunting tomorrow?" Legolas asked as he, the twins, and Estel made their way up to their rooms after dinner. "Or were you using it as an excuse to dredge up embarrassing stories from my past?"
Elladan chuckled. "It seems to me that our story was worse," he countered.
"I think we should," Estel piped in, turning to look up at his brothers before any argument could break out. "Legolas is only here for a few days, we don't have much time."
The twins exchanged glances. "Do you want to?" Elrohir asked Legolas.
Legolas grimaced inwardly, seeing the hopeful look on Estel's face. Ordinarily he would have preferred waiting a little longer—he had only arrived that afternoon and doubtlessly his friends would want to leave at first light—but he could not ignore the young human's pleading expression. "I would love to," he said simply.
"Legolas," Elladan countered, stopping in front of him in the hall. "What's wrong?"
The blond elf blinked at his friend in confusion. "There is nothing wrong, Elladan. Why do you ask?"
"Your manner," Elrohir interjected. "Since your arrival you've been preoccupied. Did something happen?"
Legolas sighed. "Nothing important," he replied, trying to walk around Elladan. The older elf simply stepped to block his path.
"Legolas," Elladan stood his ground, crossing his arms over his chest.
The younger elf glared at his friend for a moment, the sighed in defeat. "All right," he said, holding his hands up as though in surrender. "Three days ago, one of the members of my escort reported seeing a figure some distance behind us. He was not close enough to identify, but the figure has been spotted other times since."
"You think he was following you?" Elrohir asked.
"I do not know."
Elladan frowned. "Perhaps we should not go, then," he said slowly. "If there is some danger..."
"He could not make his way past the borders," Legolas interrupted. "And if he did there would be four of us."
Elladan nodded thoughtfully, but Elrohir did not look convinced. "Was there something else?" the younger twin asked.
Legolas sighed. "I am merely weary from the journey," he explained. "That is all."
Estel had been listening with a concerned expression. "Perhaps we should wait a few days?" he offered.
"No, Estel," Legolas shook his head. "I merely need to rest tonight—if Elladan will get out of my way, that is," he added with a grin at the dark-haired elf.
The older twin pretended to sigh in annoyance. "Remember, Legolas," he said suddenly, putting a hand on his friend's shoulder to stop him. "If there is anything else, you can tell us."
Legolas nodded. The only other thing weighing on his mind was his brother's behavior. Foolish as it might sound, he was concerned about how Belegdur would act while he was gone. He was often the target of his brother's ill moods, and some part of him felt guilty that another would be in his place this time.
He shook his head as he pushed the door to his room open. He was being foolish. No one in his family would begrudge him this visit to his friends simply because Belegdur would be more unpleasant than usual.
A soft tap on the door broke him out of his thoughts. He sighed, sitting down on the edge of the bed. "Come in."
Estel peeked around the doorway. "My brothers sent me to ask you if you would rather leave before dawn or wait until later in the morning."
Legolas started to say that before dawn would be fine, but changed his mind. "I think later would be best," he replied.
The young human nodded, and turned to leave. "Is everything all right?"
The prince nearly laughed. Hadn't he just had this conversation with the twins, and wasn't Estel there for it? "As I said to your brothers, I am fine."
Estel paused, then closed the door. "Is it your brother?" he asked quietly.
Marveling at the young man's perception, Legolas nodded. "Much as I do not like being the target of his anger, I worry about him. He can grow so depressed this time of year, though few see past his anger to notice. I cannot help but feel that if I were there I could help him, but I am not."
"But you will return soon," Estel said encouragingly. "Surely your father wouldn't have let you come if you were still needed in Mirkwood."
"I do not understand that," Legolas said with a sigh, shaking his head. "Other years I have asked permission to come, but he has always said it is too far. But this time..."
"What happened?"
"One of his councilors supported my request," the prince answered, smiling at the flash of surprise on his friend's face. "I was surprised as well...usually they discourage my visits here. It has been nearly fifty years since I have been able to visit."
"But my brothers have visited you," Estel stated.
"Aye," Legolas nodded. "I do wonder what made Maegdur change his mind. He is usually the most outspoken against my returning here."
"Who is he?" the young human asked curiously.
"One of my father's more important advisors," Legolas explained. "He has been with my father since before I was born...possibly since my father was still Crown Prince."
Estel's eyebrows raised in shock. "I can see why his opinion would be so valued," he commented. "I am sure he had reason for his counsel, though," Estel added.
Legolas nodded thoughtfully. He could not imagine the reason, however. Many of his father's advisors believed the prince's close friendship with the elves of Rivendell would only cause trouble in the future.
"I will leave you to rest," Estel said, suddenly breaking into Legolas' thoughts. "See you in the morning."
The prince nodded quietly as his friend left, his mind still wondering on Maegdur's counsel. He sighed, standing up to ready himself for sleep. He could always ask the councilor upon his return.
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AN: Just a heads-up here. In addition to regular (I hope) updates this week, if I get the time I will be posting a nice little oneshot, as well as possibly a shorterstory based in/around the trilogy (inspiration struck with all the grace of a two-by-four upside the head while watching Two Towers with my brothers and sister-in-law this weekend).