II
Difficulty with Dwarves
...sixty years earlier...
Legolas was stunned. "My Lord, as captain of your guard, it is my job to follow you into battle. What have I done to earn this amercement?"
Thranduil looked at him, but did not see the captain of his guard. He saw only his son, the living memory of his wife whom he missed and loved still. He shut those feelings away; it would not do to have Legolas know that he grieved still, when Thranduil himself had chastised his son for visiting her monument. Nor would it be well for Legolas to learn that Thranduil feared for his son in battle. Elves should not feel these things; this was the weakness of Men and Peredhil.
"It is the captain of the guard's duty to perform the will of the king," said Thranduil. "And it is my will that you maintain the protection of this kingdom in my absence."
"This fortress can be defended by Finoglos or any other warrior with but a handful of Elves, my Lord," Legolas perceived his father's true feelings in spite of his impassive mask. "You dishonour me in this," he added quietly.
Thranduil turned away from Legolas. The dart had struck the mark. Softly he said, "This fighting is not for honour, but pride. All my army I would risk for it, but not my only son." The king gazed at the whorled fresco painted upon the walls of his chamber. He recalled that Losingriol had frequently complained about the lack of windows. He shook his head to clear away the sound of her voice. "If you had taken a wife and produced an heir..."
Legolas's word was hard and swift, "You are my king, lord, as well as my father but in this, I will be ruled by none. Let us not weary our hour with useless chewing of an old debate."
Thranduil sighed. Only once before had he met a spirit as stubborn as his son, and he loved her still. She walked the Hall of Memory in Mandos.
Legolas's heart burned. He knew that his father spoke with wisdom but his own pride was stirred. "I will do as you have dictated, my lord," he said with stiff dignity, "But when you return, we shall have further discourse." Legolas bowed to his king and left the chamber.
But Legolas had no intention of remaining behind while his father and the entire army went forth to war. Swearing Finoglos to secrecy, he disguised himself and went forth also, as a common soldier. He had obeyed Thranduil to the letter, for he appointed the best warriors to the protection of the fortress, and fortified all the watches and reserves. But he would not stay in the safety of stone while his people fought for their king; his king.
On the battlefield he had met a Dwarf, though the fighting was thick when the goblin army had descended, outnumbering the three armies of Elves, Men, and Dwarves. Together they had fought, against the black river of foes, Legolas with his back against the Dwarf's, until a mound of enemies lay slain at their feet.
When the battle had finally passed, Legolas went to compliment the Dwarf on his skill, but turning found that he had been slain by his last opponent; they lay locked together in death.
Legolas would then have grieved, but another Dwarf had appeared and threatened him.
"Scavenger!" the Dwarf had shouted, for Legolas had removed the Dwarf's armour to try to render him healing, however hopeless. "Carrion-crow! Leave the dead in peace and for his own people to mourn. I shall pay you in blood if you do not release him!"
Legolas had been so astonished that he had backed away, letting the hostile Dwarf tend his kindred. The blood that stained Legolas's hands had been as red as the blood shed by his own people.
He never learned the brave Dwarf's name.
⌂
...High Pass, present year...
Legolas laughed grimly as he stripped off woven blanket and headstall, giving his horse a rubdown while Fëavano nosed the grain that Baranhen had placed before him. The Elves tended their horses and took a small meal, killing time while the Dwarves took the pass.
Noise of steel on stone and cries alerted them and they ran swiftly toward the pass, spreading out and moving silent as intent shadows. Legolas and Fingolos took one side, Randundo and Baranhan the other and they came to the conflict through the rocks piled high around the pass. Below, the Dwarves were fighting against a large party of goblins, which numbered three times that of the Dwarves.
The Elves did not join the fighting however, because the Dwarves needed no help, even so outnumbered. They moved like spinning wheels of sharpened steel and the cries of fear and pain were uttered by the orcs. Half their number were felled in a thrice and the rest fled, gibbering.
One Dwarf who had caught Legolas's eye with his fierce offensive style, was bent over prying his axe from the cloven skull of one brute, when another orc raised himself from a pool of black blood and charged him with a scimitar held high. The other Dwarves saw this in a flash and cried out, but so quick was the orc that none could come between them.
Legolas did not hesitate; his bow was already drawn with arrow notched. He loosed the shaft and it sped truly, striking the left eye of the orc. It fell at the Dwarf's feet, who had just turned with his freed axe raised.
The Dwarf looked at the feathered shaft, and then raised his eyes to seek the shooter. He scanned the rocks from where the missile had come but could not spot the elves, clad in colours that harmonized with their surroundings, they could not be detected unless they desired to be seen.
On impulse, Legolas stood up and nodded to the Dwarf; the salute of an ally.
The features of the Dwarf were gathered in a scowl when he spotted the Elf. He raised a gauntleted fist and shook it at Legolas. "Dwarves do not need the help of Elves to fight their battles! That kill was mine!"
Legolas allowed his smile to remain on his face, though it faded in his heart. "Is this so? And what of Erebor, Dwarf? Did not the Elves serve you well on that field? Or was that before your time, shortbeard?"
The Dwarf's face grew red with fury at the insult and he might have tried to climb up the steep cliff to cleave the smile from Legolas's face, but for the hand of a Dwarf clad in white that took his arm. "Peace, son of Gloín! You do not thank your allies with steel."
To Legolas, the Dwarf bowed. "We appreciate your timely arrow, good Elf. We are used to taking care of ourselves, but it is a good thing to know that we have an ally unlooked-for."
To his son, Gloín spoke softly in an aside whisper, "Just because you shouldn't trust Elves, doesn't mean you should kill them!"
Gimli grunted and shouldering his axe, he turned his back on Legolas.
Legolas heard that whisper as clear as if it had been spoken in his own ear. He felt his ire fall from him, struck by the ridiculousness of the tableau. He saluted the Dwarf in white with a closed fist over his heart. The Dwarves gathered their equipment and continued their journey, leaving the orcs where they lay.
Legolas spoke to his companions. "Fetch the horses and follow swiftly. I will scout ahead and seek for ambushes. Perhaps those orcs have not given up completely." He went forward alone, wanting this chance to study the Dwarves more closely.
