A/N: A pretty short story to give me a little break between "Caught" and it's sequel. I hope you like!
"We will stop here for the night," Gandalf announced, as the sun finally dipped below the horizon. "Someone get a fire going."
Boromir did just that as the hobbits sat in a small circle facing outwards, leaning on each other's backs as they sighed in their weariness. Gimli sat on a large rock, placing his axe by his side on the ground. He was staring at Legolas, and mumbling something about "stupid elves and their trees" as the elf immediately climbed into the nearest tree, sitting on a low branch and pressing his forehead against it, closing his eyes to listen to its words.
Aragorn smiled lightly and sat down next to the dwarf.
"Do not speak ill of Legolas for things he cannot change, Master Dwarf. It is in his Silvan blood to be able to speak to the trees, and to love them as friends."
"Silvan? I thought Mister Legolas was Sindarin?" said Sam, piping up with a fact he had heard from Frodo. He had said Bilbo had told him that Thranduil, the Elvenking, had been the Sindarin ruler of the Silvan elves of Mirkwood. Why would Legolas, as his son, be any different?
Aragorn glanced at Legolas, noting that he was watching from the trees, his blue eyes glowing like a cat's and the rest of his body barely visible in the diminishing light.
"Legolas's mother was Silvan," said Aragorn, looking away from the eyes and back to the hobbits. "Therefore he is both."
The eyes blinked, drawing his attention back to them.
"The Elvenqueen? Bilbo never spoke of her. Was she there when he and the dwarves were in Mirkwood?" said Frodo, curious despite his weariness and the added burden of the ring.
Aragorn hesitated, and Gimli took his chance.
"The Elvenqueen? Bah, she was probably off somewhere, ignoring her duties as all the elves did the day my father and the rest of the Company escaped."
Gandalf frowned discouragingly at the dwarf, and he fell silent.
"What about Mister Legolas? Was he there when your father went to Mirkwood, Gimli?" said Merry.
"Ah yes," said Gimli, leaning back. "He was as bad as his father.
"'Do not think I won't kill you, dwarf,' he said the first time he met the Company of Thorin. He had his bow pointed at their faces! Such rudeness. He had the king under the mountain standing before him, and yet he showed no respect and a complete lack of honor, just like his father, and probably his mother—!"
At that moment, Legolas, who had dropped soundlessly from the tree, came into the light, his eyes dancing with rage. Aragorn gulped.
He knew Legolas's history, and his mother was the one person you did not want to insult. But the rage drained out of them as quickly as it had come, and it was replaced with a deep sadness. He sat cross-legged on the ground next to Aragorn, placing his head in his hands.
"Please don't, Gimli. You can jab with your remarks about me as much as you like, but please do not speak of my family so."
Gimli did not even look a little taken aback at the almost desperate pleading from the elf, but instead he smiled as he realized he had found his weak spot.
"Why? Are they so bad you cannot bear to speak of them?"
Legolas sighed.
"And where was the Elvenqueen while the dwarves were there? Well, I could make a few guesses."
Legolas groaned softly as he remembered why she was not there, why she could not be. Why did this dwarf hate him so? Surely he could see—
"Perhaps she was off in the forest, talking at the trees like her son always does." He purposely used the word "at" to show his scorn for the subject.
Her face flashed before Legolas, and with it came the memories of her touch, light but soothing, and her voice, comforting him and keeping any of his fears at bay.
"And the Elvenking was off celebrating some festival or another instead of doing his duties."
His father. The one who, though not as close as his mother, was the one he admired. His smile, his deep laugh as an elfling Legolas told him something funny that had happened that day. Sitting on his lap, leaning against the strong chest, feeling safe before drifting off into sleep.
"As was his son. So grand and beautiful a festival all would want to come to it, they say? Nay, it was not. It was a gathering of dark, dangerous elves and their stupid royal family, all old and wise and powerful. Bah!"
That celebration had not been so. It was merry and lighthearted, filled with singing and dancing and the tinkling laughter of woodland elves ringing throughout the trees. Tears gathered in his eyes as he thought of his father, usually rigid and strict, loosening up and celebrating with his people on that day. The day when all troubles were to be put off until the next, and there was only joy.
"And what is the great Elvenking doing now? Neglecting his duties once again. He sends his son to Rivendell instead of coming himself, and he does not even care enough to prevent his only heir from going on a possibly fatal mission—"
"Stop it!" Legolas screamed, and he leaped up, tears in his eyes. "You know nothing of me, nor my mother and father!"
"Then tell us, oh mighty Prince Legolas, where was your mother when the dwarves were in Mirkwood? Give me a respectable answer and I may consider stopping my guessing game."
"She was not there—" Legolas practically spat at the dwarf as a single tear rolled, hot and salty, down his flushed cheeks. "—because she was dead."
There was a silence, and everyone looked shocked before looking accusingly at Gimli, who actually appeared shocked and was about to say something when Legolas began to speak again.
"My father is probably frantic with worry for me right now, but I have made my choice, and it was mine to make! And I will not die! I cannot! I am all he has left!"
Legolas paused, breathing heavily, before continuing.
"And he is all I have. So do not speak to me of irresponsibility, dwarf, for none of us have ever had any. We bear a greater burden, once borne by three but now by only two, than you could ever comprehend. Do not speak to me for guilt and grief when you yourself have not truly felt either."
There was a pause.
"Legolas Thranduilion, do not start this again. You cannot afford to blame yourself anymore," Gandalf said, breaking it, having heard the word "guilt" he came and guided the elf so he was sitting down on the ground again. Legolas seemed only half aware of it as he seethed at Gimli, who looked away hurriedly.
"You know what happened last time you put her death on your shoulders."
"I was a mere elfling then," Legolas said, and he barked out a laugh that was incredibly forced. "And I have never truly stopped. I can handle it better now that I am older, however, and I do not need your guidance, nor do I want it," he said, wiping the tears off his face and standing, looking once more the regal prince he was.
"Now if you'll excuse me, I am going to go 'talk at the trees,' for no matter how hard it is for your little dwarven brain to comprehend, they are my comforters, and the ones I go to seeking wisdom." He sent a pointed glance at Gandalf. "Goodbye."
And he ran, jumped into a tree gracefully, and was gone.
The group sat in silence for a moment, everyone pondering what had happened except for Gandalf who merely sighed and mumbled something about a certain stubborn prince being just like their father. Gimli actually looked regretful, and Aragorn was staring into the tree line, worrying for his oldest and closest friend.
The hobbits were very confused, so they turned to one another and began to whisper.
"What was that?"
"Why did Mister Legolas get so angry?"
"What happened to his mother?"
"Where did Mister Legolas go?"
The questions continued but none of them had the answers, so they turned to Aragorn for help. But the ranger refused to say anything, instead he told them that when Legolas returned they should ask him directly.
"We shall wait for him to come back, then!" said Pippin, and the others nodded.
But the night drew on, and there was still no sign of Legolas. Eventually the hobbits fell into an exhausted sleep, as did the men. Only Gandalf remained on watch, and he smoked his pipe in silent vigil.
A/N: Reviews are appreciated and loved and cherished!
Tell me what you think. There should be one or two more chapters left.