Walls of Glass 2
Legolas.
At first all he knew was darkness.
It surrounded and cocooned him, strangely comforting and he did not wish to leave. Beyond the dark, he knew, lay pain and fear, and though he did not know what it was he feared he also did not wish to face it.
He thought he would stay there in the safe soft dark but slowly, slowly it was taken from him. First there came the voices quiet, murmuring in the far distance. But eventually they grew louder until he could hear their words though he could make no sense of them.
He heard his name. Someone was calling him. Someone he loved, but he could not remember who they could be. The voice was familiar and yet not and he frowned as he tried to reach for the identity from the depths of his mind.
Next came the pain. Bright, brilliant, sharp as a knife pain that cut him in two. He was on fire. He could not breathe. He tried to call to the nameless voices for help but they did not come. He grasped at the dark as it slipped away from him, desperate to stay within its comforting embrace but he could not hold it, the pain pulled at him relentlessly and drove it away.
Now added to the voices there were moans, cries, someone else in as much pain as he. Would they not help them...help him?
Finally after what seemed like hours in agony, every breath as an excruciating as the last he felt touch, soft hands brushed his face and he lifted his arms, trying to connect, to find someone in this nightmare he could cling to. The pain gripped him and he twisted and turned against it straining to get away but it would not release him. He felt himself raised up, held in someone's arms but the movement sent a excruciating flash across his back and he screamed.
Suddenly the voices became clear, Understanding returned.
"You are safe, you are safe, I have you, be still." And with a rush of love he realised he knew whose voice that was.
"Elrohir," his voice when he spoke was a whisper. Slurred and hoarse.
"He knows me!"
He could feel his lover's joy and he reached again for him.
"Open your eyes Legolas," Another voice. Similar but not the same, not Elrohir, not his love. And he struggled to obey but his eyes were like lead, weighed down, still refusing to let go his hold on the dark.
A glass was raised to his lips and he realised he was thirsty, so thirsty. The voice told him to drink and he did eagerly but the liquid he swallowed was bitter and he coughed and choked trying to rid himself of the taste.
"Drink it Legolas, It will help." A third voice. This one different from the others, deeply resonant it brought with it visions of calm and peace, a deep bond of friendship. This voice he knew too. Aragorn. Truly he was safe if Aragorn was here, and the knowledge was all he needed to let go, he embraced the light, rejected the dark and slowly opened his eyes.
The first thing he saw through the fog were grey eyes, a beautiful face, familiar and yet not...not quite right.
"Elrohir?" He asked cautiously, unsure of what he saw.
"I am Elladan,"
Of course it was Elladan, how did he not know that?
" Where is Elrohir?" For that was all he wished for, all he wanted, needed, with a desperation that scared him.
"I need Elrohir."
"I am here beloved, I am here."
The voice sounded softly in his ear and he tipped his head back ignoring the pain which receded into the distance when he saw his face, and rested his head back on his shoulder. For Elrohir it was who held him. Who else.
He felt his presence wash over him, filling him with love and he sighed with relief.
He had no energy to reply but he let his eyes wander around the room, lighting on Aragorn's face beside him, lined and worn. He frowned at that,
"What is wrong?" He asked him and Aragorn smiled and stroked his face gently.
"Nothing is wrong. Everything is right," he said "Now you are back with us."
He could not think, his brain numb and slow. Where was he? It was familiar but he could not place it. As if he read his mind Aragorn supplied the information for him.
"You are in Minas Tirith."
That was a surprise. He did not remember coming here. He went to touch his friend and gazed at his arm confused, it was strapped and splinted.
"My arm is broken." He murmured in wonder. How had that happened? He began to panic, what was going on? He could not remember but obviously he was badly hurt. Why? Was this real?
He reached into the depths of his mind, searching for answers but found none. He came across a barrier, a wall, buried deep and behind it all was black and foreboding. He did not want to cross it he decided. He did not want to know what was hidden behind there. It chilled his heart and a wave of fear swept over him.
He would not look he thought and he pulled away retreating back, back as fast as he could from the terror the walls contained.
"Don't worry, all is well now" Elrohir murmured to him but he did not believe him for behind those walls he knew lay pain beyond belief.
He would never cross them.
He did not need to know. And he leaned back against his beloved's chest and drank up the feel of him, the comfort, for he yearned for it from the depths of his soul.
He did not need to know, because Elrohir was here. Elrohir would keep the demons from his mind.
Elrohir would protect him.