The War of Light and Shadow

By Freddie23

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Disclaimer: I own nothing Tolkien created.

A/N: Thanks to all my lovely reviewers. Your comments are always welcomed.

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Chapter 20 – In Your Absence

"Where is your young companion?" Erestor's cool voice came from the doorway where he was stood holding a tray with two small plates of food.

Slightly startled by the sudden appearance of the Elf – and disconcerted by the fact that he'd been so deep in thought that he hadn't been paying sufficient attention or heard the older Elf's approach – Legolas looked around sharply. When he found his voice again after a moment, he smiled slightly and explained, "Oh, he's enjoying his first ever hot bath." A soft sigh came from inside the bathroom and Legolas couldn't help but smile at the sound of contentment.

Encouraged by the more relaxed demeanour of the blonde Elf, Erestor too smiled and came fully into the room to lay the tray down on the table.

"Please help yourself to food," the Major Domo offered politely.

Legolas glanced briefly towards the bathroom door. "I shall wait for Aragorn." The boy deserved to eat too, after all.

"Of course," Erestor nodded politely in agreement. He didn't personally understand the need to wait but then he did not want to bring back the distrust he'd seen in Legolas' eyes earlier.

"Although," the young Elf smiled broadly, "he might be a while yet."

Once again Erestor smiled then suggested, "Perhaps you would like me to take your cloak?" He raked his shrewd grey eyes over Legolas' dirty, poorly attired form and corrected, "Or rather, your jacket."

Surprisingly, Legolas hesitated at this. Although his coat was ill-fitting, filthy dirty and still quite damp from the recent rains, and was so holey by now that it hardly kept him warm at all anymore, he found himself reluctant to part from it, or any of his belongings – his pack was still on his shoulder even though Aragorn had already discarded his own bag in favour of taking his bath. Being his only possessions in the world, he found himself rather protective over even the simple things, knowing how costly it would be to lose them.

"Forgive me," Erestor's voice broke through the tension during Legolas' continued uncertain hesitation. "I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable."

Legolas shook his head. This was absurdity. He knew Erestor to be honest and kind-hearted and now it was he and not their host who was being rude. So far, Erestor had shown nothing but kindness to both him and his ward; he did not deserve now to be doubted.

"You did not," Legolas assured the dark-haired Elf and slid his pack off his shoulder. He pulled his jacket off then handed it to Erestor who stood with his arm out ready to dutifully accept his coat. "Thank you."

Even though it was obviously soon destined to be kindling for the fire, Erestor still carefully placed the jacket on the coat rack by the door. He also hung up Legolas' battered backpack by the handle, tied only in a knot now that the clasps had broken. Both things meant something to the blonde Elf therefore the Major Domo would treat them with the kind of respect he would always have treated belongings of the Prince of Mirkwood in his previous visits to the haven.

"Please, sit," Erestor then offered his guest gesturing to one of the chairs by the roaring fire. He thought the blonde might protest again but Legolas merely picked up his goblet of water from where it had been placed on the window sill and moved slowly to lower himself into the armchair. Erestor joined him by the fire, sitting in the free, hard-backed chair.

For a long while they sat in what both considered to be excruciating silence, neither knowing quite how to break the lengthy quiet that plagued them. There were so many things that both Elves wanted to discuss but the oddness of the situation in which they found themselves prevented free conversation to flow.

Legolas found himself fighting the urge to fidget uncomfortably as he willed Aragorn to hurry up and return to the room in the hope the boy could break the tension with his unrestrained questions and quick humour.

Just as the young Elf started physically squirming in his chair due to the intensity of the grey gaze Erestor had unrelentingly fixed upon him, Aragorn's voice called out, "Legolas?" from the bathroom.

Practically leaping from his place with blatantly unnecessary enthusiasm, Legolas strode purposefully to the next room as if Aragorn had screamed that the Dark Lord himself was attempting to drown him in the bath tub, stepped into the bathroom and closed the door gratefully behind him, placing an effective barrier between himself and the Elf that made him so terribly uncomfortable.

"What is it?" Legolas asked the boy, who stood in the centre of the candlelit bathroom with nothing but a towel wrapped around himself.

"Do I put these clothes back on?" he asked, pointing to the filthy heap of rags on the floor.

"I don't know. Maybe Erestor has something you can borrow. Stay here." Legolas opened the door again and was startled to find the tall Elf stood directly before him, holding out an impeccably folded pile of fresh Elven-made clothes.

"These should fit your human friend."

"Thank you," Legolas said once he'd recovered from his shock, reaching out to take the pile from their host with a weak smile.

Erestor merely nodded slowly and took a stiff step backwards, so Legolas closed the door on him and turned back to Aragorn.

"That was a little creepy," the young man whispered and Legolas could only smile in response, fighting the urge to agree with his ward's straightforward assessment of Erestor's behaviour. He handed Aragorn the clothing then leant up against the wall, folding his arms, causing Aragorn to frown deeply at him. "Are you going to stand there and watch?" he snapped irritably.

"I'm just going to stick around for a moment. I'll keep my eyes closed if it makes you feel more at ease."

Aragorn raised his eyebrows and asked in his normal voice, mocking, "Scared to go out there?"

Scowling, the Elf straightened out, tugged down his tunic in a small act of pride and defiance, and said, "Not at all. I'll leave you to it then."

Rather reluctantly and cursing Aragorn silently for his petty cruelty and amusement, he left the bathroom to find Erestor sat once more in the hard-backed chair, hands folded neatly on his lap. The dark-haired Elf did not look up as Legolas crossed the room but when the blonde Elf slowly lowered himself into the chair opposite, both knowing fully well that Erestor had heard everything said in the bathroom, he met Legolas' eyes and smiled in vague amusement. Legolas returned the gesture more meekly then said softly, "I'm sorry about…"

"Please," Erestor told him gently, raising his delicate hand to halt any further apology. "Things are different now, I understand. It has been a long time since last we saw each other."

Relaxing slightly at the assurance, Legolas agreed, "Yes, it has." He ran his hands down his face then sat back in the soft armchair with a world-weary sigh.

"You aimed for Imladris?"

"Excuse me?"

Erestor rephrased, "Your aim was to come here? You did not simply stumble across the haven by chance?"

"Yes. I mean, yes, we aimed for here. We travelled many leagues to come here, actually."

"How did you know that someone would be here to receive you?" Erestor looked down at his hands almost anxiously now. "I don't know that any other realms are left standing. After Mirkwood…" He stopped when he saw pain flash unguarded in the depths of Legolas' eyes at the mention of the fall of his homeland and he apologised quickly for his slip-up. Mirkwood had been among the first to fall and had been much talked of as the other Elven realms strived to survive the onslaught of Sauron's forces of Shadow.

Disregarding the apology, Legolas answered quietly, "I went to Lorien first."

"And?" Erestor asked, leaning forward almost eagerly in his seat, awaiting news from another Elven realm that actually had better odds at surviving an attack than his own home.

Legolas shook his head sadly, bluntly explaining, "Deserted. We only stayed for one day."

"I see."

Before the dark Elf could ask any further questions on Legolas' travels and the state of the Golden Wood though, the bathroom door opened and Aragorn slouched in wearing the ill-fitting Elven clothes provided by Erestor. He spread his arms, swamped in fabric that hung inelegantly from the ends of his arms when the two Elves turned their heads towards him. Both stared at him for a long moment then, at exactly the same time, the laughter erupted.

Letting his arms drop to his sides, Aragorn snapped, "It's not funny!"

"I did not think it possible to look inelegant in Elven clothing," remarked Erestor mirthfully. "Perhaps they are not designed for Human wear."

"You look fine, Aragorn," Legolas assured him merrily as the boy padded across the floor towards the fire then plopped himself down grumpily in front of the hearth to give his damp hair chance to dry off. "Erestor brought us food." Legolas gestured to the plate on the table, hoping it would placate the irritated man somewhat.

"There's food here?" Aragorn peered over at the plate. "Is it whey bread?"

"No," Erestor smiled kindly.

"Thank you." Before he got up though, Aragorn looked to Legolas for permission.

"Go ahead," Legolas told him, moving his legs out of the way as the boy hurried past him towards the table and the food.

Aragorn brought the plate back to the fire and sat down, cross-legged, on the floor at Legolas' feet. After taking an experimental bite of the delicious fresh bread, Aragorn lifted the plate up towards Legolas but the Elf shook his head in dismissal. He wanted Aragorn to eat first – as always.

"There's plenty," Erestor told Legolas in a pointed manner, as if he knew exactly what thoughts were racing through the blonde Elf's mind in that moment.

"Here," Aragorn held the plate up to his guardian again and this time Legolas took a piece of bread with a smile of thanks.

They ate in silence, Erestor watching them both closely but without comment. Whilst Aragorn seemed oblivious to it, confident that Legolas was alert to everything going around about them and would let him know if he thought anything was wrong, Legolas himself was all too aware of the stare and he squirmed under the force of it.

Once both had eaten their fill, which wasn't much at all, Aragorn leaned back against the side of Legolas' chair, basking in the feeling of being warm, clean and full for the first time in his life.

"That was really good. Did you make that yourself?" the boy asked of their host.

"Indeed."

"Do you do everything here?"

Erestor smiled and answered, "No one but me resides here any longer so it has become necessary for me to do everything myself. Although I must admit that keeping an empty house running is not all that challenging."

"Do many visitors come here?" Legolas asked.

"Once they did. But not any longer I'm afraid."

Legolas nodded and went to ask another question but then Aragorn interrupted with a huge yawn and both Elves looked down at the young man.

"I suppose you must both be tired," their host said in sudden concern, as if only just thinking that he had been neglectful regarding his guests' comfort. "Please, Aragorn, take the bed in here where it is warm. I can find another bed for Legolas."

"We wouldn't wish to banish you from your own room," Legolas told Erestor quickly, even as Aragorn got up to gratefully accept the offer without thought or protest.

"Please," Erestor insisted, once more gesturing toward the mattress and blankets laid out on the floor in a rather cosy-looking arrangement. "You appear to need it far more than I tonight."

Despite this assurance, Aragorn still looked to Legolas for guidance. When the Elf nodded his consent after a moment of thought, Aragorn stepped over to the comfortable-looking bedding, pleased to discover that it was just as warm there as it was on the mat by the fire.

In Elvish, so the human couldn't understand his words, and with an amused smile, Erestor asked, "Does he always ask your permission for everything?"

Legolas' expression hardened, his eyes boring into Erestor's even as he answered proudly, "Yes, he does," in the Common Tongue, making Aragorn look up to the two Elves, guessing that he was being spoken about first in the strange language and now in one he could understand. Legolas' eyes shifted over to the boy and Aragorn could easily identify the anger smouldering behind them. When Legolas turned his gaze to Erestor the anger had been dampened and replaced with a look of hard defiance. "Perhaps it would be best to stick to the Common Tongue of Men considering Aragorn's presence amongst us."

Erestor nodded slowly in understanding, answering in the requested tongue, "Of course. My apologies," he then said to Aragorn, who merely offered the dark-haired Elf a smile of acceptance, even though he wasn't quite sure what it was the Major Domo was apologising for. However, Legolas felt it necessary so he simply played along to his guardian's wishes. "Please, feel free to rest now."

"Thank you," Aragorn said, gratefully climbing beneath the blankets, none of which looked as worn as his own travelling blanket. Luxury, indeed, was provided by the keeper of the House. As he made himself comfortable, he kept his eyes on Legolas, almost anxiously. "You need to sleep as well," he reminded his guardian in a quiet voice.

Legolas smiled kindly at his concern, even though it, as ever, grated on him. "I will. Sleep, Aragorn, I will be right here."

The man nodded and lay down, getting comfortable on the soft mattress, pulling the sheets up around himself. It didn't take long for the exhausted youth to fall asleep. After days of almost non-stop travelling towards Rivendell he was worn out and this was the most comfortable he had been in a long while.

Legolas watched the boy relaxing in the bed in complete silence. He felt the familiar pang of sadness at the boy's condition. Cleaned up, he could see just how thin Aragorn had become in recent months, worse even than he had been when they'd stayed in Lothlorien. They'd been so involved in getting to Rivendell that they'd not stopped long enough to search for food on the road. In his haste to get advice and reassurance from Lord Elrond of Rivendell, Legolas had once again proven himself neglectful of his young charge.

"He was tired," Erestor interrupted Legolas' thoughts quietly, his eyes also on Aragorn as he slept.

"Yes," Legolas sighed in response.

Erestor then turned shrewd grey eyes back to look at the blonde Elf opposite him and said in a soft voice, "And you look tired also, my old friend."

Legolas' eyes met Erestor's only briefly then he looked away again, sitting back in the chair. He simply answered, "Yes," in response.

"The bed is not that big but…"

"I have to ask first: Lord Elrond? Erestor, what happened here? This land is no longer protected by his power, I can feel it. Did he leave for Aman? Please tell me." Legolas asked hopefully, leaning forward in his chair, for the Elf Lord's leaving for the Undying Lands where he could live in peace and serenity was the best outcome Legolas could imagine.

"He is still here, Legolas."

This revelation greatly surprised Legolas and for a long moment he could only sit and stare at the patiently waiting Major Domo until he could think of something vaguely intelligent to say through the haze of confusion.

"Why then is there no life left in Rivendell? Why is the valley dying?"

Shrugging, Erestor slumped back in his own chair, suddenly looking so very tired, a far cry from the effortlessly composed manner he had held up whilst greeting the two guests. "We were attacked mercilessly for decades, besieged from all sides, on all fronts. Our army dwindled daily as the Shadow advanced further across our borders and into the protected haven beyond. No help came no matter how much we pleaded and begged for salvation from any who would listen. Eventually, Lord Elrond had no choice but to call the retreat. But the Shadow was waiting for the moment we broke, waiting for the opportunity to invade the House. With the army increasingly weakened, it was all too easy for them to get at Lord Elrond."

"And to Vilya?" Legolas asked softly of the fabled Ring of Power once worn by the Elven Lord.

Erestor nodded and, almost painfully summoning the memory, said, "He sent his darkest servants. I suppose he didn't want to take any chances with something so powerful, so precious to him. We never stood a chance against the Nazgul." Legolas openly shuddered at the mention of the Black Riders, Sauron's mightiest, most fearsome warriors: nine former Human Ring-bearers, twisted beyond all recognition and now in the service of the Dark Lord Sauron. "They swept into Rivendell and took Vilya from my master."

"And Lord Elrond survived such an ordeal unharmed?"

"Not exactly…unharmed."

A chill ran through Legolas at the ominous words and it was with hesitation that he asked, "What does that mean?"

With a sigh, Erestor explained, "Although Lord Elrond was, by some miracle, not physically harmed in the attack, after he was set upon by the Wraith, he fell, touched by Evil. Arwen saw."

"Arwen," Legolas breathed shakily, leaning forward. "Is she…?"

Erestor nodded, pain shining in his eyes. "He tried to save her when he emerged from the influence of the Shadow but she was beyond all aid by then."

"She never even tried to sail?"

"Even if she had been able to endure the journey to the Havens, the lines of Shadow bordered this land making it impenetrable. She was trapped within her own home to die."

Legolas shook his head sadly. "So she never stood a chance."

"No."

For a moment, Legolas remained deep in thought, considering what horrors his young friend had been through before the end. The bite of the Morgul blade would have led to an awful, painful death, agonising and terrifying in equal measure. No one should have to endure such an end, especially not one so pure and innocent as the young Arwen.

Eventually though, he continued, needing to know all, "What happened to Elrond after that?"

"Nothing," the advisor simply replied. "After Arwen passed, he could not continue. As the war raged on, he just…locked himself away, forsaking all help."

"And all Imladrian residents fell to Shadow?"

"Glorfindel led the army as best he could in lieu of Lord Elrond's guidance, to protect the people but with resources so limited it was an impossible challenge. Elladan and Elrohir tried to hold the lines but…"

"Were they…?"

"In the final battle they realised that there was no hope, so they strived to get as many people out of Imladris as possible before the end came and we were decimated. They only made it as far as the fence constructed around the House's grounds before the Orcs swarmed all over them." Erestor's voice grew quieter, sadder as he spoke and his next sentence was a meagre whisper, broken and fractured. "They left none alive. I could see the fires burning from here."

"All of them?" Legolas asked, his own voice cracking.

Erestor nodded in confirmation, his eyes growing misty at the reminiscence of the brutal slaughter of the innocents of Imladris. "There was no escape for them. The Orcs killed them out of sheer pleasure and bloodlust." He shook his head. "The screams…" Silence filled the room for a long moment before Erestor finished, "The Sanctuary was breached."

All of this sounded so horribly familiar to Legolas and he swallowed thickly as the upsetting description reminded him starkly of the final dark days Mirkwood had endured. He didn't want to dwell on this, so instead he asked, "What of Elrond?"

"The Orcs simply left Imladris after they had slaughtered all those innocents. They just marched right out of Rivendell; they didn't even pause to search for survivors, perhaps because they expected to find none."

"How did you escape?"

"I begged Elrond to leave with the army but he refused to be removed from his chambers."

"He grieved for Arwen."

"Yes, and his sons who he knew would be lost," Erestor nodded. "He insisted that he could not leave his home, not after…everything."

"And that you stay with him?"

Erestor smiled now, melancholy but somehow also proud of the decisions of the past. "He would never ask that. I offered. I couldn't leave him alone, not in the state that he was in. So, I stayed and I watched as my friends were massacred."

At this, Legolas quickly stood from his seat and paced to the window even though it was too dark to see anything outside. All this talk of watching uselessly as loved ones perished was bringing his own dark memories back to the surface and he didn't want to be swallowed by the past, not here, not now.

Frowning, Erestor also stood but did not approach the prince. "Forgive me, Legolas, I did not mean to distress you."

Raising his hand to dismiss the apology, Legolas smiled weakly. "I asked," he reasoned in a whisper. "It just…It all sounds terribly familiar."

Slowly, the advisor took his seat again. "Your kingdom?"

Legolas cleared his throat uncomfortably. "My people…" The words caught in his throat and tears pooled in his eyes, he turned away sharply, not wanting Erestor to witness his personal grief over his own great loss. True, they had once been, if not friends then certainly acquaintances, but even by eternal standards so much had happened since they had last seen one another. Neither of them were the same as they had once been. It no longer felt right for Legolas to confide wholly in the Major Domo of Rivendell's Homely House. Odd, that he should now feel more comfortable speaking to a human than one of his own kind.

When Legolas looked back to Erestor though, the tall, dark Elf was stood directly before him and he startled slightly upon seeing him so close.

"I did not mean to summon up bad memories for you, Prince Legolas," Erestor said genuinely with a respectful nod of his head to accompany the title.

The blonde Elf shook his head, reigning in his long-carried grief for the time being. "There is no need to apologise. It is no fault of yours."

Even though he smiled, Erestor laid his hand softly on Legolas' shoulder, squeezing it in a tight grip and said, "But I am sorry all the same for your losses."

Bowing his head to avoid Erestor's knowing gaze, Legolas chuckled sadly, "It seems we are both in the same boat, old friend."

Legolas suddenly felt Erestor's hand moving slowly to the back of his head, pulling him close into an embrace. His first instinct was to abruptly move away from the offered source of comfort, to reject all peace that might be offered by his one-time acquaintance but the tall Elf's arms held him unyieldingly tight. Held in a gentle hug, Legolas paused for a time, his face pressed lightly into the fine, fresh-smelling fabric of Erestor's shoulder. He hadn't felt so secure since, well, since he was last enfolded in his father's arms all those long years ago.

Painfully slowly and with perhaps unnecessary reluctance, Legolas raised his own arms around the advisor and laid his trembling hands upon Erestor's back, returning the hug. Whilst he himself was disturbingly thin as a result of too little food, Erestor felt broad and strong beneath his hands, seemingly affected very little by the famine encompassing the rest of the lands. The dark Elf was an echo of the normalcy of the distant past that made Legolas' heart ache just to be near. He honestly wasn't sure whether this was a good thing or not but for the moment at least he was willing to indulge himself, to surrender to that deep need for comfort.

So, Legolas closed his tired eyes and buried himself wholly in the familiarity of his past. He felt a warm dampness gathering on Erestor's shoulder and frowned into the fine burgundy fabric of the Elf's tunic. Tears, he realised when he pulled back a little to figure out the source. He honestly couldn't remember the last time he had allowed himself to cry and it unsettled him that he was allowing his defences now to fail in a land that he now considered to be unfamiliar.

Suddenly stepping away, his head bowed, eyes ashamed, Legolas turned his back on Erestor again and, whilst the major domo respectfully moved back to give the prince some space to recover himself, Legolas wiped the tell-tale trails from his face with his sleeves. Then he glanced in Aragorn's direction, pleased to find that the boy remained snoring in deep sleep so he couldn't have witnessed his guardian's moment of weakness.

"Ugh," he sighed, wiping his face again before finally looking back to a perfectly composed Erestor. "I am sorry."

No flush of embarrassment tinted Erestor's cheeks as it did Legolas' as he said, "Please, do not apologise to me."

Legolas sighed deeply again, leaning back against the table he was stood in front of. "Tell me more about Lord Elrond," he then said in a voice wearier but also steadier than before.

"Perhaps, Your Highness, we should pick this up in the morning."

"That is not necessary."

"No doubt you feel the need to clean up. I have fresh clothes for you and a soft bed at…"

"I'm not leaving Aragorn," Legolas protested immediately at his old friend's offer.

"In that case I have a reasonably comfortable divan," Erestor smiled calmly, nodding to the divan in the corner under the window.

"Very well."

"You know where the bathroom is. Use it at your leisure."

Looking towards the open bathroom door, Legolas nodded. "Thank you."

"I'll be here."

"Thank you," Legolas murmured again, this time moving gratefully into the next room.

Whilst Legolas, in the security of the locked room, cleaned himself up, Erestor sat in silence watching Legolas' young charge sleep. He still couldn't help but wonder why on earth his Mirkwood friend would choose to travel with a human. So far Legolas had not deigned to confide in him the reason and the blonde seemed so very secretive and untrusting now that maybe he would never know. Perhaps, Erestor considered, Legolas was not given a choice in the matter. If that was indeed the case then it was rather worrying that the Man should now be staying in the now peaceful Rivendell. After all the chaos and drama Imladris had endured over the past fifty years, Erestor valued peace above all else. Even for Legolas he would hesitate at bringing further trouble to this land.

Eventually, Legolas emerged from the bathroom. After almost an hour at least the blonde looked considerably cleaner than he had upon his arrival. The clothes Erestor had provided for him, clothes that once would have fitted him perfectly, now looked ridiculously oversized on his painfully thin frame. When Erestor had seen Aragorn standing in the doorway of the bathroom swamped by ill-fitting Elven clothing, he had laughed but on Legolas it didn't seem quite so funny. In fact, it was downright heart-breaking.

"You look better," Erestor nevertheless complimented, standing slowly from his seat.

"Thank you."

"I've laid out some blankets and pillows for you on the divan." Legolas nodded in appreciation, blue eyes shifting towards the rather comfortable-looking couch almost awkwardly. "Young Aragorn seems to be resting well now."

"Yes," Legolas smiled softly. "He was worn out. I pushed him hard to get here."

"And pushed yourself too, no doubt." The blonde Elf didn't answer but neither did he look away from Erestor this time, not wanting to show further weakness by becoming completely submissive before the advisor. Standing taller and not backing down, Erestor softened his verbal approach and said gently, "You must be tired, Legolas." He then gestured again to the sofa, stepping aside so Legolas could pass.

Legolas went to sit on the sofa, just about managing to resist the urge to sigh at the sheer comfort the soft cushions provided.

"Well, I have things to do, so I'll leave you to get some sleep," Erestor said to break the tension, much to Legolas immense relief. Although the dark-haired keeper of Imladris was kind enough, Legolas still wasn't entirely sure about being entirely vulnerable with Erestor in the room as he slept. "Goodnight."

"Goodnight," Legolas smiled falsely as Erestor quietly left the room.

Now alone, Legolas looked over to Aragorn in concern but the boy was still fast asleep despite all that had occurred around him and would probably remain so for what remained of the night at the very least. With no small amount of reluctance, the Elf decided that nothing was stopping him now from climbing into the bed, so he stood up and slid under the fresh blankets Erestor had laid out for him.

The bedding was blissfully warm and dry, which in itself was a novelty. He laid his head on the soft feather pillow and unexpectedly tears pricked his eyes at the familiar yet achingly distant feeling. This felt the most similar to his time at home as anything so far had and it made his heart ache – although surprisingly it was not an entirely unpleasant feeling.

Legolas turned on his side to face the window, mostly to hide his face rather than to look out into the deep night that filled the window. For a long while he laid in silence before his heavy eyelids finally drifted closed.

"Excuse me, I left…" Erestor entered the room again with an apology but he stopped short when he saw that the two honoured guests of Imladris were both now sound asleep. A smile passed over his lips and he stepped over to the young human to blow out the candle near him.

Then he went to where Legolas was laid out on the couch, his bare feet hanging over the end of the short divan. He was too tall for the divan but even so he looked comfortable enough.

Erestor bent down and gently pulled the blanket up over Legolas' shoulders. When the prince murmured something unintelligible at the disturbance, Erestor laid his hand on the blonde Elf's shoulder and quietly whispered, "All will be well now, my old friend." Legolas shifted slightly but didn't wake at the sound of the major domo's voice. "Rest now, Prince of Mirkwood."

As he stepped away, blowing out the other candle so the only light in the room came from the fire in the hearth, Erestor heard Legolas let out a soft sigh.

Once again smiling to himself, Erestor backed out of the room, leaving his old friend and his young companion to sleep.

To Be Continued…