In Mirkwood- Chapter 7

This is actually coming up to the end of what I have written- there is one more chapter. It may seem like there is too much stuff for me to cover in two chapters, but I will explain all tomorrow, when I publish the final chapter. I don't want to disappoint any readers, but I also don't want to write something that isn't my best (will make sense tomorrow)

Disclaimer: see Chapter 1

Thranduil spent a few hours sitting beside Legolas' bed, sometimes talking to Galion and sometimes silent, gazing at his son with a mixture of love and worry. Eventually, seeing it was late afternoon, he stood up, tenderly kissing Legolas' brow as goodbye.

Galion smiled at him as he turned to leave. "I will stay with him, my Lord" he said.

"Hannon le" said Thranduil, smiling slightly. "If anything changes at all, make sure to fetch me."

"I will" promised Galion. Thranduil opened the door and left the room.

0-o-0-o-0

"I am so sorry."

Thranduil inwardly cringed even as he heard those words leave his mouth. He had been saying them over and over, to mothers and fathers, brothers, sisters and spouses. At one door a young elfling had burst into tears at the very sight of him.

At this door stood a young elleth, her dark brown hair hung loosely around her face. Her eyes were red, and as Thranduil watched, a lonely tear rolled down her cheek. This was the wife of Legolas' lieutenant, and his last door. He sighed.

"Legolas often spoke highly of your husband, my lady" he said softly. "My son often said how brave and loyal he was. I knew him as well- he was a fine warrior."

There was a pause as Thranduil struggled to find the right words. "My lady…I know the grief that you feel right now, and I know how right now, there is little I can say to soften it. All that I ask is that if you need anything, anything at all, you come to me, and I will help." He paused again.

"My captain Galion told me he was found in the very midst of the orcs, close to where my son lay. He had fought to his very last. Be strong, my lady, for him. I cannot tell you the grief will ever go away, but in time it will fade, and maybe the world will seem a little bit brighter."

Thranduil stopped. He had run out of words. He bowed low, and made to turn to leave, when she spoke.

"How fares your son, my Lord?"

Her voice was soft and cracked, yet there was a concern in it that Thranduil had not been expecting. Why should she, who had lost her beloved, care about the fate of his son? If anything, thought Thranduil, she should be spiteful against him and his son, for Legolas had survived when her husband hadn't.

It was as if she could read minds, thought Thranduil, as the elleth spoke again.

"Do not misunderstand me my Liege. I feel no spite against the Prince, even if he survived when….he…perished. I know that it is only luck sometimes that makes the blade miss, or the arrow fly untrue. I truly wish to know the Prince's fate, for my husband also spoke highly of him, and I would not wish this grief upon anyone, least of all my King."

Thranduil bowed low. "You honour me, my lady" he said. "And I am most grateful for your words, though I know how hard it must be to say them. My son is gravely wounded, and yet as the days pass hope is kindled anew. He still clings to life."

She nodded, smiling slightly through her tears. "I am thankful for your kind words, my Lord" she murmured.

Thranduil smiled. "Remember, if you need anything do not hesitate to ask." He turned to leave. "May the grace of the Valar always be with you."

She smiled sadly. "And with you and your son, my Liege."

Thranduil turned and began to make his way back through the woods towards the palace. Suddenly the sound of running feet reached his ears. He stopped and turned to see a palace guard sprinting towards him, crying out "My Lord!" Thranduil stepped forwards, worry suddenly flaring up in him.

"What?" he asked sharply. "What is it?"

"My Liege" gasped the guard, dropping to one knee before the King. "Galion…has asked me…"

"What has he sent you for?"

The guard, still trying to catch his breath, looked up. "He says you need to…to go to your son, my Lord."

Thranduil's heart leapt up into his throat. He could hear it beating, pounding away as he struggled to remain calm. He nodded once at the guard. "Thank you. You are dismissed." He then turned and began to run towards the palace.

Thranduil had not spent his days as an elfling to no avail. He probably had the best knowledge of the hidden and secret passageways inside and around his stronghold, apart from Legolas. Within minutes he had found the entrance to such a passageway, hidden in a large cluster of boulders. He knew for a fact it came out only a short distance away from the healing rooms.

He ran down the dark passageway, relying on his memory for guidance. It probably helped that he still used the passageways around the stronghold regularly, if he needed to escape certain advisors. This one in particular was useful; it gave him a way to get from the healing wards to the forest without detection. Whenever Legolas was injured and Thranduil wanted to avoid the commotion of court, the passage was in regular use.

At the end of the passage he paused, waiting for footsteps on the other side of the heavy tapestry to fall away. Finally he pulled back the tapestry and slipped into the corridor, heading swiftly for the healing wards.

Worry was now burning fiercely in his heart. What if something had happened? What if Legolas' fever had risen, or he had succumbed to his injuries? What if…? He could not put that last thought into words, so great was the fear within him.

Reaching the doors of the healing ward he pushed them open, rushing into the room. His face was white as he looked around frantically for his son.

There! Legolas lay still on the bed, his eyes closed. Galion, who had been sitting nearby, stood up and made his way to Thranduil, a small smile gracing his face.

"Calm down, my Lord" he said softly, noticing Thranduil's worry. "It is good news."

"Good-what?" asked Thranduil sharply, tearing his eyes away from the bed. "What has happened?"

Galion grinned. "His fever has broken, and the wounds are beginning to heal. There was a moment when the healers feared for him, which was when I sent for you, yet they managed to bring his fever down and it broke soon after."

Thranduil crossed the room, hardly daring to believe Galion. He gently laid one hand on Legolas' forehead, and that was when relief overwhelmed him and he sunk down into his chair, grinning feebly. He looked up as Galion came over.

"He is going to be alright" Thranduil said shakily. "He is going to be alright."

Galion nodded hesitantly. "Not all wounds are those of the body, my Lord. You must remember that."

Thranduil shook his head. "He is going to be fine, Galion" he murmured, his eyes fixed on Legolas. "He is going to be fine."

0-o-0-o-0

Thranduil sighed as he shuffled around yet more papers on the nearby bed. He glanced up at Galion. "Remind me why I am doing this again?"

Galion shrugged. "It was your idea. Apparently your advisors were becoming so irritating you had to get some of this done yourself."

"When I next say that" said Thranduil, gritting his teeth. "You have my permission to tell me what an idiot I am."

"You said that last time, Sire" said Galion ruefully. "Unfortunately, this time you didn't listen. Of course you are not to blame, my Lord; there is rather a lot going on right now and you could not focus your full attention on me."

Thranduil nodded in agreement as he took a quill and signed yet another document. There had been rather a lot going on. Over the past few days, since Legolas' fever had broken, he had been showing more and more signs of waking up. Often he simply shifted slightly, before settling again, but sometimes he would move his lips and his eyelids would flicker. Thranduil had felt a flare of hope surge every time that happened. Each time, though, it had been drenched in disappointment. Legolas had not yet woken up.

Thranduil looked up as the slightest movement came from Legolas' bed. He dropped his quill, the ink splattering across some report. Already a healer was beside Legolas' bed, gently shaking him and asking him to wake up. Thranduil came over. Legolas was twisting his head from side to side, his lips moving ever so slightly. His eyelids were flickering.

"Legolas?" asked Thranduil hesitantly. "Ion-nin, come on, open your eyes."

"My Lord?" asked the healer. "My Lord, you must wake."

Thranduil came up on standing and sank down in the chair next to Legolas. He reached out and grabbed one of his son's hands, squeezing it again and again. "Legolas? Tithen las, you must wake now. Open your eyes."

The healer and Thranduil continued speaking softly for a few minutes. Just as Thranduil seemed ready to give up yet again, Legolas' eyelids flickered and his lips moved in a whisper.

"Ada?"

"Aye, it is me, ion-nin" said Thranduil, a smile breaking through on his face. "Can you open your eyes?"

Slowly and with great effort Legolas found his way back to the waking world. With a surge of strength he opened his eyes, and blinked blearily. "Adar" he murmured.

He felt a hand squeeze his, and he looked around to see Thranduil sitting beside him, smiling. Legolas frowned, not sure how much he could remember. Why was he here? Why did he hurt so much?

Everything then suddenly rushed back to him and he stiffened, shocked and horrified at the memories. Thranduil's smile vanished. "Legolas? Are you alright?"

Legolas hesitated, and then nodded. The healer on the other side of the bed took over.

"My Lord, how do you feel?"

Legolas considered it for a moment. "Sore" he whispered.

The healer nodded. "I would be amazed if you didn't. You suffered grave wounds, and only just made it. You will be in bed a while longer. I will give you something for the pain."

Legolas nodded again, but his mind and thoughts were clouded. He turned his head, wincing at the pain it caused, to look at his father.

"How long?" he asked in a mutter.

"Four, no five days since the attack" said Thranduil. "You really had me worried this time, ion-nin."

Legolas frowned. "I'm sorry."

"Ai Legolas, you have nothing to be sorry for" said Thranduil. "I could have so easily lost you, and I am so thankful that I didn't."

Legolas managed a weak smile, though it felt fake. He did not want to talk much to his father right now, for Thranduil was sure to ask questions that he did not want to answer. He had failed, failed his father, his patrol, his home and himself. He avoided Thranduil's gaze, instead looking at the healer who had approached the bed again.

"There" she said, handing a small cup to Thranduil. She looked down at Legolas. "This will help with the pain, and also help you sleep. You are not anywhere near healthy yet."

Legolas nodded once. Anything to help him sleep, to help him forget what had happened. Thranduil carefully raised his head and he drank the draught down.

Only moments later he felt his mind become foggy, and his eyes glazed over. He fell down into the deep darkness.

Thranduil smiled slightly. "He is going to be alright" he murmured. "He is going to be alright."

Or is he...

To Be Continued