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Chapter 8
"Of all the stubborn, pigheaded, wilful, stupid….." the young mans voice hold equal parts anger and fear as it tails off.
Unable to articulate his feelings sufficiently he stops pacing across the room, turns and kicks out at the nearest object which happens to be a sturdy high backed chair. He barely feels his foot make contact but the force behind his strike is enough to send it flying over to the other side of the room, narrowly missing the elder of his twin brothers in the process.
Estel and his siblings had followed their father into Legolas' room shortly beforehand and were at first amazed to find it empty and bereft of the fair archers presence in the bed. It has not taken long for them to ascertain the disappearance of not only the elven prince but also his beloved bow, quiver and knife leading to the foregone conclusion that now finds Estel pacing the floor and occasionally muttering threats of what he will do to the absent elf under his breath.
" Estel. Calm yourself" the cool and calm voice of his father breaks into his troubled thoughts. " Such words are not helping anyone!"
The lord turns his steely gaze upon the young man as a particularly coarse dwarfish curse aimed at the young princes intelligence spurts from his unruly mouth.
" Diheno anim, forgive me, ada" The young mans flashing eyes meet with those of the elders before being lowered to the floor in mute apology. " It is just that I am worried".
" As are we all ion nin" the lord replies, his tone softened by the obvious concern he has witnessed within his adopted sons deep, grey eyes. " Did none of you hear anything in the night?"
His gaze passes across each of his sons in turn, one eyebrow raised as if to emphasise the query. Shakes of the head are all he is rewarded with yet he is not really surprised. Elves can be almost noiseless when they wish and the young wood elf so recently in his care is especially clever at hiding his movement from others when he feels the need.
" It would appear that he used the balcony for his escape" Elladan has been the first to explore this exit route from the room and stands staring at the stone railing bordering the balcony's edge where a faint scuff mark mars the pale white stone.
Three heads peer over the edge as his brothers join him, staring down into the garden below as if wishing for the lithe form of the young archer to appear beneath them.
"I should have realised he would do something like this," Estels voice holds an edge as his anger turns inwards." I should not have left him alone."
His hands clench tight, clutching at the railings without thought, knuckles whitening, his grip contracts as fury increases within him.
" You can not blame yourself for this," he feels a gentle hand placed upon his tense shoulder, " you know as well as we do that once Legolas has made up his mind to do something, naught will stand in his way." Elladans voice is pitched low and gentle in a bid to calm the young mans inner turmoil that does not succeed.
" He always does this, he always pushes me away when I would help!" The words are spit out through clenched teeth as the young man twists around, shrugging off the placating hand, his eyes blazing with liquid steel as rage is once again directed back towards the absent being.
" Calm yourself Estel," the twin takes a step backwards raising both hands in a gesture of peace. " We need to think calmly to decide upon what must be done."
" Elladan is right," breaks in the strong voice of Elrond from the doorway leading back from the balcony to the room beyond " Cool heads are what is needed if we are to aid that reckless young elf." He pauses before uttering the next words, " and aid is what he will need I fear."
The young man looks up into his fathers eyes, anger is swiftly replaced in the stormy eyes with a deep apprehension, almost palpable to the lord.
" A premonition, ada?" The question is spoken quietly, almost as if it does not want to be heard.
" No," the elder replies gently, " just the knowledge that Legolas is still not truly healed of his injuries, combined with the certainty of what always seems to happen when you are together."
This last statement is accompanied by a wry smile as he tries to lighten the mood and he is relieved to see an answering smile on his adopted sons lips as he responds.
" You know I will have to go after him then?" Elrond sighs at the rhetorical question.
" Of course, ion nin, there was never any doubt of that in my mind from the moment we discovered he had gone, " his gaze wanders from his youngest son to the two standing protectively at his sides, " but you will not go alone, your brothers will be only to glad to assist you in this I feel".
" Of course, ada, " Elladan nods " That goes without saying."
" Besides," Elrohir laughs " They will need somebody to keep them out of trouble!"
" I'm not so sure you may be the right elves for the job then." The sparkle in the lords eyes lends a humour to his words as he speaks, encouraging a short burst of laughter from the three brothers. " I will have the kitchen prepare food for your journey." He turns to the door with an air of resignation. " It will be best if you leave as soon as possible I feel."
The three brothers watch as he exit's the room, worry etched on all of their faces. If their father feels the need for haste then it must be necessary.
" I will ready the horses", Elladan quickly follows Elrond from the room and heads to the stables.
" And I will gather our healing supplies," Elrohir places a hand softly on his young siblings shoulder as he speaks, " We will find him Estel" he the shoulder a gentle squeeze, then turns and also leaves.
For a moment the young man stands, locked deep in thoughts of his friend. Almost frozen in place, as if by the power of his mind alone he can call the missing prince to appear before him, then he sighs.
" What are you going to lead me into this time mellon nin, my friend?" he whispers softly into the emptiness and with one last glance around the deserted room walks through the door and out into the corridor beyond.
.
Darkness, all around is darkness. I try to move but can not, fear begins to well up inside me but then I still, recognition dawns, this place is known to me. A sense of calmness settles upon me as I note that I have been here before. I am unsure as to how I come to know this but am certain it is true. I float here in the darkness, feeling its familiar touch, allowing it to envelop me and pull me down, beyond thought, beyond reason, blindly following an almost accustomed route, towards….. Towards what? I should know this. But I can't appear to pin it down. Thoughts tumble around my head, always just out of reach, the harder I try to catch hold of them to put them into order, the further they recede into the whirling maelstrom of my mind. I decide to admit defeat for now. I will just rest here for a while. The darkness soothes me, almost I perceive a faint whisper of sound as if the darkness has a voice, I open my senses to the possibility. I will rest here. Just for a while.