It is hardly possible to separate you from him, even when he is summoned to a secret council and you are not." ― J.R.R. Tolkien
It had been a long ride to Lothlórien, long but uneventful and other than several small patrols of orc they retuned in good time to the glittering forest. A place of refuge from the darkness still on Middle earth.
Glorfindel dismounted lightly his eyes scouring the tall trees and gates that opened to allow them in. For though to the eyes of outsiders their appeared no battlements in Lothlórien their indeed were walls sparse as they were. He was met with no Arrai and that left him slightly confused for if he was gone overlong he could always find the younger elf sulking and moping around the battlements that is unless he had more interesting things to occupy his time with. Perhaps Rumil was able to finally sit him down to teach him some lore he mused to himself a thin smile appearing unbidden to his lips.
"Lord Glorfindel!"
"Rumil, I see you are up an about. No books on you I see." He chuckled lightly at Rumil's livery only used to seeing him in robes of a scholar the bow and sword looked out of place on the fair haired elf.
"Indeed." The mouth twisted in a wry yet annoyed smile as his eyes caught his brothers dismounting unharmed. "I would be translating ancient sacred texts if not for Haldir who simply had to run off!"
"Come now I was sent by Lady Galadriel herself."
"Saes Muindor you were the one who strongly suggested it. How could you leave me to man the gates? This task is so mundane!"
Orophin laughed. "Come now he's only looking after your health Muindor we all know you will catch no elleth's eye holed up as you are in that library of yours." That had Rumil muttering curses under his breath to his brother's amusement. Glorfindel joined in at the laughter but gave Rumil's shoulder a reassuring pat as he pushed through leaving the brothers to themselves while he himself sought out his son.
"Lord Celeborn." The fair haired elf nodded at him eyes worried.
"Lord Glorfindel, we have much to discuss..."
"My son…"Celeborn nodded at him lips pressing into a frown. "He was here but he left two and some weeks ago."
"With Elladan and Elrohir as company no doubt."
"Yes…however there are several things you should know."
"He was in a skirmish…" Celeborn smiled thinly eyes somewhat amused yet still worried. "You know your son well Glorfindel however this was no mere skirmish…or rather I doubt it was expected to be anything but a simple skirmish however this one revealed to us a dark rider."
"The Nazgûl?" He gasped. Celeborn winced at the use of the name but his face bore no traces of denial.
"My son your grandchildren…they faced the Nazgûl alone? The three of them? Just the three of them? Were they out of their senses? Where are they? Is he well? How could he even think of going anywhere but here after the encounter? And after I specifically told him to wait for me and not attempt anything foolish! Sometimes I wonder who he gets his sense of self-preservation from or lack of it!" He rubbed the bridge of his nose after the outburst attempting to calm his racing heart and mind. He shouldn't have left him with Elrond's children; they were too irrational and head strong.
Celeborn who had calmly accepted the outburst and who himself had thought along similar lines merely sighed. "They are well, or should be. Elladan was wounded they dragged his body back here…the poison used is new…Elrond found a cure however, I received a letter from him a week ago. His son is well."
"And Arrai?"
Celeborn nodded. "He was well, I was wrong you know…" Glorfindel's eyes found Celeborn's as the elf continued. "I claimed he was too young for war and battle and yet…now that I have finally laid eyes on him after so long I understand what you meant in his regard…"
Glorfindel sighed. "You should know it was never my intent to send him to battle…but I could not keep him from it."
Celeborn's eyes flitted to the elven armies now filling the forest talking amongst themselves some leaving to the healers other to give reports. Celeborn motioned for Glorfindel to walk with him as they made their way to the war chambers talking as they did so. "I understand what you mean…I have attempted to talk reason into my grandsons since day one and yet they are as willful and headstrong as their mother and my wife.
"And their mother…" Glorfindel muttered. "Yes…" Celeborn whispered under his breath frown deepening at the thought of his daughter who had sailed because of the darkness she had lived through.
"Regardless Glorfindel you need not look far for your own sons antics I could recall quite a number of times when you yourself paid little heed to your own life."
"That is different." Celeborn chuckled. "Is it? Legend or not your son is capable. I have seen this with my own eyes."
Glorfindel sighed as they reached the war council room. An opening in the forest surrounded by dark green trees and a white marble desk littered with here and there with maps. The entire place was lit with glowmoths and white and dark blue flowers that glowed in the moonlight as if with a light of their own. Glorfindel's shoulders sagged as he settled heavily into a chair. A quick and brief report later he was leaving to his own chambers to rest before needing to attend another such council this one to be much longer. His silver blue eyes traced designs on the ceiling as his mind slowly drifted to better days. Days in which the darkness was a mere thought, days when his son spent his time climbing trees and playing Sani and on his nerves over the blood and evil he now faced…his right hand clenched involuntarily at his side holding a hand that was not there.
"You took your time didn't you?" The hand grasped his own.
"Well there were complications ion nin."
"You could have just let me come with you. Would have been faster."
"And spared me the trouble of worrying over you idiotic hide yes?"
"What can I say I learn from the best." That had him chuckling and by the time the last few words were said in his mind he was already fast asleep. Dreaming of Gil Galad and better days.
The darkness clawed at Legolas as he stayed in the darkness for hours or was it days? He could not tell. Here and there he could make out orcs growling to and amongst themselves. Saying what he did not know and little cared. The chains against his wrists and legs were cold…heavier than the others, no doubt taking his new strength into account. They had thrown him food earlier, something that looked like bread and water. He had thought the food would taste of age and filth but it was clean and good and he ate as his various wounds and bruises healed. The process was slow but likely it was due to the sustenance he was finally receiving his wounds barely healing at all in the dankness of the other cell.
He twisted in his chains several times but then relented. Far better he rest his tired limbs then attempt to harm them further. He would need his strength the voice inside him whispered. For what? To escape?
"For whatever you wish little princling." It whispered. The voice sent shivers down his spine for it was his own yet twisted. But for all that it stood for his mind was clearer now. Sharper, how he did not know but the darkness was no longer consuming him whole as it was…perhaps it was because he had fully been consumed? He shook his head he had been through so much that even now he was beginning to question what little sanity he had left.
"What is the matter? Do you not wish to serve the darkness? Are you on my side now?" The question was a mere thought that flited in the back of his mind but the other heard it.
"I am on no one's side!" It snarled. "What do you wish? Why can you not let me be!?"
The dark voice in his mind chuckled darkly before slithering to another end in his mind. He grimaced as it moved causing a pounding in his head. "Ah but you wanted this did you not little weak princling? Did you not wish to become stronger? Did you not wish for power? Or was it another who claimed that was what was needed to overcome the darkness?"
"I did not wish for the darkness!" Legolas hissed. "What I truly wished-wish is for Mirkwood to be safe once more! For it to have a stronger and better prince then I! One that can protect it from the darkness! That is what I truly wish! Not this! I have never agreed to bow to the darkness! Nor shall I do so now!"
The voice chuckled at this… "Looks like we have something in common after all… Weak that you are and where… I too shall not bow to this thing that claims itself the darkness! This mockery that claims itself powerful! I too am powerful in my own right! This abomination thinks itself dark and seeks to break me? I will show it!"
"If you are so mighty then why do you not take another form for yourself? Perhaps you are mot as mighty as you claim."
The voice chuckled a chuckle which grew into a full blown laugh. "I am you elfling, but a better you, one who does not simper at his father feet."
"Leave my father out of this!"
"Our father," the voice corrected him and Legolas could feel a foreboding chill slither down his spine. "For both you and I know Legolas, that had our dear beloved father truly loved us. He would not seek to hide things from us as he did. Ignorance is weakness. And now you know!"
"He did it to protect me!"
"Hmmm, you don't look very protected to me." The darkness hissed and Legolas was shown a view of himself as he was now his body shuddering in the corner of a cell like room orcs going to and fro ignoring him.
"Look at you…like a mangy dog chained to a post. Is this the protection you speak off? You should know. In the end of the day no one can protect you but yourself."
"You're a liar! My father is not to blame I went willingly to protect my people! And they were willing to sacrifice their lives for my own!"
The darkness merely laughed once more though Legolas found little funny his body was in pain from lack of proper care and though he was healing the process was all the more painful from lack of proper medicine.
"That you did…and that they did…but that does not change what has occurred. Had you known what the darkness was you would have been prepared for it would you not? In fact is it not strange that your fathers Lieutenants know that which you do not? How often is it that he keeps things from you? You are his heir the next King of Mirkwood and yet you know as much lore as a common elf. How can you protect Mirkwood fully and truly if he doesn't even take the time teach you common lore?"
"Everything he did was to protect me…"
The darkness in his mind sighed. "Who are you trying to convince. Myself or your own self? I think we both know that in truth your father kept things from you because he thought you weak and uncapable. But think upon this as you take your rest my weaker half…with me by your side you are far far stronger."
Legolas wished to argue but he saw little point. He was exhausted and needed rest. And the darkness…the voice had made things clearer, he did not wish to trust it in full but there was truth in what it had said…his father King Thranduil should not have kept so much from him…had he known of this darkness had he known it was still by and large roaming the earth…he would have known how to face it better maybe even chosen death over enslavement but now…he did not wish to die, a strange sense of bloodlust filled his throat and mind. He needed to kill and he needed to do so now…he shook his head resting it on his hands as best he could. Saes…just leave me b he whispered to no one as the orcs went about their business paying him little heed.
Alrighty another ch! Read and Review!
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