One sunny day
Chapter 1
-o0o-
Greetings nin mellon,
long has it been since we last saw each other and I long to meet you again, my friend. Alas much has changed in the time that has passed and we will have much to discuss when next we see each other. News came from Dale not two weeks past that ravens have been spotted returning to Erebor. In my opinion it is too early to say, if that is a sign of things changing, but only time will tell.
I had to increase the number of warriors guarding my realm, as the darkness upon the Greenwood is ever growing. The number of spiders has increased dramatically. When in years gone by, we only encountered the spiders every other month, now not one hunting party returns without an encounter with these foul beasts. Reports have also reached me that the shadow of the Hill of Dark Sorcery is growing steadily and that more and more orcs cross the Anduin to convene in southern Mirkwood.
Before long we will have to face this shadow!
However rumors will never sway the white council and I have therefore sent scouting parties to the south. On one of these expeditions to discover the truth about Dol Guldur, Legolas was injured. He took a spider stinger to his back. My healers have assured me that with enough rest he will make a full recovery in time. Nevertheless, I would not mind your opinion on his progress. More importantly, I require your help with the part concerning that he rest. You know my son and how hard it is to keep him out of trouble. As you are burdened with two of these mischief makers, you will understand my problem. So far all I could think of to prevent Legolas joining the next expedition to Dol Guldur, was to send him to deliver this letter to you in Imladris. Please my friend, keep him with you for as long as you can and make sure he heeds the healers' advice to rest.
I thank you in advance and you can expect another letter from me soon that will update you on the proceedings in Mirkwood.
Namárië, Thranduil
-.-.-.-.-
Elrond frowned as he finished reading the letter that Thranduil had sent him and glanced at the rather sullen looking messenger sitting in front of his desk. He could not see any obvious injuries to the younger elf, but Legolas certainly lacked his usual enthusiasm and he did look rather pale. No doubt he knew why he had been made to deliver this letter and was not too happy about being side-lined by his father.
Elrond fully intended to fulfill Thranduil's wish and examine the young prince, but perhaps doing so right now would not be wise. Legolas had only just arrived and perhaps should be allowed to rest after the long journey. On the other hand this visit was a bit of a surprise and, convinced the rumor mill would work at its usual speed, the Lord of Imladris knew he had only a short time to speak to Legolas before at least one of his sons would show up, making it that much harder to get Legolas into the healing wing. Trying to hide his smile, he thought that at least his sons would be able to cheer Legolas up in no time.
"Thank you for delivering this letter so swiftly, Legolas."
The younger elf looked up and his shoulders slumped slightly. "My father told me how important this letter was. I do as he commands me."
"But you are not happy with your given task," Elrond stated.
"Anyone could have delivered this letter. There are more important tasks waiting for me in Mir… in the Greenwood," Legolas replied.
"Your father has many skilled elves at his disposal. Do you not trust your warriors to scout for you?"
"Of course, I trust my elves. I would just prefer to be with them as they face danger." Legolas answered sullenly.
"I understand your feelings, my prince. Alas, I also understand your father's need to be assured of your wellbeing."
"He is treating me like an elfling!" Legolas exclaimed in frustration.
Elrond smiled at the young prince kindly: "As Lord of Imladris and as father of twins with an uncanny ability to find danger, I can assure you that I would have done the same as your father with any elf that was recently injured. Be it one of my sons or not."
Legolas sighed again and looked away from Elrond's kind gaze." My injuries are not that bad."
"How about you let me be the judge of that?"
The look on Legolas' face said how very much he would prefer not to, but he was too well raised and polite to voice his thoughts. What was more, he respected the Lord of Imladris too much to refuse him. Elrond rather enjoyed the novelty, his own sons could stand to learn some of the elven prince's manners.
He stood up and walked around his desk: "Come, my prince, we will go to the healing wing together and I will do this as quickly as I can."
Legolas rose to follow him and as they left his office, Elrond added: "And then you can go gallivanting off with my sons"
-o0o-
Elrond peeled back the bandages gently, slowly revealing the reddened skin beneath. The prince had kept the bandages clean and changed them regularly at least, which made his task that much easier.
When the last of the bandages came off, Legolas' wound was revealed in full. It was not pretty.
Instead of the normal, clean puncture wound left behind by a spider attack, this one was torn, the beast's stinger shredding through flesh and muscle as it tried to impale a struggling adversary. And while it was reassuring to know that Legolas had fought back, had averted a deeper, potentially fatal injury, the damage done was still extensive. A deep, uneven tear ran from the prince's middle back, all the way up to the right shoulder blade, and Elrond did not doubt that when it was fresh it had bared the white of bone at its bottom.
It looked better now, the edges mostly closed, only red streaks a reminder of how large it had once been. And even in the middle of the wound its edges were almost touching, as they agonizingly slowly knit themselves back together.
It was a long ride from Greenwood to Rivendell, two weeks with a fast horse and fair weather at the least, and Thranduil would not have let Legolas depart before being in a condition to make that trip – days, possibly weeks after sustaining the injury. The prince must have gone near crazy with the slow healing process. No wonder Thranduil had sent Legolas on this errand, the healers of Mirkwood had more than likely begged him to.
As a father of four children that were both difficult to keep from trouble and insufferable when confined to the Healing Halls, Elrond could sympathize with the King of Greenwood. And, he had to admit, Thranduil's solution was both elegant and ingenious. He had removed Legolas from further danger in his ever darkening forest for a while, while also giving the prince something of import to do.
Elrond only hoped that the tranquility and the peace of the Hidden Valley would hasten Legolas' convalescence and would lighten the young elf's spirit, so heavily burdened with the darkness encroaching on his home.
He placed a hand gently just above the rough wound, not touching but reaching out with his healing senses to grasp the essence of the flesh beneath, sending out energy to encourage the skin to knit back together, speeding up the process as much as it was possible. The response was sluggish, the poison, though removed from the wound, lingered in the tissue. It still dampened the flow of Legolas' fëa through the damaged area, limiting both his innate healing as well as any healer's attempts to aid the process.
"The poison of the Gêl Ungôlim is persistent, but a few more days of rest will be all that is required." He tried to sound reassuring, but the tension in Legolas's shoulders told him of the young elf's frustration. He had probably heard "a few more days" one too many times – and just as Elrond's own sons, he had not mastered the patience to wait for what should be no more than the blinkb of an eye to the everlasting life of an elf. Oh, but for the darkness of this time, where old forces rose once more and darkness multiplied, forcing vigilance and haste on those of the firstborn that would still fight the enemy.
Elrond resisted the urge to sigh, but Legolas must have picked up on his mood and found himself responsible. "Thank you, Lord Elrond," he said formally, as if in apology for his reticent silence, and added "I will rest in the guest rooms, if you allow".
Elrond waved him off, a smile tugging at his lips. For all the similarities Legolas shared with his twin sons it was always nice to see that at least the Prince of the Woodland realm could still be cowed into obeying his medical counsel. "As long as you refrain from anything strenuous you are free to roam the valley as you please. And make sure you tell Elladan and Elrohir that I will hold them personally accountable for any damage to your healing wound." He said the last part loud enough that it would drift to the corridor, where he knew Elladan to be waiting for Legolas' "release".
"Rest and let your heart be lightened, Legolas, you know you are always a welcome guest in this house."
-o0o-
"Well met, son of Thranduil." Elladan intoned when Legolas left the healing wing. The older twin sketched a bow that was as shallow as it was insincere. "You have grown, elfling."
Legolas fought the urge to roll his eyes, the greeting and false formality a long-standing joke that had lost its appeal many yen ago. But two could play at this game and Legolas was not one to be outdone. He scanned the hall and, invoking his best imitation of his father's haughty scorn, replied: "Is it you only? The hospitality of your father's house must have lessened that he would send me such a poor excuse for a welcome committee."
Elladan laughed, conceding a point, and Legolas realized that, however wearying, the easy banter had lost none of its welcome familiarity. There was something about Imladris that lifted the spirit and healed the mind - and however unlikely it seemed, it included the questionable humor of Elrond's twin sons. The way they so effortlessly included him, treated him like a wayward brother that visited too rarely, was a gift that he had cherished since he had been the elfling they still occasionally called him.
Still, he had hoped to see their young human brother again, and Elrohir's absence was suspicious.
Elladan must have read his thoughts from his face. "We were not sure as to the extent of your injuries and thought it best to keep the rambunctious bundle of energy that we call Estel away until you had father's leave." His gray eyes pierced Legolas' own and Legolas had no illusion that he was not just assessed again, every hint of lingering pain and stiffness in his stance weighed. Elrond's sons were skilled healers in their own right, and in Elladan the knowledge of injuries and ailments was paired with an overwhelming protective streak. A combination that especially Elrohir lamented more often than not, but also Legolas had had the questionable honor of being the target of the older twin's "fussing".
He hastened to reassure Elladan. "I am all but healed, certainly beyond the damage a nine year-old's exuberant embrace could cause."
"His hugs have grown stronger since last you visited us," Elladan said, laughing and rubbing his side as if in remembered pain, "but come! Let us test your bold claim." He reached out and placed a gentle hand on Legolas' shoulder, steering him into the direction of the kitchen. "Elrohir is keeping him entertained in the kitchen. He would do anything for honey cakes."
Legolas turned, a smile on his lips as he asked: "Who would? Elrohir or Estel?"
Elladan laughed again, loud and clear, before he answered with a wink: "Exactly."
-o0o-
Estel was in the kitchens, enjoying one of his favorite pastimes - apart from doing archery of course, or horse riding or going on adventures - well one of his favorite pastimes indoors: making and most importantly eating honey cakes. Since he had become one of the main consumers of the golden delicacies in the household, the cook had insisted that he must learn how to make them. At first he had been unsure, but for the last year he had quite enjoyed spending time in the kitchen and helping to make the sweet treat. The benefit of making honey cakes, he had found, was that you were the first who got to taste them!
And that was precisely what Estel was waiting for now. Elrohir had helped him make a fresh batch of honey cakes, because they had a surprise guest. Legolas had arrived with a letter to Elrond. Estel had wanted to drop everything and run to see Legolas, but the twins had stopped him and said that Legolas was most likely speaking to Elrond right now and Estel was "not a small child anymore that would run into the meeting and interrupt them". They were right of course. He was nine already! He could wait and show Legolas just how grown-up he already was by making the best ever honey cake for him. And while he and Elrohir had started on the cakes, Elladan had gone to get Legolas as soon as he was done with their adar to bring him to the kitchen.
Only a few more minutes until the cakes would be done and he could sample one - as any good cook would. He was giddily waiting in front of the oven, when he became aware of someone standing behind him. He quickly turned around and screamed: "Legolas" before abandoning his post at the oven and launching himself at his friend.
He hugged his friend for all he was worth; it had been way too long since Legolas had last visited. When he opened his eyes and looked at the twins behind Legolas, he fleetingly saw a look of worry on their faces, but before he could ask anything about it, Legolas put him down and said: "Hello tithen pen, it is good to see you again. I think you have grown a whole head since last I saw you."
Beaming with pride, Estel promptly forgot what he was about to ask and grinned up at his friend: "I'm happy you have returned Legolas. Have you had many adventures since your last visit? Can you tell me new stories? Did you do any fighting? And …"
"Slow down, Estel," Elladan interrupted him, "Legolas has only just arrived and it has been a long journey. Let him settle and leave some questions for later." His brother chided not unkindly.
Looking bashfully at the floor, Estel was saved from answering by Elrohir: "Besides, were you not planning to give something to Legolas? I think they are done."
"The cakes!" Estel exclaimed. In his excitement to see his friend, he had forgotten that he was supposed to watch the honey cakes. Thankfully his big brother had taken over the watch.
Luckily no cake had been burned yet and with the help of his brothers, the four were soon sitting around the kitchen table and Estel was able to give Legolas his cake: "This is the best honey cake I have ever made," Estel explained, "I have especially picked it for you because Ro told me to select the best for you."
After taking a first bite, Legolas smiled at his little friend: "This is definitely the best honey cake I have ever tasted. Thank you Estel."
His own mouth full of honey cake, Estel grinned. Right now he couldn't be happier.
-o0o-
tbc...