The Jewel of Mirkwood

Chapter 33

Panting hard Glorfindel leaned against the hall wall his sword swinging loosely from his hand at his side. There had been more guards than any of them had anticipated but having cleared the house of armed men the trio of lords stood facing each other catching their breaths and regaining their strength in the front hallway of the house.

“I can not believe we have done this! When word gets out we will be at war with the race of men forever for killing their kin!” Erestor slumped to the stone floor of the hallway his sword falling to the ground beside him as he sat forward and buried his face in his red stained hands. Glorfindel sighed sympathetically at his friend’s anguish. Erestor was never born to be a warrior and despite being forced into many wars the elf was a scholar at heart and desired nothing but peace and tranquillity. Glorfindel heard Celeborn groan and looked up sharply to glance at the lord. The Lorien elf Lord was wincing as he crudely bandaged a wound on his upper arm, with strips of fabric from his robe.

“Is it bad?” Celeborn looked up from his self applied medical attention to smile weakly at Glorfindel.

“Nay it is just a surface wound and will heal with some salve.” Glorfindel watched as Celeborn shook his head before turning his attention to where Erestor sat on the floor, the advisor was rocking backwards and forwards in anguish and guilt of what he had just done. Slowly Celeborn crouched down beside Erestor and placed a gentle but bloodied hand upon the advisors shoulder. “Do not blame yourself Erestor, there was no other way to free Legolas, you know yourself Keeldon would never agree to any negotiations, my futile sacrifice was indicative of that.” Glorfindel watched Celeborn shudder in abhorrence of the memories and saw Erestor sigh heavily.

“But he is just a prince, a pretty elfling thot cot caught where he shouldn’t, like many others who have been taken as slaves? Was his life worth so much, when so many more lives will be placed at risk by what his rescue will cause?” Celeborn sighed and lowered his gaze from Erestor’s confused stare before slowly standing up and facing Glorfindel. The same confusion that swam in Erestor’s eyes was also reflected in Glorfindel’s. While the seneschal knew in his heart he had to find Legolas his confusion at why the need was so great still eluded him.

“I tell you this now Legolas’ life is worth more than any of ours, and if it takes a war to keep him safe then so be it.” Celeborn's stare never left Glorfindel’s the entire length of his reply to Erestor’s question. Absently both Glorfindel and Erestor nodded at Celeborn although neither elf knew why as none of the mystery surrounding Legolas had yet been revealed. It was merely the knowledge that the great lord of Lorien seemed to know what he spoke of that drove the other two elves to believe in what he said. “There is much that you do not know but we do not have time to discuss it now. Three companies of guards hide in wait for us beyond the city wall, we must reach them with Legolas before this carnage is discovered. If we disguise ourselves we may pass through the city unnoticed and if the Valar are on our side none need know that elves were even involved within this battle.” Erestor liked the sound of Celeborn’s logic although the chances of it working were slim to none. Many people would have seen Keeldon bringing Legolas to his house, as would they have seen Glorfindel and Erestor passing through. The men were surely not as stupid to put two and two together but with it being the only hope they had Erestor was willing to put his faith in it.

“Very well, Erestor can bring the horses around the front, I will get Legolas and you my lord can fin som some disguises.” Celeborn smiled strangely at Glorfindel as the seneschal began organizing them to tasks. The smile faded however as a high pitch scream of terror echoed around the silent house chilling all three elves to the bone.

Without waiting for his companions Glorfindel sprinted into the hall his eyes wildly darting around the carnage for signs of an attacker. They had purposefully left Legolas in the relative saftey of the hall during the fight but in their moment of respite they had forgotten about the young princeling alone and still in the lap of his headless captor. At the that confronted Glorfindel tore at his heart. The still naked Legolas was screaming in terror, his hands clawing at the floor like a wild animal as he tried desperately to get away from Keeldon’s body, which lay on top of him. The young elf had obviously panicked having found himself alone and then attempted to escape only to find himself still tightly attached to Keeldon’s dead body. Placing his sword on the floor Glorfindel ran over to the writhing form of the hysterical young prince.

“Shhh Legolas calm down. Everything is alright, I am here.” Legolas head snapped up from it’s position on the floor as Glorfindel placed two hands on the elf’s shoulders attempting to calm the young elf down. Legolas’ gaze locked with Glorfindel’s and the older elf felt every inch of the terror that the wild green eyes reflected. The young prince did not stop struggling however and clawed now at Glorfindel’s tunic desperately seeking to rid his body of Keeldon. Noticing that the strap was tightening around Legolas’ neck with every desperate struggle Glorfindel called quickly over his shoulder to Erestor for a hunting knife. The advisor went to oblige but Celeborn was already kneeling down beside Glorfindel with his own silver blade ready to cut the strap. “Legolas you must stay still so we can cut you free, be at ease we are here.” Glorfindel implored with the distressed young elf to be still but Legolas was too terrified to realise sense.

“Hold him down and I will cut the strap.” Glorfindel nodded and regrettably placed all of his weight on Legolas’ fragile body preventing the prince from moving momentarily. Legolas screamed at the agony Glorfindel’s weight pursed through his body. Swiftly Celeborn cut the leather strap and Glorfindel lifted his weight from the young elf’s already battered body. Only moments later Glorfindel found himself literally being flung to the ground as the newly freed prince launched himself at Glorfindel desperate to feel safe in the warrior’s arms. Celeborn could not help but chuckle at the shocked look on Glorfindel’s face as Legolas wrapped both his arms and his legs around the elder seneschal openly sobbing and whispered Glorfindel’s name over and over again.

“Shhh little one you are safe now.” Sitting up from the floor Glorfindel wrapped his arms around the fragile young prince and began slowly soothing a hand down the prince’s back. Despite himself Glorfindel could not help but gasp as his hands encountered the severely skewed hip and pelvis down the prince's back. They had obviously been pushed out of joint when the guard had pulled him back to the floor with the leather strap when the he’d first entered the hall. Legolas whimpered in pain as Glorfindel gently probed the hip area confirming that Legolas had indeed dislocated his hip and broken his pelvis. Glorfindel smiled as the prince’s breathing began to slow and the sobs began to subside to frightened whimpers. “He is injured badly, and is pain he will not last the journey if we subject him to riding a horse in this condition.” Celeborn sighed heavily as he took Erestor’s offered hand to help him from the floor of the hall. Lord Celeborn furrowed his brow in thought for a moment as he surveyed the carnage of hall.

“I will mix a quick sleeping elixir from the herbs in my horses pack. It will not last long and will make him awkward to handle in our escape but it is better than having him screaming in pain alerting people to our leaving.” Both Glorfindel and Erestor nodded in agreement of Celeborn’s decision.

“I will search for some disguises for us and find Legolas some clothes.” Erestor and Celeborn helped Glorfindel rise from the floor Legolas still firmly cuddled in his arms.

”Yes that is a good idea Erestor, try upstairs in the bedrooms. I will fetch the horses around to the front garden and mix the elixir with some water. Glorfindel bring Legolas with you into the gardens and we will all meet there.” Erestor nodded his understanding before running off up the stairs of the house leaving Glorfindel to obediently follow Celeborn outside into the midday sun. Legolas was clutching desperately to Glorfindel and the elder lord could not help but enjoy the small show of affection even if it was due to such a dire situation. Despite himself Glorfindel had fallen head over heals for the young elf and while he didn’t understand why he felt an unearthly connection with the prince. It was not the time however to dwell on strange infatuations and Glorfindel had to concentrate on the task at hand. With luck they would escape to Lorien and maybe then all would be revealed about the mysterious Legolas Greenleaf.

TBC>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

(A/n) So we say good bye to Keeldon and his nasty ways and we say hello to Celeborn and the secret surrounding Legolas. Which I assure you grows in depth with every chapter I write. *points acusing fingers* No speculating people, it does nothing for your nerves or mine. *giggles*

(A/N II) Sorry I had to update this chapter cause I read it and the typo's where way below my usually terrible standard and it just ruined the whole flow. So I was forced to make a few quick changes. My appologise for any of you inconvienced by this.