Pan ned annan (all in time)
chap 6 & 7
Time moved quickly, and suddenly Legolas had found he had been in Mirkwood for 5 turns of the moon. He had spent his time trying to occupy himself; his books, knives and bow. But none of it really worked. He had begged his father, the king to allow him to return to Imladris, or at least send message. But Thranduil had denied him this. And told him to play and be merry. He hated himself for not being able to say why it was so important to send message to Imladris.
/Elrohir please forgive me/
He leaned against the target disk, which he had been shooting at this afternoon. Wondering if Elrohir ever got his gift. Glorfindel would not betray his word, this he was sure of. But had Elrohir thrown it away? Burned it? Perhaps he had cherished it. He hoped so. The blond elf sighed. He used to enjoy target practice. Showing off to the younger elves, but it had lost its glamour. Now that he thought of it everything had lost its colour and brilliance. Every day he thought of Elrohir, what he might be doing, what he was thinking, wearing, eating. It was slowly driving him insane, he was sure.
He watched the sun set. Finally he gathered his arrows. He walked back to his chambers without too much commotion, no one seemed to want to converse with the pale ghost that swept through these corridors. And he reached his chambers quickly. Legolas threw his bow and quiver on the floor. He used to neatly hang his unstrung bow on the wall, so it would not get crooked, but this did not seem to matter anymore.
He threw himself onto the large bed. And pulled a pillow over his head. He had to find out how Elrohir was doing, he just had to.
/Why do you trouble yourself so? - He does not love you - has he ever said he did?/
Legolas slammed his fists on the pillow and his head.
/Go away! - He loves me in his own way! I am sure he does/
The little nagging voice faded, but refused to disappear. And after a long while he fell asleep, lulled into disturbed dreams. He held Elrohir. Elladan was there, standing on a beach, he watched as Elrohir left his side without a word, to run over and fling himself around his twins neck, wrapping his legs around Elladan's waist. Legolas watched them, as Elladan opened his eyes, looking at him, he had the eyes of a snake, yellow with dilated pupils. And then he grinned, his mouth unnatural large, showing row after row of sharp teeth.
"You couldn't resist could you?" an eerie voice echoed.
Legolas woke covered in sweat. "I am sorry Elladan," he whispered, fearing to close his eyes, seeing the horrible twisted face, of the elf he had known since he was an elfling.
Chapter 7 - Never sleep, never die
Legolas had been sitting on the balcony attached to his room, watching the sunrise. And was only disturbed with a light knock on the door, he called for the visitor to enter. He turned around and saw his father's advisor
"Good morning my prince," the large elf said softly, "I am sorry to disturb this lovely morning, but your father, the king, wishes to see you".
Legolas looked up at the other elf, "tell him I will be right there"
The advisor, wanted to tell Legolas he looked like he had not slept for days. He wanted to ask if there was something he could do to ease the obvious pain his prince was in. But he just nodded and hurried out of the room.
Legolas stood up, massaging his aching muscles, cramped after sitting in the same position for hours and hours. The young elf sighed, and went into change his clothes, and re-braid his golden hair. He could not go to his father, looking like someone that had been on a drinking binge with a half dozen humans, he thought to himself.
Thranduil sat in his study, and reread the letter from Lord Elrond. "This cannot be", he kept whispering to himself. But in his heart he knew that the Lord of Imladris would never write such a dire letter, without the utmost importance. And he had to play his part. He wondered for a brief second telling his son that this was a pure suicide mission, but decided against it.
Legolas knocked on the door to his father's study, and entered, bowing before the King of Mirkwood before heading for the chair assigned for him.
Thranduil looked at his son and sighed. "Legolas, listen to my words. I have received a letter from Imladris." The king stopped mid-sentence, at the surprised expression of his son
"E-Elrohir? - Is he…" Legolas whispered almost inaudibly, looking up at his father's worried expression.
"Elrohir is fine my son," Thranduil said and forced a smile, "but Middle-earth is not"
Legolas let out a relieved sigh. "What must I do ada?" He said and looked determined.
Thranduil explained Elrond's letter to his son. Stressing the importance of Legolas being willing to go on this mission. Through the lecture, Legolas just nodded, his face growing more and more grave.
"I will ride within the hour," he finally said, when Thranduil had stopped.
The king just nodded, and folded Elrond's letter into a neat square. "So be it," he sighed, "there is a escort waiting for you in the courtyard"
Legolas nodded once more, and stood up. "Thank you for showing me this trust. I shall not disappoint you," he said and bowed once more before hurrying from of the room.
Thranduil sat alone in his study once more. "I will pray the Valar for your safe return to me Legolas." He whispered, a single tear staining his beautiful face.
The golden prince, went directly to the courtyard, seeing four other elves, and his horse waiting for him.
"Let us not tarry." he said in a stern voice and mounted the white mare, spurring it hard, galloping out of his father's courtyard.
The road to Imladris turned out to be torture; he pretended to sleep, trying to keep up appearances for the cortège. And the closer they got, the more tense Legolas got.
He tortured himself wondering about what Elrohir would say, if he was even there - ai, what if he had left? What if he refused to even greet him? After all he had been the one to choose duty over the matter of his heart. He knew he had hurt Elrohir.
Legolas felt a hard stabbing pain in his chest. Within two hours they would reach the last homely house. Pain and butterflies struggled for dominion inside the young elf.
TBC
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Thanks to my beta Joey *hugs* what is left of iffy stuff is my fault
-Az