Amystika

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"We were wondering where you had gotten to this morning," Elrohir commented as he approached the lone figure in the meager garden of Imladris. "It has been a week since your arrival, and yet you still spend each morning out here... Why?"

Legolas smiled, "I am a Wood-Elf, and I need green things."

Elrohir frowned, "I do not think this can count as green and growing." He waved a hand to take in the small area. "At least, not growing."

The garden had been made among the ruins of a room from another part of the House. The white stone still rose on two sides, though it crumbled on the remaining two. One of the ruined walls stood slightly taller than the other, allowing the glow of sunlight or moonlight to grace the area. The door was placed in the smallest wall, and Legolas wondered if it was because the door had already been there.

Thin vines of ivy had the theathsaths up the walls, some disappearing over the tops. Three trees had grown large enough to enjoy. Two large ones that could be climbed, and seemed to welcome Legolas into their branches; and one smaller one that would have borne fruit had the land been fertile. Small flowers peppered the land, not so bright or beautiful as Imladris had boasted in his Middle-Earth, but Legolas still liked to sing to them.

But, as Elrohir had said, nothing had grown. Yet nothing had died either. Though the area was small, it remained unchanged. Legolas had spent every moment he could in the little garden, singing, resting, or tending to the grateful plants.

Little over a week had passed now, and no one was any closer to explaining Legolas' sudden appearance. Celeborn and Elrond had searched through all of their salvaged texts, though Legolas was certain that the library that he was familiar with was much better equipped. Glorfindel seemed much less curiou his his origins and more interested in Legolas' battle skills, often sparring with the younger Elf.

Elrohir enjoyed Legolas' company immensly, even if it was just sitting in companionable silence, as they were now, or listening to the younger Elf sing. When Elrohir had said that few Elves seemed to sing anymore, Legolas had smiled and stated that he would need to fill the silences instead. Elladan seemed a little more distant, often lost in thought or aiding his father. Elrohir had said that Elladan just wanted to be prepared to lead alongside their father and grandsire.

"Do you think," Elrohir started; "that if we found a way to send you back to your home, you would leave as soon as you could?"

Legolas thought, "I cannot say. I suppose I will have to make the choice when it comes."

"If it doesn't come?"

"Than I would just have to get used to here."

There was a small silence before either spoke again. "I would leave," Elrohir stated.

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Elrond frowned as he looked over the few scrolls he had yet to examine. He already knew that they were medical texts; they would yield nothing useful. The past week of research had found nothing to neither support nor dispell Celeborn's theory of a possible second world. No answers had been found as to Legolas' appearance either.

Celeborn shut the last of his pile and stretched in his chair. "Nothing?"

Elrond shook his head, "No. And I can think of no other source of information."

Glorfindel shifted from where he had been standing against a wall. "There is Legolas himself."

"He's told us all he knows," Elrond said.

"Perhaps he doesn't know just what information he has?" Celeborn tried. "We may have missed a few of his details."

"No, we've heard his story enough to know all that there is," Glorfindel moved to look at one of the few surviving maps of Arda as it had been before Sauron took power. "Perhaps the answers lie here?"

The other two lords looked to where Glorfindel had tapped the map; Mirkwood.

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Legolas smiled and pulled himself up to his favourite place to sit. The ruins would have been a wonderful place to explore and play in, if they weren't the ruins of what had been one of the most peaceful places in Arda. It still saddened him to think of how much destruction had been done, and it caused him to wonder if this would have happened if they had not defeated Sauron.

"An unpleasant thought?" Elrohir asked, looking up to Legolas' seat on top of one oe fae fallen walls. The stone had formed a cradle-like shape, and Legolas seemed to love lounging in it to watch the sun rise, just as he was doing now.

The younger Elf looked down, "In a sense."

Elrohir shook his head, "Would you like to get something to eat? We've both missed breakfast."

Legolas seemed to consider it, devating if he should leave the comfortable spot he had just found. Finally, he nodded and jumped down. Elrohir had commented how lively everything seemed with Legolas around, mentioning that there were few games before the younger Elf appeared.

It had seemed to all of the Elves there that Legolas drew people to him, he was lively and curious, his spirit was sensed by them regardless of where he was in the city, and he had a sense of hope that seemed to have started infecting the others. He had been told stories of how the Legolas they knew was, and many noted the similarities, the only difference was that this Legolas still held a great deal of innocence about him. It was refreshing to have the young Elf around.

The two stopped at the kitchens to help themselves to what they wanted and met with Elladan on their way to the Hall of Fire. The elder twin filled them in on a few of the patrol details, and what he knew of whatever progress the three Elflords had made in solving the riddle of Legolas.

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Glorfindel nodded his greetings to a few of the Elves going out on patrol as he made his way through the armory. He stopped one soldier to ask where Haldir was and was pointed to one of the corner rooms that held the equipment used for sharpening the weapons. Sure enough the sought Elf was leaning over a whet stone, preparing his sword.

"Haldir," Glorfindel said, startling the other Elf.

Haldir straightened quickly and gave a slight bow. "Lord Glorfindel, can I help you with anything?"

"How long would it take you to assemble, perhaps, ten strong Elves for a particular assignment?"

"I suppose it would depend on the assignment. Perhaps thirty minutes."

"Good," Glorfindel smiled. "I want you to go back to that spot in Mirkwood where you found Legolas. If you wait a day or so, I will go with you."

Nodding, Haldir thought, "May I ask as to why I am asked to do this?"

"Simple, you found him. It's been decided that if there is anything to find, it would be in Mirkwood."

"He has given no information?"

"He has, but it is just not what we needed. His story is always the same, and has not changed in any of his retellings. Legolas is speaking the truth."

"I-"

"Do not trust him?"

Haldir looked down, "Forgive me, but I cannot think of him as Legolas. It is not mistrust, I just think that we should be wary... If he leaves as quickly as he came, than we should not be getting emotionally close to him."

Glorfindel placed a hand on Haldir's shoulder, "I know you were close with the Legolas we knew. And your hesitance is understandable, my friend. But if he does come from a world where the Dark Lord is defeated, perhaps he can help us."

"I know."

"However, right now, why he is here, and how this came to be is our question. I will go with you tomorrow, if you wait."

"I will."

Glorfindel smiled and nodded, leaving Haldir to whatever tasks he had.

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"Do you think this wise?" Celeborn asked Elrond as he helped the latter replace the books and scrolls on the shelves of the library.

"I cannot say."

Celeborn sighed, "I trust Glorfindel's choice."

"As do I," Elrond said. "But I fear leaving the city so open. Our warriors are tired, and so few return each day. Should we go through such vulnerability, just for a youth that arouses our curiousity?"

"Well, when you put it like that," Celeborn smiled. "Come now, Elrond. The Legolas we knew would be dragging one of us to investigate, perhaps your twins as well. I doubt that this Legolas is so different. And we do not leave ourselves open to attack, we send those we can spare."

"Perhaps."

Celeborn shook his head, "You must have faith, my friend."

"I did, and yet the Valar sent no help to us."

"Perhaps this is the help they send?"

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Kind of getting somewhere. Let me know what you think of it so far.