The Jewel of Mirkwood

Chapter 51

“Legolas! I cannot believe you got yourself wet in this weather! It will be your own fault if you catch a chill! Now get your clothes of and dry yourself by the fire.” Legolas rolled his eyes contemptibly as Filgree began fussing around him like a mother hen. Lord Glorfindel was still standing in the doorway with Haldir and Erestor and the young prince felt extremely embarrassed at being mothered in such a way. Upon arriving back in the city both he and Glorfindel had been met by a very large welcoming party all of whom looked to have had a little too much to drink in his own limited estimation. Erestor had never drunk in his life or so Legolas had observed and so the sober tutor had instantly begun lecturing him, even before Glorfindel had helped him from the horse. Legolas had had little time to apologise to Lord Elrond and Lord Celeborn before he was being dragged to his talon by an irate Filgree. Thankfully Glorfindel had followed them to the talon but Legolas now regretted the Lord’s presence as Filgree commanded him to undress.

“I think that is our cue to leave.” Legolas smiled thankfully at his father who noted immediately Legolas awkwardness. Although it seemed nothing had been said about Glorfindel and Legolas new relationship, Legolas was sure Haldir would question Lord Glorfindel when they were out of sight.

“Yes, I will come and see you in the morning Legolas.” Legolas blushed as Glorfindel winked knowingly at him. It was obvious that Erestor had seen their exchange and was staring at his friend in astonishment.

“Aye thank-you for coming after me.” Legolas smiled warmly at Glorfindel who nodded understandingly. After a curt bow the trio left Legolas’ talon letting the heavy tapestry swing closed behind them. Legolas was loathed to see Glorfindel’s beautiful image disappear from sight but was then warmed by the memories of the elder’s lips upon his own. Legolas sighed deeply and turned back to where Filgree was sitting on the window ledge staring at him.

“Well?” Legolas blushed profusely as his tutor raised a questioning eyebrow in his direction. For a moment Legolas remained silent just staring at his tutor searching the elders face for any signs on how he was going to react. However Legolas knew there was one thing he could never predict and that was how Filgree would react to anything.

“He kissed me.” Involuntarily Legolas touched his fingertips to his lips his eyes fluttering slightly as he remembered how the elder had tasted. Filgree’s chuckle brought Legolas back from his memories and the prince blushed again at having been lost in his thoughts.

“Good, now come along and get out of those wet things or you really will catch a chill.” There seemed to be an unspoken understanding between the prince and his tutor and Legolas thanked the valar for giving him such a wise tutor. Eager to get out of his wet things Legolas stripped off by the fire and waited patiently as Filgree brought him some clean sleeping robes from the closet. Legolas frowned slightly as he watched Filgree purposely turn away from him almost embarrassed by seeing Legolas naked. In all the time he had been in Filgree’s charge never once had the elder elf turned away from him when he was naked.

“Filgree why do you turn away from me? Have I offended you?” Legolas was worried that perhaps this display had something to do with the incident at the feast. Legolas sincerely hoped it was not and forgetting his robe stepped quickly around to stand in front of Filgree demanding the tutor look at him. Legolas watched as Filgree sighed and stared sadly at him.

“Legolas you are no longer an elfling and are no longer bound to my charge. Today I have merely become your steward, and as such have no right to see you like this anymore.” Legolas bit his lip cautiously and cocked his head to the side in confusion. He did not understand why Filgree was doing this? To Legolas, Filgree would always be his tutor and nothing would ever change that.

”So. I do not see why you turn away now? Nothing has changed since yesterday, I still look the same.” Just to make sure Legolas glanced cautiously down his body only to smile, as he found nothing out of the ordinary from when he’d dressed that morning. Filgree laughed lightly and shook his head in defeat a Legolas looked back up at him innocently.

“Aye you have not changed today but in time you will want your privacy I assure you.” Legolas sighed and shrugged his shoulders. There was nothing that Filgree did not know about him so privacy from his tutor was something he would never be bothered with but for the sake of keeping the elder elf happy Legolas nodded understandingly. “Now come on get yourself dressed and into bed.” Obediently Legolas pulled on his thin sleeping robe and unbraided his hair, which had dried during the ride back from the pools with Glorfindel. Legolas climbed up into the large bed having drunk some of the warm milk his tutor had made ready for him. Lying down Legolas pulled the blankets up around himself and smiled adorably up at his tutor who stood looking down at him from the side of the bed. “I hope you have enjoyed your coming of age Legolas, it has been long anticipated by us all.”

“Thank-you Filgree I believe I had a very nice time.” Legolas yawned and turned over onto his side as he watched Filgree begin tiding up around the room a little. The prince was surprised when he noted that there were no spare sleeping things in his talon for Filgree and that his tutor was fastening his own cloak around his neck as if readying to leave. “Filgree where are you going?” Legolas sat up abruptly as he watched his tutor pulled the sheer curtains Legolas hated so much around his bed. “And I told you I do not like these.” Defiantly Legolas pulled open the curtains from around his bed and crawled to the end of his bed to stare questioningly up at his tutor.

“I am heading to my own talon for the night Legolas. You are a grown elf now and as such have the right to sleep unwatched.” Legolas panicked as he watched the elder elf step towards the entrance to the talon. Never in his life had he been left alone at night and Legolas had often woken during a particularly bad dream to take comfort from seeing Filgree’s figure sitting watching over him.

“No I don’t want you o.” o.” Legolas jumped from the bed momentarily getting his foot caught in the infernal drapery that hung around his bed and causing him to fall onto the floor with a thud.

“Legolas I have to go. It is no longer proper for me to stay. You are in your majority now.” Filgree tried to reason with the young prince but Legolas was having none of it and quickly darted after his tutor who had now stepped out of the room and onto the cold, windy balcony of the talon.

“Then I hate being grown up! I demand that you to stay!” Legolas knew he sounded childish and that his tantrum was aggravating Filgree but he didn’t care. Why everything had to change just because he’d come of age didn’t make any sense to him. He was still the same elf, with the same rituals and emotions yet everything around him was demanding that he suddenly change. As an elfling he had hardly thrown tantrums only when he was really upset but at the prospect of being alone for an entire night Legolas was scared and knew nothing else to do but to enforce his position over his tutor. Never in his life had he ever used his position as a member of the royal family to get what he wanted, and he had never used it to demand something from Filgree.

“Legolas be reasonable. There are two guards outside your room, they will be there the entire night. A servant will come in at least three times during the night to stoke the fire and if you need me I am only in the next talon along, Haldir also is in the next tree.” Filgree could see the panic in the prince’s eyes but knew that this had to come eventually and was not going to budge on this subject. While it was difficult now, in time Legolas would get used to it as his brothers had. Legolas had tears in his eyes as he glanced to his side at where two of the Lorien guards were standing at opposite sides of his door. While they were staring straight ahead supposedly ignoring the conversation in front of them, Legolas knew they were laughing at him internally for being so childish.

“I don’t care.” Legolas stamped his foot hard on the floor and folded his arms determinedly across his chest as he glared at his tutor. “I demand you stay in my rooms or I will never speak to you again!” Legolas watched as Filgree took a step back away from him obviously shocked at hearing Legolas scream at him. So intent was Legolas on glaring at his tutoat hat he did not notice the approaching company.

“You will demand no such thing Legolas Greenleaf.” Legolas stiffened and turned slowly around to face the two elves now staring at him. Haldir was standing by the side of Lord Celeborn his face one of fury as he glared angrily at his son. Legolas swallowed hard and slowly dropped his arms from their defensive stance across his chest. The fearful tears now rolled freely down his cheeks as he lowered his gaze to stare at the floor. “You will apologise to Filgree now and stop your nonsense.” Haldir’s voice was more an angry growl than anything else and it made Legolas shiver in fear. Only once had he ever been growled at before and that was when he’d tore his brothers formal robes up in a rage after Talion had told him he was useless as a warrior and would never make it passed being a stable boy. Thranduil had growled at him then, hit him hard too until his rump was so sore he could not sit down for two days.

“Sorry Filgree.” Without raising his head from his chest Legolas apologised quietly in elvish to his tutor. It was cold outside and he was already shivering wearing on his sleeping robes and little else.

“Now you will go back to bed without a sound. I will expect you to be rested well in the morning. You will join Rumli and Orophin at the boarder for patrol duty.” Legolas’ eyes widened at what Haldir had just informed him of but knowing he was already in trouble remained with his stare facing the floor.

“Haldir, I do not think that is appropriate. His skills are lacking in even the basic of defence skills with a sword!” Legolas could hardly believe what he was hearing as Filgree instantly objected to Haldir’s proposal. Never before had Legolas ever been allowed to join a boarder patrol, his father had strictly forbidden any form of combat out of Filgree’s uncontrolled teaching environment. The prince did not know whether to be happy that Haldir thought him capable of such a duty or worried about his own safety.

“Yet his skills in archery are unmatched Filgree.” It was Celeborn who interjected into the conversation in defence of Haldir’s decision. Although Legolas had to admit that he was surprised by the Lord’s willingness to let him join the patrol. From what Gandalf had told him about the past Celeborn had been among those elves desperate to keep him safe just as Thranduil had wanted. Knowing he was not to join in the conversation Legolas remained silent.

“Yes, unmatched in competition among allies, not within the throws of battle with the enemy!” Legolas peeked up through his eyelashes having heard the distress in Filgree’s voice. Hearing Filgree speak so protectively of him made Legolas regret having spoken to his tutor so arrogantly and rudely before hand. Filgree had only had had Legolas best interests at heart and Legolas knew his tutor would never intentionally set out to upset or injure him in anyway.

“There will be no argument in this matter Tutor Filgree. Lord Celeborn and Lord Elrond agree with me, Legolas will learn more from being with the patrol than he will being taught simply by one of us. No son of mine will sit wasting away on his high horse when he is perfectly able to take up a sword and help defend his realm.” Haldir had obviously had the final word on the subject and it was only then that Legolas felt the attention turning back to him. “Legolas! Why are you still standing there?!” Without waiting for another shouting at Legolas quickly turned around and dashed into his talon and threw himself onto the bed. Why when he had just reached his majority were people still pushing him around! Legolas berated himself for being a coward as he tucked himself into the covers and pulled the blanket up around his face so he could peek out from above the covers. Watching the shadows below the tapestry hanging in the doorway Legolas saw all three figures that were previously standing outside his room disappear from view.

Sighing heavily Legolas relaxed back in the bed and stared at the canopy above. The silence in the room was deafening and despite himself Legolas snuggled further down in his blankets as his eyes began fearfully scanned the shadows of the room around him. While the fire provided a little light it wasn’t enough for every corner to be visible and Legolas wondered what would happen should anyone emerge from the darkness and attack him. He had never been left a in in his own room before, and never had he sat and actually thought about what would happen if someone attacked him during his nights slumber. Filgree had always been his line of defence and now that the tutor had left him he was left wide-awake in fear.

For a long time Legolas stared at the blackness of his room listening intently to all of the strange sounds of the night time that he’d never had to worry about before. Willing sleep to come to him Legolas closed his eyes tightly and buried his head into the blankets but it was no use. He was too focused on everything around him to even consider finding peaceful slumber. It was then that the memories of Keeldon began to seep into his fragile mind. Everywhere he looked in his room Legolas became fearful of seeing Keeldon’s face. So far he had avoided any such dreams of his time with the awful lord but now he was unable to stop himself remembering his horrid experiences. Instinctively Legolas brought his hands up to his neck as he remembered the feel of the leather strap tightening around his neck and the forceful tugs he’d felt on it when Keeldon had felt it ssarssarily to put the strap on it. Turning over onto his side Legolas tried to think of something nice and while he found a moments comfort in the memories of Glorfindel’s touch they were swiftly replaced by Keeldon’s cruel one. Legolas winced and chocked back a sob as remembered the blood that had stuck to his body when they had left him sitting on Keeldon’s headless body. His skin crawled and he physically heaved as he remembered the fowl smell and the fear that had engulfed him when Keeldon’s body had fallen upon him. It was then that the memories became too much for him and Legolas sat up quickly his breathing erratic and his hands shaking in fear.

Not knowing what else to do Legolas crawled quickly out of bed, pulling the blanket with him as he scuttled across to the entrance to his talon. He felt childish for being so weak and unable to handle his own memories and he knew that when Haldir and Filgree found out what he was going to do he would be severely chastised for it. Not caring that the guards were staring at him questioningly Legolas stepped out onto the balcony of his talon. While he knew Filgree and Haldir’s talon lay to the right, he chose to go left instead. His tutor would not welcome him after his angry outburst earlier and Haldir would certainly not, already angry about his son’s obvious weakness.

Wrapping the blanket around his shivering frame Legolas ran swiftly down the balcony easily leaping across the gap to the talon next to his. Careful not to wake the unknown occupants of the talons he passed Legolas continued to climb from talon to talon until finally he reached the familiar residence of the Imaldris Lords. With light feet and hardly breathing Legolas stepped quietly into the darkened talon of Lord Glorfindel. Legolas let the tapestry fall silently back into position behind him as he paused and glanced around the sparsely furnished room. The fire to his right was still burning bright obviously having been stoked recently by the servants. Legolas smiled to himself as he saw the tunic and leggings Glorfindel had been wearing that night draped haphazardly over the back of the rocking chair next to the fire. Just being in the same room as the blond seneschal seemed to calm Legolas troubled thoughts. All memories of Keeldon disappeared as Legolas’ gaze focused on the large bed in the centre of the room. Like his own bed Glorfindel’s was draped in the sheer curtaining, only just concealing the figure huddled up on his side under the blankets.

Legolas knew he shouldn’t have been there, and would surely face the wrath of all his elders when they found him in the morning but Legolas didn’t care. He felt safe in Glorfindel’s talon, so much warmer than his own gloomy one. The quietness of his own Talon reminded him too much of the room Keeldon had kept him in and it scared him to think that at any moment the horrible man would come back to reclaim what he had lost. It was an irrational thought considering Keeldon was dead but Legolas was to afraid and tired to be bothered berating himself for foolishness.

Slowly Legolas crept across the room pausing every so often as Glorfindel moved in his sleep. As the prince drew closer to the bed he became aware of the beautiful sapphire gaze of the elder. Although the gaze was vacant Legolas still felt as if he was being watched. Keeping his eye on Glorfindel’s eyes for signs of the elder elf waking Legolas slowly drew the sheer curtain apart a little and slipped inside closing it behind him. With as light a body as he could manage Legolas crawled up onto the end of the elder’s bed and slowly lay down along its bottom, carefully avoiding touching Glorfindel’s feet that were just poking out the end of the covers. Legolas let out a silent sigh of relief as he relaxed into the soft bedding and pulled his own blanket up around his body for warmth. In the morning there would surely be repercussions for his actions but he didn’t care. Legolas felt safe this close to Glorfindel and the sound of the elders steady breathing was a comfort in chasing away his terrible memories. Tucking himself in the blanket Legolas smiled as he stared at the elder’s vacant gaze, remembering the soft kiss he had received. With that memory alone Legolas slowly fell into a contented slumber.

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