A Healing Touch

Continued from prev. page.

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It had taken the entire morning, but Legolas had managed to complete his ornament, albeit with difficulty. On several occasions Aglarorod had taught he and Narofea how to mould bowls and pots, amongst other things, but never had Legolas actually completed an activity on his own. Though the finished project was an odd design, and not the beautifully sculpted glass of the one he had broken, Legolas was none the less proud of it. After he had finished moulding it, he had taken a small nail and engraved intricate vines and flowers into it and after the design was complete and he allowed it to dry, and then for the finished effect Legolas had painted it a pale violet with gold trimming around its base and rim.

It was now safely wrapped up into thick paper as Legolas proudly carried it back to the Last Homely House, he only wished to get back before anyone awoke so he would have time to wash up and change as much of the clay had splattered on his clothes as well as his face and hands. The sun only now had risen and Legolas desperately hoped that he was not missed. Reaching the doors, Legolas quietly slipped inside, minding the package in one arm with care. Taking a quick peak into the kitchens, he sighed in relief. Only several of the cooks were up preparing for morning meal, and the dining room was virtually deserted.

Thankfully Legolas had managed to make it to his chambers without being noticed, hiding the vase under his bed before heading into the adjoining washroom, separated from the bedchamber only by a long velvet curtain. Plunging his hands into the basin integrated into the wall, he quickly scrubbed his hands clean before scooping up a hand full of water and scrubbed his face. He then quickly changed out of his soiled garments in exchange for clean ones and once that was done he quickly brushed his hair and plaited it in a single braid.

Walking over to the fireplace, Legolas carefully stoked the fire before reaching for the grill on the side of the mantel and placing it over the bright flame. Then reaching into his pocket, the prince pulled out the shattered hair ornament and placed the three broken pieces on the grill.

Legolas had shown Aglarorod the trinket before he left and the elder elf had said that if it was heated up enough then it could be fused back together. Legolas excepted this information with great thanks and so waited on his bed, laying on his belly, for the pieces to heat up just enough till it began to distort from the heat. Just after he had made himself comfortable on his bed, there was a soft call from behind the tapestry. "Legolas, are you awake?"

Legolas flinched at the voice, it belonged to Elrond. Hesitantly, Legolas answered. "Uh-- yes, I am." Legolas heard a soft sigh before the ancient elf pushed past the tapestry and approached him. Elrond's hair had not yet been braided and he wore a simple pair of grey leggings and a gold coloured tunic. As Elrond took a seat on the edge of the bed, his eyes remained fixed on the prince's and he was silent for several moments before he actually spoke.

"I would like to speak to you about last night."

Legolas said nothing at first, instead dropping his gaze to his hands in front of him as they twirled around each other nervously. "I know I was bad yesterday, but I--"

"Nay, Legolas, you were not 'bad', but what you did was bad, I want to make that clear to you. But that sort of behaviour is unacceptable in my house and you know that."

Legolas sighed angrily, unable to stop his next words from flowing from his lips, though it was said in a normal tone. "I'm sorry for disrespecting you in your house like I did, and breaking your furniture, but I'm not sorry for what I did to Orchalorn, he deserved it after what he did."

Biting his tongue to refrain from stirring up another argument, Elrond calmly ignored the latter comment. "What exactly did happen yesterday, Legolas?" Elrond had an idea, but he wanted to hear it from Legolas' lips, his point of view."

"Yesterday when Narofea came over, he wanted to go see Orchalorn and his friends. I didn't want to go but I did anyway because I didn't want to be alone. So we went to see them up the road where they usually are—”

"Even though I forbade you to go there in the first place." Elrond interrupted.

Legolas sighed. "and then he said that I could only play with them if I passed the test."

"Test? What test?" Elrond asked, furrowing his brow.

"We had to make noises, warg noises, and then I had to jump out of a tree. If I succeeded in scaring the horses, in which this case I did, then I passed the test. I didn't want to do it but he accused me of being afraid and I wasn't."

"So even though you knew orcs were in the area, and I deliberately told you not to go into the forest in the first place, you did so despite that, even though it meant putting your lives at risk."

Legolas shamefully lowered his eyes to his still twiddling thumbs. "Yes, lord Elrond."

Elrond sighed, waving his hand in a gesture for Legolas to continue. "Then what happened? Explain to me about how you came into possession of Glofindel's hairclip."

"Well, Narofea saw it on the table after you and Glorfindel left and said that Draug-carch would envy it and I would be accepted by them for it. I was going to bring it right back, honest."

"Whether or not you were going to give it back is not the issue here, Legolas. You took something that did not belong to you without permission and as a result it was destroyed, something Glorfindel held very dear to his heart, I might ad."

"I'm truly sorry, Elrond. I didn't mean for it to happen. When they asked to see it, Orchalorn grabbed it and flung it into the pasture with the horses and when I went to retrieve it, they--"

"They frightened the horses and they trod over it, I know."

Legolas suddenly sniffled, and Elrond looked over to see tears streaming down the young prince's face. "They lied to me. I passed the test, Elrond, I thought we were friends."

Elrond, once again sighed, running a hand soothingly down Legolas' back. "Legolas, my child, you cannot make someone like you just by pulling foolish pranks, that is not how you earn friendship. Can you not see? They were making fun of you, using your own gullibility against you. That is why I did not want you to be near them because I knew that they would take advantage of your innocence. I know of what I speak, little one. I have lived far longer than your handful of years and I have known these boys a lot longer than you have. Of course they lied to you."

Legolas' next words came out in a whimper. "You lied to me too."

There they were, those accusing deep blue eyes, and Elrond's brow shot up in question. "What? When?"

Legolas sniffled again, looking down at his dancing fingers once more. "You said you would never hurt me. But you did, both ways."

As soon as the words issued, Elrond knew exactly their meaning; The physical spanking and emotional betrayal. If before Elrond thought that he could not feel any more guilty than what he already did, he was dead wrong and he felt as his heart contracted at those very words. "Legolas," he answered after several seconds had gone by. "What I did, I did for your own good. You may not realize it now but if you would have thought that you could have gotten away with what you had done, you were bound to do it again, and the next time you did it, there is no guarantee that you would come out alive." Legolas' brow furrowed in what seemed like disbelief, though he refused to meet the elf lord's gaze. With a little more harshness to his voice, Elrond continued. "Do you not think that it hurt me as well to do that? Valar, Legolas, It did. But such acts of disobedients cannot go unpunished. You frightened me, Legolas, and if anything had happened to you for my dismissal I would never have forgiven myself, why I probably would have followed you into Mandos Halls, Iluvatar forbid. Please try to understand." Elrond looked down in his lap, taking a breath. How else could he explain this to the elfling? "When you disobeyed my orders, Legolas, that hurt me."

Legolas slowly looked up from his fingers at those final words, the dry tear stains visible on his cheeks, and he timidly reached out one hand and clasped it to one of Elrond's own. "I didn't want to hurt you." he all but whispered. "I'm sorry, Elrond. I won't disobey you anymore."

Elrond met the gaze of the child as he replied. "Then we will not speak of this again. And we will both be sure that this incident will not happen again either." Elrond tenderly smoothed a hand over Legolas' behind in an apologetic gesture, ignoring as the muscles tensed under his palm. "It hurt me to do what I did, and I have no desire to do so again," retracting his hand, he held his arms out to the little elf, and asked; "May I have a hug? Or are you still angry with me?"

Legolas did not have to be asked twice, immediately sitting up and all but lunged into the elf lord's arm, embracing him tightly around the neck, in which Elrond eagerly obliged wrapping his own arms around the elfling's slender torso. "I love you, Elrond." Legolas mumbled through the Eldar's robe.

"I love you too, my Greenleaf, so very much." Elrond replied, tears stinging his ageless grey eyes. A sudden smirk lighting his features, Elrond pulled back just a little to look into the elfling's blue orbs. "Of course you know what this means though, don't you?" at Legolas' questioning stare, he elaborated. "no more sneaking out of the house at early dawn."

Legolas' eyes grew wide, and for a moment he stammered. "I...uh.."

Elrond merely chuckled at the elfling's shocked response. "What was that you were carrying, Legolas?"

The prince's momentary surprise wore off and was replaced by a wide genuine smile. Releasing his hold on the Lore master, he leaned the top half of his body over the bed, pulling out the wrapped gift from underneath and eagerly handed it over to Elrond. Wa raa raised eyebrow, the elf lord looked at the package, to Legolas then back again. "Open it." demanded Legolas with a smile.

Elrond stared at the parcel sceptically. "It won't jump out and... bite me, will it?" the elf lord was already all too aware what mischief elflings were capable of stirring up, several times being on the receiving end of his own children’s pranks. Perhaps this was Legolas' revenge?

Legolas only giggled. "I don't think so, not unless a wizard cast a spell on it to make it grow fangs and claws."

Elrond mumbled something unintelligible before slowly unwrapping the gift. Pulling the last sheet of paper away he momentarily froze, gazing at the ornament in awe, gently tracing the unique figure. "It's a vase," the prince explained. "I made it to replace your old one that I broke."

"You...you made this?" Elrond had no idea that Legolas possessed such artistic talent, very advanced at that for his young age, and he was deeply touched by the gesture. He continued to map the patterns of vines and flowers carved into the vase.

"Yes, lord Elrond. I felt bad about breaking your other one so I went to Aglarorod's shop and he let me use his pottery wheel. Do you like it? If you don't, I can--"

"No, Legolas, no," Elrond took the elfling's face in his free hand, affectionately brushing the pad of his thumb over the boy's cheek, a fond smile lighting his face. "I love it, it is a wonderful gift, penneth. Thank you so very much."

Legolas was beaming, happy that he had made the old elf happy. He liked Elrond better this way when he was smiling and cheerful oppoto ato always being sad and frowning. "But... you love me more, right?"

This only caused a loud heartfelt chuckle to irrupt from the elf lord as he pulled Legolas into another tight, long hug. "Aye, that I do, glaurohun. But I cannot sit you on a shelf all day long and admire you, now can I? And that is just what I am going to do with this precious gift that you have made for me and then after I have done that we wheadhead for the dining room. In case you have not noticed we are very late for morning meal," Elrond stood from the bed and headed for the hall, ornament in hand. "Are you coming?"

"I'll be right there, I must do something first." Elrond excepted this with a nod before pulling back the tapestry and slipping out of the room.

Sliding off his bed once Elrond had left, Legolas headed over to the fire checking the process of the hairclip. Yes, it was ready. Going over to the basin and Pulling a facecloth off the rim, he brought it over to the fireplace and carefully picked up the three pieces with it as so not to burn himself. Grabbing a half empty honey jar from atop his dresser for the added effect, he dripped some of the sticky substance on the broken shards, listening to it crackle and hiss from the heat, then ever so carefully pressed the broken pieces together and watched as the hair decoration slowly merged back together.

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Elrond proudly stood his new vase which Legolas had poured heart and soul into making on the table that had adorned his old one, cautiously pulling it back a few feet so it was less likely to get knocked over. To think, all he went to see Legolas for was to make amends. Who would have thought that it would turn out to be a heartfelt occurrence? Elrond sighed to himself. It had sure been an interesting morning.

Turning around and heading for the entrance, Elrond stopped when he failed to notice the shattered golden hair barrette on his desk. Furrowing his brow, he wondered what could have happened to it. Perhaps Glorfindel had taken the pieces? A thought suddenly struck Elrond and a slow smile spread upon his face. He had an idea who had taken it, just an idea. Elrond shook his head in amusement and made his way towards the dining room.

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Sheltered by Legolas' favoured willow tree, rested an old gnarled apple tree. Slanted over so it barely touched the ground and with a slight arch in the middle, it gave the appearance of a small bridge. A large branch protruding from the top and another growing out of its side, it made a perfect bench for the lone elf whom occupied this secret place. The ancient elf lord sighed sadly as the look of sorrow that had been playing on his face all morning refused to yield.

Thoughts had been plaguing Glorfindel's mind all morning, thoughts of sorrow, fear and even anger. The ancient Eldar was still slightly traumatized that he had almost killed his elfling. He had come so close, had his arrow been targeted slightly to the left, he would have shot the boy dead center. He was also of course very disappointed in Legolas. He had purposefully went onto the forest trail even after he had been told not to, deliberately and stupidly made all fifteen border guards think he was some type of beast and had nearly frightened the horses into a rampage. And to top it all off the prince had stolen his hair barrette, the one thing he had left of his fallen city, his once beloved home, and had carelessly passed it around and as a result it was destroyed. All his emotions conflicting with one another, Glorfindel was not sure whether to be sad, angry, scared or even relieved that his Greenleaf was safe.

Glorfindel's daze was interrupted by the soft brushing of feet against the stiff grass and the underfoot crunching of fallen leaves. Somewhat annoyed for breaching his privacy he glanced up at the intruder, ready to tell them to go elsewhere but the words instantly died on his lips as he caught sight of the flaxen haired elfling approaching him. Though his face remained unreadable when Legolas stopped several feet before him, Glorfindel beckoned him closer with a wave of his hand when the blue orbs stared at him uncertainly. Legolas timidly neared him but stopped at just an arm's reach and Glorfindel had to strain his hearing to listen to the gently uttered words. "I'm sorry."

"You really disappointed me yesterday, Legolas." Glorfindel said calmly. "you could have gotten yourself killed. What in Arda ever possessed you to jump out of a tree like a mad man?"

"Orchalorn said if I did it he would be friends with me." Legolas replied sorrowfully as he cast his gaze down to his feet. "I didn't want you to get hurt because of it, Glorfindel."

*So that is what this is all about.* Glorfindel thought before he replied. "Legolas, do you really want to be friends with him?"

"I want him to stop being mean to me. I've tried everything else, I don't know what else to do."

"I know. Sometimes no matter how hard we try, other people cannot be persuaded. Let me ask you this, penneth; If the two of you did become friends, and Orchalorn wanted you to treat someone else in the same manner he had you, would you do so?"

"Of course not, I don't want to hurt anyone like that."

"But did not the thought occur to you that he actually would make you do that? Why do you think Narofea left his company in exchange for yours? You have a good heart, Legolas, and I would hate to see it corrupted by mixing with the likes of him. You don't need friends like those. Look at what he did to you in the field the other day. You could have been crushed as easily as my hairclip."

"Your... hairclip, I nearly forgot!" Legolas immediately dove into his pocket, carefully retracting the re-forged elaboration and handed it faced up in his palm to the astonished Glorfindel.

At first the seneschal did not reach out for it, staring at it, wide eyed in disbelief. Though there were shallow cracks in three places, the evidence that it had been shattered, it had been mended firmly together, almost as good as knew. And the visible cracks could easily be re-plated with gold. Finally after several long moments, Glorfindel slowly raised a trembling hand and cautiously took the object out of the offered hand, gently stroking it with delicate fingers as he continued to gaze amazedly at it.

"I tried to fix it as best I could," the prince explained. "Aglarorod said if I were to put it over a flame and heat it hot enough I could fuse it back together. I know it's not a very good job but I felt bad for breaking it on you and I wanted to make things all better again and I was going to give it to you this morning but I missed you at morning meal, and I promise I will never, ever, take your things again without permission--"

Glorfindel placed a gentle finger over the prince's mouth to silence him. "You are babbling, penneth," the seneschal smiled gently at the elfling. "and I truly appreciate what you have done for me and if you are as sorry as you appear then I believe you have learnt your lesson." saying that, Glorfindel hefted Legolas onto his lap, noticing Legolas wince at the contact and place his hands on either side of him to ease the pressure slightly, before the seneschal wrapped an arm around him with the hint of a smirk. "A little sore, are we?" Legolas blushed suddenly and fixed his gaze on his feet. Glorfindel silently chuckled under his breath. "how many strokes, Legolas?"

"Twelve." Legolas mumbled, still staring at his shoes with flushed cheeks.

"Twelve, is that all? Elrond has gone soft. Consider yourself lucky that it was not I who put you over my knee. Elrond was far more lenient than I would have been, and if you do not believe me, ask Elladan and Elrohir when they return. They have both had their fair share of spankings in their youth." Glorfindel could not contain a chuckle as the young prince squirmed with embarrassment under the elf lord's scrutiny. "Ai, lad, calm yourself. As long as you obey the rules from now on, you will hopefully be fortunate enough to not endure my wrath. This means no more pestering my patrol guards." Glorfindel sighed, taking a moment to admire the golden flower he still held in his left palm.

Legolas too took a moment to gaze at the hairpiece before finally speaking, the one question he had been meaning to answer. "Glorfindel, who gave that to you?"

Glorfindel turned fond eyes to the elfling seated on his right thigh, affectionately stroking his free hand down the back of his mane, a painful expression crossing his face. "Two nights before the fall of my city, my sister had asked me to mind her daughter while she and her husband shared an evening together. She was not much younger than you are now. Oh, how I adored her, she meant the very world to me, reminding me so much of my sister when we were elflings. We had spent the entire evening together, playing, telling tales of old, and horseback riding." Glorfindel smiled lovingly at the memory, taking a breath before continuing. "by nightfall before I had lain her down to sleep I had helped her ready for bed, brushed out her hair and had removed this very clip to set it on the night stand. I had held it in my hand for several moments admiring its craft and I realized it to be my sister's to whom it had been gifted from Turgon who had it especially crafted for her when we were children."

"So the hairpiece is like an emblem of your home, the House of the Golden Flower?"

"Aye, that is right. My parents were killed when I was but a lad, orcs had raided our home in Gondolin when the great city had just finished construction. We barely lived on the outskirts but my father was a member of the king’s court and so was well known by many. When the orcs attacked us mother and father told us to get out of the house so we ran off into the woods. We made it out… but they did not. When Ecthelion and his hunting party found us days later, he brought us before king Turgon whom had taken us in as his own. Only when we were older did he have a house of our own built for us. My little sister and I were inseparable, even in our elder days and we would not have it any other way. My sister eventually took a husband, though I never chose to wed.”

“When my sister-daughter had noticed me studying it, she told me to keep it in order to keep my hair from spilling into my face. I had refused, of course, but she insisted, stating it would 'look pretty on me'," Legolas shared Glorfindel's smile at this and urged him to continue. "I had tried to refuse her pleading but she took the clip and fastened it in my hair despite my rejection, so I had given in. I could never say no to her, especially when she looked at me with pleading eyes. Much the same as you do, I might add. So I had worn it the rest of the night and when my sister had finally returned home I had forgotten to return it to her before I left. I was so very tired and I had to rise early the next morning. I had not the time to see them after that, for the duties I had to attend to for my lord." Suddenly Glorfindel's face became one of great sorrow and his words were pained when he continued. "On the morning I had meant to meet with my sister and her daughter again, the cry went up that we were being attacked. And despite our best efforts to fend the enemy off, Gondolin was destroyed, many lives taken.... including those of my little sister and her dear, sweet daughter."

Legolas was shocked to hear this and for what seemed like an eternity neither spoke. Legolas glanced up as a raspy sigh emanated from Glorfindel's mouth and was completely startled to see tears streaming freely down the seneschal's face. Acting on impulse, Legolas immediately reached out to wipe away the trails of liquid with his hands before tightly wrapping his arms around Glorfindel's neck. "Don't," Legolas begged. "don't cry. Please, Glorfindel."

Glorfindel firmly embraced the elfling in his own arms, relishing in holding the precious gem he had been blessed with. "I am sorry, Legolas," he managed to choke out, desperately trying to hold back his sobs.

"Please," Legolas tried desperately, running his small fingers through the seneschal's hair. "I won't make you angry anymore, I promise. No more bothering the scouts, no more falling into rivers, no more playing with weapons, no more running away and... and I'll even sing of Nimrodel to you, just please don't cry."

Despite Glorfindel's sorrow, he smiled through his tears at Legolas' innocent rambling. His little Greenleaf always seemed to make times happier for him, and how could he deny him? Forcing on a brave face for now, he took in a raspy breath, trying to regain his composure. "Well, I may just hold you to that, penneth. Perhaps later tonight, your voice would echo beautifully in the Halls of Fire." Glorfindel replied, eager to place his mind else where.

"Only if nobody else is there. Ill only sing for you."

Glorfindel was deeply touched that Legolas would be willing to share his melodious gift that he was so terribly shy of executing for him and him alone. Part of Glorfindel felt incredibly special but another part of him felt that this precious jewel should not be locked away. "Ai, Legolas, you should not be so shy of your gift. Your enchanting voice would bring the greatest jubilation to the hearts of all in Imladris."

Legolas shook his head vehemently. "Only for you."

Glorfindel sighed in defeat, his lips slightly quirking. "Alright, for me." Glorfindel leaned his elbow casually on a branch, leaning back ever so slightly to peer into the youngster's face, unconsciously fingering the golden flower still in his palm. Legolas was looking at him expectantly whereas a bit hesitantly. "What is it?"

"Aren't you going to put it on? Or did I ruin it too badly?"

"Ai, nay, penneth. If it pleases you I will where it." Glorfindel blurted, suddenly afraid of hurting the elfling's feelings.

"May I do it?"

"If that is your wish." Glorfindel gently handed the hairpiece to the prince as he elegantly stood and pranced across the fallen tree, standing behind him to gather the loose pieces of hair at the sides of his head and fasten the clip at the back of his head. After he had finished Legolas had jumped down and studied his work with a critical stare, much to Glorfindel's amusement. "It looks alright?"

Legolas nodded in satisfaction, pleased with his work as he approached Glorfindel, whom lifted him back up to resume his former seating position. Both remained silent for a short moment before Legolas spoke, his conscience not ready to rest with him. "I really am sorry I took it without asking, Glorfindel. I really did try to grab it before the herd trampled over it. I hope you're not still angry at me."

"Oh, Legolas," Glorfindel crooned, pulling the prince tightly to his breast. "I could never stay angry with you. I am just so relieved that you are safe. I love you so much."

Legolas turned his head slightly, placing a chaste kiss on the elf lord's cheek. "I love you too, Glorfindel."

Elrond smiled fondly at the scene that played out before him as he silently watched from his office window. He had no doubt in his mind now, they would be alright. They all would. Since the little elfling had come to Rivendell's care in the hopes that he could be healed, unbeknownst to the prince, he was also healing the damaged and broken hearts of two of the fare land's lords. It was just a thought, but perhaps this elfling did have the key to open up the long locked heart's of the two Eldar. Still, it was just a thought.

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ada/adar: dad/father
nana/naneth: mommy/mother
penneth: young one

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*Cowers behind nearest tree* DON'T KILL ME! I'll never do it again, I swear. And you guys will LOVE the next chapter, I promise. But you have to let me LIVE to finish it.

By the way, since there's no history behind Glorfindel's life until the fall of Gondolin, I needed to give him one for this story to work, and I thought the idea of him being a protective older brother and uncle was cute. Anyway, yeah... please don't hurt me.

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