The Jewel of Mirkwood

Chapter 66

Legolas sang quietly to himself as he studied the maps of Imladris spread on the table before him. There had been little activity around the house since the attack on the boarder patrol and Glorfindel’s leaving. Those wounded were still being tended to by healers around the clock and despite his help the past day the healers had sent Legolas away stating that there was nothing else he could do. Feeling redundant Legolas had wandered the corridors of Imladris’ palace searching for things to do. Lord Elrond and his councillors were locked in deep discussions in the counchamchambers, as was Erestor who had been seen during the day running from the chambers to the library and back to fetch books and other parchments required for the meeting. Filgree being the healer he was, still tended to the wounded in the house of healing, as did Elrohir. Legolas had not seen head nor tail of any of the people he had met earlier and at present he was feeling thoroughly sorry for himself with no one to talk to.

It didn’t help either that Legolas had notppedpped worrying about Glorfindel since the seneschals leaving. Despite his hope Legolas had felt something inside of him this morning that made his heart stop and his breathing catch. It had been a strange foreboding shiver that had spread through his spine to the tips of his ears and the soles of his feet. It had woken him quite abruptly from his sleep and Filgree had been concerned at how cold he had been ordering warm wine and more blankets from the kitchen to compensate. Legolas had not the heart to tell his tutor that it was not his temperature that had caused his blood to run cold, instead it was something much more sinister Legolas dared not mention. Even now in the warmth of the map room Legolas shivered at the thought. In his heart he knew that something had happened to Glorfindut nut not having the confidence of his feelings as to speak to someone about it, Legolas was forced to endure the growing feeling of dread that had slowly grown in him since the event that morning.

In an attempt to clear his morbid thoughts Legolas turned and walked out onto the small balcony of the room. The afternoon sun was high in the sky and Legolas turned his face towards the light and basked in its pleasant glow. The waterfall that ran beside the homely house threw a gentle spray into the air and Legolas inhaled deeply on the refreshing mist and delightfully woody smell. Stepping closer to the railing of the balcony Legolas stared out ae foe forest valley below him enjoying the calmness of the scene and it’s serene peace. While Legolas missed his home in Mirkwood, Imladris had come a little closer to what his home had felt like compared to the city of men or Lorien. Just as he’d enjoyed his stay in Lorien, Imladris too had provided quite a pleasing stay but in truth nothing could replace the smells, sights and feel of his home in Mirkwood, despite his tainted memories of it’s inhabitants.

Sighing heavily Legolas glanced down to the courtyard at the front entrance to the last homely house, it’s archway covered in moss and ivy making it blend perfectly with it’s surroundings. In a flash of red Legolas watched a lone rider come barrelling through the archway at such a speed. The horse’s hooves skidded on the gravel of the courtyard as the elf nimbly leapt from the horse and ran up the front stairs before disappearing from Legolas view into the house. Legolas knew from the uniform of the elf that Elrond’s scout had returned from the boarders and judging from his swiftness something was definitely a miss. Again Legolas shivered in heart leaping into his throat as he heard a commotion down stairs. Legolas physically had to prop himself up on the railing of the balcony however as his body was overcome with a sudden pain that shot from his chest to his shoulder in a streak of fire. Panting heavily Legolas clutched his shoulder in agony his legs almost giving out as he steadied himself against the stone railing. The pain brought tears to his eyes and Legolas blinked them back as he spotted a large party on the ridge heading into the valley. Through his clouded vision he could not see who was among the party but from what his heart told him Glorfindel was among them and was most severely injured.

Legolas did not have time to refocus his eyes on the party as Filgree burst into the room and ran over to him. Legolas cried out in pain as Filgree physically picked him up by the arms and dragged him back into the room and placed him on the floor before running forward and slamming the doors to the map room closed and quickly drawing the curtains. Legolas was stunned and merely lay on the cold floor as Filgree turned back to him and shook his head in worry.

“They have come for you Legolas, we must go now.” Legolas had never heard his tutor sound so panickn aln all his life, the elf’s face so stricken with worry and fear. Without waiting for Legolas’ reply Filgree leapt forward and helped Legolas to his feet. The prince still clutched his hand to his shoulder and so Filgree draped his arm tightly around Legolas’ waist and steered them out into the corridor. The house was in utter uproar, soldiers and guards were taking up positions around the house securing doors and opening escape routes. The sound of the warning horn pushed Filgree on quicker and before he knew what was happening Legolas was being made to run by an impatient Filgree.

They paused for a moment at Legolas rooms, Filgree running inside them for a moment and returning with a hand full of weaponry and several packed saddlebags. Legolas did not have time to question what was going on as Filgree again took of of his free hand and dragged Legolas up the spiral staircases towards Elrond’s private Library. In the corridor just outside the Library the pair ran into Erestor who was dressed in his armour and was just finishing strapping his quiver to his back. Legolas hardly knew what was going on but the way Erestor and Filgree looked at one another it was clear both knew what was to happen.

“Be careful little one, I have grown quite attached to you. May the valar be with you.” Legolas was stunned as Erestor leaned forward and pressed a soft kiss to his forehead before stepping back and nodding understnglyngly at Filgree. “Go you do not have time to waste. I have put the ladder in place already.” Filgree nodded as Erestor stepped past them and pushed them both forcefully in the direction of the Library. Legolas could only stare at Erestor over his shoulder as Filgree was again pulling him into Elrond’s library and out of sight.

“Where are we going? Glorfindel has come home!” Legolas stopped in the centre of the room and watched in confusion as Filgree closed the curtains and doors of the Library before moving over towards the book ladder, used to climb the stacks of books.

“Aye he has come home but not alone. There are people with him that wish you harm and I have made a promise that I cannot break. Now please Legolas climb the ladder before it is too late?” Filgree’s desperate tone struck Legolas hard and without really knowing whywhatwhat he was doing Legolas stepped up to the ladder and began climbing it. Filgree was directly behind him carrying all their things, all the while glancing back at the doorway to insure no one was coming in and seeing them. Legolas reached the top of the ladder and looked cautiously down at Filgree in question.

“The books to your right move them carefully along the stack.” A sound from the corridor outside made Filgree pause in fear his eyes trained on the door of the library, his sword drawn. The sound moved on however and with relief Filgree turned back to Legolas and urged the youngster to move quicker with the dusty books. Legolas was astonished upon removing a row of the books to find an open cavern behind them. “Quickly crawl inside!” Legolas frowned at his tutor but obediently climbed up onto the thin ledge and wiggled his way into the tight space. The dust made him sneeze twice but he continued on as he felt Filgree pushing his rear to go further. It was dark inside the tunnel and Legolas could smell the must and the damp invading his senses. As an elf he was naturally attuned to light and the outdoors and it disturbed him to be pushed into a rock corridor with no light. “Stop there Legolas and wait for me.” Legolas heard Filgree’s voice and stopped dead where he was. The corridor was just wide enough for Filgree to turn himself around and lean back out into the Library. With a mighty heave Filgree pu the the ladder back along the stack before reaching around to begin pulling the books back into place. As each of the books were brought back in front of the entrance, the shaft of liLegoLegolas had been hanging onto disappeared leaving him virtually blind in an unfamiliar place.

“Filgree, I’m cold.” Legolas heard Filgree swear in elvish just as a large bang was heard behind him. The sound made Legolas jump and hit his head on the rock roof above them. “What was that?” Legolubbeubbed the bump on his head and twisted his face back to glance back in the direction that Filgree was in the dark tunnel.

“I dropped one of the books but I can do nothing about it now. Let us hope that they do not think anything of it.” Happy that he had covered his mistake as best as he could Filgree turned himself back around and pulled the candle and the small piece of flint from his tunic pocket. Striking the flint on the wall he caught the span thn the end of the candlewick igniting it into flame. The comforting warm glow the candle provided made Legolas sigh and he accepted the candle from Filgree as it was passed at his side after Filgree had lit his own candle.

“Where do we go now?” Legolas sighed as he used the light of the candle to inspect the rock walls close in around him and look ahead of him into the dark corridor beyond. Behind him Legolas heard Filgree strapping the saddlebags to himself and Legolas before Filgree touched him comfortingly on the shoulder.

“I guess we just follow this path. It will eventually widen to a cavern with fresh water and supplies for us but we must move swiftly.” Las nas nodded quietly at Filgree’s explanation suddenly wondering why Filgree knew of all this. It would probably stand to reason though that Erestor and Glorfindel had a hand in this organization and Legolas took comfort that perhaps his lover would follow them when he escaped whoever had captured him as Filgree had suggested. Silently Legolas cursed having worn his robes today as he hitched them up around his waist and began to crawl carefully forward on his hands and knees.

The corridor was so long and dark, Legolas had lost track of the time they’d spent following it’s twists, turns and drops. The roughness of the stones under his knees and hands had rubbed blisters onto the prince’s skin and while the pain in his shoulder had lessoned it was still there ready to flare at any moment. The closeness of the walls and roof too were beginning to make Legolas a little edgy. It reminded him of a time he’d gotten himself stuck in one of the meal chutes, from the rooms to the kitchens in Mirkwohilehile trying to escape his brothers taunts. It had taken several blacksmiths, a dwarf and a lot of cooking oil to get him free after he’d climbed down there and gotten stuck, much to his fathers disgust.

The space was just becoming a little too much for the prince when suddenly the corridor opened up in front of him to a set of stairs. Quite amazingly torches lined the stairwell that led downwards and from their constant orange and blue flickering flames Legolas knew that an Istari had lit them probably a long time ago. Relieved of a little more space Legolas stood up and stretched allowing his eyes to adjust to the new amount of light. Filgree too looked more than happy for the space and for the first time since they’d entered the corridor Legolas turned to face his tutor.

“Filgree what are we running from?” For the first time since he’d been made to climb the ladder in the library Legolas questioned his tutor. Filgree sighed heavily as Legolas cocked his head to the side in confused question and stared at him desperately searching for an answer in his tutor’s gaze.

“We are running from everyone at the moment Legolas until we know who our enemy is.” Filgree paused as he handed Legolas his quiver and arrows, as well as his long knives and their sheaths. For the prince’s sake Filgree had carried them thus far but now that the trek had become a little easier the prince could carry his own things.

“But why do they want us? We haven’t done anything to them?” Legolas again searched his tutor’s gaze in the dim light of the stair well. Filgree shook his head for side to side to clear the stiffening of his muscles having crawled for such a long time. Despite everything Legolas had gone through the prince’s upbringing had sheltered him far too much from learning the ways of other people and elves around him. Thranduil unintentionally by keeping his son locked away for his own protection had served to only make Legolas weaker and more vulnerable as the last few months had been testament.

“It is not us that they seek it is you that they truly want.” Legolas muttered some elvish curses as Filgree walked around him tightening the saddlebags around his hips and insuring that his weaponry was strapped to his back comfortably.

“Why though? Why can’t I just be like everyone else Filgree? I want to be left alone, I want to be Glorfindel and you. Why can’t they all just leave me alone!?” In his frustration Legolas stamped his foot hard on the rock floor tears brimming in his eyes as he realised that yet again all this chaos was the cause of him. Legolas foot sent an echo down the corridor before them and both elves shivered at how hollow and empty the corridor ahead of them sounded. Filgree sighed heavily before quickly embraced Legolas, quelling the anguish rising in the younger elf with a soothing caress of the prince’s face.

“Legolas you must understand that you will never be like everyone else. You are destined to carry a c tha that will save the race of elves in Middle Earth if you yourself do not accomplish it first….” Legolas opened his mouth to protest Filgree’s words but was silenced by a stern glare from his tutor. “And don’t you dare say to me that you are not going to have a child because it has been decided for you by the valar and has been written in text for centuries before you were born. You cannot change your destiny Legolas, only the path you take to reach it.” Filgree paused as Legolas tightened his embrace of his tutor suddenly feeling very much alone in what was to come in his future. “Those we run from are men, elves and dwarves whoire ire power for themselves. You are the key to that power over all the elves in Middle Earth. To sire a child from your body is to gain power over the elves, through association with the one destined to unite the realms again.” Filgree sighed as he felt Legolas’ tears begin dampened the front of his tunic as the young prince began to sob miserably.

“But don’t they know that if I do not bind with the one destined for me everything will be lost anyway?” Filgree nodded quietly as he soothed a hand over Legolas back carefully avoiding the weaponry tightly strapped to the prince’s back.

“Yes but the desire for power makes them blind to what the long term future holds. They do not care about the reuniting of the elvan realms; they see only the gains for themselves in the short term. That is why they are so dangerous Legolas. They have only to force you into their beds and all will be lost, so we must hide from them until you are securely bound to the one you love.” Filgree caught Legolas hands in his own and began rubbing the cold digits in his palms as Legolas stepped back from him, his tears still trickling down his cheeks. Legolas was shivering and Filgree knew that it was not from the cold, although that went some way in making the matter worse. With a steady hand Filgree pushed a stray lock of hair from Legolas’ face before gesturing at the staircase behind them. “Do not worry Legolas, I hate to see you frown so much.” Filgree smoothed out the crease lines in Legolas’ forehead before gently cupping Legolas’ cheek in his palm in a soft gesture of caring. “Have faith in Glorfindel for I believe that he is your intended and that nothing can stop you from being together. He is a strong elf having lived through death and returned triumphant from many a battle. If he is destined to be your mate he will return for us within the next month.” Before Filgree could continue Legolas looked up at hiarfuarfully.

“And what if he doesn’t? What then will we do, where will I go and how will I know if anyone is my intended?” Filgree sighed seeing the despair in his young charges eyes. Since Legolas was a babe Filgree had dreaded seeing Legolas trying to cope with his life and he’d often wished to never be witness to it, and that his life would be taken before Legolas had to face his future. Yet the valar had deemed him to important to take from Middle Earth and so he was left trying to pick up the pieces of a fragile, broken elf.

“Do not think of such things Legolas, we will cross that bridge if and when we have to. For now concentrate on Glorfindel. I know you feel him, feel his pain, his anguish his torment and in time you will hear his thoughts and he yours.” Leg swa swallowed hard as Filgree touched his right shoulder where the pain was still throbbing away at the unseen injury.

”What is this?” Legolas cocked his head in questioning as Filgree drew his hand away from Legolas shoulder and smiled softly.

“It is love Legolas. You have given your heart to Glorfindel and in turn you feel a part of him inside you that will grow as your love for him does. When you bind with your partner you will hear his thoughts and you his, it is something that comes with your commitment to him and he you.” Legolas nodded understandingly as he rubbed his shoulder self consciously still remembering the first searing pain that had shot up from his chest. If he was experiencing Glorfindel’s pain then the real injury to Glorfindel must have been extensive to cause such pain. Filgree caught Legolas thoughts and placed a comforting hand upon Legolas good shoulder. “Do not worry he will be fine when he has seen a healer. Let us just concentrate on finding this secret cavern so we can settle and rest.” Legolas nodded in agreement and watched as Filgree unhooked the first of the burning torches and held it up to the stair well illuminating it a little better in front of them. “Come along Legolas let’s hope we are on the right track.” Confidently Filgree took the lead the torch held out in front of him as they began descending the carved stone staircase. Neither knew how long it would take them to reach their destination but both were relieved to have some distance between their enemy and themselves. Silently Legolas sent a prayer to his lover wishing him luck and that the pendant he’d sent him kept him safe from harm before following Filgree down the stairs and into the abyss.

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

(A/N) Welllllllllllllllllllllll didn't we all see that secret coming!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Well I tried but you guys know me to well now not to be able to pre-empt my surprises. Oh well it'll be good all the same. READ ON!!