Mending a Heart

Chapter 8: The Nightmare


Later that night, Elladan sat in his bed, unable to sleep. He couldn’t stop thinking about Legolas losing consciousness. His mind raced. He wondered if Legolas was asleep. He wondered if the prince would go to the stable this night. He wondered what would happen when Legolas awakened. But mostly, Elladan wondered why he had convinced him to go to Gaidon. He was plagued with guilt. *This is my fault. If I had not wanted to jest with him, this would not have happened.* Elladan stood up abruptly, and began to pace his bedchamber. *I did this. I almost killed Elrohir, Arwen and Legolas.*

Elladan walked out onto the terrace and looked toward the stable. All was quiet. He waited for a while, hoping for a glimpse of the Mirkwood prince. But all hope faded as time passed. *I have to see him. I must apologize.* He couldn’t help but wonder if Legolas or his siblings would ever forgive him.

Elladan left the balcony and walked through his chamber. Silently, he walked down the long corridor that led from his room and stopped in front of the entrance to Legolas’ bedchamber. The door was partially open and he peered inside.

Legolas was sitting on the bed, panting heavily. It seemed as though the prince had awakened only moments before Elladan’s arrival. Legolas arose from his bed slowly and walked out onto the veranda. He was visibly distraught as he shook violently, holding on to the railing for support.

Without further hesitation, Elladan passed through the bedchamber, making his way to Legolas’ side.

*Legolas! Legolas!*

The prince couldn’t breathe. He could feel the walls closing in on him. Only the breeze made him aware of his surroundings. He closed his eyes.

*Legolas!*

“No,” the prince whispered as the memories of his mother’s screams for help tormented him.

“Legolas?” Elladan said gently.

Legolas jumped and looked at Elladan, startled, “I. . . ” he stammered, “I did not hear you enter my chamber.” His voice quivered as he spoke.

“I’m sorry,” Elladan said softly. “I did not mean to alarm you.”

Legolas didn’t respond. Instead, he looked straight ahead, holding on tightly to the railing in front of him.

Elladan hesitantly touched the prince’s shoulder and turned the tormented male to face him.

Legolas stared at the ground. He fought to regain control of his emotions. The prince closed his eyes, fighting his inner turmoil.

*Legolas!*

The prince opened his eyes at once. “No,” he said, grasping Elladan’s arms for support.

Elladan stared at the prince with alarm. *You are a spirit healer, Elladan. When the time comes, you will be ready.* Elrond’s words echoed in Elladan’s mind, but he didn’t know what to do. He looked into the prince’s eyes; Legolas was not there. It was as though he had been transported to another place or time. *He looks as though he is reliving something. . . his mother’s death.* Everything became clear to Elladan now. He wondered how he had not seen the extent of Legolas’ pain.

“Legolas?” Elladan spoke softly.

Legolas bowed his head and shook with emotion.

“Did you have a nightmare?” Elladan asked gently.

“Nay,” the prince lied. “I am fine.”

*Legolas!*

The prince released Elladan abruptly and staggered back into his bedchamber.

“Legolas?” Elladan said, trying to help the prince.

“Just leave me be, Elladan,” Legolas replied curtly. “Just. . .” He stopped abruptly and turned to face Elladan. “Leave her alone!”

“Who?” Elladan asked, looking around the bedchamber. Slowly, he realized that the prince was hallucinating.

Legolas lunged at Elladan suddenly, grabbing his arm roughly. “You will pay, all of you will pay.” The prince reached for his sword, which was on a nearby dresser.

“You are not well,” Elladan stated. He grasped the prince’s hand, preventing him from gaining access to his weapon.

“Leave her be!” Legolas shouted, fighting Elladan.

The warrior tried to restrain the prince, but to no avail. Even though Legolas was in a weakened state, he fought violently. Elladan realized that Legolas’ rage had greatly increased his strength.

Forcing Elladan to the ground, the prince struck him across the face brutally.

“Legolas, it’s me! It’s Elladan,” the dark haired warrior shouted. “Please, I don’t want to harm you!”

“Ha!” the prince spat, straddling his enemy. “As if an orc could harm an elvish warrior.” He grabbed Elladan’s neck with his hand and began to squeeze. “You’re going to die.”

Elladan clutched the prince’s hand as Legolas slowly and painfully tried to crush his neck. Using his free hand, Elladan punched him in the chest. He hoped that the force of the blow would allow him to free himself from Legolas’ grasp.

Legolas let go of Elladan and clutched his chest.

Elladan pushed Legolas off of him and stood up abruptly, gasping for air.

Legolas stumbled over to his dresser and unsheathed one of his knives, looking in Elladan’s direction menacingly.

Elladan looked over at the prince to see if he was alright. His jaw dropped when he saw Legolas slowly approaching him with one of his blades drawn. Elladan had been trying to restrain himself. He knew that the prince wasn’t well, but he also knew that Legolas was more than capable of killing him. “Legolas? Don’t do this. I don’t want to fight you.”

“Coward!” the prince shouted. “You killed her, and now you shall die!” Without warning, Legolas charged Elladan.

Elladan moved out of the way and tried to disarm the prince, but Legolas anticipated this and grabbed his arm, twisting it roughly. Looking over the prince’s shoulder, Elladan sighed with relief.

Legolas raised his knife, aiming it at Elladan’s throat. “Ai!” he yelled, dropping his weapon and releasing his hold on Elladan. The prince winced as someone from behind twisted his left arm painfully.

Elladan moved away from Legolas and looked at his father. “He thinks I am a goblin. He thinks I killed his mother.”

Elrond nodded slowly. “Legolas? Are you . . .”

The prince began to fight again, trying to free himself from Elrond’s grasp.

Calmly, the lord took hold of Legolas’ free arm and pulled it behind his back. “It is I, Legolas. It is Elrond. There are no orcs here. You are in Rivendell, Legolas.”

Slowly, the prince began to calm down. As he became aware of his surroundings, he remembered the attack of the previous day.

Cautiously, Elrond released his grip on the prince’s arms.

Legolas turned to face the lord and Elladan. “What happened? Why are you both in my bedchamber? Is Arwen alright?”

“Arwen is fine, but you are not,” Elrond said gently. “Legolas, when did you last sleep?”

“I do not sleep,” the prince stated, looking around the room, confused. “I. . . I can. . . I hear her. She’s calling me. . . I. . . I can. . .”

“Legolas?” Elrond said gently.

Legolas looked up at the lord but did not speak.

“I have made some tea for you,” Elrond said kindly. “It tastes very good, and it will help you to rest.”

“I do not sleep,” Legolas remarked, dazed.

“The tea is very potent,” Elrond said, trying to reassure the prince. “You will sleep without dreams this night.” He handed Legolas the cup.

Legolas looked at Elrond skeptically, but took the cup that had been offered to him and drank all of the tea.

Elrond took the cup from Legolas. “Do you want to lie down in your bed?” Elrond asked kindly.

“No,” Legolas replied, shaking his head fervently. “I am fine.”

“Alright,” Elrond said gently.

“Can I help you in some way, Legolas?” Elladan asked, distressed by the prince’s state.

Legolas looked at Elladan drowsily and nodded slowly as everything around him faded into darkness once more.

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TBC. . .