The Jewel of Mirkwood

Chapter 8
Since returning to his room Filgree had consoled his young charge about his brothers very public and brutal dismissal from the banquet table. Legolas had been clearly upset and Filgree cursed the entire family for having upset Legolas so visibly in front of their guests. As the day had worn on Filgree had become more and more angry with the king’s decision not to inform his son of the secret and the more upset Legolas became the more angry Filgree was. Legolas had tried his hardest to fit in with his brothers and gain his fathers respect never knowing why his father dismissed him so readily. And now when the time had come to reveal such a secret Thranduil had refused point blank to acknowledge the truth, despite the detriment Legolas would suffer for the rest of his life. After a while however Legolas had calmed down and so too had Filgree and now the young prince lay on the bed in silence while Filgree filled his bath.

Legolas lay on his back staring up into the green canopy, which hung from the top of his bed and cascaded down to create sheer walls around him. It had always confused Legolas why the canopies had adorned all of the royal beds within Mirkwood but he had never questioned it until now. Filgree was in the bathing annex of the bedroom, filling Legolas’ stone bathing tub from the hot spri

“Filgree why do these curtains hang around all the royal beds and not around your own or the servants?” The inquisitiveness of Legolas never seemed to amaze Filgree. His young student had the ability to find questions in all things no matter how simple but this question caught the tutor off guard. Legolas heard the loud clattering of a bronze water jug hitting the floor in the bathroom followed closely by some muttered elvish curse. Legolas sat up immediately to inquire after his tutor’s health. It wasn’t like Filgree to be clumsy. “Filgree are you okay?” Legolas furrowed his brow with concern as Filigree’s face appeared from around the corner of the bathing annex looking slightly flushed.

“I am fine penneth.” Legolas did not believe Filgree but merely nodded in acceptance as he watched his elder tutor move out from the bathing annex and over to the wardrobe.

“Will you tell me why these curtains hang around my bed Filgree?” Legolas crossed his legs in front of him and leaned forward to rest his chin on his hands. He watched Filgree cross backwards and forward across the room fetching, changing and brushing Legolas tunics and leggings. Filgree sighed as he removed Legolas’ nightgown and robe from the wardrobe and gestured for the young prince to begin undressing himself for his bath. It had been only a matter of time before discussions such as this would take place and although Filgree had imagined them being so much different, he knew he could not simply ignore the inquisitiveness of the elf, which would shortly reach his majority and would need to know of such things.

“They were hung to create the illusion of a barrier between servants and royalty which chose to partake in intimate acts with their lovers.” Filgree spoke calmly but Legolas could tell that his tutor was awkward about discussing this topic of conversation. Regardless Legolas pushed on with the topic his confusion about the curtaining increasing his quest for knowledge.

“They do not makveryvery good barrier Filgree, look you can see straight through them.” For emphasis Legolas stood up on his bed. He was totally naked having undressed himself ready for his bath. Filgree chuckled as he watched his young charge jump up and down several times on his bed before stepping threw the opening of the surrounding curtains to smile cheekily at his tutor. “Did you not see I was jumping on my bed? Any intimacy would be clearly visible, it is a stupid idea.” Filgree sighed as he followed Legolas into the bathing annex and helped his young charge into the warm water. Innocents showed itself in the most pure form in the young prince sometimes and Filgree found himself in ore of how one mind could be so fragile yet so open to knowledge. The young prince’s innocents however left him much more vulnerable than other young elves his age and Filgree silently cursed King Thranduil for knowingly putting his son at risk by shielding him from the things he should know.

“They were made e the that way Legolas as protection. While they provide an illusion of privacy for royalty during private acts, they were also sheer so that the guards could see any possible danger which may threaten the lives of the royalty in the bed.” Filgree sank to his knees beside the deep stone pool and began to fill the bronze water jug with warm water and pour it gently over Legolas’ head so that the young prince could wash his hair. Legolas screwed up his nose and closed his eyes as the soapy water ran over his face and he was forced to hold his breath for a few moments.

“Well that does not explain why the servants do not have the curtains?” Filgree helped Legolas wash his back as his younger charge continued to question him about the curtains around his bed.

”Intimacy is not encouraged among the lower ranks of the household as it is said to restrict their duties. It is therefore not necessary for them to have curtains around their beds.” Legolas scowled and pulled away from his tutor’s hands to spin around and stare at him blankly. Filgree could sense the prince’s confusion and prepared himself for a lengthy conversation. Not that they didn’t have the time after Thranduil’s early dismissal of them both from the banquet.

“That is not fair. Father has never allowed me a lover and yet the curtains still hang from my bed. And what of yourself? I am sure you have had lovers and have much desired some privacy, yet you are not allowed curtains, it makes no sense.” Standing from the side of the bathing tub Filgree removed the fluffy towel from the hook and held it open for Legolas to step into. After a moment of splashing around Legolas finally relented and stepped from the bath into the embrace of the towel. It was strange that Filgree did not answer his questions straight away and Legolas wondered if his tutor was still suffering from having talked to the king earlier. It was not like his tutor to have ever denied him knowledge although the topic had never been discussed before.

“Something’s in this world do not make sense Legolas and you will be faced with many of them in your life time. Often it is good to question them and in others such as this it is best that you just accept it.” Towelling himself off quickly Legolas hopped from foot to foot on the cold slate floor as he followed Filgree back into his bedroom and over to the fire. Filgree had never given him such an ambiguous reply and Legolas crossed his arms and began to sulk as his tutor pushed him into the chair beside the fire and began to brush and braid his hair. There was a long silence between them and Legolas could sense that the conversation had come to an end. He didn’t understand why Filgree had shut him out but whatever the reason his tutor must have considered it important for him not to know. Perhaps he would try again after his coming of age and maybe Filgree would tell him then.

“Why do think Lord Glorfindel was staring at me today, during dinner. Do you think I offended him Filgree?” Filgree smiled secretly behind the young elf happy that Legolas had changed the topic of conversation from the previous one.

“Maybe it is because you are the most beautiful elf prince in all of Mirkwood.” Legolas burst out laughing at his tutors reply as his reached behind him and began helping Filgree loosely braid his steadily drying locks.

“Do not tease me Filgree you know that is not true.” When his long blonde hair had been braided Legolas stood from the chair and held his hands over his head as Filgree helped him on with his nightgown and robe. Over the course of the evening the sun had slowly disappeared behind the forest canopy and now the moon shone brightly in through the open window of the bedroom, illuminating Legolas’ bed in a halo of light. Legolas loved to lie in bed and stare at the heavens, recounting stories to himself, of the stars, which Filgree had told him when he was young. “Lord Glorfindel has never seen you before penneth maybe it was merely out of interest that he watched you so intently. Tomorrow he will mostly like be himself again, for I remembered him as being a very wise and skilled warrior, one who never exuded any fear and only interest in knowledge.” Filgree turned down the blankets upon Legolas’ bed as the young elf sat down on the window seat and snacked on the milk, cheese and bread Filgree had ordered from the kitchens earlier.

“Do you think father will mind if I talk to the Imaldris elves if I promise not to reveal any of Mirkwood’s secrets?” Filgree visibly stiffened and paused breathlessly at Legolas’ innocent comment. A shiver ran down his spine and he found himself having to close his eyes and compose himself before replying to Legolas.

“I am not sure but I can ask in the morning if you so wish.” Legolas nodded eagerly and drained his goblet of milk quickly. Turning to look out the window Legolas smiled a prayer at the stars through the window before running over the cold slate floor to jump into his bed. Filgree smiled warmly as he tucked his charge up into bed, very much aware that by the end of this season he would not be allowed to do this again. In his majority Legolas would be responsible for his own health and wellbeing and he would merely be an advisor.

“Thank-you Filgree I feel better now.” Filgree nodded and accepted the hug from the young prince before stepping back from the bed and closing the sheer curtains to. Legolas’ angelic face shone in the moonlight and the tutor sighed as he made to quickly clean up the bedroom before retreating to his seat next to the fire. Since Legolas had been born Filgree had sat in this chair by the fire, sometimes nursing the young babe and at others soothing the frightened young prince after a particularly disturbing nightmare. While at the end of the season Filgree would no longer be fully responsible for Legolas well being regrettably he would still be sitting here in this chair if Thranduil got his own way. Duty required him to be the all night vigil at Legolas’ bedside, protection against the unknown foe, which Thranduil believed lurked around every corner of the palace. While Legolas had believed Filgree to leave him once he’d fallen asleep the truth was that the tutor had spent 500 years of sleepless nights staring at the innocent beauty of the young prince Legolas. According to the servants when Filgree had been feared lost in the great battle Thranduil had posted nearly seven guards at Legolas’ chambers each of them armed and none of them wiser for the reason why they stood guard for almost three years. Now however Legolas’ safety had been entrusted again to Filgree and while Filgree was content he was also at turmoil over the secret that would now remain quiet forever. Legolas shifted on the bed and turned over onto his side drawing Filgree’s attention back to his young charge from the flames of the fire.

“Filgree will you take away these curtains tomorrow? I do not like them, they obscure my view of the stars and are of no use to me.” Filgree was slightly taken back by Legolas’ statement but remained silent for a moment having heard the fatigue in the prince’s voice.

“And what of your lover Penneth? Would they not enjoy privacy?” Filgree’s voice was like a mist in Legolas mind as sleep tugged at his senses. Snuggling closer into the pillows Legolas smiled bitterly at his tutor who was now only illuminated by the glow of the fire behind him.

“I will have no lover Filgree, father will never approve. I am destined to be alone…..” Legolas’ voice trailed off as the young elf fell silently into slumber. Despite the whispered tone of Legolas’ last reply Filgree heard in the young elf’s voice, the pain and the hurt of which a lifetime of disapproval had scored upon Legolas’ soul. The comment brought tears to Filgree’s eyes and the tutor lowered his head in guilt knowing that it was the secret he carried which could set Legolas free. Thranduil was wrong to hide the truth from his son even if the consequences of the truth could not be clearly predicted. To some the secret would bring joy to others only pain yet to Legolas it would explain so much of his life and that was all that Filgree cared about. Taking a deep breath Filgree leaned back in the chair and allowed himself the luxury of scanning the prince’s motionless form. Staring at the young elf brought determination to Filgree’s mind and he couldn’t shift it once the idea was planted. To the fires of Mordor with King Thranduil and his damned excuses, tomorrow Legolas would know his fate even if it meant Filgree’s life would be severely shortened thereafter.

TBC..............Hope you are all enjoying this. Glorfindel stops being an arse from here on in cause lets face it no Balrog Slayers going to fall head over heels for any stupid little prince.