Disclaimer: See default chapter.  

The Dare: Part 3  *~*~* 

I still remember the world

From the eyes of a child

Slowly those feelings

Were clouded by what I know now

Where has my heart gone

An uneven trade for the real world

I want to go back to

Believing in everything and knowing nothing at all

I still remember the sun

Always warm on my back

Somehow it seems colder now

Where has my heart gone

Trapped in the eyes of a stranger

I want to go back to

Believing in everything

(Field of Innocence by Evanescence)

When Lomion finally found his little brother, Legolas had fallen asleep on his bed. Curled on his side with tear tracks still showing. Lomion sighed, then gently lifting Legolas up, gently placed his head on his lap. Instinctively Legolas curled even closer to the warm body.

Lomion sighed once more, gently brushing a stray strand of hair from the pale face. He could easily remember when Legolas had left for Rivendell to tell Mithrandir of Gollum’s escape. And then of the message telling of the One Ring’s appearance and how Lord Elrond had specifically asked Legolas to be part of the fellowship to be formed to destroy the ring. It seemed so long ago, yet at the same time it seemed just like yesterday.

 Legolas gave a soft moan in his sleep. His face contorting as he struggled to wake from whatever nightmare he was in. Lomion gently caressed the side of Legolas’ face, softly humming a lullaby from long ago. He smiled tenderly as the tension in the lithe body slowly eased and the frown slowly soothed from the brow.

A look of peace came upon the sleeping prince. And suddenly Lomion was reminded of another time, so long ago now. Legolas had only been a tiny elfling, woken by a nightmare and too proud to go to his ada; he had sought out Lomion instead. Lainiel had placed a gentle kiss on his forehead then left to make some warm milk letting her two ‘boys’ have their privacy to talk.

Legolas had fallen asleep on Lomion’s lap before Lainiel had come back. Smiling fondly at the memory of the small being in his lap, Lomion didn’t realize that Legolas was waking.

“I amar prestar aen Lomion.” Legolas whispered. 

Slightly startled Lomion looked down. “What?”

“The world is changing Lomion.” Legolas repeated.

Lomion nodded. “I know.”

Smiling bravely, Legolas buried his face into Lomion’s tunic. “I do not regret it Lomion. Though it tears my heart in two, I do not regret it.”

Silence met his ears.  Legolas twisted to look up into Lomion’s face. “Are you angry with me?”

“Oh ‘Las.” Lomion enfolded Legolas into his open arms. “No, I am not angry with you, just a little confused.”

“Why?” Legolas asked curiously.

“Did you honestly try to see the sea?” Lomion asked, knowing Legolas’ seemingly unquenchable need for knowledge. 

“No!” Legolas looked shocked. The he sighed. “Aragorn went upon the Paths of the Dead, then he went by the coast to take the ships from the corsairs to go to the Pelennor Fields.” His voice grew soft. “I wasn’t forced to go, Lomion.”

“But did you have to?” Lomion persisted.

Legolas slowly met Lomion’s eyes. “Yes.” He said simply.

Lomion nodded. “I’m proud of you, Legolas.” He said.

“Why?” Legolas questioned.

“You knew your duty, and you didn’t turn away from it. You stuck to it.” He lifted Legolas’ chin up to meet his gaze square on. “I doubt that many elves could have done what you did.”

“I did nothing much.” Legolas protested, his face flushing slightly.

Lomion laughed lightly. “And that is why Lord Elrond choose you.” He sat up. “Come, I will braid your hair for you.”

“I can do it.” Legolas protested.

“I have not done it in a while.” Lomion said quietly. “It would be an honor to do it now.”

Throwing his arms around his oldest brother, Legolas buried his face into Lomion’s shoulder. “Thank you for coming Lomion.”

Lomion laughed. “It is the least I could do for my baby brother. Now come, get a comb.”

Laughing as he wiped a few stray tears away, Legolas stood and walked over to the dresser and pulled out a comb and a few hair bands. Turning he walked back and sat down on the floor, handing Lomion the comb, and then brought his knees to his chest. Patiently letting Lomion comb through the tangles and knots.

“It’s been a long while since I last did this.” Lomion mused softly.

“I was about ten wasn’t I?” Legolas asked.

“Nine and a half.” Lomion replied. “Naneth was visiting someone a half league away and you decided that you were going to play a joke on the cook. Remember?”

Legolas scowled. “How could I forget? The cook said I was an insolent brat, and Nana said I was a very naughty little elfling and that I had to stay at home, instead of going with her.” He sighed. “That was the first time she left me.” He voice turned bitter. “I didn’t realize the second time she would leave me would be forever.”

Lomion’s hands faltered.

Legolas buried his head into his arms. His voice was muffled. “She could have at least said goodbye, but she couldn’t even do that.”

“She didn’t want your last memory be of her saying goodbye.” Lomion reasoned.

Legolas snorted. “She didn’t care what my last memory of her would be otherwise, she wouldn’t have been crying in her room the entire day before she left.”

Silence prevailed, while Lomion quietly finished up the braids, thinking on what his youngest brother had just said. “She loved you, Legolas.” He said at last.

“Then why did she leave me?” Legolas retorted. “If I go to the Valinor now, how could I ever.” He stopped, choking back the lump in his throat. “I could I ever forgive her?”

Lomion enfolded the younger elf into his arms again. “It’s called grace, Legolas. How can we expect others to forgive our wrongs when we refuse to forgive them.”

Legolas shook his head. “She should be the one asking my forgiveness, not the other way around.”  

“You have to forgive her for leaving.” Lomion said quietly. “I had too. So did the others.”  He paused. “It was a little bit easier for me to forgive her because I knew the reasons why she left.”

“Ada only told me just a few years ago. When I was blind*, remember?” Legolas reflected. 

Lomion shook his head. “Yes, of course I remember.” He smiled. “You asked me the, and I told you to ask Ada.”

Legolas nodded. “I did and he told me.” He shrugged.” I never really thought about her leaving, the reasons. All I remember was her crying and then I couldn’t find her.” His voice grew soft.

Silence reigned as the brothers thought back to that day.

“What did she look like Lomion?” Legolas asked suddenly. “It’s been so long since I’ve seen her picture, and I can’t really remember her face.”

Lomion started slightly. “That reminds me.” He gently pushed Legolas up and then walked to the edge of the bed where a small pack was lying carelessly. “Here are letters from everyone and ada.” He rummaged around the pack. “Aha, ada sent along a small painting for you.” He handed the hand sized painting over.

Legolas took it, curious. Looking at it, he fought back tears. “Naneth.” He whispered. He met Lomion’s gaze. “I remember not being able to sleep and not wanting to wake anyone up, so I would sneak down to the galleries and just sit and look at her.”

Lomion laughed. “I remember that!” He shook his head. “You nearly drove your nanny insane trying to find you.”

Legolas laughed. “I had so much fun though!” He declared. “I always hid in the smallest places, she never knew all of my hiding spots.”

Lomion shook his head. “Well you were so small, that most places that normal sized elflings couldn’t fit it, you were able to.” He brushed a piece of flint off of Legolas’ tunic. “You still are a little shorter than normal elves, still.”

Legolas scowled. “Like anyone really cares.”

Lomion grinned. “Just so long I can still look down on you.”

Legolas rolled his eyes playfully.

*~*~*

“Where is that blasted elf!” Gimli roared down the corridor. He had been looking ‘for the blasted elf’ for nearly an hour. Of course Minas Tirith wasn’t the smallest of cities, so it wasn’t an easy task. And to make it worse, Legolas was known to freely wander the streets of each level.

The elf had made many friends, most of them children on each level. So Gimli had decided to start on the beginning level and work his way up. After a half an hour of fruitless labor, he decided to go to the top and ask Aragorn.

Aragorn had not seen him since Legolas had fled past him, but he had a strange almost sad look in his eye that told Gimli that Legolas was still in the citadel. Looking in the several corridors and then looking or knocking on each door had taken a very long time for the short-legged dwarf, so Gimli had decided to go to a corridor and bellow for that ‘blasted elf’.

It wasn’t like he was truly worried for Legolas, it was just that Arod was causing trouble in the stables and Gimli knew from experience that the only way for the horse to calm down was for Legolas to go down to the stables himself. Gimli shook his head. Blasted horse.

“Legolas!”  Gimli bellowed down another corridor. Only this time a door opened and a blonde head peered out.

“What!” Legolas yelled back.

“Arod causing problems in the stable elf.” Gimli retorted, not letting any worry for Legolas show. “The stable master bade me find you.”

Legolas shook his head and opened the door further, letting himself out, pulling on a tunic. “Arod’s causing problems?” He questioned.

Gimli snorted. “Isn’t that what I just said?”

The door opened again, revealing an older version of Legolas. Or so it looked like.

Lomion raised an eyebrow. “Legolas? Who is this?” His tone was slightly condescending.

Legolas sighed. “Gimli this is my oldest brother Crown Prince Lomion, Thranduillion. Lomion this is Gimli, son of Gloin.”

“Gloin?” Lomion echoed incredulously. “As in twelve dwarves going to the Lonely Mountain?”

Gimli nodded. “Aye, my father was part of the twelve.”

Lomion turned to Legolas. “Does Lord Elrond have a very bad sense of humor or is it just the Valar playing tricks?” He asked, a smiled curving his lips.

Legolas laughed, tying off his tunic. “I have no idea.”

Gimli snorted. “Elves and their blasted pride.”

“Dwarves.” Legolas was quick to retort. “And their blasted stupidity.”

Gimli quickly hefted his axe, but the twinkle in his eyes belied the scowl on his face. “Watch it elf.”

“As if.” Legolas snorted, unelven like.   

Lomion watched with a raised eyebrow and the familiarity between his brother and the dwarf. It was obvious it was a well-run track they were running upon, and it had chanced that Lomion was on the sideline.

“As if what, elf.” Gimli pressed.

“As if your axe could come within a few hundred feet of me.” Legolas taunted. He nimbly dodged the irate dwarf. “See.” He continued. “I’m surprised that you could even kill orcs with that dull thing.”

Gimli set his axe next to his side. “I killed more orcs than you.” He gloated.

Legolas straightened, vexed. “I told you, the only reason you killed more orcs is because I ran out of arrows for one and for two I was saving your hide while I could have killed at least a dozen orcs!”

“Bah!” Gimli growled, waving his hands as if the words were some pesky flies. “Excuses. Excuses.” 

Lomion laughed. It had been a while since Legolas had been so vocally active. Usually he held his peace unless really riled up. But this was something different.

“I’m the one who killed the Oliphant.” Legolas gloated

Lomion turned to Legolas in surprise. “What!!” He cried out.

Legolas turned red. “Oops.” He grinned weakly, quickly going behind Gimli. “You didn’t hear that Lomion.”

“That you killed an Oliphant?” Lomion interrogated, hands coming to rest on his hips, looking uncannily like Thranduil, when upset…

Legolas winced. “Oops.” He muttered. “Gimli? A little help here?”

Gimli laughed. “Arod.” He said simply.

Immediately Legolas brightened. “Arod!” He cried happily. He quickly turned, bent on escaping his brother’s wrath.

He instead ran into another elf. Glorfindal to be exact.

“Uhh.” Legolas blushed. “'Mae Govannen'” He recovered quickly bowing.

“Mae Govannen.” Glorfindal returned, dryly.

Legolas turned a deeper red. “Um, excuse me.” He was about to quickly go around the other blonde haired elf, when Glorfindal grabbed his arm.

“I would like a few words with you.” Glorfindal said solemnly.

Legolas blinked surprised at the words. “I..I..I need to make sure Arod is alright first my lord.” He stuttered.

Glorfindal studied the young elf before him, and then gave a short nod. “I expect you back here within half an hour.” He ordered.

Legolas gave a week grin, threw a questioning glance toward his brother then quickly left with Gimli to see why Arod was causing an uproar.

“Have you told him yet?” Glorfindal questioned the crown prince. 

Lomion sobered. “No.” He sighed.

“Why not?” Glorfindal went straight to the point.

“It’s hard enough for me to even accept it, and now he has all of the sea longing.” His voice trailed off. “I know he will find out sooner or later, but I don’t know if his heart can handle anymore.”

Glorfindal cast a glance over his shoulder. “Better sooner than later Lomion, even if it drives him to the Valinor.”

“If he goes to the Valinor now.” Lomion shook his head. “He has made far too many friends in this city, they will all be heartbroken. He knows that they wish for him to stay.”

“Legolas is a grown elf, Lomion.” Glorfindal admonished. “He is old enough to make his own choices.”

Lomion nodded. “I know.” He paused. “I just can’t help but feel as though something really bad is about to happen.” He bowed his head. “I pray my fears will be unfounded.”

*~*~*

A loud whinny and a bang on the stable door told Legolas was Arod was indeed acting up. Flinging open the doors and rushing in, he was startled to see Arod rising up on his hind legs while the stable hands tried to calm him down.

“Arod.” Legolas spoke sharply.  

Instead of Arod calming down like he usually would, he reacted all the more.  Neighing so loud that the stable hands let go of the rope to clasp their hands over their ears.

It was in that very moment, a sea gull cried out, tearing open a healing wound in Legolas’ heart.

He froze and suddenly his world turned into wild sea, tossing and turning. White capped waves crashing upon the shore, while the wind furiously tore through out his being.

“LLLLLEEEGGGOOLLLLAAAASSSS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”

He very vaguely heard someone screaming his name, then something hit him and all faded into a long dark, black tunnel with the sound of the sea in his ears, in his mind, in his heart.