"Arise, sluggard! Anor has risen, and we must not tarry!"

Cursing himself for having overslept, Legolas pushed the sleep from his eyes and jumped to his feet.

"Why did you not rouse me sooner?" he cried.

"Because I forbade them from doing so!" Esendri said, handing him a fruit and his weapons. "And I must add that you should thank me for saving you from a rousing awakening by the twins!"

Legolas grimaced at the thought, drawing shouts of laughter from the group gathered around, and devilish grins from Elladan and Elrohir. He strapped on his weapons, before indicating that he was ready to leave.

It had been five days since they set off from Thranduil's caverns, and laughter had been scarce since. All of them had fought against the Orcs, and all had felt the sense of defeat as they retreated to the caves. More hiding, that was what they had been forced to do. It was all Legolas's friends could do to draw even a monosyllabic response to their questions. Esendri, the twins, and the mortals never seemed to leave him alone, as if an unspoken pact had been decided among them to watch over him. But still was not quite ready to share his confused feelings with any of them. He was no fool, and could see the hurt in the eyes of Esendri and Elrohir at his refusal to come out of his shell.

The hardest part had been leaving Thranduil behind. Legolas had seen how much his father had wanted him to stay behind, wanted him by his side in this most difficult of hours, but had still sent him off with a proud smile and nary a tremor in him.

He jumped as Lithroleah approached him from behind, the very one he had been attempting to avoid as much as possible.

"Legolas, a word?" Lithroleah said, his dark brown eyes not revealing anything.

Legolas could do nothing but assent, pretending that his thoughts were anything but troubled, and so he followed Lithroleah, ignoring the inquisitive and concerned look thrown at them by Elrohir.

"I do not hold anything against you. Caeriel has explained it to me."

Legolas stared at him, not quite sure of what to say.

"I know what it is you would say, but pray, do not even think it. There are worse things that weigh on our minds, and we must stand together and fight it, as brothers, as it once was. Do you assent to that, gwador?" The brown eyes were filled with a deep sincerity and urgency, and Legolas felt compelled to pour his pain out.

Instead, he controlled himself and replied in a steady voice, "My heart does not desire any more than to do so, Lithroleah. It will bring me great joy to put behind the past and face the present with you by my side, our bonds of friendship rekindled, stronger than ever."

Even as the words came out, he felt himself cringe. They sounded so false. Traitor. What friendship do you speak of? You stole Caeriel from him, and have the audacity to call him your brother?

Lithroleah stepped forward and embraced him. Legolas returned it, but did not trust himself to speak. Why did things have to turn out this way? The answers, as always, eluded him.

"Legolas! Lithroleah! It is time!" Glorfindel called from a distance.

Lithroleah ruffled his hair, as he had always done when Legolas was but a little boy, and grinned.

"Are we ready for our next adventure?" he said, attempting to lighten the atmosphere.

Lithroleah had been light-hearted and carefree when they were Elflings, he had grown a darker, more measured nature with the passing of time. The inseparable pair had drifted apart because of this, and Legolas turned to Esendri instead to satisfy his urge for mayhem, while Lithroleah had been Legolas's good friend through the years, providing a sobering influence on him with his increasingly sedate nature. But that had changed when Dethronir left them, for Legolas had retreated into himself, discharging himself from the company of his former friends, pleading duty to his father.

"Thank you, Lithroleah," Legolas said, only to receive a knowing smile in return.

When the pair made their way back to the rest, Legolas noted the black look Elrohir threw at him. It took him a while to realise that he was jealous.

He fell into step beside Elrohir.

"How feel you today, Roh?"

"You seem in good spirits!"

"I apologise, Roh, I did not mean for it to be this way. You must understand--"

He was cut off by a look from Elrohir.

"Do not apologise, Legolas. I just want you to know that we are there for you should the need arise."

Legolas took a while to answer, digesting his words.

"I know, Roh, I know."

*****
Sindarin Translations:
Gwador--brother