XIII

Anor had disappeared over the horizon, and the sky was tinged with a pink lace when the pair stumbled over a rise and came upon Esendri and Galaesslin, who had been talking quietly.

"Master!" Esendri gave a loud cry, then flung his arms around Legolas.

"We thought you were lost!" he cried, beaming at Elrohir, but refusing to relinquish his tight grip around Legolas.

"I am afraid I will be soon if you do not let go of me!" Legolas said, laughing.

A great shout filled the air, and Elladan came sprinting towards them, and he enveloped his younger brother in such a heartfelt hug that Legolas and Esendri exchanged grins with one another.

"Roh, I was so worried for you!" Elladan said. "I felt that you were in grave danger, and feared the worst!"

Legolas stepped in, clapping Elladan on his back, and the two embraced.

"Fear not, Master Elladan, your brother was safe in my hands!" Legolas grinned and winked at Esendri, before adopting a nonchalant air as he spotted Glorfindel coming up to the group.

"Mae Govannan, Lord Glorfindel," he said, only to be surprised by Glorfindel's effusive hug.

"I apologise, pen-neth," Glorfindel turned to Elrohir after he let go of Legolas, and started fussing over him, enquiring after his well-being, much to the amusement of his friends. "I should not have left you behind."

"No injuries, ernil-nîn, very impressive indeed!" Elladan said to Legolas, drawing a scowl.

He put an arm around his brother and started to lead him away when they were joined by Eilwar.

Esendri's face darkened, and Legolas reached out and grabbed him by the wrist, shoving him behind himself ere he say anything to upset Eilwar.

"I see His Royal Highness has deigned it suitable to return to our humble party at last," said Eilwar.

Esendri's mouth started to twitch in a dangerous manner, but he was silenced by Legolas elbowing him hard in the stomach.

"It must have been an arduous journey, Master Elrohir, and I feel for you, for you have spent the last few days in a nasty situation. Tell me, has the Crown Prince tried in any way to defile Imladris's honour?"

Before Glorfindel had time to react, howls of anger filled the air, and Legolas threw himself upon Esendri, bringing him to the ground. Eilwar found himself slammed and held to the ground too, a sharp blade pressed to his throat, and he stared up into a pair of calm, grey eyes.

"Elrohir! Release Lord Eilwar! Have you gone mad?" Glorfindel shouted, and with the help of an equally shocked Elladan, dragged Elrohir off. Even Legolas and Esendri turned to stare, their own struggle forgotten.

Elrohir did not resist, and instead let Elladan take him aside.

"I will cut your throat were you to blacken his good name in front me again," he said to Eilwar, who was being helped to his feet by Glorfindel.

"Roh! Stop it!' Elladan said, as Legolas and Glorfindel gaped at the fury in Elrohir's tone. Silence descended for a full minute before anyone spoke again.

"You will apologise to Lord Eilwar this instant!" Glorfindel said, recovering his wits. "This is kin-slaying you are threatening!"

"I will only restate my intention, and warn you once again that I will kill you should you speak of Legolas in that way again!" Elrohir said.

And with that, he turned on his heels and started to walk away with big strides.

Eilwar let out a cry of anger, and launched himself at the retreating back Elrohir. A loud clash of metal colliding with like rang through the air as his sword met with the sharp blade of a long knife.

"Stay this madness! I wish to have no violence on my account!" Legolas cried as he held off Eilwar's sword, and faced him, fire blazing in his azure eyes. He was only aware of Elrohir urging him to step aside and let him handle the old cow, of Eilwar's grey eyes piercing his flesh. Then, the eyes turned red, and a wave of blackness hit him, and he was falling, falling through emptiness --

"Legolas!" His head was still spinning, and the pain in his shoulder flared up again.

Blinking hard, he made out Esendri and the identical faces of the twins staring down at him.

All three were replaced with a flourish by Glorfindel, who peered down at him in concern.

"How feel you?" Elrohir said.

"As if somebody tried to force their way through every pore of my body." Legolas groaned and attempted to sit up. "What happened?"

"One moment you were holding that old bat off --" Esendri said, only to stop when Glorfindel threw him a warning glare.

"You collapsed and curled into a ball before we knew what was going on. It seemed as if you were fighting off an attack!" Elladan said before Elrohir or Esendri could say anything to further anger Glorfindel.

"I do not understand," Legolas gasped, before sitting up, meeting with more success this time. It was all coming back to him, the blackness, the falling, the voice, the cackling laughter.

"What?" Esendri and Elrohir said together, both noting the frown on his face.

"I felt myself falling into a burning pit, but all was dark and black, before I woke up."

"Was there anything else?" Glorfindel said.

"No," Legolas dragged out the word, aware that he was telling a lie, but he did not wish for the others to make any more of the incident.

"No harm seems to have come to him, and I would appreciate it if you could take your brother back to the camp and wait for me, if it is not too much to ask," Glorfindel said to Elladan. "I need to speak to Esendri and Legolas -- alone."

Glorfindel noted with some gratification that Elrohir turned a healthy pink. He turned to the Silvan Elves, where the guilty look on Esendri's face was almost enough to send another into fits of chortles, but he managed to keep a stern face as the twins moved out of earshot.

"Perhaps it was not my fault for not telling you this earlier. Lord Eilwar --" he was cut off by a snort from Esendri, who quailed and fell silent at his black look.

"Can one not get an ounce of respect?"

"My apologies," Esendri said, still sounding mutinous.

"You might not know this, but Lord Eilwar was a great Captain under Gil-galad's command. He led the first column that went to the aid of Oropher at Dargolad, after long hours of pleading with Gil-galad, who had resolved not to render any help. Of that column, only Eilwar survived. His brother died in the act of saving the Crown Prince."

"Why did he go to Grandfather and Father's aid?" Legolas said.

"Your mother was the most beautiful elleth I have ever seen, Legolas," Glorfindel said.

Comprehension filed Legolas. "He loved Nana, and hence decided to go to Father's aid. He could not ear to see her grieving over his death."

"Thranduil spat upon Gil-galad's aid in his grief, blinded by the death of his father and the horrors of war. I do not believe he knows of Eillan's sacrifice in saving him, for he had been unconscious. Lord Eilwar sailed to Aman, in search of some peace, but it never came to him, for he still cares too much about Arda."

"Our people owe him a great debt," Esendri said, all his previous animosity forgotten.

"I now understand why he treats me in this manner," Legolas said. "I am sorry that I tried not to understand why he acts this way, and instead assumed it was due to some lacking on his part. We must apologise for our disrespect."

"Do not let him know I have told you this! I have only done so --"

"Because you wish for me to control Roh," Legolas said.

Glorfindel smiled for the first time, glad that Legolas was taking the matter well.

"I must thank you both for being so understanding. I am sorry I did not tell you this earlier."

"You had good reason not to, Glorfindel. I will speak with Roh about his behaviour."

"According to his father, you are the only one -- apart from Elladan -- who might be able to control him!" Glorfindel said. "I do not know what has came over him today!"

"Indeed I do not understand why he flares up at a mere touch. Although mayhap it might be a result of what he suffered at the hands of the Dyrian."

He filled in the pair with the details of Elrohir's capture as quickly as he could, noting the increasing alarm in Glorfindel's face.

Glorfindel stared at Legolas, thinking before speaking, "Promise me one thing, Legolas: never leave the party. I want you to be within my sight at all times from now!"

Perhaps not unexpectedly, Legolas flushed.

"I am not a child, Glorfindel!" he cried.

"Then so you should understand why I must do this! I made a mistake allowing you to go alone with Elrohir, and you both barely escaped from the Dyrian. He is still on our trail. I do not know if he has been taken in by Elrohir's deception, but do not underestimate the threat we are facing, Legolas. They have been following us too closely for my liking. I fear someone is passing on information to him."

"How can that be?"

"This is why we have to be doubly careful. Do not speak of this to any! Not even Galaesslin!"

"What?" said Esendri, mortified, as Legolas let out a snigger.

Glorfindel allowed himself to smile before he turned to Legolas. "Be careful, Legolas, our heart sometimes tries to tell us things, but we fail to listen. For now, it will be sufficient for you to continue to work on the exercises Elrond has taught you. It is more important that you learn to control your magic! You have both have shown maturity beyond your years, in spite of the occasional hiccup when you give in to your propensity for mischief. It has been difficult, and you have risen up to the situation well." Glorfindel's words caused a ghost of a smile to appear on Legolas's lips.

"There are others who suffer more because of this than I do," Legolas said, trying to divert the attention away from himself.

"Elrond spoke the truth when he told me that modesty was one of your most marked traits."

"It is not wrong to care for others," Legolas said, smiling more sincerely.

"It puzzles me how you swing between sensitive and perceptive to being impulsive and uncontrollable!"

Legolas grinned roguishly in response and gave Glorfindel a sudden hug.

"However, I wish for you to never disobey an order I give, or give me any reason to believe that your promises count for naught."

Legolas and Esendri exchanged a glance before both nodded.

"Rest then, for we proceed at dawn," Glorfindel said, before heading off in search of the twins.

*

Elrohir sighed dramatically and collapsed onto the ground, where he let out a great yawn as he stretched his stiff body.

"What was that?" Elladan said, standing over him.

"What was what?" Elrohir said, feigning ignorance.

He was rewarded with a kick in the side for his efforts.

"Might I remind you I am still recovering from broken ribs!"

"You know perfectly well what I am speaking about, Roh!"

"I would rather not speak about it then, if you will!"

"What has gotten over you, Roh? You threatened to kill Lord Eilwar!"

"And will see that it is done if he fails to heed my warning!"

"Have you gone mad? It is kin-slaying we are talking about here!"

"I thought you would have a little more loyalty to your friends," Elrohir said.

"You have gone far beyond the limits of standing up for a friend!"

Elrohir turned on his brother and fixed him with an icy stare. "Just what are you trying to say, muindor?"

"I think you are perhaps taking your vow to protect him too seriously! Legolas is no longer the little Elfling you rescued, shivering and crying from the mountains!"

"I am perfectly aware of that," Elrohir said, his voice dangerously soft.

"He does not need you fussing over everything he does!"

"Do you think I am trying to control his life then?"

"No!"

"Then what do you think?"

"Do you really want to know what I think? Has my opinion mattered to you recently?"

"I fail to understand what you are talking about!"

"Fine. I will tell you what I think! I think what you are doing is beyond all acceptable and appropriate boundaries!"

Elrohir had been ready to rebut his answer, but was so stunned that he was rendered speechless.

Elladan watched his brother for a while before he spoke again, "Be careful, Roh. It is not worth threatening to kill one of our kin over a friendship."

"Legolas is my friend! If I do not stand up for him, who will?"

"Although I understand your concern for him, there are those who might construe this in ways that will sully both your reputations. Given your position in Imladris, you should be more responsible in your actions," Elladan said.

"What do you mean?" Elrohir said, turning pale.

"You know perfectly well what I mean!"

"I do not!"

"Yes you do!"

For a moment, it seemed as if they were ready to come to blows if not for Glorfindel's intervention.

"You, pen-neth, are in enough trouble without any need to add to it," he said to Elrohir, who took a step back and stared sulkily at the ground.

"I am demanding an explanation for your behaviour."

"I am not sorry for what I did!" Elrohir said, drawing a dismayed noise from Elladan, whose attempt to intervene was cut off by Glorfindel.

"You will apologise to Lord Eilwar, whether you like it or not, tithen pen," threatened the Elflord.

"What would you do if I refuse?" said Elrohir. "He insulted Legolas --"

"Will you not stop it?" Elladan cried. "I would that I could knock some sense into that mule-head of yours!"

"I give up!" Glorfindel threw the fruit he had been eating to the ground as he walked off in disgust.

*****
Sindarin Translations:
Anor -- sun
mae Govannan -- Well met
pen-neth -- young one
ernil-nîn -- my prince
elleth -- Elf (female)
Muindor -- brother
Pen-neth -- young one