See Chapter 1 for disclaimer.

Chapter 12 - Farewells

"Legolas, I want you to wear this sling on your arm. It will keep it from being jostled about too much," Feren said as he folded a triangle of cloth.

Legolas frowned. "I do not need it."

Feren ignored him and proceeded to tie the cloth around his neck. "Either your wear this or I will have you drugged with tea in which case you will go home in a litter, like Arphen, which may not be such a bad idea in any event."

Legolas scowled and allowed his brother ease his arm into the sling. He had no doubt that Feren would carry out his threat should he refuse to do as he was told. It frustrated him to no end that his family insisted on treating him like a helpless elfling whenever he was injured, whether it be a scratch or something more serious, and Feren was the worst one of all.

"How is Arphen?" Legolas asked as he shifted his arm in an unsuccessful effort to find a less painful position.

"He is in a drugged sleep and will be so for the duration of the journey. When he is awake, the pain is overwhelming," Feren said, frowning. "He is also much weakened by blood loss. We had a difficult time stopping the bleeding once the arrow was removed."

"Was the arrow poisoned?" Legolas asked.

Feren felt his heart skipped a beat. He had already considered such a possibility, but Legolas had been shot by an arrow as well, and his mind had instinctively shunned the thought that his little brother might be exposed to the same danger. He was determined not to dwell on any speculative thoughts until such a scenario presented itself.

"There is not a healer among us, so it is difficult to tell," Feren said carefully. The last thing he wanted was to have Legolas worry unnecessarily about his own injury. "The most important thing is to get him, and the others who are wounded, back to the stronghold as quickly as possible."

"Legolas, you are awake. How are you feeling?" It was Hesin, and Feren was glad for the timely interruption.

"I am still feeling the effects of the tea that Feren forced me to drink last night," Legolas complained, giving his brother a sullen look.

"You needed to rest, and the tea fulfilled that purpose," Feren pointed out.

"The humans are leaving now and they would like to bid you farewell," Hesin said.

"No!" Feren cut in sharply. "It is unnecessary for Legolas to deal with them any further. He should not have been sent as an escort to them in the first place."

Legolas looked at his brother and saw the agitated concern on the other's face. "It is all right, Feren. I want to speak to them before they leave."

Feren regarded his brother with a mixture of concern and grim realization. "Legolas, you have no need to prove anything."

Legolas slowly got to his feet, grimacing at the pain that flared anew in his arm. Feren reached out with a supporting hand as the younger elf wavered uncertainly. Legolas gave him a quick smile. "I am not trying to prove anything. I just want to say good-bye. I should not be long. Hesin, will you come with me?" Without waiting for the other, he began making his way across the camp.

"Worry not, my lord," Hesin said to his commander. "He knows what he is doing."

Feren continued to frown. "He has not been in the presence of humans since that incident with the Easterlings."

Hesin gave him a reassuring smile. "Your brother has realized that these humans are not the same as those who nearly killed him. You should be very proud of him."

With that, Hesin turned and followed quickly in Legolas' wake, leaving Feren staring after them with a look of puzzlement marring his face. Then he too made his way toward the departing group, prompted by both curiosity and an obvious concern for his young brother. It seemed inconceivable to him that Legolas would place himself in the company of humans of his own accord, and yet, it was precisely what his brother was doing. What had happened?

When he neared the group of both humans and elves, he heard one of the men addressing his brother.

"Words of thanks are not enough for what you have done for us. We owe you and your fellow warriors our lives." It was Caden who spoke, as members of his family nodded in agreement with his words.

Legolas dipped his head slightly. "We did what we had to do. There is no need for thanks."

"But there is!" Caden protested. "Lives have been lost because of us!"

Legolas shook his head. "Those creatures are our enemies too. We would have fought them regardless of your presence."

"I fear our presence has been a hindrance nevertheless," Caden insisted. "I wish my brother and I could have been of more assistance to you, but we are not fighting men. We know only how to work the land."

At this point, Mearu stepped forward, wringing her hands with nervousness. "I too want to express my thanks to you, Legolas, for saving the life of my son. Rynan would not be alive now if not for you." Her eyes suddenly filled with tears. "You risked your own life to save his, and for that, I will be forever grateful."

Legolas could only shake his head, feeling at a loss for words to respond to such gratitude. Suddenly, he felt hands tugging at his tunic and looking down, he saw the grinning face of Rynan. Slowly and with care, he knelt down so that he was at eye level with the boy.

"And how are you, little one?" he asked the child, his good hand grasping the small shoulder.

The smile widened on the boy's face. "I told them how you fought those creatures, and how fearless you were."

Legolas smiled tightly. "I was not fearless. I feared for your life, and mine."

A small frown touched the boy's face. "You were frightened?"

Legolas nodded.

"I thought elves do not get frightened," Rynan was still frowning.

"We do," Legolas affirmed solemnly. "Just like you."

"Did you have bad dreams last night?" the boy asked earnestly. "I did. I - I had to sleep in Ma's arms last night."

Legolas smiled and glanced briefly in the direction of Feren. He lowered his voice conspiratorially. "My big brother kept me close to him too while I slept last night."

"He kept the bad dreams away, like Ma did?"

Legolas nodded. "He did."

The boy beamed with infinite pleasure. "We are alike!"

Legolas reached out and tousled his hair. "I am afraid you will have to go now. They are waiting for you."

The frown was instantly back on the child's face. "But you are coming with us, are you not?"

Legolas shook his head. "No, other warriors will accompany you for the remainder of your journey."

"But why? Why can you not come with us? I want you to come with us!" There was a threat of tears in the childish voice.

"The warriors who will now accompany you will be able to give you better protection than I," Legolas said gently, as he pointed to his injured arm. "I cannot use my weapons properly like this."

The child was not appeased. "Then the other warriors can protect you too."

Legolas smiled. "I am certain they would too, but I have orders from my commander that I need to go home, to rest my arm, and I dare not disobey my commander."

The boy's eyes widened. "He might punish you?"

Legolas nodded. "He might, for he is a very fearsome commander and expects his orders to be followed."

"Then you must obey him, for I do not wish you to be punished," the child said quickly. "Will you come and visit me later, when your arm is better?"

Legolas frowned. "I do not know whether that is possible, Rynan. I will not know where you will be, and I do not know where I will be."

The child's eyes were suspiciously wet and the small mouth once again quivered threateningly. "I will not see you again?"

Legolas hesitated and then said truthfully. "I do not know."

The child suddenly threw his arms around his neck. "I shall miss you, elf!"

Legolas bit back a gasp of pain and wrapped his good arm around the small body. "I shall miss you too, Rynan."

"Come, Rynan, we must not keep the warriors waiting." Mearu gently pried her son's arms free and guided him back a few paces to stand with the other members of the family.

Legolas straightened slowly and fought back a wave of dizziness and pain. A hand reached out and grasped him firmly by the elbow. Without looking, he knew it was Feren, and was grateful for his brother's support.

"You need to be sitting down, Legolas," Feren's voice was an agitated whisper.

Legolas gave him a weak smile and thought for once, his brother was right. "Soon, Feren."

The horses, with their packs tightly secured, were brought forth and mounted. The humans spoke more words of gratitude, mixed with reluctant farewells, as they prepared for their departure. Legolas, standing between his brother and Hesin, watched as the group at last disappeared into the thicket of trees. Even then, a lone voice rang out clearly, with a childish lilt.

"Good-bye, elf!"

Legolas could not help but smiled. He would not soon forget that voice, or the owner of that voice.

"Come, Legolas, you better sit down before you fall down," Feren said as he guided his brother toward the recently vacated bedroll and helped him settle onto the blankets. Legolas closed his eyes with a small sigh of relief. His arm throbbed fiercely and he wondered if the arrowhead had been removed cleanly after all.

A moment later, he felt a light touch on his shoulder and he reluctantly opened his eyes. It was Feren, with a steaming bowl in hand.

"You need to eat this," his brother said.

"I am not hungry," Legolas frowned. "I told you."

"I know what you told me, but you need to eat to replenish your strength for the journey home. You have lost too much blood," Feren insisted.

Legolas' frown deepened when he saw the contents of the bowl. It was porridge. "I really do not want -- ".

"Eat, Legolas, unless you wish that I feed you by force," Feren threatened.

Legolas scowled. "You will do no such thing."

Feren set the bowl onto his brother's lap. "I will, if it is necessary. You know what a fearsome commander I am."

Legolas threw him a dark look before dipping his spoon, with great reluctance, into the bowl. Feren watched him carefully and could not contain the smile on his own face when the look of surprised pleasure flitted across his brother's countenance.

"There are dried fruits in this porridge!" Legolas exclaimed.

Feren smiled, pleased with his brother's reaction. "Of course there are. I know how much you dislike plain porridge."

"But how? I have none left," Legolas looked at his brother questioningly. "I gave all mine to the Mannish child."

"You do not think Adar or Aldeon would allow me to come to you empty-handed, do you?" Feren asked with a smile. "The dried fruits are from Aldeon and I have a letter for you from Adar, when you are ready for it."

Legolas suddenly snapped his head up from his porridge. "Why are you here, Feren?"

"After hearing the reports from Callon of the increased orc activity in this area, I need to see the situation for myself," Feren said. "It is customary for me, as commander, to personally check on the patrols from time to time."

Legolas regarded his brother with narrowed eyes. "It is because I am stationed here, is it not, that you feel the need to check on this particular patrol?"

Feren frowned. "I need not remind you, Legolas, that I am your commander and that I do not allow the questioning of my actions by subordinates."

Legolas lowered his eyes. "I am sorry, Lord Feren. I forgot my place."

Feren regarded the downcast head for a long moment, his lips grimly pursed. In the end, he let out a long, inaudible sigh. "Finish the porridge, Legolas. We will be leaving soon."

Legolas set the bowl onto the ground. "I do not want anymore."

"Legolas --" Feren began, and then stopped as he watched his brother eased back against the trunk of the tree with closed eyes. Legolas was pale and his face was etched with fine lines of pain. His displeasure with his brother was quickly set aside as an all too familiar pang of fear stabbed at his heart.

"Are you in a great deal of pain, Legolas? Should I get you more tea?" Feren asked with a concern that he could not easily hide.

Legolas shook his head and grimaced at the pain brought forth by the small movement. "I am fine."

Feren let out an exasperated breath. "You are not fine, Legolas.

Legolas at last opened his eyes and regarded his brother coolly. "I believe I am capable of knowing how I feel. You may be my commander, my lord, but how my body feels is my own affair and not something subject to your authority." He was gratified to see a flash of anger across his brother's face. It was more than childish, he knew only too well, but at the moment, he did not greatly care.

Neither brother spoke as they held each other's eyes for a long moment. In the end, it was Feren who reached out and touched the other's outstretched leg, briefly. "Regardless of what you may think, Legolas, I have only your wellbeing in mind. I have no other ulterior motives. Rest a while. I will come back for you when we are ready to depart." Without waiting for a response, he straightened and began making his way across the temporary camp.

Legolas almost called out to him then, but something held his voice in check. As he watched Feren's departing back, a sense of shame filled him and he wished desperately that he could take back the hurtful words that he had hurled at his brother. He would never doubt Feren's concern for him, and yet at times, that same concern could be suffocating, bringing out the worst in him.

He let out a frustrated sigh, uncertain as to whether his frustration should be directed at himself or at his brother. He could still recall vividly the sense of knee-weakening relief that washed over him when Feren had unexpectedly appeared before him, during that desperate flight through the trees. And yet, the sense of resentment was unmistakable just now, when he considered what might be real reason behind his brother's current presence in these woods.

*I have no other, ulterior motives.*

His brother's words echoed in his mind as he closed his eyes. Perhaps Feren was not deserving of that outburst of words from him after all.

TBC