Talking from the Heart

Aragorn stared at the sleeping prince. Even in his sleep the prince looked troubled. Though the prince had opened up he still was hiding his pain, though not very well.

Aragorn gently brushed a few stray locks of hair out of Legolas' face. He stirred, moaning lightly. His forehead creased, wither in pain or just frowning Aragorn didn't know.

To see his proud friend so, so helpless, gnawed at him. Why did life have to be so unfair? He sighed as he slumped back in the seat. His friend was too proud if somebody would have asked him. Even under the pain that Legolas had just been in, he had refused to let any agony show on his face though once hidden he had screamed. Elrond had said that Elrohir sitting on Legolas' swollen leg probably felt like someone sticking a knife through his leg and then rubbing salt in the wound.

Aragorn shivered. He probably would have screamed too.

Legolas was very faintly aware of someone beside him. Who he didn't know. He struggled to pry his eyes open, but he felt so weak. He suddenly realized whoever was beside him was saying something.

"I hate seeing you like this, Legolas. Why does this have to happen to you?" The figure sighed. "Look, I'm sorry if you were offended at what I said, I just want to help you." There were a couple minutes of silence.

"You know, when I first met you, I thought you were the most arrogant prideful elf there was." There was soft laughter. "You aren't arrogant, but you are prideful. You're too proud for your own good, you know that Legolas? I don't care if you don't like me saying it. Never mind that, you are either sleeping or unconscious so you can't hear me can you." There was more soft laughter. "If you could only hear me now Legolas." There was a sigh. "But you can't, which is exactly why I am talking to you." There was another sigh. But the sigh spoke loudly of frustration, hurt, anguish and something else. But what, Legolas couldn't put a finger on. He quickly filed those thoughts away as Aragorn started to speak again.

"When I was just a little boy, I had a nightmare." There was a pause as Aragorn smiled faintly, remembering. "I ran to my mother and I told her about my nightmare. I told her my fears and she put them to ease. She calmed my fears with just a simple hug and kiss on the forehead. Who do you turn to Legolas? Who do you turn to when you are afraid? When you're hurt? Do you turn to anyone? Or do you just shove away your fears and hurts? You told us the story about how Jaeol died. You didn't tell us how you must have been hurting inside. I know you hurt. You never will say how you hurt will you. Just to proud."

There was a frustrated sigh. "You know father's are there for a reason and not just to punish you when you get in trouble. They are there to protect you. You are supposed to go to them when you need or want help. I.I know your ada is far away, and I know you talked to my ada, but.. I know it is easier to talk to someone who isn't your peer, so if you want to ever really truly open your heart and share you fears and pains." Aragorn placed a gently hand on Legolas' wrist. "I'm here." Then got up and quietly exited the door, all the time not knowing that Legolas was awake.

Once the door was silently slid shut Legolas opened his eyes. Shocked to the very core of his body. Aragorn knew! He not only knew he understood. Perhaps not to full extent but he understood. He had seen the pain behind his mask. Using his good arm he pulled himself upright. To think he needed to be upright and have fresh air. He would have preferred a tree but in his condition right now it would be nearly impossible. He slowly moved his legs under the covers and onto the floor, wincing as his left leg hit the floor. But he was determined and forced himself upright, and using chairs, dressers, and walls he navigated to the open doors leading to the balcony.

Once outside he let the refreshing breeze wrap itself around him. He eased himself down his back against the decorated wood. It was hard, having one arm in a sling and one leg completely bandaged. He wasn't truly bothered by it, but it was rather annoying.

"Who do you go to?"

The words kept repeating in his mind. He frowned suddenly. Who did he go to? He had used to go to Loriel, but Loriel was gone. He smiled, a bittersweet smile. She was gone in the Valinor with his mother.

His mother. How strange were those two little words. Mother. Naneth. Mama. Nana. No matter what language the word still meant the same thing. But what was a mother? To him a mother meant vague recollections of laughter and warm hugs. He didn't really remember anything. The laughter sounded just like Loriel's had and the warm hugs felt just like Loriel's, so Legolas didn't really know if was really remembering his mother or just Loriel. Everything really, he remembered from Loriel. From the warm, loving hugs to the soothing words after a nightmare, to whispered "I love you's" in his ear, to gentle kisses on his forehead to the sweet laughter. Everything.

Suddenly he was jealous. Jealous of everyone in his family, in the realm. Everyone had known his mother. Everyone could remember something that his mother had done for them. But not him. He couldn't even remember her hair, much less anything else. All he could really remember was just one time, just one single time where he knew it was his mother.

He had been 10 years old. Still an elfling barely out of his infancy. He remembered a beautiful woman sitting on his bed, crying. He couldn't remember what she said but the image of her was still etched in his memory. Every detail was etched in his mind, in his heart. Every tear that had fallen had fallen on his hand. He brought up his hand and stared at it. How it seemed like yesterday that he had seen her on his bed. Suddenly his memories took him further.

Snow. Lots of cold blinding snow. And pain. Blinding pain. Then lights, bright lights. And then soft murmurs of people.

Legolas frowned rubbing a hand over his eyes. Why were the memories coming back now? What was he trying to remember? And why?

*/ "Shhhh, everything will be alright little one." /*

Legolas jerked up right. Those words! That voice! But why was that person speaking them? Why couldn't he remember?

"Think, think, think."

*/ "Shhhh, little one. Your ada is coming." /*

Different words, yet the same voice.

A soft chuckle brought the prince abruptly back from his thoughts. He looked up into the smiling face of Elrond.

He sat down. "Perhaps you would like to know why I spoke those words."

Startled, Legolas could only nod.

Elrond smiled once more and began his tale.

*~*Flashback*~*

(Once again, the tale is told like it is just happening.) (Mirkwood is called Greenwood at this point of time.)

It was snowing on the pass. Worry filled the elven lord for his twin sons, who were supposed to have been back five days ago.

"Elrond?"

A quiet voice broke through his thoughts; he turned to see Glorfindal holding a parchment of paper.

"This has just come from a rider from Greenwood over the pass."

Elrond turned back to the window that showed the mountain pass, incredulously. Someone had actually gotten through?

As if reading his mind the other elven lord nodded and handed the message to Elrond.

"To Lord Elrond of Imladris.

Greeting Elrond. I write in haste and worry. My wife had decided to go to the Valinor. She left a week ago. My youngest son Legolas, upon hearing the news ran away in hopes to find her. I know that my wife would have returned with Legolas had Legolas found the party. However he has not returned and none of our search parties can find him.

I beg that you would help me find my son. He is 10 years of age. He has blonde hair and blue eyes. He took only a blanket and two pieces of lembas. If you find him please alert me.

        King Thranduil of Greenwood."

It was easy to read the desperation in the letter as well as the worry and the love.

Imladris and Greenwood had not been on friendly speaking terms for several centuries. Past history coming between both Elven lords. Both realms still keenly felt past history that though happened several centuries ago. And to receive a letter begging him to find the youngest prince of Greenwood was nothing less then shocking. Elrond silently handed the letter Glorfindal.

Glorfindal scanned the contents, his gaze stopping on one word. "Beg?" He questioned incredulously.

Elrond nodded still feeling shocked. He reached for the letter and re-read it. His gaze also settling on the one word. Beg. For as long as he had known Thranduil, son of Oropher, he had never begged or pleaded for anything. He had never asked. Never. But to find that small word in a letter rocked Elrond to the very core. In an instant Elrond could see how much that Thranduil truly loved his son. Elrond looked up, meeting Glorfindal's eyes.

"We will send out riders."

*~*~*~*~*~*

"It's all your fault!"

"No it is not!"

"If you would have just looked at the map!"

"I did!"

To say that the twin sons of Elrond were boring was nothing less than a lie. To say they were interesting was more than a slight misunderstanding. Like all elves there were quick to change from one emotion to another. Yet unlike many elves that treated any other being with suspicion, the sons of Elrond were open and friendly. But any who knew them well would tell anyone not to get in between an argument.

"We wouldn't be lost if you hadn't lost the map Elrohir."

"Well if you hadn't asked for it while we were in the middle of the river!"

"Well you should have just handed it to me!"

"I did!"

"No you didn't! You flung it towards me and I can't catch anything when my horse is almost drowning!"

"Excuses. Excuses!"

Elladan and Elrohir were supposed to be in Imladris five days ago. Yet the map had been lost and Elrohir suddenly remembered a 'shortcut' that would take them right to Imladris. Or so he said. They had been traveling with the Ranger's of the North for several months now and had decided to return home for rest. They had passed through Lothlorien to see their sister, Arwen and visit their grandparents, Celeborn and Galadriel.

They were traveling by the mountains that interceded between the two non- friendly speaking realms. Greenwood the Great and Imladris, also known as Rivendell. Every elf seemed to know of the trouble that the two Elven lords had had during and after the Last Alliance. Thranduil was known as being greedy and hot tempered. And his love for small trinkets was widely known because of the Battle of the Five Armies.

But something that was not widely known was that Lomion, the crown prince of Greenwood and Elladan and Elrohir were best friends. It was so secretive that not even the fathers knew of it, if they did they would have likely broken up the friendship.

"Elladan, we have been traveling in this direction for nearly six miles! It is almost dark out and we need to find a place to sp..."

Elrohir's sentence was abruptly broken by Elladan's hand. He frowned. What was going on?

"Listen." Elladan said softly.

They both listened silently.

"Ana" The word was a sob.

"Are you Ana?" Whoever was speaking them was crying. "Are you Ana?"

Elladan turned to Elrohir who nodded and both slid off their horses each easing a knife from a boot.

They silently walked forward toward the sound.

"Ana! Are you?"

Rounding a bend both stopped abruptly at the sight of a small blonde haired elfling carrying a blanket who frowned at them.

"You not Ana." The statement was stated with not a small amount of accusation.

Elladan bit back a laugh. "No I am not Ana, and what are you doing why out here in the middle of no where looking for her?"

The little elfling sniffed wiping a dirty hand across his tear-streaked face. "Looking for Ana. She go 'way, can't find her." The tears started flowing once more from the elflings beautiful blue-gray eyes.

Elladan knelt by the elfling and tentatively placed a hand on the tiny shoulder. To his surprise, instead of jerking away the elfling flung himself into Elladan's arms and continued to cry in the startled elf's shoulder. Elladan threw a quick glance at his twin. He was standing right above him with an eyebrow raised.

"What?"

Elrohir grinned shaking his head.

Elladan scowled at him. "We should get him home before his parents start worrying." He gently pried the little one off of his chest. "What is your name?" He questioned gently.

"Lelas."

"Lelas?"

"No!" The elfling said it again stressing certain points. It sounded like he said Lay Lass.

Elladan turned to Elrohir wondering if he understood.

"Legolas?" Elrohir asked hesitantly.

He was awarded with a toothy grin and a quick nod.

"Where do you live Legolas?" Elladan asked as he carried the small body to his horse.

"Gweenwood the Gweat."

Elladan hid a grin at the wording then froze. "You live in Greenwood?!" He asked incredulously.

Another nod.

"Do you know Prince Lomion?"

"He's my brother."

"Your brother!?!?!"

Another nod.

"So why did you run away?"

"Wanna find Ana."

"Who is Ana?"

"My nana!"

Elladan and Elrohir exchanged puzzled looks.

"Why isn't your nana at home?"

"She went to the. the Val.. To the Valnor." He hiccupped.

"To the Valinor!?" The words spoken simultaneously.

Another nod. "Have you se..seen her?" Legolas hicuped.

Elladan shook his head.

"Want my ana." Legolas sobbed.

The twins could easily see that the elfling was exhausted so they refrained from any more questions and Elladan gently pulled the elfling against his chest were soon he was fast asleep. Elladan looked at Elrohir; hopefully they would find answers in Imladris.