Chapter 21 Home

A/N: If you hadn't noticed, I've used "Lass" a couple times when a character was talking to or about Legolas. Since Legolas' name is actually composed of two different words: Laeg meaning green and Lass meaning leaf, I have used the last part of his name "Las" as a nickname, because I really doubt that any well-respected person would ever call Legolas. (Cough) Leggy. On with the story.

*~*~*

They rode quietly to their new home. Thoughts of their old home filling their minds. Though many looked back, Thranduil didn't. He had memorized every single little detail that could be memorized. From the memory of his coming home with only a 3rd of the elves that left to the last memory of his children standing proudly in front of him.

No, Thranduil didn't need to look back, nor did he want to. His heart already etched each detail, from the tall trees, to the palace out line. He knew it by heart.

*~*

Lomion longed to look back, but he refused to do so. His thoughts were filled with many memories. The births of his siblings, his first wound, the tears they had cried, the laughs they had laughed, the pain of his nana leaving, the fear for Legolas, the joy of returning home each time he left and above all his first love.

He squeezed Miriwen's hand tightly. When she looked at him questioningly, he only smiled. She brought so much to his life. She made him whole. She completed the happiness in his life. They were one body, one heart and one soul.

*~*

Thalion, unlike his older brother and father had to look back. His warriors silently surrounded the many elves protecting them from any harm. It was his duty to make sure that nothing was left behind. It had been his job to go through each room to make sure it was empty. It had been a difficult job, but he had done it. Everything had been stripped bare, nothing would remain, but the silent memories in each heart and mind. 'Without anybody here', Thalion mused, 'the palace was just a building, but to put his father, his wife, his siblings, his friends, his companions, and his warriors in the building'. Thalion smiled. 'It was home.'

His home wasn't the building; it was the people inside the building. And with them, Thalion was complete.

*~*

Tasari looked back once, etching the outline of the palace once more into his heart. Then resolutely looked forward. It was just a building, but the people around him had made it home. He wasn't happy to leave, but he wasn't sad either. He had many memories of home. He would not easily forget his birthplace, and perhaps one day, when the shadow had been completely removed, they could go back. Tasari grinned, perhaps. Just perhaps.

*~*

Lothgil didn't look back. She was trying hard not to cry. She failed. One lone tear slowly made it's way down her smooth cheek and dropped down onto her hand. The building had been her home. Everything she knew was in that building. How could they leave? Her whole life had been in that building, every memory had been in the building.

It was tearing her apart. She wanted to stay, but needed to leave.

As they passed underneath several trees clumped together, a small ray of sunlight hit her head. Startled, she looked up.

        * "Look in your heart." *

Her nana's words echoed in her mind.

        * "Am I in your heart?" *

Unconsciously Lothgil nodded.

        * "Who else is in your heart?" *
Lothgil smiled, as she wiped the tears off of her face. She looked around seeing the faces of her friends and family and finally realized she was home.

        * "Everyone is in my heart, nana." *

        * "Then you are home."*

*~*

Legolas decided that he wasn't going to look back. He had already said his goodbyes. He had everything he needed and wanted. His bow and quiver strapped on his back along with his two white handled filigree knives, his clothes were packed somewhere, only the maids probably knew. His family and friends were around him. Yep. He had everything he needed or wanted. Except for a few orcs or spiders. He gave a feral smile that made several elves around him shudder.

His head ached something awful, and his eyes felt as though someone was pressing down on them, but if he could have a few orcs, he would be just fine.

*~*~*

They camped early in the late afternoon. It would take two days to get there and Thranduil had decided to ensure the elves safety but setting up camp before dark and then they would leave early in the morning.

Thranduil looked outside his tent. Legolas was pleading something with Thalion, who turned and seeing his father gestured towards him.

Legolas threw up his hands and stalked away, clearly upset.

Thranduil frowned Legolas wasn't usually so temperamental. The healers had warned of possible headaches.. Perhaps Legolas was suffering from one; of course he wouldn't say anything about it to anyone unless he was forced. Thranduil motioned Thalion over.

"What's a matter with Legolas?" He questioned.

Thalion rolled his eyes. "He wants to be part of the patrol."

"What did you tell him?" Thranduil asked, though he already knew the answer.

Thalion grinned. "I told him to ask you, then he got mad and stomped off."

Thranduil laughed, then sobered. "Go find him and send him here, will you Thalion?"

"Sure Ada. If I can find him."

The youngest prince was notorious for hiding when he was wanted and more often than not, he usually wasn't found, until he wanted to be. And that wasn't very often.

Thalion started off in the direction that Legolas had stomped off in hopes that he could find the angry prince before nightfall.

*~*~*

Legolas buried his aching head into his arms. He could have predicted Thalion's answer, but wanted to make sure that his answer would be as it had been. Aiya! His head hurt something awful. It would just be his luck that Ada would send for him and force him to see the healers. He groaned rubbing his eyes that felt like someone was jabbing a hot needle into them.

"Prince Legolas?"

He jerked his head up, only to have the world swim sickeningly around him. A hand steadied him until the world stopped spinning.

"You need to see a healer, Legolas."

Legolas shook off the helping hand.

"I do not NEED to see anyone." He hissed angrily at whoever was beside him, his eyes refusing to focus. Waves of nausea rippled through his slender frame and turning his head aside, he vomited. Pain laced through his head. He was very faintly aware of the other person's panic at his situation.

"Prince Legolas! Prince Legolas!"

Then everything went swirling into a deep, dark oblivion.

*~*~*~*

The torches flickered eerily against the tent walls. The darkness had fallen when a guard had carried Legolas into the camp, his face white and his body limp and lifeless.

The outline of the healer bending over his youngest son was almost more than Thranduil could handle. If Legolas died.. He shook away the thought as he continued to pace outside the healers tent. His children were once more gathered to wait the outcome of their brother once more. They had gathered many times, but this was the first time that Legolas had done nothing in which he was hurt.

The tent flaps opened and a healer walked past the waiting family, ignoring them, intent on finding something in the woods.

Thranduil felt the eagerness dissipate as they were once more left alone. He sighed and was startled by a hand on his shoulder.

"Everything will be ok Ada." Lomion's soft voice was at his shoulder. "Legolas will be fine."

Thranduil reached up and squeezed his son's hand, comforted by his words.

The tent flap opened once more and the head healer came out wiping blood stained hands on a cloth towel.

"King Thranduil." He nodded. "Prince Legolas is currently unconscious and will be for at least another day or so."

"What was a matter with him?" Lomion asked, his voice tense.

The healer nodded, hesitated then opened his hand to reveal a tiny piece of white fragment. "This it a tiny piece of bone that was embedded into his brain. It was causing his headaches and this is the reason why he fainted."

With a shaking hand, Thranduil took the small, deadly piece of bone into his hand.

"If we had not taken it out sooner, he would be dead." The healer's words hit the royal family like a sledgehammer.

"Dead?" Tasari whispered.

"He is not now." The healer reassured hastily. "He is merely unconscious. You may see him if you like." He motioned towards the tent.

Though they all rushed towards the tent each was hesitant to actually see their brother. To often they had seen Legolas lying still, pale and seemingly lifeless.

It was Lomion who finally, carefully lifted the tent flap open and they all slowly walked in. Legolas' forehead was bandaged, already a bright stain of red blood showing on the outside.

The healer stepped in and showed the royal family where they had opened his head up to retrieve the fragment of bone.

"How did you know that it was a piece of bone that was causing all the trouble?" Lomion asked quietly.

The healer hesitated. "We had suspicions, but the prince wouldn't let us completely examine him and it was when we talked to Lord Elladan that we realized that there was a piece of bone missing." He gently touched the tiny piece of bone. "It was very fortunate that Prince Legolas collapsed when he did, otherwise." He left the rest of the sentence unfinished knowing that the royal family already knew the seriousness of the situation. He bowed and the left the royal family with their beloved son and brother.

Thranduil gently picked up the limp hand. Too often he had picked up Legolas' limp hand and too often he had worried over his son. He turned to the rest of his children.

"When Legolas wakes up, I think we should chain him to the bed." His lightly jested words immediately relieved the tension inside the tent.

Lomion laughed softly. "As if Legolas will still be around when we find strong enough chains."

"Either that or he will have that ranger, Estel come and rescue him again." Tasari snorted.

"This has happened to many times, Ada." Lothgil said quietly, picking up her brother's other limp hand. "A life of an elf shouldn't be 'how many times can I get hurt.'" She smoothed the blanket down. Though her words were lightly said, the seriousness hit them all.

"Legolas has gotten hurt far to many times, Ada." Thalion said seriously. "I think he should be given the duty of the home guard and not the patrol guard. Or give him the north patrol not the south. Place him somewhere where he will always be protected." Thalion pleaded.

"And how would I be able to do this?" Thranduil asked with a sigh. "You all know as I do, that Legolas will refuse to do anything but the south border patrol."

"He has too much of his father's stubbornness in his veins." A quiet voice at the entrance of the tent spoke up.

They all turned at the unexpected voice. It was Jarden. He was the commander directly beneath Thalion and very few could challenge his authority. He was a long time friend of the family and had grown up beside Thranduil. He had watched Thranduil's children grow and enjoyed seeing each take his or her place in the realm. Legolas was the last one that would take his place, but Jarden suspected his would be the most interesting.

"Jarden." Thranduil nodded in greeting. "What brings you here?"

"A proposition." Jarden answered with a wry smile.

Thranduil raised a brow. "Oh?"

"About your youngest." Jarden replied.

Jarden could feel the immediate protectiveness of the other children. "You know, Thranduil, that I am looking for a young elf to start an archer patrol. Just archers. He needs to have the confidence of the other elves and must know how to handle a bow and arrow with skill, himself. He would be patrolling the northwest corner of the realm in case of any stray wargs or orcs from the mountains." He looked at Thranduil. "I think Legolas would be perfect."

Thalion thought over the proposition, his mind covering every little detail, from the area of the forest to the would be members of the patrol.

"The archers would only be called upon if in desperate need to the south." Jarden continued. "And the patrols would take place twice every month, each taking 1-week to complete, letting the elves on the patrol have 1 to 2 weeks to stay at home." He smiled. "What do you say to that?"

Thranduil grinned. "I think Legolas will be thrilled."

*~*~*

"Legolas?"

It had been two days since the prince had fainted, due to the fragment of bone. Two long days, filled with anxiety and fear for the prince. Thranduil had decided that it would be folly to remain out in the open with so many elves with little or no protection, so leaving protection for the healers and the prince, he left with the other elves to continue their journey to their new home.

Lothgil had protested against the decision, but Thranduil knew that he needed to get his people to protection. Lothgil had accepted the decision, albeit reluctantly, but had asked that she stay with her brother. The permission had also been given albeit reluctantly, but Legolas was her baby brother, the last child her mother had given birth to, and she would rather die than to see him hurt like this.

She gently smoothed away the frown that had creased Legolas' forehead. He had suffered much in these past weeks. Physically and emotionally hurt. She picked up a limp hand, studying carefully. He had archer's hands, there were like velvet-covered steel. He tried to overcome his weaknesses and be strong, but he could never fool anyone in his family. They could read him like a book. A fun, interesting book that was full of life.

Legolas groaned in his unconsciousness, seeing or feeling something painful.

"Shhhh, 'Lass." Lothgil whispered gently as Legolas' hand unexpectedly tightened against hers. She began singing a lullaby that hadn't been sung for many, many years. But it was a lullaby that Lothgil knew Legolas cherished.

Come stop your crying it will be alright
Lothgil stopped singing as the memories flooded forward. It had been a special song that their mother had made up just for Legolas. She sang it whenever Legolas fought to breath at nights, or if he was teased.

Just take my hand, hold it tight

I will protect you from all around you

I will be here, don't you cry

For one so small you seem so strong

My arms will hold you, keep you safe and warm

This bond between us, can't be broken

I will be here, don't you cry

Cause you'll be in my heart.

Yes you'll be in my heart.

From this day on, now and forever more

You'll be in my heart

No matter what they say

You'll be here in my heart always"

(You'll be in my heart by Phil Collins)

"When destiny calls you, you must be strong, "

I might not be with you, but you got to hold on"

That lullaby had been that last one that nana had sung before she left and the last one Loriel had sung before she had left as well. Pressing a gentle kiss on Legolas' forehead she silently vowed that she wouldn't sing it before she left.

You'll be in my heart

No matter what they say

You'll be here in my heart, always..

Always...I'll be with you

I'll be there for you always, always and always

Just look over your shoulder

Just look over your shoulder....