Chapter 23 Teasing

"Legolas! Get down from there!"

Legolas laughed, as he peered down through the tree branches to look at his glaring sister.

"Why?" He asked impudently.

"Because." Lothgil stated the obvious. "You aren't supposed to be moving around. Especially because you just woke up."

"And I feel fine." Legolas finished.

Lothgil threw her hands in the air as she muttered something under her breath. "Well, fine then." She replied annoyed. "I'll just tell ada to forget about your leading that patrol then." With obvious shock, she immediately clasped both hands over her mouth. She met Legolas' shocked expression. "Oops." Then turned and quickly walked back to the campsite.

Legolas almost fell out of the tree in his haste to get down, so completely intent on finding Lothgil and making her tell him what she meant.

Lothgil could hardly keep the grin off of her face as she quickly slipped into the healer's tent. She knew that that carefully placed threat would work. Legolas was just too predictable.

Legolas slipped inside the tent only a few seconds later. Lothgil quickly wiped the smile off her face and set to work folding towels that had just been brought in after drying in the sun. Completely ignoring her little brother.

"Lothgil."

Lothgil kept her back innocently toward Legolas, her hands still neatly folding the towel.

"Hmmm?"

"What did you mean about what you just said? About the patrol?"

"Ah Prince Legolas. I was about to call for you."

Legolas spun around at the unexpected voice. It was the healer, Galion, the one that always seemed to be the one who patched him up from his latest escapade. Legolas scowled at him, ignoring the smile that lit up the Galion's face and turned back to his sister.

"What did you mean?" Legolas demanded.

"Tsk, tsk, tsk." Lothgil shook her head. "You shouldn't loose your temper so quickly 'Las."

Legolas immediately wiped the frown off of his face and put on a half pleading half begging look. "Please?"

"Mmm." Lothgil pretended to consider the plea. "No." She broke out laughing at Legolas' enraged expression.

Galion broke out laughing as well. He had helped deliver the young prince and felt completely at ease laughing at him. He choked as Legolas turned to glare at him.

Lothgil slipped her arms around Legolas, laying her head on his back. He was taller than her a good six inches. He had grown up quickly and Lothgil missed being able to throw the once little elfling in the air to hear his squeals of joy, but the fact that Legolas didn't try to move away from her sudden hug, lifted a silent pain from her heart without her even knowing it.

"Ada has this all planned out to tell you what I wasn't supposed to say." Lothgil said quietly, her arms still wrapped around Legolas. "And I won't mess up that surprise anymore. You can wait 'til we get to the.." She paused, not wanting to call her new home a cave.

"Underground realm?" Legolas supplied.

Lothgil laughed trying to take her arms from his waist, but Legolas trapped her arms, then turned around to hold his sister. "I love you." He whispered as he hugged her tightly to his chest.

"And I love you." She whispered back, then withdrew and escaped out the tent to let the Galion look at Legolas' injury.

She sat down on a piece of wood, rubbing her eyes.

"Where's Legolas?" The unexpected voice jerked her up. A hand quickly steadied her.

"Careful." Thalion said with a grin.

Lothgil frowned playfully at her older brother. "And what are you doing here?" She questioned.

"Ada sent an escort for his two youngest children." Thalion replied sitting down next to her. "He doesn't want anything else to happen to Legolas."

Lothgil raised a brow. "You mean he's not worried about me?" She asked teasingly.

Thalion laughed. "Not like he does Legolas." He sobered. "Speaking of Legolas. Where is he?"

"Getting his head examined." Lothgil said with a mischievous glint in her eye.

Thalion broke into laughter.

*~*~*

Legolas could feel fingers gently probing his scalp.

He had yet to see what the healers had done with his head, but for now he was content that no one could see what damage they had done. They had told him that they had carefully shaved a part of his scalp off in order to get the area where the fragment of bone was, or had been.

The area that had been shaved had been completely covered by the bandage. Not that Legolas really cared that a huge chunk of his hair was missing. He sighed, as a bandage was once more carefully wound around his head.

"Don't worry Legolas. It is healing very quickly and the bandage will soon come off entirely." Galion said soothingly.

"I hope so." Legolas muttered. He sat up straighter suddenly. "Thalion!" He suddenly yelled.

Galion winced, holding a hand to his ear. "Please Legolas."

Legolas had the grace to look ashamed. "Sorry."

Thalion lifted the tent flap open "Yes Legolas?"

"Are we leaving soon?" Legolas asked eagerly.

Thalion had to laugh at the site of Legolas sitting obediently on the table, his shoulders slumped and a bandage around his head, yet eagerly asking if they were going to leave soon. "Yes 'Las." He replied ducking under the flap and into the tent. "If Galion says that you are fit to ride then we will go." He turned to Galion. "Is he fit to ride?" He questioned.

Galion dried his hands. "Well, I don't want any stress to be put on the wound, it is still healing and anything could tear open the stitches again. He will have to be very careful not to let the horse jar it open as well."

Legolas quickly turned around before he rolled his eyes.

"Legolas." There was a small warning in Thalion's voice.

Legolas quickly wiped the smirk off of his face and turned around. "I'll be careful." He said.

Galion snorted. "And how many times have I heard that only to find you back in my healers ward with numerous wounds and claiming you're just 'fine'?"

Legolas blushed. "I promise." He pleaded.

Galion turned to Thalion. "He is in your care." He said in a matter of fact voice then turned and left the tent.

Thalion turned towards Legolas. "Legolas?"

"Um, yes?"

"Do I have to order you to be careful?"

"No."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes."

"Positive?"

Thalion!"

"I'm just making sure that you will be careful or I will let Galion make sure that you don't leave the palace until your wound is completely healed and your hair has grown back." Thalion threatened.

He could hardly keep his laughter back as Legolas' eyes grew wide with surprise and horror.

"You wouldn't." Legolas gasped.

Thalion stepped up to his little brother and hooked a finger on Legolas' tunic. "If you do not be careful." He said quietly. "I will do exactly as I say. Do not think I will not."

*~*~*

Lothgil frowned thoughtfully at her little brother, before throwing a questioning glance at her older brother. Why was Legolas so subdued? Usually he was laughing and being careless, often throwing riding challenges to whoever was around him. He was very quiet and often threw worried looks at Thalion, as if Thalion had threatened him.

Her train of thought clicked onto that one thought immediately. Thalion had somehow threatened Legolas.

"Thalion?" She moved her horse over to his.

"Yes Lothgil?"

"Did you threaten Legolas?" She asked innocently.

Thalion lifted an eyebrow. "Why?"

"Look at him!" Lothgil gestured to the youngest prince who was carefully guiding his horse over a patch of rocks. "He's never that careful."

Thalion studied Legolas for a moment before a grin lit up his handsome features. "Well, it looks like he is now." He said evading the original question, and quickly rode ahead, leaving Lothgil with a surprised expression on her face.

She dug her heels into her horse catching up with Legolas. "Did he threaten you?" She asked without warning.

Legolas looked up startled. "What?"

"Did Thalion threaten you." Lothgil stated.

Instantly a guarded expression came over Legolas face. "Why?"

"He did, didn't he!" Lothgil shouted enraged.

Legolas immediately looked uncomfortable. "So?" He tried to evade the question, or rather statement.

"Legolas, just because he is our older brother and in charge of all the warriors, doesn't mean he can just threaten you!" Lothgil stated, folding her arms across her chest.

Legolas shrugged uncomfortably. "I know. He said quietly. "He's just trying to protect me."

Lothgil immediately softened, reaching out to pat Legolas' shoulder. "I know." She replied. "But that doesn't mean that he has to threaten you."

"I only threatened him, because I know that if I didn't Legolas wouldn't listen to me." Thalion said mildly.

Lothgil turned to Legolas, eyebrow raised.

"What?" Legolas defended himself, his hands raised as if surrendering.

Lothgil rolled her eyes. Little brothers!

*~*~*

Legolas stared at his new home apprehensively. So many memories of this place haunted him. The dark was the first thing that always came into his mind. He shivered unconsciously.

"Legolas?"

"Yeah?"

"Give Ada this and tell him we will be back before nightfall." Thalion requested.

Legolas nodded, tucking the piece of paper in his saddlebag.

Thalion studied him carefully, taking in the still pale features, the bandage and the wide scared expression that Legolas was desperately trying to hide.

"It's ok be to be scared 'Las." Thalion whispered.

Legolas stared at Thalion. "What about being terrified?" Legolas whispered back, his voice shaking.

Thalion rode to Legolas' side and wrapped his arms around him, pressing his face into his shoulder.

"Yes." He whispered into Legolas' ear. "It's ok to be terrified." He pulled Legolas and stared into his eyes. "You are Legolas Thranduillion, grandson of Oropher and a Prince of Mirkwood." He smiled. "And my little brother." He clapped Legolas' shoulder. "Now hurry and take that to Ada." He commanded.

Legolas laughed and touched his heels to his horse's flanks and cantered off. He took a deep breath. He was Legolas, son of King Thranduil, grandson to Oropher and a Prince of Mirkwood.

With another deep breath, he set forward; ready to take anything that would come his way.

The End