The Hidden Enemy

Chapter 5: You Can't Escape

They walked in silence back to the others. Haldir had already known that Gandalf and Frodo would be leaving.
But he was surprised to see Legolas. The reason he had been asked to come was to make sure that Legolas arrived at the Havens safely so he could sail west with them.

Why didn't he leave?
Haldir decided that he would ask him about it on their way home.
Eldarion looked at his father in confusion.
"Where's Frodo?"
Aragorn hesitated.
Haldir felt sympathy for the child, he had noticed that Eldarion had been close with the hobbit.
Aragorn knelt down and placed a hand on his son's shoulder.
"He left Eldarion; he sailed to Valinor with Gandalf."
Eldarion looked at the sword Frodo had given him.
"Why?"
"He was sick Eldarion. He needed to go to where he could be healed."
"Will he come back?"
"No. I'm sorry Eldarion."
Aragorn embraced his son, who didn't cry but was clearly grieved.
"Are you ready to return home Legolas?"
Haldir asked.
Legolas hadn't known that Haldir had expected him to leave. There was no harm in him not knowing.
Legolas nodded.
"Of course. Just let me say goodbye to my friends."
Haldir nodded and let the friends say their farewells.
He stood beside Faramir in silence.

Though Haldir had known Aragorn for awhile, he didn't really consider him as a close friend, but there was a reason why Haldir didn't have close friendships with mortals.
As the Fellowship finished their goodbyes Aragorn walked over to Haldir.
"Have a safe journey Haldir."
"You as well."
"You will look after him won't you?"
Haldir knew he was talking about Legolas.
"Of course."
Aragorn smiled.

"Are you sure you want to stay Gimli?"
Merry asked the dwarf.
"I want to see how you've all been doing since I was last there. And I want to make sure that no Easterlings are still lurking around."
Gimli replied.
"Will you be fine traveling back by yourself?"
Sam asked.
"Of course! You don't have to worry about me. It's those two you should be worried about."
Aragorn and Legolas rolled their eyes.
With their goodbyes said and done, the Fellowship parted ways once again.

()()()()

Thranduil was surprised that his son had returned home. Though he was glad he wondered what had caused him to change his mind.
He hadn't asked him the night he had returned with Haldir, but he decided that he would ask him now.
Legolas entered his father's throne room and bowed.
"You wanted to speak with me?"
"Why did you stay?" Thranduil asked getting straight to the point.
Legolas looked up at his father.
Thranduil could tell that he was trying to hide his emotions, but he had already seen the fear in his eyes.
"Do I have to have a reason?" he asked quietly.
"You told both myself and Mithrandir that you wanted to leave. You said that you had grown weary of the world and that you were ready to sail west, yet you stayed. So yes, you must have a reason."

Legolas looked down at his feet.
Thranduil hadn't seen his son like this for many long years.
He almost never showed fear or any sign of meekness in front of him.
"I am waiting."
Thranduil narrowed his eyes when Legolas refused to answer.
What are you hiding from me?
Legolas sighed and finally answered, he still didn't look at his father.
"I was not ready."
He said simply.
If he thought that would settle for an answer he was wrong.
"I think it was more than that."
Thranduil stood up from his throne and walked towards his son.
Legolas looked up at him nervously.
Why is he afraid?

Thranduil walked behind Legolas who kept his eyes fixed on his father's throne.
"It is because of them. Isn't it?"
Legolas tensed and turned to face his father. That was the reason. He had stayed because of his friends.
"You are aware that there have been "friendships" between elves and mortals in the past?"
Legolas looked at his father in confusion.
"I am."
"Then you will know that those friendships never lasted, and that there is a reason why elves do not commonly befriend mortals."
When Legolas didn't reply Thranduil continued.
"We do not befriend them because we know that they will die."
Legolas turned away from his father.
"You know it in your heart Legolas. All of them will grow old and die, unless sickness takes them early."

Legolas tried to ignore his father.
Thranduil hated himself for doing this but Legolas needed to accept that they would not live forever like he would.
"They will die Legolas. All of them one by one until only you are left. You will never see them again, you will continue living, until the breaking of the world."
Legolas clenched his hands into fists. Thranduil could clearly see his son's anger, and grief.
He didn't wan't to accept it, but he had to.
"I do not want to live forever."
Legolas glared at his father.
"What good is it being immortal if you lose everyone you care about?"
"That is why we remain with our own people Legolas. We do not lose each other."
"Even in death?"
Legolas questioned.
"What about my mother? And Thalion? They are gone. We had to lose them and for what purpose? All their deaths have caused us is grief!"
"And who's fault was it that they died?"
Thranduil raised his voice and glared at his son.
"My mother's death was not my fault!"
"But who was it that killed Thalion? It was no orc or other foul beast of Sauron it was you! You killed him, you drove the one who loved him away, and you could not protect the one you loved! You let her die!"

He had gone too far and he knew it. Thranduil immediately regretted his words.
Legolas was trying to hold back tears. He had been reminded of the very things that had haunted him for years.
"You told me that you forgave me."
Legolas said slowly.
"You told me that it wasn't my fault!"
He took a step towards his father who backed away with a look of horror on his face.
Legolas' eyes had turned grey again.
"You lied to me! You still think I am a monster!"
Thranduil said nothing as he avoided his son's gaze.
Legolas' expression changed, the rage left him and his eyes returned to normal.
He blinked and looked at his father, who wore a look of utter hopelessness.
Legolas stormed out of the throne room.

Don't let him leave! Not like this, not again!
He wanted to call his son back, he wanted to tell him that he was sorry, that he no longer feared him.
But then he would be lying.
He closed his eyes.
He didn't know what to do, he had thought that his son was safe, that he had found him again after he had been lost.
But he was wrong.
Legolas had never been found.
The elf that had been Thranduil's son had died long ago.

()()()()

Legolas grabbed his bow and stormed out of the palace.
"Legolas!"
Haldir ran to catch up to him.
"Where are you going?"
"I need to be alone Haldir."
His voice clearly stated that he was serious.
Haldir nodded and reluctantly let him go.
"Do not wander far Legolas."
He didn't answer but walked in silence into the forest.
The wood still showed signs of the destruction it had gone through. Some trees remained black and refused to heal, others were slowly healing.
Some saplings were shooting out of the ground, Legolas knelt down beside one and studied it.

It would grow to be a great tree, it would take hundreds of years before it would be fully grown.
And I will be there when it is.
Legolas stood up and continued walking.
His father's words echoed through his mind.
They will die.
Legolas walked faster.
You will live forever.
He didn't want to live forever, others might think of it as a blessing to be able to live for eternity,
You will never see them again.
But it was a curse.
Legolas started running, trying to block out the voices.
Who was it that killed Thalion?
The trees moved past him like shadows, he didn't pay attention to where he was going as the night closed in around him.

You will watch yourself die.
Legolas stopped running, that was Amarth's voice....
More voices filled his head, the rang in his ears and threatened to deafen him.
They were all different, but they all said the same thing.
That he was a monster.
A killer.
And that he would die.
He clasped his hands over his ears and screamed, the voices grew louder, he heard his father, his mother, his brother, his friends, Amarth, Sauron....

The voices stopped but a vision entered his mind...

He lay on the stone floor, his hands bound behind his back, orcs beat him without mercy.
He cried and begged them to stop, but all they did was laugh.
Now he was in a new place, chained by his wrists to a wall, tears ran down his face as he begged for them to let him go.
They ignored his pleas.
They beat him and he cried.
A voice told him that he would never be free. He would always be a prisoner.
He would never be free from the darkness.
It would consume him until he could no longer fight it, and then it would claim him, forever.

Legolas screamed as the vision vanished. He stood gasping as the raw horror settled in him.
He would never be free.
The darkness would claim him.
He froze, he wasn't alone.
Legolas took in a deep breath, slowly he reached for his bow, nocking an arrow into the string he spun around.
"Hello Legolas."
He almost dropped his bow in shock.
Standing in front of him was Amarth.