The Hidden Enemy

Light and Darkness

Legolas hadn't spoken to anyone since his father's funeral.

Haldir had taken charge during that time, and although he didn't want to tell Legolas, the elves were waiting for him to take his place as king.

Haldir stood outside of Legolas' room. He hadn't come out in days.

Haldir knocked on the door.
No reply as usual.

"Legolas?"
He called.
Nothing but silence answered him.

He sighed and knocked again.
"Legolas, I'm coming in."
Haldir opened the door, preparing himself for whatever he would find inside.

What he saw was Legolas, sitting on the floor in the dark, up against the wall.

His eyes were grieved and unfocused.
He looked lost and defeated.

The sight broke Haldir's heart.

He sat down beside him.
"Legolas?"
He said softly.
"He's gone Haldir. He was all I had left. My mother, my brother, and now my father. They're all gone."

Haldir didn't know what to do.
"My father and one of my brothers are dead."
He told him.

Legolas didn't look at him or react in any way.
"My mother and younger brother sailed to Valinor."
He continued.

"You are not alone Legolas, I have lost family too."
"But it is not the same. One day you will be able to sail to Valinor yourself and see your mother and brother again. I will never see my family. They are gone forever."

Haldir was at a lost for words.
What was he supposed to do?
"Legolas, you do know that your people expect you to take the throne."

Legolas closed his eyes.
"I cannot lead them Haldir."
"But you must."
Haldir insisted.
"They look to you now. You are the only heir to the throne, you must accept your path."

"Why Haldir? Why must I accept it?"
Legolas' voice went from grieved to enraged.
"What did I ever do to deserve this? Why did I have to get captured by Sauron? What good did it do to have me serve him?"

"Why did my mother have to die? And my brother? They did nothing to deserve death! Neither did my father! They all deserved to live more than I do!"

"I am the one who served Sauron, I am the one who murdered hundreds of people!
I couldn't save the one I loved from death, or Pippin, or Eowyn!"

"I had to watch them all die! Why can I not die? I don't want to live on this cursed earth anymore! There is nothing here for me but death and pain!"

"I do not even have my friends, they have abandoned me, I have no one Haldir! No one!"

Legolas stood to his feet and stormed out of his room.
Haldir wanted to follow him, stop him from leaving.

But he himself was enraged.
What had Legolas done to deserve everything that had happened to him?

It wasn't fair, none of it!

Haldir sighed. He feared that Legolas wouldn't be able to fight off the grief this time.

He feared that he would truly fade this time.

Eru please... Give him the strength to overcome this.

()()()

Legolas left the palace and entered the forest.

It seemed that even the trees were in mourning.

Legolas found a small clearing and sat down up against a tree.

He didn't know what to do.
His family was gone, his friends, he had no one to guide him.