Legolas short story x reader 'Symphony' *finished*

Chapter eight - Beleg Cúthalion

We had caught up on the Orcs and the little boy in distress after a long day's running but our running had made us – and the little bird who had to fly at his top speed – quite tired. Legolas still had some of the Troll slime in his hair and he suggested to rest briefly by the shore of a little river so he could wash his hair. I agreed and we stopped to rest for a moment. I sat down, leaning against a tree with Maethorion on my head. I asked him to sit on the ground and eat. Then I ate some of the old bread I carried in the bag and stroke over Legolas's bow with my spare hand. The wood of the bow was so fine to the touch. Legolas swum in the little river and I watched him washing his gorgeous locks. 'Do hurry up a bit, we need to resume our quest.' I said and he nodded at me. 'Come join me! Put your troubled mind at ease for a moment and rest in the crystal water.' He said happily but I refused. 'Maybe when we're back in Mirkwood,' I answered, 'but now we need to go on before they are too far gone.'

I watched Maethorion drink and noticed how he had grown stronger and stronger since the moment we had met. That pleased me. Legolas returned and I received a smile as greeting. 'Is there anything left to eat?' He asked. I searched in the bag and pulled out the berries wrapped in the red leaf. 'I still got these, good. We will need them to fight the Orcs.'I said but Legolas smiled mischievously at me. 'No we don't. We can fight them without berries too.' I handed him some bread and put the red leaf filled with berries in my pocket. Just in case.

'Oh don't try to impress me with fighting skills, Legolas.' I said as I let a smirk appeared on my face. He playfully hit me and ate some of the bread. 'Let's go.' I said after I made sure he had drunk something and refilled the flask with the clear river water. Legolas looked reluctantly at me, he wanted to stay near the pleasant river. 'Have courage, Legolas. I can feel the Orcs near to us. Herdith needs us, we must help him.' Legolas nodded. 'Let's go then.'

We walked through the forrest until Legolas suddenly stopped walking. I stopped too and saw Legolas staring at a tree that was chopped at the height of a full-grown man. The tree had been cut in and now it looked like a statue of an Elf, looking in the distance with a kind and brave look on his face. Loyalty and grace was written all over the wooden statue. Legolas fell to his knees and for a moment I thought he was crying. Was he crying? 'Legolas? What's wrong?' I asked him and knelt to be at the same level. 'Do you know that person?' I asked him. He simply nodded.

That, my love, is Beleg Cúthalion, also known as Beleg Strongbow.' Legolas said. 'He possessed a loyalty that cannot be described and a patience you would never find in any other living heart. He was a Sindarin Elf, just like I am.' Legolas placed his hand on his heart and looked up at the statue. 'I must say that I have never heard of him before.' I admitted and felt a bit ashamed since Legolas talked with such admiration for this particular Elf. 'What is his story?' I asked. Legolas sat on the ground and I sat down next to him. Maethorion fist sat on the statue but a stern look on Legolas's face made him sit next to me on the ground. Then he started to tell Beleg's story with compassion in his voice.

'One upon a time in the First Age, there was a man named Húrin, he had children and one of them was named Túrin. He once entered the Elven kingdom called Doriath but after an unfortunate happening he left the kingdom. The people there, especially the Elfen king Thingol, cared a lot about Túrin and they wanted him to return to Doriath. So the king send many Elves to search Túrin and to bring him back home. One of those Elves was Beleg Cúthalion.' I glanced up to see the wooden Beleg and could already imagine this Elf on a quest. Legolas continued:

'Túrin had made himself a part of, later even the leader of, the outlaw group called 'Gaurwaith' or 'wolf-men'. Many Elves who were searching for Túrin eventually gave up their quest, but Beleg was one of the few Elves that continued his quest to find Túrin. And he found the Gaurwaith outlaw group. Túrin was away for a moment so the outlaw group and Beleg were alone. They captured Beleg and treated him badly. They hurt him and let him starve until Túrin returned and recognised the Elf in pain. When Beleg told Túrin about his quest and asked him to come back to Doriath, Túrin refused to return to king Thingol. But instead of going back to Doriath alone, Beleg stayed with Túrin.'

Legolas sighed as if he was in a lot of pain and I placed my hand on his. 'That's not the end of the story, is it, Legolas?' He shook his head. 'No, they wouldn't make a statue of him if he didn't die.' I looked at Maethorion who looked at me. Then I turned my head to see Legolas's face and the single tear that ran down his cheek. I wiped it away.

'After the Dwarf who carried the name Mîm betrayed Beleg and Túrin because of the hatred he felt towards all Elves, Orcs came with nothing but killing on their minds. They took away Túrin and again Beleg searched for his friend, this time to save him. He found Túrin who unconscious and bound and ran over to him to cut the ropes. But he cut the ropes with the sword Anglachel.'

I gasped for breath since I knew that sword. 'Isn't that the sword forged by a dark Elf?' I asked and Legolas nodded.

'Yes, it is that sword. King Thingol of Doriath had given the sword to Beleg for his quest to find Túrin with the warning that the sword still had darkness in it because of its dark forger. So when Beleg used the sword to cut the ropes that imprisoned the unconscious Túrin, he accidentally cut in Túrin's leg who woke up immedately and saw Anglachel shining in a lightning flash. He mistook the loyal Beleg for someone who wanted to kill him and fought with the Elf, killing Beleg with Anglachel. He realised he had killed his friend and allowed the sadness to fill his heart. Then he wrote a song for Beleg, to honor his friend. The song is called Laer Cú Beleg which means-'

I cut him off with the answer. 'Song of the great bow. But why make a statue here? Is this the place where Beleg died?' I asked. 'No, it is not.' Legolas said and rose. 'But honorable creatures should be remembered.'

I looked up at the Elf statue. Beleg looked so kind and loyal and I wished for the story to end differently but I knew I couldn't change history. I rose in silence and Maethorion took off too. Legolas rose and placed his hand on his heart while he faced Beleg. I did the same and Maethorion flew away. He came back with one of the red leaves and placed it at the feet of the statue so the single leave could serve as a flower. I heard Legolas mutter something in Sindarin to the Elf before we walked away from the statue with respect, pity and sadness for the wooden Beleg.

Legolas sung a song while we walked away. I assumed it was Laer Cú Beleg and listened to the praising words. Just like Beleg Cúthalion, we had a quest too, and we were determined to accomplish it. As if the statue of the dead Beleg gave me a bit of his courage and determination, I felt a lot stronger after his story and I lifted my head up a bit. Just like Beleg searched for Túrin and did not give up, we had to find Herdith and I vowed to myself not to give up. I had no idea of what would follow, what creatures we would encounter nor if we were able to rescue Herdith, but we had to try. And, while we made our way through the forest, heading to the final fight, I heard the words of a song to praise a dead Elf and fierecly wished that our story would end differently.

A/N

Again, sorry! I just had to put Beleg in the story! My twin sister first read 'the children of Húrin' and now I know the story too! And Beleg and Mablung were too amazing not to mention. Though I didn't mention Mablung in the story, but now I mention him in the Author's Note. I just wanted you to know the story of an amazing Elf who should not be forgotten. (His picture is posted above!)

Thank you so much for reading and please vote and comment!

Galu!

-MS