Veiled Stars » LotR [1] ✔️

Chapter Twenty-Two: Loss

The darkness.

Legolas was trapped in the darkness.

It swirled around his feet, invading his lungs. The air was cold, icy. Deafening.

Yet it smelled familiar, stale. He could hear laughter in the air; laughter he had heard before.

Then the darkness took shape and Legolas looked around, a shocked recognition washing over him.

He stood in the halls of Mirkwood, the halls he would recognize any day.

His home.

Oh, he hadn't been here in years. His heart twisted in his chest and he looked around, taking in every detail, every crack. Oh, Eru.

His feet moved of their own accord and he padded down the dimly lit hall, his footsteps silent upon the stone floor.

He could feel his bow around his shoulders, double swords crisscrossed his back.

Then suddenly voices sounded ahead.

Legolas felt his body freeze and his heart pounded in a panicked beat, although he didn't understand why.

Without a thought, he shoved himself across the hall, pushing into the half-open door across from him. He closed it all but a crack, moving over and pressing against the wall.

Excitement coursed through his blood and his fingers twitched in anticipation. Legolas felt himself reaching for his blades, running his fingers over the handles.

What in Eru was he doing?

The voices grew closer and Legolas felt blood pound in his ears with a feverish roar. He looked up; right into the mirror across from him.

His heart stopped.

A face stared back at him, but the face wasn't his.

The ellon's skin was placid, framed by shadows. His hair was a raven black and his eyes glowed cold and grey, swimming with excitement.

A cold smile crossed his face; Legolas couldn't break his gaze away. This wasn't him, this wasn't--

"Legolas!"

The panicked voice broke through his world, interrupting his thoughts. The voice, he recognized it.

He stirred, but the darkness was deafening. It felt like he was trapped underwater, unable to break the surface.

"Legolas!"

He heard the shout again but it sounded like it was coming from the other side of a glass wall. He drifted back into the darkness, feeling his body relax.

The footsteps in the hallway grew closer.

"Give me two seconds, I'll wake up the pointy-eared princeling--" The voice faded away. Legolas stirred again, his thoughts sluggish. What?

Then a sudden icy coldness snapped him out of the darkness. The room vanished.

Legolas gasped, flying up and out of the blackness. He choked, doubling over and sputtering onto the ground.

Water dripped from his nose and he stared at the stone, a buzzing sounding in his ears.

Two pairs of feet stood before him, the figure's hands wet and a full smirk on his small, bearded face.

He wiped his hands off on his pants, nodding toward Legolas. "It's about time you had a bath. You can thank me later."

Legolas stared in silence, his thoughts muddled. I know you.