Broken (sequel to Caught)

Failure

A/N: "" are out loud,

'' are Thranduil and Legolas talking within each other's heads or individual thoughts.

Chapter 8

"Prince Legolas? I have the keys. I'm coming in."

Herethin's voice once again drew Legolas from his thoughts of the sea, and he looked up, for the first time since becoming blind having accepted that he would not see anything, and he listened as the keys clashed metallically and the door opened, the hinges squealing.

"Herethin..." he murmured, but he did not try to get to the healer. He stayed where he was kneeling on the floor, hugging himself loosely.

"Oh, Legolas..." Herethin said, and the floorboards creaked as he squatted beside the prince. He put his hand on Legolas's and pulled him to his feet.

"Come on. Let's get you back to the bed. I'll check on your wound."

"The stitches ripped," Legolas said quietly, the usual light gone from his eyes. He allowed Herethin to lead him to the bed and sat down obediently. Herethin quickly unbuttoned his tunic and looked at the ripped bandages.

"How on Arda did you manage to rip the bandages, never mind the stitches?" he asked, looking in wonder at the tattered cloth as he removed it.

Legolas began to shudder, barely suppressing his sobs.

"I...I was so stupid, Herethin...I let him provoke me; I never let anyone provoke me! It's my job to keep Ada's temper down, I never have to worry about my own..."

Herethin sighed, pushing Legolas so he was lying down on the bed.

"What happened?" he asked, and Legolas told his about the council and everything that had gone wrong.

"Well, you certainly deal with it differently than your father," Herethin mumbled when he finished stitching the wound, tying off the thread and wrapping the wound in a bandage.

"What do you mean?" asked Legolas, raising his arms so that the bandage could go under his arms.

"I am not going to tell you that you didn't do anything wrong. Both you and Thranduil do some pretty stupid things when under the influence of your tempers. But at least you accept that you were wrong. Your father does not. He hates being wrong."

"As do I," said Legolas, sighing as Herethin put the tunic back on him. "As do I. But I do things wrong so often, I guess I have to get used to it."

Herethin looked up in surprise, and, seeing that the elf in front of him looked utterly devastated, pulled Legolas into a gentle embrace.

"Oh, Legolas," he said, holding the younger elf to his chest. "So not speak that way. For every bad decision you make, you make fifty good ones. You are the best prince the realm could ask for."

"No! No!" Legolas said, pulling away abruptly and squeezing his eyes shut. "I am a failure! He told me so!"

"Your father said that to you?" Herethin said, rage growing within him as he heard how Thranduil had hurt his son without a care.

Legolas seemed unbelievably far away from what he had been before.

"Legolas, do not speak to Lord Garien so!"

'Sit down,' Thranduil's voice barked in his son's mind, and Legolas jolted to attention, glaring at him.'

'I said sit down,' Thranduil repeated, eyes hard. Legolas sat slowly and grudgingly.

"By saying that, you are as bad as he is," Legolas said aloud, and Thranduil's eyes hardened even further.

'SIT.'

Legolas obeyed, mumbling to himself.

"You know I hate mumbling, Legolas. If you have something to say, say it loud, so all can hear you."

"I said I hate you. I hate you, and I do not want to be your son."

There was a pause as Thranduil processed this. His face was blank as he replied, only within his and Legolas's minds.

'And I wish I had never fathered such a failure.'

"Yes," Legolas mumbled, and the tears that began to roll down his cheeks were those of complete emotional agony. "He said he wished he had never fathered me..."

Herethin stood up abruptly. Legolas's head followed the motion as if he were practicing acting like he could see, which he probably was.

"Get some rest, Legolas," he said, trying to keep the fury from his voice. His features softened as he looked upon the suffering elf. "And try to sleep, penneth. Don't leave the bed, if you can help it. I'll be back soon."

"Where are you going?" Legolas asked as Herethin stalked away.

"I think," the healer said, opening the door. "It's time your father and I had a little chat."

O:o:O

Thranduil looked up from his work, starting as he heard the door to his study being slammed open without a knock or call. He looked up, ready to reprimand whoever it was. Anomeda had just left and he had just gotten back to his work, and now he was interrupted again.

Herethin's furious red face greeted him, and before he could register what was happening, he was shoved up against the wall, and Herethin's face was so close he could feel his hot breath on his cheeks.

"HOW DARE YOU! HOW DARE YOU DO THIS TO HIM?" Herethin screamed, and Thranduil tried to back away but realized he couldn't.

"Herethin, what on Arda are you talking about? Herethin, I am busy—"

"Too busy to go and apologize to your son, who is suffering alone in his room?" Herethin yelled, his breaths fast and his face heated.

"How dare you say he was a failure? He has done so much good for this kingdom, and for you!"

"Get away from me, Herethin. You do not have the right to—"

"To what? To care for him? Do you even understand the depths of the sorrow you have caused him? Open your bond, Thranduil! Please!"

Herethin stepped away, falling to his knees with a dull thud as Legolas's heartbroken face filled his mind once again. Tears gathered in his eyes.

"Please, Thranduil. No one can withstand this much. He is breaking."

"Withstand this much?" Thranduil said, laughing humorlessly. "He cannot get over one fight with me? Then he truly is weak."

"Do not say that about him! You know there is more! He was already weakened!"

Thranduil's anger and bitterness was slowly being overcome by confusion. He looked down at Herethin.

"What do you mean?"

Herethin looked up at his king with equal confusion and sadness in his eyes.

"You did not see it?" he breathed. "How could you not see the signs?"

"The signs of what?" Thranduil said, impatient and extremely worried for his son.

"The sea-longing, Thranduil," Herethin said simply, looking up at the king with pained eyes. "The sea-longing has been awakened in him."

Thranduil froze. His muscles clenched, and he blinked.

'No, no, no, no, no, not Legolas, not my little leaf, not my Greenleaf, no!'

He began to run.