Broken (sequel to Caught)

Proud

Legolas was sitting comfortably, his wound cleaned and his body tiring once again. His eyes were drooping, and he held in a yawn.

"So, why are you guys in this town?" he asked. He smiled gently in the direction of Elladan and Elrohir, who were sitting on either side of the bed, watching him.

"We were on our way to meet Estel," said Elladan. "He is on his way to Rivendell, and we decided to meet him halfway."

Legolas nodded. There was a comfortable silence for a few moments.

"What about you, Legolas? What are you doing here?" Elladan asked. At the question, suddenly Legolas's mind was filled with the sound of the sea, the look of the waves, the cry of the gulls. Images whirled by him, and the crashing water called out to him in a voice strangely like his mother's.

'Legolas, Legolas, Legolas...come to us...come home to us...'

The aching longing that he had almost been able to ignore in the twins' presence hit him full force once again, so strong that it hurt physically. He whimpered, holding the spot over his heart where the pain seemed to be coming from. He took one hand and gripped his hair tightly, trying to use the pain as an anchor to keep him in reality.

'Please make it stop please I can't take this anymore I can't when is this going to end when when will it stop please make it stop MAKE IT STOP.'

"Legolas!" Elrohir exclaimed, jumping up and taking his friend's shoulders in his hands. "Legolas, what's wrong?" he began to panic as he saw the obvious pain marring Legolas's face. In hopes of helping him, he immediately reached out to touch Legolas's mind.

The tight lockdown of his mind made Elrohir's attempt at help bounce right off, and he recoiled in shock, almost falling backwards but instead finding himself in his twin's arms.

"Elrohir? Are you alright?" Elladan asked, sounding panicked. Elrohir nodded, sitting back up carefully and placing a hand on his head, grimacing. The mental blow had given him a bad headache.

Elladan, never one to allow anyone to hurt his twin, jumped up, rage filling his mind as he grabbed Legolas's wrists and held them tightly. Legolas squirmed, but Elladan took his chin and forced him to look him in the eye.

"Get it together, Legolas!" Elladan said, voice low and dangerous. Legolas's wide, fearful eyes bored into his own. "You hurt Elrohir! What on Arda are you doing?"

This seemed to bring Legolas back to his senses, and his eyes immediately searched the blackness surrounding him for Elrohir. His apparent distress didn't seem to make Elladan any less angry, and the Noldor continued to growl lowly at the prince even as he apologized.

"Ro! I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to—"

"Shhh, it's alright," Elrohir said, shushing him gently. "I'm alright. Why is your mind so locked down, Legolas? Even your father couldn't connect with you with your mind in this state."

Legolas remained silent, lowering his eyes. Elrohir sighed.

"Alright. Never mind."

There was a tense pause, which Elrohir broke with a soft sentence.

"Go to sleep, Legolas. Elladan and I will be leaving in the morning. I assume you will be joining us?"

Legolas nodded, and his eyes showed his apology for refusing to answer the question, but the lingering exhaustion from his travels took over, and they glazed over in elven sleep.

Elladan was still seething at Legolas's now still form, and Elrohir took his twin's shoulders, forcing him to look into his eyes.

"Elladan, calm down. Look at who you are being hostile towards. That's Legolas, Elladan," he said, turning Elladan so that he was facing the pale elf on the bed. The rage drained slowly out of his eyes, and Elladan relaxed, sighing and leaning into Elrohir.

"I'm sorry..." he murmured. "I just don't like seeing you hurt."

"Ah, don't be so protective, brother," said Elrohir teasingly. "I'm fine."

It was quiet until Elladan got up, mixing a simple pain-relieving tea for Elrohir, who took it, giving his twin a grateful look as he sipped at it.

The sun rose to its peak in the sky.

O:o:O

If there was anywhere else he could be, Thranduil would be there. But no. He was stuck in a stuffy room filled with pompous lords and ladies, going over more trading agreements. He sighed as he looked upon the empty seat to his right. Legolas was so good at this, the meeting would have been finished half an hour ago if he had been present. But no. He wasn't. Thranduil had to deal with this on his own.

"...Is this correct, my king?"

Thranduil jolted to attention as his title was said, and he was sure he had a confused look on his face. The lord barely hid a sigh. He opened his mouth to repeat what he had been saying, but Lord Garien interrupted him.

"By the Valar, King Thranduil, what is wrong with you?"

Thranduil's head jolted to the lord's face. Garien was scowling at him, and for once his hatred toward Thranduil was obvious on his face. It was usually hidden behind a snarky mask, but it was real.

"Get over it already! He was a useless child anyway! Your son is gone, and you are still moping around almost a month after the fact."

The entire room was silent, and everyone looked to Thranduil for his reaction. The calmness on the king's face was terrifying.

"Lord Garien, you are hereby stripped of your membership in this council for disrespect and insubordination to your king and prince. You are free to leave now."

Shock registered on Garien's face. His family had always had a place within the council, and he had thought of it as his birthright. He thought he could get away with anything.

"What? You can't get rid of me! I am a counselor, I am a lord, I am better than your son would ever be—"

"Garien Genearion," Thranduil said, voice low and a smile, petrifyingly serene, on his lips. "Say one more thing about my son and I will make you wish you had never been born."

Garien fell silent at this, scared by the ferocious, protective gleam in the king's eyes.

"I will say it again, leave us," said Thranduil. Garien sat still for a moment, and everyone looked at him, proud smiles at their king dancing on their lips. After a pregnant pause, Garien stood abruptly, his chair falling with a jerk onto the floor. His robes flew behind him as he stomped out of the room, shutting the large door with a bang.

Thranduil smiled, remembering all the times Legolas had told him that he should take Garien off the council. He looked briefly upwards, holding the sphere in his fingers.

'I hope I have made you proud, ion-nin.'