[Legolas] In every grain of sand, is the story of the earth.

Chapter 11

Knowing Bard would make good on his offer, I stayed with the people of Laketown, offering aid where ever I could. Families were still searching for loved ones while others dragged corpses out of the water. It was absolute chaos and it broke my heart to see so much emotional and physical pain. These people had lost everything and I couldn't help but feel somewhat responsible.

I assisted the dwarves to get to their home where they awoke the dragon, setting him lose on the quiet little town. I felt like sticking around and helping them out was the least I could do considering. Since my debt to the dwarves was considered paid and my captures gone, I sent word to my family informing them that I was safe but would not be returning just yet. The thought of them worrying about my safety saddened me but I couldn't help but feel enraged at the people that kept me from them.

Oh how I missed them. The way my brother and I would make everything a competition regardless of the circumstances and the way my sister always chastised me for not being more lady-like despite being younger than me. The way my mother's singing filled the halls of the castle in a comforting melody and my father's powerful presence that constantly reassured me that I was safe. Not only that but I missed the sea, the salty breeze and the  sound of waves crashing against the shore, it always soothed me no matter the circumstances but this far inland, there were no traces of it at all.

Of course I blamed both Legolas and Thranduil for my absence. Neither were accommodating and both treated me as if I were a prisoner. It was not something my father or brother would take lightly. I would do my best to prevent some kind of retaliation by the Teleri people but I would make no promises. They deserved to be taught a lesson, that you couldn't treat people like that without repercussions. 

Deep down I knew that revenge never solved anything but retribution was a whole other story. Elves live a long time and I was nothing if not patient, I could bide my time and plan my next steps. That arrogant prince and the heartless king needed to be taught a lesson and it just so happened I had both the time and the means to do that.

The time it took after the dragons attack to recover as many living as possible was tremendous. I used my elf eyes to scan the waters for any sign of life or movement. While doing so Bard ventured off with a few other townsfolk to find some form of shelter for the survivors. It was getting colder and with a shortage of warm, dry clothes, the people would soon fall victim to illness.  

When my search was over, I turned my attention towards the wounded although in this sense I was no more help than a human. Unfortunately I wasn't killed in the ways of magic, such knowledge came with experience, time and training. Magic is only taught to elves that come of age and unfortunately, I wasn't quite there yet. My brother was currently the one learning the secrets of the elves, something I was actually quite jealous of.

Regardless, I cleaned and bandaged wounds as well as creating the odd splints to support broken bones. I was by no means an expert when it came to this but the people of Laketown would take whatever they could get.

Some time passed before Bard finally returned, informing the survivors that they had found a place nearby that would offer shelter for a short period of time while they plan their next move. I had thought that maybe the dwarves would take them in as payment for the townsfolk's help however Bard informed us that they would be heading to Dale. It was closer than the mountain but the city was in ruins, it definitely would be for the short-term.

Maybe when everyone is settled I could head to the mountain and ask for shelter for them from Thorin himself. I would not exactly class us as friends but considering the feud between elves and dwarves, we weren't enemies, surely that would count for something. 

I followed Bard to Dale and helped the villagers get settled.  The city was in ruins but it offered both protection and shelter, something the villagers needed after the ordeal. Most had taken to the lake to escape the dragon and while many were able to score dry clothes, that wasn't always the case. The priority was to get fires going to provide warmth and light but for the most part, villagers were still trying to find loved ones.

Bard had been called away by Alfrid, a man who made my skin crawl despite the little time I spent in his presence. Something about him did not sit right with me and despite not knowing him, I deemed it sensible to listen to my instincts and avoid the slimy looking man entirely.

I almost chocked when I heard Bard put Alfrid on lookout duty for tonight. It definitely would not end well but I was not going to question Bard's order, he probably assigned that job to Alfrid to keep him out of the way. No doubt he would lurk around and steal whatever valuables the people of Laketown managed to save if he were allowed to roam free.

Even with the doubt, I left Alfrid to it and found a suitable place for myself to rest. Unfortunately there was not enough 'bed's' for everyone so I volunteered to sleep on the ground. I was provided with two blankets, one to sleep on and the other to cover myself with.

It was already quite late and it had been a long day so I wasted no time wandering the ruins for a spot I would feel comfortable sleeping. I was used to falling asleep to the sounds of the ocean, not to men talking, laughing and crying. Eventually I came across a small alcove adjoined to what used to be a corridor. I surveyed the spot for a moment before deeming it appropriate and placing the blankets down on the dusty floor. It definitely was not the nicest place I had taken rest but at least it was somewhat secure and offered protection from the elements.

After placing the blankets out on the ground, I turned my attention to my weapons. I disarmed myself and rested the assortment of weapons against the wall furthest from the hallway before sitting down. Raising my hands, I began pulling out the braids gently before allowing my fingers to comb through my long raven coloured hair. My pale fingers tugged at the knots that had built up over the past few days, teasing them out as best I could without a comb.

I longed for the comforts of home, a warm bath, a change of clothes and a comfortable bed but such luxuries were still a long way off. Pushing the thoughts from my mind, I lay down on a blanket, putting the other over my body before finally closing my eyes and trying to sleep. Drifting off had never been an easy task for me but it just seemed to be getting worse lately.

I let a small sigh escape my lips whilst simultaneously making the decision to keep my eyes closed and remain motionless until sleep finally found me. Unfortunately it took longer than necessary.