Another tear dropped from the green eyes and Legolas met his brothers' eyes squarely.
"Brother," came the word, alien to his tongue, "you call me brother, in spite of it all?" asked Legolas in puzzlement.
"In spite of it all…" confirmed Handir with a soft smile, his own eyes now too bright.
A tentative smile dawned on The Silvan's face, and the shadows that had hung over his face seemed to lift a little, and the potted plant upon Elrond's centre table sat up and straightened its stems, unfurling its leaves…
A gasp split the air and the magical moment was gone, flying away into the early afternoon rays of sun.
They all turned to Celegon, Commander of the Greenwood's militia. Mighty warrior that he was, the startled, high-pitched sound that had escaped him did not fit his body at all, but the Commander was too busy stilling his frantically beating heart to feel embarrassed.
"What is it?" asked Elrond with a deep scowl.
Celegon ripped his eyes away from the innocent plant and faced Elrond. "That plant, upon your table - it - moved," he whispered, his face twisted in utter disbelief at his own words.
Elladan's head whipped towards the commander, the words echoing in his head as the image of the uprooted tree was back before his mind's eye.
"There is magic at work," he said so softly that some had not heard him at all. "Is there not, Legolas?" asked Elladan challengingly, as if only now realising what it was that had escaped him about The Silvan.
Legolas stared back at him, for what to say? Was it magic?
"I do not know, my Lord," was all he said, for it was the truth.
"Legolas," ventured Elrond, stepping forward. "Do you have an idea, of what Elladan speaks?" he said, his eyes searching Legolas' for the truth of his words.
After a moment of silence, Legolas answered.
"Yes - I have an idea."
Another silence, long and awkward. This time it was Celegon who broke it.
"What happened, before we were ambushed, when Silor all but dragged you to Lieutenant Galadan claiming you had assaulted him…"
"I did not," said Legolas.
"I believe you," said Celegon. "My point being that you then claimed there was an attack on the way, one from the East and another from the back of the line, gainsaying our scouts."
"Yes," said Legolas again.
"How did you know?" asked the commander, taking another step forward.
With a deep breath, Legolas looked to the floor for a moment, before answering.
Some months ago, I came to realise that I am, what the Silvans call a 'listener', he began, his voice introspective but strong as he began his story. "A listener is one that is more sensitive to the voice of the forest - and yet," he paused, "I have come to believe this is not what my - ability - entails."
"You see," he continued, "it is not a voice that I hear - it is - emotion, emotions that my own mind puts into words, it is as if I speak to myself - indeed when all this first started, I thought myself on the road to insanity. It was Narosen the Silvan Spirit Herder that told me otherwise…"
"How," began Elrond, "how does this - ability - manifest itself?" he asked, his intellectual curiosity setting his eyes to shining.
"Well," said Legolas a little self-consciously now, Lieutenant Lainion has seen it happen, as have my closest comrades - even Silor has seen it - he called me spawn of morgoth…"
Elrond's eyebrows rose to his hairline, and Legolas continued as best he could. "My eyes - my eyes shine - from the inside…" his voice dropped off, his eyes apologetic.
"Well!" gasped Celegon, but Elrond needed to know more. "What is the relation to what Celegon just saw?" he asked.
"I believe, I believe that I share an energy with the trees - it is inside me but more than this, I too am inside them - does that make sense at all? They feel my distress, my joy…"
"Valar," whispered Glorfindel while Handir blew out a long breath.
"I can say no more, my Lord, for I do not understand it myself, but what I do know, is that it seems to be advancing. Every time it happens the feelings are clearer, the words they evoke more precise, and the physical manifestations of my emotions become clearer."
"I would like to research this, Legolas, if you do not mind. It may help you to understand it - would that be helpful to you?"
"Of course, my Lord. I would be - so grateful for I confess I am still - somewhat fearful of this - thing I have no name for."
"It is a gift," said Glorfindel. "You could have avoided that attack, if your gift had been known, had you been believed. That is an asset to any army, Legolas."
"Yes, I know, my Lord. It is also a potential threat to my integrity, as Silor's reaction proves.
"Silor is a fool," spat Celegon. "Whatever happens, Legolas, whatever our king decides, I will always be glad for your service," he said with conviction. "I will help your cause, in any way I can," he said, his eyes seconding his words.
Legolas' head rose and he bowed to his Commander General. "You honour me, Commander. You will always have my service, to whatever end."
Celegon smiled. "I will remember that," he said.
"Well, we are still left with the question of how Thranduil will react to all this - any insight, Handir?" asked Elrond, redirecting the conversation.
"As I said, the king changed when the queen left and as to whether this situation has changed that I cannot say. There are, I believe, two possibilities. One - that he sinks further into grief, for I would wager Legolas' appearance suggests the death of Lassiel. If that should be so, I fear he may resent Legolas, see him as perhaps having precipitated her demise. Or, the opposite may happen. He may see in Legolas, a son that will speak to him, that will respect him, that will forgive his transgressions and not judge him every single day of his life…," it was Handir who now turned, battling with his own emotions, for he had spoken of himself and his brother, Crown Prince Rinion.
"Is that what it is like?" asked Elrond. "Is that the short of your relationship with your father?" he asked carefully.
"Yes," he said quietly, "that is the short of it. The love and the laughter died the day our mother abandoned us. She just - left - left us because her husband had conceived a child with another lover…"
"And yet you blame your father…" coaxed Elrond.
Handir stared at him for long moments, before he spoke once more. "Yes. I blame him because had he loved her and not Lassiel - my mother would still be here, we would still be a family."
"You blame your father for not loving your mother, then? Is that it?"
Handir checked himself again, helped by the steadying hand of Erestor at his side.
"Yes!" he said, his voice loud and resentful. "Why did he marry her if he did not love her? And if she knew that he did not, why did she accept? It was a farce, perhaps? One they camouflaged as a happy marriage?"
"It was an arranged marriage, Handir. Created for the good of The Greenwood, for the good of the people - it is what they expected of their king, it was what King Oropher expected his son to understand…"
Erestor spoke for the first time then. "So, King Thranduil married a Sindarin Lady of noble descent, to content the people - the Sindar - for I doubt the Silvans would have minded he marry a lowly elf with no heritage," he said rhetorically.
"No, but perhaps, Erestor, it was a bargaining tool. The Sindar minority, those close to Bandorion, Oropher's brother, would have pushed for that, in exchange perhaps, for political concessions," explained Glorfindel.
"Yes, that is very possible," said Erestor as he turned to Handir. "You cannot blame your father for marrying one he did not love, not if it was an order. Your mother would have known this - would have accepted it. It was, perhaps, her pride that suffered the most when she heard of the child…" he added carefully.
"She would not have left for pride, Lord Erestor, she would not have left her children for pride!" said Handir, his voice louder now as his anger at the implications began to break down his defence
s.
"You cannot know that, Handir. You loved her and I do not doubt her love for you, but she DID leave, or her own accord - she left. Your father did not send her away…"
"And what would you know?" said the prince cuttingly, turning on Erestor, who looked back at the now irate prince with sorrow. "You dare to make conjectures on something you cannot know?"
"I do, Prince Handir, because these conjectures can be inferred from the facts - it is not necessary to have lived the events to conclude thusly."
Handir stared back at him, as if he wished the councillor would continue so that he could give free rein to his anger, but Erestor had been clinical in his approach and Handir stepped backwards, as if he had been burned, for the realisation that his anger had been ill directed, the mere possibility that he had blamed his father all this time when he should have blamed his mother, or Bandorion. Had he truly been wrong to treat his father as he had? Hold his own father's head under the mirky waters in which he already swam.
"So what now?" asked Glorfindel. There are two ways for the king to react. Lose himself in grief at the implied loss of Lassiel and do nothing, or react and accept Legolas as his son," he said.
"Rinion," interjected Celegon. "Prince Rinion will never accept Legolas as a brother," he said confidently, sure of the truth of his words and Handir could only nod in agreement.
"Rinion is not king, Thranduil is. He will do as his father decrees," said Glorfindel.
"Either that," said Handir, "or he will rebel, turn to Bandorion - my father may not wish to risk that."
"The conundrum is deep," said Erestor. "I believe," he said, "that we should wait. We have six months here, to work with Prince Handir and Legolas. Surely news will arrive from the forest before that time is up."
"That is wise council, I think," said Elrond. "It is decided then. We will wait for news and speak again. For now, Legolas, I would like to work with you for the next week on this gift of yours. It will give you time to heel before you begin your training with Glorfindel. And," he added almost as an afterthought, "Legolas - whatever happens, whatever news comes from your home, you will always have sanctuary here, should you wish for it."
Legolas turned to the lord and bowed. "How can I thank you for all you have done for me? How can I be of service to your family?" he asked.
"All in good time, Legolas. One day, when you are captain and the Silvan people have regained their place in the forest. One day I may call upon you," he said, his voice distant and his eyes unfocussed.
Legolas watched in fascination as the lord's eyes sharpened once more and he smiled reassuringly.
"This meeting is adjourned," he said formally, before nodding to them all and walking away, alone with his thoughts.
Glorfindel nodded at Legolas, before following Elrond and soon, all had left - all except Handir and Legolas.
Legolas turned and sat heavily in a chair, a soft sound of pain escaping him as he did so. Too long on his feet and in tension had set his wounds to aching.
Handir turned from where he stood at the window. "Are you well?" he asked softly.
"Aye. It is just - that was - "
"I know," came the soft answer.
"Legolas. I wanted to - apologise too. This must have been hard on you…"
"It was, but that is not your fault, my Prince."
"Handir, just Handir here, brother, when we are alone with nothing to condition our behaviour…"
"Alright," came the soft response after a moment.
"Legolas - what do you remember? I mean, do you remember her? Your mother?"
Legolas held his brother's gaze for a moment, before his eyes moved to the side and unfocussed.
"No. I remember nothing of my early childhood, Handir. I have no recollection of a time before I could walk and talk. It is as a blur - opaque glass behind which there is only light."
"It is strange," mused Handir as he listened.
"I know. And yet - the other day when I lay in bed with a fever - a dream came to me," he said, as if he had only just remembered it. "I was a babe, lying in the arms of a sentinel - It was bliss, pure, unadulterated joy and when I looked up to the gnarled bark and the infinite trunk that reached up to the sun itself, I remember calling it 'mother'…"
Handir's brow furrowed minutely as he stared out of the windows.
"You are full of surprises, brother."
The spontaneous huff that left Legolas made Handir turn to face him. "Unfortunately, that is so - I scare myself sometimes," he said truthfully. It is unnerving to have this - thing - and that it should change and - progress in ways I can never foresee. I wonder if Elrond really can help me with it…"
"He will, Legolas."
There was silence again but this time, it was comfortable - relaxed. "Handir… what you said, about Rinion…"
"Yes," said Handir, his eyes sharpening once more.
"Perhaps if he knows I am not a threat - that I want nothing…"
"That first, yes - but it will not be enough, Legolas. He is under the influence of his great uncle, Bandorion. It will not be easy to pry him from their greedy embrace. They have worked hard to win him over; they will not give him up lightly - he is their ticket to power."
"Then," said Legolas, "we have our roles so clearly before us, do we not?" he asked with a smile. Handir cocked his head in curiosity.
"I will stand for the Silvans, in the field, in the forests and you, you stand for justice - for everyone - in the council chambers. Perhaps we can achieve great things, brother," said Legolas carefully, the strange word leaving his tongue experimentally, indeed his green eyes watched for his brother's reaction.
Handir smiled. "Yes - that is a good plan. I will learn from Erestor and you, from Glorfindel and when we are done - The Greenwood awaits her prodigal sons!" he exclaimed a little playfully.
Legolas' smile was wider now, before it dropped a little with his next thought.
"I wonder too, what the king will decree. I admit I do not know what to think. Will he resent me, do you think? Be ashamed - even, banish me?" he asked in mounting alarm as the possibilities came to him.
"No - no I do not think so, Legolas. And yet I cannot be sure - I want to write letters but I believe it will be the king to do so first. We should wait, for soon enough he will send word - for good or for bad."
Legolas nodded thoughtfully, and then startled somewhat when Handir spoke again.
"Just remember what I said. You, are my brother, whatever the king dictates - and Elrond has offered you sanctuary here, should you need it."
"Yes," replied Legolas. "But I could never stay away - away from the forest, Handir - she is the only family I have ever known."
Handir's eyes were bright when he replied. "I know, and for that- I am truly sorry."
That night, Legolas sat with The Company and told them of what had happened during the council, and in another, distant room, overlooking the main waterfall that ran through the valley, Elrond sat with Glorfindel and Erestor.
The soft trickle of wine proceeded an appreciative sigh. "This bottle is extraordinary," mumbled Glorfindel before drinking once more.
Erestor smiled but Elrond remained introspective.
"I must speak with Galadriel about the boy…" said the Lord of Imladris distantly.
"Legolas? About his gift, you mean?" asked Erestor.
"That and more, yes," he said, finally focussing his eyes on his two closest friends. "There is a greatness in him, veiled yet by youth and inexperience."
"Yes," said Glorfindel, sipping again on his wine and savouring it upon his tongue as he gathered his words.
"He is Oropher's grandson in every way, Elrond, and yet there is more…"
"Yes," said Elrond softly. "There is something inside him, something too old to belong to him…"
"What do you mean?" asked Erestor with a scowl. "You are surely not implying he is a reborn?"
"No, no - that is not what I meant at all," clarified Elrond. "There is something
- arcane - in his soul, a presence or perhaps it is this gift - it is attractive, irresistible, it is what others see in him that they cannot explain. There is deep empathy in him and yet it does not turn him to pity and sorrow but to rebel and to fight - to protect…"
"I can achieve great things with him, of this I am sure," said Glorfindel. "By all accounts he is an excellent warrior, in spite of his inexperience, and his mind is well-suited to command. I will make a leader of him, teach him of warfare and strategy…"
"And I," said Erestor, "will make of Handir a fine statesman. He is sharp and will learn quickly. He speaks his mind and is not afraid to show his emotions."
"I believe," said Elrond, "that in these two we have the makings of a new Greenwood, a stronger and wiser ally, a second awakening, perhaps…
Author's note:
Hello everyone, and once again, thank you so much for keeping me motivated :)) And thank you, as always, to my guest reviewers - your comments are always wonderful to read.
Now for some politics and intrigue, AND the plot is starting to unravel. We finally get to read of Lassiel's fate. I must say, I admire one of my reader's incredible insight when she made a comment about this - I will say no more, but you may already know who you are!
This chapter is almost a chronicle of events that will lead us into the final part of this story.
In Imladris, Legolas is about to start his training with Glorfindel and the Company, and Handir will do likewise with Erestor. Meanwhile, in The Greenwood, things are changing and the wheels of destiny are slowly starting to turn…
And a quick reminder of our characters is in order …
The Silvans:
Erthoron - Village leader of Broadtree, Legolas' home
Golloron - Spirit Herder of Broadtree, Legolas' home
Thavron - Forester from Broadtree, Legolas' childhood friend
Wild Monster Page 48
