Wrath and ruin

Legolas could not be sure how long after watching them carry his lifeless father's body across the hall it had taken him to leave his hiding place. He had sat out of sight in an area of the Halls where no one would have needed to go. No one came for the Prince and Legolas convinced himself that so long as they left him alone, then his father was still alive.

Legolas was not sure when returned to his chambers and put on his boots and outer-tunic, or how he had made his way to the armoury. He did not know for how long he had been out in the training field. He did recall taking a pair of long-handled knives out into the yard instead of a longbow or sword. He had wanted something in each hand, and the knives felt good. Legolas hacked away at another training dummy; he had lost count of how many he had destroyed, but he needed a release for the fear and adrenaline that surged within him. Nothing mattered his father died. Legolas was not ready to be King, not now, not yet. The Prince yelled as he stabbed the dummy. Something made a noise behind him, and he quickly spun around. His knives found steel, in the form of a long sword. Legolas was more than prepared to kill whoever this was, but in two quick moves, the swordsman had him disarmed. Now Legolas saw who stood before him.

"Come," said Lord Elrond, re-sheathing his sword. The Healer looked weary. "You need a drink. I will tell you what you want to know."

Legolas picked up the knives and followed Lord Elrond from the field. He held the knives tightly, one in each hand, to stop his hands from shaking. He felt like a boy, following his tutor, about to get a telling off. Lord Elrond led Legolas into a small solar close to the armoury. Legolas was surprised that Elrond knew his way around the Halls so well, but supposed that Elrond was one of those whom once he knew something, he never forgot.

"Sit down," Lord Elrond said. Legolas felt it slightly peculiar being told to sit in his own house by one who was not of it, but he did so regardless and placed the knives on the table. Lord Elrond poured them both a glass of water. Legolas planned only to sip at his, until the cool sweet water touched his lips and he quickly drained the whole glass. Lord Elrond re-filled the glass, and then sat opposite Legolas at the table. "Ask me anything. I will tell you all you want."

"How long was I out there?" Legolas asked.

"In the yard?" Lord Elrond asked, re-filling Legolas's glass.

"Yes," the Prince said.

"Since shortly before sunrise, until just now. The sun shall set within the hour, which means you've been out there for over half a day."

At least 12 hours. That was a personal record, not that Legolas meant to be in the yard for so long. No wonder sitting down now felt so good. "And my father?" the Prince asked, knowing that should have been the first question he asked.

"He will live."

Legolas felt relief surge through his body. Of course, Lord Elrond would not have left the King's side if the King had not been stable. "What happened?" Legolas asked. As soon as he did, he was not sure he wanted to know. At intervals throughout the day, Legolas had heard whispers in the trees, and every time he had, he had fought harder. Broken, blind and burnt. The words had scared him more than he could say.

"Your father faced a dragon," Lord Elrond said. "What he did was hardly what any could call wise, but it was most certainly brave. His sacri – what the King did has saved the lives of a thousand of our kin, twice that of men and countless dwarves."

Legolas cared naught for dwarves, men or, currently, even his own kind. "He was…" he could not bring himself to say burnt. "Injured."

"Yes," Lord Elrond answered. "I initially feared it would be fatal, but that is not now the case. Such wounds would have killed a mortal man on impact, and even a Silvan elf, but your father has much of the grace of the Eldar."

Legolas nodded slowly. He could not forget what he heard in the trees. He could hear the whispers even now. Broken, blind and burnt. "But it was…bad?" Legolas forced his voice to stay steady, praying it would not crack.

"Yes," Lord Elrond was terribly blunt. He had promised to tell Legolas everything, but he was clearly censoring his answers. At any other time this would bother Legolas, but not now. Now the Prince was not sure he wanted to know everything. Perhaps Lord Elrond knew that too.

"But he will survive?" Legolas asked, needing confirmation.

"Yes."

"You saved him."

"Yes." The answer was honest, not vain or proud.

"And none other could have done so?"

"Does it matter?"

Legolas shrugged.

"No. Not any other within a thousand leagues of here of whom I know," Lord Elrond replied. Legolas knew this to be the truth also. There was no healer like Lord Elrond.

"Can I see him?"

"Not yet."

Legolas felt crestfallen. He now wanted desperately to see his father, to see that he was indeed alive with his own eyes.

"He is sleeping," Lord Elrond said.

"Sleeping?" Legolas asked. It was highly unusual for elves to sleep. They had no need of it, except in extreme circumstances.

"Go now, and let not the fate of your father trouble you," Lord Elrond said, standing up. "Go and bath, eat, rest. I shall come for you when you can see him."

Legolas stood up also. He did not have to obey the Lord of Imladris. Legolas was a Prince of the realm, Lord Elrond for all his titles and rings was a guest. The guest who has saved Ada. "Then goodnight, Lord Elrond," Legolas said, and left the solar, slowly making his way back to his chambers. He felt tired, not just of body, but of heart too. Shutting the door behind him did not block out the whispers that haunted him; broken, blind and burnt. The Prince's mind raced. He was certain he had asked Lord Elrond all the wrong questions; only he had no idea what the right ones should be. Legolas felt utterly lost, confused and alone.