Live Journal FeedDISCLAIMER: Once again these characters are not mine, they are Tolkien's fantastic creations. However, the character Celrobil was invented in my little head but I will imagine he will go rather unnoticed
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“Estel! Legolas is here!” shouted Elrohir to his human brother. “Look, it's his horse!” The three brothers were putting their horses to rest for the night in the stables after a long day of hunting. Legolas' white stallion was rather hard to miss next to the other brown and black horses in the stables.
Estel approached the horse and nodded to Elrohir.
“Right you are. He is beautiful, is he not? Definitely a horse fit for a Prince.” Estel was now stroking the horse's neck like Legolas had done less than an hour before. “I wonder what brings him to Imladris two weeks early. I hope all is well in Mirkwood.”
The third brother put his hand on his human brother's shoulder.
“If anything was ill we would have received news from King Thranduil. You know this Estel. Legolas probably could not wait to see us again!” jested Elladan. Estel gave the older twin a devlish grin, whilst the younger twin burst out laughing.
“If Legolas has taught you anything at all, it would be that smile.” Elrohir said through his laughter.
“No! No one can quite do that smile like our favourite Prince. He somehow captures such innocence whilst evil thoughts skitter across his face. He is famous for it now.” replied Elladan with a thoughtful smile on his face.
“You are correct El, as much as it pains me to say it of course.” Estel ducked down to avoid a hard swat aimed at his head from the older twin. “I remember a time in Mirkwood not so long ago, when elves from Lorien came to visit the King. They were greeted by Legolas and his beaming smile and so mesmerised by it they were, one of them rode into a tree and another fell off their horse!”
The three brothers burst into a fit of laughter at the thought.
“I bet that was a sight to behold!” said Elladan whilst wiping his eyes clearing them of tears of laughter.
“Indeed it was! After that, whenever Legolas smiled, no one would look at him!”
The three brothers burst into laughter again until Celrobil interrupted them. The three brothers jumped at the voice of the newcomer.
“Good evening my Lords, I see you are all well. Your father will be pleased. I have been sent to inform you that your presence at dinner is requested.”
“Ai, Celrobil, well met. You can tell our father we will be gracing him with our presence after we have stored our horses.” replied Elladan with a smile.
“Worry not, I will see to it that your horses are looked after. Go! Your food awaits.”
“Hannon le Celrobil” said Elrohir gratefully. “Come, Estel, Elladan, I have no doubt you are both as hungry as I am.”
At this, the twins and their human brother left the stables and headed towards the Last Homely House.
Laughing to himself, Celrobil started to remove the saddles from the horses.
Young ones!
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“Good evening Legolas.” The Elf-Lord welcomed the Prince to the table. “You look a little more like yourself now.”
“Hannon le, hir-nin.” he replied with a sad smile.
Lord Elrond looked at the Prince of Mirkwood and spotted the cut on his cheek that had worried him before. But now on closer inspection he could see the Prince was also sporting a black eye and bruises around his neck that closely resembled finger marks. Although Legolas had tried to cover them well using a strategically placed cloak, it had slipped down revealing his hurts.
At this sight the Elf-Lord went slightly wide-eyed and Legolas knew what had caused this. He quickly grabbed his cloak and thrust it around his neck again.
Shocked by the Prince's obvious and futile attempts to hide his hurts, the Elf-Lord's brows furrowed.
What has happened to you that you would hide such minor injuries?
Lord Elrond was just about to speak when Estel and the twins burst into the room.
“Legolas!!” Estel was overjoyed to see his friend. He had not seen him in many months and had missed him dearly. “It is so good to see you mellon-nin!”
The Prince stood to greet Estel with a broad smile on his face. It seemed that the human's presence had lightened his heart if just for a while.
Estel brought Legolas into a tight embrace and the Prince seemed rather taken aback by his friend's greeting. Feeling slightly offended, Estel pulled away.
“What is wrong mellon-nin?” he asked. Legolas would not look at his best friend. Estel tipped the Prince's head up by the chin and what he saw broke his heart.
Tears had welled up in the usually bright blue eyes of the Prince, and underneath his right eye was an ugly black circle and a long cut across his cheek.
Similar to the expression Lord Elrond gained when he saw the sight, Estel gave the Prince a wide eyed stare.
“How? - What? - What has happened? Why are you upset?”
This is not like my friend to openly cry in front of people. Whatever is wrong, it must be tearing him up inside.
By this point, Elrohir and Elladan were also staring wide-eyed at the Prince shocked to see tears rolling openly down his pain filled face. This was the first time they had ever seen him cry.
Realising the amount of attention he was garnering with his uncontrolled actions, he quickly withdrew into himself and released himself from Estel's grip.
“Sorry. I have missed you, that is all.” came the shaky reply from the Elven Prince. At this he sat himself down opposite the Elf-Lord and gestured for his friends to join him.
At the sudden change in Legolas' demeanour Estel raised an eyebrow to his two brothers and his father as if to question what was going on. All three shrugged their shoulders and the Elf-Lord gestured for his sons to join the table.
The twins eventually brought the conversation back to a light and informal chat between friends and family. Laughing and joking about the day's events and filling Legolas in on all he had missed during his absence. Although to all at the table it seemed Legolas was still rather absent. His mind tended to wander and he would not join in with the usual light hearted banter between the three brothers. This worried his friends and the Elf-Lord. The table then fell silent.
Sensing the unease that his presence, or lack of it caused, Legolas decided to excuse himself from the table and retreated to the safety of his room.
Estel brought his questioning gaze to his father. “Adar, what is the matter with him? How did he get a black eye and that cut?” The twins also gazed at their father, expecting an answer to Estel's question.
The Elf-Lord sighed in frustration at the answer he would have to give his sons, but he knew it was the only answer he could give. “I know not ion-nin. I know not. All I know is that his mind is troubled, with what I do not know.”
“Did you not ask him how he got the black eye?” enquired Elladan.
“He told me that is was an accident, nothing more. He knew I did not believe him, but he does not seem ready to uncover the source of his pain yet. He will reveal himself again, in time. Give him that and hopefully he will approach one of us.” Elrond looked at his sons, hoping that they would be satisfied with his answer.
Elladan and Elrohir gazed at their father nodding their heads, understanding that he could give them no more information. However, Estel was still confused. He did not have the patience of the elves and would not stand and wait until Legolas felt the time was right to talk to them. After all, what if that time never came? What if his best friend carried these troubles on his shoulders for much longer than needed? Estel would not leave his friend to withdraw from the world as he had heard he did, so many centuries before.
With those thoughts running through his head, Estel made his excuses and left the dining hall.
“Do you think he has gone to speak to Legolas?” Elrohir questioned.
“I hope not, but then on the other hand, if anyone can find out what is troubling him, it is Estel.”
The three remaining elves decided to finish their food and allow the ranger time to speak with his best friend.
