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****I have rated this for violence, it is hardly anything as you will find out when you read but just thought I'd be careful! There are also spoilers for another story I am planning, so if you read something you do not understand that is why!****
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Tears ran freely down the pale cheeks of the fair elven Prince. Hushed sobs broke from his lips and his body shook at the amount of emotions running through his body at that one time. The door to his room slowly opened behind him, but the Prince was so consumed by his emotions he did not notice.
Two piercing grey eyes opened wide at the scene before him. His once strong warrior friend was huddled up on his bed, arms wrapped tightly around his knees as if he was hiding from something. Estel saw the way in which his friend's body shook and he could hear the sobs escaping from the Prince's lips. Never before had Estel seen his friend look so weak and so vulnerable. Estel went to speak to his disturbed friend but his voice would not come. The adopted son of Elrond felt his throat tighten with emotion and a tear silently slipped from his eye. He could not see his friend like this, it broke his heart.
What has happened to you Legolas?
“I am so sorry. Why did I argue with you? It is all my fault. I am so sorry.....”
This was all the human could make out through the broken sobs.
“Why did you hurt me? Why?... Why?...” The Elf-Prince began to rock back and forth. “Have I been such a terrible son?.... Why?....”
Estel's eyes suddenly shot up. Was it Thranduil who had given Legolas a black eye and that cut? Whatever had happened, he was going to find out.
Estel took another step into the room.
“Legolas?” He said quietly.
The Elf-Prince jumped at the voice from behind him, though he would not turn to face his friend.
“Estel.... leave me.”
“But I want to know what is troubling you mellon-nin.” he said with a sad smile.
Estel moved to sit next to his best friend on the bed. Legolas moved away from his friend until the human put his hand on his arm. Legolas stopped dead at the touch.
“Do not hide yourself from me Legolas. I am your best friend. I see no shame in crying. You have seen me cry have you not?”
Legolas glanced up at the human, almost shocked that Estel had so accurately read his mind. Estel pulled the elf closer to him and laid his arm around the Prince's shoulders. The ranger was surprised to see his friend wince at the gesture.
“Are you hurt, mellon-nin?”
Legolas looked at Estel with pleading eyes as if to say please do not take this any further. Estel on the other hand completely ignored the Prince's look and told him to remove his shirt.
“No Estel. It is nothing. I strained my shoulders riding here.”
“Liar.”
“Please Estel. Leave it.”
“No I will not Legolas Greenleaf. Not until you remove that shirt!”
“Estel! Please, I beg you.”
“Legolas... no”
He was now on his knees.
“I am begging you, do not take this any further, please?” The elf's voice was laced with panic.
The ranger had never heard his friend beg before, but he was not willing to allow this to cloud his judgement. The elf's injuries had to be seen. Using a rather unorthodox technique, Estel lunged at his friend and tore his shirt down the front.
“Estel! Stop it!!... you are..... hurting me!!” the annoyed Prince shouted through gritted teeth.
Having heard the commotion, Lord Elrond and his two sons ran to the Prince's room. When they entered, they saw a sight they thought they would never see. Legolas was on top of Estel with one of his white handled blades to his throat. The Elf Prince was shirtless and his back was marred with ugly bruises.
“I told you to leave me!!” he shouted at the ranger trapped beneath him, ignoring the three new elves who had graced the entrance.
Estel was looking into the Prince's eyes in shock. Not only because of the terrible bruising the elf wore on his back, but the expression on the elf Prince's face. It was pure desperation. Estel could not move, his body would physically not let him.
Snapping out of his trance the Elf Lord in the doorway decided he had seen all he could.
“Legolas Greenleaf! Enough! Get off my son!” he ordered angrily.
Legolas jumped up in shock. He tore his knife away from his best friend's throat and backed into the corner of the room. There he stood, eyes wide with horror and his body and still as stone.
Estel sat up off the bed.
“Ada, it is alright. I should not have done that. He begged me not to. I should have listened to him.”
“Estel, I told you to leave him alone.” The Elf Lord replied, shaking his head with a perplexed look on his face. He had no idea what had happened.
At this, Elladan stepped forward, determined to find out what had been going on.
“What happened?”
Estel explained the situation to his family and what he had overheard the Prince saying about his father. When he turned back to Legolas, the elf's legs had given in and he was slumped in the corner of the room. Silent tears rolling down his motionless face.
The room was silent for what seemed like an eternity as the Elf-Lord and his three sons watched Legolas go over different thoughts in his mind. Finally Elrond broke the silence.
“I need to speak with Thranduil”. The Elf-Lord turned to leave the room and faster than he could ever have imagined, Legolas was in front of him.
“No! No you don't! Everything is fine! Just fine! My Adar will not wish to be bothered! Please Elrond! Please” The Prince ignored the Lord of Imladris' title for the first time in his life. Elrond knew he was desperate.
“Legolas, your father needs to know about this! You are not right up here,” he said tapping his head. “You have just held a knife to my son's throat! And not to mention those strange bruises on your body! I need to know what is going on, and if you will not tell me, perhaps your father may.”
Legolas was down on his knees again now clinging onto the Elf-Lord's robe for dear life.
“Please, leave my father. Please!” The Elf-Lord started to walk away from the begging Prince. All the while his three sons were watching this scene through disturbed eyes. “Please?!” He said one last time in a broken voice.
Elrond stopped dead in his tracks. The broken voice of the Prince was enough to tear his heart in two. He had not seen or heard the Prince this vulnerable since his rescue in Harad centuries before. The Elf-Lord turned to face the pale being collapsed on the floor. He knelt down and gained eye contact with the elf, speaking softly.
“Legolas, please, understand. I must speak with your father to find out what is going on. I cannot help you if I do not know. And you, are not willing to tell me.....”
“I will.” Came the gentle reply from the Prince. “If only to stop you from speaking to my father.”
“Hannon le, Legolas. Whatever it is, we will sort it.... and in the meantime, no more thrusting knives at my son, he can find danger easily enough without you handing it to him” The Elf-Lord said with a smile.
Sadly, Legolas' face broke into a small smile but he remained on his knees. The Elf-Lord walked up the corridor then turned. The Elf-Prince was staring at the floor looking defeated.
“Come, we must talk.”
Legolas rose to his feet and took in a deep breath and caught eye contact with Estel. His eyes were asking his best friend for forgiveness. Estel replied with a nod and the Prince smiled slightly knowing all was well. Well, not quite all, but he had not lost his friend.
“Legolas, come” the Elf-Lord pressed.
The young elf took in another deep breath then followed the Lord of Imladris down the corridor.
Estel, Elrohir and Elladan exchanged glances with each other but said nothing. There was nothing that could be said. What they had all seen had shocked them beyond belief and none of them wished to discuss it further.
“Let us go outside, I need some fresh air.” Elrohir suggested.
“Yes, let us” replied his twin brother.
The three made their way down the stairs and out of the Last Homely House.
