A Time To Forget

It didn’t take long to reach the magical forest of Lothlorien and Legolas relaxed a little as he entered it allowing his senses to drink in the wonderful feeling of acceptance.


However that feeling was tarnished somewhat as he met up with the Marchwarden Haldir and his patrol, all of whom gave Legolas a wide berth. Haldir quickly pointed out an overgrown path that only an elf could follow, “The Lady has sent some supplies for you and the boy. The pack is hidden in the lower branches of an oak tree tied with a silver ribbon.”


Legolas feeling decidedly uncomfortable despite the fact these were some of his kin, nodded his thanks and continued on his way.


The Prince of Mirkwood was beginning to feel like an outcast, although he supposed he could not blame them for fearing what they did not know. Only he had seen inside the boy’s soul and knew that it was troubled and beaten down, but definitely not evil. The kind hearted Prince was well known within the elven kingdoms for rescuing stray injured animals so his actions should not really have been a surprise.


Legolas quickly found the pack and was glad to find food and blankets as well as medicine for the scrapes and cuts.


There was also a note in elegant elven which read,

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I am sorry young Prince that it must be this way. I know you must be feeling a little unloved right now, but you must turn your love towards the boy. We must hope that it will be enough to pull him through this trial. The Child may experience more than one change in the coming days: be there for him, reassure him and help him to cope.

That is why you have been separated from the Fellowship, so you can concentrate on this task that has been chosen for you by the Valar themselves.

Galadriel.
****************

He sighed as he hefted the pack onto his already full shoulders, before communicating with the tree in which he had found it. The tree was only too happy to direct him to a place that would be suitable for the boy to undergo the rest of the changes.


With help from other trees along the way, Legolas found a glade that was surrounded on three sides by thick bushes backed by tall overhanging trees which provided perfect shelter. Under the thickest cover was a large patch of moss which would make an ideal bed. Legolas gently laid the youth down on the moss making sure he was wrapped warmly and the broken wrist was still bandaged tightly.


He began to set up camp by retrieving water from the rock pool just outside the glade. The archer efficiently had a fire started and a pan of water on to heat in no time. As well he had laid a blanket near the fire to try to warm it a little.


As he began to retrieve food from the pack, there was a scream of pain from behind him, sending him to the boy’s side in a flash as the terrified youth yelled, “Legolas, please make it stop!”


“I am afraid I do not know how, Mellon Nin. All I can do is try some herbs to ease your pain, Tithen Pen (little one).


As he turned to get the herbs the elf noticed that the leathery hide was covering the boy’s face. The clothes had fallen off him to reveal his whole body was now sporting the same hide and his fingers and toes were now stuck together forming what looked like hooves. Indeed as he continued to watch, somewhat fascinated despite himself, the boy’s hair had turned into a black mane.


Legolas pondered the impossibility of turning a boy into a horse: surely there was some dark magic at work here for only that could possibly be able to achieve such an effect. Still he refused to believe that this suffering youth was a minion of Sauron or Saruman. Much more likely the boy had been cursed for some reason, in which case he must be on their side.


His musings were interrupted by a strangled cry that finished in a terrified whinny. He berated himself for becoming distracted, quickly returning to the fire to mix the pain-relieving herbs into some warm water. Gently he coaxed the poor creature to drink it, then began to stroke the skeletal body, massaging its limbs in an attempt to ease its suffering still further.


Once he had placed the warmed blanket over his charge, Legolas decided he had better prepare something to eat for himself. Although he was not hungry it wouldn’t do for him to become ill when Iriador may need him. He had chosen the name for the red ruby in the boy’s sword as Iriador was the elven word for ruby. He had decided however that the boy should also have a say in his new name, when it suddenly hit him that said boy was now a horse.


Once he had eaten and secured the camp for the rest of the night, he lay down next to Iriador and tried to rest. But a few hours later he awoke with a start as he found himself knocked halfway across the clearing, almost ending in the dying fire.


Then he heard it, the unmistakable sound of wings shifting through the air. Looking over at Iriador, he found him trying to stand on all fours while trying to finish unfurling his magnificent black wings, thus solving the mystery of the bumps on his shoulders.


The creature finally limped over to Legolas and gently nuzzled the shocked elf as if to show how sorry he was. Without thinking the Prince of Mirkwood immediately stroked the creature’s coarse mane.


“It is alright young one, I forgive you, I know you couldn’t help it. Well, Mellon Nin, it would seem your transformation is complete. Are you hungry?” He laughed with relief that the poor creature no longer seemed to be in pain. He reached into the pack and found an apple which Iriador was quick to accept.


“By the way, I have decided to call you Iriador for the red ruby in your sword, what do you think of that?’ He asked curiously.


Iriador for his part nodded happily before nuzzling the elf’s neck once more. “Very well: it won’t be dawn for a little while yet, so I suggest you get some more rest as you have had a lot happen to you today. The more rest you get the quicker your injuries will heal. Besides we can get a better look at your final form in the daylight.”


As an afterthought the blond archer added, “I think however I will remain here by the fire out of your wings’ reach.” He laughed again as he swore Iriador gave him a disappointed look before returning to his blanket.


Legolas decided to get the fire burning again and make himself some tea, while Iriador got settled again. Once that was achieved he sat down on his bedroll, sipping his tea and turning his thoughts to the predicament he now found himself in.


While it was true he hadn’t seen Iriador in full light, he already knew that anyone else who looked on him would automatically be suspicious believing him to be evil and aligned with the forces of Mordor in some way. But he could hardly have taken a more conspicuous form if his intentions were to spy for his master.


For Legolas this meant that he may not be welcomed back by the Fellowship, in fact it was more than likely that some of the others may choose to think that he, Legolas Greenleaf, had switched sides because he was protecting this creature.


But as he told Boromir, he would not abandon his charge; Legolas knew he was Iriador’s only real friend in Arda. So he resolved to share the boy’s fate even if that meant possibly being hunted just for looking sinister.

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Just as dawn lightened the sky, Legolas who had been keeping watch as well as preparing food, looked over at his charge once more. He was shocked to see the child was once more in human form. But almost as though Iriador sensed someone was watching him he began reverting back to the creature’s form.


The Prince of Mirkwood just watched in shock, as this time the transformation was painless and it only took a couple of minutes before the young black horse had reappeared. He could not fathom what this meant but he was determined to find out.