Chapters of Mirkwood

This is going to be the place for any short oneshots about Mirkwood, mainly centering on Legolas, Thranduil and my OC Belhadron. I am aware that I often have very long gaps between publishing, so hopefully this will be a way to fill a few of the gaps, as well as filling in some extra details that I will have hinted at in certain stories. Absolutely feel free to ask for certain things- it can involve other characters as well, anything centred on Mirkwood really. I might make another story to publish oneshots that don't take place in Mirkwood, but at the moment I don't have anything concrete in my head for such a thing, whereas I have several planned for Mirkwood already.

Disclaimer: Ha. Haha. Hahahaha. HAHAHA *cough cough* I own nothing. Apart from, when he turns up, Belhadron. He is all mine!

Chapter 1

Injuries can happen in a variety of ways, and no injury is the same, especially for a certain blond elf. A collection of the lighter moments in the healing wards of Mirkwood, featuring Legolas, Thranduil and my own OC Belhadron.

I am writing this as I sit on the sofa with stitches in my nose, having returned from the hospital a few hours ago. I came off my horse last year and smashed up the inside of my nose a bit, and so this was a small operation to fix it- it all went fine, though general anaesthetic is weird to wake up from. Anyway, I was thinking about how weird it was to wake up, and then a few other injures I have managed to gain over the years, and how funny it was afterwards (I once got a concussion and couldn't stop talking. Literally, the part of my brain that was actually functioning was just sitting at the back of my mind laughing as I just talked about anything and everything).

The point of all this is that I decided to write down a few of the lighter moments that may have occurred within the healing wards of Mirkwood. Enjoy!

0-o-0-o-0

When Thranduil was summoned to the healing wards of his stronghold during a meeting with men from Dale, he had not expected the sight that he saw upon opening the doors. It was unfair to call it a summons, seeing as the only reason he had been able to leave was because the meeting had been finished anyway when Galion had knocked on the door and informed him his son was in the healing wards.

This had happened before, and a flash of panic had shot through Thranduil, before curling into worry in his stomach as he had gotten up and smoothly left the hall. Legolas was only just over a hundred years old, and already the state of his realm had left him in the healing wards once before, badly injured. So Thranduil had spent the walk to the healing wards preparing himself. Galion had already informed him it was not critical, but did not know more, and Thranduil expected to see his son unconscious or with bandages.

What he did not expect was to see a fully conscious Legolas sitting on the side of a bed with a scowl on his face and one shoulder looking obviously lower than the other.

"Legolas," he said with a wry smile. "What did you do?"

Legolas shifted slightly on the bed, before abruptly stilling and wincing, and Thranduil frowned as Legolas' gaze didn't quite meet his eyes. Was he…embarrassed?

"He dislocated his shoulder, my Lord," said one of the healers as she handed an earthen cup to Legolas. "Out on the training fields."

Thranduil's frown deepened. "How exactly, ion, did you manage to dislocate a shoulder on the training fields?" he asked, one eyebrow slowly raising. Legolas bit his lip and Thranduil watched in amazement as his son chuckled slightly, before drinking down the contents of the cup.

There was a slight cough from the elf who was sitting quietly in the corner of the room, and Legolas grinned slightly as the elf, dark hair falling around his shoulders, stood.

"It is my fault, my Lord."

Thranduil turned to the elf. "Belhadron, is it not?" he asked. "My son's recently appointed second." Legolas had decided on the elf to look over his shoulder as his second in command, and so far, Thranduil had to admit that he was pleased. It had only been a few months and already word had reached him of Belhadron's protective nature over his son. He had considered talking to the elf on his own, about another job that the elf could complete for him whilst at Legolas' shoulder. But those things could wait.

"Aye, my Lord," said Belhadron with a nod. "We were sparring, hand to hand combat, and…"

"He slipped," said Legolas helpfully with a smile. Belhadron, seemingly forgetting that he was standing in front of his King, turned and glared at Legolas.

"And who's fault is that?" he asked wryly. "You were the one who insisted on sparring hand to hand when the grass was wet."

Legolas chuckled, and then winced as it jostled his shoulder. "You were the one who threw me and dislocated my shoulder when you slipped doing so," he said with a smile. Thranduil looked back at Belhadron.

"I did not mean to, my Lord," said Belhadron with a swift glare at Legolas, which even Thranduil could see was half-hearted. "Though I do claim responsibility. I slipped as I threw him and it ended up with…him dislocating his shoulder."

Legolas chuckled where he sat, his tunic in a rumpled heap on the bed as a healer gently ran their hands over his shoulder. "You are certainly feeling less guilty than before," he said with a gentle smile to Belhadron.

Belhadron winced as said feelings of guilt trickled back a little, even if Legolas was going to be absolutely fine once the healers set his shoulder back in place. They had merely been sparring, trading pulled blows as they moved swiftly across the grass that had been damp from yesterday's rain. Belhadron had tripped Legolas, pulling the blond elf over his shoulder and throwing him to the ground. He had fully expected Legolas to get up, until he didn't, and there came a muffled groan from the floor instead.

"I will be fine, Adar," said Legolas with a smile, though it was interrupted by a wince and a bite of his lip as a healer began to gently manipulate his arm. "I would be better if someone had not dislocated my shoulder in the first place, but it will only take a week to fully heal."

"If you keep your arm in the sling they are going to give you," Belhadron said pointedly from where he had sat back down. "Which you are undoubtedly going to do." Legolas glared at Belhadron, but it was only for a few seconds before he caved and reluctantly nodded.

"We're ready if you are," said one of the healers, and Thranduil moved over and gripped Legolas' good shoulder as a healer gently rotated Legolas' arm, popping the socket back in. Legolas' face whitened, and everyone winced at the loud clunking noise.

Thranduil squeezed Legolas' shoulder. "I must go," he said with a rueful smile. "Wear the sling they give you, ion, and stay away from the training fields if the grass is wet." Legolas laughed, and nodded in agreement. With a final smile, Thranduil turned and left.

Belhadron was sitting in the corner, looking worried as he watched Legolas gingerly pull his tunic back on, and Thranduil strangely felt a little relief at that. He rather thought Belhadron was going to make quite a good second.

Of course, if he could see some of the chaos that the two of them would achieve over the next hundreds of years, he may have removed Belhadron from the room then and there. Or maybe he wouldn't have, even then. Only the Valar knew how long they would be able to endure the growing darkness that Thranduil knew was coming, and a few…mishaps every few decades or so would be a very small price to pay to keep his son happy.

He left the room, hearing Legolas say something and Belhadron laugh as he did so. The door swung shut behind him.

Within the room, Belhadron exhaled and let himself slump in his chair slightly. "That scared me more than I am willing to admit," he said with a grin as healers put Legolas' arm in a sling. Legolas laughed, earning an admonishment from the healer as he jostled his arm.

"If you are to be my second, then you will have to face my father," he said with a grin. "But don't worry. I think he likes you."

Belhadron scoffed. "Are you sure? Because I really couldn't tell." He got to his feet with a sigh as the healers finished with the sling, and held out a hand. Legolas grabbed it, and pulled himself to his feet.

"Be careful, please, my Lord," said one of the healers. "That has to stay on for a week. I mean it when I say we do not want to see you back here." Legolas chuckled, and Belhadron nodded, steering Legolas towards the door.

"I shall make sure of it," he said with a grin. "And I mean it," he said to Legolas, pulling him towards the doors. "If you take that sling off before the week is out, I will personally go to the King and tell him. Actually, no, I will go to the healers. That would be worse."

Legolas laughed. "You wouldn't," he said. "That is low, even for you."

Belhadron chuckled. "When it comes to keeping the healers happy, and more importantly, keeping the King happy, there is nothing I would not stoop to." He looked over at Legolas and grinned. "You are the one who made me your second. You asked for this."

Legolas sighed. "Apparently I did," he said with a laugh. He nudged Belhadron with his good shoulder. "Archery training?"

"What?" asked Belhadron. "No! No archery training. No sparring, especially hand to hand. For a week I am going to lock you in the study you never use, and you will not touch your bow or your knives or any other weapons. I do not want the King to accidentally kill me because you take that sling off tomorrow."

Legolas laughed at that, and glanced back at the closed doors of the healing wards. He grinned wryly and shook his head slightly. If only all visits to the healing wards were as light as this one.

0-o-0-o-0

About four hundred or so years later.

"What happened?"

Belhadron sighed, and gently adjusted his grip on Legolas' waist as he guided the blond elf through the forest towards the stronghold. Four elves moved in front of them, making their way back from a patrol that had ended with Legolas being slammed into a tree by an orc. Another patrol had joined them, leaving Belhadron and four other elves with the delightful task of walking a concussed Legolas back to the stronghold to see the healers.

"An orc slammed your head into a tree," Belhadron said, his voice slightly weary as he explained what happened yet again. "I'm taking you back to the stronghold."

"Oh," said Legolas. "Are you alright?"

Belhadron rolled his eyes. That was always Legolas' second question. "I am fine," he said with what was meant to be a reassuring smile. Given that Legolas wasn't even tracking movement properly, he didn't think it mattered that much if it came out as more of a grimace. "I was not hurt."

"Oh," murmured Legolas. "Good. Don't want you to get hurt." He attempted to pat Belhadron's arm, and missed, wavering slightly. Belhadron pointed him in the right direction, away from any more trees, and continued to walk forwards. It appeared that Legolas did actually have command over his legs, and was able to walk without help. He just couldn't walk in a straight line without Belhadron constantly redirecting him, and had a tendency to drift to the left until he walked into something.

Belhadron chuckled. This was going to be excellent blackmail material later on.

Legolas paused slightly. "Which tree?"

Belhadron groaned. That was a new one. "I don't know," he said. "Just a regular tree." He saw the slightly worried look in Legolas' eyes and suppressed another groan. "The tree is fine as well," he told Legolas.

Legolas nodded, and there were a few moments of blissful silence as they walked back. The stronghold wasn't very far away at all, and they would be there in a few minutes, Belhadron hoped. For a few moments it was peaceful, and then Legolas opened his mouth again.

"Belhadron?"

"Yes?"

"What happened?"

"He's concussed," said Belhadron as he helped lower Legolas onto one of the beds in the healing wards. A healer crouched down in front of the blond elf, looking into his eyes.

"How long since he hit his head?" he asked, his fingers ghosting over the large purple bruise forming on Legolas' temple. Legolas winced at the touch, but otherwise seemed rather compliant. Belhadron thought it was a nice change.

"About three hours," he replied. "He kept asking what had happened on the journey back."

The healer nodded. "It's to be expected," he said with a small smile. "His mind is just sorting itself out again. In an hour or so he should come out of it, but we'll keep him in here until he does." Belhadron nodded, and settled back on one of the other beds.

Legolas turned to him. "Why am I in here?" he asked softly. His hand went up to his head, and the healer pulled it back down again. "What happened?" Belhadron sighed. Legolas hadn't asked in a few minutes and he had hoped that he was snapping out of it. Apparently not.

He opened his mouth to answer the same thing that he had been saying for the past few hours, when he suddenly paused. A slow smile came across his face.

"The spiders have learnt how to throw rocks," he said, trying to hide a grin from Legolas. "You were hit in the head on a patrol."

Legolas frowned, and for a moment Belhadron thought he had gone a little too unrealistic, but Legolas merely opened his mouth and said: "We'll need to do something about that." He tried to sit up, but the healer pushed him back down.

"You are staying here until I say otherwise, my Lord," he said sternly, and to Belhadron's surprise Legolas merely nodded and sat back down. He looked over at Belhadron, apparently still expecting an answer about the spiders.

Belhadron bit his lip and tried to stop himself laughing, ignoring the healer's disapproving look. "I'll get on it," he said. "Don't worry about it."

Legolas nodded. "Thanks," he said. He leant back on the bed at the healer's insistence, and for a few more minutes there was quiet.

Then Legolas sat up, and Belhadron groaned. "Ai Valar," he muttered, as Legolas turned to him with a confused expression.

"What happened?" Legolas asked. "Why am I in the healing wards?"

Belhadron thought for a moment, before hiding his grin and replying. "Well, there was a dragon…"

Legolas groaned as someone shook his shoulder. "Go away," he muttered.

He heard someone laugh, a little too loudly for his liking, and then the shaking of his shoulder resumed. Legolas groaned again, and then rolled over, wincing as the pounding in his head was amplified by the movement.

"Are you awake?" he heard someone ask, and he recognised Belhadron's voice. He grimaced, and sat up, wincing against the bright light.

"Of course I'm awake," he said with another groan. "I'm sitting up, aren't I? I'm talking. Why did you wake me up, anyway?" He glared at Belhadron, who laughed again.

"What do you remember of the past day?" his second asked, and Legolas finally looked around him. He was in his own room, still dressed in hunting clothes, and it was dark. Belhadron was in a chair next to the bed, sitting how he usually did when he had to wait for a while: knees drawn up to his chest and arms wrapped loosely around them. He was grinning, and that was the first thing that made Legolas a little suspicious.

Legolas frowned. "We were out on patrol, and then…" He shook his head. "Nothing." He reached up to his head. "Concussion?"

Belhadron nodded. "A very amusing concussion, I must admit," he said with a grin. Legolas groaned.

"What did I do?"

"Nothing much, but every time I let you walk of your own accord you walked into a tree or me, and you forgot everything I told you within two minutes for about five hours." Belhadron chuckled. "You must have asked what happened over four hundred times, mellon-nin."

Legolas grinned tiredly, and fell back onto his bed. "Sorry," he murmured. "But what actually happened? I don't remember."

"An orc slammed your head into a tree," replied Belhadron. "I did tell you this when you first started coming round a few hours ago, but…you obviously forgot."

"Obviously," muttered Legolas. He rolled over so he could see Belhadron, blinking in the light from the fire. "You don't have to stay," he muttered. "I'll be fine."

"Someone needs to wake you up every hour or so," said Belhadron with a smile. "Don't worry about it. Go back to sleep."

Legolas nodded, and his eyes half slid shut. He was almost asleep when he suddenly frowned.

"What is it?" asked Belhadron.

Legolas shook his head. "I could have sworn…There weren't any spiders involved, were there? Or rocks?"

He was already half asleep, and so he must have imagined the stifled snort of laughter from Belhadron. A moment later a warm hand fell on his shoulder. "No, there weren't any spiders or rocks, or dragons for that matter," said Belhadron. "Go to sleep."

Legolas nodded tiredly, and his eyes steadily unfocused. It was only when Belhadron was sure he was asleep that he stopped biting the inside of his cheek and let out a snort of laughter. Next time, just because, he really did hope that there were spiders involved.

The End

This second story, about a concussion, is based on real life events from me, as I mentioned earlier. My mum spent about two hours telling me over and over again what happened when I fell off my horse, because I would literally forget a few minutes later. It wasn't funny at the time, but now it is pretty hilarious to hear the story.

If anyone has any requests as to what they would like to see as short oneshots of Mirkwood, feel free to ask! Seriously, pretty much anything you would like (no smut, though), if I feel inspired, I will write it. As always, thank you for reading.