The Curse of the Valar

It's not a chain link, I don't own LotR, the usual.

For James.

Killing spiders had become second nature to Legolas. He was mortally afraid of the tiny ones, but the giant ones of Mirkwood were simply another walk in the park. He spun around again and again, thrusting his blade in to the soft underbelly of the spiders. He was flanked by his father and several of their friends. Legolas was almost enjoying the fluid motions as he killed. He watched Elenion as he stuck an arrow through a spider. Elladan, always a lot of fun, had snuck up the tree from where Elenion was shooting and was nudging the bow so that the arrows missed their targets. Legolas kept killing, ducking the stray arrows, watching his friends fight. He heard a yell from behind him, turning to see Thranduil with a sword stuck through his chest. As Legolas stared in awe at the orcs bearing down on him and his friends. Elenion fell out of his tree at that moment, taking Elladan with him. Legolas realized that they both had arrows sticking out of their backs. As Elrohir and Aragorn noticed their dead brother and comrades, they threw themselves on to the orcs mercilessly, forgetting about swords, bows, anything, determined to do as much damage to the beasts that had murdered their brother. Legolas was still in a trance, watching his father fall to the ground, blood soaking the ground. Unaware of what he was doing, Legolas leapt towards the orc responsible for his father's death. The orc moved towards his victim's son; eyes gleeful at Thranduil's death. Legolas thrust his sword threw the orc, instantly killing it.

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The fight was done, the orcs dead or fled. Aragorn put his arm around his best friend. The blonde haired elf looked ready to collapse with grief. Elrohir was kneeling with his brother in his lap, clutching Elladan as tears streamed down his face. Elenion's son, Caellevan, seemed in a daze. Herovel, Caellevan's younger brother, leant against Caellevan, as if in a faint. Those were all the survivors. Thranduil, Elladan, Elenion, Gathalorn, Harrebryn, and Arnalian lay upon the ground, cold and lifeless, eyes unseeing as their still living family grieved for them. Legolas looked at Aragorn, eyes still streaming.

'Where's my brother?' Aragron looked around, seeing Arnalian lying among several dead orcs, lifelessly. The king of Gondor said nothing of it, not wanted to further upset Legolas. 'Where's my brother, Estel?' Legolas was getting serious. Aragorn looked at his friend silently for a moment.

'He's gone, Las.'

'Gone?'

'See for yourself. But don't leave us. Please, Gwador. Your people need you.'

Legolas did not go see, but instead looked up at Aragorn. 'My people?'

'Your king now, buddy.'

This sent a fresh wave of tears down Legolas' face. It was hard for Aragorn to believe as well. Thranduil had been the only king of Eryn Lasgalen that the man had ever known. Hearing stories of Oropher's time let Aragorn know that the only king Greenwood would ever have was not Thranduil, quite the contrary. But King Legolas just sounded weird.

'I don't want to be king, Estel. I just want Ada back.'

Aragorn let Legolas cry into his tunic. He had felt the same way. Being king was not fun, it limited the time Aragorn could spend with his wife and son, it made everyone bow to him and call him lord no matter how many times they got told off, the list went on and on.

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Legolas couldn't believe it. His father and brother were gone. He was left alone, without family, two of his friends in Mandos's halls as well. He was alone, despite Aragorn holding him and whispering in his ear to stay calm and let it all out. Elrohir wouldn't be far behind Elladan, if he could hold on to life it would be miraculous. He and Aragorn would be at it together, as always. Thranduil, Arnalian, gone. Legolas could feel himself leaving. His brother needed him, his father needed him, his mother needed him, his grandfather needed him. He could hear their call. He could see the gate now. Mandos was standing by it, waited for him, beckoning him forward. He began towards the valar, as if in a trance. Then he heard a voice in his head. 'Don't go, Ada. Please.' A small elfling ran in front of Legolas, his eyes wide and fearful. Legolas blinked, trying to see if his vision was true. The voice came again. 'No, please, Ada, stay with me, please.' The little boy looked up at him, his blonde hair still in his deep blue eyes. Legolas smiled at the little boy. He had to pull out of it. He had to. The Elfling needed him. It was when t hit Legolas. The tiny elf in front of him, must be his own child. The little thing needed him. He tried to pull out of it.

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Legolas opened his eyes to see Aragorn… Estel… looking down at him, face full of relief.

'Oh, Legolas, don't scare us like that again. I thought we'd lost you.'

'I… Ada… Arnalian…' Legolas said breathlessly, 'They're back, right?'

The grief in his eyes made tears come to Aragorn's own. 'I'm sorry, Las, they're gone.' Legolas' eyes teared up again. 'I'm so sorry, mellon nin.'

'Who else is gone?'

'Elladan, Elenion, Gathalorn, and Harrebryn, though I fear we shall soon lose Elrohir to grief.'

'Tell him not to go, Estel, please. If he goes, we'll be alone.'

'Elenion and Elladan are alone, Legolas, you know.'

'But why can't he stay with us as long as he can?'

'He is trying, Legolas, he is just so close to Elladan, they are twins, inseparable. Elrohir probably feels alone, like you and I do.'

'I just feel so helpless, so vulnerable, Estel, how am I to help the elfling if I cannot help myself?'

'Elfling, gwador nin?'

'I had… a vision… I was moving towards Mandos's gate, and an elfling came to me, begging me not to leave him, the stay… Estel, I think he was my son.'

Aragorn digested this. 'It is possible, Legolas. I do not doubt that if he id anyone, he is your child. You will regain your strength, my friend. Everyone does. It will hurt, but you shall survive.'

'I feel so helpless, floundering in a sea of darkness.'

'That is a nice description.'

'Not when it describes yourself. It hurts so much, but then it doesn't. It will stay this way for too long, won't it, Estel?'

'I'm afraid so.' The two friends sat like that, silently, for a good long while, sharing in grief and sadness, until Elrohir put his hand on his brothers' shoulder.

'Estel, we must go. I know we cannot leave our friend's here, but we must get help. Orcs are nearby, I know it.'

'As do I. Come on Legolas, we must go.' Legolas obediently stood.

'We should not leave them here.' He said shakily.

'We shall recover their bodies when we return. We must return to Eryn Lasgalen, this place will be swarming with orcs by nightfall. Caellevan! Herovel! We must make haste!' The two boys followed their father's friends out of the clearing towards their home.

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Legolas sat on his bed, still in his forest green tunic. It had been three days since his father fell in battle and Legolas had slept, ate, and did whatever he had been told to prepare for his father's funeral, his own coronation, and to keep Caellevan and Herovel safe until they were old enough to make their own way in the world.

There was a knock on the door of Legolas' room and Aragorn and Elrohir entered.

'Hey, Legolas. We need to get you ready. The coronation's in three hours.' Said Aragorn, cautiously.

Legolas' eyes teared up again. 'How can I be king, Estel, without Ada here to help me? Without Arnalian? How? I do not want to be king.'

Aragorn and Elrohir sat down on either side of their friend. 'I know it will be hard, Legolas.' Said Elrohir, 'But we'll help you. We'll have each other, we can share knowledge, tricks, and help each other. Now most of middle earth is in a firm alliance, what do you think of that?'

'I wish it weren't that way. Our duties keep us apart.' Said Legolas, wiping the tears off his face. 'I just wish I could be with everyone I love. Why are the valar so cruel?'

'I do not know. The valar are the only ones that can tell you.' Said Aragorn, 'We can prepare, we can protect each other, and we can look after each other, can't we?' Legolas nodded. 'Now what do you say we get you ready?' Another nod.

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Two hours later, Legolas was dressed in a very heavy robe, a tunic, and a very annoyed expression. 'Why, 'Ro? I can hardly carry this robe, how am I expected not to be squished when they put the crown on?'

Elrohir shrugged. 'Stand up and lock your knees is my advice. Estel's the one who does these things. In Imladris, we like tunics and circlets better. Now, get that grumpy expression off your face, it looks most out of character, your usual smile is like this!' Elrohir put on a very silly smile. He had taken to his brother's death by acting sillier and more obnoxious than usual. He would get over it eventually, and everyone was hoping that that was sooner, rather than later. Legolas smiled weakly. Aragorn cuffed his shoulder.

'All right, Mellon nin, let's go do this thing.'

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As he stood in front of his people, Legolas was so incredibly nervous, that he thought the robe might not be the only reason for his knees to give way. Malvafin, the steward, stepped forward with the crown. As he placed it on Legolas' head, the blonde haired elf was surprised at how light it was. He turned towards his people, thinking for a moment. Eventually, he smiled at them and began to speak.

'I won't keep you, long, nor will I keep myself long. As I expect you do, I miss my father and brother with all my heart. I wish they were still with me, to guide me along this new adventure of being king. Though I know they can not return from beyond this world.

'I hope I can be as good a king to you as my father was to you and I, I hope Eryn Lasgalen can be built back to it's former glory. I anticipate the day where we can live in peace, our allies beside us. And so I speak to you, to you all, in hope for what our kingdom will be in the future and grief for what it was in the past. I wish happiness for you all, good wishes to the future, and, if you don't mind the informality, I hope I won't suck at this king business.

'As I said, I won't keep you guys, so I will have one last word. I look forward to being your king and working with you to keep Eryn Lasgalen the magnificent place it always was!'

Legolas' speech was met with cheers. They took awhile to dissipate. After they did, elves began to file out of the area where their king was coronated. Aragorn and Elrohir made their way towards Legolas to clap him on the back.

'Legolas, mellon nin, you rocked that! It was even better than Estel's!'

'I don't know, Elrohir, I spoke from the heart, like you said.' Then Legolas let the tears he'd been holding back for his entire speech go.

It felt good to cry, He was letting his grief out, onto Aragorn's shoulder, but it didn't seem to be transfer to the human, who was still smiling serenely.

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The tiny elf curled in his father's arms slumbered on, through the noise of the healers, through Legolas' excitement, through all the noise in the healing ward.

'He's so cute, Legolas, I don't believe it.'

'High praise, Aragorn.'

'High praise? I believe it's just what you said about Eldarion.'

'Alright, I suppose.'

'Whatever, you two. Legolas what are you going to name him?'

Legolas glanced at his wife, Fillethia, who was still smiling radiantly at him.

'Anordil.'

'Anordil. Fitting.' Said Elrohir, 'What do you think, Fillethia?'

'I agree, it's a lovely name, good thinking, Legolas, melleth nin.' She kept smiling at him.

'Well then. Welcome, Anordil, to Eryn Lasgalen.' Legolas was reminded so much of his brother, Arnalian, when he looked at Anordil that he started to cry again. Aragorn patted him on the back in a reminder that whatever happened, they would be together in these troubled times.

I'm sorry if this depresses you, I wrote this meaning for that to happen.

I think I did okay at finding names for my characters.

Thanks for reading. Please R&R!

-SunStar