Legolas' lips trembled as he realized the grave mistake he had just done. The bow slipped from his fingers and fell unnoticed to the ground. "I'm sorry, Kel. I…I didn't know."

"Then why didn't you ask?" Keldarion was still yelling. His fists closed over the shards, cutting into his palms but he was not aware of the pain, so angry he was with his brother. "Why did you just simply take whatever things that you want without asking first?"

"How should I know? The bottle was in my room!" Legolas shouted back, already in tears.

"That doesn't mean everything is yours, you fool!"

"Kel, I'm sorry, okay? I didn't know!"

"Just get out of my sight!"

"Kel, please…"

"Get lost, brat! Before I do something I'll regret!"

With tears running down his face, Legolas whirled around and ran. His small but fast feet quickly took him away from the field as if he was being chased by a demon.

As soon as his brother disappeared from his sight, Keldarion collapsed to his knees. The broken glass still lay in his fists, drawing blood and tears of uncontained anger and sorrow.

***********************

Legolas watched from afar as Keldarion left the field and headed back towards the stable. The elder prince reappeared a while later, riding a red mare at breakneck speed into the woods. Legolas noticed the great distress on his brother's face and felt terribly guilty for putting it there.

Climbing down the tree he had been perching on, Legolas desolately returned to the palace. With a tear-streaked face, he entered his chamber and bent down beside his bed. He pulled a box out and placed it on the mattress. Opening the lid, he then took out several items and arranged them on the floor.

There was a pad of papers, several small jars of paint and some charcoal. Most of them he had confiscated from Galdor, the traveling artist who frequently visited Mirkwood to exhibit his works.  Legolas had been very impressed with Galdor's paintings, which were mostly of sceneries and trees. The prince had wondered why there were no painting of the elves, so he decided to make one himself.

Surprisingly, he had succeeded on his very first try. He had done such a great likeness of Keldarion that he wanted to make more. He had drawn his father, Commander Linden and several other Mirkwood warriors, and even himself. But it was the drawing of his mother that gave him the most pride. He never knew his mother, but he frequently saw her in his dreams. That was how he knew what she looked like.

Nobody realized that he could draw that well, not even his older brother. Legolas had been drawing in secrecy because he was a little afraid that everyone would think it silly for a noble prince like him to do the work of a commoner.

Picking up the drawing of his mother, Legolas gazed sadly at her. A fat tear spilled over and ran down his cheek as he recalled the things that Keldarion had blurted to him in the field.

"Mother, I took something of you from Kel, and I have broken it," he whispered to the drawing. "I can't replace the bottle, but I hope your picture will make him feel better."

The little prince hugged the picture briefly before placing it on his bed. He then waited for his brother to return.

**********************

After having his second ride for that day, Keldarion had calmed down a bit even if his anger was still simmering. He directed his mount towards the stable, feeling quite guilty for pushing hard at the mare into that wild and reckless ride.

They galloped into the large airy building, both mount and rider looking weary and worn out. Keldarion was so deep in his miserable thoughts that he was late to notice a small figure that suddenly emerged from one of the boxes to stand right in his path.

Waiting in his chamber for his brother had made him restless, so Legolas had decided to wait in the stable. When Keldarion finally came into view, the little prince had smiled, albeit anxiously. He still feared his brother's anger, but he couldn't wait to see his reaction when he presented Keldarion his gift.

Legolas jumped forward in his eagerness to show Keldarion the picture…then looked on in horror at the big mare that was coming straight at him. "Kel! No!"

"Ai Elbereth!" Keldarion jerked on the horse's mane, ordering it to stop. The mare loudly neighed in panic by the sudden move, rearing up on her hind legs with her front feet kicking in the air.

Legolas had stumbled to the ground beneath the powerful hoofs, crying out and cowering in fear. The little prince instinctively covered his head under his arms, somehow losing hold on his mother's picture in the confusion. He screamed in pain when a blow caught his hand and then his back. "Please don't kill me! Kel, please, I'm sorry! Don't kill me, please!"

Keldarion finally got the distressed mare under control with the help of the stable hands that had come running at Legolas' cries. The prince quickly dismounted and knelt down beside his brother. "Legolas!" Gathering his brother gently into his arms, Keldarion could not stop the tears that flowed from his eyes. "Valar! Forgive me, little one! I'm sorry! I didn't see you."

Legolas was sobbing and crying. "I thought…you…you wanted to kill me…"

Keldarion's mouth dropped open as he gazed down at his brother in deep shock. "Why would you think that way?"

"Because…I broke that bottle…I thought…you don't love me any more…" Legolas' voice grew fainter as he slowly lost consciousness. The mare's hoofs had left some bruises and bumps on his little body that Keldarion feared to be very serious injuries.

With Legolas cradled securely in his arms, Keldarion smoothly got to his feet. He then caught sight of a piece of paper lying on the ground a few feet away. Curious, he bent down to pick it up and was greatly surprised to see that it was a picture of their mother.

"How did you…?" Keldarion whipped his eyes back to his brother but Legolas was already unconscious. Gazing down at the sorrowful and dirt-smudged face of his little brother made Keldarion completely forget his own recent anger. All that was left was deep regret and remorse for the way he had treated Legolas earlier.

Leaving the mare under the care of the stable hands, Keldarion rushed towards the palace with his precious burden, hoping that he was not too late to repair the greatest mistake he had ever made in his life.

**********************

Thranduil, the king of Mirkwood, saw the deep guilt on his elder son's face as they sat together beside Legolas' bed and waited for the elfling to wake up.

"Kel?" the king called softly.

The young prince looked up, his eyes sad and worried. "Yes, father?"

"He will be fine. His injuries are not so grave. Your brother will recover," Thranduil reassured his eldest son for the umpteenth time.

Keldarion lowered his head, feeling even more miserable. His father was right. Legolas was lucky that he only suffered a bruised collarbone and a sprained wrist, nothing life threatening. But Keldarion knew he had struck Legolas where it hurt the most; his vulnerable heart. Still, his little brother never gave up. Legolas had bravely confronted Keldarion's anger to show him their mother's picture…and he got run down by his brother's mount for it.

Keldarion had seen the scattered drawings and art supplies in his brother's chamber when he brought Legolas in. He instantly knew that the drawings, including the one of their mother, were made by Legolas' own hands. Shocked yet pleased by his discovery, Keldarion marveled at Legolas' secret talent. Why had I not known of this before?