Two days later, Neithas and Legolas awoke to find themselves in the
Lothlorien healing house. Their beds close to each other against different
walls. Their chests and backs were bandaged. As well as Neithas' wrist and
leg and Legolas' head. Although every inch of their bodies still hurt, they
did not hurt as much as before.
"Neithas?" asked Legolas. "How do you fair, mellon nin?"
"Better, Legolas. And you?" asked Neithas.
"Better."
"I'm sorry, Legolas."
"For what?"
"For despairing. For almost giving up hope. It was your undying hope that kept me from giving up. If I had, I surely would have died before they found us. Forgive me."
"There is nothing to forgive, Neithas." Silence fell between them for a moment.
"Legolas, why didn't you want those men to be killed?" asked Neithas cautiously.
"Because I believe that being consumed by hate is punishment enough. To have your life controlled by hate. I pitied them, Neithas. And also because, I believe they can change." Said Legolas, as he starred at the ceiling. Neithas did not ask about Legolas' decision again.
Mufias and Thranduil had asked their sons to tell them everything that had happened to them. Many tears were shed as the two elves relived their horror. But even though they lived through the terror, scars still remained that would constantly remind them of what they went through together.
End Flashback
Neithas looked up at the company. Tears ran down their cheeks. Even Gimli was wiping away falling tears. "So, now you all know how he got his scars." Said Neithas.
"I'm sorry for what happened to you, Master Elf. For what happened to you both." Said Merry.
"Do not feel sorry, Merry. Not for me. Not for Legolas. We are both still alive, and although we went through a hard time, we have grown stronger from what happened."
"Your story is horrifying. Never in all my days would I have dreamed that any being could live through what you did." Said Boromir.
"And now you understand why I say he is not fragile. Nor is he weak."
"I would say that neither of you are fragile or weak. I now have more respect for both of you." Said Gimli.
"Thank you for your kind words. I am proud to have your respect, Master Dwarf. But I must ask you all, do not treat him differently. I'm certain he would not like to be looked at differently for what happened to him."
"He should have let those elves kill those men when they had the chance." Said Sam.
"Ah, but Sam. The men did learn their lesson. For only a few years later, those men were attacked by orcs. But Legolas was near by and when he saw the men being attacked, he fought with them against the orcs. Had he not helped them, they would have all surely been killed. He saved their lives. And after that, all of those men, even Beldor himself praised Legolas. They never harmed another elf, but rather became allies to elves and befriended them."
"They did? Why?" asked Merry.
"Because Legolas showed them love. Love they had never seen before. And after seeing such love they were no longer consumed by their hate. And they strongly regretted doing what they did to us. So it was good that Legolas stopped them from being killed that day."
"I guess so." Said Pippin. Frodo turned around to look at Legolas, tears streaming down his face.
"Well, the story is over and I'm sure you're all hungry. It has been a few hours since you last ate. Come, let us go to the dining hall." Said Neithas.
They all wiped away their tears and walked out of the room. Aragorn stopped at Legolas' room door. He starred at him for a moment, tears reforming in his eyes. He had always had his own imaginations of Legolas' scars, but never would he have imagined what really happened. After a few moments, he moved away from the door and followed the others to the dining hall.
A few days later, Legolas was out of bed and the healers decided that he was well enough to continue the journey. On the morning of the company's departure, Legolas and Neithas said their good-byes to each other.
"Take care, Neithas." Said Legolas as he gave his friend a hug. "May your journey be quick and safe, Legolas." Said Neithas returning the hug. The two ended the hug and Legolas followed the others to continue the quest. He looked back one last time to smile at his friend. Neithas returned the smile and waved goodbye to the fellowship, although his heart was saddened by the departure of his close friend.
As they walked, the company was silent. Aragorn led the way as Legolas guarded the rear. Frodo walked safely behind Aragorn. But he did not feel safe. He constantly shot glances back at Legolas. Frodo slowed his walk until he fell behind the others and was now walking next to Legolas. The elf looked down at him and smiled.
"Feeling all right, Frodo?" asked the elf, the smile never leaving his face.
"Yes. I'm all right. I just...well...wanted to walk next to you. If that's okay." Said Frodo shyly.
"Of course it's okay." Said Legolas. The elf turned his attention back to scouting the back, listening for any foes that may be coming their way. Frodo walked quietly next to him. For some reason, he felt much safer walking next to the elf.
The terrain became rougher as the company walked. Legolas had no troubles with their path and stepped lightly. Frodo stumbled and struggled to keep up. Legolas noticed Frodo's trouble. He smiled at the hobbit before lifting him up and swinging him over his shoulder so that Frodo was being carried on his back.
"There, that should be better." Said Legolas.
"Legolas! Your back. I do not wish to hurt it." Said Frodo.
"Worry not, Frodo. You will not hurt it. My back is quite all right. Besides, I'm sure you are tired."
"Well, yes I am tired, but I..."
"Then rest. I do not mind carrying you. You are light. And you do not hurt my back."
"If you're sure, Legolas."
"Of course I'm sure."
"Thank you."
"It is no problem, Frodo."
The company carried on for a long time in silence. Frodo was quite content as Legolas carried him. He sat comfortably on the strong, leather straps of the elf's quiver as he was placed between the quiver and Legolas' back. But guilt ate at him. He closed his eyes.
"I'm sorry, Legolas." He whispered to himself so no one would hear him. But Legolas' keen elven ears, however, did hear him.
"Sorry for what, Frodo? You've nothing to be sorry for." Asked Legolas. Frodo looked up, a look of surprise on his face.
"I'm...I'm...I'm sorry I did not trust you before. I thought you were after the ring. Forgive me, Legolas. I should have never thought..."
"It's all right, Frodo. Have I earned your trust, now?"
"Yes. You have earned my trust. But still, I..."
"Frodo, do not worry yourself. But I want you to know I did not join the fellowship to have the chance to get the ring from you. The oath I gave to protect you by my life or death was not a lie. I do intend to protect you the best I can."
"I know that now, Legolas. I'm just sorry I did not know it then."
"There is nothing to be sorry for, Frodo. All is well. And there are certainly no hard feelings. I'm just glad that I was able to protect you and that I have earned your trust." Legolas smiled at Frodo who returned the smile. Silence fell between them except for Legolas' quiet singing in his elvish language. Frodo felt himself getting tired and, feeling safer than he had throughout the beginning of the journey, fell asleep as Legolas carried him and sang.
The End
(A/N: Well, that it. I hope you all liked it.)
"Neithas?" asked Legolas. "How do you fair, mellon nin?"
"Better, Legolas. And you?" asked Neithas.
"Better."
"I'm sorry, Legolas."
"For what?"
"For despairing. For almost giving up hope. It was your undying hope that kept me from giving up. If I had, I surely would have died before they found us. Forgive me."
"There is nothing to forgive, Neithas." Silence fell between them for a moment.
"Legolas, why didn't you want those men to be killed?" asked Neithas cautiously.
"Because I believe that being consumed by hate is punishment enough. To have your life controlled by hate. I pitied them, Neithas. And also because, I believe they can change." Said Legolas, as he starred at the ceiling. Neithas did not ask about Legolas' decision again.
Mufias and Thranduil had asked their sons to tell them everything that had happened to them. Many tears were shed as the two elves relived their horror. But even though they lived through the terror, scars still remained that would constantly remind them of what they went through together.
End Flashback
Neithas looked up at the company. Tears ran down their cheeks. Even Gimli was wiping away falling tears. "So, now you all know how he got his scars." Said Neithas.
"I'm sorry for what happened to you, Master Elf. For what happened to you both." Said Merry.
"Do not feel sorry, Merry. Not for me. Not for Legolas. We are both still alive, and although we went through a hard time, we have grown stronger from what happened."
"Your story is horrifying. Never in all my days would I have dreamed that any being could live through what you did." Said Boromir.
"And now you understand why I say he is not fragile. Nor is he weak."
"I would say that neither of you are fragile or weak. I now have more respect for both of you." Said Gimli.
"Thank you for your kind words. I am proud to have your respect, Master Dwarf. But I must ask you all, do not treat him differently. I'm certain he would not like to be looked at differently for what happened to him."
"He should have let those elves kill those men when they had the chance." Said Sam.
"Ah, but Sam. The men did learn their lesson. For only a few years later, those men were attacked by orcs. But Legolas was near by and when he saw the men being attacked, he fought with them against the orcs. Had he not helped them, they would have all surely been killed. He saved their lives. And after that, all of those men, even Beldor himself praised Legolas. They never harmed another elf, but rather became allies to elves and befriended them."
"They did? Why?" asked Merry.
"Because Legolas showed them love. Love they had never seen before. And after seeing such love they were no longer consumed by their hate. And they strongly regretted doing what they did to us. So it was good that Legolas stopped them from being killed that day."
"I guess so." Said Pippin. Frodo turned around to look at Legolas, tears streaming down his face.
"Well, the story is over and I'm sure you're all hungry. It has been a few hours since you last ate. Come, let us go to the dining hall." Said Neithas.
They all wiped away their tears and walked out of the room. Aragorn stopped at Legolas' room door. He starred at him for a moment, tears reforming in his eyes. He had always had his own imaginations of Legolas' scars, but never would he have imagined what really happened. After a few moments, he moved away from the door and followed the others to the dining hall.
A few days later, Legolas was out of bed and the healers decided that he was well enough to continue the journey. On the morning of the company's departure, Legolas and Neithas said their good-byes to each other.
"Take care, Neithas." Said Legolas as he gave his friend a hug. "May your journey be quick and safe, Legolas." Said Neithas returning the hug. The two ended the hug and Legolas followed the others to continue the quest. He looked back one last time to smile at his friend. Neithas returned the smile and waved goodbye to the fellowship, although his heart was saddened by the departure of his close friend.
As they walked, the company was silent. Aragorn led the way as Legolas guarded the rear. Frodo walked safely behind Aragorn. But he did not feel safe. He constantly shot glances back at Legolas. Frodo slowed his walk until he fell behind the others and was now walking next to Legolas. The elf looked down at him and smiled.
"Feeling all right, Frodo?" asked the elf, the smile never leaving his face.
"Yes. I'm all right. I just...well...wanted to walk next to you. If that's okay." Said Frodo shyly.
"Of course it's okay." Said Legolas. The elf turned his attention back to scouting the back, listening for any foes that may be coming their way. Frodo walked quietly next to him. For some reason, he felt much safer walking next to the elf.
The terrain became rougher as the company walked. Legolas had no troubles with their path and stepped lightly. Frodo stumbled and struggled to keep up. Legolas noticed Frodo's trouble. He smiled at the hobbit before lifting him up and swinging him over his shoulder so that Frodo was being carried on his back.
"There, that should be better." Said Legolas.
"Legolas! Your back. I do not wish to hurt it." Said Frodo.
"Worry not, Frodo. You will not hurt it. My back is quite all right. Besides, I'm sure you are tired."
"Well, yes I am tired, but I..."
"Then rest. I do not mind carrying you. You are light. And you do not hurt my back."
"If you're sure, Legolas."
"Of course I'm sure."
"Thank you."
"It is no problem, Frodo."
The company carried on for a long time in silence. Frodo was quite content as Legolas carried him. He sat comfortably on the strong, leather straps of the elf's quiver as he was placed between the quiver and Legolas' back. But guilt ate at him. He closed his eyes.
"I'm sorry, Legolas." He whispered to himself so no one would hear him. But Legolas' keen elven ears, however, did hear him.
"Sorry for what, Frodo? You've nothing to be sorry for." Asked Legolas. Frodo looked up, a look of surprise on his face.
"I'm...I'm...I'm sorry I did not trust you before. I thought you were after the ring. Forgive me, Legolas. I should have never thought..."
"It's all right, Frodo. Have I earned your trust, now?"
"Yes. You have earned my trust. But still, I..."
"Frodo, do not worry yourself. But I want you to know I did not join the fellowship to have the chance to get the ring from you. The oath I gave to protect you by my life or death was not a lie. I do intend to protect you the best I can."
"I know that now, Legolas. I'm just sorry I did not know it then."
"There is nothing to be sorry for, Frodo. All is well. And there are certainly no hard feelings. I'm just glad that I was able to protect you and that I have earned your trust." Legolas smiled at Frodo who returned the smile. Silence fell between them except for Legolas' quiet singing in his elvish language. Frodo felt himself getting tired and, feeling safer than he had throughout the beginning of the journey, fell asleep as Legolas carried him and sang.
The End
(A/N: Well, that it. I hope you all liked it.)