Fan Fiction ❯ Fate of the Fires ❯ Don’t Think of Me ( Chapter 12 )

Fate of the Fires

Part XII: Don't Think of Me

Lady Mars

Disclaimer: I don't own Don't Think Of Me.

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Elrond leaned back in his chair, staring at the three men sitting in front of his desk. He had summoned the higher powers of the palace to solve the ever-present problem.

"So what shall we do about him?" Elrond asked, breaking the long-standing silence.

"We can let him stay here," Gorfindel replied bitterly.

"And why not?" Aragorn growled back.

"Isn't it obvious that he is the orcan army is being drawn to?" Gorfindel replied, equally bitter.

"True," Aragorn replied. "But that gives us no basis on which to throw him out."

"But he's putting the whole kingdom in danger!"

"And Frodo did too when he brought the One Ring here, but did we hold that against him? No and we shouldn't force Legolas to leave upon the same grounds of fear."

"Yes, that is true, but he didn't have an entire orcan army chasing after him!"

"But what of the ringwraiths that were following Frodo?"
"It wasn't like we couldn't handle them."

"And we can't handle a few orcs?"

"A few?" Gorfindel rose, throwing his chair back angrily. "This isn't a few orcs Estel, we are talking about the entire orcan army chasing after him. He is posing a major threat to Rivendell, no, all of Middle Earth as a whole!" Aragorn arose and slowly strode over to Gorfindel, his cold eyes never leaving the elven lord.

"Then what do you suggest we do Gorfindel, kill him?" Gorfindel didn't reply. "What then Gorfindel, WHAT THEN? We will still have what the orcs want, won't we? It is a fact of nature that we can not get rid of the orcs. There is nothing we can do about it, but shunning one who needs our help at this time is UNFORGIVABLE! Has he done anything to harm you? NO! Has he caused any problems to you personally? NO! So where do you get off attempting to throw him out when he has done nothing but lived his LIFE?!?"

"Excuse me." The two lords turned to see Legolas standing in the doorway. "You need not bicker over me. I don't mean to cause any harm. I shall take my leave as soon as I am deemed fit to."

"Legolas," Elrond said quietly. "You should know better than to say something like that. You have always been welcome here, no matter what the circumstances." He shot Gorfindel an angered look.

"I know my lord," Legolas replied. "I just feel that it I should leave. If not for the orcs and ringwraiths, then for the simple fact that I can not control my own power."

"Can not control your power?"

"You keep wondering why your lamps keep exploding, do you not?"
"Yes. It is getting rather bothersome."
"I am the cause of that." Elrond stared at him, confused. "At times, I can not control my power and when it flares it has a tendency to intensify any fire in the close vicinity which makes the lamps explode."

"How long has this been going on?"

"Ever since I started my training. The flares have been more intense ever since Adhil died." Elrond came around from the back of his desk, strode up to the elf, and began to scrutinize every inch of him. He stopped at Legolas' right wrist, staring at the scar.

"And what is this?"

"Nothing," Legolas replied, pulling his wrist back.

"Legolas." The elven prince didn't reply to the Lord's scolding. "Legolas." The prince still didn't stir. "Legolas?" Still nothing. "LEGOLAS!" The elf jumped.

"What?"

"Where did you get that scar?" Legolas didn't reply. "Don't play this game with me Legolas." The prince still made no attempt at a reply. " Mani naa ta?" The lord glared at the prince. "Mani marte?" Legolas turned his head to avoid the Lord's stony gaze. "Mani marte, Legolas? Mani Marte?" Legolas finally locked gazes with the lord again. "Mankoi Legolas? Mankoi?"

"Mankoi?" Legolas replied. "Uuma dela." His cold blue eyes burned into Elrond's. "Lle rangwa amin? LLE RANGWA AMIN?! Uuma dela, ianter, UUMA DELA! Dolle naa lost, yaaraer. Amin autien rath." The elven prince tore himself away from Elrond and walked out of the room. Elrond stared at his retreating form, unsure of what actions to take. When the door clicked shut, Aragorn shattered the silence.

"What did you do?" Elrond spun around to look at Aragorn.

"If I knew what I did, I would have stopped doing it, Estel. He just blew up at me for no apparent reason."

"What could have caused it?" Gorfindel asked.

"I don't know, but I do intend to get to the bottom of it sometime soon," Elrond replied, staring at the door.

[TRANSLATIONS!!!!!! Mani naa ta? - What is that? Mani marte? - What happened? Mankoi? - Why? Uuma dela - Don't worry. Llerangwa amin? - Do you understand me? Ianter - Old one Dolle naa lost, yaaraer - Your head is empty, ancient one. Amin autien rath - I'm going to bed.]

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Legolas collapsed on to his bed, staring at the ceiling. 'Was that really the answer to all of your problems?' his mind chided.

"No, it isn't," he replied out loud. "But what am I supposed to do?" 'Go back and apologize to Elrond and ask for his help.' "Help? No one can help me at this point." 'Well maybe he can guide you in the right DIRECTION then.' Legolas sat up again. "Maybe you're right. I was too harsh to him and I do need his help. That's what I went for in the first place." He stood up and slid out of his room quietly.

* * *

Elrond sat staring down at his desk. 'What am I to do with that child?' he thought. 'He was a lot easier to deal with when he was younger.' The elven lord burden his head in his hands, trying to come up with any solution to his on going problem with the elven prince. 'I don't understand how someone so quiet and withdrawn as a child could turn into someone so viscous and brutal. I always knew his brothers were problematic, but that's what made him timid in the first place. But what drives him to act so impetuously? Why is he like this all of a sudden? What has happened to the child that was the jewel of his mother's eye? Where did I go wrong? What has driven your son to be the way he is Ciele? What far off land has that kind soul disappeared to?' Elrond's head shot up when he heard the door open. He watched intently as Legolas timidly entered the room.

"Can I help you?" Legolas shifted uneasily under the lord's cool gaze.
"Yes," Legolas replied quietly. "Or at least I hope you can." Elrond continued to stare at the elven prince. Legolas sighed. "First off, I wanted to apologize for my behavior earlier. It was rash and unacceptable." Elrond nodded his agreement.

"It was unacceptable. Why did you do it?" Legolas stared at his feet.

"I'm not entirely sure, my lord. It just happened." Elrond sighed. "I'm being honest. It just happens to me sometimes. I get angry over the smallest things and then I start feeling guilty for what I've done…" Legolas swallowed the lump growing in his throat. Elrond watched intently as the prince tried to control his emotional breakdown. The elven lord slowly got up from behind his desk. He was about to reach out to Legolas when a servant entered.

"My lord," she said quietly. "The guests have arrived." Elrond sighed.

"Send them in then," he replied. The servant nodded and exited the room. Elrond turned back to Legolas. "We WILL finish this conversation later, understand?" Legolas nodded and turned to leave when the door swung open. He stared as two dark haired elves entered the room.

"Ah," Elrond said, startling Legolas out of his dazed state. "I'm glad to see the two of you made it here in one piece." Elrond turned to Legolas. "Legolas, this is Lord Thaurer and Lady Niasa." He turned to the other elves. "And this is Legolas, a Prince of the house of Mirkwood."

"You mean the house and realm that was destroyed not but a few months ago?" Thaurer asked.

"The very same," Legolas hissed back.

"'Tis quite a shame what happened to your home," the Lord continued, a mocking tone playing with his voice. "I have never seen so much pain and suffering come to a house all at one time as much as yours." Legolas bristled in the man's presence; there was something that he didn't like.

"Lord Elrond, I would like to humor your guests longer, but I fear I must be leaving now. I still have much to do." Elrond nodded his approval. Legolas acknowledged the pair before exiting the room. Niasa watched intently as the blonde exited. 'I wonder if that is really Adhil's prodigy child. Could he the fabled Lord of the Fires or are my senses deceiving me?'

* * *

Legolas sat on the edge of his bed, rubbing the remaining sleep from his eyes. Breakfast had been an uneventful moment; he had spent most of the meal trying to drive down the funny feeling he was getting off of Lord Thaurer. The man's presence was unnerving for some reason and Legolas wanted to find out why, but he had no means of doing it. He sighed; he wanted to find the source of his dread, but going about it was going to be quite the problem. His head shot up when he heard his door open and shut again. His eyes locked with the cool green ones of Lady Niasa.

"You have amazing restraint child," she said while approaching him.

"What do you mean?" he questioned back, unsure of her meaning.

"I was waiting for you to fry my husband's head off, but it never happened. That, in my book, classifies as amazing restraint." Legolas stared at her, utterly confused. "You are Adhil's prodigy apprentice, are you not?"

"How did you know that?"

"Being her best friend has a few perks."

"And the restraint?"

"I know what it's like having to control your power all of the time." She sat down next to Legolas. "I've been dampening my power for years to prevent my husband from finding out."

"Finding out?"

"He's not to fond of Fire Callers after his nice little run in with Adhil."

"What did she do?"

"In my eyes, absolutely nothing. But HE says she BETRAYED him." Niasa snorted. "If anyone was betrayed, it was Adhil. She came to our kingdom looking for safety after being thrown out of her original one on the counts of.."

"Witchcraft, I've heard that one too many times."

"So have I. As I was saying, she came to the kingdom looking for safety. Thaurer welcomed her with open arms because she wielded objects of great power and he wanted them. He charmed her left and right in an attempt to get a hold of them, but she told him that they were destined to be controlled by the Lord of the Astadian Fire Callers and it angered him thoroughly. So he, being the bastard that he was and is, turned his attentions to another woman, but what he didn't realize was that she harbored feelings for him. Eventually he did get caught and Adhil went into a rage. The two argued for days on end until Adhil had had enough. She grabbed her horse and left him, and me, behind. Her last words to Thaurer were "When you see her sweet smile, don't think of me!" And with that, she left for other lands."

"Were you the one..?"

"No. Thaurer has had many wives before me. I came with him to see her because this is where she said she would be, but we were too late for her, but we're not too late for you."

"What do you mean?"

"Thaurer is still bitter against all Fire Callers. If he should find out you are one, let alone Adhil's apprentice, he will kill you. You need to be careful in his presence and you must guard those items well for he still desires them." Legolas watched as she slowly arose. "I must be going though, he will eventually begin to wonder where I have gotten off to. Be careful, for your sake and mine." Legolas nodded and the lady exited. He got up and sat down at the desk across the room, trying to gather his thoughts. Unfortunately for him, he never saw the shadow lurking outside his window.

* * *

Legolas awoke to a sharp pain to the side of his head. He slowly sat up and his eyes latched onto the puddle of blood on his desk. He slowly raised his right hand to the side of his face and pulled back a hand covered in blood. As he stared at it, he noticed something else was wrong; his ring was missing. He latched his left hand onto his necklace as reassurance that it was still there. He slowly got up and walked towards the door. He flung the door open and strode out into the hallway. His only thought was to seek revenge on the person who had done this to him; he was on the hunt for Thaurer.

* * *

Elrond gazed down the table, idly wondering why Legolas wasn't at the meal.

"Has anyone seen Legolas?" Pippin had voiced the Lord's question before he had a chance to. The members at the table exchanged worried glances; no one had seen the elf all day. As if it were planned, the doors to the dining hall swung open and a rather upset Legolas strode through them. The angered, bleeding elf stopped at his spot, directly across from Thaurer.

"You have one chance to fess up," he hissed. "I know what you have done and you can redeem yourself now or suffer the consequences."

"I have no idea what you are talking about," the Lord spat back.

"LIAR!" Legolas slammed his fist down on the table, causing the entire table to shake and the candles in the center to flare up. "You can deny it as long as you wish, but it will not stop me from reaching what I desire. So you can give me my ring back or suffer the consequences." The Lord made not move to return the item. " Your status will not prevent me from burning you head off." The fire in Legolas' eyes bored into Thaurer's soul.

"You're one of them, aren't you?"

"It took you that long to figure it out? You are daft then. You can prevent you death from returning my ring Thaurer. This is your LAST CHANCE before I toast you." Thaurer dropped the ring into Leoglas' hand and the prince strode back out of the room again.

"Never a dull day around here is it Elrond?" Niasa mumbled. Elrond sighed; this was getting out of hand.

* * *

Leoglas watched from his balcony as Niasa and Thaurer rode off. He was concerned for the woman's safety but couldn't convince her to leave. He was pondering the last thing she had said to him before she left. 'The drake of Elindi rises with the sun on the planes of Rohan. Be ready.' The elf sighed. 'What does she mean? What does it have to do with me?'

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