Second Chances

Part 7

Posted: March 2004
Author: Larien Elengasse

*****

Legolas had spent most of that morning talking with Mithrandir and Master Elrond. He had left the two elders to discuss a topic of some urgency unknown to him, and he decided to take advantage of the clear fall day to walk through the gardens. He turned down the path that led toward the stables, deciding to check on his mare before returning to the library. As he entered the building, he came across Glorfindel. The Elda was readying his horse with some haste.

"Lord Glorfindel?" he asked softly as he approached. "Is there something the matter?"

Glorfindel answered Legolas without pausing, "I have an urgent errand I must attend to, I will return as soon as I may."

Legolas furrowed his brow and answered, "This is a dangerous errand you ride to."

Glorfindel looked at his beloved and nodded. "Yes, mellonen, but it must be done."

Legolas turned and grabbed his bow and quiver that was mounted on the wall beside his horse. "Then I shall accompany you."

Glorfindel put his hands upon Legolas' shoulders, stopping him from opening the stall door. "Nay, ernilen veren, this errand is for me alone. You are needed here."

Legolas placed his hands upon the elf lord's arms. "But I would not have you ride into such danger without me. I do not want you to go."

Glorfindel looked into his beloved's sapphire eyes, he did not know if he would return or not. He was riding to face the Nine; it was quite possible he would not return at all. "Nor do I wish to go and leave you behind, ernilen," he answered softly. "But this is my duty, this task falls to me. Stay here, Legolas. I promise I will return as soon as I am able."

Legolas lowered the quiver and placed it back on the wall. "Very well," he answered reluctantly. "But know that I do not like this. Balrog Slayer or no, everyone needs help."

Glorfindel laughed heartily and drew the Sinda Prince into an embrace. "Well said, ernilen, well said," he answered. He held Legolas in his arms for a short time, content to feel him there and to smell his sweet hair. He slowly released the Prince and gazed into his open face as he cupped his cheek in his hand. Before he could stop himself, his hand slid around the back of Legolas' neck and he leaned down, pulling the Prince into a kiss.

It was brief; the soft meeting of lips upon lips, but it was the sweetest, most heartbreaking kiss of his life. As Glorfindel drew back, his eyes were closed and he heard himself whisper, "that this solid flesh could melt…"

Legolas opened his eyes; he was reeling from the sensations that flooded his body and his thoughts, flashes of things he did not understand reeling through his mind. He reached up; touching the Elda's lips with his fingers as a soft shuddering sigh escaped him.

Glorfindel opened his eyes and straightened, his hands falling to his sides. "Be well, ernilen," he whispered. "The memory of your lips will help me find my way home." He swung onto his horse and smiled gently.

Legolas thought it was the smile of an elf that accepted his destiny, and rode to meet it without fear. He stepped back as the large white stallion turned on his haunches and sprung into a gallop, leaving the courtyard in a blur of white and gold.

* * * *

The Prince stood upon the balcony of his chamber as the westerning sky blazed gold. He had tried to sleep, tried to read, even tried to sing, but none of the activities could distract him from his worry for the Elda.

**Have faith, Greenleaf,** Fëanor's voice whispered. **I see the light of the Eldar in Glorfindel's eyes. He will not fail, he will return.**

"So this is what it is like then?" he asked his constant companion. "To love another so much that it takes over your every thought and action?"

**Yé, Greenleaf. This is what it is like.** Fëanor answered.

"How do you do it, Fëandro?" Legolas asked. "How do you go on day after day, loving him so much that every fiber of you aches? How do you go on being so close to him yet never having him?"

**I have you, and through you, I have his love, Legolas,** he answered. **Love takes many forms, not all need burn the blood.**

"But oh to burn so, Fëandro," Legolas answered. "The ache I felt after he kissed me…" He raised his hands to his face. "I still smell him on me, I still feel his lips upon mine."

Legolas felt that unnamed sensation stir in his loins when he thought of Glorfindel. He knew Fëanor had once felt that way for his father and he was torn between wanting to know and being afraid to know.

The days passed long and hard for Legolas as he waited for Glorfindel's return. On the eighth day, he stood under a tall tree in the garden, his eyes wide with shock when a group of Dwarves entered the courtyard. They were stout and swarthy, their clothes stained from their travels. The only dwarves he had seen up close had been those that his father held for awhile in their dungeons.

He eyed them with suspicion, but greeted them civilly. Upon hearing his name, the eldest grumbled something intelligible and Legolas narrowed his eyes. Erestor quickly swept them away, narrowly averting a diplomatic mishap, and Legolas was left alone again with his thoughts.

Each night that passed was filled with dreams of Glorfindel, some that did not make sense to him, and some that left him aching for the Elda's arms. Fëanor was seldom in his consciousness, though always there, like a warm comforting blanket he could wrap himself in. He was deeply saddened for his father and his friend, being forced apart by the circumstances of his own coming to be. Many times his father had assured him that he would rather have him than Fëanor, that his life would never be complete without him in it. But, he could not help feeling he was to blame in some way. Nevertheless, he could not agree to what Elrond wanted to do, he could not agree to see the fëa of his friend cast into a black void from which it would never return.

* * * *

On the evening the ninth day of Glorfindel's absence, Legolas' sharp ears picked up the clattering of hooves and the ringing of bright silver bells. He leapt from his bed and ran out onto the balcony dressed in naught but a thin white sleeping robe.

"Asfaloth!" he gasped. He ran back into the room, snatching up a heavier robe and pulling it on as he dashed for the courtyard.

His bare feet made no sound as he tore down the path, his flaxen hair and white robe flowing out behind him. Upon reaching the courtyard, he found Mithrandir and Master Elrond removing a small hobbit from the proud stallion's back. The young halfling appeared to be injured or ill. He looked quickly around the courtyard and saw no sign of Glorfindel.

Catching Erestor by the arm, he turned the Noldo and asked in hushed tones, "Where is Lord Glorfindel? Has he returned?"

Erestor's expression was grave as he shook his head. "I am afraid not, my Liege. Asfaloth returned alone bearing this young hobbit."

Legolas' face was transformed into a mask of concern. He released the Noldo's arm and walked to the gates of the courtyard, peering into the dark night for some sign of the Elda, but finding none. He walked slowly back to his room where he paced for sometime before removing his sleeping attire and dressing in his leggings and tunic. He walked quietly to the stables and retrieved his bow and quiver, strapping it upon his back and securing his bow. He opened the stall door, walked with his mare to the courtyard gates, and pushed them open, sending her through them before turning and closing them.

"My Lord?"

The sound of an elf's voice came to him from above and he looked up to see the guard perched upon the wall.

"Are you leaving us?" the elf asked.

"Only for a short while," Legolas answered. "I will return with news of Glorfindel."

"But, my Lord," the elf replied, "the Úlairi are about, ‘tis not safe to travel alone."

Legolas looked up at the elf and answered, "I know of the Úlairi, meldir, I fear them not." He swung on to his mare's back and began walking westward on the road.

* * * *

It was early morning and the pale mists clung to the ground nearly obscuring the trail that lead to the haven of Elrond. Legolas' sure-footed mare traversed the narrow trail easily, picking her way down the narrow path. His sharp eyes and keen hunter's hearing surveyed the land before him, and the loud roar of the Bruinen could be heard in the distance.

Suddenly, something out of the ordinary attracted his attention. It sounded like the shuffling of large feet. He bid his mare halt and he listened closer, it was not orcs, and certainly not Úlairi. There were three, and what sounded like the footsteps of a Dúnadan, though they were very quiet.

"Legolas!" the bright voice rang out.

"Glorfindel!" he answered, and he squeezed his mare into a slow canter toward the direction from whence the voices came. His mare came to a halt at the edge of the Bruinen and on the other side were Glorfindel, the Ranger he had seen some months before in his home, and three more hobbits.

He raised his hand and shouted, "Mae Govannen!" His heart was nearly beating its way out of his chest. His dear friend was safe and unharmed carrying a small hobbit upon his back and preparing to cross the river. "Daro, Glorfindel!" he called. "I will come get you!"

He urged his mare across the swift moving stream and trotted up the bank on the other side. He leapt from his horse and was quickly embraced by the Elda.

"Ai, ernilen veren," he whispered, "'tis good to see you."

Legolas leaned into the Elda's embrace, wrapping his long arms around his waist and pressing his face into the taller elf's shoulder.

They separated and Glorfindel turned to introduce him to his companions. "Legolas, this is Aragorn, Son of Arathorn."

Legolas bowed his head and placed his hand over his heart. "Mae govannen, Aragorn. I remember you well."

Glorfindel then introduced the hobbits. "This is Meriadoc Brandybuck, Peregrin Took, and Samwise Gamgee, they are companions of the one I sent ahead on Asfaloth. Tell me, did he reach the Last Homely House?"

Legolas nodded. "Aye, he did, and none too soon. Master Elrond and Mithrandir were attending to him when I left to seek you out."

Sam grasped the sleeve of Legolas' tunic. "Please, sir. Tell us if Mister Frodo is well. Is he safe?"

Legolas crouched down so he was eye to eye with the small hobbit. "Aye, Samwise, he is safe now, and I am here to take you to him." He stood again and took the hobbit's hand. "Come, I can take two at a time." He lifted Sam onto his mare's back then turned to find Merry at his feet. "Very well then, Meriadoc, up we go." He lifted the smaller hobbit onto his mare's back and hopped up between them. Merry grasped him around the waist as they carefully picked their way across the stream. He returned and retrieved both Pippin and Aragorn, then went back one last time for Glorfindel.

As they walked through the swift moving water Legolas tried to hide the overwhelming joy he felt in being with Glorfindel again. The Elda sat close behind him, his arms around his waist and his sweet breath fanning his ear. "Did you see them?" he asked quietly.

"Yes," Glorfindel answered. "All nine. They have grown powerful as the age has passed."

Legolas swallowed, his own brief encounter with the Úlairi still fresh in his mind. "I know not how you can face them, mellonen. My own brief encounter was enough to freeze my blood."

"You have seen them?" Glorfindel asked.

"Once," Legolas answered, "on an attack on my home."

"I would spare you such horror if I were able, ernilen," Glorfindel answered.

Legolas' mare scrambled up the bank and they reached the hobbits and Aragorn who were already making their way down the path.

"We would return faster if we put the hobbits upon my horse and we ran along side," Legolas commented, signaling for his mare to halt.

"We know naught about riding such tall horses, sir," Sam answered.

Legolas chuckled. "This is an elvish horse, Samwise, you need do nothing but sit upon her, she will bear you well."

He lifted the three hobbits upon his mare's back and she broke into a slow, smooth canter as the two elves and the Dúnadan ran alongside.

Mellonen = my friend
Ernilen veren = my brave prince
Ernilen = my prince
Yé = Yes (Quenya)
Úlairi = Nazgûl

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