The Effects of Sorrow

By Crow recantation

 

The rain had slowly stopped its trashing and gave way to a gentler starlight night. The smell of wet grass and incense filled the rooms of Riverndell, as all its inhabitance save one slept. One room glowed with the flickering candles as Elrond, Lord of Riverndell, sat motionless next to his own bed ever watchful of the sleeping figure under it’s covers. The golden beauty tossed and turned restlessly as his fever rose to dangerous heights, shouting cries of orcs escaped the lips of the gorgeous elf.  Elrond bathed Legolas’s forehead with a damp cloth and wiped away the tears form the lavish skin. Legolas trashed as if he was fighting for his life and knocked the covered off his body. Elrond sat on the bed and grabbed Legolas’s wrists and pulled him up in to his lap and whispered in to his ear.

 

“Hush little one, there are no orcs here! Sleep little prince for you are safe in my care”

Legolas stopped struggling and started to whimper and curled himself deeper in Elrond’s lap. Elrond stroked Legolas hair and continued to whisper sweet nothings in his ear. With his heightened senses Elrond could smell the sweet honey coming form Legolas golden hair. His sharp gray eyes examined all the wondrous muscles and scars on the luxurious skin. Unconsciously Elrond started to run his fingers over the healing wounds, startled by the stability of the soft looking skin. He accidentally brushed Legolas’s nipples and the prince moaned loudly, ached his back wantonly and rapped his arms around the Lord of Rivendell neck.  Elrond snapped out of what ever blissful dream he slipped in to and back in to reality.  He slid the elf prince of his lap, the elf’s arms still around his neck, and laid Legolas down on the sheets. When he tried to remove Legolas clamped hands form his neck, he found he could not. He pulled, tugged, and duck out of the loop of the elf’s arms, but when ever he got close to leaving the gold princes embrace, the embrace tighten and he was pulled closer to the elf. When he tried for the final time, Legolas pulled him down with all his might, and he ended up beside the fair-haired elf, who was now snuggling against his chest.

“This is not good. Why does he do this to me? Could it be…? No! He is ill; he is not in control of his action. And yet…why did he kiss me with such kindness?”

 

The sun broke though the clouds in to Elrond room and Legolas shielded his eyes from the stinging light. He slowly opened his eyes and tried to focus, on whatever object that was before him. It was a person of that he was certain, for he could see the rise and fall of a chest and a hand slightly wrinkled with age. He was wearing a deep red robe in braid with gold and tunic beneath was a light blue. He sat up slightly and leaned over to look at the face of the person, he assumed to have saved him. 

 

It was a very handsome face, relaxed and peaceful. Dark hair fell about the older elf’s body like a silk curtain, his pointed ears only slightly showing. Legolas was taken aback by Elrond’s mysterious beauty, for all of the elves where he came from had fair hair. A dark hair fell form Elrond’s head over his face, Legolas brushed it back in to place and stroked Elrond’s cheek gently with the back of his hand.  

“Are you my rescuer?” He could barely remember last night and his head still hurt and yet he could clearly remember kissing someone and liking it a lot. He had very few experiences in the romantic type with either sex. His father was a little worried about him and tried to set him up with various elves. Yet Legolas would continues tell his father that he was saving his body for the other person that shared his soul. Legolas leaned down again and gently brushed his lips across Elrond’s. Being slightly more daring, he put in a little more pressure and slid is tongue in to Elrond’s mouth, and quickly retreated.  Smiling down at his rescuer and stroking his hair Legolas said, “You taste like fresh fruits picked in the morning due, my savior”

“Thank you Legolas”

Sharp gray eyes flashed open, and Legolas quickly retreated to the other side of the bed.

“I’m sorry…I…”

“It’s alright young Prince of Mirkwood, but tell me, is it custom among your people to kiss they rescuer while they sleep?” He arched an eyebrow and smiled slightly watching the golden prince go red and his ears aglow.   

“I am sorry…I hope I did not offend you!”

“You did not!” Elrond rose form the bed and moved to Legolas side. Though the blush had slightly gone form his cheeks, his ears still glowed brightly with his embarrassment, and he tried not to show his discomfort. Elrond placed his hand on Legolas’s brow and check his fever.

“Your fever has gone down greatly, that is a good sigh. Now tell me Prince Legolas, how did you came to Rivendell after the Orcs attack?”

“Rivendell?”

“Yes, I told you last night!”

“I do not remember, I can only remember that I had fainted in some beautiful garden, having just escaped form an Orcs attack.” Legolas looked up at Elrond and the faint blush returned, “My I have the honor of knowing my saviors name?”

“You may have that honor as you did last night. I am Elrond Half-Elven, Lord of Rivendell”

Form a deep red to a ghastly white, Legolas mouth dropped and yet no sound came out. His eyes widen in horror and shock. HE had kissed THE Lord of Rivendell.

Elrond found the Legolas shocked face quite amusing but did not wish to cause the golden elf any more distress. 

“I will leave you for a moment and send word to your father, that you are alive and well! I will also send up food to help you regain your strength”

 

Lord Elrond quickly left the room leaving Legolas to his thoughts. With a sigh of sorrow Legolas buried his face in the soft pillows and thumped them in frustration. He had kissed Elrond, the eleven lord, who fought in the first battle of the ring.  He had always admired the Half Elven and whenever he could, look over the scrolls to read about him.

“The scrolls said he was brave and wise, but none said of his beauty. Well…not so much beauty, his mystery, his…oohhhh! What ever it was that made me kiss him.”

He sat up in bed when he heard the door knock and a young elf maiden entered with a huge tray of rich food.

“You did not have to bring up such a small feast, an apple and a bit of bread would have done me!” said Legolas.

 “That might be true sir, but my orders are form Lord Elrond himself. He bids that you eat all that you can, and he will be here shortly to check your wounds. Enjoy sir, and please call if you need anything else!” and with that she left Legolas to eat his fill. When Elrond came in Legolas had finished off three small loafs of bread, two apples, some berries and a huge jug of milk.

“The child was a lot more hungry then he though” thought Elrond as he carried some robes for Legolas to wear.

“My apologies for interrupting your meal” he started

“Your not interrupting, I am quite full!” smiled Legolas patting his stomach with a satisfied grin.   

“I’m glad. Are you too tried or too full for me to see your injuries?” 

“I do not seek to be served by the Lord of the house”.

 “Nor would you be, had you injuries not been poisonous and your fever high. I am one of a few healers that can cure an orcs poison!”

Legolas laid back, his face bored such pain, resentment and anger. Elrond laid the robes down and sat by the golden elf.

“Legolas, what’s the matter?”

“I am a fool! I do not deserve such kindness after my stupidly” Tears spilled form the emeralds of Legolas eyes and a soft whimper was caught in his throat.

Elrond heart began to ache for the young elf, and quickly did he wish to set right what the orcs had done to the golden spirit.  He sat down on the bed and pulled the golden Elf in to his lap.
”Tell me what happen Legolas, tell me how to ease your pain!”

“I was riding in the forest out side the borders of the forest, when I spotted a raiding party of Orcs. It was a small party and I easily dispatch them. Having believed they were they only ones, I was about to make my way back to Mirkwood. When a band of Orcs jumped me, I think there were at least ten of them. They pulled me down and ripped at my clothes, until I was almost bare. They used knives to cut my tights says they were making more room for when they…”

Legolas went quiet and he clang on to Elrond tightly. Elrond felt a burning sensation in his stomach and he suddenly want to go out and hunt the Orcs that tarnished the golden elf in his arms. 

 

“Do not continue, if you can not Legolas!”

“I’m am such a fool!”

“Your not a Fool!” Elrond said it lot harsher then he went too, and grabbed Legolas’s arms and forced him to look at him. “You could not have known there were more and you are brave and true. Not many would take on Orcs on they own, even if it was a small group.”

Legolas looked in to the gray sea of Elrond’s eyes, and felt pulled in by the power and grace behind them. Elrond could see what was happening and could not pull away form the emerald eyed Elf and gave a quick prayer for strength of will, because if it started now…he would not stop until he claimed the elf as his own. Legolas breath was tickling his lips now; he could almost taste the honey-coated tongue. 

“BOOM”

Both Elves jumped out of they close embrace, both turned to stare out the window as the roar of thunder and the flash of lighting brighten the sky. Elrond tried to regain his scattered thoughts, and caused his weak body, as he arousal pressed against his trousers, hidden from the view from the young elf.  The rain poured on to the ground mixing stone and mud, the thunder cried out, draining all sound form the living land, as though the storm in Elrond’s own heart was being paraded outside for all to see.

Legolas pulled the covers around his body and walked slowly to the balcony, staring in complete fascination at the storm.

“Do you know what you see child?” Elrond thought, “Can you see me there in the rain? How seeing you is not enough for my greedy heart”

“What strange weather. We never had such storms in Mirkwood!” commented Legolas whose eyes followed the patterns that the rain splashed.

“Nether do we! This is the second storm we had in the past few days” said Elrond as he rose form the bed to join Legolas on the balcony.

“I hope you do not think that I bought the rain and believe it to be a bad omen” said Legolas miserably.

“You wish to know what I believe? I believe the rain bought you here”   

“Why?” Confusion was clearly written on the elf’s face.

“You were injured. A golden child of Mirkwood should not die of such wounds. If he did, the whole of Middle earth would have wept for his passing.”

Legolas blushed and looked at Elrond “I am not so precious to the earth as you think my Lord. I am a mere wood elf”

“Do you think so little of your self Prince of Mirkwood? Surly there is someone waiting for you? A young maiden perhaps?”

Legolas once again blushed and shook his head “My heart is yet to be won!”

Elrond forced himself not to let out a sigh of relief. The fair elf had yet been touched. But why? Had he been spoken for?

“Have you been promised to someone Legolas?” he feared the answer 

Legolas’s face-hardened and he turned to face the storm “My father has tried to impose me in such affairs, but I have already told him, that I will choose and I will choose for love!”

Elrond smile “A wise choice. I pray you find it Legolas!” I pray you find it in me!

 

The storm continued to rage all day, the rain never letting up. Legolas, still to weak really walk about, kept inside Elrond’s private chambers. At the moment he was in Elrond’s study watching the tempest come down form the havens. The massager who had taken the letter to his Father to tell him where he was had returned, soaked to the skin.  Thranduil had not greeted him very well and took the news even worse, demanding that the moment Legolas was well enough he was to return home. Legolas shook his head, his father had always disliked the inhabitance of Rivendell, not so much for the history between them, for the reason they were only Half-Elven.

“They like Dwarfs, you can’t trust them!”

In his short time here, Legolas had formed his own opinions of the people of Rivendell and it’s Lord. They were all very polite, graceful, and kind. The beauty of Rivendell is intoxicating and stunning, with its tall trees and running rivers. Then there was its Lord. Legolas shivered slightly, remembering the warm soft touch of the healing hands on his naked skin. He felt he could drown in the grey eyes of the elf lord, and melt in the heat of half elven skin. He licked his lips remembering the wonderful taste and texture of Elrond’s mouth.   He really did taste like fresh fruit picked in the morning due, and clean water form the mountains.   How much did he want to taste those lips again, to be burned by the talented hands, to run his fingers thought the dark locks of hair. 

“Legolas?”

 

He turned to the voice and came face to face with Elrond’s twin sons Elrohir and Elladan.

They were slightly older then him, both with dark eyes and hair like they father.

“Elrohir, Elladan what can I do for you?”

“We were wondering, if you were will enough, to join us for a hunt tomorrow?” asked Elrohir

“Alas no. Your father believes that my fever could return if I over exert myself and bid me to stay here in his chambers until he is sure I have completely recovered form my illness as well as injuries.”

The twin’s estranged puzzled looks and Elrohir went right up to Legolas and touched his forehead.

“Father is either mistaken or your fever has broken with out his knowledge. You seem to be all right physical” he said as he gave Legolas a once over.

“Maybe your father is just being careful?” suggested Legolas

“True. Are you sure you would not desire to hunt some Orcs with us?” asked Elladan.

At the mention of the word Orcs, Legolas let out a violent shudder and rested a hand on the wall to make sure he didn’t fall. The twins rushed to either side of him and took a hold of his arms.

“It would seem I was mistaken, let us put you to bed!” said Elrohir

“NO! I mean no thank you! I can mange on my own!” said Legolas as he pulled himself out of the twin’s grasps. “Please go and enjoy your hunt, and do not fret over me!”

Legolas made a quick bow and made his way back to Elrond’s room. Elladan looked concerned and was about to go after him but Elrohir placed a hand on his shoulder to hold him back and shook his head.

“Let him go brother! Father alone can help him fight the Orcs that plague him!”

“I pray your right brother, but I think we should tell father of this incident none the less!”

 

Legolas throw himself on the bed and cursed loudly, not caring if anyone heard him. How could he show weakness in front of them. Them, being the sons of Elrond, and two of the greatest hunters on Middles earth. He wasn’t sure what was hurting more his body or his pride. He was on of the best archers in his father’s realm and a good swordsman as well; he could easily hunt beside them. Yet his body shook with fear on hearing the word Orc, and floods of painful memories came back to hunt him. Legolas let of a slight moan and a quite whimper escaped his throat, he had never in his life felt so helpless.  He quickly got up and walked over to the dresser, where a young maiden had left his clothes washed and pressed ready for him to wear. He tore himself out of the robes Elrond gave him and was putting on his pants when Elrond came in, clearly worried for the young elf.

“Legolas what are you doing? What is wrong?” Elrond gabbed Legolas wrist.

“I cannot stay here like a frightened babe. I am going to hunt the Orcs who ambushed me!”  He started in to Elrond’s eyes with such determination it scared the elven lord.

“Your not strong enough Legolas…”

“My fever has broken if that is what you are worried about!”

“No…I knew your fever had broken, and many of your scars have healed.”

“Then why insist I stay?” Legolas asked bewildered

“Because your soul has yet to be healed Legolas. Though you have not said anything of it, I am fully aware what the Orcs did to you”  

Legolas froze on the spot, his eyes widen with complete shock and fear. Suddenly his body went frigid and collapsed in to Elrond’s arms weeping. Elrond held him and stoked his hair lovingly and yet he was troubled.

“I feel so lost. It’s like the stars have brought him to me and yet the rain has caused him nothing but pain. Is there some test I must pass before I can truly love him?” he thought

Legolas pulled away form Elrond and looked down at the floor.

“I must do this Lord Elrond! I must face the Orcs otherwise I will be haunted by them forever.”

“Do not go Legolas. I beseech you don’t go!”  Elrond grabbed Legolas shoulders and tried not to shake him.

“You can not ask that of me! I must go!” Legolas ripped himself out of his grasp and continued to put on his clothes as Elrond looked on, horrified and defeated. 

Legolas picked up his bow and looked at Elrond. Tears where threaten to full form the deep gray pulls and pain shone though them like an arrow in Legolas heart, he turned away.

“Goodbye Lord Elrond! I thank you for your help!”  He took only three steps when Elrond gabbed him and again and pulled him in to a passionate kiss. Elrond pulled Legolas in to him as close as he could, grinding they bodies together.  He forced opened Legolas mouth driving his tongue in, to taste every inch of the wanton mouth. When Legolas started to return the kiss, Elrond removed on his hands form Legolas waist and put it behind his head, keeping the golden elf in his hold. When they parted for air, Elrond released the fair elf and allowed the tears in his eyes to fall.

“Go now Legolas and return when your heart is free of demons.”

Legolas nodded and quickly kissed Elrond fervently on the lips before running out in to the storm. 

 “Return to me, my living heart!” said Elrond, as he looked out in to the storm hoping beyond hope that the stars would come out and guard his love.

 

To be continued…