Just a Simple Mistake - Sivan Shemesh (english novels for students .TXT) 📗

asked gently.

Elrohir turned around, and started apologizing to the lord, "Forgive me, my lord, I thought you were my brother."

"And would I want to be your brother, Gwenneth?" Glorfindel asked as he used Elrohir's name in Elvish.

"Are you going to blame Legolas all over again?" Elrohir asked, noticing the doubt in the lord's eyes.

"Why would I wish to blame Legolas? I do not even know what he did wrong," Glorfindel replied the elf, and then he added in a concerned voice, "Though I do fear for him, as you can never tell how greatly the burden of guilt weighs upon the elf's shoulders."

"I do hope to see Aragorn awake and happy again, and to hear his account of what happened. I do not wish to lose both brother and friend, and I wish that Elladan and father would see it, and I hope that Legolas would forgive my actions because I was too quick to judge him instead of giving him the benefit of doubt. He deserved more than that, but now I’ve lost him, I’ve lost my friend, Glorfindel, all by my own doing." Elrohir confided in the lord.

Glorfindel sighed but said nothing, letting Elrohir speak his mind and pour out his fears. He could only be there to comfort him and support him – the very task Lord Elrond should have done.

--

Few days later,

A delegation from Mirkwood arrived and the guards quickly let Lord Elrond know of the visitors who came.

Thranduil sighed heavily as they finally reached Imladris, yet, somehow, it seemed to him that Lord Elrond did not wish to see him.

"Where is Lord Elrond?" Thranduil asked, growing furious that there was no one to give him any answer.

"Find me the lord at once!" Thranduil motioned his guards, while he walked on around.

Elrohir heard that the king of Mirkwood had entered their land, and wondering why the king was here, and why his friend had not come along, he hurried over.

"King Thranduil," he called as he left the house, and then he added with concern, "Where is Legolas?"

Thranduil sighed, "He was in his room the last time I saw him. He did not say much when he returned, and other than from the message your father sent, I have no idea what happened. Elrohir, what do you know about this? I cannot bear to see my son like this... he has changed, and I want him back!"

"What do you mean by that?" Elrohir asked, curious and growing worried.

"The light of life has been fading away from him. His spirit is dying, and he has not said anything to me; I am afraid I will lose him forever." Thranduil explained to Elrond's son, and then left him as he walked into the house to find Elrond himself.

At first, Elrohir did not register that the king had left his side as his mind was busy trying to collate the information about Legolas. It seemed that his friend shutting everyone off.

"Wait, King Thranduil, wait..." he called, but it was too late as he quickly followed him inside. The king was at the open door where Aragorn lay on the bed. Elladan and Elrond were still there, concerned expressions in their eyes.

"There you are," Thranduil sneered at the lord, and then he added firmly, "I wish to know why you disgrace my son like this."

Elrond answered without turning toward Thranduil, "Because your son caused my son to lie in that bed, and I have done everything I can to save Aragorn. And now, no matter how much I want to see him awake, there is nothing I can do, and I keep wondering - what if he does not open his eyes?"

Thranduil could felt the vein in his neck throbbing with rage, but he walked closer toward the bed and then glared at the lord who now watched him like a hawk, as though believing he would try to harm his son as the lord claimed Legolas did.

Thranduil was about to touch Aragorn's skin but stayed his hand when he heard Elrond's sneer.

"Do not touch him!" Elrond snapped at him.

Thranduil looked at the lord, who was once his friend but now, all seemed to have crumbled like a wall of crates, which was once friendship solid like a rock.

Both Elrohir and Elladan who were nearby could felt the air stiffen while the two elf-lords snapped at each other. Glorfindel came in quickly with Erestor once they heard the raised voices.

"Thranduil," Glorfindel came toward the king, clapping his hands upon the king’s shoulders, and then he asked with concern, "Where is your son?"

King Thranduil let out a heavy sigh, leaving the room to seek nature's guidance and feel the wind embrace him with fresh air.

Glorfindel hurried after him, while Erestor stayed in the room, not wishing for more conflicts to happen as Aragorn needed to rest in a quiet environment.

--

Thranduil walked toward the trees, and sat back, leaning on a trunk. He watched as Glorfindel came over.

"I am here as a friend, as your son was there to help me without being asked." Glorfindel looked at the king with concern, and then he sat beside him. Maybe the king needed a friend too.

"My son... Glorfindel, my son cannot even look at me.” Thranduil said vehemently, averting his gaze as he felt so weak for opening himself like this. “All this because of what Elrond said. He killed my son's spirit..."

"How exactly would he do that?" Glorfindel asked.

Thranduil shook his head. "I read the message that he sent. It was too cruel and if I’m not wrong, Legolas believed what he said.” Thranduil explained. “Maybe it’s my fault as well, as I should have talked with Legolas the minute the messenger left instead of leaving him in the dark."

Glorfindel glanced at the king, his mind wandering as he recalled how the prince once came to him. He smiled, "Thranduil, I know this may not be the time for it, but I must share this memory of your son. I do not know if he has told you about it, but I feel I should."

"If it is good, please tell me." Thranduil said, gladly wanting to know what good his son did to actually make the lord smile.

"Your son, Thranduil, did the impossible when I was teaching Elrond's sons." Glorfindel noticed how the king flinched as he mentioned Elrond, but let it pass. "You see, I was in the middle of my tale on how I fought the mighty Balrog, and they refused to pay any attention to me. But Legolas, your son, sitting by them was listening closely."

Thranduil listened to the lord, waiting for the part when his son contributed to the story.

"Then, Thranduil, your son just walked over to me, and asked me to tell him my story. He said he would then tell the twins and make them to listen."

"Did he?" Thranduil asked, surprised.

"Yes, he did. And he told my story so well that even Elrond and Erestor came to hear him and admitted they paid more attention to Legolas though they already knew most of it," Glorfindel replied and added gracefully, "Your son is talented in many areas, and though I have told him he would make a great teacher, he did not seem to wish for that."

With a proud heart, Thranduil stood up and said, "My son is truly gifted, and yet, I fear I will not see him do anything as wise as what you’ve told me..."

"He will be all right, you’ll see." Glorfindel tried to comfort him.

"How can you be certain of that? He would not even look at me!" Thranduil almost shot back at the lord.

But before Glorfindel could say anything, Erestor was walking quickly toward them.

"Lord Glorfindel, King Thranduil, you must come with me." Erestor said at once.

"And why should we?" Thranduil questioned immediately.

"Aragorn… he is awake…" Erestor replied with a smile.

Chapter 6: Playing Cat and Mouse

'Maybe Aragorn could explain to us what happened to drive my son away from me.' Thranduil thought as he followed Erestor toward the house, where Aragorn lay in the crowded room.

Thranduil entered and stood next to Elrohir who had earlier lightened his heart by telling the tale of his son, feeling he would rather be closer to him than to Elrond; somehow the young elf gave him the confidence he lost in his friendship with Elrond.

Even so, Elrond felt the presence of his long-time friend, though he ignored him, because he could not bring himself to feel any closeness with Thranduil – not when his son needed him most.

There was a movement from Aragorn's bed, and they turned around at the yawn and moan of pain from the man. Elrond quickly sat beside his son, gently talking with him as he yearned to hear his voice again, yearned to see his son the way he was before he was hurt.

'Legolas will pay for this; he ruined my son.' Elrond thought bitterly as he moved his hand down Aragorn's face.

"Open your eyes, Estel; you are at home." The healer reassured him, hoping that Aragorn would remember the place that he was in.

Aragorn felt himself leaving the darkness and flying toward the light, toward the voice that called for him, urging him to open his eyes, to return to the land of the living.

"That's it, my son. Now open your grey eyes wide for me."

Aragorn heard and tried to follow, only to be hit by dizziness and a headache. His eyes were hurting too much, and his throbbing head was not helping.

"Try again, Estel, you are doing fine."

That voice was there for him again, and Aragorn, in spite of the pain, tried to open his eyes.

With a hint of success, Aragorn opened his eyes, and then he shut them again at the blinding light flooding the room through the windows. His sight had instantly blurred, and the pain had returned.

"Quick, Elladan, Elrohir, cover the windows, the light seems too bright for him." Elrond ordered his sons as soon as he saw the human’s reaction.

Thranduil still watching helped them too, as he felt that he needed to do something to distract him from his anxiety over his son; he wanted to make himself useful in some way, even if it were to help Aragorn. Without hesitating, the king quickly took the white blanket he found on an empty bed and threw it over a window, watching as the twins did the same.

Elrond, meanwhile, wondered about Thranduil's actions, believing that what the king did was close to making peace; after all, he would think that his son would have to pay a price for whatever he had done, and Thranduil might have decided to seek forgiveness on behalf of his son.

Elrond rejected the idea right away, not wishing to buy the king’s act, while Thranduil only stared at what was happening, his eyes locked on the injured man, hoping that he would have the answers to his many questions, and perhaps, find out what had happened to his son.

"You can open your eyes now, Estel,” Elrond said gently, breaking the silence within the room, “The light has been dimmed and will not hurt your eyes now."

Aragorn tried to open his eyes, trying to ignore