Beauty of the Swan

Chapter 6: All Grown Up

Mirkwood Forest, T.A. 173

Legolas fell backwards, and a sword was immediately placed at his neck.

“Lose your arrogance before you lose your head,” Sidhion informed the prince cooly. “It would be a shame if King Thranduil had to remarry just to produce another heir.”

Legolas snarled angrily.

“And lose your temper as well,” Sidhion stated, sheathing his sword and turning his back to the fallen blonde.

The Prince of Mirkwood glared at the retreating back.

He would show them all…

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A few days later…

An arm wrapped around his chest and a dagger was placed at his jugular.

“Concede,” Legolas snarled to Sidhion, tightening his grip.

“You have not won, my prince,” the captain replied.

The next moment found Legolas once again on his back.

“How did you...?” he trailed off, shocked.

“You will never master another in battle until you master yourself,” Sidhion answered. “But you are not quite so hopeless, anymore. Perhaps you will not get anyone else killed in your first battle – just yourself.”

Legolas frowned, the determination building to prove himself.

If he did not get Sidhion to respect him, it was going to be a long fifty years…

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Mirkwood Forest, T.A. 180

Seven years later…

“Shoot,” Sidhion called.

The Elves strung their bows and let their arrows fly.

Legolas noted proudly that his hit the bulls-eye dead center.

“Again,” came the order.

The prince’s next arrow split his first.

“You are a master bowman,” Sidhion complimented the Prince of Mirkwood as he walked down the line of trainees. “If only we could hone your swordsmanship so…”

Legolas’s lips compressed in a thin line, and his next arrow went wide.

“But perhaps I spoke too soon,” Sidhion chuckled.

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Mirkwood Forest, T.A. 198

Eighteen years later…

“You have served half your sentence, my prince,” Sidhion commented as the pair sat near the fire. “You have improved your archery and swordsmanship and learned to rise with the dawn. Yet, I still feel your emotions get away from you too easily to send you to battle.”

“And I feel differently,” Legolas countered calmly, although inside he was seething.

“Then perhaps it is good that it is my decision to make. Five more years, Prince Legolas, and then you may see true service.”

The blonde glared as the captain walked away.

“And while you are at it, try to find some companions,” Sidhion called over his shoulder. “Lest you find yourself wounded in battle and no one willing to carry you to safety.”

Legolas frowned, hating the way the captain knew all his weak points.

It was not his fault he did not have any friends. How was he supposed to have a social life in the midst of all his training?

But sometimes he thought about the actions that led Ada to basically exile him for fifty years.

And he could not help but think that he would have had a friend had he not been so purposely arrogant and malicious and cruel. Sometimes he could still see those big green eyes staring at him with such hurt and betrayal…such a contrast to the happiness and excitement that had filled them when Legolas told the little Elfling they could be friends…

But he did not like to think on it much.

It was always hardest to admit your own mistakes.

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Esgaroth, T.A. 203

Five years later…

Legolas strung and fired his last arrow, taking out an orc. His eyes were drawn by a flash of metal as an axe came flying through the air.

Legolas dogded the sharp blade, but it managed to curve around and logde itself in the back of the Elf next to him.

The Elf collapsed like a puppet with its strings cut, blood bubbling out of his mouth and spilling down his pale, pale skin.

Legolas caught him before he fell face first into the dirt, and he watched the last bit of life bleed out of those shocked blue eyes.

“Legolas,” Sidhion called to the shell-shocked prince, for once using his given name. “The battle is over. We must return to Mirkwood.”

“He is dead,” the blonde whispered back. “He died in my arms. I watched him take his last breathe, and I do not even know his name.”

“You are covered in blood,” Sidhion commented calmly, waving another Elf to take the dead body from the prince’s arms.

“None of it is mine,” Legolas responded blankly. “Though it could have been.”

“There are consequences to war, my prince. Though we are immortal, our bodies are not quite as invincible as we may sometimes believe. We die just as easily as we live,” Sidhion stated. “Perhaps this will show you just why I have been so tough on you these past years.”

Legolas stared blankly after Sidhion as the captain left to make arrangements for the dead.

He had much to think about…

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Mirkwood Castle, T.A. 223

Twenty years later…

“You have grown much, my son,” King Thranduil greeted as his heir stepped through the doors of the great hall for the first time in fifty years.

“I have changed as well, Ada,” Legolas replied calmly.

Then the younger smiled and pulled his father into a hug.

“Thank you,” he whispered softly. “You were right. I needed to grow up.”

King Thranduil pulled back with a smile.

“I am glad you do not blame me,” the older Elf replied. “I know that fighting and death can age you beyond your time, but I thought the realities of life would mature you in ways that castle life would not.”

Legolas nodded, understanding his father’s reasoning now as he had not all those years ago.

“Come, let us talk,” King Thranduil stated, leading his son from the great hall. “There is much you need to catch up on…”

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Mirkwood Castle, T.A. 240

Twenty years later…

“Lady Celebrian of Rivendell has conceived again,” King Thranduil commented to his son at dinner. “I received missive this morning.”

Legolas stilled.

“Has she?” he asked his father. “When shall we leave for the birthing?”

“Not we, my son,” King Thranduil contradicted. “Just you. I believe you are mature enough to represent Mirkwood on your own.”

“Ada…” Legolas trailed off. “I will do our kingdom proud.”

“I trust you will,” his father replied. “And perhaps you can apologize to poor Harry while you are there.”

“Harry of Lothlorien?” Legolas asked.

“Do you know another?” King Thranduil asked wryly. “It has been a very long time, but it is never too late to make up for past mistakes.”

Legolas nodded, convinced that it should not be too hard to have the Elfling forgive him. Harry had been very trusting and desperate for a friend…

The Prince of Mirkwood ignored the fact that Harry of Lothlorien would have grown up as well…

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Bruinin River, T.A. 241

One year later…

“Just over the gorge,” Herion panted as his horse sprinted towards the river. “And then we shall be safe…”

Legolas kept pace with his friend.

“The orcs are gaining,” the prince stated worriedly, glancing back at the large group of monsters on their trail.

Entirely too many for two tired Elves to take out alone.

“Almost close enough for arrows,” Herion acknowledged as their horses started wading through the river.

“For theirs or ours?” Legolas commented wryly.

Just as they almost reached the opposite bank, the orcs fired at them.

Legolas’s horse collapsed from the many arrows piercing his hind legs and flank, and the beautiful animal bled out in the river. The prince managed to dive into the water, unharmed, and continued to wade towards Rivendell.

Herion was not so lucky. He managed to dive into the river as well, but not before two arrows
pierced his abdomen.

“You will be fine,” Legolas told his friend, supporting him as they collapsed on the opposite bank.

Lord Elrond’s protective magic rose up the moment the Elves touched land, and the orcs turned back.

There was nothing left for them, and they had successfully managed to mortally wound at least one of the Elves.

The poison on their arrows would make sure of that.

“You do not often lie,” Herion responded with a weak smile. “We are much too far from the main chambers for Lord Elrond to arrive in time. I can feel the poison running through my veins even now.”

“Do not say such things,” the prince snarled. “I will go get help. Stay here…”

“I am not going anywhere…” the other Elf joked weakly, grey eyes falling shut and long bronze hair spread out over the golden sand.

Legolas’s breath caught in his throat, and then he was being pushed aside as a smaller figure dropped to its knees besides Herion’s still body.

“Poison,” came the soft murmur. “You are lucky I chose today to collect healing herbs.”

Small, pale hands reached into a wicker basket, pulling out different plants and grasses that had no meaning to Legolas.

“What are you doing!” Legolas snarled. “He needs a healer!”

The small figure did not answer him, pulling a sharp knife from a sheath at his hip and beginning to work at removing the arrows from Herion’s abdomen.

The injured Elf gasped in pain, and Legolas darted forward to pull the attacking figure away, but large arms wrapped around his waist and pulled him back.

“He is a healer,” a deep voice stated calmly. “Now pull yourself together. It is not Harry’s fault that he does not have anesthetics on him.”

Legolas snarled, struggling in the strong grip.

By the time the prince had calmed down, strips had been torn from the healer’s tunic to fashion makeshift bandages.

Legolas drew his eyes away from the pale, milky skin revealed. His friend was injured. It was neither the time nor place to ogle his caretaker.

“You may release him, Edenost,” a musical voice called out. “His friend will be fine, but you will
need to carry him to the healing chambers.”

“I can do it,” Legolas snarled, pulling away from the larger Elf.

Brown eyes looked at him shrewdly.

“You do not know the way, and we should make haste,” was his response.

The healer sighed, walking forward to lay a calming hand on the taller Elf’s wrist.

Those brown eyes turned to him and softened.

“We welcome you to Rivendell, Prince Legolas of Mirkwood,” the musical voice greeted as the healer finally turned to face him.

Legolas’s breath caught and his blood started racing at the unearthly beauty of the petite Elf in front of him.

And as his grey eyes locked with gorgeous emerald green, Legolas’s mind flashed back to all those years ago…

Flashback...

“I hope you are happy with yourself,” the elf-lord snarled. “You will come to regret this day more than any other. I will be speaking to King Thranduil about your despicable behavior. You are lucky
I do not take you in hand myself.”

Then Glorfindel stepped around the shocked prince and continued down the hallway.

Betrayed green eyes stared at him accusingly over the elf-lord’s shoulder before Harry once again
hid in Glorfindel’s comforting embrace…

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Author’s Note: Please let me know what you think…*puppy dog eyes*

Characters: I do not actually have any original characters – they are just Harry Potter characters with names translated to Elvish.