𝐒𝐡𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐂𝐫𝐨𝐰𝐧𝐬 ➵︎ [ 𝘭𝘦𝘨𝘰𝘭𝘢𝘴 𝘨𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘯𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘧 ]

45| Nightmares

My eyes fluttered open.

It was still dark. Outside, the rain had subsided, and you could hear the faint trilling of insects as their calls rang into the dark skies.

Inside the stable was quiet, save for the rustling of a few restless horses. Aldion was sound asleep, his chest rising and falling with each steady breath, and the soft warm light from the waning torches cast flickering silhouettes against the wall.

I stretched my arms over my head with a yawn, wondering what had woken me up at such a strange hour.

Suddenly, my attention was drawn to a noise in front of me.

Legolas stirred in his sleep on the soft hay. I frowned when I noticed his eyes shifting frantically behind closed eyelids. His forehead was beaded with sweat as his breaths fell in ragged inhales and exhales, his expression contorting, as if in distress.

"Legolas," I whispered, my concern only heightening with his quickening breaths.

Suddenly, the elf-prince's eyes shot open and he sat up, gasping for breath, as he had just been pulled from the depths of the dark seas. His eyes frantically scanned his surroundings before finally settling on me.

"Daeriel..."

His voice was small and fragile like I'd never heard before, and my brows instantly furrowed. I placed a hand against his cheeks, feeling his flushed face hot against my fingers.

"What happened? Legolas, are you okay?"

Without a word, the blonde elf threw his arms around me, enveloping me in an embrace.

Though slightly taken back at first, I swiftly returned the hug, my arms encircling him and pulling him into an embrace. I felt his body tremble as he sobbed into me.

"It's okay," I whispered, gently running my fingers through his hair, "You're okay now."

My heart ached for the pain and suffering his nightmare must have brought. It tore me apart to see him like this. I knew the suffocating feeling, the sweating, the panic and helplessness that latches onto every muscle in your body, the feeling of being completely and utterly alone.

Aldion roused from his sleep, lifting his head with a whine, sensing that his friend was in distress.

It was so painful to see Legolas, who was usually so strong, calm and composed, be in such a state of distress and sorrow. In that moment, all I could think to do was make him feel safe again.

Soon, I felt his breathing calm down. When I was sure he was alright, we pulled apart. Even in the dim light of the flames, I could see the glisten of tears on his cheek.

"What did you see?" I asked, searching through his eyes for any possible way I could alleviate his pain.

Legolas glanced at me, tears rimming his soft blue orbs.

"I saw my mother."

My heart sunk. He never talked about his mother, but I could already tell where this was headed.

"Legolas...I'm so sorry..."

I gestured to the space next to me. Wiping his tears with his thumb, the blonde elf sat down beside me, his back leaning against Aldion, who curled up and wrapped his tail around us protectively with another whine.

I sighed. "Talk to me."

Legolas looked at me, and delving beneath those swirling blue eyes, I could see pain, regret, anger, sorrow buried deep within them.

"I promise you, it helps."

My hand settled over his. "Trust me, I speak from experience."

I remembered that when I was at my lowest, Legolas was always there. It didn't matter that he didn't know much about my problems. It didn't matter that he could not change the past. All that mattered was that he was there. Now I should be there for him.