Fading Light

A Troubled Mind

Legolas wandered through the unlit halls of Elrond's home, it was midnight and he was completely alone.

He stepped onto one of the balconies and rested his arms on the rail. His gaze drifted across the hidden valley, which was bathed in moonlight.

His thoughts were focused on Thalion as they usually were, he missed his brother so much.

What struck him odd was that he barely remembered the orc attack. He had brief glimpses of orcs surrounding him and seeing Thalion dead....

Thalion...
Dead....

Legolas never thought that he would hear the name of his brother and that word in once sentence.

But Elrond had said that very thing to Legolas when he awoke in Rivendell, 'Thalion is dead.'

"And it is all my fault."
Legolas murmured to himself.
"Mind if I join you?"
Legolas jumped and spun around in surprise. It was almost impossible to sneak up on an elf and he wanted to know who it was that had.

It was an old man, dressed in grey and had a kind look in his eyes. Legolas felt like he knew this man, yet he knew that he had never seen him before.

"You have grown since I last saw you young Greenleaf."
"How do you know my name? And I do not believe that we have met."
Legolas glanced at the man curiously, but with traces of suspicion in his eyes.

"I met you when you were only a child. Your mother and brother knew me and your father knows me as well."

The man studied Legolas and smiled.
"You were much smaller back then, too shy to approach me on your own and too curious about me to stay away."

Legolas tried to remember seeing the man before but his mind was blank. Why could he not remember anything from his childhood?

"What is your name?"
Legolas asked hoping that if he knew, it would bring some sort of memory back.

"I am known to the elves as Mithrandir, but I am called Gandalf by everyone else."

"Which would you like me to call you?"
"You may call me Mithrandir or Gandalf. And shall I call you Legolas or Greenleaf?"

This caused a small smile to appear briefly on Legolas' face.
"I would prefer Legolas."
"Very well then. And I would not mind being called Gandalf."

Gandalf joined Legolas on the edge of the balcony. Legolas studied him curiously and wondered what he was doing in Rivendell.

"What brings you to Imladris?"
He asked him.
"I am an old friend of Elrond's."
Gandalf exlained.

"I am visiting him and also seeing how Thranduil's son is faring."
Legolas straightened at his words, he hadn't heard from his father in years!

"How is my father? Is he ready for me to return home yet?"
Gandalf sighed and his eyebrows furrowed in frustration.

"No, not yet."
Legolas' face fell and he turned away from Gandalf, he had expected as much.
"I doubt that he even wants me to return."
Legolas said aloud.

"He ignored me after my mother's death, for all I know he blames me for that. And he probably blames me for Thalion's as well. I believe that it does not matter to him whether I return or not, it may be better if I don't."

"You are wrong Legolas."
Gandalf raised his voice and Legolas' flinched from the sharpness of his tone.
"Your father loves you Legolas, more than you will ever know. His one problem is that he has allowed the fear of losing the one he loves to control him."