Benders: Web of Lies

Bad Father, Bad Son?

Thranduil blinked into the darkness of the room as he felt Legolas stir beside him. Afraid Legolas may be experiencing another bad dream, his sleepiness faded and he became alert. The forms of Brenen, Realn, Mykar and Cinwe were snuggled into the big bed to his left and right, lumps beneath the blankets.

"Ada?" Legolas's voice was slurred by sleep.

"Hmm?" Thranduil said.

Legolas paused, wriggling in his father's arms until their hold loosened slightly. His heart pounded in his chest, almost choking him. His father remained in silence, waiting for him to speak. Legolas swallowed as the seconds passed, uneasy in the apprehensive quiet. Legolas squirmed.

Thranduil shifted onto his side, his hand finding Legolas's forehead in the dark. As his warm scent washed over Legolas, Legolas hoped his father would not see the hot tears coursing down his face. He burned hot with shame. Thranduil stroked his soothing fingers over Legolas's forehead. The fingers stopped as they went to touch Legolas's cheek and encountered the wet tears.

"Legolas?" Thranduil said.

Legolas's silent crying turned to a soft whimper. He turned into his father's embrace and sobbed against his chest. Thranduil patted his back. Through the tears, without thinking, Legolas poured out his pain and confusion. He told Thranduil about every cruel game Eigil had played with him since the abuse had started. He told of all the lies had he believed as the truth. And in the end he cried, "I am sorry, ada. I am a terrible son!"

"No, no, Legolas, it is I who is a bad father. I should have seen something was wrong and my eyes refused to see it. I neglected and ignored you in favor of being with your brothers, telling myself you were fine as you were. I left you alone in the shadows to fall prey to lies and cruelty. What has been done to you rests on my shoulders, Legolas, not yours."

Legolas gulped down another sob. "I am sorry I came to you not sooner." In a pitiful whisper, he admitted, "I-I was afraid you were what Eigil said you were."

Thranduil kissed Legolas on his pale cheek, his blonde hair brushing across his son's sad face. "Tithen las, I blame you not in your fear."

Legolas looked up into his father's kind, blue eyes. He looked away as Thranduil asked, "Are you afraid of me now?"

"I . . . do not know," Legolas faltered. "I am sorry . . ."

"No more apologies," Thranduil said. "Your heart will reach its decision when it is ready. I ask no more."

Legolas nodded in relief. The room was warm and quiet and safe. He moved closer to his father. Brenen shifted beside him and rolled over to look at him with silent pain in his eyes.

"I heard everything," Brenen said. He paused. "And I am sorry for—for being a bad brother. I let fire-bending separate us without realizing what was happening."

Legolas bit his lip, unable to turn and face his brother. "I-I-it-it is fine."

"T'isn't!" Brenen exclaimed. "It was wrong and cruel of me, and I feel very bad after I saw what happened to you. Please forgive me?"

Fresh tears exploded from Legolas's eyes. "I do forgive you. I love you and I cannot hate you; never. It would hurt too much."

"Will you forgive me to?" Mykar asked in a small voice, sitting up in bed behind Thranduil.

"And me?" Realn said.

"I apologize to you as well," Cinwe said, her voice a mirror of the darkness. "I said I would spend time with you and instead I allowed myself to be pulled away by your brothers."

"I forgive everyone," Legolas said, a smile beginning to break through his tears. "I-I—you do all love me . . ."

"Of course we do," Cinwe said, her heart pierced by the sad note in Legolas's voice. "We will remember to show it in the future, little leaf. Take our love and heal."

"I will," Legolas murmured. Brenen cuddled up against him as he burrowed into the warm folds of the blankets and his father's arms and closed his tired eyes.

OoOoOoO

"You may come to me whenever you need me," Thranduil said.

Legolas bit back a whine. He did not want to be left alone. What if Eigil came and tried to kill him. He fiddled with the blankets, sitting in bed propped up by pillows. His breakfast tray was empty in Thranduil's hands.

"I will be at a meeting," Thranduil continued. "I know you wish I could stay and I do to, but I have other duties I must attend to as well. If I could ignore the call of King, I would."

Legolas looked down at his hands and thought of the warm, safe night he had spent in the embrace of his family and said nothing.

"I will come back to you as soon as I can," Thranduil said, planting a kiss on Legolas's cheek. "I know you have no wish to stay alone so I have asked Raileen to stay with you."

Legolas nodded. He knew Raileen; Raileen would never hurt him.

"It also occurred to me you might like the company of your brothers and a few good books," Thranduil continued.

"Good books?" Legolas asked meekly, hoping the books were not historical.

Thranduil smiled. "Yes. I thought you might like to read my journals from the times of my adventures with Raileen, Ellhamier, and Ciran and Jaiz."

"A-are you sure?" Legolas stammered.

His father smiled. "Yes, my little leaf, I am certain; I trust you with my secrets and life. I sent Galion to bring the volumes in question." At a knock on the door, he added, "And that should be Raileen and your brothers."

Legolas reached his arms out to his father for a hug as Raileen stepped around the door with Brenen, Realn, and Mykar clustered in a stumbling group around his feet. Thranduil kissed Legolas on the forehead as he stood up. Walking past Raileen, he spoke to his sons from the doorway, "Be quiet and gentle with your brother; Legolas is still hurt."

"I will keep an eye on them," Raileen said, taking Thranduil's hand in a tight grip and squeezing it.

Thranduil met Raileen's eyes with gratitude. "Hannon le, mellon nin."