towerofanimus | (no subject)

Entry tags:

(no subject)

Characters: Legolas (

bow_of_the_galadhrim), OPEN
Setting: Room 3-06 then Floor 48
Format: Prose but will switch
Summary: Finding his “costume” of his father and then exploring the new floors, only to find the graves of his friends.
Warnings: DENIAL and trying to dig up a grave or two because of said denial

Room 3-06

Legolas did not technically sleep, it was an elvish thing but he had been unaware for most of the night, resting. When he climbed out of bed in the morning though, he was surprised to find the costume he had worn sitting at the edge of the bed. Including the crown of Thranduil. He said nothing and gave no outward reaction but he carefully and fondly folded the costume and placed it inside his trunk, the crown being set on top of with even more care. As though it were made from the most valuable of materials.

And under his breath, soft enough that few outside of elves themselves would hear him, he uttered a small prayer to Iluvatar.

Floor 48

He‘d seen enough since he came to this tower. Seen enough to last him an entire life and that was saying something, considering elves were immortal. Finding the cemetery floor was just one of those toppings on a cake, or whatever it was that humans said. He tried to ignore the sight of the headstones until a name caught his eye. Aragorn. And then Boromir. And Faramir.

He could feel his chest tighten at the sight of his friends names. Two members of the Fellowship right there. Seemingly right below his feet. He took a step back, eyes blinking in denial, holding back tears he knew might fall.

They couldn‘t be dead.

And the another name caught his eyes.

Gimli.

Dropping to his knees, the prince just stared for the longest time.

For Haldir - Floor 48

He’ll find Legolas on his knees, digging at Gimli‘s grave with his bare hands. He simply can‘t believe that the dwarf is dead. He‘d been taking him to the Undying Lands with him. Gimli simply couldn‘t have died! His hands and clothes are dirty but he has his face set in determination.

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Kicking and screaming, he wouldn't do but he would resist. Unless, of course, Haldir convinced him otherwise. The prince was already in a dark place, beginning to understand and perhaps even agree with Gandalf that Middle Earth was well and truly gone. And there was no way he could prove who was right or wrong in that belief.

Tears stung at his eyes again as Haldir took his hands, urging him to stop. He knew that he should but he wasn't sure that he could. Gimli was an elf-friend, his friend.

"I was taking him to the Undying Lands, Haldir..." His voice was thick and he was fighting himself to control how he felt.

His grip upon Legolas' hand never waned even when the sternness of his tone changed. "Then you know he is not dead." Haldir whispered softly as he entwined his gloved fingers around Legolas'. "Until we've solved this troublesome mystery, do not believe him to be dead." There's just no possible way that Gimli would die here. The dwarf was too proud for that. Haldir was certain that this shallow grave was nothing more than a mere trick. After surviving a month of pure torture by the hands of Rauna; the march warden wasn't about to believe that Gimli, Son of Glóin, had passed.

"Dry your tears and think, Legolas." He continued after a brief moment of thought. "Do you truly believe he would let himself fall here? Nay, he wouldn't without killing all those who've scorned him." If Gimli was truly dead, then the dwarf's grave would have more company since Haldir was certain that he would've killed at least three of the administrators out of five.

"He is not dead, Legolas. I can tell you with certainty that he cannot be dead."

Legolas' own hands turned to grip onto Haldir's, like a lifeline. His words made sense, and he knew that he had sought to take Gimli with him to the West but part of him couldn't help but doubt now. He knew some of the things that could be done to everyone here, knew how cruel the administrators were but this... This hurt more than he thought it could.

"He would not. No more sturdy a dwarf have I ever known than he." The prince did try to calm himself, tightly closing his eyes to prevent the fall of anymore tears. He needed to believe that but it was hard with the graves of friends around them.

"What if Gandalf is right..?" He felt so young suddenly, like a child.

Edited 2012-11-05 20:41 (UTC)

While he knew that his words would be difficult to believe, Haldir wasn't prepared to see more tears fall from Legolas' eyes. A pang of guilt formed inside of him as he watched the prince. So much grief began to fill him as Legolas' sobs grew louder. "I would not question the White Wizard openly, but I do not believe our realm is doomed." At least not yet, he meant to say. "Gimli's destiny lies elsewhere, mellonamin. 'Tis not his fate to die here upon foreign soil."

Now leaning forward to gather Legolas' sobbing form in his arms, Haldir embraced him tightly as he spoke. "Therefore, don't you dare think that such a dwarf would die here." A faint chuckle escaped him.

"He would be offended by all your sobbing, my prince."

He clung to Haldir as he embraced him, needing that more than he realized. He took slow breaths, trying to slow his sobbing and tears and just wrapped his arms tightly around the march warden. His companion was right, he couldn't have fallen here. Gimli hadn't been the old Dwarf that he was prepared to sail with.

"He would." Legolas agreed, a soft laugh finally escaping his lips. "And then he would never let me forget it."

The dwarf would have teased him mercilessly for crying so openly, once the pain had faded. He would give anything, right now, for Gimli to come a criticize him for this. As it was, he was incredibly thankful for Haldir being with him.

His eyes closed once Legolas returned his embrace, while hoping that his friend took his words to heart. It would pain Gimli greatly to see Legolas like this, perhaps just as much as it pains Haldir view such a scene. Struggling now to keep his emotions at bay, a faint whisper was murmured.

"Then dry your tears now before he finds something else to tease us about."

He nodded, slowly, and let go of Haldir as though suddenly worried he might have bothered or hurt the march warden. Although he didn't move very far from him, still feeling comforted by having a friend so near, and wiped carefully at his eyes to remove what evidence he could. His eyes were still pink from crying but that would fade, of course.

"He'd find something no matter what we did." He paused, just for a moment, and gave Haldir a small, and perhaps a bit strained, smile. "Thank you, Haldir. For being here with me when I most need it."

Soothing stroking Legolas' back, Haldir's eyes snapped open once the prince drew away. It was then that the march warden became self aware of the closeness they shared. "I...I suppose you're welcome." He answered a tad hesitantly as he made certain to keep some distance between himself and Thranduil's heir. All this emotional nonsense was reeking havoc upon the aloof Lothlórien elf. He honestly doesn't know what to say or do now. A horrible wave of embarrassment was taking root, and now Haldir was seeking someway to escape it.

"Shall we go now?" The march warden suddenly blurted out as he rose from the ground. If Legolas looked closely, he could tell that Haldir was a tad red now. "I shan't linger here amongst the dirt and grime for long. This a dreadful place. Horribly so. Therefore I suggest we go." As haughty as ever, Haldir turned quickly to leave.

"Come! You're in need of a decent bath."

He had enjoyed the feeling, being close to someone, being comforted. He gave Haldir another smile and less strained. Legolas didn't go far, and was a tad disappointed when Haldir tried to put some distance between them but tried to keep it from showing in his expression.

A moment after, Legolas stood from where he had been digging and glanced at the grave once more before nodding to the other elf. From where he was, when he was back on his feet, he could see the red on his face and glanced down at the ground so that he wouldn't embarrass Haldir further. And he couldn't help but agree with the sentiment, this was indeed a dreadful place.

His own ears turned a bit red at the last comment though, and he looked at Haldir in shock. He felt like an elfling suddenly.

"I'm not that dirty." Resisting the urge to pout.

A sharp laugh was his reply. "So says the one who stinks of mud and grime." Haldir grinned as he glanced back at Legolas, looking positively fiendish now. It did his heart well to see the prince restored to normal. He had feared that his friend would remain in that grim state forevermore.

"Come! We must be off."

Not normal but as close as he might come for now until left alone to his thoughts once more. Being with Haldir forced his thoughts away from sadness and gave him a reason to be happier and optimistic despite the darkness that infested the tower the past month.

"I suppose I can't argue that. Much." A smirk steadily crossed the princes lips and he moved just a bit closer to Haldir.

"It seems you've something in your hair." He said just seconds before running a dirty hand through his hair. "Oh my, it seems I've made it worse~"

Revenge!

The scream that wretched from him once those tainted fingers raked through his hair was one of pure horror. Haldir yelled so loud that he probably woke the dead. "Y-you fiendish beast!" The march warden swore as he tried desperately to get the mud out of his hair. Scowling into a frown once something horribly wet and mushy coated his fingers, Haldir turned his wrath upon Legolas.

"You shall pay for that!"

Edited 2012-11-06 00:35 (UTC)

And, in turn, the laugh that came from Legolas was positively devious but lacking the misery he'd felt only a short time before. Oh, he knew that Haldir will make him pay and it would probably be terrible but he'd had some fun. Which made it all worth it.

"Come now, Haldir. It's only a little dirt, surely a warrior of your standing can handle just a bit of dirt, can't you?" He was already taking a few steps back away from Haldir though, prepared to run if he had to.

Flailing about in prime annoyance, Haldir suddenly leap forward in hopes of grabbing the younger elf. Be damned if Legolas was going to escape his fury unscathed. After all he has done for this brat, and the fool thought to sully him like this? Doesn't he realize that elves are quite prideful about their appearance?

"Don't you dare talk to me in such a way! I possess no love for dirt nor blood, even if I'm accustom to both."

Legolas honestly expected him to try grab at him rather than leap, so the prince had no time to try to flee and fell to the floor with Haldir. And on that floor, he just looked at Haldir with genuine surprise, all signs of amusement gone from his expression.

"Haldir, it was only in fun..." Of course, he does understand elvish pride, he is an elf himself, after all.

Edited 2012-11-06 02:59 (UTC)

Honestly not expecting those words when he finally tackled the prince, Haldir simply stared at him for a moment in pure silence. Just when he had succeeded in pulling Legolas away from his dark thoughts, he accidentally goes and scorns him. He understands that Legolas meant to do such deeds as a manner of jest, but he allowed his anger to get the better of him.

Feeling quite silly now for his actions, the march warden let out a deep sigh as he pulled away from Legolas. He's absolutely flustered by all this, certainly not the proud and arrogant elf who stood just a moment ago.

"Forgive me, I...I didn't mean to--" Haldir suddenly trails off once he felt his cheeks burn with embarrassment. Why can't he stay angry at this brat?

Legolas sat up slowly, once Haldir pulled away. He wasn't falling back into that dark place he had been in but the fun he had been trying to have was just out of reach now. He sighed very softly and turned to face Haldir. Brushing his hands against his own clothes to rid what dirt his could from it, he then laid a hand on Haldir's shoulder.

"It was my fault. I went too far." He said simply, seeking to comfort his companion. The younger elf didn't want Haldir to be upset for this, he truly didn't. And he knew that Haldir was particularly prideful, he should have known better than to do something like that.

Now feeling as silly as an elfling, Haldir brought his gloved hand up and brushed Legolas' hand aside. A slight wince of pain marred his proud features briefly as he rose from the ground. The burns he suffered from that unfortunate encounter still haunts him daily. He gripped his right hand in agony, hoping to hide his pain from Legolas' gaze.

"Worry nothing of it." The march warden quickly stated. "Shall we go?"

Edited 2012-11-06 03:46 (UTC)

That wince did not go unnoticed, thinking that perhaps he'd hurt his hand when he had tackled Legolas to the ground. He would have shrugged it off as a simple pain had Haldir not proceeded to grip his hand in pain. The prince stood quickly and placed his hand back on Haldir's shoulder.

"Your hand. What happened?" He wasn't going to let you off that easily, Haldir. And he made sure his tone of voice emphasized that.

Haldir was absolutely mortified when Legolas asked about his hands. He honestly didn't want to worry him any further than he already has, but he knows Legolas well. Once the prince sensed something amidst, he wasn't going to drop the issue until it was rectified.

Still clutching his right hand tightly to his chest, Haldir gave the younger elf a withering glare. "I do not warrant your concern."

Haldir was, in no way, getting out of this so easily. No matter what mood he was in today, he was going to make sure that Haldir was alright. He did almost cringe under that glare though, taking a breath and keeping his hand firmly on Haldir's shoulder.

"You do and I'm becoming more concerned now. What's happened?"

In a vain attempt to hold his stance, Haldir roughly shoved Legolas' hand off his shoulder only to reward himself with more shearing pain. Now hastily prying off the thick leather gloves, the prince could now see the truth that lied beneath them. Bound in hastily made bandages were deep burns that looked as if most of Haldir's flesh had melted away. The bandages were tarnished with blood, clearly in dire need to be changed before the day was over.

Unable to meet with Legolas' gaze as he stared hopelessly at his hands, the march warden spoke. "During the chaos, one of the undead nearly struck me down." He murmured in a low whisper as he looked at his hands in shame.

"She destroyed the blade I wielded against her, and would've killed me if I hadn't fled."

He almost let that hurt him, being shoved away like that. And he wasn't entirely sure why it hurt so much to be pushed away. The moment Haldir removed his gloves though, his heart sank at the sight and his gaze softened.

"Haldir..." He wasn't entirely sure what he could say, but the sight obviously distressed him. His hands were still filthy from digging at Gimli's grave so he didn't dare reach to look over his hands more carefully.

"You should have come to Gandalf or I about this. These could get worse, perhaps even enough that you won't be able to hold a blade again." Legolas' voice is very soft, worried, almost even pained now that he knows that Haldir has been suffering.

Idly feeling the harsh scars that formed upon his once immaculate flesh, a deep sigh escaped Haldir once Legolas spoke of the wizard. "I cannot go to him." He replied with great sorrow. "I do not wish for anyone to know my shame." Unwilling to seek the aid of others due to his broken pride, Haldir tried his best to treat his wounds away from prying eyes. Yet, the entire ordeal proved to be too much for him to handle. Another testament that the march warden would face impossible odds for the sake of honor.

"It would shame me too much to go to him."

"There's no shame in seeking help when you've been injured." The younger elf said softly, reaching to Haldir's shoulder once more. He wanted to comfort the march warden more than anything and he understood, to an extent, how he felt about keeping others from knowing.

"You know that it's nearly impossible to hide anything from the White Wizard but I'll not speak of it with him if you don't wish me to." That, of course, didn't mean that Legolas wasn't going to try to seek help. He definitely would be. "Let me help you bandage them again. Come."

He wouldn't take no for an answer.