Mercy
A LOTR story by Deana Lisi
Disclaimer: I don’t own Legolas, Thranduil,
or any other LOTR character.
"I tell you, you have the wrong elf!"
The group of humans laughed as they pulled the bound, golden-haired elf into their camp.
"You lie!" one of them shouted. "I saw you do it!"
"What reason have I to kill a lone human?" the elf exclaimed.
"That is what we wish you to tell us!" said another.
The elf stumbled as he was pushed to the ground. "You have no right to treat me so!"
"Oh?" said the man who had tied him up. "Who do you claim to be? The worthless elven-king's son?"
Everyone laughed, and Legolas silently fumed.
The day had begun well—Legolas had been returning to Mirkwood after visiting Imladris. He would have arrived home late that day, but his plans were brought to a painful halt when an arrow suddenly found a home in his leg. A group of men had burst out of the woods, and Legolas had been shocked that he hadn't heard them coming. They were a quiet lot, obviously skilled at hiding. From what, Legolas did not know. "What proof have you that I committed this murder?" he demanded.
"My own eyes," said the same man who'd made the ridiculous claim earlier.
"Then you are obviously short-sighted," Legolas shot back.
The man walked over to the downed elf and grabbed the arrow, grinding it deeper into the wound.
Legolas was unable to mask his reaction; the arrow was lodged in the bone of his calf, and the pain made him feel sick.
The man laughed when the elf's face went deathly pale. He flicked the arrow with his finger, grinning as Legolas swayed where he sat.
"I…did not…kill…anyone," Legolas gasped, trying to stay upright.
The man's smile turned into a frown as he stood. "I say we kill him!"
Their leader, a middle-aged man named Doran, walked closer. "Are you sure that he is the one that you saw, Carden?"
Carden blinked. "Of course! You doubt me?"
"I never knew the elves to kill without cause," said Doran. "What could he have against your brother? A man that he has likely never even seen?"
"Carden shook his head. "I know not. All I
do know is that Cyric is dead, and I saw this creature kill him! Look at his yellow hair. Have any of us the same? I know what I saw!"
Doran looked at their prisoner, admitting to himself that the light elf definitely stood out amongst the group. "I need to think. Let us first bury your brother."
Carden lowered his head and sighed, closing his eyes.
Doran put a hand on the other man's shoulder in comfort, before walking towards wherever the dead man's body lay.
"I—I cannot," said Carden. "I do not wish to see…"
Doran nodded, sympathetically. "Stay here, then. Watch the elf."
Carden fought to hide a smile at his leader's words. Instead, he lowered his head further and nodded.
After the six men walked off, Carden turned and looked at Legolas, his sad expression turning to one of maliciousness.
"
You killed him," Legolas stated, sounding unsurprised.
Carden smiled as he approached the elf. "Of course. But do not bother telling them, for they will not believe you. Now; we must continue with our charade!" With that, he kicked Legolas in the side, knocking him to the ground.
Legolas closed his eyes, silently taking the beating, trying to show no reaction to the blows.
"Carden!" they suddenly heard.
Opening his eyes, Legolas watched another man rushing over.
"Doran sent me back," said the man. "He didn't want you to be alone in your grief." It was a lie; he'd been sent to ensure that Carden didn't kill the elf.
Carden was skilled at manipulation, and his expression immediately changed into a saddened one. He covered his face with one hand and allowed the other man to lead him away.
Legolas lay motionless, trying to ignore his pain and weakness as blood continued to flow from his wound.
The group of men soon returned, and Doran looked at Carden before heading towards the elf, picking up a pack of healing supplies along the way.
"What are you doing?" Carden exclaimed.
Doran knelt beside Legolas and took hold of the arrow. "I will not let him bleed to death before we even decide what to do with him."
"Decide?" said Carden. "He deserves death!"
"One does not simply kill an elf," said Doran, yanking the arrow free.
Legolas clenched his teeth and squeezed his eyes shut tightly, practically biting his tongue to avoid crying out in agony.
Doran frowned when he saw that the tip of the arrow was missing. He looked at the elf's face, seeing how the proud being tried to control himself. He frowned at the sight of a red mark the size of a fist on the pale elf's left cheek. It was obvious what had occurred while they'd been burying their friend. He said nothing though, understanding Carden's anger at the sudden loss of his brother. But still, he couldn't imagine an elf being a cold-blooded murderer.
"You waste your time," said Carden. "He cannot be allowed to live! Do not waste our supplies on a filthy elf!"
"Filthy elf?" Doran repeated. "They are a race of living beings like our own. Why do you hate elves?"
Carden realized his blunder and quickly changed his demeanor. "I do not. I simply hate my brother's murderer! I would ask
him why he hates humans!"
Doran looked at the elf again, finding his eyes open as he looked at Carden. His expression did not show hate. Rather, it showed longsuffering and what looked like tiredness; mental tiredness. He wondered what this elf had been through in the past.
"I do not," said Legolas. "My truest friend is human."
"Really, elf, we believe
that!" said Carden, sarcastically.
Legolas spoke no more, sighing and closing his eyes.
Doran, troubled now, continued to treat the elf's wound. He took a dagger out of his boot and tapped the elf's shoulder.
Legolas reopened his eyes.
"The arrow-tip is still in the bone," Doran told him. "Brace yourself."
Those were the last words that Legolas wanted to hear. He closed his eyes again and took a deep breath.
Doran dug the dagger into the wound, hoping to find the tip quickly. He had to cut the wound wider, and he heard a soft sound make its way past the elf's lips. There was too much blood for him to effectively see, but the elf was thin, so there wasn't much searching to do.
Finally, he spotted the small, gray piece of metal, and he used the dagger to flick it free from the bone, which he could see had a crack along its length.
Removing the arrow-tip with his fingers, he checked to be sure that it was intact before flinging it away. He took a needle and thread out of his pack and stitched the wound closed. Doran was not a healer, by any means, but a man his age had certainly needed to mend a few injuries in his lifetime.
Pulling bandages out of the pack, he wrapped the wound. "Someone fetch me some small tree branches," he called out.
The men looked at each other before one of them stood and began looking around. He wasn't sure how big Doran wanted them to be, so he gathered a bunch and brought them over, dropping them beside him.
Doran took four of the sticks and laid them against the elf's leg before wrapping it again. When he finished, he looked at the elf's face to see that he'd lost consciousness at some point during the treatment.
Carden stalked over. "When do we kill him?"
Doran shook his head. "I will not slaughter a live being without cause."
Carden blinked. "Without cause?! He killed my brother! What do you want, a trial? You cannot stop me from getting vengeance!"
With that, he pulled out a knife.
Doran leaped up and stood in front of him. "Justice and vengeance are not the same!"
Carden sputtered. "A life for a life! I care not what it is called!"
Doran forcefully grabbed the knife. "Do you wish to become a murderer also? I shall think on this matter. Go hunt for our supper if you wish to kill something!"
Carden glared, breathing heavily. Suddenly remembering his ruse, he tried to look grieved as he walked off.
Doran watched him go before heading towards the elf's weapons. He stared at the bow, quiver of arrows, and Ivory-handled knives, before picking up the blades and noting the lack of blood on either. He supposed that the elf could've wiped them off after committing the crime, but he couldn't help but wonder why the elf hadn't shot the man instead. Shaking his head, he put the knives back down.
**************
Legolas woke to an aching body and a fierce, sharp pain in his leg. He blinked groggily as he looked at the group of men surrounding a fire. It was not yet dark; they were using it to roast some rabbits.
Doran sat nearby, and the human looked at him when the elf shifted slightly. He said nothing, watching the injured being. "What is your age?" he suddenly asked.
Legolas blinked, wondering at the odd question. "I am two thousand-nine hundred and twenty-five."
Doran's eyes nearly popped out of his head. "Did I imagine the two thousand-nine hundred part?"
Legolas smiled slightly, closing his eyes. "No. My father is over six thousand."
Doran was shocked. He knew that elves were immortal, but this one looked comparable to a twenty-five-year-old human. "What is your name?"
Legolas knew that it was dangerous to reveal himself as Mirkwood's Prince. "Estel," he said.
"What does that mean?" Doran asked.
"Hope."
Doran looked towards the fire, at Carden who sat with his back to them. "Answer me truthfully. Did you kill Cyric?"
Legolas shook his head. "No. But it is my word against your son's."
Doran looked at him again. "Son? Carden is not my son."
Legolas blinked. "Ah. Forgive me, it had seemed so, to my eyes."
Doran shook his head.
Just then, one of the men brought a plate of food to Doran.
"Bring some for him," Doran said, gesturing at Legolas.
The man hesitated. "How will he eat while bound?"
Doran looked at the elf, at his arms tied tightly behind his back. "Tie him around a tree and let his arms lose while he eats."
The man nodded and went over to Legolas, taking his arms and dragging him.
The Mirkwood Prince had no means by which to resist, with his arms bound and one leg useless.
Carden saw what was going on and ran over, grabbing some rope along the way.
They sat Legolas against the tree and Carden tightly looped the rope around Legolas over and over. As he tied it, the other man grabbed the rope around Legolas' shoulders and tried to force it down.
Carden didn't know what he was doing until he came back around the tree, to see the other man trying to untie Legolas' arms and pull them through the rope. "What are you doing?!"
"He needs his hands free so that he can eat."
"Who said he can eat?!" Carden exclaimed.
"I did," said Doran.
Carden said nothing, but he was beginning to wish that he had killed Doran too.
Night quickly fell and Legolas dozed against the tree. The men had tied his arms around the trunk after he'd eaten, and he was exhausted and in pain. He found himself actually wishing for some of Elrond's painkilling tea.
Doran sat near the elf, keeping watch to guard him from Carden. Most of the men were asleep, and as dawn approached, he was surprised to hear a sudden voice.
"Carden killed him."
Doran looked at the elf. "What?"
"He told me," Legolas said. "After you went to bury the dead man. He said that you would never believe me if I told you his words."
Doran sighed, finding himself unsure who to believe. "What is your weapon of choice?" he suddenly asked.
"My bow," said Legolas.
"Not your knives?"
Legolas shook his head. "The knives are secondary, for when I run out of arrows." He watched Doran, wondering at the questions.
"Secondary," Doran repeated, obviously thinking.
They were quiet for a while, until Doran came to a realization. "You speak the truth," he suddenly said. "Cyric was knifed in the
chest, not the back; he would not allow someone to walk up to him and stab him to death! He was killed by someone that he trusted…someone who was walking beside him! It was indeed Carden; for he claims to have seen you do it!"
Legolas watched as Doran stood and went behind the tree, to undo the knots. "I am setting you free," he said. "I will simply tell the others that you got lose and overpowered me—"
"What are you doing, Doran?"
Legolas and Doran both looked up to see Carden approaching. "I am checking the knots," said Doran, thinking quickly. "Did you sleep well?"
Carden sighed. "I will sleep better when this elf has paid for his crime! What have you
decided?" he asked, sarcastically.
Doran walked around the tree. He saw that others had woken, and did not want to voice his suspicion of Carden for everyone to hear. "I have decided to show mercy and spare the elf's life. People of his race are not meant to die."
Carden exploded. He was so shocked at Doran's words that he couldn't even voice a reply. Instead, he lunged for Legolas and grabbed him by the throat, choking him and slamming his head against the tree.
"Carden! Stop!" Doran exclaimed, trying to pull the man away from the elf.
A sudden
shoof filled the air, and an arrow lodged itself in Carden's neck, spraying Legolas and Doran with blood.
Carden went limp in Doran's arms and fell on top of Legolas.
The rest of the men jumped up in shock, grabbing their own weapons and looking around for the threat.
Doran pulled Carden off the elf and knelt beside him. The human was still alive, to his surprise; the arrow had entered the side of his neck towards the back, missing the windpipe and throat.
Legolas tried to catch his breath, coughing with the effort as spots danced before his eyes and the landscape spun dizzily.
Elves suddenly poured out of the woods. "Legolas!" one of them yelled.
"Majesty, wait!" said another.
Doran looked up as his men were disarmed, and he stared at the one who'd been called 'Majesty'. "You
are the King's son!" he said to Legolas.
Legolas gave no reply, unable to as Thranduil dropped to his knees before the tree and grabbed him by the shoulders.
"Are you all right?!" Thranduil exclaimed, looking his son over, hoping that all the blood he saw belonged to the dying human.
"Yes," said Legolas. He caught sight of Doran's shocked face. "Would you have believed me?" he asked the human.
Doran made a face as if to say, 'probably not'. He was suddenly grabbed by the Mirkwood warriors and pulled to his feet.
"Wait!" Legolas told them, as Thranduil began to untie him. "He tried to let me go! He suffers no blame in this incident!"
Heredil, the one who'd shot Carden, nodded to the soldiers, who released him. "What happened to your leg?"
"Arrow wound. Doran tended it."
"You are Doran?" Thranduil asked, as he pulled the ropes away from his son.
The human nodded. "One of my men was murdered and your son was accused. I discovered the true killer and attempted to free your son."
"Who was the killer?"
"Him," Doran answered, pointing to Carden.
At those words, Carden made a sound that could only be described as an evil laugh, before he suddenly took his last breath and died.
Heredil and Thranduil helped Legolas to his feet, the King pulling him close to lean against him. "Had anyone else a part to play in this crime against my son?"
"No," Doran said.
"He speaks the truth," Legolas said. "Let them go free, father, no one else did me any harm. Carden told them that he saw me commit the murder; they had no reason to suspect a lie."
Thranduil looked at the group of men for a minute before nodding. "All right. I assume that you were journeying through Mirkwood on your way elsewhere?"
Doran nodded.
"I simply ask that you go on your way, then," said the King. "And…thank you for helping my son."
Doran smiled and bowed before the King and Prince. "It was my pleasure; thank you for your mercy, Your Majesty." Then he looked at Legolas. "Be well, Prince Legolas."
Legolas smiled. "You also."
With that, Thranduil and Heredil helped Legolas limp towards the horses.
The younger elf was trying so hard not to outwardly show his pain that he didn't realize which horse they were nearing until it knelt without being told to before they even reached it.
Legolas smiled and petted Gwaeren's mane. "I knew that I could count on you, mellon-nin," he said, knowing that she'd run home to Mirkwood to get help when he'd been captured.
The horse gave a neigh and stood after Legolas was seated.
Thranduil, Heredil, and the Mirkwood warriors mounted their own steeds. As they began to ride off, Legolas turned and waved to Doran in silent thanks.
Doran smiled and waved back, watching as the elves rode into the woods and disappeared.
THE END
