{}«Legolas' POV»{}

Weeks have passed since the Orcs attacked us and we have since led an attack on the mines. Our numbers have decreased by the day on the battlefield, as does the enemy's. Calithilon has yet to make an appearance and I am beginning to wonder if he died of his wounds after all. But even as the thought crosses my mind, an ellon busts into my tent.

"My lord!" He exclaims, his eyes wide and chest heaving with adrenaline. "Calithilon has called a truce. He demands an audience with you."

The ellon's words take me by surprise, though I am not sure why. Calithilon has shown himself to be quite arrogant if not dramatic, in a cruel, twisted kind of way.

At the wave of my hand, the ellon leaves the tent, the tent flaps falling behind him. Standing, I follow him out. And having just recently returned from the battlefield, I am already equip with my weapons and armor.

The air is still when I walk out, as if holding its breath. The silence is unnerving after so many days of hearing naught but the crashing of metal and the screams of the injured and dying, leaving my ears ringing slightly. Spotting the white flag up on a slop, I head for it, Thaladir falling into step behind me.

Aragorn steps out of the crowd as well and walks beside me. "Legolas, you don't have to do this," he says in a whisper. "Let me go in your stead."

"He called a truce and asked for me, Aragorn, I must speak with him. I will not stoop to his level and hide away like he has."

He sighs, "Just don't do anything stupid."

I smile slightly, "How could I with you and Thaladir watching my every move?"

One of Aragon's captains falls into step with us and the four of us make our way through the blood-soaked terrain. The smell of smoke hangs in the air and only gets worse as we make our way up. Dead, rotting, carcasses make me a slightly nauseous and I swallow the bile that threatens to rise in my throat. It is not a smell you get used to completely, rather you learn to control your body's natural reaction to it.

As we reach the top of the slope, I have to suppress a shudder as several of the Orcs who had taken it upon themselves to torment me come into view. They grin when they catch sight of me and I inwardly flinch, feeling suddenly vulnerable under their cruel gaze.

"The ranger can leave." Calithilon's voice shifts my attention away from the Orcs. He stands, poised, unmoving a few feet from the edge which is followed by a steep drop. "This is between you and I, brother."

I start to respond but Aragorn beats me to it, "You kidnapped the queen of Gondor --my wife! This is not just between the two of you."

"If you are expecting an explanation for my actions, ranger, I suggest you keep looking," Calithilon answers coolly and my own anger boils at his words. His voice stays even as he continues, "But I did not call a truce to speak of past grievances."

"Then why did you call it?" I ask, fighting to keep my tone of voice even and thankfully succeeding. "What is it you want?"

He sneers at me, his eyes alight with anticipation, "Fight me Legolas, right here, right now. To the death."

I should have expected something like this. "What would the terms be should I accept?" I ask, not allowing his proclamation to outwardly faze me.

"If you win," he continues, "you get the satisfaction of killing me, as I know you want so desperately, and my Orcs will fall with no one to guide them. But if I win, well I think we both know what would happen to your kingdom with no heir and no one to lead them."

"Why would I accept this challenge pray tell?"

"Because you are outnumbered. If you do not fight me, you and those with you will die regardless," he states, his gaze drifting to the many scores of soldiers, both Orc and elven, that fill the land beneath us.

I follow his gaze, looking at my warriors and Aragorn's and then to the Orcs. He's right. His numbers are nearly twice as large at least. We will not be able to hold out much longer.

I turn back to him, my expression blank, looking him dead in the eye, "I will fight you, and I will kill you. It is no more than you deserve."

He grins, and I can feel Aragorn's --as well as Thaladir's-- eyes boring to into me. These are hardly normal terms of war, one leader fighting against another in one on one combat rather than one leader's champion against another's. But neither is it normal that an elf would lead an army of Orcs against his kin.

He draws his sword and I do the same. Silence falls. A moment passes and we begin to circle each other, looking for the advantage.

Finally he strikes, but I am able to block it and he steps back and we resume circling.

Out of the corner of my eye, I catch a glimpse of someone emerging from inside the mountain, but quickly turn my attention back to the fight at hand. The strikes continue, our feet kicking up the dust as we dodge one another's blows. The crashing medal sounds throughout the valley as neither one of us gains the upper hand.

A shout spits the air followed by the twang of a bow being released. I instinctively drop to the ground and the arrow flies over my head. I look up, Calithilon stands over me, seemingly unfazed by the arrow that came near to hitting either one of us.

I do not have the time to regain my feet before he strikes. I roll over and bring my sword across my body to block it, realizing with horror just how close I am to the edge.

He raises his sword once more, but just as he is about to bring down another blow, his body jerks unnaturally and a cry escapes his lips and his sword collides with the earth as he sinks to his knees, holding his bleeding side.

My eyes widen at the turn of events and I look passed my opponent to see Thaladir restraining someone, holding a knife to their throat. I leap to my feet, placing my sword on Calithilon's neck and kick his sword out of reach.

"Just do it quickly, please," he whispers hanging his head.

I struggle to hold my hands steady. A moment passes, and then another. One swift move and he would be dead. The very thing I have wanted and worked since adar's death kneels before me, all I have to do is move my sword across his throat. His blood will spill upon the earth like adar's did and it will all be over.

"Please, " he continues. "Just kill me!"

I can't do it. It wasn't a fair fight. But... then again. Neither was it a fair fight when he had one of his men shoot adar from behind.

"JUST DO IT!" he screams, his hands upturned in his lap, fingers bent upwards like claws as he looks up at me, begging me to put in end to his misery. "PLEASE!"

But I can't. I can't move. My hand shakes, but I keep it the blade at his throat.

Then, with his hand, he shoves the blade away and begins to stand, one hand clasped tightly over the wound in his side. "If you will not do it, then I will do it myself!" he yells and leaps at me.

He collides into me and we fall back, landing on the rock, but I can't stop moving. Air rushes passed and I realize what's happening,

We're falling.

The rocks scrape my skin as I slide and I can't contain the cry that escapes my lips. I give a gasp when I hit the bottom, the air temporarily leaving my lungs. The rocks in front of me spin for a moment and I work to shake away the dizziness with a groan.

I survey the area around me, noticing the lack of anything other than rocks. I look for Calithilon. I spot him not far away, lying face down on the ground. Not knowing what else to do I walk over to him cautiously, not know if he whether or not he lives.

I turn him over, he still breaths, but it won't be for much longer. He most likely won't wake before he breaths his last.

With a shake of my head and a sigh, I stand and make ready to leave. This was not how I imagined this to end.

The gorge leads to my right, but other than that, I have no idea where it leads, as I cannot even see the position of the sun from where I stand.

Wincing, I begin to head down the path, if you can call it that. Sharp rocks line either side as well as the floor, making walking difficult. Though I thankfully didn't hurt my legs in the fall, other than some minor scrapes and bruises.

I lose track of time as the hours pass and it slowly becomes darker. Shoulders slumped, I find a somewhat smooth rock and settle down on it. Attempting to continue through the dark could prove to be too dangerous. I do not know what could down here.

Gazing up, I sigh when I realize the clouds will cover the stars. My mind begins to wander, reviewing what happened. He is dead. It's over. Adar has been avenged. The thought rolls over in my mind. We achieved what we set out to do. He is dead... and yet... nothing has changed. Why do I not rejoice? The weight on my chest has not lessened.

Suddenly Elhael's words play over in my mind. "...holding a grudge will not make the hurt go away."

I curse at my stupidity. But my anger fades to sorrow and the tears finally come. I haven't cried since the day adar died in my arms--I couldn't.

I slowly reach into my pocket inside my tunic and pull out the crumpled envelope. My hands tremble as I slowly pull out one of its contents.

Taking a deep, stuttered breath, I unfold the letter first, adar's neat and well practiced handwriting coming into view.

Legolas, ion nin,

Many times have I tried to tell you what I am about to write, but every time, I would back out, unable to relive those memorize in your presence. I do not know if you will ever read this, but should anything ever happen to me, I can only hope you will find this so that you may then know the truth.

You had an older brother Legolas. His name was Calithilon. He was strong, brave, courageous, the very image of what a true warrior ought to be, much like what you have become in recent years.

When you were very young, still nursing from your naneth's breast, Calithilon and your naneth were visiting one of the villages while I kept you at home for a few hours. While they were there, Orcs attacked, catching them unaware. To this day, Legolas, I do not know how they managed to make it so far within the forest. Curse them for taking our family from us!

Many were killed that day, but your brother and naneth's bodies were not among the slain. They were captured, taken I know not where. I searched for them, Legolas. Please know that I searched for years without a trace. We never even found their bodies. There was nothing to say goodbye to. No grave which to mourn over. Nothing...

The ink fades and tears spill and splash onto the paper, joining the faded tear marks that already stain the page. Most of this I already knew, but it still takes several minutes for me to gather myself up enough to unfold the other piece of paper, and nothing could have prepared me for what I see.

It's a picture. Sketched in the liking of a family. My family. Naneth sits in a chair, holding who I assume to be myself. Adar stands behind her, tall, proud, every bit of the king I remember and then some. To his right, clad in the same uniform I wore before becoming king, Calithilon stands strong, his hands clasped behind his back and his shoulders squared proudly, much like our adar.

"We were a family," I whisper to the photo as if those in it could hear me. My eyes fall once again on Calithilon, "What happened to you that you would join the ones who hurt you?" I ask, though I know he cannot hear. "How could you! Why did you not come home when you were freed? Why did you destroy the very people who could have helped you?" Tears turn into racked sobs as the emotion washes over me. The three of us could have been a family again. But now, because of him, I am the only one left on Arda. But, out of nowhere, then I the question occurs to me,

What if it had been me?

I could have been the one to be captured, for we preformed the same duties and had the Orcs attacked years later instead of when they did, I could have been the one with naneth. Would I have ended up like him after being forced to watch my her die so at the cruelty of Orcs? Would the darkness have overtaken my mind as it did his? I close my eyes, pinching the bridge of my nose at the answer to my own questions. Defeated, I lie down upon the rock as the sky slowly darkens and fades away.

<><><><><><><><>

Morning dawns and I open my eyes to find myself surrounded by rock walls. Then I remember. The fall. The envelope. Calithilon's death...

I can't help but sigh and run my hand over my face at the last one. After a moment, I stand and start back the way I came. I know what I have to do. He is the last of my family, no matter how broken he was, or how much hurt he caused. Elhael's words play over and over in my mind as I walk back.

Hours later I find myself at the same place where we fell. Calithilon's body still in the same position I left him, but now the smell of blood and death comes from it.

I kneel beside him, staring at his bloodless face. He's dead. I knew he would be, but seeing him that way is...difficult after seeing him in the picture last night. It is harder seeing him than I thought it would be. He looks so much like adar in my eyes and I can't help but wonder if many people say the same of me.

I close my eyes at the thought of Adar. I miss him. His strength and confidence in difficult situations was always something I admired in him. He guidance as well. He seemed to always knew what ought to be done and how to do it and I can't help but wonder what would he do right now, if he were in my place. What would he want me to do?

I open my eyes, sitting silently upon the rocky ground, contemplating what I should do next. Most of me wants to leave right now and return to the battle that is not doubt taking place, but something in the back of my mind keeps me from leaving.

Slowly, I stand. The floor is solid rock, but many small, loose rocks are scattered across the ground. I glance at them and once more wonder what adar would want me to do. After a moment I begin to gather them and place them over Calithilon's body, praying this is what my parents would have wished for me to do.

With every rock I place, more and more of the anger that weighs on chest to falls away. And after the last rock is placed, I finally work up enough courage to say what adar would have wanted me to say. Even though saying won't make it entirely true and I will have to say it more than once in the coming days if I am to mean it. It may even take years to truly do it. But for now, it is a start. So kneeling beside the shallow grave, I murmur the words I never thought I would say to him, "I forgive you."

Good? Not good? Do I need to scrap the whole chapter and start over? Please let me know because I feel like I took this in a different direction then what may have been expected (I don't know) and I would really like to know what y'all think and any way that I could improve it.