Four Seasons in One Day
Mar. 31st, 2014 12:42 am![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
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b2memTitle: Four Seasons in One Day
Author Name: ignoblebard
Prompt: Four Seasons in One Day (noncompilation)
Summary: Legolas guards Gollum
Rating: General
Warnings: None
Beta: None
Author's Notes: I thought it would be interesting to write a character that had a major change from the morning until the night.
Legolas awoke to the sound of birdsong. He opened his eyes to see the singer on a branch above his head. The bird was practicing melodies, adding notes and small trills with each repetition. A smile spread over Legolas’s face as he listened, his heart as merry as spring. When the bird finally darted away he stood up on the branch where he had made his bed and stretched. He liked sleeping in the sheltering comfort of his favorite beech in the summer after a night of revels. The celebration had been a welcome distraction from recent events and the night exceptionally peaceful, as though a reward for the Wood-elves’ discharge of a most unpleasant duty.
It promised to be a beautiful day with a perfect blue sky. A soft summer breeze carried the scent of wildflowers that grew in the meadow beyond the eaves of the wood and the cool damp of the river. Legolas took his bow and quiver off the branch where he had hung them and strapped his knife at his belt. He would have a quick breakfast then go check on the morning guard. Perhaps he would take the afternoon watch himself. He had enjoyed a delicious feast and a lovely, light summer wine last night. The least he could do is relieve one of his men for the midday watch so they might rest before the night’s revels, for the Wood-elf celebration of summer lasted the entire first week of the season.
“Ho, Legolas!” a voice called from below.
He looked down to see Golonif, a friend from his patrol, smiling up at him.
“Ho, Golonif. How are you this fine morning?”
“I am well. Would you like to join me for breakfast?”
“Indeed I would. I was just on my way to find something.”
They set out for the raft cove to see what new stores were arriving from Lake Town. They commandeered a small wheel of cheese and a couple of apples which they ate sitting on the bank of the river.
“What news from the night guard?” Legolas asked.
“None. I take it as a good sign. Perhaps your benevolence is working.”
“It would be a great good if the poor, tormented creature could turn his thoughts from darkness. It would be an even greater good if he would let us douse him in the river.”
Golonif laughed. “A greater good for us, that is certain.”
“I am going to relieve the guard for the afternoon watch,” Legolas said. “I would like to see for myself how the creature fares.”
“Will you be at the feast tonight?”
“The king wishes for me to attend, so I shall, though I would rather be keeping the watch. I had my celebration last night. I would rather be patrolling the border under the stars than making merry by torchlight.”
“I sometimes wonder how our king raised a son so fond of solitude and the company of his own thoughts.”
Legolas smiled. “I am more like him than you know.”
He and Golonif parted ways and Legolas went to the dungeons where the guard was just preparing to take Gollum from his cell. He wrinkled his nose at the stench but kept his expression neutral.
“Is all well?” he asked.
“It is, my lord Legolas. He had a relatively restful night. He was in better spirits when we brought him in yesterday.”
“Very good. I will take the noon watch in an hour. If anything transpires that requires my attention before I return, send word at once.”
“It shall be done, my lord.”
Legolas nodded and left. He hoped Gollum’s change in mood meant he was turning a corner. The creature had suffered long and held information Gandalf felt was of the greatest importance. If they could gain his trust, he might be persuaded to tell what he knew. Legolas wished he knew what information Gandalf sought, but the wizard was being closed lipped about the whole affair. If Thranduil knew he wasn’t telling either. Whatever it was, Legolas was certain their best chance lay in healing Gollum’s broken mind, and that would never happen in the darkness of an underground prison cell.
After checking in with the king, and assuring him he would attend the night’s feast, Legolas went to the clearing to relieve the guards under the large oak where Gollum was sitting. The creature had climbed high into the sturdy branches and Legolas could hear him muttering to himself.
“Go take your rest,” he said to the guard, and send the evening watch an hour late. I will handle things here.”
“Alone, my lord?” one of the guards asked.
“Yes. It will be all right. There is no danger that I will fall asleep and no danger that he will come down from his perch until near dark.”
“Thank you, my lord,” the guard said, and both left.
Legolas heard a snap and looked up, but Gollum was only moving to another branch and had snapped a few twigs. He thought about calling up to him, maybe try to engage him in conversation, but couldn’t bring himself to do it. Any attempt at a dialogue usually resulted in a string of curses and incomprehensible babble. Just another few months in the sun, under the wide sky, and that might change, surely it must change.
He leaned against the tree, trying to recapture his earlier merry spirits but was unable to do so. The breeze picked up and a scattering of dead leaves blew across the carpet of grass under the tree, leftovers from the previous fall. With a sigh he began to wonder what new evil might be brewing. The world was in a fragile state, their tiny kingdom even more so. He did not often doubt the strength of the Wood-elves, but his mind grew troubled at the thought of the ever present threat of orcs and foul beasts slowly encroaching on their borders. The Greenwood warriors were valiant but few. Could they hold the evil at bay?
He heard Gollum say what sounded like 'Mordor'. His ears pricked up, but then the creature began a rant on “nasty elveses”. Legolas tuned that out, having heard it every day since Aragorn had delivered him to their care. The watch was wearying and when the evening guards relieved him he was almost melancholy from his reflections. Never would he allow himself to show this to his men, so he smiled, gave them his report, then went to get ready for the feast.
Sitting at the table on his father’s right hand, Legolas drank deeply from his wine goblet. The food was excellent but he didn’t feel like eating. Something was tugging at his mind, a memory or perhaps only a vague feeling of unease from being around Gollum, yet he couldn’t seem to shake the notion he needed to be elsewhere. A few moments later he heard the clash of steel and the twang of bowstrings. He was on his feet and into the woods in an instant, calling for the feasters to take cover as the torches extinguished themselves. . .
Golonif lay dead upon the forest floor, along with a great many orcs and members of Legolas’s own patrol. He stood among the fallen, breathing heavily. If he had only listened to his instincts and led the patrol instead of giving in to his father's wishes he might have saved his friend, and perhaps many others as well. He had no time to consider it further for he realized the attack must have something to do with Gollum. Just as he turned toward the clearing with the big oak, a stricken messenger ran up to him.
“Gollum has escaped! His guards are slain!”
Legolas felt the world fall away. Winter gripped his heart.
Author Name: ignoblebard
Prompt: Four Seasons in One Day (noncompilation)
Summary: Legolas guards Gollum
Rating: General
Warnings: None
Beta: None
Author's Notes: I thought it would be interesting to write a character that had a major change from the morning until the night.
Legolas awoke to the sound of birdsong. He opened his eyes to see the singer on a branch above his head. The bird was practicing melodies, adding notes and small trills with each repetition. A smile spread over Legolas’s face as he listened, his heart as merry as spring. When the bird finally darted away he stood up on the branch where he had made his bed and stretched. He liked sleeping in the sheltering comfort of his favorite beech in the summer after a night of revels. The celebration had been a welcome distraction from recent events and the night exceptionally peaceful, as though a reward for the Wood-elves’ discharge of a most unpleasant duty.
It promised to be a beautiful day with a perfect blue sky. A soft summer breeze carried the scent of wildflowers that grew in the meadow beyond the eaves of the wood and the cool damp of the river. Legolas took his bow and quiver off the branch where he had hung them and strapped his knife at his belt. He would have a quick breakfast then go check on the morning guard. Perhaps he would take the afternoon watch himself. He had enjoyed a delicious feast and a lovely, light summer wine last night. The least he could do is relieve one of his men for the midday watch so they might rest before the night’s revels, for the Wood-elf celebration of summer lasted the entire first week of the season.
“Ho, Legolas!” a voice called from below.
He looked down to see Golonif, a friend from his patrol, smiling up at him.
“Ho, Golonif. How are you this fine morning?”
“I am well. Would you like to join me for breakfast?”
“Indeed I would. I was just on my way to find something.”
They set out for the raft cove to see what new stores were arriving from Lake Town. They commandeered a small wheel of cheese and a couple of apples which they ate sitting on the bank of the river.
“What news from the night guard?” Legolas asked.
“None. I take it as a good sign. Perhaps your benevolence is working.”
“It would be a great good if the poor, tormented creature could turn his thoughts from darkness. It would be an even greater good if he would let us douse him in the river.”
Golonif laughed. “A greater good for us, that is certain.”
“I am going to relieve the guard for the afternoon watch,” Legolas said. “I would like to see for myself how the creature fares.”
“Will you be at the feast tonight?”
“The king wishes for me to attend, so I shall, though I would rather be keeping the watch. I had my celebration last night. I would rather be patrolling the border under the stars than making merry by torchlight.”
“I sometimes wonder how our king raised a son so fond of solitude and the company of his own thoughts.”
Legolas smiled. “I am more like him than you know.”
He and Golonif parted ways and Legolas went to the dungeons where the guard was just preparing to take Gollum from his cell. He wrinkled his nose at the stench but kept his expression neutral.
“Is all well?” he asked.
“It is, my lord Legolas. He had a relatively restful night. He was in better spirits when we brought him in yesterday.”
“Very good. I will take the noon watch in an hour. If anything transpires that requires my attention before I return, send word at once.”
“It shall be done, my lord.”
Legolas nodded and left. He hoped Gollum’s change in mood meant he was turning a corner. The creature had suffered long and held information Gandalf felt was of the greatest importance. If they could gain his trust, he might be persuaded to tell what he knew. Legolas wished he knew what information Gandalf sought, but the wizard was being closed lipped about the whole affair. If Thranduil knew he wasn’t telling either. Whatever it was, Legolas was certain their best chance lay in healing Gollum’s broken mind, and that would never happen in the darkness of an underground prison cell.
After checking in with the king, and assuring him he would attend the night’s feast, Legolas went to the clearing to relieve the guards under the large oak where Gollum was sitting. The creature had climbed high into the sturdy branches and Legolas could hear him muttering to himself.
“Go take your rest,” he said to the guard, and send the evening watch an hour late. I will handle things here.”
“Alone, my lord?” one of the guards asked.
“Yes. It will be all right. There is no danger that I will fall asleep and no danger that he will come down from his perch until near dark.”
“Thank you, my lord,” the guard said, and both left.
Legolas heard a snap and looked up, but Gollum was only moving to another branch and had snapped a few twigs. He thought about calling up to him, maybe try to engage him in conversation, but couldn’t bring himself to do it. Any attempt at a dialogue usually resulted in a string of curses and incomprehensible babble. Just another few months in the sun, under the wide sky, and that might change, surely it must change.
He leaned against the tree, trying to recapture his earlier merry spirits but was unable to do so. The breeze picked up and a scattering of dead leaves blew across the carpet of grass under the tree, leftovers from the previous fall. With a sigh he began to wonder what new evil might be brewing. The world was in a fragile state, their tiny kingdom even more so. He did not often doubt the strength of the Wood-elves, but his mind grew troubled at the thought of the ever present threat of orcs and foul beasts slowly encroaching on their borders. The Greenwood warriors were valiant but few. Could they hold the evil at bay?
He heard Gollum say what sounded like 'Mordor'. His ears pricked up, but then the creature began a rant on “nasty elveses”. Legolas tuned that out, having heard it every day since Aragorn had delivered him to their care. The watch was wearying and when the evening guards relieved him he was almost melancholy from his reflections. Never would he allow himself to show this to his men, so he smiled, gave them his report, then went to get ready for the feast.
Sitting at the table on his father’s right hand, Legolas drank deeply from his wine goblet. The food was excellent but he didn’t feel like eating. Something was tugging at his mind, a memory or perhaps only a vague feeling of unease from being around Gollum, yet he couldn’t seem to shake the notion he needed to be elsewhere. A few moments later he heard the clash of steel and the twang of bowstrings. He was on his feet and into the woods in an instant, calling for the feasters to take cover as the torches extinguished themselves. . .
Golonif lay dead upon the forest floor, along with a great many orcs and members of Legolas’s own patrol. He stood among the fallen, breathing heavily. If he had only listened to his instincts and led the patrol instead of giving in to his father's wishes he might have saved his friend, and perhaps many others as well. He had no time to consider it further for he realized the attack must have something to do with Gollum. Just as he turned toward the clearing with the big oak, a stricken messenger ran up to him.
“Gollum has escaped! His guards are slain!”
Legolas felt the world fall away. Winter gripped his heart.
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Date: 2014-04-02 01:46 am (UTC)I loved this. Thanks for rounding out my 2014 B2MEM on a high note - even if it is a winter one. :-)
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Date: 2014-04-02 04:13 am (UTC)