The memory of torture and torment lingers long after the physical pain has faded from the body. It leaves a mark on a soul that is there forever.
This was something that Legolas was understanding for the first time in his life. He remembered his father's warnings, remembered how King Thranduil was adamant that he would never set foot outside his Woodland Realm.
Legolas never knew what happened in Thranduil's earlier life that could have caused him to turn a blind eye to the suffering of the rest of the world, but through all of Legolas's life, it seemed his father was content to remain in his sanctuary, the kingdom his grandfather, Oropher, had established long ago; until Middle Earth itself passed on from memory.
But now, Legolas understood the horrors that existed in the world. He had endured his own torment, his own suffering, just as his father had so many ages ago. Perhaps if he could, he would flee all the way back to Mirkwood, barricade himself within the palace and never see the light of the stars again.
That idea pained him. Even if that was possible, Legolas couldn't see himself making that decision. He had come too far. He had come to another land, a land foreign yet not so dissimilar as Middle Earth. But it had taken him ages to arrive in this place, and home was now so very far away.
Legolas struggled to push past what he had endured. It made little sense to him. And now, he was forced to find sanctuary in a stronghold of dwarves. Dwarves! He had learned to regard them as ugly and savage, the way they chugged ale and feasted on animal meats, the way they wore their armor, how they made their homes inside of mountains instead of in forests.
Mithral Hall was not so dissimilar from another mountain kingdom Legolas had once heard of. Erebor. That once mighty kingdom full of dwarves whose greed summoned a calamity of a dragon upon themselves and the unfortunate people of Dale some 200 years ago.
Legolas was young. He wasn't alive when Erebor fell, but Thranduil was. He remembered it all too well and was quick to pass judgement upon the dwarves for their greed. Was Mithral Hall so different?
In the short time since the elf had arrived in Mithral Hall, he saw blatant similarities. He saw that Mithral Hall churned out marvelous items made of mithral, just as Erebor had been known for its treasure horde of gold and jewels. But how far did the dwarves of Mithral Hall take their greed? They may not have to worry about dragons, but now their mountain was threatened by something perhaps even more sinister. Dark Elves.
A knock on the door jolted Legolas out of his silent musings. He sat at the end of his bed in the chambers he had been given for who knows how many hours, perhaps all night, staring at a flame on a candle, letting his mind wander.
The knock came again, and Legolas turned towards it. "Come in," he said aloud, waiting as it creaked open and Drizzt came in.
Legolas regarded the dark elf as he stepped into his chambers. "King Breunor is hosting a conference," the drow explained. "There are a few preparations that need to be made before we begin our journey south."
Legolas nodded. "I know little of this land, I don't know what I can contribute to aid in the dwarves' cause," he voiced his concerns to his friend.
"How dissimilar are our worlds?" Drizzt asked, and Legolas could only shrug. As far as he knew, there were no dark elves hiding in the bowels of Middle Earth. But for all he knew, perhaps there were. He had only seen a small fraction of his own world, after all.
Middle Earth had orcs, goblins, dragons, even elves and dwarves. And Faerun had all these beings as well, perhaps with different histories, different places they called home, but so similar, so familiar.
"I will assist where I can," Legolas agreed as he got to his feet and followed the drow. The two of them found everyone already in attendance at a small torch lit table where King Breunor sat at the ready. General Dagna stood beside the imposing dwarf.
Catti-Brie sat nearby, as did the little Halfling, Regis, and Ky'lor, Drizzt's long-lost brother. Legolas and Drizzt both took their seat at the table and Legolas had to suppress an amused chuckle at the appearance of this group.
Perhaps this is what marked King Breunor as different from the rest. This is what set him apart from mighty King Thror, the last king of Erebor. Around Breunor and his dwarven kin were two drow- or perhaps a drow and a half if you account for the fact that Ky'lor was half dwarf; an elf, and a human.
"Then ye mean to take this drow at his word?" Breunor grumbled at Catti-brie. "Ye are convinced he is telling the truth? I didn't raise no fool, Girl!"
"Ye didn't indeed," Catti-brie snapped back. "I know how to make a judgement on my own and I am tellin ye that if it weren't for Jarlaxle, Drizzt and I would have been cut down in Menzoberranzan. And suren he must be trusting us if he sent us his son."
Legolas glanced at Drizzt nervously as it seemed the two of them had walked in on some tension. Drizzt's slight smirk as he settled in his seat beside Catti-Brie told the elf that this was all too common between the dwarf and his sharp tongued daughter.
"He could be here to spy," Dagna pointed out, turning his attention to Ky'lor, who sat silently in his chair beside Legolas. The young drow glanced up and opened his mouth to protest when Regis jumped up in his seat.
"He's only half-drow," the Halfling pointed out, "and half dwarf! What would make him want to work for Menzoberranzan?"
"My people aren't too tolerant of half breeds," Drizzt pointed out in agreement and Dagna only huffed.
"Then I'm fer only trusting half of him," he grumbled. Regis only rolled his eyes.
"What about the other one?" Breunor asked, changing the subject away from Ky'lor before the drow could even respond in his own defense.
The entire table turned their attention to Drizzt, and the drow leaned back in his seat. Upon returning to Mithral Hall, Drizzt had gotten a shock at finding his brother Dinin was alive and well in the dwarf dungeon.
"I've been working with him," Regis cut in before Drizzt responded. "You said you would give me time, Breunor. I need more time, I really think I've started to reach him."
"To what end?" Drizzt asked, glancing at the Halfling. "I cannot begin to recount the evil deeds that Dinin is guilty of."
"He can change," Regis protested enthusiastically. "I know he can. He was never given a chance, Drizzt."
"Sooner or later, Menzoberranzan will march on Mithral Hall," Breunor pointed out. "When the dark elves get here, how do we know that one won't run to their cause?"
"He's locked up. What can he do?" Regis retorted. The halfling huffed and looked down at the table. Legolas studied the halfling from across the table, noting the frustration etched in his eyes.
"I commend your passion," Drizzt said gently, putting a hand on Regis's shoulder. "And I thank you for believing in my brother as you have in me. I just don't think we have the time. War is upon us. We have to worry about the defense of Mithral Hall. Dinin will be a liability in his present state of mind."
"I've done as much planning as anyone," Regis scoffed, turning a knowing glare at Breunor. "Especially since we've been missing our king."
"Bah!" Breunor protested, slamming an angry fist on the table as his cheeks burned red with embarrassment.
"That is more than truth," Catti-Brie spoke up then. "Ye been frozen for long enough. Not even noticing that Drizzt had departed, or that I had gone after him."
The king was shaking with visible anger, but Catti-brie wasn't done. She got to her feet and pointed an accusing finger at the dwarf who had raised her as a daughter. "Damned fool if you can't pull yerself up."
"Catti-brie-" Drizzt started, but the woman turned an equally accusing eye to him as well.
"Damn fool yerself too!" she shouted. "Giving yerself to them and making me come after ye!"
Drizzt clamped his mouth shut as Catti-brie unleashed a volley of scolding remarks at him and at Breunor. Legolas only watched from his seat, as did everyone else, too shocked to say anything. Not that any of them would dare interrupt her.
When the young woman finally finished and sat down, muttering, "I said me peace, shame on both of ye," as she sat back, an awkward silence descended on the room. Legolas didn't know enough about the events that led up to this, but it seemed to him that by the look on both Breunor and Drizzt's faces, they were both getting the scolding they deserved.
When Breunor, pushing through his obvious shame, spoke, he simply mumbled, "Ye sure ye are fer going south?"
"I will be back before the drow attack," Drizzt assured him, equally humbled. He then turned to Legolas. "I promised I would help our elven guest find his father. And if Jarlaxle is right, I must find Zaknafein."
"Take Dinin with you," Regis suggested boldly. Everyone turned an incredulous look to him and he shrugged, turning and appealing to Drizzt, his eyes pleading. "Give him a chance, Drizzt. Maybe he will have a better chance if you show him the life you have here on the surface."
Drizzt sighed. "I don't know," he breathed. "Our road is dangerous and to have one of Dinin's cruelty, he'd be more likely to stab us all in our sleep than to help us."
"If you are right and he's as lost as you say," Regis reasoned, "then it would be better for him to meet his fate at the hands of his own brother, rather than wasting away in a dwarf dungeon."
Drizzt looked at Breunor, who shrugged. "If he's staying here, he'd be getting me axe in his face before ye returned," the dwarf added.
Drizzt turned to Catti-Brie. "What do you think?" he asked. The young woman shrugged.
"I'm for giving him the chance," she said. "We'd be a stronger force with three drow on our side."
Drizzt took in a reluctant breath. "Alright," he complied, looking at Regis. "I'll take him."
That seemed to satisfy Regis. Although he had taken Dinin on as his pet project, he was content enough to hand the job over to Drizzt temporarily. He grinned brightly. "I think we will all look forward to your return," he said. "All of you."
"We will leave tomorrow," Drizzt announced in conclusion. "We will make haste to the south, perhaps find allies along the way, and return in time to defend against the drow." With that, the meeting was adjourned.
Legolas realized he hadn't muttered a single word in this meeting. He felt awkwardly out of place. He began to understand how close the people at this table were. Drizzt, Regis, Catti-Brie, and Breunor. They were family. And Legolas envied that relationship. That love.
He had become close to Drizzt. When one shares torture and torment together, a bond is formed. But he wondered if he, Ky'lor, and perhaps Dinin, could ever belong to this pact. Legolas understood that this family was missing someone. Drizzt and Catti-Brie had explained the loss of Wulfgar to Legolas on their return trip. He knew he could never fill the void that the barbarian had left. But perhaps they would come to love him as they had loved Wulfgar. And as they love one another. Who wouldn't want that sort of love in their lives?