Addiction

By: DayTripper10108

Disclaimer: All identifiable settings and characters belong to Tolkien and are only used by me to create this little piece of fiction.

Summary: A young adult Legolas finds himself in a living hell of addiction. His friends and family must band together to try to save his life.

Rating: M (for drug dependency)

I wrote this story based on events that have recently occurred in my own life. Some people may think that only homeless, uneducated and poor people become addicted to drugs. I naively believed this too until a year ago when it became obvious that my older brother was a drug addict. He was a young, handsome and successful attorney with a wonderful wife and beautiful children. Fortunately after my family intervened he went to rehab and is doing much better.

I just wanted to write a fiction piece showing that anyone can become addicted and the frightening battle it is to fight it for everyone involved. I know drug use is probably out of character for Legolas but I like this character and wanted to use him. I am going to use opium (heroin) addiction because it comes from poppy flowers and I figure that is a more realistic drug for that time in Middle Earth. I hope that you all enjoy this and please, say NO to drugs!

Okay my speech is over and I hope that you are still with me…lol…here is the story…

Legolas laid his head in his hands and tried not to fall asleep. He could feel his eyes starting to unfocus. He was abruptly awakened by his father's advisor's sharp elbow in his ribs. He sat up with a start and tried to listen to his father drone on. He hated attending court. It made the morning drag on for an eternity. But as a son of King Thranduil it could not be helped. Even though he had just came of age two months earlier his father thought that he was too young and inexperienced to go off and fight the ever-present shadow like his older brother, Camthalion. Thranduil thought that Legolas needed some experience serving the Realm at home and that he was too eager for adventure to serve in the dangerous south.

The present case finally ended and the next case was brought before the king. Two neighbors were quarreling over the borders of their homesteads. Legolas was annoyed that something so petty was taking up valuable court time and audibly sighed before he could stop himself. The feuding elves glanced his way, stopping in midsentence. Everyone looked at him. Legolas shifted uncomfortably in his seat and looked up at his father, who was sitting on this throne. Thranduil's blue eyes shone with irritation down at Legolas. Legolas quickly looked down at the parchment on the desk in front of him and deliberately avoided his father's eyes. He knew that his father was angry and would have a few things to say. The elven king was well known for his blunt, direct way of dealing with everyone.

After another hour the court disassembled for the week. Elves milled about afterward for a few minutes before going home to their mid day meal. Legolas inwardly groaned as his father approached him, looking rather unhappy.

"Walk with me, Legolas" Thranduil said as he firmly placed a hand on Legolas's back and steered him out of the Great Hall.

"Adar" Legolas began as they walked to the private area of the Palace, "I am sorry. I did not mean to be disrespectful. You know how I feel about attending court. It is more useful for me to serve the Realm as a warrior than as an advisor."

"I understand how you feel," Thranduil said soothingly, "But you are my son and that bears other responsibilities as well. You are a gifted warrior. But you are still so young and your eagerness for adventure often gets you into trouble, does it not?"

Legolas reluctantly nodded, hating to admit that more than once he and his friends Sellion and Valen had gotten into trouble.

"Furthermore," Thranduil continued as they arrived in the dining hall and took their seats, "Until you can show some restraint with these childish impulses you will remain here at the Palace. Learning to serve the Realm here with allow you to learn some patience and negotiation which will be very useful when it is time for you to serve as a Warrior under the shadow. Right now there are things you must learn here before you are ready to go. The consequences of you going south now could be disastrous. I could not bear it if anything were to happen to you, Legolas. It is unthinkable."

Legolas gave his father a small smile. He hated to add to this father's stress. He knew that Thranduil worried about Camthalion when he was away. Camthalion commanded Thranduil's forces and was a very skilled military strategist. He also managed the defense of the Realm very well and was respected by all. The situation at Dol Guldor had turned so serious that Camthalion had to tend to it himself. He had been away for several months now and was due home at any time.

"Forgive me for being so late!" a voice jerked Legolas from these sobering thoughts. Amoniel, Camthalion's wife appeared. "I was so wrapped up in the preparation for the feast that I did not realize it was already mid day!"

"No harm done, my dear," Thranduil said with a smile as the servants brought forth the meal, "How are things coming along?"

"There is still so much to do," Amoniel gushed happily with her gray eyes sparkling with excitement, "But we still have a couple of days to get it together."

Then she turned quickly to Legolas.

"What are you doing this afternoon, Legolas?" she asked casually. Legolas loved Amoniel dearly. She was beautiful, loving and kind. But he knew that she was going to try to recruit him to help with the feast preparations.

"I am going on a patrol this afternoon," Legolas quickly replied, relieved that he had something to do to get out of Amoniel's grasp, "We are scouting to make sure the area for the feast is safe. There have been a few spider colonies found close to that area."

Amoniel nodded, accepting his excuse, and went on endlessly chattering about the feast preparations. After the meal concluded Legolas went to his chambers. He grabbed his sword and shouldered his quiver and bow. He quickly made his way out to the greens were the warrior headquarters was located. Several other warriors were there waiting for their afternoon assignments. Sellion and Valen were among them.

"You are always so late," Valen said with a grin when he saw Legolas approaching.

"I can not help it," Legolas replied, "It always works out that way."

Glandur was leading the patrol and was eager to prove himself on his first leadership position. He had already chosen Legolas, Sellion, Valen and a new warrior named Locien to accompany him. Several other young warriors were casting envious glances at the group wishing they had been chosen to go instead of being assigned to a dull afternoon of guard duty at the Palace.

The patrol made their way into the forest, walking on the Elf Path for several minutes before veering off deeper into the forest. Nearly half an hour passed before they noted a change in the song of the forest. The elves immediately took to the trees and silently but quickly climbed high into the canopy. Legolas saw that a few yards away there were a number large nests with spiders in them. Glandur studied the spiders for a while and decided that since they appeared to be asleep they could take care of the situation rather easily from their current position. Legolas and Valen smirked at each other, happy to have the opportunity to be a part of the action and to have a tale to share back at the headquarters. Legolas and the others unshouldered their bows and drew an arrow. They watched Glandur and awaited the signal to proceed with the attack. Finally after several minutes of observing the colony he gave it. Arrows flew through the air and accurately found their targets. Several spiders screamed and fell to their deaths.

Suddenly more spiders appeared from nowhere. Glandur cursed, angry with himself for making such a mistake in his haste. He knew that he should have created a perimeter around the colony but it was too late now.

"Legolas and Valen stay where you are and continue loosing arrows," Glandur ordered, "Sellion and Locien draw your swords and follow me!"

Following orders, they all did was they were told. On the ground Glandur, Sellion and Locien were successfully cutting down the spiders as they attacked and were soon splattered with the vile, black blood.

Up in the trees Legolas and Valen, both accomplished archers, had cleared the trees of spiders. Legolas scanned the ground of any remaining spiders but saw that the last of them had been killed. To his right he suddenly heard Valen unsheathe his sword and heard him shout. Legolas quickly looked over at this friend and saw something huge and black rapidly swinging toward him. Before he could think to react the spider hit him with such a force that it knocked him from the tree. Legolas, terrified, felt himself falling and tried in vain to grab a branch on the way down. He was falling too fast to grab anything but felt a blast of pain as he hit a large limb. The pain radiated from his spine and ribs and took his breath. He hit the ground with a sickening crunch. There was a bright explosion in his head and then he knew no more.

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